Chapter 16
Melissa took her leave quickly from the scientists, bringing an impassioned plea from Sliona to stay. She brought Melissa to an impromptu meeting with some of the wilāyas. At it, each begged to hear why she was leaving, and when Melissa expressed her concerns about the effect her power would have on their people, Sliona shed a tear.
“You truly are something different,” she said, giving Melissa a long hug. “You are going now to fight the Freilux?”
“Yes. I must stand by my brother, and fight for all the people the Freilux has made suffer.”
Sliona took her aside. “Can I be honest with you? I may despise how our planet is ruled by the Archsussa, but you don’t have the people’s hearts in this fight. Your father is widely perceived to have been a tyrant who refused to spread power, and as a result left your cities unprepared for the Second Apocalypse. The Freilux has rescued all the refugees from across the ovoid, and is working tirelessly to restore the fallen cities. You may hate to hear this, but people won’t cheer if you are victorious.”
“Will you?”
Sliona clasped Melissa’s hands. “For my part, and that of my people, we will. No one has extended such a hand of friendship to us before, and in light of what we put you through, we will never forget you.”
“Then let me do this one thing for you.”
Sliona was about to speak, when Melissa extended tendrils of sussa around her body. Sliona smiled, and closed her eye, as she was lifted into the air. The other wilāyas drew near, and when Melissa finished, they gasped with surprise.
Sliona rubbed her eyes, and opened them both. “I can see!” She extended her arms and stretched her legs. “I haven’t felt this goods in decades, child!”
For the first time, Melissa saw how beautiful she was. She stood tall and proud, with muscled limbs and fiery red hair. Her gaze was one of command, and she knew she could inspire armies with her words.
“Thank you for taking my gift. I must leave, now.”
Sliona grasped her hand. “You may not believe it, but we have made much progress. I have heard of Richard’s confession, but understand, he is a gifted child. This ship you stand in may look broken and beaten, but if you wish it, it can sail once more, to support your cause.”
“I could never ask that,” said Melissa. “This isn’t your fight; it’s mine. I’m just glad to know there’s somewhere I could come to, and be accepted.”
“It is because you could never ask it, that it will be done. You will always be welcome here.”
With that, Melissa took to the skies, heading back to her mother’s home. And as she looked back, from deep within the clouds, she could see a dark presence hovering above the ship behind her, and she knew Vincent was watching.
The small levitating platform that was her mother’s home hung low, only a few dozen meters off the ground. The windows were dark, and no smoke issued from the chimney.
Are they still there? she wondered, growing anxious as she flew closer. Could something have happened to them? Why didn’t it go to Imathrin?
She landed on the entranceway, and pushed open the door.
“Hello?” The passageways were empty, with only beams of sunlight straying within. She crept cautiously through the living room, keeping a tight ball of sussa lightly conjured in her hands.
“Asil? Asil -- are you here?”
She turned to look into the kitchen, and found the first body.
“Oh my!” The sussa disappeared from her hands, and she rushed to kneel beside one of the hlenna. It lay face down next to the stove, curled against it as if huddled for warmth. She cried uncontrollably, her body wracked with heaving sobs. “How did you die? I left enough food -- I charged the batteries with my sussa. Where did it all go?”
“We were fine, for a while,” said a voice behind her that she knew to be Asil’s. She couldn’t turn to face him -- she remained kneeling by the hlenna. “We had warmth, and food. But then one day, it grew dark. The platform shook, and the firespheres dimmed.”
“How long ago?”
“About two months.”
“Two months . . . two months . . . wait! That was when I was imprisoned, and used Toby’s network to summon sussa. Could I have drawn it from this battery?”
“Does it matter?” said Asil, coming to stand over her. “Only two hlenna are still alive -- barely.”
With a flick of her wrist, firespheres ignited throughout the platform, which itself rose speedily into the air. With another motion of her hand, the bodies of the fallen hlenna were gathered and placed in the small room where her mother lay. Finally, with her sussa she reached out and pulled roots and tubers from the ground below, cooked them, and placed steaming bowls of it on a small table. The hlenna came running in.
“Melissa -- is it really you?!” they cried with glee. “Oh Melissa -- we’re so glad you’re back!”
They rushed past the food and clung to her for dear life, squeezing her and laughing. Melissa couldn’t help but laugh, and finally managed to look Asil in his eyes, who distinctly wasn’t laughing. He knelt where the dead hlenna had lay, and reached out his hand, as if he could still touch them.
“It’s a shame not everything can be fixed with a flick of the wrist.”