Chapter 21

“In the beginning, the world of Merith was dead and barren. A world where nothing grew, and nothing lived.”

Origins by Grand Arboler Parley, year 1989

Verdict

Kimberly stood as the Justices, in their ceremonial green robes, filed out of the courtroom. Everyone behind her stood in silence, out of respect of their country’s leaders. The sudden silence brought to Kimberly’s attention the sound from without the Justice Hall: chants from thousands of protesters marching around it. She wondered how they would react to the Justices’ decision.

Kimberly glanced over at Terick. He looked as smug as ever. She quickly looked away, not allowing him to make eye contact. She imagined Oliver standing there. The thought made her frown. She was certain now that he’d been abducted or killed. He wouldn’t miss his moment of glory for anything.

She gave her uncle an apologetic look. The Grand Arboler patted her on the back, an endless supply of hope in his eyes. “You did your best,” he said. Kimberly believed his words but couldn’t change her feelings. She felt responsible for losing the trial.

The Justices left the courtroom, and everyone broke toward the exit. Kimberly closed her eyes, holding still. There’s no point in rehashing the past, she told herself. What happened, happened. I must move forward. Prepare for the next battle.

“Let’s go,” her uncle said, prodding her toward the exit. “We’ve got work to do.”

“We do?” Kimberly asked.

“Of course. The Arbolers need you now more than ever, Kim.”

“What more can I offer? I failed. Lumbering is legal in Salveria now because of me.”

Norman paused, looking back at her. “No. Not because of you. Don’t believe that for a second. Disbelief is the culprit here. Our country has rejected its Guardian and legalized sin. You weren’t the cause of that. The Justices made that decision, and they’re just a reflection of the majority. But now we need to prepare for the worst. And the Arbolers need a… general.”

“General?” Kimberly said, the word almost sucking the air out of her lungs. “Like a war general?”

Norman turned away for a moment as they walked by a few reporters talking at cameras. “… can only suppose what this will mean for Salveria,” one reporter said, holding a microphone up to her lips. “Ryan Harper, head of Harper Industries, believes instituting wood as a major natural resource will significantly improve the economy, and now he gets to put his theory to the test. He plans to start using wood as soon as possible for his real estate industry, which he estimates will decrease the cost of building a house by as much as fifty percent. Other companies are close behind in the wood race, but Harper has already built two lumbering yards just waiting for the green light. Officials have advised….”

Kimberly and Norman pushed their way through people and moved around a corner, out of earshot from the reporter. “Are you serious?” Kimberly asked.

“I am,” he said in a hushed voice. “I’m afraid a civil war has just begun.”

A cold sense of dread sent shivers up her spine. Kimberly knew he was right. Knew it was the obvious thing to happen next. But, still… the reality of impending war was a lot to take in.

“We will need to meet with Riker and Eland as soon as possible,” Norman said. “That is… if Eland and his sect are even willing to join our cause.”

“We will need him,” Kimberly said. “We will need resources and soldiers and weapons and… Life, this is insane!” She pulled at her hair with one hand.

Norman opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by an approaching reporter who wanted to know what the Grand Arboler thought about the Justices’ verdict. As he attempted to offer a brief answer, Kimberly walked away from her uncle, grateful for the interruption, carefully avoiding reporters.

She needed some time alone. Time to absorb everything that happened. She lost the debate. Oliver was still missing. War was coming.

Deep in thought, she walked toward the building’s large glass doors when, suddenly, the earth lurched beneath her feet. The doors and nearby windows shattered as fire roared through the openings.

A powerful blast wave flung Kimberly off her feet and onto the marble floor. The entire building reeled, groaning and straining to stay upright. She heard shrieks and collapsing walls all around her. It was dark. It was chaos. Ignis, the enemy, had opened her terrible maw and spewed her rotten fire to consume all.

Then everything went still.

Kim sat up slowly, blinking the dust out of her eyes. Her ears rang. All she could hear was her heart pounding within her chest. People lay on the ground around her, some moving, some not. She was too dazed to notice who was hoisting her to sit up. Someone was shouting something at her, but too difficult to hear.

“Are you alright?” She thought a man said frantically over the ringing sound. “Kim! Look at me! Are you alright?”

Suddenly her eyes came into focus. Her uncle looked at her with dreadful concern. “Norman!” she said, gasping for air. Why couldn’t she breathe?

“Lean back,” he said. “You’re in shock.” She heard a ripping sound. “Here, hold this over your eyebrow,” he said. “It should stop the bleeding.”

What bleeding? she thought. Once she pressed the ripped clothing on her eyebrow she felt a distant sting of pain and a subtle warmth of liquid dripping around her eye. “What… what happened?” she asked wearily.

“I don’t know! I think it was a bomb!”

“Bomb?” She wasn’t sure if she were dreaming. Everything looked fuzzy. “Why?”

“Don’t know. Here come the police. We should probably get out of here in case there’s another one.”

Kim saw officers and other men and women rushing around the room, helping those who were on the floor. Some got to their feet. Others were clearly never going to get up. Kim pressed harder on her eyebrow, staying the blood and starting to recognize the pain. The sound of sirens outside approached the scene.

A wave of exhaustion swept over her, her adrenaline spent. She slumped back into her uncle’s arms. And all went black.