"He shouldn't have to go," I complain." I'm a good warrior, why don't I get to go? It's just not fair."
"Teknie, dear, your father is proud to fight for our people. He wants to be out there."
"So do I! " seeing the look on her face makes me calm down, though I still mumble," If he's going to fight, I might as well too."
Mother pulls her purple hair around her face and her yellow eyes look watery when she says," You know you are too important to lose. Besides," she continues, looking up at me and smiling," if you went away, who would I have?"
I want to scream at her that I should not be stuck in hiding just because she doesn't want to be alone, but I quickly get a hold of myself. I do know that I must stay alive. Not just for my family, but for all of Constanice.
"Why did the king's children not get this power instead?" I ask.
"Because they do not have every color of the spectrum. It is a privilege very few possess."
"Well, yeah,but it's just a gene thing. It's not my fault you and Dad made the perfect match for the perfect kid. I never asked for it." She opens her mouth to interrupt but I keep going.
"Yet here I am, all this power, this big'privilege' ", I emphasize the word," and I can't even help in a little battle. I turn away and look out the window, wishing I could do something to help. Little did I know that this was not some 'Little Battle', this would be the final battle.
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(Armani)
"Word from King Kritanta!"
"News of Constanice!"
"Letter for the king!"
Were the shouts from the town's people. I walk calmly along the edge of the road towards the castle. We have been anxiously awaiting a response from Kritanta for two weeks, so I can understand the excitement; but I also wish people would be a little more contained.
My progress is slow, but I make it to the castle in time to hear the letter being read.
"King Donovan of
We request immediate backup. The gnarlobs
have recently been attacking nearby towns which has lead to great destruction. In order to make peace, I make a request for help,but give only one command, which is as follows: protect the girl. You will know which one. She is needed for our kingdom to thrive; as I previously wrote, you cannot mistake her for another.
Signed,
King Kritanta.
There is silence as the king considers this, followed by an outburst,"THE GIRL?! HOW ARE WE TO KNOW WHO SHE IS?! That dirty ROTTEN scoundrel NEVER makes things clear!" He seems to have blown off his steam for now, and a relaxed, orderly expression comes on his face again.
"Armani," I snap my gaze to over to look him in the eye. "You will lead a small army to Constanice where you will find the girl and help in any other way you can. You will return to me within the month. Understood?"
"Yes sir," I assure him.
"Good, begin preparations."
I have a team of horses and men as well as my orders; so I mount my horse and wave to the pedestrians nearby. 'It was about time we made peace with Constanice,' I thought.
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(Teknie)
As if out of nowhere, the streets are filled with screams. I run to the window, but mother stops me, shaking her head,"The house is not safe anymore, especially not near the base walls. Go to the keep, and stay until the fighting ceases."
"But mother," I gape; but she will not have it. So I shut up and let myself follow her orders. I haven't the slightest clue where she's going; she always liked a good secret I suppose. As I make my way to the keep, I spot a glimpse of the ongoing battle. I cannot turn away no matter how hard I try.
There is blood and bodies everywhere. I can't make out any of the figures from here, but I know how this will end. If I hide, I will for sure survive, but if I run into the fight, I could at least know that I had helped in someway.
So what do I do? I run straight into the fray.
I pull my sword out from its sheath and join in the fight. Foes and allies alike are cut down all around me. I see a scarce path to what I know is a secured cave. If I can reach it, I can still be safe like Mom wanted me to; but just before I can reach the path, one of the gnarlobs comes up behind me. I spin around and swing my sword up to deflect its hit, but it's ruthless. Before my sword can be tossed away along with the other rubble, I sheath it again. The move cost me as I feel a blade pierce my shoulder deep into my skin. I gasp in pain but continue on. After a while of scrapes and bruises, I manage to unarm my foe, but this costs me a long gash on the arm opposite my other wound. I start to get dizzy and I can feel the blood seeping out of me. Just a little more, a little longer, I don't think I'm going to make it, and I start to retreat when I see an opening. I lunge for it, driving a small dagger into its throat. It falls down dead and unblinking. I turn back to the path and slowly start towards the cave. At some point I end up doubled over and crawling on my knees, but I make.
The next moments are a blur as I get myself to the safety of cave and pass out on the cold floor.
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(Armani)
It's a two day trip even when we go our fastest. By the time we reach Constanice, all is quiet. I signal my men to wait outside of the entrance and trot into the first city there is rubble everywhere and there isn't a single person in sight. Same for every town after, until we come to the capitol.
I expected a battleground, but my imagination could never be this vivid. This extreme. Bodies of Tekallies and gnarlobs
lie scattered across the city in pools of each other's blood.
"Check for survivors or anything salvageable!" I call out to the group. They nod and begin their search. I decide to go an opposite direction from anyone else.
I start to believe there is nothing intact here anymore when I spot a barely visible pathway just ahead of me. The body of a gnarlob lays at the edge of it with a dagger through its throat. My hopes go up that there may be survivors still.
At the end of the trail lies a cave. There is a normal looking boulder at the entrance, but I know enough about these people to assume this is not a simple push-and-pull contraption.
I search around for something to open it with and my eyes fall on a close to minuscule button. I bend down to press it and the boulder rolls away.
I walk in to find one single person. I take a closer look to see that she has large abrasions on each arm. I can tell this is the girl Kritanta told us about. I do not know how I can be so sure, but somehow I can.
She has a sword that reads 'Teknie' on the hilt. Then I glance up and see another sword on a stone platform. It is shaped like a lightning bolt and has a slight yellow tint. I pick it up along with the cloth beside it. After wrapping it tightly, I put it on my belt and pick up the girl.
She looks about thirteen with hair that is purple in the front, and blue in the back. She has the natural yellow blood of Teknallies- huh Teknie the Teknally. She wears red and her lips are pink, so I assume her eyes are green and orange.
To be as important as Teknie clearly is, you have to be born with every color of the spectrum. I'm exactly sure how that works with the uniforms and all that, but it was generally along those lines.
I walk out and place both girl and sword carefully on my horse. I realize I actually have not checked to make sure she is alive. I quickly press my fingers to her wrist for a pulse. I wait ten long seconds before I finally feel a pulse. I breathe a sigh of relief.
I ride back to the others to see if they have found anything. There are a few weapons that have been gathered and an extra horse. All eyes turn to me and Teknie.
"She's alive, this is the one," I tell them in answer to the questions on their faces.
They take that as the proof they need, I guess. We then pack up and leave again. I am not looking forward to what the king will have to say to this.