The Faerie Curses

Chapter Six: The Sprite Master

Ignoring the rude gesture, The Master's eyes moved on, two yellow orbs making their way over to me. I didn't draw my sword. I stood my ground instead, and glared defiantly back at him. His irises flickered behind his mask.

"Now this is who I've wanted to see: Knight Marissa of Winter Academy." he said, his voice rich and chilling.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Why would you want to see me? Everyone says that Glen is much more attractive."

"Thanks partner," Glen winked from his position on his knees.

"It was a joke, Glen," I sighed in exasperation.

The Master walked towards me, his armor shifting together and making faint clashing noises. I tried not to tremble.

"Oh Marissa, you are much more interesting to me," he purred, circling around me like a silver vulture. I stared straight ahead fearlessly.

"What's with the armor, anyway?" I asked The Master. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but its not exactly fine quality."

Below me where he lay in the grass, Nicholas began to stir. I prayed that he would close his eyes again, pretend to be dead, but the caster met my gaze.

"Warn the academies," he whispered, his voice hoarse and weak. "The sprites took the children to-"

In a flash, The Master grabbed Nicholas by the neck, his armored hand choking him as he raised him off the ground. The flesh on Nicholas' neck grew bright red, as if it were melting off. He let out a gut wrenching, tortured scream, his body convulsing. I nearly threw up. The Master's armor was burning Nicholas alive. How was that even possible?

"Stop!" I cried, "Stop it!"

The Master turned to me, still holding the thrashing Nicolas by the neck. "You wanted to know about my armor, Marissa. Consider this a demonstration."

"You're killing him!" Glen yelled, his face contorted with fear and rage. He punched the sprites holding him down and charged towards him. The Master used his other hand and backhanded Glen, sending him crashing hard into the trunk of a tree. I noticed that Glen's robes were smoking and smoldering where The Master's hand had touched them.

"Just let him go!" I shouted, my voice panicking as Nicholas' eyes rolled into the back of his head, his neck nothing more than burnt flesh. I drew my sword and slashed it at The Master's chest, but my blade harmlessly bounced off of the armored plate. My ice sword was supposed to destroy anything it came in contact with. My jaw dropped in astonishment.

The Master's eyes glittered maliciously, and his grip on Nicholas didn't lessen.

"Dear Marissa, this is what is possible without magic," He gestured to his armor. "I don't need it to be powerful, I can burn any faerie in the entire realm using this iron. And there's plenty more of it for my people to use."

Nicholas let out a strangled gasp, blood dribbling from his mouth.

"But I do need magic for something far more important," he continued, "I need magic to find what I need to send the Faerie Realm crumbling to ashes."

Behind me, I noticed that Glen was struggling in the hands of nearly ten sprites.

"I'm not going to let that happen," I snarled, but deep down I felt fear gnawing at my insides.

Everything was spiraling out of control.

I lashed out again, yanking Nicholas out of The Master's iron clutches. The caster fell on top of me, his weight pressing me down to the ground. I scrambled to sit up, and I turned Nicholas over. His neck was charred, and it was a miracle that he was even breathing.