Death is immortality.
Death is your second chance.
Velian Terrashine belongs to a classless society of equality, art and democracy; a land full of creativity and mindfulness. It is in that perfect political system that one wrong movement, one carele...
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THE SUN WAS WARM, like the water of the ocean that enclosed our bodies in a delicate embrace the moment we were out of the portal and into our new kingdom. Amanda's smile was breathtaking, like the mountains that stood tall and imposing behind the city, looking like the protectors, the knights of the Gap World. Normant's eyes were the brightest shade of green, like the forest that separated the city from the Tower of Greatness and the prairies that loomed behind it.
Vanensera's tears were endless, like the blue of the ocean around us. My feet touched the seafloor. The shore was close. Amanda had gotten out, her arms wide open as if she was already savoring the sensation of the sunlight caressing her skin, as if the king of the Gap World hadn't stayed locked in Hell.
"Are you all insane?" I shouted when only Vanensera, Normant and I were in the ocean.
I didn't know why I was trembling when the water was warm, when the air smelled of spring, blooming flowers and great weather.
Cloudien halted first, putting a hand on Jersen's shoulder, making him do the same. Amanda didn't even stop, she was already too far away from the ocean to have heard me.
"Where are you going? Denfer's not here!" My voice broke a little at the last sentence, but I couldn't care less about that or about the waves of panic that had filled my heart and were now demanding me to let them take the form of tears.
Jersen didn't try to stop Cloudien when he started walking toward me again but didn't follow him either. The agony wasn't controllable anymore. I couldn't wait any longer. I couldn't stand still, waiting for Cloudien to come and tell me the words I feared the most. I couldn't---
With every passing second, with every lost chance at finding Denfer, I thought I was going to get mad. And like every other time something like that had happened, my magic roared in my veins like the wildest beast that nature had ever nurtured. Now that Hell's restraints were gone, now that there was nothing to cage it, to cage me, I couldn't collect myself.
"There isn't a place for Denfer in the future of the Gap World," Cloudien said as he reached for me, hands extended toward me, ready to be wrapped around my shoulders. I took a step back, letting the water softly touch my back, my hair, swallow me alive if it wished. "I'm sorry, Velian. I'm really, really sorry."
"Are you kidding me?" I only said, barely feeling the tears that were ready to stain my face. "And when would you tell me that? When I would have saved your damned kingdom and---"
Normant was the one who said the rest of what I wanted to scream at Cloudien, at Jersen, at Amanda, at everyone, even at Vanensera was getting out of the water alone, heading to nowhere in particular. "Are you fucking serious? There---there has to be a way. Denfer is the only one who deserves a place here, he deserves this kingdom more than anyone!"
I didn't hear the rest of it. I didn't want to hear it; I couldn't endure it. I didn't care. About anything. I didn't care if it were written in the stars that Denfer would never be able to make it into his new kingdom. I didn't care if the sun was warm and magical and everything I had ever wished for. I didn't care about the mountains and the forests and the beauty of this kingdom if Denfer wasn't next to me to admire it with me. I could barely draw in a breath. I---
