| |
Continent of Panaerth
21st Day of Month 6, Year 1628 DG
A new day dawns upon Ona’s light.
Zakia and Salessa enter the clearing again, and the pixie inactivates the cloaking circle. The pair find Gina and Naina strategizing the mission, while Symin extinguishes the morning bonfire.
Where were you? Naina asks Salessa.
Early morning perimeter check, Salessa responds, as Zakia instructed her to.
When Gina verbally asks Zakia the same question, she delivers an identical response, followed by a knowing glance to Salessa.
Salessa forces memories of the night out of her mind, in case Naina decides to telepathically probe her.
“We have to be at the processing center by afternoon,” Gina commands. “Let’s get moving.”
One by one, the travelers cross the threshold, into the forest where the Radiance is void. They stay close together as they travel, eyes wide for Bravers. Gina safeguards the rear of the pack, with Zakia leading and Symin in the middle with the twins.
Without her access to the Radiance, Gina remains on edge, a dagger in each hand. Symin and Zakia, however, appear unfazed. They’re alert and guarded, but exude a calming aura, focused on the path ahead.
When the Four reach their peak overhead, Salessa hopes the protests in her stomach aren’t audible to the remainder of the group.
“It’s midday,” Gina announces. “We should stop to eat. The center isn’t far now.”
Maybe she heard.
Gina moves quickly around the surrounding trees and secures their perimeter, while Symin and Zakia take to the branches and gather fruit.
Salessa sits with her back against a tree, and Naina plops down next to her.
We have to finish our conversation from last night, the wolf demands.
Salessa juggles offering her the truth: Zakia knows who they are now, and the others are ignorant of the prophecy. They have no reason to hide the falcon.
But when she meets Naina’s eyes, her nerves take over.
My feelings haven’t changed, Naina. It has to be me. A wolf can’t safely complete this mission, and I won’t put you in danger.
We will be in danger if we reveal who we are. Did you forget, it’s the reason we’re on the run? We can’t trust Mega, they’ll want to use our abilities, or the Goddess herself.
Salessa breathes deeply to temper her anger. You’re lying to yourself. I’m in your head and I know your feelings have changed. I don’t know how or when, but this untrusting, tough exterior act has started breaking down around Symin. I know you’ve seen through his windows.
There’s a long, silent pause as Naina tries to form a response, a denial.
Salessa continues. Change champions, remember? What greater change is there than relieving ourselves of the things holding us back?
Hiding the prophecy protects us, Lessi.
Hiding the prophecy HAS protected us. But not anymore. Now all it does is isolate us. We’ve been alone for twelve years.
She turns to the Mega around them and Naina follows her gaze.
I told you before, we need community. We don’t need to protect ourselves alone anymore, when we have a community who will protect us.
Their eyes meet again.
It’s time to change. It’s time to stop hiding who we are.
Naina seems to take the words in. She stops transmitting thoughts to Salessa, but her gaze lingers on their companions as they continue the journey to the processing center.
The Braver presence grows heavier as the ore facility draws closer. The Mega instruct the twins to walk more carefully, avoiding sounds under their feet. They move away from beaten paths, walk slowly between trees.
They arrive at their destination on schedule, resting at a vantage point on a hill that overlooks the entire center. High up at the edge of the forest, the hill descends into a narrow, grassy valley, where the processing center sits. It’s massive, with a gate on one end that opens to allow hover trucks, carrying raw ore, into the center.
Gina and Naina crouch behind a pile of stones, the others finding trees to hide behind.
“Where does he get it?” Gina wonders aloud. “If we knew the source of the ore...”
“We can follow the trucks,” Naina suggests.
“We’ve tried,” Symin responds. “They arrive on fleet vessels, coming in from all different directions. An intentional strategy to hide the originating location.”
“I’ll try to find a source while I’m inside,” Naina says, sending Salessa reeling.
She had assumed their discussion had changed Naina’s mind.
Gina shakes her head. “A wolf on a stealth mission is risky enough without poking around for information.” She finds the suns. “Their guards are about to change shifts, we’ll have a short window where you can slip in. Be ready.”
There isn’t much time. This is Salessa’s final opportunity to change Naina’s mind.
“Take a walk with me,” she suggests to her sister. “I’ll help you get centered.”
“Don’t go far,” Gina commands them.
Naina follows Salessa until they are out of earshot of the rest of the group.
I thought we agreed, Salessa says.
You thought wrong. I have to protect us, and that includes keeping the prophecy from them.
As the seconds draw on, Salessa feels the pressure clenching her throat. Naina is moments from entering the processing center, and there’s only one way to stop her.
Naina, we can tell them about the prophecy! Zakia assured me it was safe.
The words slip out before Salessa can cage them.
Naina is stunned into momentary silence, before a growl rumbles in her chest.
Don’t freak out, Naina, please.
I’M GOING TO KILL YOU. Naina’s fury burns into Salessa’s mind.
Naina’s muzzle erupts. Elongated canines and sharpened teeth show in her vicious snarl. Fur erupts all over her head.
Below the neck, she is still Naina, while above, she’s a fierce canine. The growl simmers, low enough that the Mega are still oblivious.
HOW COULD YOU?
Salessa takes a step backward. I’m sorry. You don’t understand—
How dare you lecture me about trust and community when you’ve been lying to me all day? I can’t even trust my own sister.
Naina, please, that’s not true.
Of course, it is! I saw the way you were looking at her. This is the Lexona situation all over again.
A sharp, pricking pain stabs Salessa in her heart.
I’ve apologized for that countless times, Naina. You can’t hold it over my head forever. This is completely different.
Is it? Any time a pretty girl smiles at you, you completely lose all your senses. Are you going to give Zakia all of our money, too?
Her words become a long, thin dagger to the chest, as Naina invokes memories of the poor decisions she made years ago. Naina knows that Lexona betrayed Salessa’s trust as much as she betrayed the wolf’s. Salessa didn’t give her anything.
She took it.
The pain translates quickly into anger. Salessa acts without thinking, turning to the Mega before Naina can stop her.
“I’m a falcon,” she announces.
The Mega turn to her, raising an eyebrow at the abrupt declaration.
She continues. “I lied to you earlier. I’m not a wolf.”
Zakia opens her eyes far too wide and places her hands on her cheeks. “What a surprise!”
Gina and Symin exchange a look.
“You’re a falcon?” Gina confirms.
Salessa nods.
“And you’re clearly a wolf,” she says to Naina, who is still canine above the neck.
“Aren’t Doruh twins supposed to have the same animal forms?”
Salessa’s heart drops. Gina knows Doruh genetics, but does she know their religion?
“We’re a genetic anomaly,” Salessa responds, her heart pounding, hoping Gina accepts the excuse.
Another look between Gina and Symin, and then a shrug.
“Falcon is better than wolf,” Gina says. “You’re going in.”
Salessa nods and the Mega turn back to the processing center.
“I hope you’re happy,” Naina whispers to Salessa, fully human again. “You took a risk for both of us.”
“I did it because I love you.”
“Bullshit,” Naina responds quickly. “You did it out of anger. There was no discussion or agreement. I don’t know this lying, selfish Salessa.”
Gina interrupts them. “It’s time. Let’s go.”
Salessa turns back to Naina, hoping to explain that, regardless of how it appears, she only wants to protect her sister.
But Naina’s words silence her. She’s correct about Salessa’s behavior. There’s nothing more to say. Salessa got what she wanted, yet, she feels emptier now than she did before.
The twins join the group again, and the General hands Salessa a short cylinder that expands into a long wooden tube with a circular pane of glass on one end.
“What is this?” Salessa asks.
“Put it to your eye. It’ll help you see small details about your route from here as I explain it.”
Salessa hands the tube back to Gina. “I don’t need this.”
“Are you sure?” Gina raises an eyebrow.
Salessa points to her eyes. “Falcon.”
Gina presses the tube to her eye. “See the back wall? There’s a square hatch about a quarter of the way down from the top.”
“I see it,” Salessa confirms with a nod.
“It’s a duct for the cooling systems. Naina was going to slip into the maintenance corridor, but if you think you can fit in the duct, it’ll make this a lot quicker and easier.”
“I’ll fit.”
“Good. Follow the ducts until you reach a small room with three compression tanks. They’ll be connected by hoses. Wait for the room to clear, then disconnect each hose and reconnect it to a different machine. Once that’s done, you’ll only have about a minute, maybe two, to get back through the duct and into the sky, before the center joins you among the clouds.”
Salessa nods. “Understood.”
“Any questions?”
Salessa peers harder and notices the workers bustling about. “How will I alert the workers?”
Gina raises an eyebrow. “Alert the workers? It’s a stealth mission, Salessa.”
Salessa pauses, trying to understand the General’s intention. “Gina, look at the Mega down there.”
Gina puts the tube to her eye again. “The Bravers?”
“No. Everyone else. The engineers, scientists, laborers. Mega with families, friends, lovers.”
All eyes lock on Salessa as she continues. “I have no issues completing this task with Bravers inside. But the rest of them came to work this morning to feed their families. They didn’t come to die.”
“This is war,” Gina says. “It’s ugly.”
“Those aren’t warriors,” Salessa counters. “Is there another time we can do this? Tonight, after they go home?”
“Salessa,” Symin says, his tone gentle. “They aren’t here for the day, they’re assigned for weeks and months at a time, and they sleep in the complex. Timing is irrelevant, everyone there is going to be caught in the blast.”
Salessa hesitates. “It’ll kill them”
“They’re faeries, Lessi,” Naina chimes in.
Salessa looks up at her. “That’s not a crime.”
“As far as I’m concerned, working for the Ore Monger is.” She turns to Gina. “I can go in and do this. I have as little problem with faeries being caught in the blast as they do with cutting down Doruh in Evic.”
“Wait,” Symin’s cool voice slips in. He turns to the falcon. “Salessa, I admire your empathy. But this is the only way.”
Salessa’s eyes dart from her sister to the Mega. Uneasiness grows in her stomach. Her expression morphs into one of reluctance.
“Maybe the wolf should go, after all,” Gina taunts her.
“No,” Salessa responds, putting an end to the conversation. “I’ll do it.”
Slowly, reluctantly, she backs away from them and removes her clothes.
“Good luck.” Zakia offers her a smile.
Salessa turns to her sister and they hold eye contact. The betrayal hangs between them, as Naina remains cold and quietly says, “Good luck.”
Salessa waits another moment for an embrace, or some form of affection from her sister before she embarks on a potentially fatal mission, but nothing comes.
“How far does your telepathy reach?” Symin asks.
Gina’s eyes widen. “Telepathy?”
Symin nods. “Evidently, a twin thing.”
“We’ve never tested distance,” Salessa admits.
“You’ll test it today,” Gina commands. “I want updates.”
Naina nods and coldly turns away from her sister.
Salessa closes her eyes, and her limbs shorten. Dark feathers pop from her arms, while lighter ones grow from the rest of her body. Her feet harden and turn yellow as long talons spring from them, and her mouth and nose elongate into a sharp, curved, black-and-yellow beak.
***
NAINA CAN’T REMEMBER the last time she’s seen Salessa shift. A sense of pride fills her chest, knowing that her sister is traversing her comfort zone for the mission, but the betrayal overpowers it and she remains silent.
Guilt joins the pride and betrayal in her heart, for bringing up Lexona. Salessa has apologized countless times for her mistakes, and Naina had forgiven her.
Salessa shoots up into the air. Zakia, Gina and Symin stare in awe as the small bird takes flight.
Seconds later, Salessa is circling high above the wide building, a mere speck from the ground. And then she dives, and all three Mega’s jaws drop to the forest floor.
“Is she teleporting?” Gina asks.
“No,” Naina responds. “She’s faster than you can follow.”
The falcon perches on the edge of the roof, waiting for a group of Bravers to stroll around to the side of the building, from where she isn’t visible. She lowers herself and uses her beak to open the duct’s flap, before slowly floating in and folding her wings close.
“Tell her to keep in contact,” Gina says once the hatch drops behind Salessa.
Naina nods. Stay in touch. She keeps her tone frozen.
It works, I can hear you.
“Has she found the room?” Gina asks impatiently.
“Not yet.”
I’m above the first room. Large, full of machinery. Barrels of ore emptied into vats and melted. I’m going to keep moving.
I’ll let Gina know.
“She’s at the first room,” Naina announces to the team. “The factory. She’s going to keep moving.”
Gina and Symin nod in acknowledgment.
After a few minutes of light descriptions, Salessa finally says, I’ve found it.
“She found it.”
Gina smiles. “Excellent. Remind her to be quick on the way out.”
Get out quick when it’s done. Gina’s instruction.
Salessa pauses before she responds. Thanks, I will. There’re workers in the room.
We’ll stand by.
What is that noise? Salessa’s irritation comes through.
What noise? Naina asks.
Nothing, sorry.
Naina turns and relays the falcon’s position to the group. Gina and Symin draw in a long breath, anticipating the moment they’ve been waiting for.
Salessa’s voice rings again. I have to go check.
Check what?
The noise. Someone’s yelling in the next room over.
Naina battles frustration to keep her tone steady. Forget it. You’re on a mission.
No, wait. This might be important.
Lessi, stop.
Silence.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
Lessi?
Silence.
Naina’s heart pounds through her chest. Lessi?! Say something!
“What’s going on?” Gina asks, looking up at the wolf’s scrunched eyebrows.
“Nothing,” Naina responds quickly.
“Nothing? Naina, you’re frowning and sweating.”
“She’s just waiting, alright? Relax.”
Lessi, please, talk to me.
Silence inundates her mind, and Naina’s heart shatters, realizing the last opportunity she had to embrace her sister was wasted. If something happens to Salessa, the last thing she heard was Naina’s frozen tone. The wolf waits, and time slows as she begs the Twins to let her sister’s voice come through again.
And they oblige.
It’s a foreman, comes Salessa’s voice. He received a message from the Chief Engineer, who just left a meeting with the MegaFather. Pause. Something about a new chariot order.
Naina releases a long-held breath. Thank the fucking Twins. Lessi, you scared me.
“Naina, what’s wrong?” Symin’s voice breaks Naina from the telepathy. “You’re crying.”
The wolf’s hand shoots up to the corner of her eye and she wipes away the relieved tear. “Nothing—she’s going into the room now.”
Lessi, I’m lying for you here. Please go back to the room.
Lily Beach. Sacristone.
What?
The skies and the forest fill with the echo of a piercing alarm. Bravers around the center scramble to designated locations.
“What’s happening?” Zakia asks. “Is she okay?”
“I-I don’t know,” Naina stammers out. “Let me ask.”
Are you okay, Lessi?
Silence.
Her pulse quickens again. Lessi?!
“What’s going on, Naina?” Symin asks urgently, his tone dripping with concern. “Is she safe?”
“I don’t—” Naina doesn’t know what to say. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” Gina’s tone is incredulous.
“Look,” Naina’s voice breaks as her concern mounts, “I said I don’t know, alright?”
“There she is,” Zakia says, squinting and pointing toward the processing center.
Naina tears the magnifying tube from Gina’s hands and places it to her eye. The black-and-yellow falcon beak pops the flap of the duct system back open and Salessa launches up and away from the building.
Seconds later, she dives through the treetops and lands gracefully on the forest floor in the exact place from which she departed earlier. A wave of utter relief washes over Naina, and before her human form has fully returned, the wolf’s arms are wrapped tightly around her sister.
Water wells in her eyes, but she doesn’t wipe it away, not wanting to let go of Salessa for even a moment.
“You’re choking me, Naina.”
“I’m sorry for bringing up Lexona,” Naina whispers in her ear. “I know what she did wasn’t your fault.”
“I’m sorry, too,” Salessa apologizes. “For everything.”
There’s a pause as Naina holds onto her sister and sniffs, and then Salessa pops into her head. Wait, are you crying?
No. Shut up.
The wolf finally presses the tears away with her palms before she releases the embrace.
“What was the alarm about?” Symin asks.
Salessa’s cheeks burn red. “That was an accident. I tripped it on my way out.”
“And the burners?” Gina asks.
“I didn’t do it,” Salessa admits.
“I hope you have a good reason,” Gina taunts. “That was the entire purpose of dragging you here.”
“Lily Beach,” Salessa says.
Gina and Symin exchange perplexed glances.
Salessa continues. “The ships bringing the barrels of raw ore. You wanted to know where they’re coming from. Lily Beach. They’re mining something called sacristone there.”
Gina’s eyes widen with realization, but Symin’s eyebrows remain furrowed.
“You have the wrong target,” Salessa advises. “Destroying this processing center is a minor inconvenience. You want to cut the Ore Monger off? Go to Lily Beach and eliminate the sacristone.”
Naina allows her pride to burst forth. “You did it, Lessi.”
“And you did it without harming the Mega,” Zakia adds, handing Salessa her clothes.
“Back to Nivyan Hollow to regroup and refresh,” commands the General. An eager smile widens on her face. “Then...to Lily Beach.”