Diamond Bonds (40 page)

Suddenly, she hears a rustle from behind.  Excitedly, she spins around, expecting to find a certain someone emerging from the brush.  However, she’s met only with a dead branch that fell from the trees.  With a sigh, she turns back to her original course, and she comes face to face with an exasperated Fire.

“Have you learned
NOTHING
from me!?” the mercenary barks.  “You go into a major city, you walk the main paths, and you-”

“H-Hey!  I’m…” Jem starts, but she can’t hide a goofy grin.

Fire raises an eyebrow.  “Say, Allerian, are you… happy to see me?”

“Of course not!” she responds with a sniffle.  “I just-”

“I take it the idiot is with you?” she interrupts, to which Jem nods.  “So he’s okay?”

“Physically, yes, but he’s in a bad place otherwise.”  Excitedly, she exclaims, “This is just what he needs!  To see you and-”

“
Pass
,” Fire replies, holding up her hand.  “I just came to confirm you two survived.  I’m not talking to that bull-headed, moronic-GYAH!” she screams as Jem grabs her collar and drags her down the hill.  “Hey, don’t- STOP!  WHAT ARE YOU
DOING?
”

“You’re GOING to
SEE HIM!
” Jem screams back.

“I DON’T WANT TO-AGH!” she yelps as Jem flings her in front of Era, who came to investigate the commotion.

She shoots Jem a death stare as Era shouts, “Fire!?”

“Fine, yes! I’m alive, you’re alive, we’re all alive,” she growls.  “Let’s all hug and… are you
crying?
”

Era wipes the tears from his eyes.  “Fire, you’re alive, thank goodness…”

Fire appears genuinely stunned by the response.  “W-What
is
it with you two, anyway?”  She slumps against a tree, giving up on a quick getaway.  “Yes, I survived the fall.”

“And Di?” Era eagerly asks.

“Alive, naturally,” she answers, waving her hand in the air.  I don’t know where she got that kind of power, but, well, by saving herself she saved me as well.  She left me in the woods and returned to the capital.”

Era collapses to his knees.  “Everyone is alive,” he mutters to himself as he chokes back more tears.  Jem also has a hard time containing her joy from the news.

“That’s great and all, but you two owe me a serious explanation,” Fire says.  “The brat is now siding with the military, her air shaping ability is beyond belief, and she called herself a rune.  What gives?”

Era’s head drops, and Jem admits, “We’re still trying to figure it out, ourselves.”

Fire folds her arms.  “That water monster was a rune, and it had a consciousness.  Is it possible a rune could produce something as complex as a
human?
”

“It’s possible,” Era says.  “When that water creature lost its limbs, the water would spread along the ground, lifeless.  After all, whether it’s a shaper or a rune, there needs to be contact in order for there to be control, right?”

“So?”

He plucks a strand of hair and hands it to Fire, who watches in fascination as it turns to sand and crumbles.  “This is what Di meant!?” she cries in alarm, jumping to her feet.  “She said Era was the same as her!”

“Relax,” Jem says.  “He’s not an enemy.  He isn’t like Di.”

“Di wasn’t like Di either,” Fire reminds her.  “Something changed when they captured her.”

Era offers a shrug.  “I’m still the same guy… so far, at least.  But I’m a rune.”

“I still don’t get it!” Jem huffs in frustration.  “What about your history?  You even have a famous father!  You can’t have a father and be a rune.”

“You mean the famous father no one seems to know,” Fire realizes aloud.

Era offers a sad smile.  “Di had a history, too, but when we went to Canterin, she didn’t exist.  My dad… he doesn’t exist. 
I
don’t exist.  None of our memories are real.”

Jem argues, “No, you
exist
, Era.  We’ve traveled together for a year-and-a-half.  You’re stubborn, ignorant, and overconfident.”  With a smile, she adds, “But you’re loyal, caring, and, frankly, you’re amazing.  You
exist
.”

“But tell me… what
am
I?” he pleads.

“You’re
Era
.  You are what you are, and that’s all that matters to me.”  She glances at Fire, who averts her eyes.  “Okay, I’m going for a walk,” Jem grumbles.  “You two work out this thing you’ve got going on.”

As she leaves, Era and Fire sit in silence, neither wanting to be the first to say anything.  However, Era gives in and asks the question that has been burning in his mind since last night.  “Fire, why?  Why save us
again?
”

With a shrug, she says, “I figured I still owed you one.”

“Why?” Era asks again, but Fire ignores the question.  “Look, I’m sorry for, you know, those things I said.  You really did save us back at Canterin.  There was no other way, and I see that now.”

Fire slams the ground and glares at Era.  “Would you grow a
freaking
spine
already?  Of
course
there was no other way, but you wanted to save the princess so badly you were willing to throw your life away for her.”  Hesitating, she adds, “And I had no right to make that decision for you.  S-So… I still owed you one.”

Era snickers at Fire’s pathetic apology.  “Fire, I wish I could figure you out.”

“Right back at you.”

He thinks back to the previous evening.  “So had you been following us since we parted at Canterin?”

Fire shrugs.  “You surprised?  It was pretty obvious what you were going to do.”

“So you followed us to Satari and got the jump on poor Pearl after she landed at the rendezvous point?  My, you’re persistent.”

“I see a job through to the end.”

Era nods gratefully.  “How’d you get back here, anyway?”

She leans forward, crossing her legs as she sketches absent-mindedly in the sand.  “Walked through the night and caught a train to Duroshe.  How else would I get here?”

“Well, I’m glad you found us,” he says quietly.  As a cool breeze sweeps through the trees, Era closes his eyes and deeply breathes in the fresh air.  “Fire… thanks.”  The sound of uncomfortable shifting is her only response.

“Well, one thing is for sure,” Era says, changing the subject.  “I’ll need to learn how to use a sword right-handed.  You might actually stand a chance in a fight against me as I am.”

“Don’t tempt me to beat a cripple,” she mutters as Jem approaches.  “That was a short walk, Allerian.”

“That’s because it came to me!” Jem proclaims.  “We need to know what’s going on, right?  So we’ll go to the one place that might have answers for any of this.”

Era looks at her expectantly.  “And that’s…?”

“Come on, Era!  Use that rune-brain of yours.  What’s the one place full of super-smart people who study nothing but elements and runes?”  With a wink, she adds, “And as a bonus, they already spent two years studying Di.”

“You want to go to the Academy?” Era asks.  “What do you expect to find there?”

Jem acts offended by the question.  “Don’t be so negative!  We’ll figure out what you are.  You don’t think they’ll have a lead?”

“I guess they should,” he agrees.  “If nothing else, didn’t Di say they had ties to the Academy in Alleria?  Surely they’ve compared research notes, being allowed to travel back and forth like that.”

Fire’s eyes bulge, and her heart races.  She gives a glance to the west, realizing she’d heard those rumors once before.

“Exactly,” Jem states.  “Between the two Academies, someone should know
something
about you
.
”

“S-Say,” Fire says, choosing her words carefully, “I’m going to come with you.”  The two look at her in surprise, and she explains, “The brat knows I survived, so there’s certain to be a bounty on my head.  I need to find
something
I can use as leverage.”  Era and Jem both eye her suspiciously, and she quickly adds, “N-Not you!  Sheesh, you think I’m going to turn you in after all that?  I dove off a
sky boat
for you.”

“Well, I guess we can let you come along,” Jem says.  “But if Era turns into an obelite disc, I call dibs.  Think of how much that would be worth!”

“Fine, you can have your Era rune,” Fire agrees with a smirk.

Era stands and brushes himself off.  “Jem, Fire… by some miracle, we all managed to survive last night’s adventure.  It’s just too dangerous to keep you involved.  I think I should do this on my own from here on out.”

Jem glances at Fire, and they simultaneously burst out laughing.  “You?  On your own?” Jem scoffs.

“Seriously, you’d get lost trying to figure out which way is north,” Fire adds.

“Hey, I’m the one they’re after! And I can manage just fine-”

“Save it, Era,” Jem says.  “I’m coming along, whether you like it or not.  We’re partners, after all.”

“And at this point, you owe
me
,” Fire claims.  “So I’m coming, too.”

Era gratefully relents.  He stretches his lone arm and looks skyward, cupping his hand to shield his eyes from the sun.  “The Academy, huh?”

Jem reaches into her bag and withdraws the article of clothing she lifted for him.  “Here,” she offers.  “Can’t let your opponents know you’re gimped.”

Era takes the black material and lets it unfold, revealing a cloak that extends to his knees.  The neck is already fastened by a familiar emerald necklace.  “Jem, isn’t this your-”

“It was getting in the way,” she says, waving it off.  “It’ll look good on you.”

He slips the cloak on and rotates it, allowing the garment to cover his left side and conceal his handicap.  “What do you think?  Does this make
me
the Dark Cloak?”

“
Someone
should have that nickname,” Jem replies.  “Just don’t start spouting terrible advice.”

Era looks himself over.  The emerald necklace, though a subtle addition, sparkles as the sunlight catches it.  “Thanks, Jem.  This is great.”

“Now stop getting your clothes all torn up.  I can’t keep stealing you new ones,” she scolds.

Era’s mind wanders again to the young girl and their fateful meeting that started it all.  “Once we’ve found our answers, there’s still Di.  We need to save her.”

“We will,” Jem promises.

Fire raises an eyebrow.  “You do realize she cut off your arm, right?  You still want to rescue her?”

Era sheepishly asks, “Is that weird?”

“Not for you.”

“We’d better get moving,” Jem says as she motions along.  “We need to stay a step ahead of the military
again
.  At least this time they won’t know where we’re going.”

“Doesn’t mean it will be easy,” Era reasons as he marches alongside his partner.  “But, like my made-up father used to say, ‘An easy steal is a steal not worth stealing.’”

“What does that even
mean?
” Jem asks, flinging her arms out.

“It means that maybe this whole thing will be worth it!”

“Worth it in what way?  Financially?”

“Ugh, can you two not shut up for
two minutes?
” Fire gripes.

“Aaaaaaand there it is,” Era says.  “Fire already regrets coming.”

“That’s fine.  Gotta keep her on her toes, or it won’t even be a challenge,” Jem says.  “Hmmm… maybe that’s what your fake father meant?”

“I don’t know what he ever meant,” Era admits.  “With him gone, I guess I’m left to figure things out on my own.”

“Not on your own, Era,” Jem says, patting his shoulder.  “You’re never on your own.”

“Yeah,” he says, a smile forming.  “I’m glad for that.”

Epilogue

The dark hallway is covered with ancient symbols, each one’s representation lost to time.  Ares marches down the tunnel, undaunted, accustomed to the dank atmosphere of the cavern.  He rounds the corner and enters the foyer of the underground facility.

“Guess I’m late,” he says to the Allerian woman impatiently waiting for him.  “Sorry, sis!”

“You’re
always
late, Ares,” the black-haired woman bemoans, glaring at him with deep, black eyes.  She stands the same height as him, and her hair is tied into two long ponytails, each extending to her lower back.

“Don’t be such a nag, Athena,” he says.  “Besides, I have a good excuse.  Just wait until I make my report.”

“Whatever you say, dear,” she says snidely as she knocks on the steel double-doors before them.  They each step back in anticipation.

The doors open, revealing an elderly man wearing a leather coat that buttons down the front.  His gray hair is unkempt, and he isn’t pleased.  They kneel as he gruffly states, “You’re late.  Report.”

Athena starts.  “I just delivered a second runic to the Allerians.  She’ll soon be bound.”

Ares’ mouth drops at the report, and he scrambles to present himself positively.  “I’ve had contact with
three
.  One is bound, and, if you can believe it, the other two are traveling together!  I naturally have leads on the others as well.”

The old man grunts his disapproval.  “How long have we awaited their awakening, and I’m to find satisfaction with three bound runics?  Leads are nothing. 
Bind the rest
.”

“Yes, sir!” they affirm. Without another word, he slams the doors shut.

The siblings turn to march out through the tunnel, and Athena smirks at Ares’ report.  “Only one? 
That
was your big announcement?”

“Shut up, Athena,” Ares snaps.  “I’ll have mine all bound before you.”  His usual smile returning, he adds, “And that’s when the
real
fun begins.”