INSIGNIAS: THE REGALIS

The dessert sands greeted Nate, Lei, and Kol when they climbed a steep path toward a large round opening, leaving behind the underground maze. The sands formed hills of dark shadows under the vast black sky with countless of twinkling stars, white blanket of Milky Way, and round eye of moon. The three were also greeted by the thick cold air that made them tremble. Lei panicked when she noticed the night sky, looking around, seeking their companions. Despite their desire to immediately look for their friends, the three of them looked for a place to rest and tend to their wounds. Nate’s head was throbbing of pain, Kol’s ears were bloody, while Lei’s knees were red and swollen.

Their rest was short because their want to see their companions was hard to ignore. Without any destination, they followed Lei who felt a small forest, thinking that their friends might be resting in it. Kol immediately agreed. The walk was long, tiring, and cold. Nate thought they were lucky because they found what they were looking for.

“I heard Ciar,” Kol explained simply. Half lucky then.

Lei tightly hugged Tessa whose clothes were barely dry. Aria watched them with unshed tears, her left shoulder bound by bandages. Clyne, despite unable to walk properly, enveloped Nate in a bear hug. Skhy and Hunter patted him on the shoulder, both wet through their clothes. Kol clung on Ciar’s arm despite his leader’s protest, while Kage and Raven watched with a smile. All of them looked like they fought their way to safety.

When everyone settled around the fire, they ate the fruits found in the small oasis and tended each others’ wounds. Tessa insisted to heal those who suffered worst and no one could stop her.

“You were underground?” Ciar asked after their meal.

“Yes,” Lei replied.

“Maze. Big spider with eight eyes, sixteen legs.” Kol took a big bite of a fruit. His ears were no longer bleeding but they were pink and swollen.

“Lei felt plants growing and we followed it,” Nate explained. “We tried to kill the creature when it caught us.”

“It’s near impossible,” Hunter murmured. Nate nodded in agreement.

“What happened to you?” Kol asked Ciar. “Were you with the others?”

“Skhy, Tessa and,” Ciar paused, “Hunter.” Nate couldn’t help but grimaced.

“It wasn’t my choice,” Hunter barked, more to himself.

“Neither was it mine.”

“Stop.” Tessa’s glare swept from Hunter to Ciar. “We fought a water dragon.” Nate’s eyes widened at the mention of a dragon.

“The one in the river?” Lei asked, eyes also wide. “It was a dragon?” Hunter nodded.

“A water and air dragon,” Hunter replied.

“How did you end up there?” Nate asked.

“We also fell underground.” Ciar added a small log to the campfire. “There was a tunnel, opening near the river.” Nate wanted to ask what happened to the creature but he decided against it.

“How about you guys?” Kol turned to Raven and Kage.

“We and them,” Kage glanced at Aria and Clyne, “stayed on the surface.”

“The green…”

“Green serpent,” Aria completed Lei’s statement. She did not offer other information.

“How did you come here?” Lei asked.

“Thirsty so I looked for clean water,” Tessa replied.

“We found Aria and the others on our way here,” Skhy added.

“The serpent found you.” Clyne emphasized ‘serpent’ and ‘you.’

“It was a disaster,” Kage commented somberly. Everything we experienced here is a disaster.

The group was silent after that. Nate wondered if, like him, the others were also remembering how they survived the creatures of South Edgeburn, how close they were to death. Nate did a double take. The reality was there’s still a possibility of facing other creatures while they were still in South Edgeburn.

“What’s the plan?” Clyne broke the heavy silence. Everyone turned to Skhy who was intently watching the dancing fire.

“Rest,” he said after a long silence, “For now.” No one objected because everyone was in no shape and condition to walk and fight.

The small oasis had a dozen tall thin trees evenly distributed on the grassy plane and a small lagoon on one side. The girls and boys separated to dry their clothes and find an area to sleep. Their backpacks had disappeared, been abandoned or destroyed during the distress.

“Here.” Nate looked up from where he sat, a grassy patch beside a tree. A bottle of water was clasp by a pale hand. His eyes traced the hand to the person’s face. Ciar wasn’t looking at Nate but to Kol, Kage, and Raven sitting together.

“Thanks,” Nate said after grabbing the bottle. Ciar paused before walking toward his group.

“What was that?” Clyne’s voice made Nate jump a little. Clyne had move to Nate’s side. Skhy and Hunter were talking about tomorrow’s plan behind the tree.

“Water. You want some?” Clyne stared at the bottle on Nate’s hand and then glanced at Ciar’s group a few feet from them.

“How are you?” Clyne asked instead. The question took him aback. Nate knew Clyne was asking about him and Ciar.

“Fine,” he managed to say. “It takes some getting used to.” He was no longer uncomfortable but also not confortable with Ciar’s presence. Their meeting during Nate and Hanne’s reunion was brief and straightforward. Nate reflected his gratitude through his eyes but he retreated inside himself after that. He knew that he was no longer angry and frustrated, but disappointment and sadness remained. Ciar was a stranger to him so Nate treated him as such. Storm, Nate thought, never existed. Nate never looked for Storm in Ciar because he knew he will never find him. Despite what Hanne said about Ciar’s concern, thoughtfulness, and bravery, he was another person. He wasn’t Storm because there was no Storm. The person he treated and considered as a brother was not real. Nate accepted the fact calmly because he wanted to move forward. He couldn’t consider Ciar a friend but he could consider him as an ally to save Arconien.

“Do you feel…” Clyne’s voice woke Nate from his thoughts. “I don’t know. A pull?”

“A pull?” Nate asked, confused.

“They’re Mortemians.” Clyne paused. “We’re Mortemians.” There was hesitation in his voice. Nate glanced at the Eclipse who was silently watching the night sky except for Ciar who was looking at the fire.

“Nothing,” he answered honestly. “Only the unique energy, which is different from that of the Concordians.” Nate was not angry when he learnt that his parents were Mortemians. He was sad that his parents concealed the truth, raised him and Hanne away from both legions, and kept their powers at bay; but he wasn’t angry nor disappointed. His parents had a reason – to protect him from those who seek to hurt the Regalis. The feeling that flooded the rest was guilt. He felt guilty for taking his parents away from their families and friends to live in hiding, away from their homes. He had no idea why his parents kept contact with Hanne’s parents but he was grateful because it made Hanne became part of his family when her parents died.

“Maybe because we didn’t grow with them,” he added.

“My mother and her family were mortals,” Clyne said, “Except for my Concordian uncle who was adopted.” His expression shifted. He frowned at the ground. Nate wondered if his friend was thinking if his uncle knew the truth. Clyne rarely talked about his uncle so Nate did not know how good or bad their relationship was.

“Or because we’re Regalis.” Clyne recovered. “We are neither Concordian nor Mortemian.” That’s a good thought.

“Maybe. We have to find a person who can answer that.” Clyne accepted Nate’s answer and returned to Skhy and Hunter who were still talking softly.

When he could no longer endure the itchiness on his feet, Nate stood and walked toward the lagoon. Glancing at the other side of the oasis, he noticed a dark figure sitting against a tree. The dark red hair was identifiable. He reminded himself to tell Skhy that he wanted to take the first watch. The long gash above his left eyebrow extending to his left ear was almost healed by Tessa. He no longer felt the pulsing ache, just a dull pain.

When he reached the clear lagoon, he removed his shoes. It was surrounded by grass without any rocks. He sat near the edge, scooped water using his two hands and dropped it on his itchy feet. He wanted to dive in the water but that would make it dirty to drink.

When Nate heard movements behind him, he slowly turned because he recognized the presence before he heard him. The awkward silence stretched. Both couldn’t look at each other.

“Are you going to drink?” Nate asked. He started to move out of his way.

“No,” Ciar replied, “I went for a walk.” Nate nodded without looking at him. He grabbed his shoes and decided to walk back to camp barefoot.

“I’m sorry.” Nate stopped walking, his eyes stayed on the fire’s light beyond the trees. He took a deep breath.

“No need for that,” Nate managed to say. His throat felt dry, his mind empty. “We are working together.” For Arconien, and nothing else.

“Yes. I just want to apologize properly.” Ciar’s tone was firm but soft and careful. Guarded.

“We can’t bring it back.” Nate had no idea why he said that. He felt Ciar’s gaze on his.

“I know.”