Chapter 26

Noah made his way to the kitchen, where he met Rishima. Both were visibly shaken by Faye's outburst. The earth wielder was slumping in a chair, her eyes fixed on the bracelet that she kept twirling around her fingers. Her green-haired companion took a deep breath and greeted her. 

"Something is not right." She said abruptly, fixing him with her gaze. "Something is slipping through our fingers, but I don't know what it could be."

"I have the exact same feeling." He confirmed and took a seat in a nearby chair. "I can't help but worry about team. What if the assassins decide to attack? We're not in our best shape. Faye and Blake seem ready to jump at each other's throats, Edra is trying to find a solution, Zev is acting strange and Asher is affected by this, too. The king also has a hard time."

"Faye is killing me..." She grunted. "What are we going to do with her?" 

Rishima sighed and leaned on the backrest. She felt guilty to say this, but the stress was taking a toll on her. Every night she had been making scenarios in her head about what could have happened to her friend since Faye returned. She slammed the jewel on the table and let out a scream of frustration.

"To hell with this!" Rishima jumped from the chair. "How are we supposed to find out what's bothering Faye if she refuses to talk to us?"

"Ri, calm down!" Noah exclaimed. He blocked her way as she was preparing to make a run for it and confront Faye. "It's no use to corner and force her to speak."

"You idiot, this situation is tearing us apart! We can't wait forever!" 

"Listen to me for a moment. You're talking just like Blake." He warned her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I'll look for one of them and maybe find out what's wrong. When I do, I'll tell you."

"I guess I let my anger get the best of me. That's a good idea. If I were to do this, it won't end up too well. I have a pretty aggressive way of speech when I lose my patience."

"Great! When I have some news, I'll be right back."

"Sure thing. I'll be in the library or in the garden."

Noah asked some guards if they have seen Faye or Blake. They told him where the telekinetic went, so he promptly went to him. He found him in his room, vigorously wiping the dust from his table. Zev had a habit of keeping everything under excessive order. Most of the times, he didn't allow to have his room cleaned, saying it was his job. When he was in one of his cleaning fits, usually it meant something was wrong. The air wielder tiptoed in his direction, but the white-haired male was quicker than him. He threw the cloth, covering his face and tackled him down.

"SPARE ME!" Noah shrieked, shaking off the cloth and watching in terror as his friend raised a dagger.

"You damn fool! Zev admonished him and helped him get up. "What do you think you're doing? Why are you sneaking up in my room?"

"Uh... didn't you clean it yesterday, too?" the air wielder asked him as he looked nervously at the clean piece of fabric. 

"Why do you ask?"

"We need to talk about Faye." 

Zev stiffened. They sat cross-legged on the floor as they normally did when they had something important to discuss.

"It's so weird to see you behave like this." Noah started. "I've never seen you like this." 

"Just get to the subject." 

"You've been awfully close to Faye since she came back. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad thing, but..." 

Zev was eyeing him with suspicion. He sat with his back straight, not moving a bit while his friend tried to find his words. His demeanour was intimidating, but he beckoned him to continue. 

"What's happening with you and Faye? The rest are worried about you two."

"If I tell you, will you promise to listen carefully? It's more complicated than you think."

"I'm all ears, buddy. You can trust me."

Zev made a steeple of his fingers as he groaned in exasperation. He was desperate to explain the situation in such a way as to not cause problems for Faye.

"Ever since the team was formed, Faye and Blake haven't had a good relationship. Well... turns out it was worse than I expected."

"Easy, Zev. Take your time."

"This scoundrel has been tormenting her for years. I can't believe that we're in this chaos because of him."

The telekinetic told him about their previous missions which ended up most of the time in arguments between the two and even physical fights. Noah's eyes widened in shock. When he got to the part about the Forest of Venom, Zev paused for a few seconds. He talked in such a way as to avoid giving details about Shadow or describe him in favourable terms. He told him about what she had endured while imprisoned and how she was almost killed by Nyx.

"Do you remember what we've found out that night about the 'destiny pendants'?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"The Moon's Wolves had the moon pendant."

"NO WAY!" 

"Hush, Noah! It's almost midnight!" he tried to calm his friend. He grabbed his arm and sat him down again.

"You can't be serious! How come?" the air wielder marveled.

"From what Faye told me, their leader ordered Shadow to supervise her. She managed to earn his trust enough so that she could at least walk around the headquarters." 

"Dude, what the..."

"She noticed that her pendant glowed every time she passed his room. She managed to find the antidote for Edra thanks to them. In the end, she wished to return to Filaria and that's exactly what happened. You know the rest."

"I can't believe it... Faye spent almost six months in that damned place and she is still alive. N-No way..."

"I'm sorry. Perhaps it would've been better if she told you these things..."

"It's alright. Now I get it why she has been acting that way. No wonder. It's terrible."

"I know. I can't believe that my brother was responsible for putting her in the way of danger. If only he had kept quiet that night at the camp fire, then-"

"Don't judge yourself for his mistake." Noah reassured him. "She was brave to tell you everything she went through. We just made it harder for her to reach out to us."

"Everyone was stressed and worried. Don't be too hard on yourselves."

"Still, why didn't Shadow come after Faye? I mean, it's been a while since she returned. He could've stormed the palace and look for her. It's weird that someone like him chose to do this. Moreover, he didn't kill Asher and Blake when he met them in the forest. From what I understood from you, he didn't hurt her while she was his prisoner."
Zev gulped nervously, but regained his composure.

"She was just their bait. They assumed we would come after her. If we did, it would've been the end for us."

"It was such a dangerous bet to make. We made a bet with death and we won."

"Death will sooner or later knock at our doors."

"You scare me when you talk like that."

"It has always been like this. What's the difference now?" the telekinetic said, looking dejected. 

Silence.

"Noah, do you have regrets?"

"What's up with this?"

"Just answer me."

"Well... I can't say that I have."

"That's so good for you." 

"Do you have regrets, Zev?"

"Hard to say."

"Then why ask?''

"I felt the need."

"There's something strange about you."

"You always say that. All of you in fact. Say something else."

"All of us?"

Noah was getting closer to what he wanted to clarify. 

"You came here to find out what's going on between me and Faye." Zev repeated what his friend said at the beginning, on a grave tone this time. 

"Buddy... you're making me nervous." Noah hesitated.

"I read people like books. Who sent you here?" the white-haired male challenged him.

"Zev, no need to be-"

"If you want something to gossip about, take this from me: there's nothing between me and Faye. All I want to do is to help her. If you truly are so interested in dramas, I suggest you to get a life already. I guess Rishima is waiting for you."

The air wielder noticed Zev's anger slowly showing up. He promptly got up and exited his room. On the hallway, he met with Rishima, who was passing by. He was at a loss of words. He dragged her away from Zev's room and stopped somewhere further.

"Why are you looking like you just saw a ghost?" she asked him a bit uneasy.

"Uhm... Zev realised that I was going to tell you what I wanted to find out."

"What did he say about Faye?"

"He told me about-"

A guard abruptly interrupted their conversations and made an announcement:

"His Majesty orders you to present yourselves in the throne room. The entire team shall be present."

Noah and Rishima bolted to the location where they found Edra and the king. Soone after, the rest of their teammates arrived. Asher was almost half-asleep and his clothes were slightly rumpled. Blake was afraid of the sudden summoning, since he was informed that it was yet another order. Zev was visibly in a foul after the discussion with Noah. Faye didn't show any reaction as she showed up. 

"I am very sorry for calling you out of the blue in the dead of the night, but this is an urgent matter." Daivat began his speech. "Faye, this is about you!"

The girl quickly raised her head and straightened up her back. Until that night, she did her best to avoid talking about the Moon's Wolves with the rest of her friends. Judging by the man's serious face, she understood that her further attempts would be futile. However, she couldn't anticipate the king's plan.

"You are an essential part of this team. During these years, it is thanks to all of you that the great dangers that have threatened the kingdom were defeated. The missions have taught you the value of life, responsability, cooperation, loyalty and trust." Daivat emphasized the last word. "We have grown to be like a family... or so I thought."

It pained Daivat to say those things, but he had no choice. Everything they have worked so hard for seemed to have disappeared in that moment. Doubt, speculations, betrayals, hatred were tearing them apart. Faye listened patiently and before the sovereign could continue, she stepped in his discourse:

"You are suspecting me of treason." she surmised. "I avoided them and now you think I have something to hide."

"Why wouldn't you come to us?" the man asked her, pain glowing in his eyes. "I was understanding of your situation, but I cannot understand why you would choose to avoid us for so much time." 

"She didn't avoid Zev." Blake declared, taking a step forward.

"Stay out of it!" his brother growled.

The telekinetic assisted helplessly as his friend was cornered. He was disgusted when his brother whispered something in her ear, earning a cold glance from her. 

"Faye, I asked you this when this team was formed. I will do it again: are you willing to do anything necessary to maintain the peace in Filaria?"

"My answer is the same as back then. Yes."

"Even if it means giving your life?"

"Yes."

"I see..." The king paused. "Then, I have a command for you."

He pulled out of a box a small bottle with an unknown liquid. Its aspect made the rest of her friends gasp in shock. Edra was so appalled that she rushed to take it from his hand. Asher was quicker to react and blocked her way, so did Noah. Rishima almost fainted, but Zev went to her side, despite being terrified himself. Blake was staring at the bottle, not uttering a word. Daivat looked at her teammates, then said with sorrow:

"Faye, I order you to drink this poison. Your death would be slow and painful, but the agony will not last for long. Your heartbeat will become chaotic and you will suffocate bit by bit. I promise you that. It is the least I can do for you."

"Father, you can't possibly force her to do this!" Edra shouted, struggling to escape from her friends' grip. "Think of something else!!"

"An order is an order." the weather wielder uttered and grabbed the poison.

"Faye, don't do this! As the leader of the Nightfall team, I forbid you to drink it! As the princess of Filaria, I forbid you! Do you hear me?" 

Zev helped Rishima lean on the wall and went to Faye's side. By the time he arrived, she had already emptied the bottle's contents. The girl fell on his chest and he caught her in his arms. She clutched her chest painfully as she struggled to take deep breaths. The king didn't say anything to the horrified telekinetic or his tormented daughter. Blake was staring at his sibling holding desperately to Faye. He couldn't move. Dread had pinned his body to the place where he was standing. On the other hand, Zev gently brushed away a few strands of hair that stuck to her face because of the sweat. Faye snatched his hand with a spasmatic movement and squeezed it with all her might, caressing it with her thumb. Her heart was drumming in her chest and the air was fewer with every moment. She couldn't speak. She tried to reassure him with a simple gesture, just like he did for her. 

After a few minutes which seemed like hours, the throne room was deadly quiet. Faye had stopped breathing and her head fell on Zev's heart. The white-haired male lost his voice due to the utter shock. Edra fainted in Asher's arms and Rishima cried, covering her mouth as Noah cradled her. Daivat approached Zev, but he instinctively pulled her closer to him. He was unable to react. The king gently grabbed her from his arms and showed her to Blake, who was still in the same position.

"Take a look!" he ordered him with a stern voice. "Tell me what you see in my arms."

"F-Faye... but is... dead. That's her corpse." the fire wielder answered with caution.

"This here is the proof of utmost loyalty. Despite some of us doubting her, she still chose to remain faithful. She was able to make the greatest sacrifice."

The king beckoned Blake to extend his arms and placed Faye there.

"Hold her, Blake! Witness true devotion."

"S-S-Sire... I can't-"

"Do as I say! Take her to her chamber. At least she should be in a place that was dear to her."

The entire team and the sovereign walked behind Blake as he walked down the hallway. The guards were bewildered to see Faye dead and some even shed tears. The fire wielder entered her room and gently layed her on the bed. He took a white sheet and covered her body only up to her chin, before being stopped by Daivat.

"Go to your rooms right this instant!" he commanded them. "Nobody shall enter this room."

The man remained alone in the chamber. He stepped closer to the bed and kissed Faye's forehead. He cared for her and came to look at her as his own daughter and a sister to Edra. 

"Forgive me, child... for I am so weak... You showed me what true strength is..."

He went back to his room, unable to sleep until the next morning. For the rest, that night was excruciating. The thought that their beloved friend was gone didn't allow them to close their eyes and rest. She suffered all her life and died in the same manner. Zev spent the remaining of the night staring at the ceiling and clutching his arm that still had some of her warmth. He swore on his life to protect her, but all he could do was hold her dear at his chest as she drew her lasts breaths. He couldn't help his brother and failed to keep his promise.