Chapter Forty Nine
1221 Words
NINA
“Hello love, there is no need to thank me for saving your life. It was an honor but I certainly won’t mind a kiss…”
“Why would I need to thank you?”
“Because I saved your life of course.”
Guzman swallowed a chortle while I simply stared motionlessly at Rupert. He had just woken up and judging from his endearment for me, I would suppose he had finally regained his memory.
“What is the last thing you recall Rupert?
“Me fighting off the dwarves, being captured and then nothing…I suppose I fought them off once I regained my sentience…probably used my wit, valiance and magic to escape their conniving grasps…”
I shifted to share a look with Guzman who was having a difficult time containing his laughter.
“So you have no recollection of you suggesting my death?”
“I beg your pardon?”
”What about me saving everyone including you?”
“What are you talking about you beast?”
“And your ghouls attacking me?”
“What?”
“What about you screaming like a little child?”
I found myself chuckling. The latter did not happen but how could I not allow Guzman to have some fun? After all he had salvaged my life, if it weren’t for him, both Rupert and I would have died at the hands of those dwarves.
“You mean to say that you saved my life?”
Suddenly all the teasing atmosphere dissipated. Guzman was no longer finding this amusing.
“Yes. This mission needs you, Tamara needs you…”
For a long time the three of us stood there, facing each other, unmoving. The two mages looked at each other with unfathomable expressions. Once again I wondered what had transpired between them, what had caused their rift. I also wondered if it could be fixed.
“You should have let me die…”
Well, clearly it couldn’t. Their relationship seemed to be beyond repair.
“Is your pride that enormous? Why can’t you just appreciate the fact that you are alive because of me!”
“You think it is pride that makes me this bitter? You think I would die for pride? Do you want to pretend that you don’t know why I detest you with every fiber of my being? You are a monster Guzman! You are nothing but a heartless, crude monster!”
Once again a poignant silence befell us. The air was so tense I imagined I could slice it with a knife. Rupert was heaving, pacing about while running a hand through his hair. The beast was staring at the ground as his nostrils flared. I spotted ambers at the mouth of his nostrils. What the hell had happened between this two?
“Ummmh guys shouldn’t we be tracking down these healers?”
Guzman slowly brought his gaze on me. His eyes seemed empty, as if Rupert’s words had put out whatever fire had been burning within him. As if in a trance, I walked towards him. Once I was by his side, I raised my hand and placed it on his hip and stroked it. I was hoping he would receive the comfort. The same comfort he had attempted to give me when I had my nightmare.
“What are you doing human?”
“Offering comfort…should I stop?”
“In some mage cultures, that mere action would render you my wife…”
“Would it be a church wedding?”
“Why not? As soon as you explain to me what this church is…”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. My shoulders shook with their own accord as I bent over clutching my stomach. I could faintly hear Guzman snorting.
“I see you two became acquainted in my absence…Since when do you tolerate humans Guzman? Aren’t you always saying how they are nothing but vermin? Tell me, how many have you squashed under your feet?”
I was shoved into the bushes as Guzman picked his club and wielded it. A brilliant, violet flame ignited on the weapon. Rupert's mouth curved into a nasty smile as he fisted his hands and began lifting the rocks beside him with his mind. Were they seriously going to fight each other?
“It's not that I don’t mind entertainment. Trust me, this is way better than any TV program I have ever come across-“
“Did you just say TV?”
“Look, don’t we have better things to do? Like I don’t know finding a cure and saving Barry?”
“I don’t mind doing any of that as long as this behemoth keeps his hands to himself…”
Wait. Was this what was causing this feud? Was Rupert jealous of how close Guzman and I had gotten?
“You are deluded if you think I would choose a mere human over Tamara…”
It was a blow to the gut. His tone, his words, his expression. At some point I had believed that Guzman and I had forged some sort of relationship, some sort of friendship. I should have known that I was simply a means to an end. My presence here was only required for a single purpose, to save Barry’s life. I was of no use to them otherwise. I rapidly blinked as I stood up. I would fulfil my mission and I would go back home to someone who truly cared for me.
“You’ve heard him Rupert. Now please let us do what we came here to do…”
Rupert darted his eyes between us for a while before sending the levitating rocks catapulting towards multiple directions. Guzman placed his club in his waistband. He attempted to catch my eye but I averted my gaze. At least now I knew for sure that he did not care for me in the least.
“Very well. Where are we headed pig headed monster?”
“Across the waters you swine…”
“The river? But how will we approach them without being noticed? The moment they spot us, they will kill us. Healers despise mages…”
“True, they are more inclined to listening to humans than us…they consider us traitors…”
“How so? I thought they were the traitors…”
“The magical realm has its rules. We don’t condone dark magic…spells, torturing rituals, soul transfers…healers specialize in these areas…when they refused to give up their way of life, we banished them from our lands…”
“Yet somehow they have managed to harm us even from beyond the realm…”
“Someone is clearly working with them…”
“For now what matters is us entering their island undetected…”
I had been listening intently and the only way to reach the island undetected was through a…
“Submarine, we need to build a submarine…”
- Writer
