Tipping the Scales

33

"Ellis?"

The tall non-human shot across the short distance at Lukas and pressed him against the pit wall.

"Why did you go ahead with the mission, Lukas; why did you leave me?" Ellis said, his voice quiet but strained. He pinned Lukas with one hand and, with the other, infused the rock behind Lukas with mana. The hard rock pressing against Lukas' back became soft and began to suck him in.

"Ellis, you – you're not – human," Lukas blurted out words, unable to comprehend what was happening. His friend's eyes were no longer a dark shade of brown – instead they were a pale grey, piercing in the dark cave.

"Well observed, scum. Now explain yourself."

It took Lukas to become half submerged in the rock behind him to snap out of his trance. "They threatened my hometown, Ellis. Choosing to escape would've cost the lives of others."

Ellis held him there for a few seconds longer, his stare boring into Lukas' eyes. "I knew it," Ellis released him. "When you didn't turn up last night at the camp, I thought I'd read you all wrong over the months of training."

Lukas remained stationary in the wall, watching Ellis talk to himself in the gloomy light.

"I used to hate all Ferlandian's. I decided I wasn't going to form any relationships or attachments with any of you. But you just wouldn't let me be alone, would you? You chipped and chipped away at my walls, and I let you in. Before I knew it, I found myself actually enjoying your company – despite you being the enemy. You changed my outlook on your entire race of people; you made me believe that Ferlandian's weren't all evil to the core. When you failed to turn up last night, I assumed the worst. That you had deceived me this entire time; that the one I chose to trust let me down the most. I thought that the selflessness and honesty you'd shown me over the months of training was just an act, but I know now for sure that that is just who you are. I get it, Lukas. I understand why you had to go ahead with your mission, and I don't blame you for it. I- Why are you still in the wall?"

Lukas blinked. "It's warm in here."

Ellis glared at him, just how he used to do before the Ascension Exams. "Have you nothing to say?"

"I guess a lot makes sense now," Lukas paused, "though I have to say, a lot more makes no sense at all."

"Why don't you start by getting out the wall, then I will answer all your questions," Ellis said.

Lukas pried himself from the rock without taking his eyes from Ellis, and sat down. "This may take a while."

Ellis shrugged and nodded. "Sure." He took a seat in the opening he'd made.

"So, what to ask first? You're non-human?"

Ellis shook his head, "I hate that term, no. I am Keetera. This whole city was full of Keetera."

"Keetera," Lukas ran the word over his tongue. "How did you pass yourself off as human?"

"Ferlandian," Ellis corrected him. "Despite what they lead you to believe, the Keetera aren't that physically different to Ferlandian's. Other than our eyes and tattoos, our darker features can pass off as one of you. As long as I wear lenses to hide my eye colour and never take my shirt off, I could've gone undercover for far longer."

Lukas' head spun with questions and speculation, but he tried to reign it all in and focus on one thing at a time. "Why did you go undercover in the first place?"