Parcival's face for this whole time stayed in a state of seeming calm, until Merryn took a breath and stopped. If he's that upset I'd better say something. I might not be able to continue this next part. She focused on his chin. It's far easier then looking him in the eyes.

"In which, I come to the part where I forget what I'd learned for a time, and even now have to force the rest out. If I could skip this part, I would. These memories are like holding onto hot coals. I'll understand if you don't want to listen any further." She shoved away a lock of hair that fell in her mouth.

He shifted legs out, stretching them, sighed, then sat cross-legged. "Do your best, but try to hurry."

A phantom pain entered her hands, and she shook them out, then placed them on her lap. "Quain gave all he had, as did I." A partial smile brought her lips up, then fell.

#####

That day, the whole city was filled with screams, shouts and people crying. I'd do anything to make it stop. At the time, I didn't know what Quain was up to...

Quain stayed out of the dark one's reach and worked his way back to the tent on its left side. He signaled her to go to the other, then yanked on a tent pole. She fisted a hand and rolled her fingers. The sign of agreement.

One good kick knocked the poll out. She hurried over to the other. Together they shoved the tent polls and all off of the creature. Its shrieks froze her momentarily, she shook it off when the light burnt it to ash. I could only guess, perhaps they're evil or destroyed them for another reason. At least it's dead, at least they can die! Several people ripped past, chasing a creature that held a limp girl in its claws.

She almost joined them when Quain grabbed her arm, dragged her to a corner and shook his head. "There's more to do yet. If we're going to survive, I need you with me."

The sun broke free from the clouds, with streams of light spotted here and there chasing away much of the darkness in the divide between the buildings.

A clump of soldiers marched past and wove through the streets.

"Were gonna be okay, right? The barracks aren't that far away from here."

"Yes, they're the elite—"

They wouldn't stop. The screams. They filled her mind and slashed away all thought. Not a normal scream. No. Not at all.

Breaking glass smashing, and metal clanking that ended with a long tone like a tuning fork. They came back less in number, though still holding a loose formation, but the march turned more into a jog, their faces slack, and eyes bulging as they headed back.

One that lingered behind, it seemed he moved out of pure will. He stared back the way he came and froze.

The skin along her spine crawled up to her neck with the light touches of insects legs. Even though nothing was there, she swatted the sensation away, anyway.

His eyes crossed some, and wasn't truly looking at anything anymore. That stare; the kind that told of how a mind could fall into a thousand endless maws and never find their way back out. A wet gurgle bubbled from his lips while he squeezed within the crack between buildings.

They leapt away with streaks and blobs too quick to see, dragging gods knows what with.

Where they were now. Is mother alright? Tris... I, I, I...

She breathed in a deep breath—

Quain slapped a hand over her mouth. Pushing her far too close toward the new ugly rickety drinks shop. She backed away from him, silent.

"You're not a little girly anymore. You're a dire thief. Have some pride!" He stepped closer and put his hands on hers. "If the rest fail protecting the people, falls on the Dires. Your troop is part of the last line of defence." He'd changed. He's still blunt but far kinder than I'd thought. A shiver tracked up her neck and head. With an awkward fumbling yank, she took the daggers out of the sheaths. Still new and untested. Or maybe I changed. The outlandish building was only held up with the tacked on metal support beams. I hate it, it shouldn't be here. It stood over two stories high, its windows glared in the morning sun.

He clapped her back. "Nobody, or no thing can take away our people's pride! We'll hold to the last!"

"I let them in!"

Instead of the rage filled face she expected, his features softned. "They were already in, before you went after Tris. You think I don't know? I watch over all of you."

"Then you knew about Tris?"

"He shouldn't have gone out, we were going to send a group to save his friend but he wouldn't wait. You slept through quite a few things, always set your invasion alarm! I don't have time to lecture, keep going."

He lead her through the street beyond, and at a side street a group of people huddled behind an old wagon. Breaking away from him—he stopped her and pulled her back. "They can take care of themselves. There'll be no one left to help, understand?"

"I don't have to like it."

He neared the temple; past it the elders, he took her through the high silvery gates and unlocked them with a touch.

All sounds of shouts, clamber and screams stopped on entering. The dais surrounded by eight marble pillars two stories high, originally ten, stood. Of the two broken ones, only one was partially functional because of a circle of energy stones around its base that gave off some kind of power.

Nobody would ever explain why they couldn't fix it, they just changed the subject or told me not to worry about it. It's like they're afraid to even touch it. Nor why it's so quiet in here! Sparks of energy shot out from the pillars and touched the three elders surrounding them with a glow that faded and lit up again as the cycle repeated.

One of white, his complexion bright and light as a full moon, a frame of his long dark brown hair swayed behind him, his ears a full bloods, curved gently almost touching the back of his head, a small golden earring adored each. He held a large hourglass, the sands frozen in time as was he.

The second in red a large glowing rune edged with roses it spun around her. It shimmered just like the dome did, when the light touched it just right. foamy mass of curls swirled with black and white, akin to the trunks of the paper birch trees north of here.

A third draped in folds of fabrics; greens of the forest and valleys seemed to move with a miniature breeze. A huge glowing tome before him, the words in gold clear as if they jumped off the pages.

And an empty space. There wasn't any need to ask why that was there, it was empty as it wasn't time yet. At least, I can have some kind of life first, though if this was an honor, how much easier to be some human working with pride in a field. Anything is better then ending up like this.

"Does that hurt them?"

He shook his head. "The pillars absorb part of any spell cast in this city and give it back to them. They set it this way to keep the barrier intact until what was stolen is returned. They can't feel it, they're basically hibernating."

She chewed on her lip. "Isn't there a better way?"

They floated in a circle a foot above a marble dais, they were equally spaced apart each one wore long white and gray robes with simple silver filigree woven throughout.

Mother tells me I'm an adept too, I don't want to end up like this... they shouldn't have to do this. Everything is too unfair! She tilted her head at the marble. To even look at them without permission was forbidden! I shouldn't be in here. I hope coming in here is worth it.

"If they would have had more time, maybe it could've been done differently." He stared up at the sky. "If you think what's happening now is bad... not that it isn't horrible; what our ancestors and the elders went though was even worse. They had to make a quick decision to protect our city and stop the deaths. I know little else beyond that." He stared off at a pillar.

She waited.

"Hey."

He ignored her.

She tugged on his sleeve hard.

He blinked and seemed to refocus. "Oh? Sorry, I was chasing down a thought." He took in a breath. "What I'm going to do next is probably going to end upsetting everyone, but it should work. Hopefully, I won't get thrown out..."

He neared the elders and holding their arms from behind; her turned them about, the sparks instead of going between the elders streaked past with a crackle and hiss, it grew and jumped back and forth between the other elders, lept past her and zapped the ground off of the dais.

Quain grinned. "I'm in so much trouble if this doesn't work." He turned around the rest, jogged to her and took her hand. "Let's get you out of here."

A loud crackle overhead. She sniffed. Eww a strong puff of cleaning herb blasted her nose, and burned the insides. She coughed. Nothing and nobody else on either side but. Quain; if a person isn't making the smell then...

A crack-a-boom from the circle and the bright coursing sparks grew and turned into lighting flash that zig-zagged from them out into random areas of the city. Each one only faster than she could follow.

She screamed at a truly high pitch and jumped a good foot, and with shaking hands pinched the bridge of her nose. I'm such a wuss. Get ahold of yourself, it's just like a lighting storm, it's not a big deal.

Amazingly, they seemed to hit more of the Calcines than civilians. Another bolt hit further away and again only a dark one was turned into a puff of vapor; little droplets rained down onto the ground.

Back outside of the ring the sudden increase in volume rattled her head. A baby wailed far behind, dogs backed while others howled a mournful cry, a mother with a young child flew past with gasps of short prays between breaths. I can help them get to the temple at least.

Merryn tugged her hand, but he won't let go. "Quit it, I can't stand this anymore!"

Quaint kept pulling and running, he stopped before he let go. Both hands on knees, she leaned over and waited for her breathing to slow. Quaint stared at her long enough to get her attention. "I've been through this before," his words choked and his lips might have wobbled, not that she noticed, or would mention anything. "The Calcines have to be stopped at any cost; imagine every content of Galamia having this happen."

"I get it already!" She rolled her ryes and huffed.

He was on her in a heartbeat. "I won't have disrespect. do you understand me?"

She squealed and nodded. "I didn't mean it that way, sir."

"And how did you mean it?"

"I just want this to stop..." She looked at her feet, a tremor shook her body. Great job self. I tick off everyone with my stupid mouth, I can never say things right.

"A little foot in mouth, you had there?"

She wiped the blurry tears away and sneezed. "Blasted pollen."

"Yes, it's bad this year." He turned around. "Watch your temper, if you lose your head don't you think the monsters out there will take advantage of—"

Above a snap, the roof buckled. Quant eyes widened as he shoved her hard. She sailed back past two houses and crashed into a pile of boxes. She tumbled over into an open one.

Jumping out, the whole building groaned, hunched over and fell onto of him. He covered his head with his arms as it buried him. Multi colored puddles of drinks pooled out from the edges of the wreckage.

"Quaint!" Reaching the pile, she yanked and tossed chunks of wall and building parts, and frantically dug into it. Dig, I just have to keep digging. Find him. Find him! Shards of glass and nails bit into her arms. She plucked them out and kept at it. "Old man, answer me!"

Sweat tricked off her temples and tricked down the sides of her face.

Lighting arched up to the top of the dome and spread out, crackling and hissing as it rode the walls. It went back up again, condensing at the peak, hissing and sparking.

Without warning, a blinding bolt shot out from the top and blew up a good chunk out of the street a few feet away.

She ducked and curled into a ball. A moment later, she raised her head, shading her eyes.

The smaller thinner sparks shot off over her head, standing her hair on end. "Forgive us Elaema!"

"Yi!" Digging faster now, she tossed and dragged larger chunks, throwing them pell-mell behind her.

A collar from a white robe peaked out through the rubble. "Oh, thank you. Oh." She bit the inside of her cheek, stopping the tide that wanted to blur her vision. Don't lose it now.

A push and several shoves later, she had him free and on a lawn nearby. Her chest twinged. Several bruises and bumps spotted on his skin already, his lips split and chapped. Otherwise, he looked fine, but was unconscious. I have to get him to wake up, but how without scaring him? A tremor filled her body.

A thumping came from off to the side.

It crouched down low, staying in the shade between the houses that stretched out to the middle of the street. Above, the sun beams retracted and returned as clouds passed over from the wind.

The shade lengthened and disappeared in turn.

The tightness in her chest turned into a squeeze. "Somebody, anybody help me!" Her shout turned to an echo.