Elion and Tharnen left the bridge maintenance house, stepping around the bodies of unconscious scavengers. Tharnen slowed, then stopped, staring up at the switch backs leading to the main road.

  “Come on,” Elion said, holding his bleeding shoulder. The stab wound in his back burned. How long before I can Ascend again? I need to stabilize my wounds so Kasm can heal them.

  Tharnen grimaced, clutching at his side. His pants, ripped up, dirty and bloody from his fall, soaked blood from a gash in his side. Elion hadn’t noticed how badly beat up the man was amidst all the chaos.

  “We did it,” Tharnen gasped. “The bomb worked.”

  Elion took Tharnen’s arm over his shoulder, helping the man limp along. “Come on, man,” Elion urged. “We have to get you healing!”

  “I’m not going to make it,” Tharnen wheezed. He coughed, flecks of blood spraying from his mouth. “Broken rib. Punctured lung.”

  “You are,” Elion insisted, but he could feel the strength draining from Tharnen. “Okay, okay, sit down here.”

  He helped Tharnen over to a shady spot, leaning the man against a girder. “Wait here, we’ll come back for you.”

  Elion placed his hands on Tharnen’s chest. Wondering if this effort might be too much for him in his weakened state, he activated his ability.

  << Save a Friend >>

  A cold wave of vitality rushed out of him, leaving him seeing stars and leaning heavily on the injured man. Threads of gold wove through the air, sinking into Tharnen’s skin. The man’s eyes closed and his breathing slowed. Blood stopped dripping from his shirt.

  Elion breathed heavily for a moment, trying to center himself enough to stand.

  “I’m coming back for you,” he said, gazing down at Tharnen’s still form. Blood dripped from Elion’s shirt into the dust at his feet.

  As Elion scrambled up the switchbacks and to the main road, he only stopped to check the occasional body. Many of the scavengers were still alive, simply lying unconscious in the dirt. Elion wondered what they’d do when they started waking up.

  By the time Elion reached the main road, only one question remained in his mind. What happened to Keyla? Was she safe? Was she okay?

  The beating worry in his chest pushed him along, running faster than he thought himself capable. Thoughts of his own wounds faded, replaced by images of her body, broken, beaten and gouged flashed unbidden in his mind.

  She had to be back at the tower. That’s where she’d be if she was okay. If she wasn’t at the tower, Elion would go find her. He hoped Tael had stayed with her.

  Tael didn’t stick with me and Kasm in the woods though.

  Elion reached the motorcycle he’d ridden the night before, still lying on the side of the road. He tipped it back up onto its wheels, his muscles aching and exhausted. Seeing the motorcycle reminded him that he hadn’t slept in 36 hours.

  Relief invigorated him as the cycle started up, and he sped down the road. Rounding a bend in the road, a group of bedraggled townsfolk staggered toward the tower; the remains of Overwatch Team. The muscular, dark haired man who lead them looked dirty and worn out, but uninjured.

  Elion pulled up on the motorcycle alongside the group, waving in greeting. A small cheer from the team as they recognized him made Elion smile. He searched the party, hoping to see Keyla.

  “Jaxen.” Elion addressed the team leader. “What happened? I saw the explosion…”

  “Those rockets surprised us,” Jaxen said. “They hit our weapons reserve and the whole thing went off. It knocked everyone flat and destroyed most of our cover and vehicles, so we were hard pressed until you knocked out the Shard. What happened back there? I saw the cargo hauler go into the river and I thought we were done for.”

  “Rocket killed Zayven and took out the hauler,” Elion said. “Domas took the bomb to the crystal.”

  Understanding spread across Jaxen’s face. “Ah,” he said, choking up.

  "Did Scout Team ever link up with you?” Elion asked.

  Jaxen shook his head.

  “You haven’t seen Keyla?”

  Another shake of the head.

  “Do you have wounded?”

  “Several,” Jaxen said. “They’re back at the rocks.”

  “I’ll tell them.” Elion pulled off, his motorcycle humming along the dirt road in the morning sun.

  He remembered laser fire coming down off the ridge over the bridge, which must have been from members of Scout Team. If they hadn’t met up with or passed Jaxen on the road back to the tower, where had they gone?

  Keyla had been in the woods, heading to her position on foot when Elion had seen her that morning. Maybe cutting through the woods provided a faster route.

  Elion pushed the cycle faster, speeding recklessly into town. The wound in his shoulder sent sharp jolts of pain into his neck every time they hit a bump. At least it’s drowing out the burning from the stab in my back.

  He skidded to a stop in front of the tower, to discover members of Distraction Team laying wounded in the space in front of the tower.

  “We aren’t just going to shoot them!” Kile shouted. “You don’t know what they’ll do!”

  A Tilly pushed back against Kile gruffly. “I’m telling you, they’ll wake up and start fighting us again!”

  “They haven’t yet! He seems confused,” Kile said. Elion saw the scavenger they were talking about, across the street. He walked in a circle, dazed look on his face.

  “They’re going to, I know it,” the woman said.

  “Let’s get out there and tie them up or something. Maybe destroying the crystal destroyed the infection!”

  “He’s still got the black eyes!” the woman protested. “We need to kill’em.” She raised her rifle. Kile pushed it down.

  “Stop it, let’s bring them to Kasm. See if he can heal them!”

  Elion ignored the arguing townsfolk. Spotting Kasm moving among the injured, Elion ran to the boy.

  “Elion!” Kasm exclaimed with delight. His smile turned to horror as he noticed the fresh blood and gore on Elion’s arms and clothes. “Are you injured? More injured I mean?”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “No,” Elion said, looking at the ground. “Same wounds.” Someone has to tell Kasm what happened to his dad.

  Kasm grabbed Elion and sat him down. He produced a small pair of shears, and used them to cut the shirt and get better access to the wound on Elion’s shoulder.

  He clapped his hand over the wound, focusing. Sweat broke out on his forehead.

  “Is Keyla here? Did she come back?”

  “I haven’t seen her,” Kasm said, breathing hard. “But I’ve been busy, and if she didn’t get hurt, then—”

  “Crap,” Elion muttered.

  Removing his hand, Kasm examined his handiwork. “I mostly stopped the bleeding,” he said. “And stitched it up. But it could tear open again if you’re too rough. Give it a second and then let me check it again.”

  Elion moved his shoulder and winced. “See what you can do about this one,” he said, turning to reveal the stab wound in his back. The burning sensation retreated as Kasm worked his healing power on the injury.

  “You’ve gotten a lot stronger,” Elion said.

  “Thanks to you.

  “You used the Skillstones?”

  Kasm nodded. “I used all four of them,” he said. “Took me up to level five, and I’m way better at healing people’s injuries now.” He continued working on Elion’s wounds.

  “Hey where did Keyla get the extra Skillstone from?” Kasm asked. “I thought she only had three. And you gave me four…” Elion held a finger to his lips, scanning for listening ears. He pulled Kasm away from the injured.

  “Elion,” Kasm said, his voice low and intense. “Where did you really get those Skillstones from? Why didn’t Keyla give them to me before she left?”

  “Where is Gorman?” Elion asked.

  “I haven’t seen him for a while,” Kasm said. “But he’s here somewhere.”

  “I need to find Keyla before he does,” Elion said, standing.

  Kasm grabbed Elion by the arm. “But I’m confused,” he said. “Did…” realization spread over Kasm’s face as he trailed off. “You stole from Gorman.”

  Elion didn’t deny it.

  “There’s a wounded man down by the bridge. Tharnen. I used Save a Friend to stabilize him but he’ll need help, he’s got a broken rib and probably a punctured lung.”

  “I think I can help with that,” Kasm said, beaming.

  “And others at the Overwatch position,” Elion added.

  He shook Kasm’s hand from his arm, heading away.

  “Wait! Where is my dad?” Kasm asked.

  Elion froze, but did not turn back to look at Kasm.

  “Elion?” Kasm asked, his voice quivering. “He’s on his way?”

  Elion turned to face the boy, and Kasm immediately read the bad news in Elion’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Kasm,” Elion said. “The cargo hauler got hit by a rocket, and Domas stepped in. He drove the bomb to the Shard.”

  Tears dripped from Kasm’s face. Elion bent to meet Kasm’s gaze. “He’s a real hero, Kasm. He saved all of us.”

  “He’s the best Dad,” Kasm said, wiping his eyes. They stood there in silence for a moment, before Kasm turned. “I need to heal more people. They need my help.”

  “They do,” Elion agreed.

  Inside the tower, Elion scanned the room for Keyla, but she was nowhere to be found. He saw Sophira, beside the rifle charging rack and approached her.

  “Have you seen Keyla?” he asked.

  Sophira looked over his torn and bloodied clothes. “Yeah, she just headed upstairs.”

  Elion’s hands shook, adrenaline surging through his veins. He grabbed a rifle from the charging rack and ran upstairs.

  He reached the top of the steps, his heart racing as he looked down the corridor.

  Gorman’s door was ajar.

  Pale light flashed through the crack. The door had been beaten in, clearly damaged in Gorman’s efforts to reenter his room. Elion listened, his palms clammy.

  Gorman moved around inside his room, muttering to himself. Elion slipped to the door, peering through the gap in the frame.

  Keyla lay on the floor, spread eagle, unmoving. Her muscles tensed and rippled, her eyes locked onto Gorman as she tried to move.

  Gorman’s hands flashed with pale yellow-green light as he used the power of Festris, restricting Keyla’s ability to move. In one hand he held a communication chip, the same as what he had given to his team leaders. Kneeling beside Keyla, he gripped her face with one hand, holding her shaking body still.

  Elion pushed the door open and raised his gun. “Step away from her.”

  Gorman looked up and grinned. “Every thief should know to never return to the scene of the crime,” he said. “You make things too easy for me.”

  “Let her go,” Elion insisted.

  Gorman did not move, but lowered the chip toward Keyla. “Let her go?” Gorman scoffed. “Put your gun down. You’re going to kill her. What I’m doing is for her own good. I’m helping her.”

  Elion hesitated, but did not put down the gun. “She doesn’t need your help,” he said. “She’s fine.”

  “She’s dying,” Gorman countered. “And I’m trying to help her.”

  Elion stared at Keyla’s rigid body, quivering on the ground. “You’ve restrained her,” Elion said. “If you’re helping her then let her speak, let her tell me.”

  “We don’t have time for this,” Gorman grumbled, pressing the chip against Keyla’s skull.

  “Stop!” Elion took two steps forward, pushing his gun towards the man. “Let her go!”

  Gorman ignored him, light flashing in his hands.

  Elion fired. The laser struck Gorman’s bicep, blasting away flesh and exposing the bone, knocking the man back onto the floor. He beat at his arm, extinguishing the burning embers of his shirt.

  Keyla gasped, wrenching herself up from the floor and tearing the chip from her head.

  “It’s mind control,” she breathed, shuddering. “He’s using Festrin powers of mind control.”

  Gorman laughed, sitting up on the floor, his eyes blazing with anger. “You’ve both proven your incapability to make good choices,” he growled. “I’m merely going to upgrade your system.”

  His arm hung uselessly at his side as he scrambled to his feet. Elion kept the gun trained on the man, as Keyla hid behind him.

  “You did this,” Elion said. “You sought the powers of the false sentinel Festris. You’re responsible.” Elion shook as his voice grew stronger. “You killed Domas!”

  “I saved Domas,” Gorman growled. “He would have died without me.”

  “You used him as a way to experiment with Festrin power,” Elion spat back. “That the Shard has more to do with you than with Tephalians.”

  Gorman scowled. “I never meant to do that,” he hissed. “I am going to upgrade my people. I’m building them into more powerful, effective machines. We will return to New Karin Tol! We, not Prator, will rebuild that city.”

  “We don’t want to go back,” Keyla spat back. “Aterfel is our home now.”

  “You won’t get to choose! I have mastered the Festrin powers, and—” As he spoke he lunged forward, and Elion shot him in the chest. The blast knocked Gorman across the room against a wall, his body falling into a smoking heap.

  Elion and Keyla stared at Gorman’s fallen form.

  “I had to shoot him,” Elion said, shaking. “I had to. I had to shoot him. He killed Domas. And Zayven, and… and all the others. It’s all because of him.”

  Keyla stared wide-eyed at Elion. “What are we going to do now?” she asked.