Zevian's body slapped the ground lightly, the flames around Nevan flickered once, then ran back into his body. He jerked, his knees bending as he dropped.
Everything went silent and this time it remained that way.
The arena got swallowed into thick darkness.
Ekthar maluvé… se drakan volith… venas kai morith…
Her voice moved through the darkness, getting closer and closer. Repeating just those words. Till I saw her, standing in front of me. She smelled rotten. I wanted to run, but I couldn't move. Her hands, frail and pale, reached for me. As it lay on my chest, I felt warm, from the inside out, but it grew warmer and warmer until it started to burn.
It hurt.
"No! Stop!!"
My eyes flew open, and I jumped upright.
Realizing I was in a bed. The faint smell of herbs hugged the room.
"Hey, hey, relax." His hand fell on my shoulders, holding me still.
"You're safe. You're in the healing wing".
Healing wing? "What?. How?. Argh" my head banged violently, the pain felt like the veins connected to my eyes had been pulled to the back of my head and tied up.
"Relax. " Here, drink this," he handed me a cup with a greenish liquid inside. I moved back; the color of the liquid inside the cup wasn't normal, but I guess nothing here is, plus the look in his eyes assured me.
It had no taste, just the smooth scent of ginger tea.
"Zevian what happened? How…how am I the one lying here instead of you?"
"The healing mages here are pretty good, I just got a few scars"
"Then why…why am I here? Last thing I remember was Nevan…he … he"
"You stopped him"
"What!"
"You called out his name and…he stopped then you both passed out. He's right on the other side of this room"
Again, what!!!
So the voice I heard before everything went dark was…me?
"you shouldn't have been able to stop him"
"What does that mean?" I turned towards him.
He stared at me for a moment, his expression relaxed but his body showed otherwise. "Nevan's reeked of hellfire, when he held me…the heat, everything felt different from your everyday fire elemental" he straightened "hellfire doesn't answer to just anything or anyone. It only bends to destruction and danger"
My chest tightened. "So why did he listen to me?"
"That" he said "is what the council will want to know"
"Council?"
"the council of rulers who brought the Creation of the academy" he explained. "They'll be gathered before nightfall".
I straightened despite the ache in my head. "For Nevan?"
"For what he is and what he almost became"
"they are going to punish him".
"they're going to decide if he deserves to exist here at all"
"I need to be there" I said, my hands gripping the bedsheets.
"It's not your place" Zevian sighed
"It is if I'm the reason he stopped".
He leaned back, exhaustion seeping through him.
"The council isn't just a meeting, it's a court. I'm sure you know what that is and the courts here are merciless" silence stretched.
"Besides, standing before them puts you at risk" he finally said.
"How?"
"because no one knows what you are, not even you"
"what do you think I could be?" I asked
"If I had any idea, you'd probably already be in front of the council by now"
I felt fear and uncertainty dance around me.
"the council doesn't fear power" he continued "they fear things that don't fit into their laws"
"Like Nevan", I said
"Both of you" he corrected.
"If you stand before them" he continued "they won't just question him, they'll dissect you"
"Then let them" I replied, my hands tightening around the sheets.
"I can't tell which one you are," he said, leaning back "reckless or stupid".
"I…"
"Stay here and rest, I need to be in court" he said standing. Then he stopped
"Please just rest, I promise to let you know what happens ok?"
I nodded.
—
The stone pillars circled the ancient chamber, each bearing the markings of a ruler. The air was heavy, the authority of the rulers was heavier.
"Bring him forward" one of the rulers spoke and the huge doors parted, Nevan walked in. Chained.
Everyone knew those chains couldn't hold him but they needed to believe it would.
"What's your name child?" One of the female rulers asked. Nevan didn't respond, his head hung low, too low.
"Speak boy!" A male ruler commanded.
"Nev..v…Nevan Emberion"Nevan stammered.
"What are you?" another male ruler asked.
"I'm a fire elemental sir".
"What fire elemental are you?" He asked again
"I…I don't know" Nevan's head dropped.
"Do you know why you're here?" Another question thrown at him, Nevan shook his head.
"You wielded hellfire and as expected you went out of control, putting your fellow students at risk and causing chaos"
Nevan dropped to his knees, the chains following him with its loud clang.
"So…Nevan Emberion, you've been brought to defend yourself. Will you be compliant?"
Nevan nodded, the unmistakable look of despair was found on his face and posture.
"Tell us boy, how are you able to wield hellfire?"
"I don't know," Nevan responded, firmly.
"So you're telling us, you managed to summon a force that powerful and you don't know how?" A female ruler said "do we look stupid to you?" She spat.
"Ever since I was a kid, I've been a weak fire elemental, unlike my mother. Or so I was told. I couldn't even light up a candle till I was twelve" Nevan answered "so no, I don't think anyone here is stupid but I don't have an explanation for what happened. I don't even have a valid memory of the issue I'm on trial for"
"And who is your mother?"
"I don't know much about her, there are only stories of her that were told to me as a child." Nevan maintained. "They said her name was Dieanira".
The rulers shifted in their seats.
"Impossible" one whispered. Murmurs flew around the chamber.
"Silence!" another ruler snapped but even her voice sounded unsure.
"Are you certain of that name"she leaned forward, eyes glaring down at Nevan.
Nevan nodded once"That's what I was told".
A murmur rippled through the chamber without control this time.
"Then the rumors were true". Another ruler spoke. Nevan stood watching them, hearing the fear intertwined with shock.
"Do you know what became of her?" the first ruler questioned.
"No,"
"Do you know what she was?"
Nevan hesitated.
"What I know, was told to me from stories and there's not much".
"Then you truly don't understand what you carry".
Nevan looked up, everyone seemed to know more about him than he knew about himself.
"This trial is no longer about loss of control" one ruler spoke, standing "it's about inheritance".
"Nevan Emberion is the child of the void" another ruler spoke. "The spine of the prophecy"