Myriad

Theodore sat by Kalin’s body in the early dawn light. He’d put a blanket over him out of respect. He had meant to move, had meant to go home and arrange for his burial. But he couldn’t. He didn’t want it to be real.

He sighed deeply, full of sorrow that it had come to this. Regina had always said Kalin was supposed to stop Myriad, that he was destined to stop him. She’d been sure he would win. Theodore’s heart broke at the thought of telling her Kalin was dead. She would fall apart. He knew she loved Kalin.

He placed a hand on his heart, barely able to take the pain himself. He’d only known Kalin a week, but he’d seen him grow so much, saw the size of his heart. He felt like he’d known him much longer. He’d have to tell Kalin’s parents, would have to find them somehow.

He sighed again, wondering if Kalin had saved the princess, if his sacrifice had worked. Theodore didn’t know what really happened, other than the fact that Myriad was dead. Had Kalin saved the royal family or had he been too late?

Theodore didn’t have any answers, just questions and sadness.

***

Regina sat at the table in the main room, looking down at her hands. She’d been awake for hours—she hadn’t been able to fall asleep after her vision. Sasha sat next to her, a hand on her arm. Regina didn’t look at her.

“Do you want a cup of tea?” Sasha asked. “I could make you some breakfast. It might make you feel better.”

Regina shook her head. “I don’t want anything,” she mumbled. She wouldn’t be able to eat. She could barely breathe. She just felt numb all over. Sighing, she placed her hands on the table and began to rise.

Sasha grasped her arm tighter. “Regina, you don’t know that he’s gone. You don’t know for sure. Wait until Theodore returns before you believe it.”

She slumped back in the chair. “Have I ever been wrong before, Sasha? He’s dead. I felt it. I don’t know what happened, but I saw him, lying there, stabbed. Somehow Myriad got him. I don’t know—I don’t know what happened! But don’t tell me I didn’t see it! Don’t tell me I don’t know what I felt!” She thumped her fist on the table, tears pricking her eyes. Why had this happened? Why had she had so many visions of Kalin, visions that brought him to their group, only for him to die? Why had she met a man she loved, only to lose him? It wasn’t fair!

And had Kalin saved the royal family? Had anything good come of this? She wiped away the tears, confused. None of this made sense. She either couldn’t trust her earlier visions, or she couldn’t trust the one that showed her Kalin was dead. But they all felt the same. They all had the same ring of truth, the same aura she’d learned to trust after years of learning to decipher true visions from false ones. Something wasn’t right, wasn’t finished. She wrung her hands, anguished.

“Sasha, is this my fault?” she said, turning. “If I’d never told Theodore how to find Kalin, he’d still be alive. Have I done this? Is this my fault?”

Sasha looked at her knowingly. “Regina, no one forced Kalin to do anything. You know as well as I do that he wouldn’t have just sat there if he could help. Do you really think he would have wished he’d never joined us? Wished he’d never met you? If he is gone, he would have died trying to save others, and that’s the greatest honor there is. But don’t mourn yet, my dear. You don’t know what happened. You don’t know what will happen.”

Regina frowned. You don’t know what will happen. She felt a glimmer of hope and tried to hold on.

***

Theodore sat very still, holding his breath. A thought flickered across his mind, something bright and brilliant. He struggled to capture it.

He’d been wondering how to find Kalin’s parents, wondering where they lived, when it hit him. Kalin’s parents. His hands trembled.

A theory had been forming inside of him, the thought that Kalin was Myriad’s son, since Myriad had let Kalin live. Theodore had wondered how it could be possible, but then remembered the necklace that Myriad’s father, Rainer, had created. Everyone thought it had gone missing after the battle where all of Myriad’s relatives had died. But Theodore suspected someone had found it, found the necklace and revived Kalin as a baby. Someone who didn’t want Myriad to know.

What if the necklace still existed?

He leapt to his feet, breathing faster. He couldn’t imagine where it would be, who would have it. He stared at Kalin’s body, hoping, hoping beyond hope….

***

“Help!” Edward screamed. “Help me!” He stood in the center of a deserted road in a village near Myriad’s home, holding Princess Carmel in his arms. He screamed again. “Help me!”

Some doors opened and a few men walked out. They saw Edward holding Princess Carmel and rushed towards him.

“The princess!” a large, round man exclaimed, staring up at Edward. “What happened!”

“There’s no time,” Edward said hurriedly. “Take her. Get her to a healer. Send word to the palace. She’s barely alive.” Edward placed her in the arms of one of the other men, hoping she would be safe. He couldn’t stay to see what would happen. He had to act, fast.

He closed his eyes and magically transported three times, twice to get to the bottom of the hill where Myriad’s house stood and once to get inside. He ran into his room, then knelt on the floor and shoved the rug aside. He felt for the loose floorboard, moving his fingers along the ground until he finally found the edge, and lifted it up.

The necklace lay below.

He picked it up, the silver metal cold against his fingers. Edward rose, his heart pounding in his chest, wondering what to do. He had to get the necklace to the boy, but where was he? He could be anywhere. He didn’t know how much time he had—the necklace had revived him once, but could it do it again? From a stab wound? Edward trembled, so scared and frightened that he could hardly think. He shut his eyes and begged that he would know how to find Myriad’s son. He pleaded to be able to save him. He shook, so sorry it had come to this. He wanted to do something right, to make up for all the years that had gone wrong. He wanted to fix this.

Just fly.

Edward’s eyes flew open and he frowned. The thought had entered his head, clear as day, but….

Just fly.

He turned and looked out of the window. It was dawn. He took a deep breath.

***

Could he call it?

Theodore frowned. He’d have to know what it looked like to call it to him and know where he was bringing it from. He’d never seen the necklace and certainly didn’t know where it was. And the distance—if it was too far away, if it was in another country, even another town, it would be too hard. His power wouldn’t be strong enough.

But could he?

He shut his eyes, then held out his hand and tried to call the necklace.

He stood there, in silence, willing it to come with every part of him. He looked at his hand, a faint light shimmering beneath it, but nothing appearing. His hand shook, the energy he was exerting to bring the necklace to him making his body ache.

Nothing happened.

He gritted his teeth, trying again. It has to work! He fell to his knees, shaking from the force. Still he held out his hand.

Theodore felt a faint tingling in his fingers. Was it—could it be? The tingling was different to the usual feeling when he brought something to him, almost as if he was… leading something? Guiding it? The sensation grew, and he put his other hand underneath his wrist, trying desperately to keep holding his hand out. His entire body shook. The light beneath his hand grew brighter. He gasped, feeling he couldn’t take it anymore. He gritted his teeth again, then collapsed on his side.

He shut his eyes, breathing heavily. Tiredness overtook him, and he felt himself start to slip away, to lose consciousness. His mind drifted….

***

Theodore awoke, sore and aching. He sat up, looking at the sky. The sun was setting. He’d been unconscious all day.

His heart fell. It didn’t work. He didn’t bring the necklace to him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had to face the truth now. It was over. He lowered his head, full of sorrow.

Something cold and metallic hit his hand.

Theodore looked down at a silver necklace with a charm in the shape of a leaf. A bird squawked above him—he lifted his head and saw an eagle resting in a tree. He sat there for a moment, stunned, then hurried over to Kalin and threw aside the blanket that covered him. His hands shook from anticipation and fear. He gently placed the necklace around Kalin’s neck, then knelt beside him and held his breath.

Kalin lay there, his skin pale and tinged with blue. His hands were covered in cuts and dried blood, and there was a huge wound in his stomach.

Theodore watched, waiting for any sign of life, staring helplessly.

Kalin remained still. Then the blood on Kalin’s hands started to shrink back, become smaller. Gradually the blood disappeared, revealing the cuts beneath, clean and sharp. Theodore watched in amazement as the edges of the cuts came together, closing, healing. Kalin’s hands became smooth again.

Theodore quickly moved the shirt away from Kalin’s stomach. The blood surrounding the deep wound began to disappear, as if the color was lifted from his skin. The edges of the wound narrowed, touched, then disappeared completely. Kalin’s skin started to turn pink, and then he gasped.

Theodore’s gaze flew to Kalin’s face. He was gasping for air, his chest rising and falling. His eyes were open, looking up in amazement. Theodore put a hand to his heart, sighing with relief and astonishment. He grasped Kalin’s arm. “You’re alive! Kalin, you’re alive!” Tears pricked his eyes.

Kalin lay there, taking deep breaths, then looked at Theodore. “What…” he began, his voice croaky. “What…”

Theodore laughed, tears falling down his face. He held Kalin’s hand, his heart full and alive. Everything was alright again. He lived.

He heard the eagle squawk, then looked up and saw it fly away.