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Previous Chapter: ENDLESS Chapter 01: Opening

Next Chapter: ENDLESS Chapter 03: Let there be a new beginning

All Chapters HERE .

Watch the Trailer: ENDLESS Trailer

CHAPTER 02: EIGHT YEARS AGO

“It is by divine mandate that we immortals must rule; it’s both our burden and our blessing. Now, recite the Daimonlance axiom with me: Three are the races. One to-” the teacher interrupted herself, recognizing far too late that her student was nowhere to be found. “Princess Malia?”

Malia was running with all her might. She was quite skilled at slipping away; she had learned to be silent enough as to not be caught by her tutors most of the times. She rushed through the big hallways of the castle and reached the lush garden. Despite its exuberant beauty, she had never liked how the huge stone wall that enclosed it prevented the eye from seeing what was outside. Even though her lessons were boring, she enjoyed the thrill of escaping. Hiding among the bushes made her feel safe, and she was fond of being surrounded by the mixed scent of the plants and her own sweat.

She was about to lean back on the stone wall, as she often did to relax during her getaways, when the unforeseen absence of part of it caused her to bump her head on the ground. After sitting up in bewildered annoyance, she discovered something concealed behind the thickets she had never noticed before. “Is this a crack? In the great stone wall? ...Well, it's more like a hole!”

Before giving a second thought to the matter, she crawled through the fissure, excited about what she would find on the other side of the wall. I've never left the palace on my own before... I wonder if there will be weird creatures... I may even come across a demon!

Going through the hole was taking more time than she expected, as even her small frame had to advance slowly through the narrow crack. When she finally made it, she stood up and let her eyes take in the view. It can’t be… Is that… a village? She squinted as to confirm that what she could see in the distance were small cabins. She started walking forward, and the closer she got to the far away village the more dilapidated and damaged it appeared. They always tell me all the immortals in this area, even the servants, live inside the great stone wall... so who could possibly live out here?

Malia kept walking, her curiosity overpowering her apprehension. When, after long minutes of nervous exploration, she reached the outskirts of the humble town, she was surprised to spot a modest group of children scrambling and hiding across the precarious roads. One of them spotted her in turn, “Hey, are you from the scouting group too? What are you standing there for? Come hide with us.”

Malia beamed and ran towards them, her fears and worries dissolved by the prospect of interacting with kids her own age, “Sure!”

But when she approached, the boy who had invited her saw something that changed him; hanging from Malia’s neck was a pendant with the Daimonlance clan emblem on it. Raging heat flooded his veins, a visceral resentment that had no place in one so young, and yet it was there. He punched Malia with all the strength he could gather in those furious seconds.

“It’s your fault! It’s all your fault! It’s your fault they’re dead! How dare you, how dare you-!”

He was preparing the second hit when another boy grabbed his hand, “Luke, you said you were ready. And this is the first thing you do while on duty?”

“Ugh,” Luke failed to hold back his tears. He knew he couldn’t afford to challenge the trainee in charge, “I… I’m… I’m out of here… Let’s go guys.”

Malia watched the scene in confusion. Her cheek was swollen, and it hurt a lot, but she didn’t cry. She was more interested in understanding why the kid was so mad at her. She was sitting on the ground and the only one left with her was the boy who had stopped Luke.

“I’m sorry about what Luke did." He offered a hand to help her stand, "Please forgive him. My name is Gorken.”

“It’s fine, thank you for helping me. I’m Malia.” She paused, glancing behind Gorken’s shoulder and confirming they were alone, “Can I ask you why he was so angry? I’m pretty sure it’s my first time meeting him...”

“You really don’t know?” He stared at her, unable to tell if she was as innocent and ignorant as she seemed, or if she was trying to trick him. She could be dangerous, but I think she’s not lying. Maybe I’ll be able to get some information from her.

“Why would I ask if I knew!? Everyone is so weird out here!”

Gorken was about to answer her when he heard a loud growl coming from Malia’s stomach. She blushed forgetting her frustration, and Gorken gaped at her vacantly. “If you’re hungry you can come with me. I’ll share some food with you if you want.”

Malia’s eyes widened, “Really? You’re too nice! Thank you!”

And you're too naïve, he kept the thought to himself. Gorken led the way through the bleak town. The empty roads made Malia feel uneasy. Every now and then she would catch a glance of a person or two, but she found them unnerving; their eyes were dead and devoid of expression, as if they were absorbed by the simple tasks they were performing. A few moments prior to reaching Gorken’s hut, she saw a woman sitting on the ground with a baby on her arms. Both her face and the infant’s were equally lifeless, their stares lost in a horizon that wasn’t there. Not even when Malia and Gorken walked in front of them did their bodies react. What shook Malia the most was Gorken’s lack of response; she was forced to assume that the state of the village and its people was normal for him.

When they arrived to Gorken’s home, Malia was dubious of the food he could provide. The wooden shack was mostly empty and she deduced the blanket on the floor played the part of a bed. She sat on it, observing Gorken in silence. He took a knife out of his pocket and chopped onions and potatoes on a clay plate. Without thinking, Malia left the blanket to stand behind Gorken and watch him work, amazed by his skills with knife and fire.

“There.” He said as he handed her the plate after taking a portion for himself.

When Malia tasted it she couldn’t believe it, “You’re a great cook!”

“I’m in charge of feeding the kids this time, so I guess I got used to it.”

Malia pondered as she chewed. Gorken couldn’t be much older than she was, so how could he be in charge of anything? He was no more than a kid himself. When they were done eating she wasted no time, returning to the question she had made before, “Why was Luke so outraged? Why was he angry at me?”

Gorken studied her face, “Because we’re humans.”

Malia jumped from her place, “What?! That’s impossible! I mean, the teacher always says humans are horrible creatures, primitive and mindless. There’s no way you guys are humans! Luke did hit me, but he behaved normally enough, right? He was not a beast, I’m sure of it!”

“But that’s what I am, a human. I am sure.”

“Then…” Malia sat back down, “My teacher’s a liar? I do run away from classes a lot, but I can’t be remembering wrong.”

“Before doubting your home, you could doubt my words, you know?” Gorken interjected, picking up the empty plates, “I could be deceiving you.”

Malia fixed her turquoise eyes on his, a proud grin on her face, “You’re not a liar, I can tell. I’m pretty good at that kind of stuff.”

Gorken was taken aback by her nonsensical words. By all accounts he should have considered her a foolish girl, and she was, but he couldn’t deny the warm feeling that filled his chest and almost made him smile.

Malia kept talking, “So, you guys are humans... but that doesn’t really explain why Luke is so mad at immortals, right?”

“Think a little about the definition you had of us humans. Doesn’t that tell you anything?”

Malia felt embarrassed at her own stupid question.

“Immortals treat us as if we really were all like that, heartless beasts. Immortals are the rulers, I guess you know that much. This village is close to the castle so, as run down as it is, members of the rebellion and their informants use it as a hideout sometimes.” He lowered his head, avoiding Malia’s clear eyes, “Luke’s parents were discovered, so immortal soldiers made an example out of them and dismembered them in front of everyone in the village. Most people didn’t even register what was going on, they’re always like that. No one cared. They can’t care. But Luke did. I haven’t been able to get his screams out of my head.”

After a long, heavy pause, Gorken raised his head to look at Malia, but he was shocked by what he saw. Tears were streaming down her face. “...Why are you crying?”

“How… How are you not crying? You’re talking of… chopping people up, and… How come I didn’t know anything about this?” She sniffed.

“I don’t know... You see, I’m just like you.”

“What do you mean?” Malia rubbed her eyes.

“Well, we were always told immortals were all cruel and evil, but here you are, crying like a baby. We’re kids anyway, we can’t change anything.” He fixed his stare on the floor, “We can only obey adults and wait until we’re big enough to yell louder than them and hit harder than them.”

He stopped talking. Before he knew it, Gorken had opened up to Malia. He had never told anyone about his frustration, not even his master. Malia broke the silence before he could decide whether that was a good thing or not, “It’s settled then! I’ll join the human rebellion!”

For a moment Gorken didn’t know if the girl was joking. But the resolve he could clearly see in her expression made him understand she was actually being serious. “What are you talking about? There’s no way you can join the rebellion. You’re just a little girl... and an immortal!”

Malia frowned, “I know! But it’s the best I could think of, so there’s no need to be so negative about it!”

They stared at each other for a few seconds, motionless, before bursting into laughter. They didn’t understand why, but they laughed. As their chuckles died down, Gorken tried to recall the last time he had had fun. He couldn’t. Malia tried to recall the last time someone had listened to what she had to say. She couldn’t.

When silence returned, Malia noticed the sun was setting, “I should go back... I know! I'll come tomorrow! See you then!”

She went out in a hurry, preventing Gorken from voicing a response. He sat on his blanket, bewildered. The girl was an immortal and yet he felt completely at ease with her. I guess it's fine if I don’t tell my master about her.

As she traversed the gardens of the northern palace, Malia was careful not to be seen by anyone. She knew no one should find out about the hole in the great stone wall, or she would never be able to go out again. On her way to her bedroom she was startled by someone calling her name: “Malia! There you are. Look at you, you’re a disaster.”

“Mother!”

Clarissa crouched in front of her daughter, caressing her hair and getting rid of the dirt that stained the little girl’s light dress. “What happened to your face? Does it hurt?” The queen asked when she saw the bruise.

Malia was thankful for her mother’s care, but she didn’t feel comfortable speaking in front of the guards that followed the queen everywhere she went. Malia could never talk to her mother alone, and she hated that. Clarissa shared the same plum hair as her daughter, the deep purple color of the Eirian clan. Her guards on the other hand, always had the turquoise eyes of the Daimonlance. Malia didn’t know what that meant at the time; all she knew was that the guards annoyed her.

“I got into a fight with a fat cat in the garden.” The princess lied.

“Of course you did.” Clarissa kissed her daughter’s good cheek. “Go change, it will be dinner time soon. I’ll make sure they serve your favorite dessert tonight.”

The next morning, Malia woke up as early as she could to sneak into the kitchen when no one was around. She filled a sack with some of her favorite fruits, and hid it near the bushes where the big crack in the wall was. Then she went back to sleep. Later, when the time for her classes was approaching, she snuck out and took the sack with her. She knew the people in the castle were used to her disappearing during her classes, so she also knew it was imperative that she didn't change the times of her escapes; that way, no one would suspect anything. She had trouble dragging the sack through the hole in the wall, and as soon as she got out she encountered Gorken leaning on a tree nearby.

“You came back.” He said as he raised his head.

“Were you waiting for me?” She asked happily. In truth, the thought of wandering around the grim village on her own frightened her. Gorken’s presence was a sweet relief.

“Yes,” he mumbled, “you said you would come. I wanted to believe you. What’s with the bag?”

“Oh!” She stood boastfully, “I brought some food! You said something about cooking for kids, so I thought this would help. We have tons of food no one eats at the castle, so it seemed like a good idea to me!”

“You didn’t have to...” Gorken had no chance to feel moved before his better sense prickled him, “But isn’t this really dangerous? What if someone catches you?”

“Don’t worry, we have lots of food, no one will notice if a few apples disappear. Moreover, I’m a master at sneaking out. This is the least I can do as a member of the rebellion.”

At that moment, Gorken felt he risked smiling again, “I’ll go call the other kids.”

“I have to go back soon. My magic lessons are the only ones I never miss. I’ll return in a couple of days.” She dashed back to the stone wall, “See you later, Gorken!”

Why is she always running off? He wondered as she vanished in the distance. Did she just say magic?

Malia would sneak out regularly to go visit Gorken. Unrelenting, days grew into weeks, and weeks into months. The two children had become part of each other’s routine as naturally as sunlight announced morning and crickets the night. They got used to taking their furtive encounters for granted, to waiting eagerly for them as respites from a world that gave them none.

One day Malia was in a hurry, determined not to let Gorken mock her for being late. As she left the palace behind, she could see him leaning on the same tree as always.

“Your hair looks messier than ever today.” Gorken teased her.

“Shut up! Your hair is even messier, so you’ve got no right to tell me anything!” She stuck out her tongue.

“I guess you’re right.” Gorken conceded.

“What’s this?” Both Gorken and Malia turned around upon hearing the strange voice, “It looks like the rumors about a little immortal coming to play were actually true.” The one who had spoken was a young man, probably a couple of years older than Gorken; behind him two other boys were glaring at Malia. “Won’t you play with us too, little girl?” He said in a tone that made Malia’s skin crawl. She looked at him warily, but before she could respond the boy took the knife he had hidden under his clothes and stabbed. But what he stabbed was not Malia. Gorken was grabbing the knife as he stood between Malia and her aggressor.

The attacker gazed at Gorken’s irritated expression, perplexed. How could he get here so fast? I was much closer to the immortal girl than he was.

“Leave now and my master won’t hear about this.” Gorken said. His voice was composed, and yet the teen felt a shiver go down his spine. It was as if he knew Gorken could kill him; he had no foundation for that certainty, but his body screamed at him to get away. Gorken watched them flee; only when he was certain they were gone did he throw the knife on the ground, “I’m sorry this kind of thing happened, I was negligent not to notice them before.”

Malia stood with her glance on the ground, “It’s the same...”

“What?”

“It’s the same as when we met. You had to save me again. I hate being weak.”

“What are you talking about? You aren’t weak. Aren’t you a master at sneaking out? I could never win against you.”

She couldn’t help grinning. “You’re hurt, let me take a look.”

“It’s just a shallow cut.” He reassured her, “I grabbed the knife because I knew it was dull, there’s nothing to worry about.”

She ignored him and covered the wound with one of her hands, while holding his injured hand with the other one. She closed her eyes and focused. Remember the theory. This is just a cut on external tissue. Focus.

Gorken thought her palms glowed faintly, but he assumed he had imagined it. Malia then let go of him, “There, all better.”

Gorken stared at his own hand in consternation. The wound was completely gone and it didn’t hurt at all, “What the-? …How did you…?”

“I’ll explain it later, for now I have to go back.” She ran towards the stone wall, “Too bad we couldn’t go see the flowers today. We’ll try again tomorrow. See you, Gorken!”

He waved at her until she was out of sight. She never fails to amaze me. I'll go get some training done. He rubbed his healed hand, My master can’t know about this... about any of it.

Malia came out of the bushes as usual and headed to the castle. This time however, something had been different. A guard that was patrolling caught a glimpse of her. Is that the princess? Where did she come from? She’s notorious for skipping classes, she was probably hiding behind these - He suddenly interrupted his own train of thought. The guard had been walking toward the bushes, but he couldn't believe what he saw behind them, “A hole in the great stone wall?!”

The next day, Malia woke up early and passed through the garden as she did whenever her aim was to cross the wall; she was unaware that this time inquisitive eyes were following her.

“Sorry to make you wait!” said Malia as she removed a strand of hair sticking to her sweaty forehead.

“You actually arrived on time. I’m in awe.” Gorken bowed in an overly dramatic gesture.

“Yeah, yeah... let’s go watch the flowers! I hope they really are as pretty as you said.”

“They are, trust me.” He nodded, “Let’s go, the woods are beyond the village, if we don't hurry we won't be back by noon.”

“Got it!” she answered joyously, but her whole body jolted to halt when a harsh hand seized her tiny arm. Despair filled her eyes as she turned around and recognized the guard’s armor. Before they knew it, they were surrounded; three guards grabbed Gorken while two dragged Malia away. Gorken was grappling, but he couldn’t free himself. “Malia!” he shouted, still fighting against the guards.

“Stop thrashing you little beast! Take him away!”

“No, please, wait!!” Malia yelled desperately. She remembered Gorken’s story about Luke’s parents. The guard in charge then addressed her derisively, “What is it?”

By the way he was treating her she could tell he was one of her uncle’s men. “Please...” was the only thing she managed to mutter. She didn't know what to say and she didn't know what to do. Her mind was blank.

“That’s what I thought.” The guard grumbled, “Come.”

Amidst the struggle her silver pendant fell to the ground. Her opposition was useless and the guards took her back to the castle. Gorken witnessed it all, unable to do anything himself. Damn it! How could I have been so careless!? Why didn't I notice them until they were so close!? What was I thinking? I can't take care of these guys on my own, much less go help Malia... Damn it all!

“It’s about time I got involved.” Gorken heard the familiar voice coming from behind a tree. Before any of the guards had a chance to defend themselves, Malik cut two of their throats open and stabbed the third one in the eye.

“Master Malik!” Both fear and relied seeped through Gorken's voice.

The large man looked down at the dead soldiers, “The skill of the castle guards has decreased dramatically over the last few years.”

“Master! You have to lend me your strength! We have to go save Malia, please come with-”

“Silence. Calm down and follow me.”

“But...!” Gorken saw anger in Malik’s eyes, “...Yes, master.”

xxx

“We brought the princess, Your Majesty.”

“Leave us.”

The guards left Malia in the throne room, in front of the King. The rows of torches placed on the walls barely lit the hall; the large stained glass windows were completely covered by bulky curtains, and when the doors closed the darkness became more apparent. Malia looked up to the man sitting on the throne, “Uncle...”

“Dear Malia,” the King addressed her softly, “I hear you've been crossing the border and having clandestine contact with humans. Is it true?”

“Yes uncle, but you’re wrong about humans, they’re not the beasts everyone says they are and-”

“It wounds me to hear that. I’ll assume you were deceived and we will have to deal with the humans you met during your little escapes.”

“There’s no need to do that! Please! I went there of my own accord, you don’t have to deal with anyone!”

The king discerned the panic in Malia’s voice, stared at her worried face for a few seconds, and he recalled the guards’ report. Then he replied, “That’s too bad, dear. That human boy who was with you has already been executed.”

Malia just stood there, tears falling down her cheeks. She didn’t say anything, and she didn’t move. For lengthy moments, the only thing that could be heard in the hall was her sobbing.

Then the king summoned one of his soldiers, “As much as I love my niece, she broke the rules too, and a taste of discipline is necessary. Please make sure the princess remembers why it is wrong to break the rules.”

The soldier was doubtful, “Your Majesty, she’s the Princess, I don’t know if I should-”

“For a moment there it almost seemed you were refusing to obey a direct order. How unfortunate, wouldn't you agree? I’m sure it was just my mind playing tricks on me, wasn’t it?”

“...Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Now take her away.”

xxx

“Master, where are we going? We’ve been walking in the woods long enough. I’ll go back! Maybe I can still help Malia somehow.”

“Gorken, stop spouting gibberish, you’re not a little kid anymore.”

“But-!”

Malik exhaled audibly, “If entering the castle was an easy task, do you think the rebellion would be in the situation it is right now? I let you keep meeting that child because she didn’t represent an immediate threat, but throwing your life away to satisfy your own savior delusion is something I will not allow you to do. Moreover, if that girl was able to escape during several months without anyone noticing, it means her status among the immortals was presumably low, so they wouldn’t give her any special treatment; you know as well as I do how they deal with those who break their rules. Gorken, that girl surely has already been executed. So stop complaining and come with me, we need to get away from the castle. It was my mistake to leave you in charge of the children and the mission. You’re still too immature if you developed affection for that immortal. We’re heading back to headquarters.”

“Yes, master.” Gorken kept walking behind Malik in silence, his fists clenched and trembling as he struggled to hold back the tears.

xxx

“Princess, please let me treat your wounds!” Lyra talked to her little mistress in vain as Malia sat on the floor of her room with her arms around her knees, without listening, without answering, not moving. She was covered in wounds given to her as punishment, but they didn't hurt at all. Or at least, to her it seemed like they didn’t hurt, since the pain in her chest was much worse. It was as if a shadowy hand was squeezing her heart and her guts. She felt grief because of Gorken and hatred towards her uncle, but more than anything she felt anger. Anger towards herself. Anger for being too weak to do anything. Anger for not being able to say a thing when the guard had asked her: “What is it?”

She looked up at the moon from her window.

Gorken was sitting near a tree, where his master had decided they would spend the night. He had been staring at the pendant he had picked up before following his master; the pendant that had fallen from Malia’s neck during the conflict. He wanted to keep crying, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know why, but the tears just wouldn’t come out. Then he remembered how it felt to be alone. He felt like the powerless little boy lost in the woods he had long ago forgotten.

He looked up to the sky, and from beneath the leaves he could see the moon.

At that moment, a thought was born from their core.

I need strength.
Enough strength to be able to protect something.
Strength, so that something like this won't happen again.

Description

Previous Chapter: ENDLESS Chapter 01: Opening

Next Chapter: ENDLESS Chapter 03: Let there be a new beginning

All Chapters HERE .

Watch the Trailer: ENDLESS Trailer

CHAPTER 02: EIGHT YEARS AGO

“It is by divine mandate that we immortals must rule; it’s both our burden and our blessing. Now, recite the Daimonlance axiom with me: Three are the races. One to-” the teacher interrupted herself, recognizing far too late that her student was nowhere to be found. “Princess Malia?”

Malia was running with all her might. She was quite skilled at slipping away; she had learned to be silent enough as to not be caught by her tutors most of the times. She rushed through the big hallways of the castle and reached the lush garden. Despite its exuberant beauty, she had never liked how the huge stone wall that enclosed it prevented the eye from seeing what was outside. Even though her lessons were boring, she enjoyed the thrill of escaping. Hiding among the bushes made her feel safe, and she was fond of being surrounded by the mixed scent of the plants and her own sweat.

She was about to lean back on the stone wall, as she often did to relax during her getaways, when the unforeseen absence of part of it caused her to bump her head on the ground. After sitting up in bewildered annoyance, she discovered something concealed behind the thickets she had never noticed before. “Is this a crack? In the great stone wall? ...Well, it's more like a hole!”

Before giving a second thought to the matter, she crawled through the fissure, excited about what she would find on the other side of the wall. I've never left the palace on my own before... I wonder if there will be weird creatures... I may even come across a demon!

Going through the hole was taking more time than she expected, as even her small frame had to advance slowly through the narrow crack. When she finally made it, she stood up and let her eyes take in the view. It can’t be… Is that… a village? She squinted as to confirm that what she could see in the distance were small cabins. She started walking forward, and the closer she got to the far away village the more dilapidated and damaged it appeared. They always tell me all the immortals in this area, even the servants, live inside the great stone wall... so who could possibly live out here?

Malia kept walking, her curiosity overpowering her apprehension. When, after long minutes of nervous exploration, she reached the outskirts of the humble town, she was surprised to spot a modest group of children scrambling and hiding across the precarious roads. One of them spotted her in turn, “Hey, are you from the scouting group too? What are you standing there for? Come hide with us.”

Malia beamed and ran towards them, her fears and worries dissolved by the prospect of interacting with kids her own age, “Sure!”

But when she approached, the boy who had invited her saw something that changed him; hanging from Malia’s neck was a pendant with the Daimonlance clan emblem on it. Raging heat flooded his veins, a visceral resentment that had no place in one so young, and yet it was there. He punched Malia with all the strength he could gather in those furious seconds.

“It’s your fault! It’s all your fault! It’s your fault they’re dead! How dare you, how dare you-!”

He was preparing the second hit when another boy grabbed his hand, “Luke, you said you were ready. And this is the first thing you do while on duty?”

“Ugh,” Luke failed to hold back his tears. He knew he couldn’t afford to challenge the trainee in charge, “I… I’m… I’m out of here… Let’s go guys.”

Malia watched the scene in confusion. Her cheek was swollen, and it hurt a lot, but she didn’t cry. She was more interested in understanding why the kid was so mad at her. She was sitting on the ground and the only one left with her was the boy who had stopped Luke.

“I’m sorry about what Luke did." He offered a hand to help her stand, "Please forgive him. My name is Gorken.”

“It’s fine, thank you for helping me. I’m Malia.” She paused, glancing behind Gorken’s shoulder and confirming they were alone, “Can I ask you why he was so angry? I’m pretty sure it’s my first time meeting him...”

“You really don’t know?” He stared at her, unable to tell if she was as innocent and ignorant as she seemed, or if she was trying to trick him. She could be dangerous, but I think she’s not lying. Maybe I’ll be able to get some information from her.

“Why would I ask if I knew!? Everyone is so weird out here!”

Gorken was about to answer her when he heard a loud growl coming from Malia’s stomach. She blushed forgetting her frustration, and Gorken gaped at her vacantly. “If you’re hungry you can come with me. I’ll share some food with you if you want.”

Malia’s eyes widened, “Really? You’re too nice! Thank you!”

And you're too naïve, he kept the thought to himself. Gorken led the way through the bleak town. The empty roads made Malia feel uneasy. Every now and then she would catch a glance of a person or two, but she found them unnerving; their eyes were dead and devoid of expression, as if they were absorbed by the simple tasks they were performing. A few moments prior to reaching Gorken’s hut, she saw a woman sitting on the ground with a baby on her arms. Both her face and the infant’s were equally lifeless, their stares lost in a horizon that wasn’t there. Not even when Malia and Gorken walked in front of them did their bodies react. What shook Malia the most was Gorken’s lack of response; she was forced to assume that the state of the village and its people was normal for him.

When they arrived to Gorken’s home, Malia was dubious of the food he could provide. The wooden shack was mostly empty and she deduced the blanket on the floor played the part of a bed. She sat on it, observing Gorken in silence. He took a knife out of his pocket and chopped onions and potatoes on a clay plate. Without thinking, Malia left the blanket to stand behind Gorken and watch him work, amazed by his skills with knife and fire.

“There.” He said as he handed her the plate after taking a portion for himself.

When Malia tasted it she couldn’t believe it, “You’re a great cook!”

“I’m in charge of feeding the kids this time, so I guess I got used to it.”

Malia pondered as she chewed. Gorken couldn’t be much older than she was, so how could he be in charge of anything? He was no more than a kid himself. When they were done eating she wasted no time, returning to the question she had made before, “Why was Luke so outraged? Why was he angry at me?”

Gorken studied her face, “Because we’re humans.”

Malia jumped from her place, “What?! That’s impossible! I mean, the teacher always says humans are horrible creatures, primitive and mindless. There’s no way you guys are humans! Luke did hit me, but he behaved normally enough, right? He was not a beast, I’m sure of it!”

“But that’s what I am, a human. I am sure.”

“Then…” Malia sat back down, “My teacher’s a liar? I do run away from classes a lot, but I can’t be remembering wrong.”

“Before doubting your home, you could doubt my words, you know?” Gorken interjected, picking up the empty plates, “I could be deceiving you.”

Malia fixed her turquoise eyes on his, a proud grin on her face, “You’re not a liar, I can tell. I’m pretty good at that kind of stuff.”

Gorken was taken aback by her nonsensical words. By all accounts he should have considered her a foolish girl, and she was, but he couldn’t deny the warm feeling that filled his chest and almost made him smile.

Malia kept talking, “So, you guys are humans... but that doesn’t really explain why Luke is so mad at immortals, right?”

“Think a little about the definition you had of us humans. Doesn’t that tell you anything?”

Malia felt embarrassed at her own stupid question.

“Immortals treat us as if we really were all like that, heartless beasts. Immortals are the rulers, I guess you know that much. This village is close to the castle so, as run down as it is, members of the rebellion and their informants use it as a hideout sometimes.” He lowered his head, avoiding Malia’s clear eyes, “Luke’s parents were discovered, so immortal soldiers made an example out of them and dismembered them in front of everyone in the village. Most people didn’t even register what was going on, they’re always like that. No one cared. They can’t care. But Luke did. I haven’t been able to get his screams out of my head.”

After a long, heavy pause, Gorken raised his head to look at Malia, but he was shocked by what he saw. Tears were streaming down her face. “...Why are you crying?”

“How… How are you not crying? You’re talking of… chopping people up, and… How come I didn’t know anything about this?” She sniffed.

“I don’t know... You see, I’m just like you.”

“What do you mean?” Malia rubbed her eyes.

“Well, we were always told immortals were all cruel and evil, but here you are, crying like a baby. We’re kids anyway, we can’t change anything.” He fixed his stare on the floor, “We can only obey adults and wait until we’re big enough to yell louder than them and hit harder than them.”

He stopped talking. Before he knew it, Gorken had opened up to Malia. He had never told anyone about his frustration, not even his master. Malia broke the silence before he could decide whether that was a good thing or not, “It’s settled then! I’ll join the human rebellion!”

For a moment Gorken didn’t know if the girl was joking. But the resolve he could clearly see in her expression made him understand she was actually being serious. “What are you talking about? There’s no way you can join the rebellion. You’re just a little girl... and an immortal!”

Malia frowned, “I know! But it’s the best I could think of, so there’s no need to be so negative about it!”

They stared at each other for a few seconds, motionless, before bursting into laughter. They didn’t understand why, but they laughed. As their chuckles died down, Gorken tried to recall the last time he had had fun. He couldn’t. Malia tried to recall the last time someone had listened to what she had to say. She couldn’t.

When silence returned, Malia noticed the sun was setting, “I should go back... I know! I'll come tomorrow! See you then!”

She went out in a hurry, preventing Gorken from voicing a response. He sat on his blanket, bewildered. The girl was an immortal and yet he felt completely at ease with her. I guess it's fine if I don’t tell my master about her.

As she traversed the gardens of the northern palace, Malia was careful not to be seen by anyone. She knew no one should find out about the hole in the great stone wall, or she would never be able to go out again. On her way to her bedroom she was startled by someone calling her name: “Malia! There you are. Look at you, you’re a disaster.”

“Mother!”

Clarissa crouched in front of her daughter, caressing her hair and getting rid of the dirt that stained the little girl’s light dress. “What happened to your face? Does it hurt?” The queen asked when she saw the bruise.

Malia was thankful for her mother’s care, but she didn’t feel comfortable speaking in front of the guards that followed the queen everywhere she went. Malia could never talk to her mother alone, and she hated that. Clarissa shared the same plum hair as her daughter, the deep purple color of the Eirian clan. Her guards on the other hand, always had the turquoise eyes of the Daimonlance. Malia didn’t know what that meant at the time; all she knew was that the guards annoyed her.

“I got into a fight with a fat cat in the garden.” The princess lied.

“Of course you did.” Clarissa kissed her daughter’s good cheek. “Go change, it will be dinner time soon. I’ll make sure they serve your favorite dessert tonight.”

The next morning, Malia woke up as early as she could to sneak into the kitchen when no one was around. She filled a sack with some of her favorite fruits, and hid it near the bushes where the big crack in the wall was. Then she went back to sleep. Later, when the time for her classes was approaching, she snuck out and took the sack with her. She knew the people in the castle were used to her disappearing during her classes, so she also knew it was imperative that she didn't change the times of her escapes; that way, no one would suspect anything. She had trouble dragging the sack through the hole in the wall, and as soon as she got out she encountered Gorken leaning on a tree nearby.

“You came back.” He said as he raised his head.

“Were you waiting for me?” She asked happily. In truth, the thought of wandering around the grim village on her own frightened her. Gorken’s presence was a sweet relief.

“Yes,” he mumbled, “you said you would come. I wanted to believe you. What’s with the bag?”

“Oh!” She stood boastfully, “I brought some food! You said something about cooking for kids, so I thought this would help. We have tons of food no one eats at the castle, so it seemed like a good idea to me!”

“You didn’t have to...” Gorken had no chance to feel moved before his better sense prickled him, “But isn’t this really dangerous? What if someone catches you?”

“Don’t worry, we have lots of food, no one will notice if a few apples disappear. Moreover, I’m a master at sneaking out. This is the least I can do as a member of the rebellion.”

At that moment, Gorken felt he risked smiling again, “I’ll go call the other kids.”

“I have to go back soon. My magic lessons are the only ones I never miss. I’ll return in a couple of days.” She dashed back to the stone wall, “See you later, Gorken!”

Why is she always running off? He wondered as she vanished in the distance. Did she just say magic?

Malia would sneak out regularly to go visit Gorken. Unrelenting, days grew into weeks, and weeks into months. The two children had become part of each other’s routine as naturally as sunlight announced morning and crickets the night. They got used to taking their furtive encounters for granted, to waiting eagerly for them as respites from a world that gave them none.

One day Malia was in a hurry, determined not to let Gorken mock her for being late. As she left the palace behind, she could see him leaning on the same tree as always.

“Your hair looks messier than ever today.” Gorken teased her.

“Shut up! Your hair is even messier, so you’ve got no right to tell me anything!” She stuck out her tongue.

“I guess you’re right.” Gorken conceded.

“What’s this?” Both Gorken and Malia turned around upon hearing the strange voice, “It looks like the rumors about a little immortal coming to play were actually true.” The one who had spoken was a young man, probably a couple of years older than Gorken; behind him two other boys were glaring at Malia. “Won’t you play with us too, little girl?” He said in a tone that made Malia’s skin crawl. She looked at him warily, but before she could respond the boy took the knife he had hidden under his clothes and stabbed. But what he stabbed was not Malia. Gorken was grabbing the knife as he stood between Malia and her aggressor.

The attacker gazed at Gorken’s irritated expression, perplexed. How could he get here so fast? I was much closer to the immortal girl than he was.

“Leave now and my master won’t hear about this.” Gorken said. His voice was composed, and yet the teen felt a shiver go down his spine. It was as if he knew Gorken could kill him; he had no foundation for that certainty, but his body screamed at him to get away. Gorken watched them flee; only when he was certain they were gone did he throw the knife on the ground, “I’m sorry this kind of thing happened, I was negligent not to notice them before.”

Malia stood with her glance on the ground, “It’s the same...”

“What?”

“It’s the same as when we met. You had to save me again. I hate being weak.”

“What are you talking about? You aren’t weak. Aren’t you a master at sneaking out? I could never win against you.”

She couldn’t help grinning. “You’re hurt, let me take a look.”

“It’s just a shallow cut.” He reassured her, “I grabbed the knife because I knew it was dull, there’s nothing to worry about.”

She ignored him and covered the wound with one of her hands, while holding his injured hand with the other one. She closed her eyes and focused. Remember the theory. This is just a cut on external tissue. Focus.

Gorken thought her palms glowed faintly, but he assumed he had imagined it. Malia then let go of him, “There, all better.”

Gorken stared at his own hand in consternation. The wound was completely gone and it didn’t hurt at all, “What the-? …How did you…?”

“I’ll explain it later, for now I have to go back.” She ran towards the stone wall, “Too bad we couldn’t go see the flowers today. We’ll try again tomorrow. See you, Gorken!”

He waved at her until she was out of sight. She never fails to amaze me. I'll go get some training done. He rubbed his healed hand, My master can’t know about this... about any of it.

Malia came out of the bushes as usual and headed to the castle. This time however, something had been different. A guard that was patrolling caught a glimpse of her. Is that the princess? Where did she come from? She’s notorious for skipping classes, she was probably hiding behind these - He suddenly interrupted his own train of thought. The guard had been walking toward the bushes, but he couldn't believe what he saw behind them, “A hole in the great stone wall?!”

The next day, Malia woke up early and passed through the garden as she did whenever her aim was to cross the wall; she was unaware that this time inquisitive eyes were following her.

“Sorry to make you wait!” said Malia as she removed a strand of hair sticking to her sweaty forehead.

“You actually arrived on time. I’m in awe.” Gorken bowed in an overly dramatic gesture.

“Yeah, yeah... let’s go watch the flowers! I hope they really are as pretty as you said.”

“They are, trust me.” He nodded, “Let’s go, the woods are beyond the village, if we don't hurry we won't be back by noon.”

“Got it!” she answered joyously, but her whole body jolted to halt when a harsh hand seized her tiny arm. Despair filled her eyes as she turned around and recognized the guard’s armor. Before they knew it, they were surrounded; three guards grabbed Gorken while two dragged Malia away. Gorken was grappling, but he couldn’t free himself. “Malia!” he shouted, still fighting against the guards.

“Stop thrashing you little beast! Take him away!”

“No, please, wait!!” Malia yelled desperately. She remembered Gorken’s story about Luke’s parents. The guard in charge then addressed her derisively, “What is it?”

By the way he was treating her she could tell he was one of her uncle’s men. “Please...” was the only thing she managed to mutter. She didn't know what to say and she didn't know what to do. Her mind was blank.

“That’s what I thought.” The guard grumbled, “Come.”

Amidst the struggle her silver pendant fell to the ground. Her opposition was useless and the guards took her back to the castle. Gorken witnessed it all, unable to do anything himself. Damn it! How could I have been so careless!? Why didn't I notice them until they were so close!? What was I thinking? I can't take care of these guys on my own, much less go help Malia... Damn it all!

“It’s about time I got involved.” Gorken heard the familiar voice coming from behind a tree. Before any of the guards had a chance to defend themselves, Malik cut two of their throats open and stabbed the third one in the eye.

“Master Malik!” Both fear and relied seeped through Gorken's voice.

The large man looked down at the dead soldiers, “The skill of the castle guards has decreased dramatically over the last few years.”

“Master! You have to lend me your strength! We have to go save Malia, please come with-”

“Silence. Calm down and follow me.”

“But...!” Gorken saw anger in Malik’s eyes, “...Yes, master.”

xxx

“We brought the princess, Your Majesty.”

“Leave us.”

The guards left Malia in the throne room, in front of the King. The rows of torches placed on the walls barely lit the hall; the large stained glass windows were completely covered by bulky curtains, and when the doors closed the darkness became more apparent. Malia looked up to the man sitting on the throne, “Uncle...”

“Dear Malia,” the King addressed her softly, “I hear you've been crossing the border and having clandestine contact with humans. Is it true?”

“Yes uncle, but you’re wrong about humans, they’re not the beasts everyone says they are and-”

“It wounds me to hear that. I’ll assume you were deceived and we will have to deal with the humans you met during your little escapes.”

“There’s no need to do that! Please! I went there of my own accord, you don’t have to deal with anyone!”

The king discerned the panic in Malia’s voice, stared at her worried face for a few seconds, and he recalled the guards’ report. Then he replied, “That’s too bad, dear. That human boy who was with you has already been executed.”

Malia just stood there, tears falling down her cheeks. She didn’t say anything, and she didn’t move. For lengthy moments, the only thing that could be heard in the hall was her sobbing.

Then the king summoned one of his soldiers, “As much as I love my niece, she broke the rules too, and a taste of discipline is necessary. Please make sure the princess remembers why it is wrong to break the rules.”

The soldier was doubtful, “Your Majesty, she’s the Princess, I don’t know if I should-”

“For a moment there it almost seemed you were refusing to obey a direct order. How unfortunate, wouldn't you agree? I’m sure it was just my mind playing tricks on me, wasn’t it?”

“...Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Now take her away.”

xxx

“Master, where are we going? We’ve been walking in the woods long enough. I’ll go back! Maybe I can still help Malia somehow.”

“Gorken, stop spouting gibberish, you’re not a little kid anymore.”

“But-!”

Malik exhaled audibly, “If entering the castle was an easy task, do you think the rebellion would be in the situation it is right now? I let you keep meeting that child because she didn’t represent an immediate threat, but throwing your life away to satisfy your own savior delusion is something I will not allow you to do. Moreover, if that girl was able to escape during several months without anyone noticing, it means her status among the immortals was presumably low, so they wouldn’t give her any special treatment; you know as well as I do how they deal with those who break their rules. Gorken, that girl surely has already been executed. So stop complaining and come with me, we need to get away from the castle. It was my mistake to leave you in charge of the children and the mission. You’re still too immature if you developed affection for that immortal. We’re heading back to headquarters.”

“Yes, master.” Gorken kept walking behind Malik in silence, his fists clenched and trembling as he struggled to hold back the tears.

xxx

“Princess, please let me treat your wounds!” Lyra talked to her little mistress in vain as Malia sat on the floor of her room with her arms around her knees, without listening, without answering, not moving. She was covered in wounds given to her as punishment, but they didn't hurt at all. Or at least, to her it seemed like they didn’t hurt, since the pain in her chest was much worse. It was as if a shadowy hand was squeezing her heart and her guts. She felt grief because of Gorken and hatred towards her uncle, but more than anything she felt anger. Anger towards herself. Anger for being too weak to do anything. Anger for not being able to say a thing when the guard had asked her: “What is it?”

She looked up at the moon from her window.

Gorken was sitting near a tree, where his master had decided they would spend the night. He had been staring at the pendant he had picked up before following his master; the pendant that had fallen from Malia’s neck during the conflict. He wanted to keep crying, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know why, but the tears just wouldn’t come out. Then he remembered how it felt to be alone. He felt like the powerless little boy lost in the woods he had long ago forgotten.

He looked up to the sky, and from beneath the leaves he could see the moon.

At that moment, a thought was born from their core.

I need strength.
Enough strength to be able to protect something.
Strength, so that something like this won't happen again.