The Broken Ones

Chapter 10:3 -Eyes and fingers

Soi would have sunk to his knees if he had been Haz, but Haz stood straight. Soi could feel him tremble but he didn’t waver. Only one tear fell from his blue eyes. He nodded and took the few steps that parted him from his brother.
-Ard, he said, keeping his voice steady. –Come here, I’ll help you down.
Haz hold out his arms towards Ard who blindly searched for them. Haz took Ard’s hands with a firm grip and lifted his brother down from the black horse and into his arms. Ard begun to cry the moment he felt the warmth from his brother, but no tears run down his cheeks.
-I am so sorry, brother, he sobbed.
-You are alive, that’s all that matters.
-But my eyes, the reason you sacrificed your fingers, I have let you down.
-No, Ard. You are alive, you are here with me. I couldn’t wish for more.
Soi felt a tear run down his own face, but he wasn’t the only one. Nibbles cheeks were wet on the right side and dried one the other. Jagger bit her under lip until it bled and tears trickled down and blended with the blood. Ana was the only one who wasn’t crying, though her face was pale and she gripped her staff so her knuckles turned white. She kept her eyes on the brothers with a stern face. Suddenly she shifted her gaze to Soi.
-Soi, she said serious. –Where’s your bag?
For a moment Soi couldn’t understand what she meant, then he realised and went to the dark horse and picked out the tiny dark bottle. He walked to the two brothers.
-Haz, I have something that can help, he said and Haz released Ard from his arms.
Soi took Ard’s hand.
-I need you to drink this, it will help. I don’t know how much… he ended before he started to doubt himself.
-I’ll drink it, Ard said and opened his mouth.
Soi poured first one drop into his mouth but then he emptied the whole bottle to be sure. The effect was immediate, Ard sighed with relief when the pain disappeared and the cut along his leg healed, leaving no scare. His left eye healed slowly and the gash disappeared. His right eye was still badly hurt but it stopped bleeding and bit by bit it got restored as well. His eyes got their blue colour with gold sparkles back and he looked the same as before the injury.
The others gasped around him. Only Ana and Soi remained silent, though Nibbles didn’t seem so surprised.
-And that was just water? He asked and Soi stared at him.
-How did you know?
-Nebelius, you have revealed yourself this time, Ana pointed out.
-I know, but I simply couldn’t believe it. Was it really water? You’re not some kind of broken?
-Nibbles, if he wanted you to know all of his secrets he would have told you himself. Now you have brought them into daylight without his consent. Don’t think he will tell you anything now.
-What do you mean? Soi couldn’t understand what they were talking about.
-I’m sorry Soi, but your mind has been to intriguing not to follow, Nibbles smiled weakly.
Finally Soi puzzled the pieces together, everything Nibbles knew without ever telling him about it.
-You’re a mind reader.
-And you’re a savior, the Spring Saviour.
-Nebelius, don’t make the cut deeper, Ana warned.
Soi was taken aback by Nibbles words.
-Yes, I am, he acknowledged.
-You save people. With water. That’s the only part I don’t get. Is it only water?
Shocked, Soi nodded yes. But what had he expected when he saved Ard in front of them all. Of course they would ask questions. He turned to Ard.
-Do you feel anything? Any pain? He asked with a dazed voice.
-No, nothing…
-Good.
-It’s only, I don’t see, at least not the way I did before.
Haz turned pale again, his eyes expressing distress.
-In what way do you see now? He asked carefully.
-The world’s in black and white, there’s no colours and there are… images flashing by. I can see a woman with long braided hair and strange eyes, there’s an island, a city surrounded by mountains.
-Beroal, Nibbles said with a confused voice.
-He’s not completely healed, he’s still a broken, Ana stated.
-How many fingers am I holding up? Haz held up his left hand with all his fingers still intact.
-Three, Ard answered.
-Wrong, five.
-It’s not wrong, Ard objected irritated. –You’re holding up three fingers.
Nibbles laughed.
-He’s right, Haz, you are holding up three fingers, he said with a wide smile.
The others stared at him as he was crazy, they could all see that Haz held up five fingers.
-You’re thinking of holding up three fingers next time. Ard’s seeing the future, Nibbles explained further.
Haz stared perplexed at him. Then he bowed to Nibbles. And to Ana and Soi and lastly to Jagger.
-Why are you bowing, Jagger wondered suspiciously.
-Thank you all for saving my brother.
Haz took a step forward to her, took her hand and kissed its knuckles. Jagger’s green eyes widened in surprise.
-Don’t think this change anything. I still don’t like you, she said furiously.
-Jagger, that’s only because he’s a monster, Nibbles pointed out.
-What! A what!?
During breakfast they told Jagger everything she had missed.
-Then I was right about them, they did look like humans, she said quietly, then another thought hit her. –But wait, then Sam’s a monster as well.
Ana sighed.
-Am I right? Jagger asked surprised.
-Yes, Ana admitted.
Jagger reflected on this while the group silently ate their breakfast. Ard stayed close to his brother, still not sure of his new gift and unable to see what was really happening around him. There was a somber mood hanging over the group even though they had all survived the night and was closer to the Academy than before. Soi came up with an idea that would cheer them up and he turned to Jagger.
-Aren’t you going to say I’m a monster as well, Jagger, after all you don’t like me either, Soi joked with her, knowing how she would response.
Jagger looked up perplexed, eager to contradict him and tried explain.
-But, that was… I was wrong about you. I simply didn’t like you because Ana does.
That created an unexpected and awkward silence before Nibbles laughed.
-As up-front as always, Jagger. Are you feeling better?
-Some, she answered flustered and hung with her head in embarrassment.

To be continued...
By J.L.Frick