Benevolence: My Sister

When Pitch brought Taya to a spot in the woods where everyone had met, he laid her down in front of them.
What happened?! Rye exclaimed.
"She allowed the people of the Haria to attack her. It got so bad that her instincts employed this defense mechanism. An algen's wings cannot be penetrated when in this phase."
"So what is this, exactly?" Mya asked.
"It's a healing process. This is what happens when the brain thinks that the body is too badly damaged to be trusted to itself. When the brain feels that it is okay to let the body taking over the healing, then her wings will fall away from her and be absorbed once again into her back."
A voluminous sigh went through the group.
"Don't worry. Just set up camp and wait. They won't come after you so you're safe. By mourning, she should be fine. We heal quickly. We don't have time to be injured."
"Thank you, Pitch," Mya expressed, placing a hand on his arm.
"She's my sister, too," he replied smiling. "Goodbye."
Once he was gone, everyone calmed down and relaxed to finish their rest for the night.
In the morning, Taya's wings slowly opened and slid into her back gently.
"Hey, hey. You guys, look," Garrett insisted.
They all left their lackadaisical activities and gathered around Taya.
"I wonder when-
Taya bolted upright.
"She'll wake up," Ramsey finished.
What is it, Taya? Night queried.
"A dream. There was a boy. He looked like Dad; same short dark hair, body structure but my green eyes. He carried one sword on his back and wore a blue jerkin just like mine. He felt so familiar. I chased after him but for the longest time I couldn't catch up. When I finally did, as I was about to place a hand on his shoulder, he flew away."
Did he have wings? Night continued.
"No."
"Do you think it means something?" Link asked.
She shrugged her shoulders.
"I need to bath," Taya stated standing up.
They all looked at Mya.
"I'll go with her," Mya conceded.
Me too, Rye volunteered.
They found a river not too far from camp. Taya stripped down.
“You feel as dirty as I do?” she asked diving in.
“No.”
“Then you’re just going to stand there and watch me bath?”
“I’ll wait for you back at camp.”
Taya watched Mya walk away.
Because she was hungry, she quickly washed up. She used the water to carry herself to shore.
“Fire seems to be my only problem.”
She put on her clothes and grabbed her weapons. When she turned around, there was a large tiger-like creature standing before her. It's orange wings splayed out behind it. The feathers gave off a powerful shine that helped them escape pouters.
“Griffin.”
Taya reached for her hilt. And she heard a deep growl from closely behind her, reminding her that Rye had her back.
I’m not here to harm you.
“Good. You’d have too much fun with a chew toy that can’t die.”
There was a deep rumble in the griffin’s chest as it laughed.
I have something for you.
She reached behind her back.
“A cub.”
She sat the cub in front of Taya. She shot a glance at Rye who shrugged her furry shoulders.
My son is my gift to you.
“Why?”
Because you will love and make him yours in a way I cannot. He’ll also help you in ways you cannot imagine.
“But-
Take care.
She turned and flew away. Taya shielded herself and the cub as dust swirled around them, covering her exit. When the wind had died down, Taya looked in the direction the griffin had flown. She was nowhere to be seen. Taya looked down at the cub then started back to camp. When she looked back, he was following her. She ran into camp and everyone stared in amazement.
“There’s a griffin cub following you,” Garrett said.
“I know. He won’t stop.”
"Where the heck did he come from?" Ramsey asked.
Taya bent down to the cub and he sat in front of her.
“His mom gave him to me. She said I’d love him more than she would. She said he’d help me.”
The cub coughed and a small orange fireball came out of his mouth.
Name? Rye asked.
“She didn’t give me one. I have to name him.”
Everyone looked at her expectantly.
“I think I’ll go with Rallo because he's rare and legendary.”
Very good, Night agreed.
She rubbed his head.
“It’s been a long day. I’m going to call it a night,” Garrett announced.
“We do have a lot of traveling to do. It’d be a good idea for us all to get some rest,” Link said.
Everyone prepared for bed.
“You ruined my appetite. But you’re pretty cute so I’ll forgive you,” Taya told the cub.
He licked her hand.
“We both got a lot of training to do with our fire.”
He flapped his hand-sized wings happily.
She threw a tiny fireball at him and he sneezed. She laughed.
“Your turn.”
He wiggled his nose and blew out a tiny blue fireball. Taya caught it in her hand.
“Blue? Looks like we’re both unique; an elemental and a griffin. We’ll be unstoppable.”
She pulled him into her covers and they fell asleep.
Link and Taya woke up early so he could help her learn to control her fire.
“First let me attack you to get you heated up.”
“Try not to enjoy it too much.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll only enjoy it a little.”
Taya smiled and watched as a small whirlwind full of pointed leaves flew at her. When the leaves got close, they were redirected back to Link.
“Hey!”
“I was concentrating on doing nothing.”
“You concentrated so hard on doing nothing you used your wind element.”
“There’s a first.”
“Must have been instinct. Do nothing again.”
She nodded.
The next time the leaves came they hit their target. He kept it up until he could feel the heat.
“Why’d you stop?” she asked.
“You don’t feel it?”
“Feel what?”
“Interesting; only when you’re actually on fire.”
She shrugged.
“Let’s set you on fire.”
“More leaves?”
“Not quite,” he smiled looking over her head.
As soon as she looked up a giant dirt ball fell on her.
“That should do it.”
He saw something red under the dirt then saw blood red flames shoot up out of the pile.
“Link!”
“Just stay calm.”
The little griffin ran over to her.
“No, Ra! Stay back!”
Aura.
Mya ran over.
“What happened?”
Link grabbed Mya’s arm.
“She has to do this on her own.”
“Why?”
“Because you aren’t always going to be around. Besides, now is as good a time as any.”
“This is dangerous. Are you even thinking about her?”
“That’s all I’m thinking about.”
He and Mya exchanged intense glances.
“Taya, you’ve got this. You can handle it. Do it!”
The flames began to flicker.
“Good, good. You’re almost there.”
She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. Soon after, the flames went out.
“You did it!”
She picked up Rallo and made her way over to Link and Mya. She’d almost made it when she ignited again. She dropped Rallo.
“You can do it again.”
“No,” she shook her head. “Mya!”
When Mya started for Taya, Link put his hand out stopping her. She reached out to Taya and a burst of water sprang from her palm, soaking the fire. Taya fell to her knees and her sister ran to her.
“Taya.”
“Thank you,” she said coughing.
Mya wrapped her arms around Taya.
“Sorry, Amber,” Link said solemnly.
“It’s okay. You’re intentions were pure.”
“Not pure enough,” Mya voiced.
Link shook his head and walked away.
“Thanks again, Mya.”
“I’m here for you. We’re here for each other.”
“Shooting water from the hand? You’re learning.”
“No. I’m getting lucky.”
“You’ll get it. We’ll get it together.”

“Good morning, Violet.”
Keen smiled politely, standing with his hands behind his back. He’d had Violet locked in the dungeon away from suspicious eyes.
“Unless you’re here to release me or to let me use your face as a practice dummy, leave me be.”
“Open the cell.”
The standing guard unlocked the cell. When Keen opened the door, he walked over to a chained up Violet.
“This is pretty drastic for a little girl, don’t you think?”
“After last night’s…mishap," he said rubbing a scar on his right jaw, "I think it’s overly appropriate.”
“What do you want?”
“You’re going to tell me everything about the new Taya. I need to know exactly what I’m dealing with.”
“No, thank you.”
“Why not?”
“That’s called betrayal. She strongly taught against it.”
“What things have you learned from her?”
“I’m not an idiot.”
He slapped her, “You are if you resist me. Tell me what I need to know!”
“Okay.”
“That’s better.”
“You’ll never defeat her.”
He smiled, “We’ll see how long you stay loyal. When I’m done, you’ll be begging to betray your master.”
He left the room.
“Have her flogged. Come to me when she spits out something useful.”
“Yes sir.”

“You’re up and about. That’s very nice to see.”
“Thank you, Spirit. How are the girls?”
Spirit walked over to Alona and they sat down. She pulled out a silver plate.
Alona gasp, “A seeing disc.”
“Now you get to see your daughter.”
Spirit touched the center with her index and middle fingers.
“Show me the girls.”
Instantly, an image began to show of Taya and Mya by a river.
“There’s water inside our bodies. People who display the gift of water, it’s easier than fire or wind or earth. Those are foreign elements. We are water; can’t live without it.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is.”
Taya splashed some water at Mya. When she blocked it, the water stopped midair.
“Whoa.”
When Taya went to jump in the water, a hand jumped out and caught her.”
“I can do all kinds of things with water. You too.”
“Like what?”
“I can make rain. Hurricanes too but first I have to learn to control my wind.”
“Sounds like we both have lots to learn.”
“I more than you; Fire, Wind, and Earth. It’ll come. I’m patient.”
Mya nodded her head, “Me too.”
The Seeing Disc faded out.
“She’s…everything I imagined. More.”
“Yes.”
“So, Taya’s displaying signs of The Perfect.”
“I noticed that as well. But there’s nothing that points directly to it. If she masters them all then we’ll have a perfect on our hands.”
“Your Perfect.”
Spirit smiled and left the room.

“Taya, can I have a word?”
She walked over to where Link stood by a tree.
“Yes?”
“About earlier, I’m sorry if I pushed you too hard. I just-
“You don’t have to apologize. You were just doing what has to be done. I’ll have to learn to control this sooner or later. I want to be ready when we get to Faylaore. You’ll make sure that I am. And don't worry about Mya. She's tries to protect me now and she's learning to be a ruler so she'll be a little more intense now.”
He exhaled. “I’m glad you're not upset.”
“See you later.”
“What’d he say?” Mya asked when she saw Taya again.
“He feels bad. You’re being too hard on him.”
“Don't be ridiculous.”
“Where’s Rallo?”
At the mention of his name, he raced over to where Taya was. He flapped his wings happily.
“You want to fly, don’t you?”
He flapped harder but got no lift.
“I’m going to find Garrett.”
“Okay. Make wise choices.”
She walked away. Taya took out her wings and flapped.
“Come on.”
He flapped then jumped. He sat in the air for a moment.
“Almost. We’re both hearing that word a lot lately.”
Fly.
“I thought you spoke before. You could see my aura, couldn’t you?”
Very red.
“Very red for pain, huh?”
She picked him up and flew into a tree.
“You’ll fly today.”
She sat him on the limb of a tree and flew back to the ground.
“Jump, I’ll catch you.”
He looked down.
“You’re scared of falling?”
Yes.
“Do you trust me?”
Yes.
“I’ll catch you.”
He jumped. He sputtered in and out of flight finally falling the last two feet into Taya's arms.
“You did very well for your first time. Sometimes fear can produce results.”
Suddenly, Taya fell to her knees.
Red Aura.
“How?”
Then she heard her name being called in her head which made her cover her ears.
“Violet!”
She flew off full speed toward Faylaore.
No, Taya.
“Night?”
This isn’t the way.
“She needs me. She’s calling to me. I can’t abandon her again.”
Taya felt someone yank her left wing.
“Stop!”
“Momma.”
“Go back.”
“No. I can’t leave her.”
“You will save her. Later. Now is not the time.”
“You don’t understand.”
“What? I watched your father die. Then I watched you almost die in my arms. Then I watched yet another child of mine-" she stopped herself. "I couldn’t save your father but I will save you. You will get a chance to save Violet.”
“What if this is that chance? What if I’m too late? I made Lady Genna a promise.”
“Then you won’t be too late. Rallo is worried about you. Link is coming. Go back. You show up to Faylaore like this and you’ll get your whole party killed, including Violet.”
Taya shook her head and flew back the way she’d come. When she landed, Link was waiting for her.
“Your eyes are hollow,” he said wiping a tear away from her cheek.
"Don't touch me!" she shouted, reverting back to her old self.
“She needs me.”
“I know.”
“I’ve always been there for her and strangely enough, I told her if she ever needs me to call and I’d hear. I’d come running. I’m breaking a promise to her.”
“No, you’re not. You may not come running right away but you are in fact on your way to her, the smart way.”
“What if she loses faith in me? What if she thinks I’m not there for her anymore? Keen will turn her against me.”
“Do not worry. Violet worships you. She believes in you. She knows that you’ll come. She has memories of long days of your training her and she knows that’s not for nothing. She knows you took an interest and put in time with her because you wanted to, because you love her like a little sister. You’re smart, Amber. Don’t let your judgment be clouded now.”
She looked into his eyes.
“Crying is not like me. It's such a weakness.”
“Caring is not a weakness. It’s a very powerful quality that I strongly admire.”
She smiled at him and he smiled back.

“Don’t you see, Violet? Taya is moving on with her life. She’s found love,” Keen sneered.
“What about that cloudy part where we couldn’t see anything?”
“Bad reception.”
“Seeing Disc can see anything. I know Taya. She’s coming for me.”
He grabbed her face.
“Little girl, you are bleeding in places you didn’t even know you had. You will bleed permanently if you don’t tell me what I want to know!”
“You wouldn’t. Taya’s coming because of me. Kill me and you’ll never see her face or that girl's anywhere but the Seeing Disc.”
“She won’t know you’re dead.”
“You’d be surprised at the things she somehow knows.”
He slapped her then left the room.
“We’ll see.”