Searching for the Key

Chapter 28

All around them, the other Elictis continued to fight with a new sense of urgency now that Katia was gone. Amidst the flurry of fighting, Nathan, Damien, and Celia were suspended in shock and grief. Their relationship might have been complicated in the beginning, but they all grew close to each other and to Katia.

Nathan was about to tell Katia he was in love with her. And for Damien and Celia, Katia was their first true friend, someone who accepted them and supported them. With her gone, they didn't know what to do.

"I'm so sorry," Nathan cried as Celia grew wild flowers around them. "We're so sorry."

They saw Katia before she was taken away, and somehow if they had only done more, then Katia wouldn't be gone.

Akur stared down at Nathan, Celia, and Damien surrounding Katia's lifeless body. He let out a laugh, pure happiness written all over his face.

"Such a shame talent like hers must be wasted," Akur said with a small pout on his face. "But now there is no way you can stop me."

Celia and Damien stood defiantly, refusing to let him win. Fire erupted around them and giant boulders rose to the air. Nathan stayed on the ground with Katia, but a roaring wind started to blow around them as their anger caused their powers to go out of control. They had no idea how they would stop Akur now, but they had to try. Nathan stroked Katia's hair back, wiped the tears from his eyes, and stood up to stand next to his friends.

"Though foolish, I admire your will," Akur said tauntingly. "But you're too late."

Nathan, Celia, and Damien looked around and saw that it was getting darker even though it was only early afternoon. Dark clouds were rolling in and the air was getting cold.

Nathan, Celia, and Damien looked at each other with looks of determination and anger. They whispered a goodbye to Katia and got ready to attack, knowing full well they would probably die in the process.

They were just about to charge at Akur when a bright light flashed through the sky and down on them like a spotlight. Nathan raised his arm to shield his eyes as the light blinded him. When it finally disappeared, they looked back to see a shining glow around Katia.

She started to rise into the air. Nathan, Celia, and Damien looked up in surprise along with everyone else as most of the fights temporarily ceased. Nathan flew up to Katia and held her in his arms bridal style.

"Katia?" Nathan called quietly.

She fell back down, and Nathan caught Katia and carried her to the ground carefully.

"Katia?" Nathan tried again as Celia and Damien ran over to stand over them.

Katia's eyelids fluttered and her eyes opened to reveal their bright, chocolate brown. She looked up at the three of them looking down at her in shock.

"What's going on?" Katia questioned. She slowly registered the sound of the fighting that resumed and she glanced around in confusion.

"Katia!" Nathan pretty much shouted to the world as he enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Nathan!" Katia yelled back. "Seriously guys. What's going on?"

Katia remembered that they were heading to the site of the last battle which she assumed they were at. That made sense. What didn't was why Nathan, Damien, and Celia were still staring at her with mixtures of relief and shock with tears in their eyes.

The three of them exchanged a look before Nathan spoke gently. "You died Katia. You were dead, but somehow you're not."

Katia didn't know what to say. There was a gap in her memory and a dark, cold feeling. Then she remembered excruciating pain. But that was it.