My heartbeat pulsed in my ears like the percussion of a drum on the battlefield. The strong pound of the mallet rolling across the grounds, perforating the silence that hung over the helmets of soldiers like an ominous, gray cloud. While the army shuffled around, murmuring prayers and whispered reassurances, gripping their gun like a lifeline in cold pale hands. A stillness lingering over them until the trumpets would ring out and the lush grass would be trampled under their boots, as they ran at the enemy head-on, determination emanating from their every stride.
I wished I was as brave.
For the longest of moments, the air between us remained silent and unwavering, punctured only by the sound of blood roaring in my ears. Ms. Violet's beady scarlet eyes feasted on us as we stood frozen, clutching her cursed blade. Her thin, blue-tinged lips were curled into a nasty, satisfied smile. The tips of yellowed fangs stuck out of her mouth, looking almost eager to sink into the first living thing that came within range.
The skin of her face had been forcibly pulled taut, giving her the appearance of not belonging in her own body. My eyes reluctantly trailed down, my heavy breath tumbling from my mouth and clouding my eyes with mist-like vapor in the chilly, dry air. Her stubby fingers had elongated into bony grayish claws. Her disheveled brown hair had traces of inky black snaking up from the front, like an infection that was slowly spreading through her body. And around her bare feet, two serpents made of dripping, reforming darkness hissed through angry jaws we could just barely see.
I felt Ariel start to spasm uncontrollably beside me, her pupils dilating as her breathing grew quicker as if she had just run a marathon. I grasped her left wrist in a vice like grip, tethering her to reality, while my other drew the makeshift flash bomb closer to my chest. Ms. Violet extended a knobbly hand, and started to walk towards us slowly, eyes glinting with desire. Her two serpents slithered alongside her, like two loyal guard dogs who feared nothing but their master.
Finally the silence was broken as Ms. V spoke once again, in a voice she should not have possessed. "Surrender my blade, and all will be as it should," she purred in a voice that sounded like the silkiest whisper, and the loudest of screams. The smallest movement of her mouth made sharp noises that sounded of nails scraping slowly against metal. The snakes snapped and hissed in agreement. I stared back at her intently, my voice coming out much bolder than I felt. "And why would I do that?" She remained stoically silent. Then I remembered something. "Fine then, at least answer me this. What was that book you tried so hard to give me??"
The stoic expression slipped from her face and she growled in frustration, emitting a din of metallic grinding. She was losing patience rapidly. "If you must know, that book was intended to keep an eye on you, so I could learn your traits, your weaknesses, your motives." She chuckled wistfully, "Then I would be able to merge with you, and take control of you and all of your raw, wasted power."
If I wasn't thoroughly perplexed before, I was now. "Why would you want control over me? Of all people?" I asked. A sound suddenly burst from her that may have been laughing. "Don't tell me you actually do not know..." she jeered. l shook my head in confusion. She laughed derisively, "Sooo....that old bat, Merlin, really didn't tell you. My, my, I almost want to keep you alive now to see how this little reunion plays out." Suddenly one of the serpents shuddered with delight, and lashed out, stretching up into the foliage above. And with an alarmed series of caws, a small songbird was dragged out from its hiding place in the leaves, and into the depths of it's black jaws. The winged creature fell silent with a sickening crunch. Ms. Violet licked her lips, staring dead into my eyes with a wild hunger. "Almost."
Ariel shuddered visibly, her voice shaking as she whispered, "What are you?" The two serpents rose up unanimously, holding their heads high with a threatening air of superiority, as if on cue.
"Perhaps you would recognize me in my natural form...." Ms. Violet hissed.
And with that, her jaw unhinged and opened impossibly wide. The two serpents circled upward, wrapping around her legs and extending over her torso, until they were absorbed right into her open mouth. For the briefest of seconds all was still. But then her skin started to crumble and flake, dropping away onto the ground as if she was discarding a flimsy garment that didn't quite fit right. A dark substance that seemed neither liquid nor gas formed in midair, extending out from what looked like a small black hole. It floated around it and from it eerily until a vaguely humanoid cloaked figure appeared hovering in midair like a black ghost.
And lo and behold...the reaper that was once our teacher stood in front of us.
"Hand it over now!" it roared through the gaping hole that served as its mouth. I realized with a start, that the serpents acted as her voice, which is why it sounded so unnaturally powerful and authoritative, perhaps laced with magic as well. Maybe they didn't speak for her, but they did put words in her mouth.
Wait-- could that mean....
"Where's Ms. Violet? The real Ms. Violet!" my voice shaking as I spoke, fearing the truth. The creature grunted in disdain. "Laura Jane Violet is dead," it said bluntly. There was not a crumb of remorse in that simple, morbid statement. In fact a small hint of relishing pride stuck out in it's voice. I doubled over, feeling nauseated, and completely horror-struck. Dead. No, no, no.
A blur of emotions tangled with the thousands of questions that raced through my mind. How could anything destroy such innocent human life so easily? Of course, it was common, but why? Murder has yet to solve any problem that anyone has had. What could you possibly have to gain from such a person who was so bent on helping people?
I expected Ariel to completely snap; that frank, sickening statement finally fracturing her resolve. But instead, it have struck a chord in her, because something hardened in her eyes. Her chin jutted out in determination, fueled by newfound anger and despair. And suddenly her hand was wrenched from my grasp, and her arm moved faster than I could blink. I thought for one foolish second she might try to hit it.
But before I could react or even process the movement, the bomb slipped through my fingers and Ariel hefted it above her shoulder. Then with strength she didn't normally possess, she hurled it at the reaper with a livid cry that tore through the trees, her eyes burning with fury.
The world seemed to slow down, the explosive flying through the air in slow motion. Then, the next thing I knew I was crouched behind a tree with my arm flung over my eyes, Ariel next to me in a similar position.
The moment the crudely-made bomb touched the beast, it detonated. I may not have seen it directly. But in a deafening pop, light was spilled everywhere, staining the bark and managing the penetrate the smallest cracks that my arm couldn't cover. A wave of heat stung my exposed skin and made my eyes fill with tears. The reaper wailed in agony, groping blindly around trying to snuff out the source of the painful light. Ariel stood up and tugged at my arm, "Bi, we've got to go!" she screamed. I scrambled up, my breath coming in short gasps as I tried to process this sudden turn of events. I noticed I was still holding the dagger.
I didn't want to hold the blade at all now. I wanted nothing to do with it. I now knew whose blood stained the cool, smooth metal.
She tore the dagger from my grip and took off running, shouting for me to follow. I barely remember what happened next. All I remember is blind terror as my feet flew over the soft dirt, without my mind telling them where to go.
I don't know how far we got, but all of a sudden, I was thrown up into the air. For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze as I was held aloft in the dimly lit tendrils of fog. Then the earth pulled me back down, hard. When my vision cleared, I looked over and saw the beast hovering over Ariel, with red-hot contempt etched in it's face.
Then it regained it's composure, and suddenly began to speak in Ms. Violet's familiar soft voice. "Ariel, hand over my possession, and you will remain unharmed. And if you wish it, I shall aid you in your journey to find what you have always been seeking." A choked sob escaped her throat, and she shook her head. It seemed like she was trying to reassure herself more than it. Tears now cascaded down her face in a thick stream. I brought my hand to my face, and found it was wet too. But feeling the cold start to return, I hardened my resolve. "Ariel, it's weakened! Don't listen to it!!" I screamed.
Suddenly my voice fell silent, my words unable to leave my lips as I felt the reaper's unseen hand found it's way around my throat. But whether she heard me or not, she didn't react, unable to tear her gaze from the reaper's fear inducing eyes hovering mere inches above her own. "I know what you are searching for, Ariel Bellana Gale, and I can give it to you. All you have to do, is hand over my trinket." Ariel shut her eyes, as if she was trying to block the world from her mind. "Wouldn't you like to know---about your parents?" It said softly. Ariel's face went white, and I saw her hand fall limp, and her grip on the dagger slacken.
I knew the reaper noticed it too, because it's eyes grew wide and lustful. With a shrill screech, it reared back and lunged for it. The scream had barely left my lips, when suddenly something silver whooshed through the air and buried itself in the reaper just before its bony claw could lay a finger on the dagger's curved handle. It stopped dead in it's tracks, unable to conjure a response, more mildly surprised than hurt. Then I noticed the hilt of a silver, ruby-encrusted dagger jutting out from its side.
Then all hell broke loose.
Four people charged out from the underbrush with weapons raised and murderous expressions. They were the kids from my dream. Only now, instead of a tight pack of friends, I saw a ferocious band of trained fighters. Distantly, I heard Ariel scream. The reaper roared, and tore the dagger from its inky flesh, clutching it's wound with its opposite arm.
The boy, Jack, darted behind a bush, taking advantage of the reaper's distracted state, and drew an arrow from the quiver at his side. He brought his bow to the ready, his eyes squinted with laser-focus as he began to let arrow after arrow fly. He was so acutely skilled that he hardly ever missed. The reaper barely had a second to block them as volley after volley flew of silver flew at it. His quiver seemed to be enchanted to never deplete, and his hands were a blur as they shot arrow after arrow. The reaper roared in irritation.
Chris took this opportunity to run up from behind the reaper. "Hey! Over here!" he shouted, waving his arms wildly to gain its attention. The reaper foolishly turned, and Chris drew his sword and swung at it, engaging its attention as he began to duel. Logan was right on his tail. He threw his axe with a deep bellow, and it hit home, narrowly missing Chris's head. He held out his hand, and it flew back to him. Logan caught it in midair, then launched himself upward, mouth open in a battle cry. Then his double-bladed battle axe slammed against the ground.
Suddenly, upon the axe's blade entry to the ground, a fissure ran through the earth, racing toward the reaper, where it erupted with a blast that felt like a condensed earthquake. The reaper flew back into a tree, howling in agitation. It glided back towards them, summoning concentrated beams of darkness, which Logan barely deflected. Chris ran towards it, yelling a string of words in a strange tongue. All of a sudden, as if someone hit a switch, his sword lit up and glowed blue. Runes appeared and ran down the middle, peeling off it and swirling around Chris, making him stronger and more agile. Now, every time the sword touched the reaper, it jerked back, as if burned by a flame. But even in its weakened state, I could see that Logan and Chris were struggling.
The girl Bree, who had until this point been merely surveying everything, like she was waiting for a window, yelled something at Logan I did not catch. He glanced over at her and nodded, abandoning Chris for a moment as he sprinted over to a dying oak tree. He hefted the shield up in front of him like he was following a certain routine as she brought her leg back, preparing herself. Then she ran towards it at top speed and leapt up, landing on it as Logan thrust it towards the sky, causing her to vault upward. She soared gracefully through the air, her hair flying around her eerily. And as she threw out her palm, and something miraculous occurred.
The tree beside her, which moments ago was riddled with illness, healed itself instantly, and the branches twisted and grew like vines, stretching towards her open hand. When it reached her, she grabbed it and it it yanked her upward. With the precision and poise of a gymnast, she swung and flipped over it, launching herself at the next branch that was already waiting for her. She swung through the trees like a majestic monkey, while hurling knives in midair. And for a moment, I was distracted from the reaper that was preoccupied with Chris and Logan hacking away at it.
Meanwhile, Jack was creeping through the bushes towards where Ariel stood, silent and swift as shadow. At the moment, she was captivated by the battle before her, fearful of both the reaper and the sudden appearance of the skilled fighters before her. When Jack reached her, he tried to hold his hands up in a submissive gesture, attempting to reassure her, but she panicked. She yelped and her eyes squeezed shut as her arms flew in front of her. And then many things happened at once.
Branches instantly erupted from the ground and encased her like a force field. Spikes emerged from the bark and pointed at him threateningly. His bowstring fell slack as his eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment. Using his confusion to their advantage, one particularly thick branch flew eagerly towards his head, and came crashing down on his skull. He cried out in pain and swayed where he stood, before crumpling like a rag doll.
"Ariel!" I screamed in protest. She opened her eyes, just now noticing the spiked limbs that surrounded her. Then she saw the pale form of Jack's unconscious body still clutching the bow. She shrieked in terror.
"Logan! Watch out!" I heard Chris cry in alarm. I looked over just in time to see the reaper lash out and strike Logan square in the chest. "No!!" I exclaimed.
His eyes bulged out, then he flew back and smashed against a tree with a pain-filled grunt. His shield had twisted his arm to an unnatural angle, and his axe lay buried in the dirt. Distantly, I heard Bree scream his name in fright, as she fought towards him, the reaper turning its attention to both her and Chris. She flew around its head, hurling silver projectiles one after the other, trying to get to Logan. Chris fought wildly against the reaper, the blue light diminishing as his strength started to ebb. I looked at the reaper, and at Chris's anguish-filled face, feeling anger start to bubble up inside me. I'd had it with this monster.
Suddenly I felt sparks start to shoot from my fingers as my hands curled into fists.
Chris, who was still narrowly dodging the reaper's mighty strikes, was still trying in vain to catch a glimpse of what became of his friend. Finally, with a determined shout, he parried one attack, and shoved the reaper back against a tree. He turned towards Logan, who was swimming in and out of consciousness. It's enemy distracted, the reaper took advantage of Chris's new focus and advanced swiftly on him. But Chris took no notice of it until it was too late. He turned around just in time to see it rise up behind him for the kill. As he raised his sword to defend himself, the creature knocked it from his hands with a clang.
I don't know what happened, or what possessed me. But I leapt to my feet, running forward and seizing the axe's handle as I tore it from the dirt. Then I threw myself in front of Chris, using my open arm to shove him to safety. I stared at the reaper dead in the eyes, it was only a foot from my face. I held the axe out in front of me defensively. The reaper cackled derisively. But as it was distracted, I saw the familiar golden light flow from my hands, and envelop the double bladed weapon in my hands. I felt that exhilarating burst of power surge through my body as I drew the axe back, then swung it right at its chest...
...and I did not miss.
The axe buried itself in the reapers chest and it doubled over with a wail of agony, clawing at the handle. It seemed that Bree noticed her chance to finish the fight, because she plunged from the tree and landed easily on both feet in front of me. She reached into her boots and drew out two blades, slashing at it like a viper. The golden light still swirled in a halo around me. I faced Chris. He was lying on the ground, supporting himself with his hands. His mouth was wide open with shock. I just noticed I was hovering a few inches off the ground.
My cheeks flushed, and I yelled, "What are you doing!? Go take care of Logan!" My voice was much richer than I remember. Fortunately, he did not question how I knew the name of his friend, but got to his feet and sprinted towards him. I now turned back to the fight. Ariel sat mere yards away, fumbling with something in her bag. Bree was laughing madly as her knives danced through the air. Until,the reaper swiped the blades from her grasp, the sheer force of the blow knocking her to the ground. The laughter was stolen from her as she stared up at it, completely and utterly defenseless.
Suddenly Ariel cried out, "GET DOWN!" A crudely carved out hole had appeared in Ariel's spherical shield of twigs, and she stood holding an aluminum can of hairspray and a match in hand. Just then, a jet of flames issued from where she stood, lapping over the reaper. It screeched and wailed in agony. Bree seized the opportunity to grab one on her nearby knives, and fling it at the beast. It glinted in the air, before the blade sunk right between its eyes. With a roar that could shatter a thousand buildings, it collapsed on the ground and began to convulse violently. Then it began to disintegrate rapidly, its bellows becoming softer and softer until it was nothing but ash. The golden glow surrounding me faded away as Bree kicked its remains for good measure.
The woods were quiet once more.
For several dragging seconds, we all stood around and stared at one another, sizing each other up. Chris still looked stunned and mildly curious. Then Bree shook her flowing hair and asked sharply, "Where's Jack?" Before Chris could answer, I pointed to where he lay, saying, "Over there." Bree looked between Jack and I with suspicion in her eyes. While, in the heat of the moment, Chris hadn't questioned how I knew Logan's name, Bree was perceptive, and skeptical. But as she opened her mouth to question me, Chris asked, "What happened?" Ariel grimaced and shuffled her feet awkwardly. "Sorry about that," she said sheepishly. Chris looked at her apprehensively and abandoned Logan, who was coming back around. His arm was put in a roughly-made sling and his pupils were dilating. He would definitely have a headache tomorrow.
Chris crouched next to Jack and checked his pulse before letting out a relieved sigh. Bree squinted at me and Ariel. "I'm sorry, do we know you?" she asked cautiously, fingering her blade on impulse. I sighed. "My name's Bianca and that's Ariel, and I believe you were looking for us?" I said, daring her to counter my words. Ariel looked perplexed and Bree's narrowed eyes widened in surprise, but her hand did not leave her blade. "Well you're clearly more powerful than we thought," she said cautiously.
My adrenaline was fading rapidly. The absence of that short burst of power left me seeing stars. Bree seemed to notice I was swaying on my feet, because she put a gentle hand on my shoulder, balancing me. She called out, "Chris, I can take care of Jack and Logan. You need to get Bianca and Ariel back to Xiyllia, and we can talk there. It's too dangerous," she added when Chris opened his mouth to protest, "for them to be out here now. A reaper's dead, and added onto all of our auras, we're attracting every foul beast in a twenty mile radius."
Ariel looked at me through tired, but amused eyes, Aura? she mouthed. Chris sighed and nodded, standing up and walking across the clearing to retrieve his sword. He slid it back into its holster with a sharp ring, and gestured for us to follow. "What about the others? Everyone back at the orphanage?" Ariel asked anxiously. Logan looked over at her from his spot by the tree. "You're no good to them dead," he said hoarsely. Ariel met my eyes with hesitation, but I nodded and went after Chris, and she trailed behind me reluctantly.
For a few savory minutes we walked in silence, Chris keeping a ready hand on his sword, and Ariel's eyes darting around nervously. Finally the silence grew to loud for me. I cleared my throat. "Uh, so--" I started. He whirled around, barely-contained curiosity etching creases in his face. "How did you do it?" he asked abruptly. I blinked, slightly taken aback. "Sorry?" I asked. "The light, the power. Where did it come from?" he asked, his eyes trained on me intently, unblinking. "I..." my voice trailed off as I was left with no real answer. "I guess instinct, I suppose." He looked as if he was attempting to stare straight into my soul.
I noticed his eyes were orange and mesmerizing. And they made me feel like a bug gradually falling prey to thick, beautiful amber. I shook my head and cleared my throat meaningfully. "We should--you know, k-keep going," I said clumsily, fatigue creeping in and not helping my flustered form. He blinked and nodded, looking down at his feet before setting off in front of us. I felt the colour rising up into my cheeks. Ariel walked in front of me, unable to keep the smirk off her face. I swatted her on the arm, my face burning evidently. She chuckled teasingly.
Since Ariel was distracting me, I didn't notice Chris had stopped which caused me to run into him, which was not helping my case. I mumbled an apology. But he ignored it, which I was grateful for, though I could swear his ears turned crimson. He waited a moment, then pointed across the way, where the trapdoor we found earlier lay hidden in the dirt. "We're here," he said. Ariel shook her head in confusion. "Bi and I already tried to open it though, and it didn't work for us?" she said.
He looked at her with a blank expression. "That's because we sealed it until we could track down the reaper we sensed up here," he said, frowning a bit at those words. He seemed troubled about it at the very least. "I'll explain it all in detail later, but all you need to know now is that the seal will be removed at my touch, and mine alone. Seriously, you really think we'd be careless enough to--"
"Where does it go?" I interjected. He looked mildly surprised at the question. "Home," he said simply. And with that, he bent down and place an open hand on the rotting door.
In that instant, the wood grew green and pliant again. He took his palm off it, shaking it slightly as if it had burned him. There was a handprint left there that glowed a vibrant blue. All of a sudden, a sound rose from it, like a musical hum that added onto the mystique of it all. Then the blue light was torn from the door and started spiraling through the air, enveloping us in and making it impossible to see past it. It seemed like we were at the heart of a bright, magical twister. "Get ready to jump!" Chris yelled.
The sound was growing louder and louder, and the light was becoming almost blinding. Suddenly the door flew open with a whoosh of wind that seemed to try to latch onto our legs and suck us in. The inside was covered in a sheen of dazzling white light, and I could not see what lay beyond it. "JUMP!!" Chris hollered urgently. There's no place like home. The thought flashed across my mind fleetingly as I ran at it upon impulse, and jumped with my legs braced and my eyes shut tight, falling into the depths of which I could not see.
The minute my feet passed the veil, I felt a dizzying sensation come over me. It felt like I was being pulled in all directions, yet at the same time being compressed into nothingness. I felt a stab of hot pain from the inside out, and my heart beat faster than any human should be capable of. The light perforated my eyelids and made it so that all I could see, feel, hear, taste, smell and sense was white light assaulting every part of me as I fell down an extensive tunnel...
I felt my feet hit solid ground with a thump, and I toppled over gasping, my arms and legs splayed out on the ground. It felt as though I hadn't breathed in a very long time. I felt my insides squirming, and my fingers twitched uncontrollably. I thought my stomach would spill out right there in front of me. My vision swam in front of me as stars danced across my eyes.
Suddenly I heard a similar gasp, and Ariel fell to the ground next to me, coughing and sputtering. Then came Chris, although he hit the ground smoothly while rubbing his forehead. He looked down at Ariel, who was retching slightly, and said, "She needed a little persuasion." She coughed out a laugh void of humor. "He pushed me," she wheezed. The corner of his lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Then as my eyes started to clear, I looked around, just now taking in our new surroundings.
We appeared to be in a dimly lit cavern of sorts. It was made entirely of stone, forming a perfectly symmetrical dome, and a solitary torch resided at each of the cardinal points of the room. A skylight, probably 3 feet square, spilled buttery light on the center of the room. It was so high up, I couldn't see the opening but I could hear the soft buzz of nature above us.
Suddenly I noticed there were white and red runes painted all around us, snaking up the wall and high up on the curved ceiling, making the whole room pulse with ancient magic.
The smooth floor was comprised of pristine, cream-colored marble tiles, with small patches of grass sticking up along the walls. The door from we came out of was solid obsidian built in to the wall. To the naked eye, it simply looked like a doorway blocked with rock. But I could see the surface rippling with spells and enchantments. I shakily got to my feet and stood up on wobbly legs, walking across the cavern so I was standing under the light. I closed my eyes, letting the warm relaxing beam of sunlight wash over me. But I sensed a powerful magical barrier there as well, like an itch in the back of my head.
I coughed again, still trying to shake off the feeling of drinking expired milk on a rollercoaster. I looked over at Chris, who was staring at us expectantly, still looking a shade greener than usual.
"Never again...," Ariel rasped from where she sat, still trembling slightly from her sudden emersion in this strange, new world.
He wisely ignored her and walked over to the far wall, his hand hovering over the rock as if he was trying to feel his way around it. Then his hand faltered over a certain rune that was bigger and whiter than the others. He pressed his palm against it, and all of a sudden it slowly carved itself into the wall. Then the dome started to rumble, and a jagged split ran right down the middle of the stone with a defined crack.
Fragments of stone started chipping away, dissolving into nothingness until a tall archway emerged. The runes glowed blue in unanimity as new ones were engraved in the new doorway by an unseen force.
Just beyond it, two weeping willow trees framed the start of path that rose and fell over the rolling hills in the distance, next to a crystalline stream that trickled along merrily beside it. I could see the outline of a large village behind it, and the indistinct chatter of people tickled my ears even from where I stood, so far away from them. And behind that, was the most stunningly fantastic sight I'd seen so far.
A tall sand colored castle climbed high into the air, resting in front of bold, purple mountains, the peaks of which glistened with snow. The tips of the towers seemed to reach of and brush against the puffy clouds in the clean blue sky. And a great red banner billowed from where it hung atop the tallest tower, a golden phoenix with its wings spread proudly stamped in the middle.
A pronounced, musical caw trilled above us. I looked up, and a magnificent bird soared over our heads. It's blue and yellow feathers shimmered like jewels as it beat it's wings confidently, singing its jubilant song. Merely taking in everything at once took my breath away. It was overwhelming.
Chris took one look at our stunned expressions and open mouths, and grinned for the first time since I'd met him. He laughed and said, "Welcome to Xiyllia."
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Hey guys!! I would keep saying sorry for this EXTREMELY late update, but I think from now on it's just going to have to be that there's an update every one to two weeks. Sorry :(
So I'm rather happy with this chapter, I've had it prepped for awhile. I just kept revising it making sure everything looked just right before I posted it. I hope you enjoyed it, please leave me a comment and vote if you did. And I will see you for Chapter 7!! Thanks!!
<3 <3
-Sunshine712