What is Energy?

Snow slowly fell onto the cold dirt. It crunched nicely under their feet as they walked, bundled in multiple layers. Wind whistled wildly through the bare trees. It was silent, except for their heavy breathing and boots grinding against the frozen ground. The occasional animal would run out and then back in, seemingly trying to escape the chill. The smell of firewood and burnt meat wafted through the air. The source was a small cabin in the distance, with smoke coming out of its chimney.

A group of people walked through the front door of the cabin, covered in snow from head to toe. The fire roared in the fireplace and spread a nice warmth throughout the room. They wearily took off the extra clothes and sat in front of the beaming flames. Two women stood up and began to prepare the food. The sizzling meat made their mouths water. They couldn't wait to dig in.

"C'mon boys, the food is done." Margret said.

"Finally! I'm starving!" Gregory said.

"We all are." Kyle softly said.

"We barely got any work done too!" Kayra said.

"Don't say that. We did a lot of exploring." Kyle said, wrapping his arms around her.

"For what?" Kayra complained.

"It's what we were ordered to do." Gregory pointed out.

"Nothing's here! We are wasting time." Kayra said.

"That is... true." Margret tried to argue but couldn't.

"Let's just eat this delicious food." Kyle said.

"Yeah." Kayra agreed.

They ate the food and sat in silence. Kayra looked visibly disturbed.

"We aren't slaves!" she finally shouted.

Everyone stopped eating and stared at her.

"We are serving our kingdom." Kyle tried to reason with her.

"Why are we the only ones looking for... for..." Kayra's eyes locked onto the window.

"What is it?" they all asked her.

"Um... I saw a man." her voice shook.

"Stay here." Kyle said, grabbing his sword.

"I'll come with you." Gregory said, grabbing his equipment.

The two men ran out the cabin and into the deep snow. It was difficult to see as it was nighttime, and the light of the fireplace was not helping. Gregory used fire Energy to light up the outside. Kyle cautiously turned the corner and looked at the snow. It was undisturbed. He looked at Gregory and he just shrugged. Then a sly smile fell on his face. Kyle shook his head, as if he knew what he was planning.

"AAAHHH!!!" Gregory shouted.

Both girls rushed out with swords in their hands.

"What's the matter?" Margret asked.

"Oh, sorry. I saw a bird." Gregory said, with a slight chuckle.

"Not funny, Greg!" Kayra punched him in the chest.

"There's nothing here, let's go back inside." Kyle said.

"Agreed." they all said.

They entered the cabin. Kyle and Kayra locked all the doors and windows. Gregory fed the fire, while Margret cleaned up the kitchen. Kyle sat on the couch facing the fire. Gregory layed on the floor.

"Do you think King Opius has lost his mind?" Gregory asked.

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked.

"Sending teens out here to look for some crystals that may or may not exist. What's his plan?" Gregory asked.

"He is also a teen. He just claimed the throne after his whole family was poisoned. I'm sure he has a few screws loose." Kyle said.

"Why did you accept this job?" Gregory asked.

"Kayra and I need the money to buy a house so we can start a family. What about you?" Kyle asked.

"I also need the money, but for a more selfish reason." Gregory said.

"What's the reason?" Kyle asked.

"To flee south, across the sea." Gregory said.

"You want to go to Eberia, New Light?" Kyle asked.

"I want to wander into the Dunes. I want to be free from all responsibilities. Become a scavenger, maybe. I don't know." Gregory said, gazing at the ceiling.

"A strange, but nice, dream." Kyle said.

"How long have you and Kayra been together?" Gregory asked.

"Four years. Money has been hard to get. Jobs becoming scarce. We've been laid off multiple times. We have both been abandoned by our families." Kyle said.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Gregory said.

"It's whatever. It's in the past now and irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that we keep trying and don't give up." Kyle said.

"Admirable." Gregory said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Margret said, inserting herself into their conversation.

"Why did you take this job?" Gregory asked.

"To be honest, I wanted to know if there is such a thing as an Energy Crystal. I want to find one and experiment with it." Margret said.

"So you're a scientist?" Kyle asked.

"In a way. I never went to school for it, so just a self-proclaimed one. I understand most things without ever being taught. I was always interested in Energy. People couldn't use it until a decade or so ago. I want to know why. Why couldn't people one hundred years ago use it? What happened that made us able to? I have so many questions and no answers." Margret said.

"It is strange, isn't it?" Kyle asked.

"I heard stories of powerful people who had powers unlike anything. Not only gods, demi-gods, or titans, but normal humans too." Gregory said.

"People believe in myths and legends to make themselves feel better. That's all." Kyle said.

"And yet, here you are looking for a crystal that supposedly can bring back the dead and give people unimaginable strength and power." Gregory pointed out.

"Still a myth." Kyle said.

"Could be true, though." Margret said.

A loud bang shook the door and Margret fell off the couch as she jumped in fear. Kyle quickly grabbed his sword and Gregory did the same. They held their weapons tightly and waited for an attack. Kayra pointed at the window and Kyle started laughing.

"It's just the wind. It picked up again." Kyle said.

"You said the crystal can bring back the dead?" Kayra asked, walking into the room.

"Not confirmed, but there are a lot of rumors of what this thing can do." Gregory said, laying back down.

"Couldn't that be dangerous?" Kayra asked.

"The crystal's existence is dangerous, if it does exist." Kyle said.

"I'm getting tired. I'm heading to bed." Margret said, standing up.

"Goodnight." they said.

As she walked up the stairs, she waved. Kayra snuggled up against Kyle on the couch. Gregory turned towards the fire and closed his eyes. Kyle stared into the flames. It was beautiful how they danced. He didn't want to miss a moment of it. He fell asleep next to Kayra. Gregory got up and added more wood to the fire. He laid back down and waited for morning to come.

The snow was up to their knees as they walked through the forest. It was slow and tedious. Kyle spotted a cave and decided to check it out. It was a bad idea, but he was curious. He took out his lantern and walked in. The darkness was thick, but the light was just bright enough to see what was in front of him. The rest followed behind him.

They stopped when they saw the corpses of multiple animals lying on the ground. Kyle pulled out his sword and crept forward. Carcasses rotted and bugs infested the bodies. Gregory used Fire Energy and burned them all.

"There may be a predator in here." Kyle said.

"Yeah." Gregory said.

They continued down the cave until it forked into two paths. Kyle and Gregory looked at each other. Kayra grabbed Kyle's hand.

"Should we turn back?" Margret asked.

"We should, shouldn't we?" Kyle asked.

"But we won't." Gregory said.

"Why?" Margret asked.

"Because, we only get paid if we find the crystal." Kyle said.

"Oh boy." Kayra said.

"Margret and I will go left, while you and Kayra go right." Gregory said.

"Sure. Be safe. Run back if you want to." Kyle said.

"Meet you back at the cabin." Gregory said.

"Yeah, see you at the cabin." Kyle said.

They began to walk down their paths. Kyle looked back and saw Gregory's fire Energy lighting up the walls. They were slowly fading away into the darkness. He turned and put his arm around Kayra. She was visibly nervous, but she pushed through it. They were so deep that the outside world couldn't be heard. It was silent. They heard a drop of water hit the ground in the distance. Kayra looked at him with wide eyes, but he stayed composed.

They came to a large room with a waterfall and a small stream running through. The only light source was Kayra's lantern. They approached the water and looked around. The cave got warmer the deeper they went. Kayra dipped her hand in the water and shivered from the cold. They moved on and explored further down the tunnel. They found nothing of importance and continued.

Gregory and Margret found themselves in a big empty area. In the back was a strange carving of what seemed to be multiple gods fighting. Margret was invested in it. She pulled out her journal and copied it exactly. Gregory sat down and realized they reached the end of their tunnel.

"We should head back when you are done." Gregory said.

"I agree. We don't want to stay for more than we have to." Margret agreed.

"What is that anyway? No one lives or lived this far in the mountains." Gregory said.

"Perhaps there was once someone." Margret said.

"Maybe..." Gregory said, "Hey! Look!"

They both looked up at the ceiling and saw a small stone shining in the dark void.

"How are we going to reach it?" Gregory asked.

"Watch." Margret said.

She held out her hand and manipulated the Earth and created a simple ladder to the top. Gregory was in awe as he watched. She carefully climbed up and pulled the crystal out of the cave's stone. She handed it to Gregory. He took off his gloves before taking it. The second it touched his bare skin; he screeched in pain. Marget tossed the crystal to the side and quickly examined his hand. She was frozen when she saw what little contact did to him. It looked as if he dunked his whole hand into a bucket of pure acid. She grabbed some bandages from her bag and tightly wrapped his hand.

"It hurts! It hurts!" he cried.

"It's going to be okay." She tried to calm him down.

"What is that?" she asked.

"What? What's happening to me?" his voice broke.

She backed away from him. His skin started to rot and it spread through his body. Within the next minute, his whole body decayed, and he fell to the ground, motionless. She screamed in terror. She fell on her back and hyperventilated. She shifted her arm slightly and felt a burning sensation. She screamed in horror as she saw that the crystal touched her exposed wrist.

"NO! NO! SOMEBODY HELP ME! PLEASE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as her body decayed.

Kyle and Kayra found a room filled with ancient bones. Kyle nudged Kayra and said, "This must be where the animals we saw back at the cave entrance come from."

"They look disgusting." she said.

"Yeah they do." Kyle agreed. 

"There's nothing here." she said.

"Sadly. Hopefully they had more luck." he said.

"Yeah." she said.

"We should head back. We have been here for a while." he suggested.

"I agree. They are probably waiting at the cabin." she said.

"Let's hurry. I'm starvin." he said.

They started to walk back towards the exit when Kyle turned to the other cave.

"Greg! Margret!" he shouted.

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Nothing." he said.

"Probably a good sign." she said.

"Yeah." he said.

They continued until they reached the mouth of the cave. Icicles hung across the top and looked like teeth. Kyle childishly knocked one down. Kayra softly smiled and did the same. They smiled at each other. Their feet sank into the thick snow as they trenched through to the cabin. They opened the door and were shocked.

"Hello?" Kyle asked.

No response. Kayra went up-stairs and checked each room.

"No one is here." her voice slightly shook.

"It's fine. I'll go back and look for them. You stay here and wait for me. Only answer to my voice." Kyle said.

"Let me come with you." she pleaded.

"No, something or someone could have hurt them. You will be safe here." he said, kissing her forehead.

"We've been here for five months and haven't seen anyone or a predator. I'm coming with you." she argued.

"No. You are safe in the cabin. Lock all the doors and windows. Turn off all lights and hide out of sight. I will bring them back. I need to make sure you are safe. I don't know what happened, and I can't lose you," he said, comforting her, "I'm sure Greg got tired and wanted to take a rest."

"You're right. He is extremely lazy." she calmed down.

"I'll be back soon." he said.

"Come back, no matter what." she said.

"I will." he said, grabbing his backpack.

He pulled out a dagger and put it in his belt. He grabbed his lantern and lit it on the fire. He kissed her one last time and left. It was difficult to see in the darkness, but he managed to follow their footsteps. He grew anxious as he saw their tracks stopped at the cave entrance. He entered the darkness and gripped his lantern tightly.

"Greg! Margret! Where are you guys?" he shouted.

He continued to shout their names as he walked further in. He came to the fork and gulped audibly as he walked. He didn't want to admit it, but he was afraid. He kept going forward until he found them. Gregory's rotting body was a sickening sight. He vomited as soon as he saw both of them. He didn't even notice the pulsating gem on the ground.

"What the hell happened?" he asked aloud.

He looked around and saw the sketches on the cave walls. He looked over and saw the bright stone. His eyes widened. Kyle slowly reached down and picked it up. It warmed his hands as it vibrated in his palms.

"Is this the Energy crystal?" he asked.

'What killed them? There is no creature or person... Could it have been? No... impossible... I'm holding it right now.' he thought.

He inspected the bodies. They looked just like the animal carcasses. He looked around and saw a bat sleeping on the low part of the ceiling. He quietly walked over to it and lightly pressed the stone against the poor creature. It screeched as it melted and perished.

"What the fuck?" Kyle said, dropping the gem and taking a step back.

He picked up his lantern and shone it on the crystal. It was a dark blue with veins running through it. As it pulsed, different colors shined. He hesitantly grabbed it and wrapped it in a cloth before putting it in his bag. He knelt next to his friends and said a prayer.

"I don't know what god carries the souls over, but please guide them to Heaven." Kyle prayed.

He stood up and headed back to the cabin. He was filled with fear and awe as he saw the crystal's power. He wanted to forget about it and take it straight to the capital, but something held him back. He couldn't give it up. He wanted to learn more about it.

He ran out of the cave and trudged through the snow back to Kayra. There were multiple candles lit and the door was wide open. He ran as fast as he could through the mounds of snow.

"Kayra!" he shouted as he reached the door.

His mouth hung open and tears fell from his eyes as he looked at the horror. Blood spilled everywhere. Kayra, lifeless on the floor. Both her arms were cut off just above the elbow. A strange man stood in the living room. Scanning and searching. Kyle walked over to her body.

"Why? Why!" he cried as he held her in his arms, neglecting the man for a second.

"I can smell it." the man said, taking a deep breath and grinning.

"Who are you?" Kyle asked, unsheathing his sword. His face twitched in anger and sorrow.

"I am Ailas Scion. I have come for that." Ailas said pointing at Kyle.

"Why? Why did you kill her." he asked aggressively.

"She was in my way." Ailas said

Kyle gripped his sword even tighter. Veins popped and his face turned red. He rushed Ailas and violently attacked him. He caught him off guard and was able to land many blows. Ailas stepped back, but the room wasn't big enough for him to get distance. Ailas groaned in pain as he tanked the hits. Ailas managed to pull out his sword and began blocking.

"You want the stone, you can have it!" Kyle shouted.

He reached in his bag and hastily unwrapped it and threw it. The gem hit Ailas in the face. He dropped his sword and placed his hands on the rotting flesh. He screamed in pain as he tried to slow down the effects with healing Energy. Kyle grabbed the stone and placed it in his pocket. He picked up Kayra and started running. Ailas' screams could be heard for miles. 

In the dead of night, an old woman wandered into the wrecked cabin. Ailas's heart was still bounding, but half his body was deteriorated. She struggled to drag his body outside and onto a sled.

"I'm amazed you lasted this long." she whispered.

"Who...are..." Ailas's voice could barely be heard.

"Hush now. You need your strength to heal." she said.

"I... need... the... stone..." his breathing was heavy.

"Do you know what Energy is?" she asked.

"Tell... me..." he struggled to mutter.

"Energy is not only power but is also life. The stone is killing you because you are not compatible with it. I'm not either, but I have found a way to use it. The stone and Energy," she said, pulling out a syringe and a vial of purple liquid, "Inside the stone is this mysterious liquid. I have found multiple stones and broke them to take this from them."

"What... is... it?" he said.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I know it gives power and strength. Energy creates life and also ends it. This liquid will determine whether you live or die. It may not be able to save your body, but I can save your heart." she said.

Ailas coughed up blood and passed out as she injected him with the substance. She started a fire and waited for him to wake up.

Kyle ran until his legs gave out. He collapsed in the snow and screamed at the top of his lungs. His cries echoed through the mountains. He clutched Kayra's body as he cried. He looked around and saw that he was near a city. His body shook as he pressed on. Within the next few miles, Ivorius was in sight. The streets were crowded and full of noise and chatter. Kyle carried Kayra in his arms as he walked towards King Opius' throne room.

The guards let him without question. King Opius just stared at the body while Kyle gently put her down. A tear rolled down his face.

"Did you find the stone?" King Opius asked.

"Are you fucking kidding me? That's all you care about? Everyone but me has died! Do you have any remorse?" Kyle shouted.

"I knew not all would make it back. Who knows what's in the mountains?" King Opius said, with a slight grin.

"No, we did not find the stone." Kyle said.

"Search his pack." King Opius ordered.

Kyle handed a knight his pack and then it was dumped in front of everyone. Disappointment was written all over King Opius' face. He waved his hand and the knight took a step back.

"I'm sure the orders were crystal clear, but I will repeat them for you. You were supposed to build a cabin in the mountains and then live there with three other people. While living there, you were supposed to do expeditions and search for an Energy crystal. You were not permitted to return empty handed. In the chance that you do, you will be executed for treason and abandoning your post." King Opius explained.

"Do whatever you want with me... I don't have the will to live anymore." Kyle said.

"Then living shall be your punishment. You will serve directly under me as my... um... mercenary? Bounty hunter? Something along those lines. You will also be paid what was promised for this expedition and some extra for your new job." King Opius said.

"Do I have a choice?" Kyle asked.

"No. Where would you like to bury her?" King Opius asked.

"By my parents." Kyle said.

"It will be done." King Opius said.

"I'm going now." Kyle said, picking up Kayra.

"A groundskeeper will be waiting to bury her this evening." King Opius said.

Kyle walked out of the hall. He didn't care about the king's words. He only cared about his friends and the loss of Kayra. He collapsed to his knees as he cried. The stone was the last thing on his mind as he mourned. He was the only other person there at her funeral. When the keeper left, he pulled out the stone. He held it in his right hand and took off the glove of his left.

"I'll be joining you shortly." he said, dropping it in his left hand.

He stood there and waited for something to happen. The wind died down and the sky was gloomy.

"Why? Why won't it kill me?" he said, half angry and half depressed.

He grabbed his dagger and impaled himself in the chest. He felt no pain. Blood poured out of the wound, but as soon as he pulled it out, it healed instantly. He screamed in agony and threw the dagger as hard as he could. It stuck in the ground in front of him. He was angry and scared.

"What is Energy?!?!" he shouted in confusion.