Chapter 3

 

The highest mountain far away from the city. It’s highest peak overlooking the entire island. Carlucious walks out onto the edge of the highest cliff as the sky turns to Twilight. He puts on a beaded bracelet with markings of a forgotten language as a light begins to descend from the sky. Carlucious begins to fall to one knee as the light takes shape of a fairy, emitting a green glow.

            “Guardian of Twilight, I humbly ask, permit me a glimpse into my future.” The Twilight fairy nods her head as she tells him to stand, “Tell me, when will this troublesome rebellion be over?”

            The Twilight Fairy replies in a voice of chimes, “Soon-” Carlucious grins, “Soon great King your castle will be invaded, you cannot stop it. Soon the light who adores the serpent will join the son of lightning, you cannot stop it. The earth will shake as your rule will be brought to an end, you cannot stop it. A storm follows close behind you, you cannot stop it.” With a blinding flash of green, the fairy disappears. Carlucious stands in silence, shaking in anger as he whispers to himself, “Foolish witch.”

           

 

 

            The darkest cave with a flame burning bright. Khan and Julia are alone as Julia tends to his wounds. Khan begins to wake as the wound across his eye is washed. He jumps up as his voice echoes in the cave. “Calm yourself!” Julia screams, “Come back over here, those wounds need to be cleaned.” Khan sits over by her as she takes care of his scars. Khan looks at her and asks what happened. “We were attacked by Carlucious’ soldiers…you see what he does? Killing and taking what ever he desires. A man like that does not deserve life nor death, only suffering. I do not know what has become of Bear, the others, or…Obrean. I stopped the soldiers, and carried you here.”

            Khan looks up and says, “You…stopped them?” Julia nodded than places her warm hands over the wound on Khan’s chest. She hides her smirk as she feels Khan’s heart begin beating faster. She slowly closes her eyes. A white light begins to brightly shine from her hands as the wound closes up completely.

            Khan looks back up at her as she opens back her eyes. “Julia…what…how…”

            Julia stands up and stands over the fire shivering. “I don’t know. I’ve…since birth, I’ve always been able to…It was only since I met Obrean he and I realized I could, destroy.” She kneels down gazing into the fire, “I have no knowledge of what I am supposed to do, I have not heard a voice, nor had a dream or anything at all so expectedtelling me what this light is meant for, if it is meant for anything at all.” Julia’s tears roll down her cheek and fall into the fire. Khan pulls himself closer to the fire and adds more wood, as he picks up his shirt and places it over Julia’s body. He rubs her back gently as he asks her if she’s cold.

            “Of course I am!” Julia exclaims. Khan than begins to throw more wood into the fire. The warmth begins to fill the cave. Julia wipes her tears away as she pushes Khan back onto his back and continues cleaning his wounds. “What happened to you? I have never seen anyone behave the way you did when the soldiers attacked.” Khan pushes her hand away and gets up away from the heat of the fire. They remain silent until finally Julia looks down than says, “Khan, I think we should rest, in the morning we have to try and find the others.” Khan nods his head and lies down as he slowly dozes off, his mind restless. From far away Khan hears thunder as he begins to fall into sleep.

            Carlucious’ room filled with seductive women all sprawled on his floor sleeping. His doors fly open as his queen enters the room. She kicks the women on the ground as she yells at her King, “Oh my faithful King, tear yourself away from your duties if you can and attend to your vistor who said he would speak to no one but you.” Carlucious slowly gets out of his bed throwing a woman off of him saying, “Watch your tongue Caterina, you are my queen yes, but no one speaks to me like that.” He strikes her down to the ground as he storms out of his room. Caterina lay on the ground crying as she holds her hand on her face. The King goes down and sees a man with his face hidden by a hood. “What is it you want?” As the enigmatic man slowly removes his hood the king says, “Ah, come for another deal have you?”

            “Khan wake up.” Julia is shaking Khan to wake up. Khan jumps up his hands motioning toward his sword, “No! Calm down. We need to get moving if we want to find the others.” Khan nods his head as they slowly begin to leave the cave. The golden sky blinds Khan as he puts his hands over his eyes. “Where are we?” Khan asks “I’m not sure, it think we may be a little bit south of Beguile Forest.” Julia says. Khan and Julia walk in silence.

            After hours of walking, Julia finally turns to Khan and asks, “Why is it you are here to begin with?” Khan turns to her and says, “I…I don’t really know. I’m searching for something.” Julia asks what. “I’m not sure, I think-” Julia suddenly screams as she gets her foot caught in a root and falls forward. Khan jumps toward her and catches her before she hits the ground. Julia grabs on to Khan’s arms as he wraps them around her and picks her up. As they begin to walk she stumbles holding on to her ankle. Khan grabs her and says, “I think you should let me carry you.” Julia looks up at him with an annoyed look on her face and says, “You are not going to carry me through this forest.” Khan smiles and effortlessly picks her up. She tries to struggle but Khan tightens his grip around her. She finally relaxes and screams at him, “Fine, see if you can carry me all the way through this dreadful forest.”

            Julia turns to Khan and says, “You did handle all that was occurring last night rather well. I wasn’t sure if I could handle Malcom on my own to begin with…thank you.”

            Khan smiles than replies, “I couldn’t…well I just didn’t want to watch you fight alone. I didn’t really care about the others.”

            “You don’t mean that do you?”

            “Well…I’m not sure, I have a reason to care.” Julia looks in Khan’s eyes as he again begins to feel his heart race. They both smile slightly as Khan continues to carry her around the forest.

            After hours of walking Khan puts Julia down as they take a rest. Khan swings his arms around, as he hears a noise from behind him. He quickly pulls his sword out and jumps in front of Julia. The noise slowly begins to move closer, as Khan’s body tenses up. Julia clutches to Khan’s leg in fear as Khan crouches lower ready to move. As the noises get louder Khan turns around to tell Julia it’s alright when Chloe jumps out from behind a bush over to him. Khan begins laughing and runs over to Chloe as he puts his sword away. He hugs her and gently rubs her neck. “Thank you Chloe, I’m so glad to see you.” Julia tries to stand up as she exclaims, “If your horse is here, than the others must not be far, come Khan we must hurry.” Khan picks Julia up and throws her on the back of Chloe as he gets on as well, as they begin to search for Bear and the others.

Chloe stops and begins to franticly look around. Khan leans forward to her and whisperers what’s wrong. Khan sees something out of the corner of his eye. He slowly leaps off Chole as he hears a terrible howl echo throughout the forest. The wolf with a scar over his left eye slowly walks toward them, showing Khan his teeth. Khan slowly takes his sword out as he glares into the monster’s eyes. “I warned you beast.” As he circles around the wolf, Khan see’s Julia getting off Chloe. The wolf turns and jumps over at Julia, Khan jumps toward the wolf and grabs him, but drops his sword. Soon the wolf is on top of Khan, as Khan tries to regain strength. The wolf howls as he madly scratches at Khan. The wolf tries to bite him, but Khan moves out the way throwing the wolf off of him. Khan turns around to tell Julia to get back, but is caught off guard when the wolf jumps back on him. Khan begins to struggle less, and soon begins to give up, the wolf bites down hard on Khan’s right arm and doesn’t release, his claws still digging into Khan’s neck, choking him. Khan begins to slowly black out. From a distance, Khan can faintly hear Julia’s voice screaming his name. He begins to regain power as he allows a fire in him to burn once again and lets out a powerful scream and rips the monsters jaw off of him throwing him to a tree. He picks up his sword and drives it into the wolf’s abdomen, but the wolf does not die. Khan begins to madly punch away at the beast’s body grunting like an animal. Finally he holds his right fist in the air and yells out as loud as he possibly can. With all his rage he brings his fist down on the wolf’s head hard as he feels the monster’s skull crush. He throws the wolf away panting for breath, while wiping his mouth. He puts his sword away. He slowly tries to walk but falls to his knees. He hears his heart beat as he slowly lies down, gasping for air. He feels warm hands roll him over as a light covers his body. He hears Julia. “Easy, it’s over, the beast is dead. I’m here now, rest.” Khan beings to fall asleep in Julia’s arms.

            A dimly lit tent with noises outside of it. Khan slowly begins to wake as he wonders where he is. He slowly gets up and picks up his sword, feeling his wounds completely healed. He walks out the tent as he is picked up by Bear. “Khan my good friend, so good to see you awake!” Khan laughs as he is put down and replies,

“Wonderful to see you bear.” He looks around as he sees smiling faces greet him, and patting him on the shoulders. Everyone shakes his hand as they all say, “Thank you.” He smiles brightly as he nods to all of them. He feels hands gently rub his back as he turns around to look into Julia’s eyes. “You’ve been sleeping forever, it’s about time.” They both smile to one another. Khan feels dizzy as he stumbles a little. Julia holds him up and tells him he should get more rest, as she walks him back to his tent. Julia sits him down and rubs his head for a while, the same beautiful white light shining from her hands. Julia looks into Khan’s eyes as she says, “Khan, you never got to answer me when we were in the woods, why is it you came here?”

            Khan closes his eyes in silence for a while than replies in a whisper, “I feel an emptiness.” Khan opens his eyes, to see Julia looking at him. “All I desire is to feel whole. I would travel to the ends of the earth to feel whole. I came here, desperately searching for that. It seems here, as is everywhere I now believe, is just another struggle. Another broken dream, another place filled with senseless beauty.” Julia places her warm hands on Khan’s chest, as is whole body feels warm. His heart does not race, but stays steady and calm, his eyes fixed on hers. She smiles and says, “You have more in you, than an emptiness. I feel in you, an unstoppable force.” She slowly closes her eyes, “I feel in you, light.” She runs her hands down Khan’s right arm as a white light shines from his own. “It’s not a monster that lay inside you Khan.” Khan’s entire body begins to glow, as he feels as though he is awakening from sleep. He breathes easier and deeper as he feels his body become lighter, and he embraces everything around him. As the light shines brighter Julia smiles at him as he smiles back, unable to take his eyes off of her. He slowly begins to sit up as he puts his hands behind her head, and leans her closer to him. He feels her cool breath on his face as there lips begin to touch. Julia’s heart races and her breath quickens. Khan stops her from pulling away as he pulls her closer. Julia drops her hands and puts them around Khan’s body, there light shining brighter. They begin to kiss harder as they slowly lay down, feeling intense warmth between them. Khan slowly removes her clothes as he looks into his eyes. There breath becomes deeper as the light between them blinds them, barely making out the sight of each other’s smile. They hold each other close as they make love.

 

           

 

            Khan and Julia, sleeping in each other’s arms in the dimly lit tent. Khan slowly wakes as he looks down at Julia and whispers in her ear, “You are an angel.” Julia smiles as she wakes and looks up at him. Khan kisses her softly on her lips as she begins to giggle. She holds him closer as she embraces him completely. She gets up as she begins to put her clothes on. She smiles over at Khan and says, “We better get moving, we need to meet up with the others.” Khan, suddenly uneasy, slowly gets up and asks where Obrean is. Julia stops for a second and looks over at Khan and says, “We…couldn’t find him.” Khan begins to feel even more uneasy as he asks Julia, “What, exactly happened last night?” Julia looks at him stunned. He quickly continues, “I mean, how is it I…I mean the light-” Julia stops him and says, “My power, this…gift, allows me to extend it to people with light in them. That’s why I can heal you so quickly, there’s…more light in you than most other people…and when we touch I feel almost, infinite.” Khan looks over at her as she says this and smiles. She turns to hide the joy on her face as she feels excitement. From his hands he feels warmth, as he raise his hands to look at them, he sees a very dim white light emit from his own palms as he smiles. From off in the distance he can hear a loud bang of thunder as it slowly drifts away until he hears it no more. Khan calls Julia over and says, “There is no need to leave now, let us sleep a little while longer.” Julia smiles and lies down next to him as he puts his arm around her waist. She takes him by the hand allowing there fingers to cross. They slowly fall asleep.

 

            The King’s meeting room, filled with paintings of the tyrant on top of mountains. The hooded figure shakes the King’s hand as he walks out the castle with a small army behind him. The king bites into an apple as he whispers to himself, “Tonight, all shall be over. Those wretched rebels will fall, and my people will all fear me, I shall have everything I am destined for.” Caterina walks over to the King handing him his drink, “Yes my King you shall be rewarded…with all you are destined for.” He kisses her as she pushes him back. He throws his drink in the air as his laughter echoes through out his castle.

 

            Julia awakens. She turns her head to look at Khan. She watches him as he has a terrible nightmare. He dreams of a terrible storm ripping apart everything in its path, ripping the flesh off of everyone he loves, he hears thunder getting louder and loud while the storm goes away. Finally after everything seems calm and the storm appears to be over, one final bang of thunders wakes Khan up. Julia clutches his hands and says, “It’s over, just a dream.” Khan kisses her shoulder and slowly says, “No, I think-” From far away an explosion rattles the ground and makes a loud bang. Khan quickly jumps up as does Julia, they dress and get ready for battle. As they leave the tent they watch each other, for what seems like an eternity, and notice a look of fear in each other’s eyes. As soon as they jump out the tent they are tackled to the ground and tied before they can do anything. They are thrown in a line with the other rebels, all of whom are cursing and spiting in the direction of the soldiers. Khan watches as the soldiers beat all of whom resist. As all the rebels are tied down the soldiers begin to fall into formation, as the mysterious hooded man walks out in front of everyone. He slowly examines the line of rebels. He removes his hood to reveal himself to be Obrean, smiling. Julia leaps forward and exclaims, “Obrean you are safe!” She is hit at the knees as she falls over, screaming in pain. Khan’s chest pounds as he hears her scream and leaps forward to help her, but is knocked hard in the back of his head. Obrean steps forward, picking Khan’s head up by his hair and whispers, “Honestly, all the thanks should be given to you, because it seems since your arrival, you have made it very easy for me to strike deals with the King.” He throws Khan’s head in the dirt as he gets up laughing madly. Khan slowly raises his head shaking in rage and yells, “Venomous snake! You sell out all of these people, ready to die for you…for what reason?!!?!?” Obrean laughs and replies, “What else for Khan? Power. A man without power is a man not worthy of life. I now have more power than ever before, you do not. What does that tell you, brave warrior?” He quickly kicks Khan in the face as he yells at the soldiers to move. Khan sees Obrean picking up Julia as he tells the other she’ll be with him. Khan tries desperately to break free.