Memories of Gaia: Seeking Shadows in the Storm

Valeena could hear a male’s voice whispering beside her. She was unable to make out the words he was saying, but there was a noticeable pleading sound to his voice.

Her body ached, pain racing through her in sharp bursts. Valeena refused to open her eyes for fear that this time she was truly dead. She was unsure of where she had been and if she was still there. The last thing she remembered was the Pterodactyl was racing into the storm, the light blinding her.

“Please...” The barely audible male voice said once more, pulling her out of the void she was stuck in. His words seemed louder this time, more urgent. Valeena’s blue eyes fluttered open, closing quickly again as the burning sun shone brightly on them.

She groaned softly as a fresh wave of pain washed over her, her head throbbing. Her body felt far too heavy, as though someone had replaced all her bones with stones.

“Val?”

Valeena's body twitched as she opened her eyes once more to find Elden bending over her, his head graciously blocking the sun this time.

“You’re alive!” Elden said in disbelief. He was sitting on his knees with his hands in the brittle grass, leaning over her with a gentle smile on his handsome face. He let out a soft chuckle as he shook his head. "I thought for sure you were gone."

Valeena remained still a moment before groaning loudly as she lifted her head slowly off the sharp blades of grass. She held it in her hands as pain flashed through her skull in white flares. She was disorientated and felt the urge to vomit as the world rocked before her.

“What happened?” Valeena asked, wishing the world would stop rocking as she crossed her legs, propping her elbows on them. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as though she were resting on a boat out to sea. Valeena carefully let her eyes open again, keeping them cast towards the ground.

“The nasty liquid rushed over you and then, you were gone. It took me a bit to discover your... body. I pulled you out of the cavern and carried you here. I didn’t know where to go to get help. Rose Grove is so far away and I could never make it to Star Harbor in time.” Elden was saying as Valeena rubbed at her temples, willing the pain to cease.

“I thought you were...dead. It didn’t rain at all.” Elden added. There was hint of pain in his voice and Valeena heard him swallow hard. At this, Valeena glanced briefly at Elden, startled to discover that his hands were stained red, causing a panic to race through her mind.

‘Is that my blood?’ Valeena thought as she quickly patted her hands over her body to located where the blood was coming from. She relaxed as she remembered the liquid was red back in the Necrodomus, and that it was not, in fact her blood.

“Kai said the answers we seek are in those ruins. Did you find anything other than the Element?” Valeena asked him, rubbing at her temples once more as pain pounded hard against her skull. She swallowed several times, resisting another urge to vomit.

Elden shook his head no, glancing back towards Oleandra. “I didn’t really stop to look, though. I only thought about saving you.” He sighed, then looked away.

"Val, there is something I need to tell you." Elden began, his voice low. He glanced up at her, his eyes full of pain. "I need to tell you about Sheila."

Valeena listened intently as Elden told his story. His moodiness and why he was so angry towards her made sense now. He was afraid of hurting of, of getting close to someone only to let them down. It did not excuse his behavior, but Valeena felt she could forgive him.

"I gave up on Nihonal for a while," Elden continued, shaking his head. "But maybe I can finally save her." Valeena felt a stab in her heart as she her his words. She looked away as she felt the wave of jealousy wash over her.

"I won't let you down," Elden said, his voice full of determination.

Valeena felt her mouth pull into a smile and she snuck a peek at him. He was not looking towards her, however, his attention was on an object that was half buried in the dirt.

“What’s this?” he asked, pulling a sword smoothly out of the ground and holding it up to the light.

Valeena gasped as her eyes fell upon the sword, confusion washing over her. “It wasn’t a dream...” She whispered, shaking her head. Where had she gone to?

“What’s that?” Elden asked as he turned the blade over in his hands, the sunlight catching the metal. “V?”

“V?” Valeena repeated as she carefully took the blade from Elden. A pulse of energy surged from the hilt and up her arm as the faint sound of lightning cracking filled the air.

“Val, is there something you’re not telling me?” Elden asked, watching the blade shimmer as another current of electricity rippled through it.

Valeena smiled and titled her head to the side as her eyes trailed up and down the mighty blade, “Where do I begin?”

Elden listened intently as Valeena spoke, doing his best not to cut in as she struggled to describe the location. He heard tales of souls being trapped in Odin, a realm similar to Nihonal, yet not as significant. It was a place for those that were stuck in a limbo, not quite dead but still not considered living.

He was sure that her soul had somehow traveled there, returning with the blade her. It was unheard of for mortals to bring objects back with them, and he wondered why the warrior had allowed it. Her body had been here with him the entire time, and yet her soul had traveled freely. If he somehow died, Elden was certain that his soul would end up there.

When she was finished, Valeena climbed slowly to her feet, stretching her arms high above her head. She would much rather walk right into Star Castle and hug her mother than return to Oleandra.

Elden sensed what she was thinking and shook his head no as he jumped to his own feet, extending an arm to stop her. “Val, we can’t go back!”

“We have to, Kai said the answers are there!” Valeena reminded him, wishing Zephaniah had also supplied a way to carry the heavy blade as she held it in two hands.

“Look, we found the Necrodomus and the Element. What other answers are we looking for? Let’s just go.” Elden said, watching as Valeena narrowed her eyes at him.

Valeena opened her mouth to argue but shut it again. He was right, and she refused to admit it. She peered out into the direction of the Star Kingdom, which was hidden out of sight thanks to the Saber mountain range.

“I suppose we have to return to Kingyosou now and wait for the others.” Elden was saying as he made his way towards the lovely bird. It had remained happily tethered to the tree, eating bugs and other insects that happened by it.

Valeena thought about taking a detour on their way back, wanting to see if the King had been lying about Vaughnstein and Star City. He had given them a week, after all, and only two nights had passed. They still had plenty of time to finish their quest.

“I want to go to Star City.” Valeena finally said, making up her mind. She had expected Elden to protest, to find a reason for why they could not. But he surprised her as he nodded his head in agreement.

“Let’s go, then.” He said, knowing better than to argue with her.

Valeena tugged on the soft feathers around Iris’s neck, indicating she should slow down. The sun was already making its way into the horizon as the city walls sprung into view.

They had flown over Rose Grove, the small village appearing no different than the time they had been there before. They did not bother to stop to find out as they were racing the sunlight.

Valeena knew she was foolish for traveling this far back to the castle, but she had to find out for herself. She peered over the edge of the bird’s body as it circled over the darkening city.

Valeena could not make out any movement down below, even as the clock tower began to chime. The streets were void of all life, shadows filling in the gaps. It was eerily silent, save for the last toll of the bell that echoed in the night.

Valeena wanted to land the mighty bird and walk the barren roads, but a voice in her mind screamed at her not to. There was clearly something wrong with the city. Something she was missing.

Iris cried out and jerked upwards, nearly throwing Valeena and Elden from its back. Valeena scanned the area, searching for anything that may have frightened the poor bird.

Her blue eyes widened in fear as she saw that the shadows below were bubbling, like water being boiled in a pot. Faint cries for help were being emitted from the darkness, sending chills rushing through Valeena.

A hand reached out of the bubbling shadows towards the leg of the terrified bird; an outline of a face appearing in the darkness only to disappear again.

Without warning, Iris screeched and flew faster, clearly not wanting to hang around the city any longer. Valeena was forced to wrap her arms around the neck of the panicking bird to prevent herself from falling. She felt Elden’s hands tighten on her hips, causing her to the blush despite the fear that had nestled itself in her heart.

They were well over the mighty ocean waters by the time Iris had relaxed enough to slow its pace. Valeena craned her neck to see the remains of Vaughnstein but was unable to. The sun had finally melted into the sea, allowing the night to have its turn of ruling the skies.

‘Perhaps another time.’ Valeena thought as the bird was still in no mood to listen to any of her commands. It wanted to get as far away from Star City as possible.

Valeena felt Elden’s grip on her slender hips loosen as they flew through the cotton-like clouds. She wanted to hate him, but for some reason, she could not.

Valeena dared a peek at his left hand, spotting the serpent ring that helped to keep his curse at bay. She glanced away as a new panic raced through her mind.

‘If he becomes the beast, I’ll hurl him into the ocean.’ Valeena thought, a sly smiling spreading on her face as she saw in her minds eye his body splashing into the waves.

“What are you thinking about that has you that happy?” Elden asked, his eyes narrowing in sheer suspicion. But Valeena merely shook her lovely head and refused to answer, suppressing the urge to laugh.

Princess Aurory had watched the majestic bird circling the city as she sat on top of the castle. It was her new favorite hiding spot, even though she knew no one was looking for her.

Steel had not returned to the castle and Princess Auroy was beginning to think she might never come back. She knew that she had never been that pleasant to the diva, but she looked up to her. Princess Aurory had admired her strength and thought of her as more a sister than Valeena.

Princess Aurory wanted to search for Steel, but she had no idea where to start. And she did not dare ask her mother since Thanos seemed to be speaking for her these days. Princess Aurory could not care less what Thanos had to say and wished he would just leave once and for all.

Olympus seemed uneasy as the bird reared upwards, nearly knocking its two occupants off its back. "Shh," Princess Aurory said, stroking the beautiful Pegasus. She felt that one of the people riding the bird had been Valeena, and she sneered wishing she was the one missing and not Steel.