The silence of the red damn was shattered by screams – screams of pure rage and frustration.
Mender Lazarus sat bolt upright in bed, grabbing his shoes as he dashed for the door.
Ariel was back. And was mightily pissed, from the sounds of it.
He found her quickly, just as he knew he would, at the Pillar of Flame and Ice. Madness glinted in her eyes as she pounded on the pillar with flame and fist, digging in desperation as if to crack the pillar in two.
“I’m coming, Sky! I’m COMING!” She screeches into the morning air. Young mender trainees, back from a jump, simply stand there, looking completely out of their depth as they stare at her in complete horror.
“Get Silos! NOW!” Lazarus screamed at them, lunging forward to pull Ariel off the pillar. “Ariel Parker, CALM YOURSELF!” He bellows at her, wrapping her in a bear hug…and then yelps, releasing her. Her skin, always abnormally warm, was fire hot; indeed, the air around her seemed to be burning. He can only stand there, helpless, watching her as his heart breaks for her.
Madness had claimed her, and the pillar seemed to be the object of her obsession.
“Hold on Sky! I’m coming for you!” She cries out again and again.
“Ariel?!” Silos comes bounding down the stairs in naught but a pair of pants, looking horrified at the sight of her clawing and prying at his pillar. “Ariel, love, stop!” He cries out, but to no avail; she has eyes and ears for none but the pillar.
She pounds her fist against the pillar once more, and it erupts into brilliant flame. The crowd gathered back behind the three immediately disperses out of fear as the flame reaches outward, wrapping itself around Ariel. Silos dives for her, moaning as the heat hits him, but refuses to let go of her. With a violent twist, he wrenches her back from the pillar even as Tazz and Lazarus move to mend it.
The land hard, but Silos manages to keep himself wrapped around her. “Ariel, Ariel, come back to me,” he croons to her softly, sighing gently as he feels her temperature drop dramatically. He smiles gently at her as she opens her eyes, the madness only a shadow behind the emerald brilliance. “Ariel, oh Ariel…” He caresses her cheek softly, but forces himself to be content with that. Time enough for history to write itself.
“He’s screaming…I can’t help him, can’t get him out, Silos…” And with that, her resistance melts, and she dissolves in his arms, burying her face in his neck as she sobs. He gently caresses her hair with one hand, keeping his other arm wrapped tightly around her.
“I’m here, Ariel…Shh, it’ll be all right…” He scoops her up gently, and ascends the stairs, not even sparing a glance for his precious pillar. The woman in his arms matters infinitely more, and always had.
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The screaming eased as Silos held her, and for that, Ariel was grateful. She clings to him desperately, the force of her sobs rocking them both a bit. She opens her eyes, astonished to see that they were back in his personal rooms; she had no memory of leaving the pillar. He notices her shock and gives her a soft smile.
“I’m not going to jump your bones, honest.”
She sniffles a bit in response, then curls up against him tightly, her sobs receding to a dim echo of their earlier ferocity. Silos continues to pet her hair, caress her back and cheek, as he stares down at her with a complete look of concern.
She looks up at him, startled as she becomes caught in his gaze. A flutter in her belly...She leans forward….
A knock at the door breaks the reverie. “C’mon in,” Silos calls out, knowing instinctively who it is.
Lazarus enters, looking thoroughly bedraggled. “Me and Tazz fixed the mess, Mender Silos.” His gaze drops to Ariel, curled up against Silos like a cat, and his heart breaks just a bit more. Surprisingly, though, the look of smug satisfaction that he would have expected Silos to have wasn’t there – only a tender look of genuine concern lay across his features.
Silos nods at the man, then turns his attention back to Ariel before speaking. “She speaks of Skylar, Laz. That she can hear him screaming, begging her to save him…and it’s coming from the pillar.” Lazarus nods, then produces a necklace from his pocket. He holds it out to them, the intricate stylized phoenix, carved from a pinkish-brown stone, hanging heavily from a delicate gold chain.
“Found this as we were mending.” He explains.
“Then it’s time.” Silos says firmly, reaching out to take the necklace from Lazarus. Lazarus releases it after a moment, very reserved as he watches Silos slip the necklace around Ariel’s neck. He sighs, but speaks again, this time to Ariel.
“Lass? I know someone who can help…with the screaming. Help to make it stop.”
Ariel perks up a bit, peeking at Lazarus. “You...you do?”
Lazarus nods. “His name is Sunstorm. A very good man, and he may have a solution to your problem.”
“I’ll take her.” Silos looks up at Lazarus. “You forget I know him as well as you do, old friend.”
“You think that wise, Silos?
Ariel sniffles a bit, murmuring quietly, “He left me.”
“Oh, Ariel, lass, I’m sorry…” And Lazarus genuinely was. Mostly for her sake; no pretty girl should have to go through heart ache, in his humble opinion; partly, because it meant the end was coming.
“As am I, Ariel. I know you loved him dearly; I’m sorry for your loss.” Silos hugs her tightly, and again Lazarus frowns. There was no hint of satisfaction at such news on Silos’s face, again only concern for her. Maybe I misjudged him, maybe he really does love her for her, Lazarus thinks.
“Then take her, old friend. Sunstorm will be delighted to see her.”
((To be concluded.))
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