Chapter Four

Hale checked over the fire pit once more to make sure there were no more glowing embers that would take alight once he left. He had walked half way back to Neffen again, but his back became weary and he decided to make camp for another night. Now, he had the rest of the way. He still had not exactly made any money to see himself to the next town with food, so he had to return. He needed to make at least some coin off of maybe one or two paintings or sketches. How else he would get anywhere was beyond him.

He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder - carefully, so as to keep his shoulders steady, without becoming strained. He sighed, settling it by his side, and put a hand on top to keep it still as he walked out onto the road. Setting out, he walked South at a good pace, his back not feeling as bad as it had the day before. The sun was still low, below the trees, and the hard packed dirt road was still in the dark. As he walked, it became lighter outside, and birds sang, and it seemed an entirely wonderful day. Watching the sky as he walked, watching the clouds roll by, Hale did not realize it when he finally made it to the open gates of Neffen, only noticing when he passed under the keystone of the arch that marked the entrance. Blinking, he put his head down, glancing around the not-so-busy street. It was not as busy in this section of the city, it being a purely residential area.

Continuing on, Hale looked around, getting to the more populated areas. He had to find that Inn he had sketched about two days before, so he could set up where he knew he would not be kicked out. He did not go unnoticed, though, having a guard smack him 'accidentally' in the shin with his quarterstaff as a trio of them went by on their rounds. The other two laughed, however, and even without the laughter Hale would have known it was purposeful.

He finally found the place he had been before, and Hale sighed, leaning on the wall opposite the Inn, his shoulder pressed to the stone. He looked above at the sign marking the weaver's shop. Not one that was so successful, clearly, just as decrepit as the Inn, if not more. Shaking his head slightly, Hale pulled his bag around in front of himself, beginning to unbutton the flap to get at the supplies. However, he looked up when he thought he heard something out of place. Frowning, he looked around, listening. There it was again. People screaming? Why? It was for sure, though. He heard it. It was getting more frequent. More people. Louder. Closer.

Pushing his bag over to his side again, he pressed himself to the wall behind him as people started to move quickly. People were going to get trampled. Panic was going to rise. What was it? What was out there? Yells erupted to the other side of him as a flow of Elves ran light-footed through the street that intersected the one Hale was on. He realized there.

Eyes widening, Hale knew. Mazs and his Others were attacking. Hearing an explosion nearby, he shuddered. So was Kiv. What had he done? Running to the side, through the street, away from the lines of Elves, Hale went as fast as he could. What was he going to do about this? Gritting his teeth, he darted into an alleyway as an explosion on the other side of the street rained debris onto the fleeing citizens.

Leaning sideways on the wall of the alleyway, Hale raised a hand and ran it through his hair anxiously. The Mages could not make explosions that big. It must be Kiv. But who was holding the Key? It would make sense to give it to one of the Mages - they knew the most about magical dealings - but he had a feeling Mazs had it. Which was not good for anybody in this city. Growling, Hale hurried down the alley, making his way quickly. After a short time, two explosions later, he came out into the city square, where several small people hovered above the mess.

Strewn across the ground, bodies of dead and dying littered the square. The people descended, translucent rainbow wings fluttering and - mostly - green markings on their skin glowing softly. They landed by the people, hands hovering over the bodies that still moved with life in them. After a moment, the injured people convulsed, and moved no more as the life left them. The Faes looked sad as they did this, eyes a pale blue. One, looked towards him, but dropped his eyes almost immediately, moving on. This was insane. murder. Slaughter. That was all it was. Hale shook his head and turned, running diagonally across the square and down another street. He stopped short, running almost directly into his brother and Kiv. Kiv moved his hand in a delicate motion, and something exploded behind Hale.

"Hale?" Mazs blinked at him, tilting his head. His black wings stood above his head slightly, ruffled a tiny bit. He held his sword tightly in one hand, and the Key even tighter in the other. Kiv's blank eyes made Hale almost shiver. The boy did not move a muscle; hands limp at his sides as Mazs spoke. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you, Mazs!" Hale growled. "What are you doing? This is unfair, it's unjust, and it's slaughter! You have the Faes stealing life instead of giving it - I saw it! How do they feel about that?"

"They feel the same way I do," Mazs answered, shrugging. "It has to be done." He glanced towards Kiv, who suddenly raised a hand and an explosion rocked the ground, making Hale shiver. Every time Kiv motioned with a hand, people died. Looking over Mazs' shoulder, Hale noticed a blue-lined Fae standing there, looking around with pale-blue eyes. Sad eyes. When a Fae's eyes were blue, it meant they were sad. The paler they were, the sadder. Hale's face showed his empathy. Mazs brushed past him, and so did Kiv, following like a puppet on strings. The Fae glanced at him before following as well, and Hale sighed.

Walking quickly behind them, Hale followed. His eyes darted, thinking, a hand gripping the bag by his side. Kiv created another explosion, more people died. The place was relatively empty, however. Looking ahead of them, Hale noticed a small girl on the ground, dirt smudging her face and hands clutching a rolled up piece of parchment. He recognized her. the girl he had given the portrait sketch to. She still had it. He could see lines down her cheeks from tears. She would be frightened. Alone.

About to die. Mazs glanced her way, and Kiv raised a hand. Hale darted over to the girl and fell over top of her, arms and body shielding her from what Kiv was about to deal out. He tensed, ready for an explosion, but there was silence. For a moment it was only the girl's sniffles he heard. He saw nothing, and he noticed he had closed his eyes tightly.

"What are you doing, Hale?" Mazs growled in his harsh voice. Hale raised his head and looked towards his brother, who was standing just beside him and the child. Hale narrowed his eyes at him.

"She is only a small girl, Mazs," he said in a low voice. A dangerous voice. "A small, poor girl. You've probably already killed her parents. She could not have done anything against anybody. She must only be five years old." He looked towards Kiv and the Fae, then back to Mazs. "Do you seriously think she deserves to die?" Mazs sighed exasperatedly, throwing up a hand in annoyance, turning halfway, and then towards Hale again, pointing a finger at him, the one that held the Key.

"Do you think the Elven children deserved to die in the battles that rocked this world?" he asked in a rough voice. "Do you think the wolf pups that the Keer keep watch over deserved to die when the Humans destroyed their forests? How about the Mages - their children were burned alive for fear from the Humans that they would become too great in numbers. And the Faes, as well. They were all killed when Humans first discovered them. Especially the young ones, the Humans thinking they had some healing power in their wings that they could bottle and sell! Do you think they cared about the children? Why in the Winds should we care about theirs?" Hale looked towards Kiv and the Fae. The Fae's eyes had turned further paler at the mention of their losses. Kiv only stood there, appearing to look straight ahead, motionless. Hale wondered how he stayed still as a statue. Perhaps that was part of the control.

"Do two wrongs make a right?" Hale whispered, looking back towards Mazs. "I will not let you harm her. If I can save even only one life today, it is one life." Mazs stared back at him, frowning. "If you have to kill her, you have to kill me, as well." Mazs growled, glancing to Kiv, who raised a hand without turning his head. Was Mazs going to do it? Hale could not imagine it. But his brother seemed to be ready to. Hale held the little girl close to him, watching Mazs carefully. The other man's eyes shifted, looking above Hale at something beyond. Turning his head, Hale noticed a read headed woman a little way down the ruined street. She was walking towards them quickly, eyes ablaze, shaking her head. When she reached them, she stopped in front of Mazs.

"Do not kill your brother, Mazs Nires," she said in that funny accent of hers. Hale had only met Mirae Ghiran once or twice. By what he could tell, she was a nice enough woman, no matter the fact she followed Mazs. "You do not know the damage you could do by such an act." Mazs stared back at her, and Kiv's hand dropped to his side. "Send them away from the city," Mirae whispered. Hale could only just catch that. Mazs sighed, and Kiv's hand came up again, making a short motion. Hale was suddenly elsewhere, in the middle of a forest, with the small girl still huddled beneath him. He looked down at her, and smiled slightly. Indeed, Mirae was a good woman.

"Hey," he said softly, and the girl looked up at him as he moved away slowly to allow her room. He knelt on the ground beside her. "Are you all right?" he asked. She nodded uncertainly, looking at her surroundings. "Good. Here. You hungry?" he reached into his bag for some dried fruit. His mind was on the hundreds of lives that were being lost at this minute, however, and his voice held a sad note. Though at least he'd managed to help this one girl.