"Death of Atlantis (for now) part 2" by Agnessa ´graymalk´ Dreytser

            Jaden sat at the window of Zarine’s room staring blankly out into the darkness; she had been too worried about him to leave him alone.

            He had stayed on the floor, letting his grief, anger, and hatred drain out of him until there was nothing left but a cold shell. After which he had left, finding the confines of his room strangling, and so here he sat, in the safety of his sister’s chamber—a place he had run to on many occasions as a child—and waited.

            A warm blanket was suddenly wrapped around his shoulders, and he turned his head glancing up at a pair of saddened green eyes. He tried to force a smile for his sister’s sake, as he wrapped the blanket tighter around himself quickly coming to the realization that he was shivering.

            “Jade… you need to eat something,” Zarine’s soft worried voice tried to break through the haze he had lost himself in, but fell short. “You can’t kill yourself over this; you know Amric wouldn’t want you to”

            Jaden sighed and shook his head, but didn’t speak. He didn’t trust the lump that had formed in his throat, and he was far too exhausted to shed any more tears. No, he much rather just stay in the numb void, undisturbed in his grieving, but Zarine’s voice was still struggling to get through, and seemed to be winning. “You’re going to have to run the ceremony. Do you think you can manage that?”

He turned slowly to face her, and then after a moment nodded. No one else would. He swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump, before he managed a soft, “I’ll do it” She smiled encouragingly to him, and he couldn’t help but smile weakly. It was a great loss, but Zarine was right. Amric would not want him to nurture his grief. ‘Every one dies, but it is only a mortal death. Do not grieve the lost Jaden, honor the life that was and await their return.’ Amric had said to him once long ago, Jaden could still hear those words.

Zarine smiled and hugged him before standing and crossing the room to the table laden with food and drink that stood against the far wall. She poured out a goblet of wine and then reached into her bureau adding a couple of drops of Agramony before walking back over to her brother. “You need to sleep Jade.” she said softly as she handed him the drink. He took it in his hand, and stared at it for a long moment before shrugging slightly and downing it. He stared at the empty goblet for another long moment before looking up at Zarine. She had one of those knowing smiles on her face, and he couldn’t help the weak smile that pulled at his lips. “It’ll be ok” she said softly and he nodded slightly. His eyes were already growing heavy and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay awake. Zarine must have known this, however, because she was already standing and pulling him up. She helped Jaden into his room and tucked him into his bed; he was already half asleep. She smiled as she stood over him for a minute, watching him sleep. At least his sleep was still innocent. She sighed softly, how long would that last? Turning silently she put away his cloak and boots for him, and then walked out, shutting the door quietly before walking back to her own room and bed.

Tossing and turning in his bed, Jaden clutched at the sheets tighter. It was dark. He wasn’t quite sure where he was, but it was some how familiar. Shadows blurred around him, but never came close enough to make out, and voices whispered around him. He turned this way and that, but he was just missing any possibility of seeing whoever or whatever it was. Suddenly something clutched at his arm. It was faceless and shrouded in darkness. Voices whispering all around it. He jerked away from it, but it clung tighter. The voices blending into a single voice “Raiden…. Waterfall…destruction….” Jaden jerked upright with a gasp, and was met with a pair of worried green eyes. As he glanced around the room he realized he was back in his own room, Zar sitting on his bed beside him, whispering softly “Jade… shhh… it’s me… wake up.”

He blinked as he turned back to her, finally waking up enough to realize that something had to be wrong “nnn… what is it? Zar?” he asked in what he thought was a whisper but she immediately quieted him.

“Shh! Listen Jaden, you need to get up. Quickly, but stay quiet” her voice was a low whisper, but it did nothing to hide the urgency. The tone jarring him the rest of the way out of sleep, he sat up more blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. As he sat up Zarine rose from the bed and quickly moved to the side of the room where it would seem she already had a bag packed, and clothes ready. Jaden was slower to move, but as the urgency of the situation seemed to sink in, he pushed back the covers and got to his feet moving to take the clothes from his sister

“…The horse is already saddled, and here’s your pack,” Zarine finished talking as Jaden strapped on the short blade that had once been his father’s, before taking the pack that his sister handed to him. “I couldn’t get Star for you,” she added and the boy merely nodded “It would have been too hard to hide, I got you Ari though…” another nod from the boy so again she went on “He’ll take good care of you, though you might want to change along the way.” She sighed then and leaned over giving her brother a tight hug “please be safe” she whispered. He wrapped his own arms around her and kissed her cheek before pulling back with a soft sigh “I will,” was all he said, but the saddened glow of his silver eyes spoke volumes. Zarine nodded and then turned, heading towards the door.

The boy sighed softly, glancing around the room one final time. He had already taken everything of importance with him, having a feeling that he wouldn’t be coming back. He nodded to himself and then followed his sister out into the dark hall. The house was thankfully still asleep and the two encountered no one as they descended towards the stables. Walking side by side, they said nothing until they had reached the outer courtyard. A chocolate brown stallion stood tethered to a tree, a young stable hand carrying out an extra bottle of water and small supply of grain. Jaden paused mid-step as he was embraced once more by his sister, and he returned the hug, once more promising to be safe and send word when it was possible to do so. His sister kissed his brow softly, a tear spilling down her cheek as she handed her younger brother his pack.

Jaden took the bag and studied his sister for a fleeting moment. He knew she was right, they would come after him soon enough. Another quiet sigh escaped his lips as he nodded and then turned and quickly climbed into the saddle. He didn’t look back as he kicked his mount into a slow canter and turned towards woods; he couldn’t look back, or he knew he wouldn’t be able to leave. He could feel Zarine’s eyes upon his back, like the warmth of a fire that was quickly flickering out.

She stood there for a long time, Jaden already long gone from her sight, but still she stood. Perhaps hoping that he may come back, though she knew that that could not happen. Finally, as the rays of the early sun spilled over the land, she retired to her room. Sitting silently on the windowsill, one of Jaden’s old cloaks wrapped around her knees like a blanket, she stared blankly out over the land, as he brother had only a few hours before.