Moon Whisper- Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

"Look what you did, Kylian. You murdered someone because our love."
"Erin, he deserved it. He doesn't get that attacking the ainu is suicide, even for him. The moment you step foot on their land without sacrificing yourself will make you implode on first touch. Our plans to attack Mardiosta will be over the moment he advances."
"But killing him out of rage, that's a bit excessive, don't you think?"
"I worked too damn hard for him to fuck it up at the silliest whim. Besides, a wraith thinks he might be able to take my empire, my greatest work away from me."
"Kylian, I understand you are angry at him for his incompetence, but we need to be careful if we want to succeed."
"You're right, Erin. It's too late to correct what has been done. Cain and Abel are lost to us. What is the status on the Seven?"
"They have reached the towers and retrieved the artifacts needed."
"Excellent. Have them return here, except the ones tracking the Noleveo. I need those loyal to us to meet me in the War Room immediately."
"Yes, Commander."

The streets of Laiqua are scarred by the onslaught of disease and famine that came over the people suddenly. Children vomiting violently where they stand, while men and women lay very still on the cold ground. It looked like death was imminent for all who came in contact with the plague.
All the while, Cora, James, Lia, and Zeke walked down the streets; their faces filled with terror as they saw the whole town slowly drifting from the mortal realm.
"My God. How could this happen so fast?" Cora asked as she had seen a woman throw up blood.
"It must be whoever is in the Councilate. They must have poisoned the town throughout a long time. It's the only way to infect a town like this in a short amount of time," Lia commented.
"No. This is Qualinosta's doing. A sudden plague befalling a city like this instantly? There's no doubt it's them," Zeke replied.
"So what are we to do?" James asked timidly.
"We need to save Dad and the city. How we going to do it is a problem."
"What do you mean?" Cora questioned.
"You heard what the doctor said. Anyone who came near the Councilate became violently ill and collapsed on the spot. How are we going to get in there?"
"That's easy. It's a miasma barrier. A poison in the air shadows a thin barrier laced with disease vapors. If you cross the barrier, you immediately are affected. But if you purify the air with clarifying herbs, you will pass with ease," Lia explained.
"Sounds easy. How do you know that?" Cora asked.
"Many villagers that I came into contact with told me about the miasma barrier. I found a way to cross it after a few days."
"So, what kind of herbs do we need?"
"Unfortunately, the herbs we need do not grow in this type of vegetation. They are grown in the mountains."
"Just our luck," Cora said exasperatedly.
"Not necessarily. We do have a druid in our party."
"But growing plants takes months, and we don't have that amount of time," James commented.
"But you're a Noleveo. You have the power to grow things at a rapid rate."
"He does have a point," Lia told James.
"Just have Lia tell you the names of the herbs, and tell the Earth to grow them."
James then, reluctantly, placed his hand on the rough gravel that covered the earth. Hoping for a quick reaction to his powers, he whispered the names of each of herbs that Lia had told him.
Within seconds, a bountiful amount of the herbs arose from the earthen gravel; its leaves as green as the healthiest tree.
"These should plenty to cross. Now, Zeke, help me make this into a drinkable solution. Use you alchemy to ground them up."
"Alright, but it may be tricky."
Zeke clapped his hands together and tapped the herbs. Instantly, the herbs were tiny bits ready for the next step. Lia scooped them into a bowl she had ready.
"Now I need some water for this. And the nearest river is too far away," Lia said.
"Lia, use your magic. Conjure some water," James told her.
"I don't know. My master told me to only use magic in dire situations."
"What do you think this is, Lia?" Cora commented.
"OK, here it goes. Poraesi!"
Without a second to spare, a rush of water came from the sky had poured into the bowl. Suddenly, the mixture stirred itself into a drinkable solution.
"There, it's ready. Here, drink it quickly." Lia handed them each a stone mug with equal portions of the potion in it. They drank it down as directed.
Without hesitation, Zeke ran into the miasma barrier, hoping to cross it. I hope I can cross this successfully. If not, we may not be able to save Mom or Dad, he thought.
The barrier suddenly vanished as soon as Zeke entered it. The air seemed better than it was before.
"Hurry, let's get inside," Zeke concernly said. The others hurriedly ran into the building without looking back.
Inside, they saw people sprawled all over the foyer of the Councilate. No life was visible before the four as they entered.
"My God. These people...," James gasped as he saw the carnage inside. "We have to save them, Lia."
" Nau, Usstan ehmtu nindyn lodias! (No, I own those trophies!)" someone shouted from the main hall.
"Who's there?" Zeke shouted.
Within minutes, a towering creature came from the main hall. His face resembled that of a human, but nothing else did.
"Who are you?"
" Usstan aturr ulu tlu rivvil, jhal Usstan tlun rivvil nau mzild. (I used to be human, but I'm human no more.)"
"You speak the language of the elves. Were you one?"
"Ni enyalquen nisse méra hína ar atta nessima seldos. (I remember a woman with child and two young boys.)"
"Dad? Is that you?"
" Usstan xuat zhaun! (I don’t know!)"
Suddenly, it lunged forward and attacked the four, who were now noticed the similarities of Zeke's father face.
"Do not attack him! It is my dad!" Zeke yelled.
"Well, we can't have him kill us." Lia replied.
The group continued to dodge the behemoth that is Zeke's father, and his attacks.
"Lia, you know how to bind someone?" Cora asked from the other side of the room.
"Yes. Why?"
"Zeke, can you stun him?"
"I see what you are planning, Cora. But do not kill him!"
Zeke rolled from his position and clapped his hands together. In an instant, Zeke's father was paralyzed by a strike of lightning coming from Zeke.
"Lia, the spell!" Zeke shouted as he held his father in place.
" Ai shol sor vaesyl sai sor myr! (I bind this person to this spot!)"
Frozen where he was standing, Zeke's dad stood in pain from the shock. His tantrum had ceased and the four were safe. Cora climbed up Thomas and placed a small piece of parchment paper on his forehead.
" Vaelaeri sai cestal thys! (Release to human form!)" Cora shouted as she hit the floor.
Within seconds the beast was no more and Zeke's dad laid on the floor, badly injured. The four rushed to him to see if everything was normal.
"Cora, take him back to the house. See if you and Raine can heal him," Zeke said concerningly.
"Of course. Be careful, all of you," she said. She picked up Thomas and rushed out of the building.
"Why did he speak only in Elvish? Most elves speak in Common nowadays," James wondered.
"Because whoever is in the Main Hall was controlling him. And they knew that Mom is pregnant and about Joseph and me," Zeke replied.
"But how do they know?" Lia asked.
"P'wal udos morfel ukta!! (Because we made him!)"
The three turned as two lone men stood before them. The pair looked as sickly as the people on the streets; their faces all gaunt-looking and hollowed like they were close to death. Their bodies were thin as a small tree, leading to believe they were on death's door.
" Dalninuk Cain, udos inbal abbilen. (Brother Cain, we have friends.)"
" Usstan kyorl nindel, Dalninuk Abel. (I see that, Brother Abel.)"
" Udos zhal'la elgg mina, Dalninuk Cain. (We should kill them, Brother Cain.)"
" Udos orn, Dalninuk Abel. (We will, Brother Abel.)"
The two stepped towards the three unarmed. Suspiciously, the three drew their weapons and braced for an attack.
" Nind xun naut khaless udossa, Dalninuk Cain. (They don't trust us, Brother Cain.)"
" Ori'gato mina naut khaless udossa, Dalninuk Abel. (Let them not trust us, Brother Abel.)" Cain said in a different tone.
Out of nowhere, chains surrounded the three in a cyclone. They were trapped inside as the two men laughed menacingly.
"What is this? I've never heard of a chain cyclone before. Is this advanced magic, Lia?" James wondered.
"No. No one can use an object like this. He's manipulating the earth's metal deposits and made them into metal chains."
"We are in trouble if we stay in here much longer," Zeke said, looking around for a weak spot. "What form of Elvish did he use in his last sentence?"
"Drow. Dark elves language. We shunned them out centuries ago," Lia said to Zeke.
" Kri'sha bauth mina, ussta sluden! (Cover around them, my chains!)"
The chains started to come after them, trying to wrap themselves on their bodies. But Zeke clapped his hands once more and made an iron barrier around them.
"We cannot stay in here forever. We need a plan," James said.
"I know what to do, but I need your help Lia," Zeke responded.
"What do you need?"
"I need you to draw a circle on the ground that crosses two lightning bolts together and a triangle in the middle."
"Got it."
"James, use your powers to protect us, okay?"
"Understood."
The iron barrier collapsed and Lia started on the array. Meanwhile, James created a shield from soil in the earth to protect the trio from any attacks.
"Done, Zeke. Now what?" Lia asked.
"Place your hands on the array."
"This is alchemy?!?"
"Do it!"
Lia and Zeke placed their hands on the array. Seconds later, giant bolts of lightning came from the array and struck the chains. They heard screams of pain coming from outside the cyclones walls.
" Dalninuk Cain! (Brother Cain!)"
The chains started to crumble and drop to the ground as the trio regained its strength. They looked upon one man huddled over the other, who lay motionless on the ground.
" Dos orn yaith whol nindol, dos zatoasten! (You will pay for this, you bastards!)"
The man took out a large battle axe from his cloak and threw it at the trio. The trio dodged with ease, but was stopped by the one called Abel.
" Orior ulu yaith whol dosst maav'at, dos yeunn dhynen! (Prepare to pay for your ignorance, you pathetic mortals!)"
"I wouldn't count on it," a voice came from behind him.
No having enough time to react, Abel fell to the ground, only without his head. An armor-clad warrior stood before the trio, holding the head of his opponent. His appearance was accent by the silver he wore in his outfit.
"You guys thought you could have all the fun without me?" the man asked.
"Raine!"
Raine walked over to the other man, the one called Cain, and picked him up.
"What were you doing here?"
"Xunin vel'bol Usstan zhahus della. (Doing what I was told.)"
"Who sent you?"
"Ussta jabbuk, Balor. (My master, Balor.)"
"You lie."
The man, then, smiled at Raine. Suddenly a chain out of nowhere wrapped around the man's throat and crushed his neck leaving him lifeless on the Councilate floor.

"So you came after you seen Cora come out?" Lia asked to clarify Raine's actions.
"I wanted to wait until you really needed me, but I see that you guys didn't need me after all."
"But we did," Zeke said. "If you hadn't killed him, we would be dead."
"No problem. But what are we going to do about this mess?" Raine asked.
"Leave it to me," Zeke said as he clapped his hands together. He touched the walls of the Councilate with both hands, and within minutes, everything was restored to its original beauty.
"What about the people who died?" James asked.
"They didn't die. They were illusions to trick us into thinking that way," Lia explained.
Walking back to his house, the four were glad to see everyone feeling better than they were when they last saw them. Children were actually playing in the streets, laughing joyously as if nothing had happened.

"The doctor says your father is fortunate not to have died from his ordeal. They had one serious curse on his body," Cora told Zeke.
Zeke and his friends sat outside in the garden as the doctors and his nurses helped Zeke and Joseph's parents get well.
"Yeah, both of them are suppose to make a full recovery. I am glad about that," Zeke answered.
"But what to do now? If we stay here, there might be another attack on Laiqua," Lia wondered.
"We don't know who our attackers are, let alone want to get caught up in a hunt for our heads," Joseph replied.
"But we do. The man who I interrogating said he was working for Balor," Raine corrected Joseph.
"Who is he?" James asked.
"Balor was given the name when the leader of the rebel army took control of Hyelle. He's the head demon who wants us dead."

The morning after the fight was dim. The sun did not shine over the forest metropolis. No one was happily doing their business in the streets. No children were laughing away as they played in the fields. No one was glad to live another day after what had happened. The town had filled with gloom and depression.
Zeke and Raine stared out the window, looking at the many saddened faces of the citizens of Laiqua. Hoping to change their expressions, they thought of ways to restore happiness to the city.
"I can't believe after what they went through, they changed so much," Zeke said viewing the people walking by their house.
"It's like after what the rauco (demons) did transformed them into lifeless dolls," Raine replied.
"How depressing," Joseph commented as he stood behind his brother and friend.
"Let's just go downstairs and eat. We leave at noon," Zeke said.
The three went downstairs to find Lia, James, and Cora at the table waiting for them. With sad expressions on their faces, they looked for answers as to why this was happening.
"We don't know, but they will be fine after we leave," Raine said.
"So we are leaving Laiqua?" Lia asked.
"Yes, to head towards Malen."
"Why Malen? I thought the Gate was in Culunia," Cora spoke.
"Malen is neutral territory for travelers. Culunia is in civil disputes with the nearby dwarf tribes. Since the Gate is powerful, the other tribes want it for themselves," Zeke explained.
"Plus we need a guide into Culunia. It's far underground, so it may take a day or two to reach," Raine continued.
"So we head out tomorrow?" James asked.
"No, today. I rather not stay here for another attack."
"Has anyone checked on Mom and Dad?" Joseph wondered.
"I'll go. You guys should go pack up. When I am done with my parents, I'm leaving," Zeke said.
The six got up and went their own paths. Raine and Joseph went to pack their clothes and belongings in their room. Cora did the same in hers. Lia and James left the house to their homes to say good-bye to their families. Zeke, on the other hand, took some breakfast upstairs into his parent's room, where both Elena and Thomas were sitting in bed, waiting for someone.
"How are you guys doing?"
"Better than yesterday."
"You guys remember anything that happened?"
"Not at all. It's like that one day in my life was completely erased from my mind."
"Mine too."
"I'm glad to see you are better. I brought you some breakfast. James made it."
"Thank you, son."
Zeke sat on his parent’s bed and smiled. Their loving faces were brightening up as they got better. His fear of losing his loved ones started to vanish before his eyes.
"Zeke, everyone is ready," Raine said as he stepped through the door.
"You're leaving?' Elena wondered.
"It's too much of a risk to stay here. What if there is another attack? I cannot risk losing you two again," Zeke explained.
"I understand, Zeke. You six are chosen to stop this from happening. Here. Take this." Thomas handed Zeke an amulet, encrusted with sparkling jewels. "This amulet was given to us by Ariales when he chose you as his predecessor. It's now time that you have it."
"What does it do?" Zeke asked.
"We do not know. But it is yours now. Take good care of it."
"And take some bread and food with you. You all need to eat."
"Will you all be okay?"
"The doctors will take care of us. Now you six get going. The sun will set before you leave the city if you don't hurry."
"Okay. Joseph went to get James and Lia, so I'll say his good-byes for him."
"Take care, my son."
“Good-bye, Mom and Dad.”
And with that, Zeke left his parents in their beds, hoping that one day he will see their faces again along with his new baby brother or sister. He will never forget what they have done for him and what they continue to do for him for now on.