The Right To Rule

Chapter 7

Torch balanced Light with both of his hands and fell into a stance. He lightly touch Radiation, the raging storm flood his body sending a mild pain throughout his body. The pain disappeared as quickly as it had come. The atmosphere was starting to get filled with Radiation, an indication Daylight was ahead.

Abinadab hangs in there for few hours.

He was not going to use any of the Radiation he was touching, it was a formality to touch Radiation. It was flaming excruciating to be without Radiation. You partially die just like it had happened on Abinadab.

Chrysanthe followed Torch’s lead and she too fell into a stance, her Moonstone raised before her. Torch had to admit, the girl was dedicated. For the past ten days she had never missed sparring, she had never been late. Torch, however, made her went back to her castle with new bruises, he was not a bad guy, it was sparring, she had to have some bruises to show for it. Besides giving some elite girl some bruises occupied his mind, he was grateful for that. He cannot bear to see and think of his brother suffering. Burn me! And he had to stop it by hacking the Kingmakers’ head to the dirt.

They started to circle each other. Torch had told Chrysanthe not to attack in haste, she had to find an opening first, and then she went for it. The girl had some listening skills with her, Torch wished the queen had the same skills because the Kingmaker was a bad idea. It was his death. It was flaming suicide. Who will teach Lady Chrysanthe to fight while he was dead? No one. There was only one Torch, the wielder of Light, the flame of death, and anything of that sort that sounded scary enough.

“My Celestial is running low, I won’t able to anchor myself very soon,” Chrysanthe said complaining.

Tomorrow was Daylight which meant the sky held only stars, but no moons. This was a period where a Pulser raged, a whole day of total darkness with no illumination from the moons. Temperatures drop during this time, it became colder; Orion had taken the sun’s responsibility of warming Sky Kingdoms. The mechanics of it were beyond Torch mental capacities, he knew this much though, Orion and the sun cannot orbit in the same space.

Leizil probably knows all about it. This was a thing a granny knew for certain.

“Music to my ears,” Torch replied with a smile.

“Whatever,” Chrysanthe rolled her eyes and came at him.

She swung at his neck. Torch raised Light and blocked her attack. She swung again on his right this time, applying more force on her attack. Torch blocked it and tried to push her back. She had taken his lessons very well, Torch had told her to keep strength on her legs and held her ground.

Torch took the opportunity and switch from defense to attack. He held Light with only his right hand and tried to sweep Chrysanthe’s legs, she held her Moonstone vertically with the group; Light hit Moonstone, Torch immediately spun around coming on Chrysanthe’s right side. Light hit something hard before Torch’s mind process it was a Moonstone. Chrysanthe was holding it on the hilt, her hand gently on the tip balancing it at the same time giving it strength. Despite her quick maneuver, she was terrified to death. Her eyes widened, her breath heavy and quick, and a drop of sweat fell from her forehead. It was the only way she can learn to fight, the same way Torch learned to fight. It had to be about survival, survival with some thought at it, to think she can die if she didn’t fight with everything she got. Pity, she was running out of Celestial, she won’t be able to heal herself of any fatal wound.

Regardless Torch didn’t slow down his momentum. He had seen Chrysanthe had not to pay attention to her foot works while she rushed to block his sword. He kicked her on the back of her leg and she went down to the ground with one knee. Torch swung Light, he had always wanted to give her a little scar on the back, but while Light was still midair Chrysanthe Pulled herself twenty yards from him.

“I thought you are not anchored!” Torch said with a spat.

“I said I won’t able to anchor myself very soon,” Chrysanthe replied grinning like a girl.

“Burn me but that’s cheating.”

“You were only planning to chop in pieces you didn’t pay attention.”

“No. I was only planning to give you few scars as a memento,” Torch said.

Chrysanthe stood up laughing, all the strain from her face and shoulder vanishing. Maybe he was pushing the girl too much. No need to think like that, today was the last day of sparring. He had few grannies to kill.

“Torch why can’t I sense your Radiation? It has been bothering me for a while now, mostly since I can sense other Vulcans but I sense nothing to you. If you didn’t go mad that day and try to burn me and Nina, I won’t pass you as a Vulcan.”

Torch drove Light point first to the floor, it easily sliced through. It was strange, he will give Light that, but he never cared to understand its prowess. Well, except the part that May was the one who gave it to him. How on Spiral she had managed that. Light was not ordinary steel, Torch knew that it was dark to the core and Leizil had seemed to be afraid of it when he showed her. Maybe it will be better to know about it, maybe it might be something he can trade with the Kingmaker. Burn him! Light slices flesh like a better. That was enough for him.

“I honestly had no idea. It seemed like a Watcher business to me and you know I don’t get tangled there,” Torch said raising his hand in defense.

“But you don’t wonder why I can’t sense?” Chrysanthe asked.

“I was not aware you don’t sense me,” Torch said, a lie came to him as easy as breathing.

He knew she can’t sense him. No one who touch Celestial can, he had been around too many grannies at the queen’s palace none knew he was a Vulcan except Leizil. It was priceless to sneak around Leizl, he cannot give up that. No, there was no need to spend time learning about Light, almost like learning why the sun only came once per day. His life was too short for that.

“You should ask Skylady Leizil, she might know. Father said she has a high rank at Timeless Halls.”

Torch only nodded. There were things that were not meant for words. Sky Kingdoms was a different beast, all grannies tried to tame that beast to their will. He removed Light from the floor and fell into a defensive stance.

Chrysanthe Pushed herself. It was a great idea to reduce the distance between them in an instant way. However, Torch had grown used to fighting her anchored he can anticipate what she will do. Well, the girl was too predictable. She came at Torch with her Moonstone in one hand, if he dodged her she will just cancel her Push. He blocked her Moonstone falling slightly on one side, he leaned back, he turned around with Light raised. This allowed Chrysanthe to cancel her Push thus allowing Torch’s movement to push her forward. She won’t be able to Pull herself, there was a high chance she might collide with him, she either fight and Pushed her forward, however, if she did that Torch will still have an advantage.

As Torch was turning he saw a flash of dagger coming from Chrysanthe and without control of his eyes, he followed it, only for a second, and that second as he emphases it to Chrysanthe changed everything.Chrysanthe took that precious second and Pulled herself backward. Torch felt pain shot from his stomach, burned him as Radiation tried to heal him. Chrysanthe’s Moonstone had penetrated his flesh to his back, she has Pulled herself with her sword’s point at Torch. It was clever, burn him, Chrysanthe was getting too witty.

“That hurts!” Torch cried out. He didn’t remember when had the last someone did that do him.

Chrysanthe turned around, she pulled her sword free.

“Skygods! Torch are you okay?” she asked worried. Girls were always emotional.

Well, wait until she was a Watcher, she will have a heart of stone.

Torch ground his teeth as a burning pierce around the wound. Radiation was not neat when it heals. It was like burning coal was placed on top of the wound. His head swam for a moment and his body only sensed a pain of healing. As soon as it came it was over. His wound was only a memory now. It was almost like it was never there except the hole on his shirt.

“James’ light, that was amazing,” Chrysanthe whispered.

“That was flaming painful,” Torch echoed.

Torch pat his stomach and felt nothing. Healing was not something he usually did. There was no pain in his stomach. He felt perfectly fine.

“Flames! That was very witty for you,” Torch said, “be careful those grannies might carry your backside to Timeless Halls if you continue such feat.”

Chrysanthe laughed a hearty laugh.

“For the love of moons, was that a compliment?”

“You almost kill me. I am not gonna give a compliment for that,” Torch said.

“But you can at least say I am the best student you ever had,” Chrysanthe said wiggling her finger at him.

“Certainly you are,” Torch replied grinning, “cause in this lightless world there is no better than me.”

Chrysanthe laughed again shaking her head. Torch’s blood had stained her Moonstone, Torch can see she had not yet seen that. She was too focused on the fact that for the past ten days she had managed to land a blow at him and it was fatal. Burn him! It was what I taught her.

“Do you still have any Celestial?” Torch asked.

“No, I used the last drop of it in Pull. I feel…incomplete like a part of me is dead,”  Chrysanthe replied with her face darkened.

Torch walked towards Chrysanthe, he patted her on the shoulder. The girl was saddened by the loss of Celestial. It was like a wound to the gut to lose energy, how ironically; Torch can relate at this moment while touching Radiation to brisk.

“Good news, that’s the end of our little sparring. Now let’s go and see if Abinadab has woke, the feel of Radiation in the atmosphere is enough to wake him,” Torch said.

If this was the last time they spar, they certainly end it on a bright note. Torch was happier with Chrysanthe’s progress.

Chrysanthe nodded, she stood up and collect her daggers which she had used for threading and anchoring. She always made sure she switch off her Celestial lights which had dotted the whole hall. She had not, even close, used to the flames. All those grannies and their Way of Life.

Brother, you have slept long enough. Wake up…

***

Genevieve had torn an old inn at the outskirt of the first citizen section and transform it into a sizeable mansion for Torch and all who need shelter. It was two-story-high with a sizeable kitchen, enormous dining hall enough for thirty people. On the top floor, it has seven resting rooms and three chambers, below it also had three resting rooms including one for May who said was too old for a flight of stairs. Kanan housed twenty people. Their ittle safe haven. Chaotic, noisy, and laughter; it was home.

Torch walked inside with Chrysanthe trailing behind his heels. The first thing which welcomed him was laughter, Torch smiled lightly; Kathryn called over him and rushed to him and Chrysanthe.

“Lady Chrysanthe, Elite Torch,” Kathryn bowed elegantly. This one can put most elites and ladies of the queen’s court to shame.

Burn you Kathryn, I am no elite.

“You are such a sight as always Kath,” Chrysanthe said embracing Kathryn.

Kathryn always wore dresses of court; today she wore a golden gown with a skirt like a blooming flower hiding her feet. Her hands her gloved and her hair were done in a funny bun and pinned with two sticks. How on Sky Kingdoms she managed to do that every single day beats Torch. Kathryn was an orphan of Eurydice, she had grown up in different shelters until she came to Kanan three years ago. She was only thirteen yet she had adapted some manners even some grannies lacked.

“My lady is too kind,” Katheryn blushed as she throw another bow. “Oh, Elite Torch look what Daylight dragged in.”

“Come, brother! We were talking about Rigel,” Abinadab shouted.

Torch didn’t see him when he get in, there were at least five people sitting with him at the table. He doubt Abinadab had pay attention to him, he was obsessed with the city of Rigel.

Color had returned on Abinadab’s face, he was no longer ashen-pale like; his hair was ashen-pale, and his face show signs of starvation, his cheeks were hollow and his lips dark purple. Torch sensed Abinadab’s Radiation, it was not strong, but it was enough to keep him from his coma.

“Rigel? Well, where do we start?” Torch sat on the opposite end of the table to get a clear view of his brother.

He was sitting with three lads who came and now for soup and bread but they didn’t shelter. There was also Jin, the best storyteller by far, and little Amariella, only six, and the girl was loved tales as much as Katheryn loved her dresses.

“Jin was saying Rigel used to be Perseus’ capital city,” Amariella said pointing at Jin, “but we are the capital city. Torch said we are.”

Torch didn’t pay much attention to politics and histories, however, he knew this one. He had been the queen’s palace to know some elites tried to influence her to retake their ancient seat of power. During the war between grannies and Vulcans, before the Origins, Nashira took an opportunity to sack the city of Rigel and claimed it as theirs. Such a bold move influence Izar and Zibal to break free from the mighty Scorpius. And after the war, grannies wrote some fancy paper and forbade any nation to go to war, nations which were taken were spoils of war.

If I survive the Kingmaker, I have to study some histories. And retake Rigel back for Genevieve.

“That happens to be true Amariella but it was a long long time ago,” Torch said. “Eurydice is our capital. We are the capital.”

“Jin how did Nashira outsmart us?” Abinadab asked leaning forward.

“I am clueless as you, I have not found a book that had written it to an extent,” Jin said with a shrug of his shoulder.

“Stop there! You are telling me you have all the books I have bought for you?” Torch asked.

“I have Torch,” Jin replied embarrassed.

Burn him! Torch didn’t think Jin was a fellow who would spend time in books. Yes, Torch always lend books to the queen’s palace and give them to him but he never thought Jin was reading them. And in the meanwhile, the queen was the one reading them.

“Then you should learn what happen to Rigel,” Torch instructed him.

Torch pocket himself removed a starling and gave it to Jin.

“When I came back I hope you will have some information.”

Jin murmured few words of gratitude and continued to stare at a starling like it was a dream.

“Coming back? Where are you going?” Abinadab asked, amazed clearly.

“Please don’t go Torch. Tomorrow is Daylight and Abinadab is no sick, right Abinadab?” Amariella echoed.

Torch loved how Amariella speak as if words have the same meaning.

Cursed this lightless world. How he didn’t have perfect timing? He didn’t want to break Amariella’s heart, she was too young to understand few things about Sky Kingdoms.

“It’s queen’s business brother,” Torch said without looking at his younger brother.

Torch stood up and went for the stairs. He was always away, he never learn to do good-byes, there were too painful, and this time it was different. He didn’t knew much about the Kingmaker, only enough that Vulcans avoid to cross paths with her. No Vulcan in right mind can change a path because of a granny.

This artifact we can reduce tearing. We can heal Abinadab, Leizil’s words rang to him as he flew on the flight of stairs. Burn you Leizil, I can’t die now.