Behind His Weary Eyes (Novella) ✔️

15 ✙ The Agony of Sprained Ideals

The smell of wet earth filled her nostrils.

Chills ran down her spine as a gust of wind opened the tent's entrance. While a group of various species tended to Renvir, Asa followed her memories back to her first mutations class. Each Celest had a thread, an invisible one. It connected them to the Celestial Energies which were the same as what the Two and their children used to craft the universe.

No other beings had one. And, if she remembered correctly, it attached itself to their chest and spread throughout their body. No wonder Renvir's symptoms were everywhere.

"Can you stand?" Ulani's voice cut through the fog in her mind. She'd completely forgotton about her ankle.

She tried to rise to her feet, but lost her balance. Ulani caught her. The medic's gaze landed on the Celest. Even though the yellowing of the grayed spots was already disappearing, the contorted look on his face and balled fists told her he was still experiencing pain. She diverted her eyes, guilt bubbling inside her chest.

"It's just a minor sprain. If I keep it elevated, I'll be fine."

Ulani flashed her a smile.

"Then let's make sure it's elevated."

The other Wikev ushered the medic behind a curtain to a room of make-shift cots. The two shuffled until she had stretched out on one of the cushions with a pillow underneath. Despite Asa's attempts to tell her she was fine, Ulani went to get a wrap for her ankle. Various beings pushed through the curtain, steadying Renvir. Grunting, they helped him into a cot beside her. The Celest heaved a breath as he rolled into a comfortable position.

Asa's heart raced. Her tongue held two words that fumbled their way out of her mouth without context or reason.

"Arisen Renvir," She whispered. His head raised. "That's who you were, wasn't it?"

"I was."

"But then your disease-" Her voice quivered. She wasn't sure what she was reaching for. They both understood the ramifications, and yet she needed to hear them.

"Would cause panic. An Arisen affected by a disease that only a Celest can get, one that endangers our empire's structure. So they declared that I died in the battle."

What Energies a Celest wielded determined their caste, their duties, their lives. If they couldn't use them then the Two had no use for them. Asa reached to fiddle with her necklace but came up empty.

Out of all of her cases, none had been a leader before. None had the potential to jeopardize an entire empire. None that made her question her own goal. Her head ached with heavy thoughts.

In her tribe, electing a new ruler was a lengthy process, much like the Celests. Years of grooming for the position and evaluation by the elders. While Celests had it easier as the Two chose their Ascendant, that added an extra test of morality. Would it be right to eradicate the one the creators of the universe hand-picked to lead?

The Wikev infant she eradicated flashed before her mind. Her breathing quickened. With the images came the phantom kicks of a child. Her lover's words echoed in her ears on loop.

What if it had been our child?

No, she wasn't wrong. She was just protecting her people. Their death ensured their resources went the stronger, healthier beings, ones that could protect the Wikevs from enslavement. No matter how many times she repeated this, her body flew further into a panic. The medic's throat tightened.

"Asa," Renvir said, "Are you alright?"

"I'm-" Asa started but stopped, gasping for air. With her inhale came hacking. She hunched over, covering her mouth. Her chest muscles ached. The Celest scooted next to her and rested a hand on her back. After she recovered, she turned away to hide her face. She should be helping him, not the other way around. Yet here they were.