TBC: Chapter Thirty

Sufina instantly turned her horse and raced to where Tarak lay unconscious. She jumped to the ground and bent to retrieve the knife embedded in his shoulder. Before she could grip the knife, the sharp point of a glowing silver sword appeared at her throat. She slowly pulled back her hands and looked up into Aderes's stony gaze.

"Do not touch him," Aderes warned. "Who are you?"

"I am Soma of the Divakae," she replied, unafraid. "Please, I know him. He is like a brother to me."

Aderes stared at her for several more moments until Nolas reached Aderes's side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Still your heart, Master Aderes. She is part of the Divakae warriors. They are our allies."

Aderes lowered his sword.

Sufina swiftly removed the blade from Tarak's shoulder. Nolas knelt beside her and helped turn Tarak over to examine him.

Aderes knelt on the other side of Nolas and placed a hand over the bleeding wound. His eyes lit up. Blue-white light emerged from his hand and spread into Tarak's injury. The wound sealed and some color returned to Tarak's face, but he remained unconscious.

"The blade was poisoned, Master Aderes," Nolas said. "Your light will help slow the spread of the poison, but we must get him to Shen-Telia immediately."

"You can take my horse," Sufina said. "Nikan and I will ride together with you to the village. The rest of our team are pursuing the Vaznaun that escaped here."

The Kolar warriors helped tend to Laki and other injured villagers as Nolas and Aderes secured Tarak on the back of Sufina's horse. Aderes retrieved another horse from the Faun villagers, and the small group raced as fast as they could out of the village. By the time the group reached Kolar, Tarak's skin was like fire to the touch.

Nikan, Tarak's best friend from the Divakae village, helped Nolas carry Tarak inside Telia's home. The others gathered around as she quickly examined his wound.

Telia placed a hand on Tarak's heart, closed her eyes, and began to hum. After several moments, she opened her eyes. "The poison has been neutralized because of the light you shared with him, Master Aderes. The light is keeping it from reaching his heart. I can give him an herbal solution to help his body stay strong, but he will need a light healer to rid the poison entirely."

"Sir Malik is miles from here," Aderes responded.

"There is no need for a wizard's touch. The light healer, Master Shamira, can help him."

"Is she strong enough for something like this?" Aderes questioned.

Telia gave him a small smile. "Although the shame from the wounds of her past prevents her from healing herself at this time, Master Shamira's charisma still holds full power when it comes to healing others. You must ride slower to her until you can telepathically contact her so that she returns immediately."

Aderes nodded and quickly exited Telia's home.

Nikan still stood silently in the corner shadows of the room, his back to the wall. Sufina remained by Tarak's side, wiping the sweat from his brow and bare chest with a damp cloth until Aderes returned.

"She is on her way with the others," Aderes stated.

It was late into the night when Shamira and Danika rushed into the room, both wearing worried expressions. The rest of the Kolar elders followed closely.

Sufina went to stand near Nikan.

Shamira removed her cloak hurriedly and sat on the edge of the bed. She placed both hands on Tarak's chest. "I need to read the type of poison." Her eyes narrowed in concentration as light filled her vision.

"It isn't moonfire poison?" Aderes asked.

Shamira's eyes returned to normal. She shook her head. "If it was, he would already be dead. When moonfire spreads into the body, the skin quickly takes on an orange-red hue. This poison is made from the witch's blood. It is a combination of two types of poison, one meant to immobilize the victim and also slow one's ability to heal, while the other enlarges the heart."

"He will be okay?" Nikan asked from the corner.

Shamira nodded and moved a chair to the head of the bed. "It will leave a scar, but he will live."

Nikan sighed and put an arm around Sufina's shoulders.

"Master Danika and Master Aderes, I will use my charisma to disintegrate the binds of the poison until the last drop disappears," Shamira stated. "This will use up much of my energy. After I am finished, I will need both of you to gift him enough light to restore his own energy. You remember how to do this, yes?"

Danika and Aderes nodded.

"You will understand when you have given him enough light because his own energy will feel as if it has joined your own, similar to a cup that has been made full," Shamira added.

Aderes and Danika moved to opposite sides of the bed. Shamira sat, leaned over Tarak, and placed her hands on his chest. Her eyes shone brightly as her hands emitted a soft blue-white glow. After several seconds, her eyes brightened and more light traveled down the length of her arms, causing her entire body to shine with an aura of white light. The light seeped slowly into Tarak's chest and visibly began to swim through his veins. Shamira's head drooped slightly and her shoulders sagged after fifteen minutes had passed.

"Master Shamira?" Danika asked in concern.

"Almost there," Shamira whispered. She inhaled deeply and straightened her shoulders. Her gaze narrowed even more as her determination caused the light in her eyes to shine brighter. Moments later, Shamira removed her hands. She gave Danika and Aderes an exhausted nod and leaned back in her chair.

Danika's and Aderes's eyes emitted the same glow as they concentrated on Tarak. A beam of light emerged from the middle of their chest and joined just above Tarak's, forming a ball of bright white and blue light. A stream of light connected their energy to Tarak's chest. The light they gave moved throughout his form as his body absorbed it. Both warriors released their connection as Tarak began to stir.

He slowly opened his eyes. Danika knelt beside the bed and quickly grabbed his hand. Tarak gave her a small smile, and then looked around at the others.

"Welcome back," said Aderes. He extended his hand and Tarak grasped his forearm. My debt is repaid to you, my friend, Aderes said privately, for the time you helped me on the temple roof.

Tarak gave him a small nod.

As Aderes left the room, Nikan joined Tarak's side. Sufina watched the group from where she stood in the corner.

"Nikan," Tarak said hoarsely through a smile.

Nikan smiled and grasped Tarak's arm. "It's good to see you again, brother."

Sufina slipped quietly from the room.

"Even with his ability to recover quickly, he needs rest," said Telia.

Montán turned to the rest of the group. "All of you should rest here tonight. Shen-Nikan, if you and Shen-Soma will stay, we wish you to join our party to visit Lord Mohan. With more voices united before him, the better our chance is at convincing him of the need to protect his kingdom."

"I agree," Nikan responded.

Nolas nodded and everyone except Telia and Danika left to eat and rest.

Early the next morning, Tarak approached Shamira, where she stood at the lumrays giving another update to Order headquarters.

"Master Shamira, I wish to thank you for saving my life," Tarak said, his voice thick with emotion.

Shamira smiled. "I was meant to heal you, or we would not have been near each other."

"It is the second time the warriors have rescued me," Tarak responded.

Shamira searched his face. "Ah, I understand. Now you are concerned that you are a burden." She laughed. "You are far from that, Master Tarak. Have you not yet witnessed your own value? We have all seen what you can do. Nolas has already told me that he is indebted to you for saving his life. Besides, we are all in this together. A warrior's life is intricately tied to other warriors. Even when one transitions to nonphysical, the whole of the team feels as if a part of them is missing until the gap in energy is restored. So, we are meant to remain together and aid each other whenever possible. Each warrior carries a piece of the whole so saving each other is as important as attending to our personal well-being."

Tarak nodded. "I see. If a gap is created when a team member transitions, then how is it restored?"

"Through remembering and connecting to the love of the warrior's energy. A blue glow shines beneath the Lumsigne on our neck when one of us transitions, symbolizing the loss a warrior feels. When we accept the transition and begin to feel the individual's spirit again, the glow disappears because you have replaced the feeling of loss with the feeling of love, which does not fade."

"There is a similar teaching among the Divakae," Tarak stated.

"Yes, I remember. No spirit is ever lost. Remember too, that Master Jalena discovering your existence at the time that she did is not a coincidence, which also testifies to your importance to our team. Your skills are exceptional, Master Tarak," continued Shamira. "There has never been another warrior train with Master Jalena and learn as quickly as you have. What takes some warriors many years to learn, you have learned within a short time. We were destined to find you and you us. Do not dishonor yourself by underestimating synchronicity and your value to others."

Tarak smiled politely. "I will do my best. Thank you, Master Shamira."

"Are you able to travel with us to Velian?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Tarak scanned the trees where the horses were grazing nearby.

Shamira smiled knowingly. "You should talk to her before we leave. She went for a walk."

Tarak nodded and walked toward the horses. A short distance into the surrounding trees, he saw Sufina, wrapped in a thick brown cloak, standing much taller than when he last saw her. A large black raven was perched on her forearm. The raven jumped and flew away as Tarak approached her from behind. Sufina did not turn around.

"It is good that you are well," she said softly.

"Sufina, I—" Tarak began.

"I am Soma now," she interjected.

"Yes…Master Shamira told me, but you will always be Sufina to me."

"I am nothing to you," she responded quietly. Her voice filled with sudden anger. "You made sure of that when you disappeared willingly."

"Sufina, please…"

She hurriedly walked away.

"Sufina, listen to me," Tarak said as he followed her. "I was ashamed!" he added forcefully.

Sufina halted.

"I was ashamed that I could not protect you and my family from the Vaznaun. I thought that the only chance to redeem myself was to train with the warriors." Tarak grabbed her arm and gently turned her to face him. "Sufina," he continued softly. "I am sorry. There is not a day that went by that I did not miss my arkaí partner."

Sufina took a deep breath as a flood of tears spilled from her eyes. She threw herself into Tarak's arms. "I'm so m—mad at you for le—le—leaving," she sobbed.

"I know," he whispered into her hair. He wrapped his large arms tighter around her as she sobbed harder.

"And now, even without me around, you have taken the place of the protector of the village. You are one of the most powerful of the Divakae warriors—a great arkaí just as you wished."

Sufina inhaled deeply. She pulled back and smiled up at him through teary lashes. "And Soma of the village."

Tarak smiled and touched the circle and moon marking on her forehead. "Of course, you would be—with your heart of fire."

"I still use your bow," she said with a sniff. "It is with my horse at the moment. After the Vaznaun took you, I began training with it for hours, even though it was too big for me. Nán was furious when I would come in from the forest late every night with bloody fingers."

"I have something for you." Tarak released his hold on her and reached into his cloak. He pulled out the small blue-beaded necklace that he had made for her long ago before the Vaznaun had taken him from their village.

Her eyes widened in surprise. She blinked and fresh tears fell onto her cheeks. "Where did you find it?"

"It was on one of the Vaznaun that attacked the Faun villagers. I grabbed it after defeating him. It belongs to you."

She smiled and threw her arms around Tarak's neck. "Thank you," she whispered.

We are leaving, Tarak,Danika's voice entered his mind.

"It is time to go," he repeated to Sufina.

"Is it true that the light warriors can speak to each other with just their minds?" Sufina asked as the two walked back toward the horses.

"That's how I knew it was time to leave," Tarak responded. "However, reading the heart is not much different—just less words. As a Soma, you know of this skill."

"Yes."

"Reading the heart has an advantage over telepathy, though. As far as we have discovered, a warrior can only use telepathy when we are within a specific range from each other. The heart, however, has no limits. So, remember that the next time we are apart."

Sufina attached the necklace around her neck and nudged Tarak with her elbow. "I may develop telepathy too."

"It would not surprise me." He smiled and ruffled her hair as the two made their way back to the waiting party to begin their journey southwest.

The group decided to stop by for a short rest at the Divakae village on the way to Velian. Tarak smiled at Sufina as they entered Divakae Territory late into the afternoon. He sped up his lumray as they neared the village. Nikan and Sufina followed quickly behind on their horses.

A petite, heavy-set woman hurried through the village streets as fast as her short legs would carry her when the group entered the village.

Tarak barely allowed his lumray to come to a full stop before he jumped off and ran to Nami, the Divakae woman that cared for him as a child. He scooped her up into his arms. She smiled through her tears as she stroked and kissed his face all over. She hesitantly released her hold on Tarak as the other villagers greeted him.

"Tahirah," Tarak said as he hugged Sufina's older sister tightly to him.

Tarak introduced members of the group. As everyone rested and ate, the villagers shared in their adventures that had occurred since Tarak's departure.

"You have brought life to my heart again with your return," Nami whispered to Tarak as the group prepared to leave, "my guardian warrior."

Tarak held out his palm face-up before his mother. His eyes lit up brightly. Nami gasped as a small stream of light began dancing above Tarak's palm. Seconds later, red, violet, and sapphire dralas appeared in his hand. He smiled and handed the flowers to his mother. She grabbed the flowers and hugged Tarak's neck tightly as nearby children squealed in delight at seeing the magic.

"Show off," Sufina said from where she sat on her horse.

"I love you, nán," Tarak said. "I will return as soon as I am able."

"Just make sure that you do."