Kathea

33. Wings

Trigger warning, panic attack, self hate.

After the entire camp was aware of the Utor situation, and that their queen might be in danger, they all dispatched in group to search for Kathea and Edana. They were allowed to pick their teams. Iliana, Aryan, and Darren set north.

After two days of fruitless endeavors, they decided to look for a place to rest. They hadn't slept at all. This is not to say that it was entirely useless, Iliana was discovering more and more of her abilities. She was currently working on healing. She could self heal effortlessly, but she wanted to learn how to imbue her salves with healing powers.

"Do you think that I would be of any use if it weren't for this ring?", asked Iliana after hours of silent hiking.

"This is Linus talking Iliana. Don't let it get to you. The ring only brings what we already have within us. And you earned it", assured Darren. Aryan was listening, not sure of how he would've answered this question. Iliana was feeling insecure despite beating the living goddess out of Linus.

"You know Iliana, I wouldn't care where and how I got any kind of power as long as I have it. The way you did Linus back then was peak bad-assery. You are worthy, whether you have that ring or not", Aryan finally found himself answering.

Iliana was grateful for the support, but she couldn't stop bullying herself. 'If I didn't have that ring, I wouldn't be on this mission' she thought to herself. That thought sending sharp stings into her heart, causing her to tear up. She didn't want to cry in front of them.

"Guys, can we stop here? Nature calls", she stated. And she walked away, barely able to hold her tears back while her thoughts said things that even Linus didn't say.

You're the one that endangered Kathea.    

You think that stealing some ring suddenly makes you worthy. You should have stayed back home like Linus said. A human must remain in the human realm. 

Your friends are  probably just tolerating your presence.

"Uggghhhhhhhhh", she screamed with her hand muffling the sound. She sat down and cuddled herself, crying and holding her chest. She felt like her heart is going to suddenly stop from beating so fast. She started sweating...Is this a heart attack? She remained like this for what seemed like five minutes before she calmed down again. What the hell was that?

She decided to take a stroll, to calm her mind. That's when she heard it, the sound of flapping wings. She immediately turned into that direction. Iliana always had this weird fascination with winged creatures; ever since she found that weak little Dunnock struggling under the bushes of the orphanage's garden.  She sneaked up towards the direction of the noise, careful not to scare  away the big bird, and she looked at what appeared to be a wide, steep hole in the ground. 

A glimpse of large bat like wings forced her to the ground. She made her way towards the hole crawling on her stomach; the way she was trained back at the camp. She couldn't quite comprehend what she saw. It was not the spacious grassy ground below, but it was the creature that she beheld. She smiled.

It was a Valken she could not be mistaken, because there is no other possible explanation. The  Valkens, human like creatures with dragon like features integrated into them. They are one of the royal protectors of this land and are known for protecting the ring of fire. Which is basically Lemurian sea territory, were Valkens simply shoot fire at intruders. It was weird that they were missing upon their arrival to Lemuria.

This poor fellow seemed to be in a bad shape. One of his wings was facing the wrong the direction, he looked dehydrated and frail, and was using his very last energy reserve into his healthy wing to try and pull himself out. Without thinking, Iliana swiftly climbed down the rocky edges of this hole. Upon noticing her, the Valken's reflexes took into a fire shooting stance, he then quickly remembered that he had no energy left to shoot nothing short of a small blue flame that danced around his fingers. Therefore, he instinctively cowered into the nearest corner and hissed.

Every living being shared this common response when threatened and feeling helpless. They quickly make themselves look smaller by holding their bodies close and try their best to seem intimidating, or maybe just try to look pitiful and ignite empathy in the predator's heart. But this Valken was a proud soldier, and that despite cowering stance, he was still trying to shoot flames.  

Iliana reached the bottom, and turned to face what she deemed as extremely adorable despite the death threats. She approached him slowly with her palms up. The soldier seemed confused, wondering what was her goal, and why on Ceanna's grounds did she have pointy ears and fangs. She seemed to notice this confusion, and quickly removed her ring. The Valken was too stunned to speak. 

"Human?", he managed. "Like, fully?"

"Indeed, I am", she smiled brightly. "That wing of yours, let me take a look"

He only stepped back, his back hitting a wall. He was scared, confused, in pain, and hungry.  She sighed, and put her bag on the ground revealing food. But his disappointment she took out a container instead. Not that he'd take anything from a complete stranger.

"My name is Iliana", she said in a reassuring tone. "I came here with your Queen, Kathea!, though I am currently looking for-"

"Don't you mean the princess? Princess Kathea is alive? And now Queen? That's bullcrap!"

"Well she is not the queen yet-"

"Stop lying. There is no way she is back, I don't believe you"

"Lots of trust issues eh? Well you really don't need to believe me you will see her for yourself. That if we find her"

"We? Find her? You said she came with you", he questioned. Iliana took a deep breath and explained to him. The details of her account forced him to trust her a little. He then began to feel dizzy. Iliana then quickly handed him food and water that he, despite of his pride, gobbled them down in an instant. 

"I need to go fetch my friends they will be worried. Rest up a little bit till I'm back okay?"

And with that Iliana headed back to where she left her friends waiting. The look on her face intrigued them.

"I found a Valken soldier", she proudly stated. Aryan swore, and they all quickly headed back to find a snoozing Valken. As he slept, Iliana tended to his wounds, and wrapped up his wing nicely.

"His wing was really bad, I don't think I've seen such a terrible wing. Do you think he can fly again?"

"Don't worry Valkens take a speedy route to recovery. From the looks of it however, it seems that it had been like that for a long time." Informed Aryan.

"What do you mean?"

"You tended to his wounds you should have some inclination to what I'm talking about".

Indeed she did. The wing had repeated trauma over long periods of time, and the wounds on his feet shows that he got here on foot. There were also deep, long, ugly, healed scars on his back. She teared up. He had probably been held as a prisoner for a while now. Was it the Utors?

"What do we do with him?", asked Darren.

"We interrogate", replied Aryan.