The Emerging Part I: Dream
CHAPTER XL

Santhemum rubs her shoulder where the pebble struck her forcefully. She plants her feet remembering how the air current tripped her. She shakes her hair trying to rid more water after the water stream drenched her. She watches as Firose smirks knowingly. Firose conjures a fire ember that she spears at Santhemum with far more force than necessary. Santhemum does not even hesitate as she catches the ember, ignites it into a fire stream, and sends it back at Firose. Firose catches the opposite end of the stream where she pulls Santhemum in with the stream. She embraces with Santhemum as Santhemum fights a tear from sliding down her cheek as she can feel Firose’s pride thumping through her chest.

The Pentad are returning to their bed chambers with all crowding around Santhemum, congratulating her and giving her praise. Desert falls behind and goes unnoticed till Hawk turns around and sees him skulking behind them. Hawk drops back and pulls Desert to the side. “You alright?”

Desert scoffs and walks down the side of the hallway towards the stairs. Hawk follows. Desert comes to the stairs but foregoes them for the rest of the hallway. Hawk is assured he knows there is something wrong. He runs to catch up with Desert and pleads him to talk, “Desert, there is something wrong, I can see it in your eyes. You didn’t climb the stairs to get some rest. Please, what is wrong?’

“If I tell you, you have to promise you will not discuss this with anyone else, including Vaiqon. I do not think even Vaiqon knows. So, you swear?”

Hawk thinks to the night Santhemum told her dark secret to him, he feels another will not bother him, “Yes, I swear.”

Desert looks into Hawk’s face and sees he is telling the truth. “Fine, when I was seven years old, my parents got into some trouble with Dzrt’s officials. Apparently they were in money troubles for these officials were sigo zoltoks. In Dzrt only publicans are sigo zoltoks, and to collect their money due to them, they threaten the family’s children. Since I was the only child for my parents,” Desert reaches up to his head covering and pulls it off, “I received a full fire blast at my head.”

Hawk sees Desert’s head is engulfed with scars. He sees Desert’s eyes full of burning hate with the memory conjured in his mind.

Hawk has to force his jaw up from its locked dropped position and says, “Ah, so that’s why you didn’t want to return to the bed chamber.”

“Yes because Santhemum is a sigo. Sigos hit a sore spot in me.”

“But wait, when we talked to Vaiqon about the flame that one night, you seemed highly interested in fire.”

“That’s because I feel fire is the only way to get retribution on those that burned me and to never falter in power.”

Desert walks away leaving Hawk by himself. Hawk imagines he sees a dark aura encompass and follow Desert as he walks away, but the image stays as Hawk brings himself to believe that is not possible. Hawk receives an ominous feeling. The kind of feeling that is the exact opposite of how the dinner bell made him feel. The specific kind of feeling that makes one realize all the bad air in a room, all the bad emotions in oneself, all the bad in the world. The general feeling of nausea, of despair, and even of gloom. Then suddenly, the feeling goes away. Hawk looks around and sees Desert is no where in sight.

Teqqc dabs at Uxxok’s forehead with a damp rag wiping away the perspiration that has accumulated. She gazes at Uxxok’s face to see a troubled expression. She closes her eyes to reach out to Uxxok’s aura.

She merely brushes his aura when suddenly, Uxxok jerks away. Teqqc starts and backs away a few feet into the wall behind her. Uxxok blinks multiple times. He raises his hands to his eyes to rid them of the sleep that has collected in the creases of his eyelids.

He turns to his left and his right where his gaze lingers upon Teqqc. Confusion replaces his troubled expression and he tries to rise, but his leg wound betrays him yet again. He winces as he tries to place weight on his leg but replaces pain erupt through his thigh.

He collapses onto the bed but then sits up. Teqqc watches Uxxok’s confusion dissipate as memories flood back into Uxxok’s mind.

“Oh, right...” Uxxok says more to himself than Teqqc. “Thank you, Teqqc, for taking care of me. My leg feels better.”

Teqqc smiles. She wraps her arms around Uxxok’s neck for a moment before breaking the contact, causing Uxxok to deflate somewhat, and then goes to examine Uxxok’s leg.

She hums a happy tune as she unwraps the bandage from Uxxok’s leg. Uxxok smiles at the tune.

“Exo he Sec,” Uxxok says.

Teqqc does not skip a beat as she nods to Uxxok taking off the last of the bandage from Uxxok’s leg.

Uxxok chuckles and then looks out the window. “I had not heard that since a child. My mother used to hum it all the time. Especially when I was injured or ill.”

Teqqc smiles as she continues to hum and wipe Uxxok’s leg with the damp rag.

Her humming stops when she says, “Well, it appears your leg has healed completely.”

He looks at her incredulously. “Then why could I not stand?”

“Well, the skin has healed. Perhaps your muscles have not.”

He looks downtrodden for a moment. “They are rather sore.”

“As I said, I believe there was poison on the blade. The skin healed faster than the muscles. Oddly enough.”

Uxxok chuckles.

“And you seem to be... is that happiness I am sensing from you, Uxxok?” Teqqc asks in a show of surprise.

Uxxok scoffs and remains silent.

Teqqc smiles, “Would you like another bandage?”

Uxxok glares at Teqqc playfully. “And have you tie it so tight that no blood reaches my leg so you can continue to take care of me? Absolutely not.”

Teqqc chuckles, punches Uxxok in the shoulder lightly and walks out of the room with the soiled bandage, damp rag, and water bucket. Uxxok watches her leave then turns to look out the window.

The sun beams brightly through the glass. He smiles as he feels his leg repairing itself. His blood coursing through in waves.

He stares at the blue sky and watches as his memories fall before him in tumbles, almost fighting one another to be viewed first. He rubs his temples as he feels a headache forming and shuts his memories out.

He hears Teqqc on the floor below and wonders to himself, ‘How will I ever repay her for her kindness?’

“Promising not to become even more broken than what you are would be a good start,” Teqqc yells up to him.

Uxxok shakes his head with a smile, pleased Teqqc picked up on his aura broadcast. He tries to stand again, but replaces his muscles still need time to heal. He lays back down and allows sleep to overtake him.