Kavio
Just before sunset, Kavio stood up.
He began to dance.
He danced with slow, careful steps, moving in a special way to match each color of light in the ropes that bound Gremo to the boulder.
Red. Yellow. Blue. Green. Violet.
With every motion, Kavio lifted and twisted the glowing bands. Loop by loop, step by step, he untangled the magical knot.
At last, the final strand of light disappeared.
Then Kavio took out his obsidian dagger and sliced the physical ropes.
They fell away like leaves in autumn.
Gremo looked up in shock.
He stood straighter than he ever had before. His eyes met Kavio's.
"I'm free," he whispered.
Then he shouted, "I'm free! Ma, Ma—I'm free!"
Ruga ran to her son.
They hugged each other, both crying openly. They didn't try to hide their tears.
Lambo clapped Kavio on the back. "I knew it from the start! You weren't fool's gold, you were the real thing!"
Even Kuruga said, "I was wrong." But her face looked more worried than happy.
The family celebrated until moonrise.
Gremo still spoke slowly and carefully, but he couldn't stop smiling. He even sang drinking songs with Lambo.
The beer was real after all. And it filled bowl after bowl.
Kavio spoke quietly to Ruga. "Your son has strong magic. Five Chromas. Maybe that's why someone tried to seal away his power."
He turned to Gremo. "Do you know who hexed you?"
Gremo nodded.
"It was my father."
The others—Ruga, Lambo, Kuruga—shifted on the mat.
Ruga gave a sharp, nervous laugh. "That's impossible. Your father—"
"I know he was a Blue Waters warrior," said Gremo. His voice didn't shake. "I've always known. I heard the whispers. I saw the looks. I don't know how he cursed me, or how he even knew I was alive. But I heard him. I heard his voice in my head."
Gremo stared into the fire.
"He told me to kill all of you. To kill the whole clan. Then go to the sea and join him. He said you deserved it—for what you did."
His voice cracked.
"Even you, Ma. Sometimes I hated you for bringing me into this world. And I could have done it. My magic was stronger than any Tavaedi in the clan. But I wouldn't let him win. I wouldn't become like him."
There was silence.
Then Kuruga said softly, "But, Gremo… if your father wanted you to attack us and run to him… why did he tie you to a rock?"
Gremo looked down at his hands.
"The monster," he whispered. "I hate the monster."
Everyone looked away, uncomfortable. Tears rolled down his dirty face.
Kavio frowned. He hadn't seen any evidence that a fae did this. What monster?
***
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***
The next morning, Kavio slept late. When he woke, he heard a strange noise outside the hut. He stuck his head out—and saw Gremo.
Gremo was grunting and waving his arms in wild circles.
Kavio jumped out of the hut. "Enjoying your freedom?"
Gremo flinched. He didn't look at Kavio. He didn't answer.
His arms kept moving, awkward and strange. Sometimes he kicked, too. Kavio stepped back, uneasy.
Bands of glowing light twisted around Gremo's body. The air buzzed with power, like the sky before a storm.
The hairs on Kavio's arms stood up.
"Gremo, what are you doing? Stop!"
Gremo threw back his head and screamed at the sky.
Foam dripped from his lips. When he looked at Kavio, his eyes were full of rage.
Black clouds formed suddenly overhead. Lightning cracked. It struck Gremo—and lit up his aura like a fire.
Kavio froze.
There was a monster after all... inside Gremo.
And he had set it free!
Kavio charged forward—but Gremo lifted one arm and sent out a shockwave. Magic knocked Kavio off his feet.
He couldn't breathe. The power was too strong—stronger than anything Kavio had faced before. Years of walking in circles had built this storm inside Gremo, and now it was loose.
Kavio had to stop him.
He rolled to his pack, searching blindly for a weapon. His fingers closed on a short-hafted spearhead.
He raised it just in time.
Gremo slammed into him again.
Kavio stabbed—he drew blood—but Gremo didn't stop.
The man hit like stone, raining blows down on Kavio. One more hit would knock him out.
Kavio dodged. Then dodged again. He tried to take control—he threw punches, followed with a roundhouse kick.
Bad move.
Gremo caught his leg, twisted, and threw him to the ground.
Kavio tried to scramble away, but Gremo grabbed him, lifted him high, and hurled him into the boulder.
Wind screamed in Kavio's ears. It held him against the stone like giant invisible hands.
Gremo came closer. He wrapped his fingers around Kavio's throat.
"I am my father's son!" Gremo shouted. "I will kill you—and everyone in the clan!"
This was the moment for Kavio to do something brave. To say something clever. To fight back.
But it was too late.
A wave of weakness hit him like a spell. A flash of light exploded behind his eyes.
His mother's blood—his cursed fae legacy—betrayed him at the worst moment.
His vision dimmed. His muscles went slack.
He slipped into a fit.
And a memory.