Chapter 39: Guiding Stars

Solitude is something anyone would find within a dry desert. Gusts of wind continue to swirl, as it sweeps up the sand from the cracked landscape.

The sun is but an orange disc, moving in to set, leaving the one half of the sky in a sapphire hue.

Within the seemingly endless desert, the faint sound of music plays from a large bolder, with smoke seeping out from behind it. In the distance from it, a trail of destruction lay wake, metal parts and glass are scattered along it-leading to the mangled vehicle which Leah, and Kase are in.

Inside the vehicle, Leah, and Kase still lay unconscious. Fragments of glass on their laps, and in the back of the vehicle.

With her eyes fluttering open, Leah moves her hand near her forehead, and groans with her eyes shut. Only for them to open. She moves her hand away from her head, and turns to Kase beside her. His body, still, and his breathing calm.

"Hey... Kase," Leah whispered, and continues to stare at him for a moment. Raising her hand to his arm, she starts shaking it.

"Kase, wake up." Still, no response from him.

Turning her attention away, she looks at her door, only to see frame of the window, surrounded by shards of glass. Letting out a sigh, Leah pulls the handle, and pushes her shoulder against it. The shards fall off the frame, only for the door to stay shut.

"Come on!" she pulls the handle, and hits against the door; still not budging.

Letting out a growl, she slams against it once more, and again after. With each attempt, having the same result as the last.

After hitting it more times than she can recall, the shards of glass has long since fallen off. Just then, she lets out a small cry, holding her hand over her shoulder, eyes now shut.

Opening her eyes, she glares at the door, still panting. Her eye pupils start glowing. Gritting her teeth, she moves away slightly, with her hand pulling on the handle, only to slam against it. Just then, the door detaches, and falls with Leah to the ground, causing a cloud of dust to flow out from the impact.

Letting out a scream, she holds her hand over her shoulder. Now laying on her back, she pinches her lips closed, trying to catch her breath through her nose.

She sits herself up with her gaze drawn to her shoulder. Looking ahead, all that's visible is the horizon, and the desert landscape-stretching as for as she can see.

Gripping tight on her forearm, she takes a deep breath, her eyes shut. Just then, she pulls on her arm; with a sound of a crack, she lets out a closed-mouth-scream, and slouches over for a moment in silence.

Slowly she raises her head, now staring ahead once more; eyes beginning to glisten, only for a tear to stream down her cheek, as it slices through the residue of dirt.

The song from the vehicle ends and fades out, only for another to start playing. With that, Leah looks over her shoulder at the mangled vehicle. Slowly, she stands up from her knees, and steps around the vehicle.

Grabbing the handle of the door, Leah opens it, urging her to step back as it falls the to ground. Stepping forward, she scans her eyes across Kase's body, trying to find any injury he might have. She stops, and stares blankly at his abdomen; when spotting a metal shard in his flesh.

Just then, Kase opens his eyes with a gasp, causing Leah to jolt back.

"Hey!" She said, leaning forward with a smile. Only for Kase to look around himself, wide-eyed.

"What happened?" He asked looking at her. Slowly he moves himself from his seat, only to let out a small scream. Looking down at his abdomen, his eyes widen as he watches blood seeping out from the metal shard.

"Give me a hand, would you." He said, moving himself out from his seat, groaning in pain as he does. More blood starts pouring out of his wound.

"No, wait!" Leah said, gesturing her hands out to him. Her eyes dart to the metal shard.

"You have to get that out first."

Kase chuckles, only to groan once more, his hands.

"We can do it after," he said looking at Leah to see her glaring at him, urging his smile to fade.

"No," Leah said, shaking her head slightly.

"You're only going to lose more blood if I do. This has to come out."

Letting out a sigh, his eyes train to his wound, and back at her.

"Alright," he said, clinching his jaw.

"Just make it quick." He turns his gaze ahead, and stares blankly.

The tearing of a fabric is heard, urging him to look down at her, now watching as she tears off a peice that's wrapped around her arm.

"Here, bite down on this." She hands him the piece of fabric. He stares at it within his hand, and looks at her. Stretching it, Kase places it in his mouth.

Reaching her hands towards it, with her fingertips now inches from the metal shard, she looks up at him.

"Ready?" she asked, staring eye to eye with him. Just then, he closes his eyes with a nod.

Inhaling, Leah closes her eyes, only to exhale. She opens them; gaze now drawn to the shard in Kase.

"One... Two..." She said, her eyes dart to meet his. Clutching fingers on it, she rips it out, causing her friend to scream out as it muffles through the fabric in his mouth. Blood now gushes from his open wound.

Grabbing the fabric from his mouth, Leah places it on his wound, and spreads it out, only for it to be soaked in blood. Leah's eyes widen at the sight of it.

"We need to get you out of here," she said, moving her arm around his back, and helps him move out of the vehicle, causing him to fall, only for Leah to catch, and gently lowers him down onto the ground.

Kase looks down at his wound where his hand covers the drenched fabric.

"I'm bleeding out, Leah," he said, looking at her, his breathing starting to quicken.

"Going to bleed to death."

"Don't worry," Leah said, moving his hand away, and places her own on the wound.

"I won't allow it."

"We don't have a med-kit here," he said, looking up at the vehicle.

"How do you expect to help me?" He looks at Leah, only to see her eyes close.

"What's with the closed eyes?" He asked.

"Shh... I need to concentrate," she said, squinting her brow. After a moment, Leah's closed eyes begin to emit with blue flames, urging Kase to have a wide-eyed look on his face.

The flames begin to flow throughout Leah's body, only to gather around her arm, and flows around her bloodstained hand, only for it to glow brighter. After a moment, she opens her eyes, and moved her hand away.

Letting out a sigh, she rests her hands on her legs.

"There you go," she said, staring down at the fabric covering his abdomen.

"Have a look." She turns her gaze to him, only to see his wide-eyed expression, his mouth half-open.

Kase moves the fabric off his abdomen, only to see the wound has disappeared. His eyes trained to Leah once more.

"How did you do that?"

Moving her hand under Kase's chin, she closes his mouth, and smiles.

"Chin up," she said, letting out a chuckle. She stands herself up, and gestures her hand to him.

Grabbing her hand, he stands himself up, not taking his eyes off her.

"What was that?" He asked, only to receive a slight shrug from her.

Turning to the vehicle, Leah looks inside it, moving her gaze around the seats, and console. Music still plays through the speakers on the ceiling.

Narrowing her eyes, she spots the screen hanging by wires. Bouncing her feet a few times, she climbs into the vehicle, and reaches for the screen.

"So you're not going to answer my question then?" Kase said, and starts pacing himself, his gaze drawn to the vehicle, where only Leah's shoes are visible.

Stopping, he narrows his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked, taking a few steps towards the vehicle. Just then, Leah crawls back, and climbs out of the vehicle with the screen in her hands.

"Now what are you going to do with that?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Stop with the questions," Leah said, looking at him with a frown, and turns her attention to the screen once more.

"I want to try something." She flips it, now looking at every inch.

"Alright, fine," he said, shewing his hand at her, and turns away for a moment, his eyes drawn to the endless horizon of the desert before him.

After a moment, Kase looks down, and places his hand on his healed abdomen. He turns his attention to her, watching as she fiddles with the open circuits of the screen.

"Can you at least explain what happened earlier?" he asked, gesturing his arms out.

"We were in an accident," Leah said, her tone calm, and collected. She rips a part from the screen, holds in view, and looks closely at it with one eye open.

"Very funny," he said, taking a few steps towards her.

"You know that's not what I'm asking!"

"Why do you want to know?" she said, looking up at him with a frown.

"It's not everyday someone witnesses something like that," he said.

"It won't hurt if you tell me about it."

Letting out a sigh, Leah closes her eyes. Lowering the small chip in her hand, she looks up at him, only to stand straight.

"My brother," she simply said, causing Kase to raise an eyebrow.

"Aven?" He said, looking down for a moment.

"What about him?"

"Although he is my brother, yes," she said, looking at the chip within her hand.

"Aven's also my teacher... He's the one who taught me."

Widening his eyes, his lips slightly part.

"Are you saying that he has healing powers too?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

Letting out a chuckle, she takes out her mobile device, and looks at him.

"You made it sound so weird, and cringy," she said, turning on her device, with it now illuminating its light on her face.

"But yes... among other things too. Me included." She places the chip in her device, and stares at its screen for a moment.

"Things like what?"

"Anything you would expect," she said, typing on her device.

"Body enhancements, like strength, or speed, ecsetrah."

Kase widens his eyes.

"Wow." He averts his eyes.

"So it can be taught?" He asked.

"Yes, or learned by oneself," Leah said, tapping hard on the screen.

"Come on, work!" she said, continuing to tap hard on the screen of her device.

"Is it possible for me to learn it?" He said, leaning forward, his eyes locking on her face.

"No, you can't!" she said with a huff, and lets out a sigh with her gaze drawn to the sky. She lowers her face into her hand. Her uncovered eye opens, now staring at the screen of her device.

Letting out a sigh she moves her hand away from her face, and takes out the chip from her device. Her hand closes tight around it.

"But you were taught," Kase continued, urging Leah's eyes to dart his way.

"So what makes me different?" He asked.

"No, that's not it," she said, placing her device back in her pocket, and faces him.

"I was taught at a very young age." She turns away, arching her arm back, only to throw the chip, and watches it go out of view.

"So what you're saying is..." Kase said, averting his eyes.

"It's too late for me?" He looks at her.

"Exactly," Leah said, facing him.

"Your mind is no longer that youthful sponge."

"Good point," he said, staring at her for a moment, his eyes narrow at the blood stain on the side of her head.

"How's your... You know." He raises his hand near his forehead.

"Oh, it's fine," Leah said, touching her temple.

"It seems to have stopped bleeding." She lowers her hand into her view.

"Why don't you heal it the same way you did with me?"

"If it's not necessary, I won't." Leah shrugs her shoulders.

"This can heal on its own over time."

"Whatever suits you then," he said letting out a sigh. Training his eyes towards broken screen, looks back at her.

"What were you trying to do earlier?"

Letting out a sigh, she walks towards the bolder holding the vehicle, only to rest her back against it.

"I thought that maybe... I can bring the map to my own device," she said, closing her eyes, and leans her head on the hard surface.

"It didn't work."

"We could try going the same direction," he said, stepping towards her.

"We can use this rock as our checkpoint." He places his hand on it, and looks at her with a slight smile.

Opening her eyes, she looks at him for a moment, and gives back a gentle smile.

"And after that?" She said, moving off the bolder.

"The sun is setting, and after a mile or two, we'd lose our way."

Averting his gaze for a moment, Kase frowns, now staring blankly at the ground. His mind, deep in thought, trying to think of any solution that might help.

Raising his head to the evening sky, Kase smiles. Staring at the dark sky, he spots countless stars ruling over them.

"Here's an idea.." he said, chuckling. He lowers his head, and meets Leah's gaze.

"We can use the heavens as our guide."

Looking up at the sky, Leah smiles as well.

"Wow," she looks down at him.

"Good thinking, Kase." She joins her hands with a single clap, and starts walking in the same direction the vehicle is aiming.

"Hey wait!" Kase said, walking after her. She stops, and turns to him.

"What about the weapons in the trunk?"

Leaning to the side with the vehicle in view, Leah narrows her eyes, and looks at him.

"It's too damaged," she said.

"We won't be able to pry it open." She turns away from him, and starts walking.

Kase raises an eyebrow, and follows after her.

"But what about those abilities you mentioned?" he asked, now walking beside her.

"I'm sure with enough strength you can get it open."

Leah stops walking, and looks over her shoulder at the vehicle.

"Maybe I could." she looks at him, and frowns.

"But I'm too lazy." she continues walking.

"What?" Kase watches her, a stunned look on his face, only for him to chuckle.

"Lazy-Leah."

Turning around to face him, a smile forms on her face.

"Lazy-Leah?" she said with a chuckle. Averting her eyes, she looks back at him.

"It has a nice ring to it."

"I don't think it's something to be proud of," Kase said, letting out a chuckle.

"I guess not," Leah noted, raising her hand, with her palm facing up.

"Wanna see something cool?" Her eyes dart up at him.

"Sure," he simply said, shrugging his one shoulder.

Leah focuses her gaze on her palm, and after a moment, transparent blue flames emits from it, illuminating them both with it's glow.

"Woah..." Kase said, leaning forward with a look of awe.

"That's amazing, Leah." His eyes begin to capture its light.

"I'm still getting use to how beautiful it is," she said, smiling with her eyes locked on the flames as it continues to flow out from her palm.

Lowering her hand, she lets go of the blue flames, only for it to hover above her, and Kase.

"This will be our light source for the evening," Leah said, turning away, and starts walking once more, with the blue flaming sphere following her from behind. Kase stands still as he continues to watch the glowing sphere hovering with Leah.

"What are you doing?" Leah asked, stepping aside to look at him, the one side of her body is being illuminated by the flaming sphere.

"You don't want to get left behind, do you?"

"Oh, sorry," Kase said with a chuckle, and continues to follow her.

"I can hardly believe what I'm seeing, that's all." His gaze trains to the sphere once more as he continues to walk with her.

"You'll get use to it," Leah said, calmly walking with her gaze drawn ahead.

"Especially with Epra's long nights."

"I have a small question though," he said, now walking beside her.

"Go for it."

"Why did Aven teach you this?" He asked.

"It must be important for him to be that dedicated."

"Hmm..." Leah looks down at the sand she steps upon.

"I can't really remember why, I was only a child at the time."

Kase stays quiet as he waits for her to speak.

"I do remember some things, though," Leah continued.

"Most times he wasn't really cheerful, and I just thought that was just how he was."

She looks forward, and stares at the blackness ahead.

"When thinking about it now," she said after a moment.

"I realize that maybe he was paranoid of something, and I just don't know what it is."

"You didn't ask?"

"I was young at the time, and fearful of him," she answered.

"At times he was my brother, and other times he was a stricked teacher. I didn't have luxury of having a normal sibling relationship like others did."

"That sounds a bit rough," Kase said, looking her with a soft expression on his face.

"I'm sorry you never had that classic bond with him."

"Awe, it's alright," Leah said with a slight smile.

"These past few years has been better for both of us."

"That's great to hear, Leah," he said, smiling at her, urging her to smile back.

"I'm sadly the only child." He chuckles.

"Oh yes," Leah said, chuckling as well.

"I remember you telling me that." She keeps her gaze ahead. Her thoughts circle through he mind, wondering what it's like to not have any sibling. To not having her brother. Just thinking about it, sends shivers down her spine.

"We should rest soon," she said, clearing her throat.

"It will be better to kill some time by sleeping through.

"That's a good idea," he said, bringing his hand near his mouth, and yawns.

"Now look what you made me do." Leah starts laughing, only for him to join in on the laughter as well.

The both of them continue to walk through the engulfing darkness if the evening, leaving the vehicle behind, with the sound of the radio going quieter with each step they take. Both of them, not knowing what lay ahead, with a destination in mind that only sparks their curious imagination. Alone the two of them continue to walk, with the only company beIng each other.