Kira's Story, Chapter 2

Main Story, Chapter 2

“Tell me, Captain, what do you think happened to Kira?” the tall, well-built man standing in the newly-acquired throne room asked, his back to the officer behind him as he stood gazing at the stain-glass windows behind the dead monarch’s seat.
“Well, sir, I’m not really sure.” the captain said uncomfortably, uncertain what his leader wanted from him.
“Oh, come now, Captain, I don’t want to know what they say happened, I want to know what you think happened.” Obsidian said, making the effort to tear his gaze away from the ornate depictions of their country’s history and look at the pitiful excuse for an officer cowering before him. “You understand how important she is to me, and the success of my plans, don’t you? So I want you to conjecture, use that brain that’s gotten you so far in my ranks; humor me.”
“Well, sir, as I said, I’m not quite sure. I don’t know what to believe about what happened. It goes beyond my experience…” the captain began, shifting his wait to his other foot, but Obsidian held up his hand, silencing him.
“Captain, I have heard many stories, investigated many legends in pursuit of my goal, trying to determine if my goal was even attainable in this life, or any life for that matter. And throughout all my studies, do you know what ultimately caused brilliant plans to come crashing around their makers’ heads?” he asked, his eyes drilling the man, who seemed to shrink further into himself, trying to appear as small as possible. “Not the plans, not the planners, not even the efforts of their opposition, pathetic as those may be. No,” he said forcefully, turning back to the stain glass, “What caused them to fail every time was some inferior’s inability to follow orders. I have given you one, and you have danced around it like it was a live coal that could kill you if you touched it. There are far more dangerous things to do, Captain, than embarrass yourself in front of me: say, disobey a direct order.” He looked back over his shoulder. The soldier seemed to squirm even more, and Obsidian could envision the captain whining like a scared puppy if it wouldn’t endanger himself. “I am willing to forgive you for this one offence only because it has no immediate bearing on completing the objective; however, you now have one line. And you know what happens when an officer gets two. But regardless, the principle is still there, Captain, and I don’t want you to forget that.
“Now, are you ready to answer my question?” Obsidian asked, returning his gaze to the magnificent display of glass artwork.
“Yes, sir.” the captain said, his face relaxing slightly. “I think, sir,…”
“For efficiency you may leave out the ‘sirs’.” Obsidian commented, absently waving his hand.
“Yes, sir.” the captain said, then winced as he noticed his mistake, “Well, I believe, sir, that what happened was just what the scouts said, that she really did just vanish. I see no other explanation for it.”
“And where do you think she went?” Obsidian asked, not bothering to read the captain’s facial expression. “Surely if she left here, there must be a there to go to.”
“There could be another dimension, as some have suggested.” the captain said, his confidence returning, “Or, she could have used an illusion or a hidden tunnel, despite our not finding anything but dirt under the spot she fell at.”
“We’ve ruled out any illusion save that the girl your men pursued wasn’t Kira, and that still leaves the problem of who it was that we were chasing.” Obsidian stated, “And it’s illogical to put the royalty’s escape tunnel so far from the palace. But as you said, the grounds were investigated, and there wasn’t any evidence of a cave in, or enough time for her to fill the tunnel behind her, especially unaided. So that leaves another dimension. What are your thoughts on that, Captain?”
“The only concern I have, sir,” the captain said, “is how she would have accessed this alternate dimension. I know of no device that can do so; not even the alchemists have theorized such a device as possible with our current technology.”
“So either she had access to a device far more advanced than any we know of, the origins of this device being unknown, or she did not have any means of procuring such an escape on her own, and someone else helped her access this alternate dimension.” Obsidian said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “What about the Moderators?”
“The Moderators?” the captain echoed, caught slightly off guard. “At the risk of sounding biased, sir, they are just a myth. Our philosophers long ago proved that…”
“That such beings were not the gods our ancestors said they were.” Obsidian stated firmly, spinning on the captain, who jumped involuntarily. “True, there was too much discord among them and some minor inconsistencies with our view of them, but we can’t rule out the fact that they might exist simply because they didn’t live up to our expectations.”
“So you’re suggesting that the Moderators are the beings behind her disappearance?” the captain asked cautiously as he recovered from his instinctive reaction.
“They fit the description of who could have abducted her straight out of our world.” Obsidian said, turning back to the colorful display, “They are supposed to be able to change our world, mess with its inner workings. They are not all-powerful, but they are more powerful than we are, and it is not that far of a stretch to say that perhaps they live in a dimension higher than, or at least separate from, our own. Who are we to say that they could not spirit someone away if they felt inclined to do so?”
“But sir, that means we’d be fighting an enemy we can’t beat.” the captain said, concern lacing his voice.
“Not for long.” Obsidian said, a grin gently enveloping his face. “At least, until we get Kira back. But first, let’s get Seth, shall we?”

“So where are you from?” Raina, Landon’s mom, asked as they sat at the table in the apartment’s kitchen. Landon had strewn his schoolbooks all over the table, and sat looking at Kira while she sipped the water his mom had given her.
“Not from here.” she said, glancing between the mother and son. Her eyebrows furrowed as she noticed some defect on the mom, then jerked slightly as she saw the same defect on Landon.
“What’s wrong?” Raina asked her, seeing her confused look.
“Nothing.” she said, reaching up to touch the tops of her ears. Her face paled when she did, and she brought her hands silently back to her lap.
“Is something wrong, dear?” Raina asked, concerned. “Do your ears hurt?”
“No,” Kira said, “But they’re round.”
“Of course they are.” Landon said. “All humans have round ears. Why? Did you expect something else?”
“Human?” Kira said quietly. “But I’m not human.” she said, reaching up to touch her ears again, as if she didn’t believe what her hands had told her the first time.
“You look human to me.” Landon said, smiling.
“Landon, hush.” Raina chided. “Well then what are you?” she asked her.
“I’m an elf.” Kira said, feeling foolish the moment she said it.
“Man, you must have hit your head really hard.” Landon said, laughing.
“Landon, first of all, she’s a girl; and secondly, shush and let her speak.” his mother scolded. She turned back to Kira and said, “Tell us why you think that.”
“You wouldn’t believe me.” Kira said, leaning back suspiciously, ready to run at a moment’s notice.
“Nonsense,” Raina said. “I really am curious what your story is. If you tell us, we might be able to help you. Why don’t you start at the beginning?”
“Well, my name is Kira Stormtree, and I was running from the palace with my protector, Caden, from the traitors serving Obsidian.” she glanced down at her hands and started absently rubbing the blue birthmark on her palm, fighting back a tear. “He didn’t make it.” She looked back up and brushed it away, regaining control of her emotions. “He was hit by an arrow as we fled. I ran on, and entered the Imperial Gardens and fell down. I must have passed out, because when I opened my eyes I was in this world…Indy, I think you called it.”
“Well, we call it Earth, but Indy’s the city.” Landon interjected. Raina glared at him and he was silent.
“Go on,” Raina coaxed. “Why was this man, Obsidian, after you?”
“I’d rather not say.” Kira said, looking back down at the blue mark on her hand. She absently extended the fingers of her right hand, then clenched them tightly into a fist.
Oblivious of Kira’s actions, Landon jokingly said, “Because she’s the princess.”
“Landon…” his mother said in her warning voice.
“He’s partly right.” Kira said, carefully wording her response. She really was the princess, but her instincts told her that she shouldn’t go telling that to every person she met. “I am a member of the royal family, perhaps the last survivor. But that’s not why he was after me.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Raina stood up. “Well, we can talk about this later if you want.” she said, smiling comfortingly. “And, Kira, if you’re in our world, he can’t get to you here.” She walked out of the kitchen and went to answer the door.
“So you’re from another world, and you’re an elf.” Landon said, neither mockingly nor with conviction. “Cool.”
“You don’t believe me, and you think I’m mad.” Kira said accusingly.
“I didn’t say…Hi, Clayton.” Landon greeted the person who walked into the kitchen behind Kira. She turned to look at the visitor, and gasped in recognition.
“Caden?” she said, disbelievingly. Relief turned into excitement, and she quickly clamped down on it. She didn’t need to violate the principles Caden had taught her to keep herself alive, especially if this stranger really was her old mentor and protector.
“Close. Clayton.” he said, smiling. He handed the book in his hand to Landon. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”
“No prob.” Landon replied, twisting around the back of his chair and stuffing it into his crammed backpack.
“Who’s your friend?” Clayton asked as he sat down next to Landon. Kira glanced up as he asked, and his eyes said he already knew.
“Her name’s Kira.” Raina said, coming back into the kitchen. “She’s…”
“An elf, from another world.” Landon interrupted energetically.
“Oh really?” Clayton said, looking at Landon in mock surprise. “Well, hello Kira.”
“Hello.” Kira said softly, letting her gaze fall back into her lap. She didn’t want him seeing the tears that were silently forming in her eyes, and her resolve to stay strong was silently slipping away. The last thing she wanted to do was start bawling in front of these people.
“Clayton is our neighbor across the hall.” Raina said, laying a comforting hand on Kira’s shoulder. “Are you okay, Kira? Clayton can come back later if you’re uncomfortable.”
“No, I’m fine.” she said, looking up and smiling confidently. “Really.”
“Raina, do you mind if I talk with Kira alone?” Clayton asked, then glanced back at Kira, “If that’s okay with you.” he added quickly.
“Yes, that’s fine.” Kira said.
“Come on, Landon, you need to clean your room.” Raina said, walking out of the kitchen.
“But Mom, Dad doesn’t come home till six, and I don’t have to clean it till he gets home.” he objected.
“Landon.” Raina said firmly, crossing her arms and giving Landon a warning look. Grumbling, Landon gathered up his schoolbooks and slouched out of the room under the load of books