HTG - Chapter 167 ( Start of Book Four )

Lunara

Chapter One-Sixty-Seven: Musings of Fate - Part One

Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant

Ruling Government: Republic of Hekate

Solar System: D-2,946

Planet: Ravena Minor

Location: Ara Continent, Ravena’s Temple, Noble quarters

My mother told me a story when I was a girl, a story of twins that shook the foundations of the cosmos, the first mortals to slay gods. The first mortals that proved the fates could be defied. She told me that my grandfather told it to her when she was a child. She said it was an idle fairy tale that he told her, but I remember it fondly.  

The story is one I think about when I think of Kalon. What will his destiny hold? I feel it in the air around him when I am close, like mana vibrates for him, like it is waiting for him to command it. Even in a coma the mana acts strange around him. Now that I have entered the fifth boundary, I begin to see why Kotina was so taken aback by him at first. Mana behaves differently in his presence. I don’t even know how to properly explain it.  

Sometimes I feel that I will not be enough for him, he is driven like an arrow that only increases velocity the longer it moves. He rarely hesitates, where as I… I find doubts in my actions. If he was born to a noble house, I wonder what he would have become, would he still have looked at me fondly? Solara tells me that I should not doubt myself so much. It is nice to have a friend here besides Kotina and Yekka. One my age is a blessing. Though I feel sometimes she resents me, but I can’t tell why, and other times, I feel that she truly cares for me. It leaves me vexed on the worst days.  

There is hope and beauty in the autumn breeze this year as I look out toward the waters below my balcony. The same birds that I saw last time I was here fly in unison again, holding a larger fish as bounty. The meaning of their bond, it feels different to me, more real now that I have known… love.  

I miss his smile, a rare thing to cross his face, but when it does, it always feels genuine. Like it could burn away any darkness that dared linger. That is something I love about him, he does not like to lie or pretend. He will say exactly what you need to hear, even if you don’t want to hear it. I miss him, his touch on my skin. His words whispered softly into my ear. My hand grips the railing, when will he awaken? What will I say to him? My head lowers, Kotina told me that something happened to them after we left, something more than those rotten games. It took Solara telling me for me to find out.  

My stomach turns, my hands gripping tighter, the thought of what they went through, what he went through. Victoria told me if I complied they would all be safe. She is a creature that wears the flesh of a person. There is nothing good in her. Nothing at all. I did not know that I was capable of hate until I knew her. Someday, I will kill her for what she has done.  

Deep breaths like Kalon taught me restore the calm within me. I think back to the last few months. He has been suspended in a meditube for months, I cannot even hold his hand, I can’t even talk to him as he sleeps or tell him how his friends have been excelling. I can’t tell him that my father and Dargo were able to save the city, that we were able to rescue and recover nearly seventy percent of the Kuwathi that survived the games.  

They were able to stabilize him after a few weeks, but he has been in a coma for months. Dargo says he is dreaming deeper than any he has seen before, whatever that means. They tell me little as to what is going on with him. Everything has become different now that he is here. My goddess Ravena speaks to me near weekly, she always finds a way to ask me some truth about Kalon. Leora visits me more often, but the words between us are sparce. She teaches me techniques, tells me of long forgotten histories. Tales of love, tales of woe.  

Yet there is a mired chasm between us. Because I know that she used me, and she plans to use me more. She asks me of Dargo and of Kalon. She said that Dargo has not communed with her in months. She will not say why, nor will she let me try and speak with him about it. She simply asks after him. It is… sweet in a way.  

Dargo believes that Kalon will sleep for a year or more, he said that his body is trying to catch up to his bound. I still can’t believe that he is in the fifth boundary, it is madness. Had I not seen him pass the previous ones with my own eyes, I would scarcely believe it. 

My father thinks Kalon will wake during winter, I hope it is before, he has only ever known winter, let him see the beauty before it comes. I feel my aide coming, her steps are near silent, but ever since I entered the fifth bound, I can feel even the most subtle vibrations from normal people. If I really focus, I can hear her breath past the soft pattering of her feet. Kotina tells me that when I am in the sixth that I will be able to distinguish heartbeats, even in the rain. That won’t be for decades though, my body still feels the strain from bounding so fast. 

“Yekka, is it time?” I ask as she enters. 

“My Lady,” Yekka says, her brow furrows as I look at her, “It is past time, Master Dargo is in a mood again. He’s threatening to stop training you.” 

“Is that all?” My head turns back to look at the birds. It is beautiful how they depend on each other.  

She sighs loudly, putting her hands on her hips, “Vek, Luna, you’re pissing away a good opportunity moping in this room all day.” 

I blink and then turn, surprised by her directness.  

She straightens, “Sorry… I overstepped.” 

“No,” I smile, “You’re probably right.” 

She nods and then approaches. Her hair is loose and grey, every day that I see it, I feel blessed. She hugs me tightly.  

“You must show them that you’re fit to be the heir. They expect you to break mountains, so do better. Or else… I don’t want to think about the other things.” 

“No one is going to try and kill me for Heir Apparent,” I smile, then begin to coil my hair into a bun, “They will wait for my father to die first, then the knives will come out.” 

“Well, I pray that day never comes, for I fear…” 

I raise an eyebrow, “You fear what?” 

She looks down, “I fear you are too kind to do what must be done in those situations.” 

I look down as well, thinking on when I killed Dallus. It still haunts me. It shouldn’t, he was my enemy, and I know that he deserved it. But I just… my hands clench… I am a Raven. These are not thoughts I should have. I look up at Yekka slowly, resolve filling me.  

“I will always do what I must for this house,” I assure her.  

“I hope so, my Lady.” 

“Come, let us see what Dargo has for us today.” 

“Be polite, my Lady, as I said, he’s in a mood.” 

*** 

As I approach the training hall I see Dargo instructing Arrum, one of his new favorite pupils. He has that same drive and focus as Kalon. On top of that, he has volunteered every day to help the new refugees that come. He searches for a woman named Isola. Solara tells me that she could not find her either when she asked her contacts. 

Solara is on the edge of the mats stretching, she gives me a smile before she turns to speak with another girl, one I recognize. The one who stole the Cursed Edict from me in the markets when I first met Kalon. She has attached herself to Solara somehow, making fast friends, they go everywhere together. Even Dargo has shown an interest in this green haired woman, Korra.  

Arrum is the only one that seems to see her… 

“How nice of the heir apparent to join the rest of the class, how magnificent it feels to be graced by her presence. We are in awe of your attendance,” Dargo says dryly as I form up with the rest of his disciples.  

He’s been very moody for the last week, he has to testify in the Imperium’s Cluster soon for using his Edict to stop Thorn’s bombardment. The issue is that Victoria scrubbed what happened so well there isn’t even a record of Thorn attacking the city anymore. She sent him a basket of withered and thorny flowers a few days ago.  

He left the note that she wrote, Solara showed it to me. It said that she heard Dargo will be attempting to become an inquisitor, and that if he tries to take Solara and me there will be consequences. We are already a month past her summons, father told me not to answer it. If she reports it to the Imperium, I will be called in for disciplinary action, so will my father for impeding an Inquisitor.  

It's all a mess and… 

“How wondrous that the princess of the Ravens does not even apologize for being late. We are so lucky that she even attends,” Dargo says, giving a fake bow.  

There are few occasions that it is appropriate for an heir apparent of Ravena’s house to bow and apologize, with him having pledged to our house and become an honorary elder, it is a valid situation. I stifle a groan as I bow back, “Apologies, Elder Dargo.” 

“See that you are not late tomorrow. Else you will run until your feet peel.” 

A flicker of defiance pushes to the surface, I smother it before I tell him that a Raven can run for weeks without their feet peeling. He is not unreasonable, but he seems to think that pride is a sin, yet for the life of me, I don’t think I have met a man so proud and certain of his abilities before. Besides that flaw of character, I can find little to fault him. He is wise, and highly skilled at teaching, more so than any other instructor I have had, especially when he teaches us of specialized runes. Some of the things he teaches, I do not think that even the Imperium has in their Archive of Solace. Which is supposed to be the most complete record of all the gods teachings. It makes me wonder who he really is.  

There are no records about him that I can access. How did he know my grandfather? What is their connection? I remember seeing him visit him when I was a girl. Why was he here? So many questions plague me lately.  

But the one that keeps me up at night, when will Kalon wake…