"Lonato, you must stop with this disgraceful act. Look at you, squirming around as if you are a child. Deep down we all don't want to do this, but we must." Elder Kaya said as a tear coming down her face.

All the screaming, struggling, and retaliation had all left me right after Elder Kaya said that. The feeling I hated so much from before grew and has now infected my whole body. Actually, this feeling is no longer a feeling it was pain.

"Ah, done now are we Lonato." Elder Dasan said.

Elder Dasan pulled out two stones"These stones are called tonian stones, they're rarer than any jewel in this world and harder to come by."

"They may seem like regular stones to you but they have the power to destroy and breakdown icons and the energy it produces." Elder Donoma said.

"When an icon is activated the stones react to it when pressed against the skin, it slowly removes the icon tattoo then it destroys the energy that flows throughout the body." Elder Mikoda said.

"Now activate your icon." Elder Chayton demanded.

My body started shaking, sweat streaming all down my face, every second felt like the end of time. My eyes fixated on my icons but can only see through them. I hesitated as my icon began flicker

"If you don't activate your icon we will have to resort to more barbaric methods." Elder Dasan said as he grabbed an ax.I bit my bottom lip as I activated my icon. This is the first time I wanted to cry so much in my life. But what prevented me from doing so? Was it because of pride? No. Was it because I didn't want to act even more disgraceful? No. I just never had any tears to begin with.

Elder Dasan gave the stone to Elder Chayton and pressed the stone against my skin.

"Ahhhh!!!"

It felt like my skin was on fire, a fire that was spreading up my arm to every part of my body. I can feel each cell in my body being set ablaze, but not just that at the same it was like my soul was being sucked away. The only thing I can do was scream out in agony like some kind of animal.

I can see Nayeli in the far distance crouched down, hands covering both her ears as tears and mucus run down her face. What she was going through was a lot worse than what I was going through. Seeing the person you care about in pain.

My icons began to slowly disappear, the once dazzling blue light to now a faint glow. The energy that I was able to produce is now gone. I closed my eyes shut so Elder Chayton removed the stone from my arm.

"It is now completed." Elder Chayton said.

"You are now stripped of your powers. You can no longer use the gifts that have been bestowed upon us. You are now just an ordinary human being."

I stared at my arm, it was gone. I have nothing now. Anything I had left has been destroyed, well being alive is still the only thing I had left and that isn't working out so well.

"You are to never to step foot in this tribe again, be in contact with any of the tribesmen for that matter. You are now-"

"Hold on." Elder Kaya interjected.

To Elders' slight shock, Elder Kaya walked towards me.

"Let Nayeli say her goodbyes. I will be the one to see him off."

"See him off? You act as if he is going on a journey. He is being banished, yet here you are being kind to this demon child, despite what he's done." Elder Dasan scowled at her.

"Well, what can I say this demon child is still a child of mine, and you can never stop showing a child kindness."

"That kindness of yours will be the death of you one day."

"And yet here I am, 90, still haven't reached death doors."

"Now, Lonato, Nayeli, please follow me."

We began walking a little further out from the village gates but not too far, far enough where the Elders wouldn't hear us.

"Nayeli, please say would you need to say, this will be the last time you ever talk to him."

Nayeli's hands clasped tight together, her eyes fixated on me, her mouth opened but nothing came out. She probably had a million things to say to me but was struggling to say which one.

"Lonato, I'm sorry, I didn't know they were going to take away your icon if I had known-"

"There was nothing you could have done and you shouldn't feel sorry. There is nothing you should feel sorry for I should be thanking you."

Nayeli has been the only person who's been there for me. I'm more surprised that she doesn't hate me like the other tribesmen. Part of me wishes she did hate me just so we didn't have to say goodbye to each other, but that's not the case and I'm able to see her one last time.

"Thank you, Nayeli. Thank you for everything you did for me."

Nayeli wasn't as sad anymore and began to blush a little. "Please be careful, make sure you eat and be cautious of those outsiders."

"Okay, I will. Goodbye, Nayeli." I said with a half-hearted smile on my face.

"Goodbye, Lonato," hugging me tightly.

Each second, while she was hugging me, felt like an eternity that I didn't want to let go. Although her warmth felt everlasting it still wasn't enough melt the coldness away I was feeling.

Elder Kaya pressed her warm hand against my cheek, as we both stared into each other's eyes.

"Lonato, I do not regret ever raising you like you were my child. Even now you have grown into an outstanding young man. To you, this may seem like all hope is lost, but it is not. You must stand on your own two feet and keep walking through the simple act of living. It takes a lot of bravery and courage just to do something like that. I do not consider this a banishment, more like a new path opened up for you...Only then you will find what will make you whole."

"I understand Elder Kaya thank you for your wisdom."

"Now I wonder when those words will sink in and color return into those eyes of yours," she said with the widest smile on her face showing whatever teeth she had left.

"But before you go, I had a couple of things to give you."Elder Kaya handed me a burlap bag which appeared to have a couple of things in it.

"Well, go ahead, open it."

In the bag, it had my bow and arrows, a spear, a hunting knife, smoked jerky, forest berries. But what caught my most attention was what was under the stuff. It was a coat, the color of was what stuck out, a blue-gray, it was the color of midnight itself. Not just color too, the way it was crafted was amazing, fur all across the hem of the coat up to the hood. This must've required delicate craftsmanship to sow.

"A couple of days ago, when I was out searching for herbs, I came across two recently killed pulan foxes. So I took them back, removed the fur skin, sown the fur along with some other material to make that coat. One of my best works. I knew you were going to be cold so I made it beforehand."

"I don't know what to say."

"Well, most people say thank you, but before you say that I have one last gift for you." she chuckled.

"Close your eyes Lonato and place your hands out and open them."

I did as she told. She placed something in the palm of my hands. I was trying to guess what it was but all I knew it was something dense and hard.

"You can open your eyes now, Lonato."

Before I can have my eyes wide open, the light from it blinded me for a second. It was some sort of crystal. I never saw anything like this before or even a crystal for that matter. Do crystals even glow light like this?

"W-What is this?" I asked.

"That right there in your hands is a luminous crystal. My parents gave it to me for good luck, now I'm giving it to you. Whether holding on to it or not it will forever give you good luck."

She entrusted me a very precious thing. I need to always hold onto this. I feel all warm inside and wasn't because of what she gave me, but what she did for me. I can say thank you till the ends of time I feel it still wouldn't be enough to express my gratitude to her.

"Thank you, Elder Kaya." I said with a half-smile on my face.

"Now, you must be on your journey."

I put on my coat and head off. I think it was better if I didn't say goodbye to Elder Kaya, just a thank you. Was this sad or happy? It was hard to express what this was. Goodbyes are leaves you with an awkward feeling your stomach, but this wasn't the case.

"Lonato! No matter what you become, I will always love you and support you!" Elder Kaya yelled.

After the moment she said that the rain fell hard. The rain hitting against the ground made it impossible to hear after that. I'm glad though. They didn't have to hear me cry. I didn't look because I didn't want to see the face Elder Kaya was making. Was she smiling? Was she crying? I guess I'll never know.

Ah, here I thought I had no tears, to begin with, but I guess I did have some...