Ahe’ey - I Will Find You (An Original Novel - Part 3)

Start here: Ahe’ey - Sky Falling (An Original Novel - Part 1)

I Will Find You   

Thirty-four years ago - Ahe’ey

Sky’s heart raced, overwhelmed with fear and guilt. She sprinted through the forest, away from the Yi’ingo village. It was the night of the Summer Solstice, and she knew most of the Yi’ingo would be drunk, gathered around fires celebrating the fertility of the earth, and engaged in rituals that culminated in the dissemination of their seed. She ran in the direction of the Ange’el village in search of help. The girl stopped when she saw the figure of a tall man standing in the middle of the road between her and the village entry.

   “Come here,” ordered Sathian. Sky attempted to fight the man’s persuasion powers, but his skills were too strong. The mind and feet of the strong-willed girl followed the command of the man's smooth voice. As she approached Sathian, Sky noticed that blood covered half his face, coming from a hole that was recently occupied by a missing left eye. From the left gouge he cried blood, but from the right eye, he cried salty water. He contorted his mouth in pain and grief, and his long dark hair absorbed the briny red river that streamed down his face and neck. As the girl got closer, he lifted her by her neck until her feet were off the ground. Sky gasped for air.

   “Who are you?” He asked.

   “S…Sk…y.”

   He pulled her face closer to his right eye. Sky’s mind ordered her legs to kick, but her body refused to oblige. She realised she was under his control, a hopeless slave to his mind’s eye.

   “The queen’s granddaughter. One of four children of the bloodline. A pure-blooded mare.” He laughed and released her. She fell to the ground and gasped, attempting to catch her breath.

   “Who are you?”

   “Your worst nightmare little cousin. The beast who will destroy everything you hold dear.” Bitter tears and blood continued to roll down his face into his mouth. Sky could feel autonomy return to her body as the man’s face contorted with some inner battle. He spoke to her as if he was speaking to an old companion, to another adult.

   “They forced me to do it, do you understand?” He said, looking down at his bloodied hands. She stood up and took a step away from him, testing if she was free from his controlling mind. “They took everything away from me,” he continued biting his lip and placing his left hand over his missing eye, “and now they will pay, all of them. They’ll have a taste of their own poison. Those who value the purity of the royal bloodline will bear impure babies. I’ll destroy everything you hold dear royal brat.”

   “I’ll find you and kill you.” Shouted Sky as she raced away from him, hoping his mind’s confusion prevented him from summoning her back to him.

   “No Sky, I’ll find you.”

Sathian was drunk with resentment, anger and pain, but it was mainly remorse and shame that stopped him from hurting the girl. He was fighting to keep what was left of his humanity and, tonight, letting Sky go was his small act of redemption. He touched his disfigured face, knowing all too well that not even his royal blood could regenerate an entire eye. He, the most beautiful creature at Ahe’ey, was now forever disfigured. A fair punishment for the necessary violence he had unleashed on his family. Was it? Necessary?

   “Sathian!” Sathian looked back to see who was screaming his name. It was Lucas running in his direction, sword in hand. There was madness in his eyes and in his face. The type of mania that is only present in those who had suffered tremendous loss. The blonde Ange’el barely knew how to hold the sword that he lifted in front of his face. Sathian knew Lucas was not a warrior, nor had he ever killed any living being, no matter how small. Lucas stopped in front of Sathian, preparing to strike.

   “If it’s suicide you are looking for.” Sathian murmured unsheathing his sword, “I’m more than happy to oblige.” Sathian rotated his entire body and, in one single blow, decapitated Lucas.

   Sathian walked back towards the Ange’el village, roaming the gardens where he had spent most of his youth. The place remained unaltered as if time had stood still. The statues he had designed and commissioned together with his dearest love stood above him. Their flawlessness was untouched by the heartaches and misdeeds of its creators. The sculptures represented the perfection, purity, and virtue of the Ahe’ey.

   “Lieees!” He screamed as he touched the face of a stone winged angel with his bloodied fingers.