Chapter Thirty-Six - Coming Home

Mark found himself on his knees on the floor of Toby’s small house. Toby was there and Gina was there as well. Mark stood at his feet.

“Thank you” Mark said, “I thought I was dead for sure.”

“You’re welcome” Gina replied.

“How did you know and how did you get there.” Mark asked.

“It’s magic.” Gina explained, “Ever since the old man died, I’ve been able to make things happen.”

“The army isn’t invincible like we were led to believe.” Mark begins, “We met a large army on a great plain. A lot of people died and when the dust settled, neither side won. We withdrew but the enemy overpowered us in the middle of the night. I was captured and almost put to death. The war can’t be fought without soldiers to replace the ones who have died.”

“Life is better now” Toby admitted, “Everyone is working toward the common good and everyone is benefiting.”

“A lot of men have died.” Mark counters.

“They would have died anyway.” Toby shoots back, “War is the way it’s always been.”

“We have seen the future, and we know one thing. This peace can’t be maintained with our current technology.” Mark argues, “All empires fall, and this one will too.”

“Everyone’s happier.” Gina adds.

“Not everyone.” a new voice adds. No one noticed Carla had entered Toby’s house, “The leader, the guy who started this war. He’s not happy.”

“But he had brought freedom to so many people.” Toby answers.

“I’ll admit that people are happier, but he’s done it at the expense of his own happiness.” Carla adds,

“What are you doing here?” Gina asks Carla.

“The leader is looking for you. He wants to send you away to another part of the empire so you can live a normal life.” Carla explains.

“Do you think he’s telling the truth?” Toby asks.

“I don’t know.” Carla admits.

“Maybe I should meet this leader.” Gina proposes.

“Don’t do it. He’s a wizard, better than the old man was.” Carla warns.

“I know” Gina replies, “Bring the leader to the bakery and meet me in the back tomorrow.” Gina tells Carla.

That night Gina has a dream.

She sees a young man working in the fields. He works hard but despite that, he looks happy. When the working day is over, he congregates with his peers. They all work together, play together, and look out for each other. When the young man goes home, he has a dream that torments him. He doesn’t know how to use magic yet.

Then the scene shifts. He sees someone offer the young man an opportunity to practice magic. Gina sees the young man start to change. He becomes obsessed with his dream.

Gina wakes up.

The next day, Carla speaks with the leader. He tells him that he has found her. She works in the bakery, and she is the one responsible for making the bread. The leader will finally have the chance to remove the only obstacle in his way. Victory will be within reach.

He enters the bakery. The crowd is there. He moves past them and goes in the back. He sees Gina. He feels the spark inside of her. He tries to remove it but fails. He is not sure why he can’t remove it, but he tries again and again he fails.

“I must admit, everyone is happier since you took over.” Gina tells the leader.

“Who are you? Why can’t I take your spark.” The leader asks.

“It is not yours to take.” Gina replies without looking at the leader, “I’ve seen you before. I’ve seen the dreams that torment you. You used to be happy.”

“That was a long time ago.” The leader responds, “I must unite the world.”

“To what end?” Gina asks, “Empires rise and fall. No matter how much you want it to last, it won’t.”

“It will.” The leader insists, “When everyone is better off, they will make it last.”

“Nothing lasts.” Gina insists, “You’ve sacrificed your happiness for nothing. You left all those people who cared about you for nothing.”

“It wasn’t for nothing. It was for the greater good.” The leader explains.

“The cost was too high.” Gina states.

“Come with me.” The leader orders. Gina complies, not because she must, but because she knows there is nothing the leader can do to her. Gina is taken to the dungeon. She has never been there before. Her hands and feet are bound in chains.

“You will stay here until I decide what to do with you.” The leader announces. Gina does not respond. The leader leaves her by herself. It takes some time, but eventually Gina falls asleep.

Gina has another dream.