Ruin and Revival

Chapter 21: Lies and Truths

ARIKA

"There's a reason I didn't kill you yet. I am the Prime Imperator of Aquaria. And I have an offer to make you," The words ring in my head, booming bells in a silent city. I am one kill away from winning this war for America. Aquaria's leader is right here, waiting! So why can't I do it... I crawl back further on the hotel mattress.

"About a year ago, our civilization finally came out of hiding, harnessing enough water to last us lifetimes using our water gloves," I eye the blue gloves on the metal stool.

"We decided it was about time we share our miracle with the rest of the world,"
"Yeah, no kidding genius," I scoff, thinking of all the times my head throbbed from dehydration. Axel simply ignores me.

"So we sent a message to meet with the old president of the United States. We made a contract, that in exchange for these gloves, he'd join our empire and help spread the word to the rest of the world. A better life in exchange for a different country name," He says a matter-a-factly.

"He agreed. But mysteriously, that same night, he died from an alleged illness. So his vice was appointed. But he had different plans. He didn't want to share our land but he wanted our gloves. He turned down the contract and instead, started this war, The War For the Water, as they like to call it. And he appointed an entirely new set of officers, all brilliant but cruel thinkers who have kept them in this war for eight months, despite the fact that we should have won by now," Disbelief fills me. Impossible.

"You're lying. They told us you were going to enslave us all. Don't twist the truth," I point an accusing finger, my face a snarl.

"Perhaps I am not the one twisting the truth," He returns an equally accusing glare. I falter and think back to her, the woman who had whipped me for nothing, who had threatened my best friend. Perhaps, perhaps they were lying.

"Come, I would like to show you something," Axel held out a hand, his face softening to a sympathetic smile. I tentatively take it.

We ride a dirty, rickety train for what feels like hours, patches of dried grass flashing by in golds and greens, Rio, Brazil long behind us. It finally stops in a field, no civilization to be found as far as the eye could see. When we hopped off the train, a pair of beautiful stallions await us, one sleek black and the other snowy white. They are mighty and powerful, all muscle and speed, unlike any animals I had ever seen. The farm animals back home were stringy and weak, barely alive only to be killed for food, which was equally dry. Everything back home was just dry.

"Gorgeous aren't they," The stable boy said to us, his eyes beaming in pride. He hands me the reins to the black stallion, as it stomps its hooves, in greeting I suppose.

"Yes, very," I could not keep the grin off my face, even with Axel's smirks. My hands shake as I take the reins. Never had I come this close to an animal of such beauty and strength, and it scares the heck out of me.

"Put your left foot into the stirrup, grab the knob up at the top, and swing yourself over. Kick once at his sides to go, pull the reins back to stop, pull right to go right, left to go left. Pretty basic," The stable boy says cheerily.

Axel was already on his horse, his eyebrow raised, waiting for me to ride. I finally get on after a few nudges from the stable boy.

"Follow me," And with that Axel is off, his tousled hair gleaming. I mouth a thank you to the stable boy before nudging my sleek stallion on.

It is nothing like I had ever felt before. The wind kisses my cheeks, my hair, cool to the touch unlike the suffocating winds of California. I crouch low on his back as he picks up his pace, chasing after Axel and his flash of white. I laugh in pure ecstasy, high on the thrill, the adrenaline.

We finally catch up to Axel and I whoop when we do. He flashes a smile at me, the same expression of elation on his face. Up ahead I see a looming forest, a rapid river flowing right in front of it, as if to act as a barrier to the unwelcome. So few forests and rivers were left in the world. How? How?

We approach the river at a whopping speed, the horses showing no signs of slowing, the forest looming closer and closer.

"Axel, Axel! Why aren't they stopping?" His only reply is a knowing smirk. They thunder through the river, as if nothing was there. The gorgeous azure of the river is breathtaking, even if I only saw it for a mere five seconds. Was all of their water like that?

The forest is teeming with life. Exoctic birds that I had only seen in textbooks chirp their songs. Bananas and berries hang from the trees as little huts line the side of the slender path. Our horses have slowed to a trot.

"Hail, Imperator Axel," A man calls from his hut, his children giggling in the mud. They look so happy, so healthy. Envy courses through me.

"Hail," Axel gave a nod. He must be loved by his people. We turn right down a path that branched from the main road.

The oasis was stunning. A blue pool sparkles in the center, as wooden slides connect to it. I eye a rope swing, right off the side of a small ledge near the edge of the pool. I don't even realize we have stopped for some time. Axel was already off his horse.

"Here, put this on," He hands me, is that a swim suit?! I gawk at it.

It was a lovely royal blue two piece.

"Are you going to keep looking at it like it's your last meal or are you going to put it on?" He gestures to a small booth. I swallow hard before practically skipping over.

I look at myself in the mirror. My stomach is noticeably paler than all other parts of my body. My figure is small and lithe, with a curve at my hips, nowhere else. My golden-streaked brown hair, resulting from hours of sun, is down to my butt, in dire need of a trim. I cringe a little but step outside.

Axel is waiting, eyes shining in delight, but they are calculating, always calculating. I study his muscular, toned body. For someone of the age eighteen, he had the maturity of someone much older, too old. He held the burden of his empire on his shoulders, perhaps the world. He is different from his brother in so many ways.

"How do I look?" Gesturing to myself, knowing I probably looked like an idiot.

"I've seen better," He shrugs cooly. I give him a vulgar gesture.

"Race ya," And I sprint, not looking back, knowing it wouldn't be Calvin standing there but someone who was so different and yet so similar.