XIII

Last Prophecy

The palace gates in Terebinthia opened to reveal a gruesome scene. Bodies were strewn across the grounds, blood covered everything. Sembri could tell they’d been dead only hours. There were still sounds of a battle towards the back of the palace.

A group of armed soldiers rushed forward, ready to attack. When they saw Sembri, they stopped and saluted.

“Priestess! You’re here early. We weren’t expecting you for a few more hours.”

Wasian stepped forward. “Enough with the formalities! What happened here?”

Momentarily shocked by the boy speaking, one man finally spoke up. A scar ran across his face.

“One of our men were hoping to win more to the Priestess’s side. He was only trying to save his brother, you can’t fault him too much for that. His brother, though, fought for Cain. As soon as he heard of the revolt, he ran his brother through with his sword. The army is now at war with itself. Any you see wearing the red band side with you, Priestess. There’s not many left that aren’t ours.”

Sembri felt her knees hit the ground. “More killing, all because of me.”

Toren put his arm around her and gently forced her to her feet.

“Time to finish this. Then tie fighting will finally end.”

She could hardly believe her voice would work, but she heard herself talking anyway.

“Hikari, you’ve been here before. Can you lead us to where Cain is?”

She shook her head sadly. “The palace is huge, and I only went to the dungeons. Besides, I can’t tell where he is. It could take hours.”

“Hang on.” Wasian sighed in annoyance. He froze time and walked the palace over. He took his time, there was really no need to rush. The palace was definitely big. It took him a while, but he finally found him. He was holding court, letting people come to him with their needs. If he thought they would be of some use later on, he would help. Otherwise, most ended up dead on the spot. The guards who had been assigned to drag out the bodies had worked up a sweat. Wasian did notice their red arm bands, though. He returned to Sembri and the others and reported his findings.

“That’s good,” said the soldier with the scar. “The guards both inside and at the court doors are ours. They will help you on your way in. Once inside, however, you are on your own. Sai has warned us not to interfere.”

Sembri nodded once. “May I ask your name?”

The mane saluted once more. “Forgive me, Priestess. I am General Benjamin Railey.”

“Thank you, General Railey. You’ve been more help than you know.” She turned to Wasian. “How quickly can you get the four of us there?”

He smirked. “Just follow me.”

When Sembri went to thank the general once again, she realized they were the only four not frozen in place. It seemed as though they were looking upon a courtyard of statues rather than real men. She then received a very disturbing image. This is what the world would be like, should they fail. Empty, and soundless; a void by all descriptions. Shuddering at the implications, she motioned Wasian ahead.

He took them down winding passages of grand splendor. Gold statues and giant tapestries lined the hallways with floors of the purest marble. But for everything of beauty they saw, the palace was in dire need of repair. There were cracks in the floor and everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. Potted plants sat forgotten and dying and broken glass scattered the floor where children had thrown rocks through the windows.

On the way, they saw an older woman hunched on the floor beside a bucket with a rag in her hand. Wasian brought her to life long enough to talk with her.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” said Toren. “Could you please tell us why such a grand palace is so, well, filthy?”

She gave a knowing smile. “The palace staff split years ago. Most of them left when Cain became so brutal and harsh. Those of us left had two reasons for staying. None of us had anywhere else to go, at least here we’ve had a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. And we’re too frightened to leave. If we did, we’d wish for death over the torture he’d put us through.” She shuddered involuntarily. “Young man, pray you never face that man. I only wish he were back to his old self again. But just listen to me, blathering on. I have to get back to work, I’ve the entire hallway left to go.” Once back to her task, Wasian froze her in time again.

“So that’s why it looks so run down,” said Toren. “There’s not enough staff left for the upkeep.”

After a few more turns along passages, all four of them stopped in front of two large doors. No one needed to be told that Cain was in this particular room. The wooden entrance had the symbol for “god” carved into them. Guards stood at both doors, prohibiting entrance to the hundreds lined up against the walls. Wasian freed both guards.

“Listen, the battle is about to begin. Send those people away at once, or all their lives are forfeit!”

They saw Sembri, then saluted.

Once inside the doors, Wasian let his hold on time slip and all palace activity returned to normal. At first, it seemed like Cain hadn’t seen them. He was busy blasting fire at a man who asked for help with food for his family. After the man went down, the guards dragged him away. Cain’s eyes now turned towards them.

“How nice of you to visit, Priestess. You’ve saved me the trouble of finding you. Too bad you won’t be staying very long. I’ve been hurting for far too long because of you, be glad I’m granting you a swift death.”

He opened his palm. In its center was a ball of light. The center of it was black. Around that it was purple with small red, revolving spheres.

“This spell is known as ‘Oblivion’. The screams I’ve heard let me know it was justly named. None have ever survived it.” He gave an evil smile, then threw it straight at Sembri.

The impact of the spell threw them all backwards, but no screams were heard. Toren shot to his feet and searched for Sembri. He saw her lying on the floor next to Hikari. His hands were shaking and he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. He was at her side without realizing how he got there. His tears were falling onto her cheeks.

“Sembri? Sem… Please, Sem, open your eyes. Please.”

There was blood on the ground. As he searched for the source, he could still feel her heart beat.

“Come on, wake up. Please, Sem, for me, wake up.”

She groaned as her eyes fluttered open.

“Oh, thank heavens!” He scooped her into his embrace, realizing that her clothes were covered in blood. There was a pool of it on the floor. “Are you alright? Did the spell hurt you?”

He could feel her tears spill onto his shoulder. “Hikari… She jumped in front of me… She…”

They heard soft crying behind them. “That bastard, he got Hikari,” said Wasian.

Sembri’s eyes opened wide. “No…,” she whispered. She turned to the nymph behind her, her frail hand covering the worst of the damage to her middle. Sembri carefully cradled her head in her lap. “Hikari, are you still with us?”

Bright green eyes stared up at her. “I’m still here, but I can’t see you. Caedee is waving at me, she looks sad. Sembri, am I dying?”

She smoothed Hikari’s hair as her tears fell. “I think so. Does it hurt terribly?”

“No.” She smiled. “I don’t feel any pain at all. Oh, Bri, its wonderful here. Hurry, so we can be together again soon, okay?”

She smiled through her tears, unable to stop them.

“Bri, you can beat him! You and Toren, you can do it.” She turned her eyes to Wasian. “Caedee said your part was finished. It’s up to them now.”

Her breathing became shallow and her eyes closed. “Sembri, you have to use them both. The Ishi no Chikara. Truth and Fiction must be combined if you are to have a chance. Just don’t… give up.” Her chest rose once more before it stopped forever.

Sembri’s head fell as she cried, Toren’s hand on her shoulder, tears silently running down his face. Wasian screamed in rage. He walked over to Cain and glared at him.

“I’m not afraid to die, for that will be the mere beginning of life for me. But it’s something completely different watching my friends suffer and die in front of me. I only wish it could be me who finishes you off.”

Cain laughed. “You? A mere boy, finish me off? Ha! You would stand no chance. Out of my way, you aren’t worth my time.”

Wasian planted the heel of his hand on Cain’s nose, breaking it. As Cain’s knee hit the floor, Wasian appeared next to Sembri. He fastened the clasps to both necklaces around her neck.

“There, now the stones are back to their rightful owner.” He hugged Sembri and offered his hand to Toren. “I wish you all the luck in the world. I’ll see you outside once this is over.”

Sembri nodded, then grabbed Toren’s hand as Wasian disappeared. When she got to her feet, she glared daggers at Cain.

“You are not the caring boy I once knew. You are a savage, brutal killer; a monster. You’re just as bad as your brother was.”

Toren’s jaw dropped. “Sem, I can’t believe… I forgot to tell you, he’s….”

Cain’s laugh echoed through the empty room as he got to his feet. “You didn’t think I’d let you go back to her with that knowledge, did you? I cleared that out once that pathetic excuse for a nymph showed up. Ha! You didn’t forget to tell her, you just forgot!”

“Self-righteous pig! You can’t hold your tongue for five minutes without proclaiming to the entire world how glorious you think you are!”

“Don’t talk to me like that! You have no idea how powerful I’m about to me! Once I activate…” When he finally realized the stone around his neck was gone, he screamed in rage. He searched the area around him before looking at Sembri. She was holding the chains up so he could see them clearly.

“You heartless beast. You really have no emotions left, do you? And to think, I once loved you.”

Cain screamed in agony. He dropped to his knees again, clutching his middle. When his gaze turned upwards, blue eyes greeted them along with a sincere smile. His face was soaked in sweat.

“Sembri. It’s really… really you, isn’t it?”

She nodded.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I couldn’t stop him. The only thing I could do was to hide away the information. Do you know how to use the stones?”

“Cain, it’s the real you, isn’t it?” Her tears began anew. “It’s really you. You’re still in there somewhere.”

“I couldn’t come back to you. I’m sorry. I wanted to, but I had to protect you from him. I never stopped loving you, I want you to know that.”

“Then tell me what’s going on?”

He nodded, seeming to have won the battle within himself for the time being. He stood and moved closer to Sembri, brushing her short hair with his fingers. “You’ve grown up beautifully,” he said through tears of his own. “I wish I had never asked you to call an Angel for me. If not for that, this entire war wouldn’t be happening right now. When the Angel killed my brother, somehow his soul escaped its judgment. He remained in this world, jumping from host to host, until eventually he made it to this kingdom. When the man he was inhabiting was executed, he forced himself into me. He then took over Terebinthia using my body. The only reason I remained coherent was my love for you. He has no concept of the feeling. It’s the reason I could protect you, even just a little.

“I forced myself to be ever present in his mind. I could project thoughts, but nothing else. On occasion, I could take control, but only for short periods of time. I know that someone is giving me the time right now to talk with you, explain what it is you must do. I’m the only one left with the knowledge.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Hikari told you to use the stones together, but you must also rely on every power you have within you. Call upon everything you know, don’t hold anything back. My brother has gained power you could only dream of. You have to destroy him and this body completely for it to work.”

“But, that would mean destroying you, wouldn’t it?”

He smiled sadly. “You know the answer to that already. I died long ago, Sembri. This body is no longer me.”

She clung to his shirt and wept against his chest. “No! You’re here! You’re real! You aren’t dead yet! How can you ask this of me? You’re asking me not only to kill your brother, but to knowingly kill you as well!”

He wrapped his arms around her, still smiling, and closed his eyes. “You won’t be killing me, my love. You’ll be setting me free. You’ll be liberating me from this endless existence of torture and pain. I can’t die now, I’ve tried. If I just gave up my soul and let him have my body completely, the information would leave with me, but it isn’t that simple. He won’t let me die, Sembri. He wants the information and he’s willing to go through any length to pry it from me. My strength is nearly gone. Please, love, set me free. Send me to be with those I once cherished.”

She sobbed. She couldn’t think straight. She waited years for him to return to her, never losing faith in their love. She still hadn’t let go of the ring he had given her, it was nestled within her pack.

Toren stood behind them. As he watched them, he knew their pain. He felt so sorry for Cain, at the love he protected for all that time. He knew, because he would do the same for Sembri. He also knew what Sembri was thinking. He reached into her pack and dug out the ring box. He quietly slipped it into Cain’s hand and backed away, but not before receiving a smile of gratitude. He knew their time together was limited, and that it would be the last. As he wept for the love that would die this day, he watched in silence.

Cain slipped the ring onto Sembri’s finger. “You must realize that I will be gone once this is over. This body will no longer be me. I will still love you, forever and always, but you must move on. I want you to take this ring, with a new promise.”

She searched his eyes through the cloudiness of her own.

“This ring is the promise of a future life. You must promise not to stop living, or loving, because of me. You’ve found someone else who loves you every bit as much as I do. You have to carry on. I know you, and you’ll want to sit down right here and die, because you killed someone close to you. You mustn’t do that. I willingly give up my life if it means protecting you. You won’t be killing me, you’ll be ending the life of the most horrendous creature ever to walk the face of this planet. Don’t hold back anything.”

She nodded, crying harder.

“It isn’t fair. I still loved you. I waited for you, doesn’t that count for anything?”

“Unfortunately, nothing can be done now. Sembri, remember me as I was, that innocent little boy who loved you with his entire heart and soul.” He kissed her cheek, then looked to Toren. “Take care of her, and remind her of my words. She must go on.”

Toren nodded and took Sembri from him. She continued crying against Toren as Cain backed away. Sweat again formed on his brow and his breathing increased its pace.

“My time is almost up. Remember… everything she’s got, nothing less.”

His eyes flickered back and forth from blue to red. They finally resumed their crimson hue and the sinister smile crept back to his lips.

“Love…” He spat on the floor. “Pitiful human emotions, glad I never had them. Now that you know he’s still in there, you don’t have the nerve, do you, girl?”

She whipped around faster than lightning and landed a slap across his face. “How dare you soil his sacrifice with your long-winded prattle. His heart is so pure, I’ll bet you could never touch him. You’ve tried though, haven’t you? You’ve tried your hardest, every trick you knew, trying to find out what made his soul so pure, why you were the one condemned to an eternity of misery and suffering.” Her eyes were pure venom. “You disgust me. You don’t deserve any feeling, any sympathy. You brought this upon yourself.”

“Oh, dear little Priestess. You think you’re out to save Kenai, right? I’m guessing you haven’t heard the other prophecy, then?”

She froze. “What other prophecy?”

“Haha! And you, boy, do you know it?”

Toren glared in answer.

“This is a dream come true! Not only will I win, you’ll hand it to me on a silver platter! In an ancient text I found years ago, I realized the potential of those stones of yours, Priestess. Would you like to hear how it goes?”

“Spit it out already.”

“Impatient to hear your undoing? Very well then.” With his finger, he drew lines in the air. They shimmered and hung where he’d wrote them until sentences appeared before them. Once he was satisfied with the result, he forced the words onto the ground where they could read them better.

“So? That’s a small price to pay for ending his tyranny.”

“Toren, you’ll be mortal. You’ll live here for the rest of your life. You’ll not see your friends for years.”

His eyes had never left Cain until this point. He turned to Sembri and kissed her. “I don’t care. I’ll be happy anywhere, as long as I’m with you.” He closed his eyes, putting a shield around them both. “Remember, hold nothing back.”

She nodded. Gripping the staff Wasian had given her, she pointed it at Cain. She silently prayed that they wouldn’t fail.