Arkadia

Chapter 5

Voltaris

Peace prevailed in Voltaris for now, Kael was quietly sitting on his throne as if he were a king when his soldier came to him. The soldier bowed, giving his respect to him. “What is it, soldier?” he asked as the soldier approached him.

His soldier informed him of Elyndra’s visit to Thalassia. Kael’s ears perked up at what he heard, his eyes widened.

He slammed his hand against his seat, and because of the anger he was feeling, he released electricity from his hand, causing the handle of his seat to spark. He knew why Elyndra was going to Thalassia, to form an alliance with Serenya Maris. Not a single one of them had asked for his help or alliance. Borak had asked for help from Thalassia, the fire and the shadow had now become allies.

“What did you say?” Kael said to his soldier. Kael did not like what Elyndra had done because Aeralis was very close to Voltaris, why didn’t Elyndra approach him instead? Why did she still need to go to Thalassia?

“What do they think of me, weak?” Kael shouted. “Elyndra chose to go to Thalassia and side with Serenya,” he said. He smirked. “What can Serenya help her with? Water is not stable, unlike my power.” Kael released an energy that came from his hands, as if the lightning was following his commands. “Unlike my power, it has a speed capable of killing with just a single strike.” He directed the lightning toward a fountain full of lilies, hitting the water with a strong impact and creating a flash of light and the sound of electricity.

“Water is Serenya’s strength? Then I can spread my lightning faster.”

Because of Kael’s arrogance, believing that he was the highest and strongest among all of them, that he should have been the one Elyndra approached, and that he believed his power was not enough—that he was too weak for Elyndra to choose him—he was now seething with anger.

“If that is what they want, then starting now, we will not form an alliance with any tribe.” Kael raised the Lightning Gem in his palms. “Because no one wants to ask for help from lightning.” Kael’s eyes glowed. “We will give no help to any race.”

Noctaris

Nyxara angrily watched through her crystal the events happening in Thalassia. Because of the barrier that Serenya had created, she could not know what the two were talking about. She said, “If Serenya thinks she can outsmart me…”

She smirked.

“Then she is mistaken.” Adhhar looked at his lady, standing behind her while looking at Nyxara. Even though Nyxara could not know what Serenya and Elyndra had talked about, she knew the reason why the Keeper of Water had summoned Elyndra.

“What are you planning, Lady Nyxara?” She turned toward Adhhar before speaking again. “I know, Adhhar, the reason why Elyndra is in Thalassia,” she said angrily to her right hand. “I am not stupid.”

“What is it?” Adhhar asked her.

“They want to form an alliance, but I do not know what they are planning.” Nyxara looked into the distance while thinking.

“If they think I am that easy, then they are mistaken.” She smirked again. This time, she was calm, as if she were certain that what she was planning would work.

“My keeper,” said the Spy upon reaching Nyxara. Nyxara merely raised an eyebrow at her soldier and waited for him to tell her the news. “The Keeper of Lightning is furious now because of the visit of the Keeper of the Air Gem, and he said that he will not form an alliance with or help any tribe.”

She laughed.

The corners of Nyxara’s lips curled, not into a smile but into something colder, sharper. She leaned forward, resting her chin against her hand. The Shadow Gem throbbed once, and the chamber dimmed, as though the stone itself drank the light from the torches.

“How convenient. Let Kaelen rage. Let his thunder deafen them. But me? No… I am a whisper, a shadow at the edge of their council. They will not name me aloud yet they will feel me, everywhere.”

Nyxara leaned back on her throne and smiled. She stretched out her hands and formed a shadow that shaped itself into the figure of Elyndra. “If the two of them think they can defeat me, then they are mistaken.” She moved her fingers as if playing with a puppet, and it followed her commands.

Nyxara leaned back, lifting her hand. The Shadow Gem flared, and a column of violet mist erupted from the cavern floor, curling upward like smoke reaching for the ceiling.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as if savoring the scent of fear carried on that mist. “Let them build their fragile little pact,” she murmured. “It will be sweeter when it breaks.” The whispers in the stone laughed with her.

Although Adhhar could not understand what his lady was planning, he simply smiled.

Terranova

Several weeks had passed and Draven’s invasion of Terranova continued. Some parts of Terranova such as Claymoor, Gravemarch, and Ridgefall had already been conquered by Draven, causing some of Borak’s own people to doubt his leadership. Because of this, rebellions had formed under his rule, and the people of Terranova had become divided in their fight against Draven.

Borak was in a room now. He wanted to be alone and was thinking about what he would do in his current situation. He brought out the Earth Gem in his hands and stared at it. The Earth Gem was a powerful stone, but as its Keeper of Earth, there was a great responsibility resting on his shoulders, and Borak knew that.

He had been its Keeper for a decade, but was his ability as its Keeper still not enough for his people? Just because of Draven’s conquest, they would question him.

“Leader,” said the soldier as he reached the door of the room. Borak waved his hand in the air, a sign that he was allowing the soldier to enter his room. The soldier immediately bowed, showing respect to his leader.

“What is it?” Borak said to him. The soldier announced the events that were currently happening in Verdant Crag. “The rebellions are already in Verdant Crag,” said the soldier. Borak hid the Earth Gem in his palms and turned toward his soldier. “What?” he said. “Who is leading the rebellion?”

“Under the leadership of Oren.”

Borak’s forehead furrowed even more upon learning that Oren was leading the rebellion. Oren was his cousin, the son of the former Keeper of the Earth Gem, Gairos. Borak never thought that Oren could do such a thing. Even his own blood had lost faith in him.

“There is one more thing, Leader,” said the soldier again. Borak merely looked at the soldier and waited for him to speak. “Mother Thalora has given birth.”

Borak’s face softened. What had been anger earlier was now replaced with joy.

“Where is my wife now?” Borak asked. The soldier pointed to where she was.

Borak ordered them to prepare because they would head to Verdant Crag so that the rebellion would not spread further, but before they went there, he wanted to see his wife and his child first. He hurriedly went to the room where Thalora was giving birth.

He found his wife lying there, peacefully sleeping, with the servants surrounding her. He approached Thalora. While she was peacefully sleeping, he gazed at her, moved the strand of hair that was brushing against her face, and kissed her forehead.

“Where is my child?” Borak said to the servants, not leaving his wife’s side.

“She is here,” said an old female servant.

Borak turned toward her and saw that she was carrying his child. She brought the child closer to him, and he accepted her.

“She is a beautiful and healthy girl,” the old servant said to him.

He stared at his child’s face, as if she were an angel. He held her tiny hands and smiled.

“You are so beautiful, my child,” he said.

“Your name is Deria,” Borak said while staring at the face of his daughter. “Which means Daughter of the Earth.”

Borak brought out the Earth Gem in his hands and said, “You will inherit the Earth Gem, and I promise you that no one will take Terra Nova from you, not Draven nor the rebellions.”

He said this and kissed his daughter’s head.