The Passing Storm

Gaza looked right back at him, and what he saw were hollow eyes, devoid of any warmth.

"P-please." Gaza croaked, his lips quivering. "M-mercy..."

The voice echoed relentlessly through Loid's mind.

Devour. Kill. Go. Devour... Kill...

Loid crouched, picking up Gaza's ruined item from the ash. It hummed weakly.

"Mercy? Why? Why would I give it?" Loid asked coldly.

Gaza responded with silence and fear.

Loid lifted an arm, as if to end it quickly. His arm hovered above Gaza, ready to strike. Charlotte covered her mouth, afraid the Loid she'd just come to know was vanishing right before her.

Don't, Nova... she thought, terrified.

Loid's hand came down.

As if she'd always been there, Elisia's hand lightly clasped around his wrist. His eyes widened the moment she touched him.

"Loid," she said quietly, "there's no point in sullying your hands with the blood of a weakling. He's not worth the stain."

Her eyes locked onto his.

"He's a coward. He won't be cunning enough to plot revenge beyond the shadow of his own fear."

Loid's hand trembled slightly, for a moment even he didn't realize what he was about to do, but the heat of the moment met the coolness of her logic. His fingers loosened on the tool, then reluctantly, he set Gaza's item down in the dirt and straightened.

Elisia turned her gaze to the fallen captain.

"You," she said, "will leave this place. Ride away and pretend nothing happened. Cross that border and never return. Fail to comply..."

She fixed him a stare that would forever be etched into his mind.

"...and I will end you myself."

Gaza, crumpled and delirious, could only stare at her. His voice came out as a cracked whisper, barely able to even respond.

Elisia waved dismissively.

"Peons, get this useless excuse of a captain out of my sight. Leave the horses behind."

The soldiers exchanged glances, then wordlessly bent down and hauled Gaza to his feet, dragging his broken body between them. They staggered away through the square, and the horses remained where they were.

Loid stood in the ruined square, the weight of what he had nearly done settling heavily on his chest.

Slowly, he turned.

For a moment, there was only the hushed awe of a village that had witnessed the impossible, still trying to make sense of their newfound freedom.

Then, as if a spell had been lifted, someone started to clap, tentative at first, then another, and another. It swelled into a chorus, faces breaking into laughter and relieved sobs.

"Great job, Nova!"

"You're our hero!"

"Thank you... thank you so much!"

Children who had hidden behind shutters now ran into the open, stumbling and shrieking with joy.

Charlotte watched Loid closely. The coldness he had shown in the crater had carved a new image into her mind. She had seen him stare into the abyss, and yet she had also seen him step back from the brink.

Tears blurred her vision, tangled with gratitude, fear, awe, and the raw relief of survival.

Loid's eyes widened as the applause washed over him. He had expected a nod of thanks, maybe a few quiet words from the chief. Instead, the villagers surged forward, cheering and clapping.

Shelly was the first to move. She ran straight toward him, her small feet kicking up dust before leaping into his arms.

"You're the coolest, Big Bro!" she shouted, wrapping her arms around him.

The chief's weathered hands gripped Loid's shoulders. 

"You saved us...we-" He couldn't finish. The weight of it shook him too hard.

Elisia's faint smile remained unreadable, yet the slight tilt of her head and the quiet steadiness of her gaze spoke more than words ever could.

The warmth felt strange to Loid, and the memory of Gaza's collapse clung at the back of his mind. He had stood at the edge of something he never wanted to become and turned back because someone had steadied his hand.

Luna Village had won the night, but the cost had been great, and the future still loomed dangerous and uncertain.

Charlotte stepped forward, tears brimming in her eyes. She threw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.

"You did it. You actually did it," she whispered, her voice trembling with joy.

Loid froze, unsure how to react, and a little embarrassed by the sudden embrace. Around him, the villagers cheered, their laughter booming through the square. For the first time in days, the weight on his shoulders felt lighter.

Shelly clung to his arm, grinning from ear to ear, while Charlotte wiped away her tears, her smile brighter than it had ever been.

A few paces away, Elisia watched it all with her usual calm, the breeze teasing her black hair as she folded her arms.

"I wonder... how will Ruwen respond to this?" she mused. "Hmph, it's amusing just thinking about it. After all... there's no entertainment without conflict now is there?"

The village chief raised his mug high, his voice booming with pride.

"This is a momentous day for us! Tonight, we drink to Luna Village... and our benefactor, Nova Stoner!"

Barrels of alcohol were rolled into the square by the men with wide grins.

"Way ahead of you, Chief! We've already got the booze!"

Elisia's eyes sparkled, a rare glint of childlike excitement shining within them.

Loid blinked.

"What's with the face? Don't tell me you've never had alcohol before."

Elisia puffed out her chest proudly.

"Of course I have! It's just... I could never get drunk. My neutralizing spells purged any toxins the moment I drank."

Then, with a mischievous grin, she added, "But now that I've passed most of my powers on to you, those spells are gone, which means... I can finally get wasted again!"

Loid's expression slowly shifted into one of horror.

"Wait, hold on now. Are you telling me I can't get drunk now?!"

Elisia chuckled, clearly enjoying herself.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. You can, unless you decide to use the toxin-neutralizing spell. Then, no buzz for you."

Loid groaned, clutching his hair.

"What?! That's ridiculous! Of course I want to get drunk when I drink! There's nothing to decide!"

Charlotte tilted her head, blinking innocently.

"Wait... passed on your power? What does that mean?"

Loid and Elisia froze, caught like children sneaking cookies. Elisia's overly sweet smile appeared instantly as she improvised.

"Ahaha... well, Nova was a frail little thing when he was born, you see, so I performed a high-level spell to give him all of my magic. The cost? I can't use magic anymore. Now it's up to my dear little brother to protect me!"

Charlotte's eyes shimmered.

"Aww, you two are so close!"

Loid and Elisia exchanged a deadpan glance.

She actually bought that crap?!

*****

 Meanwhile, the soldiers carrying Gaza away struggled through the sand, their boots dragging and breaths heavy. One of them hissed under his breath with irritation.

"Damn it, at this pace, it'll take twenty days and nights to reach Ruwen on foot."

He paused mid-step.

"...Wait."

He had just remembered the spare horse they'd left back at the camp.

"There's still one horse," he said. "We're turning back."

The others swapped quick looks before nodding, adjusting their grip as they limped toward the camp.

Once they arrived, he unlocked a nearby door and pushed it open.

Inside, the woman Gaza had kept lay on the floor, naked and bruised. She looked up at him, trembling.

He spoke plainly.

"It's over. No one's going to hurt you anymore. Get dressed and leave. There's a village not far from here. They might take you in."

Without another word, he turned and walked out, leaving her behind, confused and shaken, but no longer restrained.

The soldiers came to a decision.

The horse would be used to transport Gaza back to Ruwen, and Stokie would be the one to do it.

The others refused to return. Failing to guard the border was a crime, and they knew exactly what awaited them if they went back. 

Death was almost certain.

So Stokie rode off alone, Gaza slumped across the saddle.

Behind him, Luna Village burned bright with laughter and song, drunk on the freedom they had waited years to taste, while ahead lay Ruwen, and Stokie never looked back. Some victories demanded celebration, but for the losing side, only consequences awaited.