Behind the Trigger

~Chapter Five: The First Move~

"You almost ready?" she calls as she walks over.

"Yeah, just buttoning up my cloak," I replied.

"Good, 'cause I want to beat up Helios and his little pack," Morta growls.

"You better save some for me," I tease.

"You know I will. Now hurry up, I don't want to be late," she chuckles as she jogs out the door.

~3rd Person POV~

The two rulers of the Darklands strode up the hill with their hoods up. To anyone beyond the Darklands, they were known as Queen Enchantress and King Tenebris. The only thing you could see from under their hoods was a small smirk and their chin. Each cloak had a design on the back, one that struck fear into their enemies. Morta had embroidered a broken sword on the back of hers with silver thread. The middle of the blade was split, the tip tilted down and the middle shattered. Ash, soon after finding out that Morta had upgraded her cloak, had done the same except that his cloak was pitch black with two silver crossed swords and a crown sitting on the top.

In Alfhiem the border breach alarm was ringing throughout the small kingdom. Helios, Andromeda, Celestial, and Vix all rushed up to the border to see what was happening but froze in their tracks when they saw who it was. Inside, their blood was cold as ice, but on the outside, they put up a facade to convince everyone that they weren't scared. Townspeople went into their houses and fled from the terrifying sight. Morta was letting her magickal aura seep through to let everyone know she was dangerous. Helios could sense Morta's power from across the field, and she was only letting a little bit out.

"So, I see that you're back for more?" Ash taunted the group.

"You are not getting Alfhiem," Celestial spat to the two rulers.

"Oh, feisty one are we?" Ash teased the girl, now fifteen, not the little ten-year-old that he used to know.

"The only way you're taking our home is over our dead bodies," Vix growled out.

"So be it," this time Morta spoke, venom laced in her tone and dripping from her words.

Helios and Andromeda charged while Vix and Celestial provided backup support with arrows and throwing knives. Helios and Andromeda fought against Ash, deciding they could take him out first. Morta gathered the shadows on her hands, preparing to blast Vix and Celestial when she got the chance. Ash was head on head with Helios and Andromeda, but battling them well. He kept blocking Andromeda's knives, eventually knocking one of them out of her hand. The navy blade clattered to the ground a few yards away. Ash caught onto Morta's plan and saw her magick charging up in her hands. He gradually led Andromeda and Helios away from Morta for a shot.

Morta's eyes were aglow with power and burned a brilliant blood-red as more shadow gathered on her hands. With a clear shot in sight, Morta launched her attack with a battle cry and hit Celestial square in the chest, knocking her out cold. Helios noticed his sister lying on the ground and was distracted enough for Ash to disarm one of his swords, leaving him with one weapon. Helios's worry soon turned to rage. Without thinking, he charged Morta. She had just enough time to summon her staff, the obsidian barely quivering under the weight and strength of Helios's blow.

The two battled it out, the echoes of obsidian hitting silver rippling throughout the battlefield. Morta's lips were set in a firm line, all of her concentration on her former friend. As soon as she got enough room, she fired a spell at Helios, knocking his sword out of his hand. He didn't have another weapon, so he prepared himself for the worst. It didn't come, but Morta still seemed to knock him out with her words before the blow to the head he was about to receive.