TCO: Chapter Forty-One

"Come out here, Gyan, I want to show you something before you go to the falls," Gyan's father said when the family returned home after the wedding.

Gyan hurriedly changed out of his wedding clothing, eager to meet the other warriors down at the Tran Ceiabré as planned. He exited the house and strode across the garden to his father, who was waiting by their old shed.

"Something has come into my possession from an old friend since you were last here. You probably can't load it on the ship and take it back to Solara, but he wanted to get your opinion on it. I think more will be made for the team, eventually, as it is. We have the prototype though."

"The prototype of what exactly?"

"This." Eamonn entered the shed and opened a second door to a small room.

Gyan gasped as Eamonn smiled. "Nice, isn't it?"

Gyan gazed down in awe at the sleek silver and black motorcycle before him.

"I know how much you loved the old bike I had when you were younger, but this one is different. Fane designed it himself."

"Fane?"

"An old friend of mine. He's in Solara now—at the bunkers—working on a design for a new ship for the warriors. His team designs all the ships the warriors fly."

"How is it different from others?"

"He calls it a lumray. It's powered by a warrior's energy."

Gyan's eyes widened. He ran his hand over the bike.

Eamonn smiled. "You have to transfer your light into it for it to ride. The light cycles back through the bike so it doesn't drain your energy. Fane brought it to me and said he wanted you to test it for him. If it works as he designed it, he will make more."

"How do you know about the bunkers? I thought that was a secret."

Eamonn laughed. "Oh, maybe your dán is entrusted with more secrets than you think."

"I can't wait to get on this," Gyan expressed, thinking he may come back early from the falls just to try out the bike.

"It'll be waiting here."

"Thanks, dán," Gyan said as he hugged his father. He took off at a sprint across the lawn, feeling elated. As he ran through the dalia fields bordering the edge of the Ceiabré Forest, he caught sight of Valora on the forest path leading up to the falls.

"Valora!" he called. "Wait up."

Valora waved and waited for him to catch up. "Hey," she said, "…been awhile."

"I know—" Gyan stopped and gasped as he looked over Valora's shoulder.

"What?" she asked, turning to follow his gaze.

He shook his head. "I thought I just saw—nothing..."

He had glimpsed Affera walking through the trees of the forest surrounded by a gold aura, but she had disappeared as soon as he blinked. He shook the image of the elder from his mind and turned his attention back to Valora.

The two spoke casually as they strode the familiar worn path to the falls. Valora caught Gyan up on family matters, and they laughed together as Gyan filled Valora in on Miliani's pre-wedding behavior.

Valora stopped and looked over at Gyan, smiling slyly. "Speaking of love…" she watched him intently.

Gyan stared back at her. "What?"

"Oh, never mind," Valora said dismissively and started down the trail again.

"What?" Gyan asked again.

Valora started to say something and then stopped herself.

"Go on already—tell me."

Valora smirked. "She's the one that lingers like a shadow upon your heart, huh?"

"Wha—?" Gyan's ears reddened as he recognized the words he had spoken to Eclipse before leaving Solara. He looked away. "How did you—?" he asked as they entered the clearing.

"Eclipse," Valora said, pointing to her head and smiling. "She and I had a conversation before we left Solara."

Gyan shook his head, thinking he would have to have a conversation of his own with Eclipse about privacy.

"Really though, Gyan, it's not like it's a big secret."

"What's not a big secret?" asked Jarek as he walked up to the two from the edge of the falls' pool, dripping with water.

"Gyan's feelings for Jalena."

"Valora!" Gyan said sharply.

"She's right, mate," added Jarek. "It's not a big secret. Everyone can tell anytime she walks into the room. The look on your face is priceless—looks as if you just found your long lost gladaé."

Valora and Jarek laughed.

"It's nothing you should try and hide anyway, Gyan," Valora said with a shrug.

Jarek nodded. "Better step up your game though. I've already decided that if you aren't gonna steal her heart, then I'm gonna try. I think Lorcan may be on that list as well."

"Lorcan is on what list?" Aderes asked, coming up beside the others.

Jarek smiled. "The list of warriors that like Jalena."

"Alright, everyone…drop it," Gyan growled.

"That's why I'm telling Gyan here to speed up his game…I'm on the list, too," said Jarek.

Aderes smiled and began to respond but stopped. His smile vanished as something behind Valora and Gyan caught his eye. Gyan turned to follow Aderes's gaze and saw Tarak and Danika emerging through the trees. Aderes drained his goblet and stalked off.

"Hey guys, look who I found lost in the woods," Danika said.

The warriors greeted Tarak.

"I didn't see you at the wedding, Tarak," said Gyan.

"Thought I might scare everyone…sorry, Gyan."

"I understand."

"I don't think you have to worry about scaring anyone in Yevani, Tarak," Valora said as they joined the others at the circle of boulders near the falls' pool. "I'm sure everyone has heard about you already. News from Solara to Yevani travels fast."

Tarak smiled and nodded but remained silent as he took in the scenic view.

"Aren't you staying with Elder Master Syam?" Gyan asked.

"For the most part…when I am not roaming the forest," replied Tarak. "Why do you ask? Do you need me to take you to the elder master?"

"No. I was just curious," Gyan replied with a shrug.

"There's a reason he wants to know," said Valora, smiling.

"Valora," Gyan said in a warning tone.

"Go on and ask Jalena what you wanna ask, Gyan," Aderes added from the water's edge. "Don't know what you're waiting for as it is. If she is going to reject you outright, might as well get it over with."

Aderes stumbled as he stood up, causing the rest of the warriors to laugh.

"Are you drunk?" asked Gyan. He turned to the others. "How much did he have to drink?"

Jarek and Lorcan smiled and shrugged.

"Not enough." Aderes smirked. "Here it is though…I'm gonna tell you something I never told you before…"

"Can't wait," said Gyan, smiling.

"This is gonna be good," said Jarek, sitting in the sand with his back against a boulder.

Aderes rolled his eyes lazily. "I mean, come on, Gyan, you're probably one of the nicest guys on the planet. You're always putting others first."

"Thanks for that," said Gyan.

"Not done, mate…you are a great guy, but that isn't enough," Aderes continued. "You gotta be the guy that has some edge to get a girl like Jalena. She's…"

"…scary…" Jarek said as Aderes trailed off in search of the word he was looking for.

Aderes nodded and pointed a finger at Jarek. "Exactly." He raised an eyebrow at Gyan. "You need to get…" Aderes pursed his lips in thought, "…messy."

"Fierce," said Brogan.

"Bold," said Valora.

"Freaky," said Jarek.

Hoshi shoved Jarek in the back of the head.

"What?" Jarek said as he shoved her back. "It's true."

"You're saying that Jalena doesn't want someone nice?" Gyan asked.

"No, not saying that…but you need more edge," Aderes said.

"I have edge," Gyan said, slightly defensive.

"Yes…exactly!" Aderes grinned slyly. "And after I finallysaw it, I became more attracted to you."

The other warriors laughed as Gyan smiled and shook his head.

"So, I'm telling you," Aderes hiccupped, then belched quietly into his fist, "this is something Jalena needs to see."

"How do you know?" Gyan asked.

Aderes shrugged. "'Cause, I just can tell."

"I hate to say it, but I think Aderes is right, Gyan," said Hoshi.

"We'll have to demonstrate this for him to get it," said Jarek. He went over to a nearby monarosia bush and picked a flower. "This is you, Gyan."

Jarek went and sat beside Danika, where she was sitting on a small boulder, and held the flower in front of her face while he whispered something into her ear. Danika laughed and pushed him away. Jarek then knelt in front of Danika, holding out the flower to her while lifting his other hand to the sky.

"Your beauty extends far beyond the horizon, my red-headed beam of light," Jarek stated as if he were an actor on stage. "The color of your hair, so brilliant, that the sky chooses to borrow it to greet the stars at dawn." He grabbed Danika's hand and bent to kiss it.

Danika laughed lightly and jerked her hand away. "Oh, stop it."

Tarak's eyes narrowed as he watched Jarek but dropped his gaze as he caught Gyan peering at him intently.

Valora raised her eyebrows. "Wow, Jarek, I never knew you could be that charming. We're not used to this side of you."

"Really?" replied Jarek, with a grin. "I thought it was obvious. What side of me are you used to?"

"Your moronic side," chimed Brogan.

All the warriors laughed, including Jarek, who climbed the boulder Brogan was sitting on and attempted to put Brogan in a choke hold. Brogan laughed harder and elbowed Jarek in the ribs. Jarek groaned as he doubled over and fell into the sand.

"You have that part down, Gyan…that's you already," said Aderes, gesturing with his goblet toward Jarek.

"That isn't me," Gyan grumbled, feeling slightly annoyed that the others thought him that obvious.

Aderes raised an eyebrow. "Just ask them." He gestured to Valora, Hoshi, and Danika who were all nodding.

"Sorry, mate, but that is you," said Lorcan, smiling, as he sat down next to Gyan.

Gyan rolled his eyes and shook his head as Jarek stood and grabbed Brogan's neck again from behind, causing Brogan to laugh.

"Gyan, warriors are different, especially those balanced in masculine and feminine energy like Jalena. To attract balance, you have to demonstrate it. You just need a little more of…" Aderes inclined his head at Brogan, who read Aderes's thoughts and instantly reached up and grabbed Jarek around the head. He flipped Jarek over his shoulder. As soon as Jarek's feet hit the ground, Brogan stood, turned him by the shoulders to face him, and yanked him up by his shirt so that his feet were hanging off the ground.

"Kiss me, warrior," Brogan's deep voice bellowed.

"Never!" Jarek said in a high-pitched voice as he slapped Brogan's face.

The warriors roared in laughter as Brogan and Jarek continued to wrestle in the sand.

Gyan became quiet, thinking about what the other warriors had said. He stood abruptly and looked at the sky. Good…still light out.

"What is it?" Hoshi asked, watching him closely.

"I have to go," he said.

"What?" Aderes asked, his eyes holding a knowing glint. "Why?"

Gyan began walking to the forest path.

"Gyan! Come back… It's not 'cause of what we said is it?" Brogan called, smiling. "Ah, we were just kidding…you have a masculine side, Gyan—it's just…hidden."

The warriors laughed loudly as Gyan continued to walk away from the clearing. He waved his hand once in farewell without turning around.

Where are you going, really? Aderes asked him telepathically.

Gyan glanced back and smiled.

"Right—never mind. Gyan's got business," Aderes told the others.

The jeers and whistles of his fellow warriors followed Gyan out of the clearing.

Gyan jogged to the edge of the forest and then broke into a run. By the time he made it to the shed where the lumray bike was kept, the first of the two Elsaria stars neared the edge of the horizon.