Green Eyes
Chapter 68

Selene sat alone on her balcony and stared blankly out over the city. The fires started during the day’s battle spread through the dry grass so that she could barely tell that the sun had dipped below the horizon almost an hour previous. The destruction they had wreaked was both awesome and terrifying.

Thankfully the rest of the Navi had made it back to the Temple in one piece, more or less. Inexplicably the sorcerers had halted their attack as soon as the Navi withdrew. Assumedly it was for the same reason that the Navi had to retreat: the massive release of power had worn them out.

All of that was little consolation to Selene. Instead she sat there, replaying Maria’s last moments over and over again in her mind, each time the pain stabbing anew into her wounded heart. Max. Jael. And now Maria. How many more of the people she loved would die around her?

“Hey, I thought I’d find you here,” Andrew’s familiar voice interrupted her melancholy musings. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Selene flatly replied, suddenly understanding Jared and Mara’s cold detachment. It was the only way to stay sane in this life. “How are we doing?”

“Assuming that the sorcerers don’t make a move until morning, they’ll be 19 of us ready to go,” Andrew informed. “Have you seen Maria around?”

That broke Selene’s heart. She didn’t have to say anything; the look on her face said it all.

“Oh,” Andrew said as he sat down beside her. “I’m sorry.”

“I was too late,” Selene choked out as she wrestled with the dam of emotion that threatened to burst. “The others were already dead and he was just standing there, torturing her.”

“Brutus?”

Selene nodded as she wiped a rebellious tear from her cheek. “Yeah,” she said. “It was like watching a cat play with a mouse.”

“Brutus killed her?” Andrew asked.

“Not exactly,” Selene shook her head. “He threw across the garden and we fought. After her ran I found her still alive. But instead of me healing her, she healed me.”

It took a second for Andrew to process that. “But in her state, to heal would’ve killed her,” he protested.

“It did,” Selene confirmed despondently. “She said it was her gift to me. Maria gave her life force to me; she sacrificed her life for me.”

“Wow,” Andrew blinked. “I’ve heard that it was possible for a Navi to transfer her entire life force to another, but I’d never heard of it being done.”

“She died in my arms,” Selene couldn’t stifle the flood any longer and broke down.

“I’m so sorry,” Andrew tried to comfort as he wrapped his powerful arms around the shaking Navi, drawing her close. “I’m so sorry.”

“I can’t take this anymore,” Selene sobbed. “She died because of me. Jael died because of me. My father died because of me. How many more have to die because of me?”

“Selene, listen to me,” Andrew said with abrupt sternness, locking his green eyes with hers. “No one has died because of you. Everyone has died for you. They chose to give their lives for you because they loved you. It was their choice and theirs alone. Do not dishonor their sacrifice by blaming yourself.”

“You’re right,” Selene nodded as she struggled to regain control. “I’m sorry. It’s just that…It’s just that I miss them so much.” And she broke down again.

“It’s okay,” Andrew soothed as he gently stroked her blond hair. “It’s okay. Just let it out, let it out.”

Selene did just that as she cried and cried until she had no more tears to cry. Then her body just shuddered as the emotions continued to roll over her until utterly spent, she finally drifted off into a restless sleep.

Andrew looked at the sleeping woman in his arms, his heart breaking to see her suffering. She had been through so much in the last few months, her life having been so violently changed that it was a testament to her strength of character that she hadn’t gone insane.

Yet there was nothing he could do now but let her rest. He couldn’t fight her demons for her; that was something that she would have to face herself. But he could hold her and so he did as he too drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

*******

“Andrew! Andrew!” Johann’s voice sounded in his head, jerking him awake. It was almost dawn, the sky just barely lighting up with the coming sun.

“The sorcerers are moving! Get Selene and yourself down here now!” the elder Esthorian commanded.

The roiling storm in his gut confirmed Johann’s words and that gave him a shot of adrenaline. Shaking himself all the way awake, he gently rocked Selene.

“What?” she groaned trying to roll over and ignore him.

“Sorcerers are moving towards us,” Andrew whispered into her ear as he shook her some more.

He might as well have shouted it. Selene was immediately wide awake, shooting to her feet. She closed her eyes for a second as if meditating. A moment later, Selene opened them and nodded.

“They’re coming through the garden,” she told him. “Where are the others?”

“Downstairs, I think,” Andrew responded.

“Let’s go,” she ordered as she headed for the door.

They were downstairs in the main hall in a couple of minutes. Seventeen other Navi greeted them. They looked nothing like the Navi Selene had gotten used to being around. These were haggard, worn, bruised, battered, and filthy. And they were all that remained to battle Brutus and his sorcerers.

“Alejandro?” she asked Andrew as she scanned the room.

“He didn’t make, sorry,” Andrew winced.

Just another name to tack on my wall of lost friends, Selene thought as she grimaced.

“They’re coming through the garden,” Johann informed.

“I know,” Selene responded with a curt nod. “We’ll make our stand here.”

“Can we win?” a younger Esthorian Navi asked.

Maybe it was her Kalashonian blood; maybe it was training; maybe it was simply the night’s rest but Selene felt calm and relaxed. Whatever fate lay before her today, she was determined to meet it with dignity and strength. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“I don’t know,” she patted the Navi who was no more than 14 on the shoulder. “But if this is indeed the last stand of the Navi, then let us make sure that they never forget us.”

“We’re with you Selene,” Johann encouraged.

“Then let us meet destiny,” she replied and strode confidently towards the door.

The 19 of them faced the wall that separated the Temple compound from the garden. Their Navi senses told them that just on the other side of that wall was Brutus and his sorcerers. The wall was thick and strong, but none of them held any illusions about its ability to keep them at bay.

“Are you ready?” Andrew asked Selene as they felt the first thump against the wall.

“Would it matter if I said no?” she smirked back.

“Probably not, no,” he returned the smile. Then on impulse, he bent down and kissed her full on the lips.

“What was that for?” Selene blinked in surprise and elation as her face turned red.

“For luck,” he winked at her.

Another thump resounded and the wall began to crack. Then with the third push, it shattered, showering the Navi with shrapnel as the sorcerers stepped through.

Seventeen of them faced the Navi. They looked little better than their counterparts but Selene was not fooled. She could feel the power and hatred flowing through them like a vile poison. It was time to end this.

For a moment the two sides faced each other as if under some spell; silent and frozen as they waited for the other to make the first move. Then all hell broke loose.

The two lines assaulted each other with everything they had in their arsenal. Andrew and Selene launched a barrage of rocks while another pair of Malchians rained down fire on the sorcerers. The Esthorians fired wave after wave of psychic energy at the sorcerers who shot back in kind.

She tried to find Brutus but dust and smoke quickly obscured her view. Instead Selene found herself facing another sorcerer who was determined to claim her head.

He let loose a TK blast that knocked Selene back several paces. Instead of trying to block or absorb it, she hearkened back to her lessons under Jared and Mara and deflected the shot away from her.

Selene had to deflect a lightning strike before she could counterattack. Reaching out with her mind, she condensed the water around her into a whip and lashed at her attacker. The water whip grabbed the man’s ankles and flipped him on his back. Before he could get up, Selene tapped into the grass and strangled him with it.

Taking a step back, Selene saw that the battle had spread all over the Temple grounds. Some were fighting in the courtyard; others had spilled back into the garden while others were dueling on the steps of the Temple itself. As before, it was an even battle with neither side gaining any advantage; just losing people. Already half a dozen on both sides were gone and more would follow shortly.

This had to end, Selene knew; more than enough blood had been spilt. But the only way for this horror to end was for her and Brutus to finish their contest. If only she could find him through the muck.

There was a shout and an explosion as she saw a Navi slam into the stone of the Temple. With panic, Selene realized that it was Andrew. His attacker bounded through the air, ready to deliver the final blow.

It was like jet fuel as she rocketed towards the sorcerer, catching him in midair and driving him towards the Temple wall. The sorcerer retaliated by mentally shoving Selene in the chest, pushing her off of him. Then he followed it up with a telekinetic blast that sent her screaming towards the Temple.

She managed to wrap herself in a psychic bubble just in time. Selene slammed into the top of the first level of the ziggurat, breaking through the stone and mortar and wood and crashing down into one of the training rooms.

The sorcerer completely ignored Andrew and came straight for Selene, firing off burst after burst of fire, trying to incinerate her. Selene protected herself underneath a mental shield while the Temple burned around her until he ran out of juice. Then Selene struck back.

Reaching up with her mind, Selene seized the sorcerer and jerked him through the hole in the roof. He struggled to break free and flew towards daylight but Selene was one step ahead of him. Releasing him, she brought the roof down on his head, pummeling him back to the ground. Before he could stumble back to his feet, Selene grasped the largest piece of debris she could find and brought it crashing down on his head.

Taking to sky, Selene rushed back to where she’d seen Andrew get pounded. He was still there but wasn’t moving.

“ANDREW!” she shouted as she landed next to him. “ANSWER ME!”

He moaned a little which meant he was alive, but she couldn’t tell how badly hurt he was. She reached out her hand to heal him; after everything she’d been through, Selene wasn’t taking any chances.

Suddenly Andrew’s left hand grabbed her wrist. “Don’t,” he told her, opening his eyes. “I’m fine; save your strength.”

“You’re not fine,” Selene retorted. “You just got smashed against a rock.”

“Malchian, remember?” Andrew winced as he tried to move. “I can manipulate rocks. The fall wasn’t as bad as it looked. Here, help me up.”

Selene tried to help him up but he yelped in pain as soon as she touched his right arm. “You’re not going anywhere until I heal you,” she informed him with an air of finality.

“I’m fine,” he repeated. “It’s just my arm,” he told her, looking down at his rapidly swelling limb. “I think it’s broken but the rest of me is okay. Save your strength and help those who really need it.”

Selene looked him over critically for a moment, deciding that he was right. “Fine,” she allowed with a slight pout. “But stay here and don’t try anything foolish.”

“Don’t worry,” Andrew replied with a pained grimace. “I don’t think I could if I wanted to.”

Selene stood up and scanned the battlefield looking for Brutus. This time she found him halfway up the Temple, battling Johann. The experienced Navi was holding his own for the moment but he was clearly outmatched by the more powerful sorcerer.

Just as she was about to go to her mentor’s rescue, she felt the presence of a sorceress bearing down on them. As much as she wanted to help Johann, she couldn’t leave Andrew at the mercy of a sorceress.

She whipped around, launching a block of stone at her in the process. It hit home on the surprised woman who barely had time to defend herself against the blow. The sorceress staggered back a few steps, dazed and unprepared for Selene’s follow up move.

The Kalashonian Navi launched herself at the sorceress, right fist ablaze. The last thing her enemy saw was Selene’s blazing hand bearing down on her. Selene shattered the sorceress’s head, smashing through skull and brain and leaving nothing behind.

But it was a costly victory. Selene felt a sharp pain ripple through her mind and her head immediately snapped towards Brutus and Johann. The Viceroy was standing over the elder Navi, lightning crackling in his hand as he prepared to give his final blow.

“NO!” Selene shrieked as she catapulted herself towards them.

In midair, she fired off the strongest telekinetic wave in her life. It caught the Viceroy just as he was about to deliver his killing strike, throwing him high into the air and the bolt awry. A moment later, Selene alighted beside her teacher.

He was in bad shape. Unconscious, most of his bones seemed to be broken and Selene was sure that he was bleeding internally. Apparently he hadn’t been able to soften his fall.

“Hang on,” she whispered as she prepared to heal him.

“Oh I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a cold, evil, and familiar voice warned her. “I would hate to see you waste all your energy before our showdown.”

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