Half Destruktion

Chapter Four: Intromissio Veneficus

  It started in darkness, like a nightmare. Alfred and Lucinda had disappeared; the courtyard was gone, replaced by pitch-black shadow.

 “Um…Hello?” Really smart Monty, say hello, that’ll help.

 “Step this way.” I squeaked and jumped five feet in the air when Gabriella appeared. I followed carefully, trying not to bump into Gabriella, who seemed most likely to kill me if I did.

 “Sooo… What am I supposed to do…..here?” I asked because I was bored and this was awkward.

 “You are supposed to be quiet.” Gabriella hissed and suddenly the other four flanked me on all sides, “Because it starts now.” And then they were gone.

 I whipped around. How did they do that? I felt cold fingers on the back of my neck, more whipping around and then a sword flew from the darkness; I ducked. Rolling and dogging flying swords, daggers, and, was that a ninja star? Fuck! I ran, rolling up my sleeves. The black rippled around me pulling and twisting, becoming distorted and there were yells, such angry yells. I couldn’t see, I was falling; I was sinking. Nothing made sense; the world spun and became warped.

 “Please I can’t see! Help me! I can see anything, I’m drowning! I CAN’T SEE” I raged.

  I couldn’t think, I couldn’t breathe, there was a pressure on my brain, my chest, my limbs; I fell to the ground, hands over my head as chaos raged around my, I couldn’t do it!

 “Retaliate! Use your pen!” Someone shouted, but it was an impossible voice; one I never thought to hear again.

 “West?” It wasn’t blackness anymore I was on a dusty rural road in wine country and there was a curly haired, twelve year old, golden boy standing next to me. “West? Is that really you?” He grinned, a big gap toothed grin that had always made me so happy.

 “Yeah,” He said crouching down next to me, “Course it’s me! Now, C’mon let’s save Kitty.” And I was nine years old again, running after West to save Kitty.

 “Kitty has been taken by some guys hoping to sell her on the slave market.” West whispered as we peered around the boulder, “They’re headin’ into The Vinum Valley.”

 “What we gonna do?” I lisped, spiting my words through the gap where my two front teeth should have been.

 “We’re gonna ambush them in three….two…one….NOW!” He leapt from behind the rock, slingshot blazing. As I went with him I got a sense of déjà vu; had I done this before? But I couldn’t think now, I had to fight. Putting my ink pen to the ground I drew a pit, which the man charging me fell into. Drawing a line on the other side I ran around and managed to get two brutes to follow me, I lead them towards the pit, but dived between their legs at the last minute so their backs faced the pit. Their swords were very sharp looking. I drew a tiger, which advanced on them. They tried to slash it but the ink it was made of kept reforming; there was a tingling at the base of my skull, I looked around, but there was nothing. The tiger dove and the two men fell into the pit, the tiger dissolved into ink. The tingling persisted, now with a voice.

 “Monty, don’t…” I looked around wildly. Kitty and West are fighting five other men, but Kitty wasn’t at full strength and West had no magik. Kitty’s eyes glow gold and her hair flickers like fire as she dodges between the men. West is a blur of brown and gold, his sharp rocks sting eyes and faces. I placed my pen to the ground, ready to draw a tidal wave to wash the bad men away.

 “Monty, no…” The voice, “It’s all a dream, created from your…” Ink drips onto the ground, “Memories. It’s not real. Master…said not to…go full…strength…” The voice grew weaker, funny it sounded like me…and it came flooding back; all I had forgotten and…