Chapter fifty-three— The Broken Oath of Us
Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was something wrong with my brain. Of course, my destiny is to save the Spiral. I almost expected for somebody to pop up and say ‘no pressure.’
However, at this spot in time, I felt both confused and knowledgeable. Perhaps it was because I knew what I was doing, but not what I was supposed to do, if that makes any sense at all.
Never, in my life, would I have thought of going with Juan to sacrifice myself in the middle of a battle in a Mooshu village. The main fact is that I don’t trust Juan, but another main fact is that his reasoning’s make sense. If he wanted to kill me off for Malistaire, why get rid of the Demons?
We were walking out of the fight. Farther and farther we walked, and the screaming and bloodshed turned quiet. It was in the middle of the day, but the sky still inhabited its rotten blackness. The Demons were around here somewhere.
“Where is it that we are going, Juan?”
“The Tree of Life. I was hoping you’d tell me where it is.”
I swallowed, my throat dry. Strangely, thinking about my death, I didn’t have the need to cry. I was strong, always strong. “Last time I went there, I had a map.”
“Can you try to find it by memory?” Juan asked glumly.
“I’ll try.” I sighed, looking around. “Turn left. That way is Yoshihito Village
“We don’t have much time. We should run.” Juan decided, and he picked up his pace. I started to run, but I was tired. I stayed at a jogging pace, right behind him. I was to tell him where to go, and yet, I was behind him.
I could feel the lights that were in my eyes dying. The starless sky held no beauty, and I knew the feeling my sister’s would feel. The feeling of overcoming darkness, the kind of darkness that surrounded me at the moment.
I know I’m alive, but I was feeling like I’d already begun to die. All that’s left for me to do is to accept that it’s over; my dreams were running like sand through the fists that I was making.
I put my arms around myself as I half-followed Juan, leading him as well. I try to keep warm, but I just felt my body growing colder. I felt as if I was slipping away.
After all this has passed, my memory still will remain. After my beloved ones cried their last, I hope they will gain beauty from pain. Though it won’t be today, someday they’ll hope again. They will see me, in the sky, whispering encouragement in their ears like rain.
I will be with my mother and sister.
I saw the large wall from a distance, and my breath turned shallow. “It’s past that wall. It will be maze like, but I think I remember the ways around it.”
Juan grumbled something about the maze, but I held my tongue. He scanned the wall. “Will there be any guards?”
“No,” I replied honestly. “Nobody expects somebody evil to enter. It’s already been cursed.”
“So the Tree of Life is dying?”
“No,” I answered, once again. “I cast a protective spell on it. It is stuck in the part of the curse it was at before I cast the blessing, but it won’t become more damaged.”
We entered the wall, and I tried to hold my breath, feeling that sickness again. Juan spoke up once more. “You must be very powerful to put such an intense protective spell on the Tree of Life.”
“Yeah, well.” I coughed, sounding muffled. I put my sleeve to my nose and mouth, trying not to breathe the hospital air. “It’s not like I haven’t heard that before.”
“Which way do we go?”
I scanned the area. Do we go left, or right? It was a maze of walls, and I grimaced. “I think we go right.”
“You think?”
“Last time I did this, I didn’t really intend on memorizing it. Just go right.” I told him, wondering how strange it is to help a guy trying to take away my life.
The best I could do right now was to try to remember what turns I had gone in the maze, and to get through this tough part of my life. The toughest. Soon, my life will only be a vague memory, a presence, of some sort… And yet, I wonder why the Fates put me here as such an important person, to have me die. Was I only here to save my sisters? Or was this an unexpected twist they had to throw in when the Demons popped up again?
Though I can’t understand why this has happened, I know when I am with the Fates and am looking back someday, I will hope to see my beloved ones beauty from the ashes of the Great War. They will not be scarred, by my father’s damage. They will rise like a phoenix, purified by its flames like the golden rays of a sunrise. After this is all over, they will finally be free.
Juan and I turned left, and I pointed him to a few other directions, hoping I was on the right track. I had to be. If we didn’t find the Tree of Life, I wouldn’t be able to be… Sacrificed… And protect my sisters.
As I was walking with Juan, a strange thought occurred. Thinking of my father’s damage, I wondered what he would think of my death. Happiness? Remorse? Guilt? Would he say ‘finally’, like it was long past my expiration date?
Would he gloat?
I could only imagine my family and friends, so angry and hurt, having a deep passion in their hearts to kill my father after my death. Was that a good thing, or too impulsive to act wise?
I could only merely wish for them to do what I would have done. To never follow revenge, and see through the eyes of judgment and justice. To know the difference between what is good, and what is easy.
“Are you alright, Mary?” Juan’s voice startled me and I realized he had been watching me. He looked sympathetic.
“I… Yes.”
“Your doing the right thing, you know? It is not a mistake.”
“I don’t ever believe in mistakes… I believe in failures of the right side of mankind’s mind. One person cannot have one right mind, without its half being wrong. One, who impossibly has a right mind, is as stupid from never learning from right and wrong.” I blinked, now realizing that the thing I just said was actually… Smart. Wise? Was it really in me?
“So you think Malistaire has failed us?”
“I think that Malistaire has failed the correct and good part of his mind, and succumbed to his inner darkness.” I sighed, putting my hands in my pockets, turning to the left. “Everybody has a little darkness in them.”
Juan’s dark eyes glinted in interest. “Even you?”
I stared ahead, not blinking. I didn’t feel any emotion on my face. My feelings were too screwed up, now. “Even me.”
There was silence. We walked for a while, and the maze turned darker, and narrower. I gulped, now realizing that it shouldn’t take this long to get to the tree. I didn’t say anything, however, but I walked a little faster. There was a strange feeling in my gut that told me this is all wrong.
“Caspian won’t take the news well.” Juan spoke out of the blue and I felt as if my insides would have frozen if I hadn’t been walking so fast. “Of your death, I mean.”
“I…” I stuttered, frowning. I felt a tremendous sorrow flow over me, but I turned my head with my eyes closed, willing it away. I’d have to try to break free from the thoughts in my mind to do what I have to do. To make everything right, I had to fight myself, not others this time. “Why bring him up?”
“You don’t know why he disappeared, do you?”
I blinked, confused. “I vaguely remember Sierra telling me that nobody knows where he went. Do you know?”
“Think of it this way.” Juan smirked, putting his hands in his front pockets, almost strutting. “A guy who has only one possible true love-unlike other people, who can fall in love with more than one person- sees the girl he was meant to be with. The girl is mysterious and beautiful, and clearly holds a back round of secrets. Just like him. He ‘accidentally’ bumps into her, but then realizes who she really is. The daughter of the man who turned his parents evil.”
“What?” I stopped to gape at him, almost frowning in disbelief. “Is that why he got so randomly pissed at me at the Enforcement Ball? And what do you mean by the only one possible true love-unlike other people?”
Juan ignored me, and continued to walk on. I was forced to follow and listen stubbornly. “The guy, however, knows about the true love connection between the girl and him. However, he realizes that he made a mistake, knowing that he shouldn’t have pissed her off. If he told her his secret, she wouldn’t understand. So, he kept his love hidden. However, he was still intrigued by this lovely maiden, and he soon figured out who she really was.”
“Juan…” I spoke slowly. What was he getting at? I stopped walking for the last time, watching him with intense skill. “What are you talking about..?”
“He then realized that the girl of his dreams would, in fact, understand who he really is- for she is just as different. Because of his love for you, he managed to save your life two times, and confess his love for you, and yet you refuse and leave like the idiot girl you are. Still, helplessly and as Fate foretells, in love with you- he made it his life goal to find you and protect you. Caspian Nightstone has no choice.”
My heart was beating. I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly, staring into his black eyes. “You know about my sisters and I- don’t you? What do you know about Caspian?”
Juan’s eyes hardened and I saw his upper body stiffen in an awkward pose. “Where is the tree?”
I turned my head, and I was surprised to see that we were in an opening, and a small pond was in the middle of it. It looked a sickly grayish turquoise, as if it used to be beautiful, but now lost its magic. I looked back at him, smiling. “I suppose we took a wrong turn.”
Juan clenched his jaw. “Being sacrificed or not, your not making it out of this maze alive.”
I pulled out my sword, golden and bright and fearless, like a sun in the darkened maze. I pointed it at the sky, and a shooting ray of gold spurt out like a firework, signaling for help, if anybody could see it. I then pointed it at his chest. “I want to know how you knew about me. Were you a spy?”
Juan laughed, pushing the sword away from his chest easily, as if it was as sharp as a toothpick. He wasn’t afraid of me. “I was wondering how stupid your sisters and you were going to get. I was surprised you still went with me after I watched you almost die. I was hoping that you would be finished off then, but of course, you had to use your damn Angel powers.” Juan pulled out his own sword, of which I didn’t see before. It was long, sharp, and black.
Juan raised his sword, but I blocked it, light against dark. “What was Caspian hiding?”
“That,” Juan leaned in close to me, his stale breath in my face. “Is for you to find out, darling.” Juan brought his sword down on me.
“How ironic.” I brought my sword up, and metal clanged together like an echoing firework among the small area of this mysterious pond. “Since you’re trying to kill me.”
Our swords were brought together, and I felt as if I was part of the sword. I felt powerful. I felt great.
Juan aimed at my feet, but I jumped and swung my own sword down, blocking his and twisting it around to push it back up away from me. Juan stepped back, clearly surprised by my strength. “You’re used to this.”
“I’d had more than my fair share of near death experiences; it wasn’t something you ever really got used to.” I whipped my sword around, smashing it against his.
“There’s just one problem, love.” Juan thrust his sword in a jerky way, twisting my hand back. I gasped when I couldn’t seem to block his sword when it dug into my side. “I’ve been a swordsman for years, while you’ve barely practiced, as good as you already are.”
He pulled the sword out, and it felt like a hundred knives carving my wound like a pumpkin on Halloween. It was a burning, searing pain that sparked like lightning through my stomach. The pain made me breathless, and I felt myself begin to sweat.
No. It can’t be like this. How could an Angel be so easily defeated by a mere Wizard? If things were like that, we wouldn’t be known as powerful.
I was missing something; a little puzzle piece of this little story.
But now… I knew what made us powerful.
It wasn’t our spells, or our magic. It wasn’t anything like that.
It was our faith and our strength, and that’s all I needed.
Juan held his sword to my throat, too close for me to use my sword against him. He whispered in my ear, sending chills down my spine, pressing into my pulsing wound. “Your father will be so pleased of me when he learns what I had done for him. I tricked his own daughter into thinking she could get rid of the Demons. Ha!”
“Your missing one little thing, Juan.” I growled. I put my hands on the sword, and pushed up. I gritted my teeth against the blade cutting my palms, but felt satisfied when Juan began to lift, as I pushed him off me. I stood up, hands and side bleeding, and stared him down like a figure of light in the dark. “I’m better than you.”
I took deep, long breaths, trying to ignore the aching, terrible pain I was feeling. I lifted my sword to his chin, and he smiled. “Are you going to kill me?”
This is the part where I always get stuck. My main reason is because I don’t like killing. At all. It sickens me.
It’s a sin against me and my purity. Why would I want to kill somebody?
I stepped a little closer, just enough for the point of the sword to cause a bead of scarlet to drip. “You have killed nobody, so therefore you owe no life. I will not kill you. I cannot, in the name of justice and judgment.”
“So, you’re just going to leave me here, so I can try to kill you again?” Juan laughed, throwing his head back. “You’re absolutely ridiculous.”
“No,” I replied simply, gripping the sword tightly. I moved it slowly to his legs. “But I can cut your legs off, or your arms.”
That shut Juan up. He made no sound, and he showed no emotion but pure hate.
I kneeled down next to him, staring him straight into the eyes as I talked. “I could blind you with a slash to your eyes, or cut off your ears so you go deaf. I could take away your sense of smell, or all your senses, so you cannot find us ever again. I can even make your face as hideous as an ogre.” I put the tip of the sword towards his face, and he winced. “You don’t deserve to be killed, but you deserve to be punished. Don’t underestimate me.”
“Go to Hell.” He growled.
“Been there, done that.” I smirked, remembering my horrible first days as an orphan.
“I wanted to make you feel pain. To torture you. I know you can’t be killed by a simple weapon.” Juan was panting, his eyes seemed starved. “But now I just want you dead.”
My eyes narrowed. I pressed my sword deeper into him then it already was. “What are you saying?”
“The first time Caspian Nightstone saved your life, it was from a knife shot from a bow like an arrow.” Juan hissed. “Who do you think picked it up? It is, in fact, the only thing that can kill an Angel with one little cut.”
“By the Fates.” I whispered. There was a moment, then, where it’s like in slow motion. Where you know whats happening, but everything is too slow, so you can’t escape. I couldn’t get off of him fast enough.
I felt another stab plunge into my stomach.
This was nothing like the stab wound from the sword. The sword’s stab was horrible and very painful, just like it would be. I only managed to suck it up and fight through the pain, because I knew if I did, it would be worthwhile and Juan will be taken care of.
The pain I felt from the knife was through my whole body. It was like I was on fire, and I heard myself scream. It was a high pitched, terrible scream. Every little bit of it didn’t even show half of my pain that you could hear in the scream.
I was being butchered. Stabbed. Burned.
Cut. Trampled. Twisted. Beat down.
My skin was being torn off, and my bones were being bent into knots. Hammers were hitting my joints, and my old wounds reopened.
It continued for a while. Soon, everything became out of my head. I felt disembodied.
I knew I was dying.
I was lying on the cold, grassy ground in my pool of golden blood, bright and different. I expected it to be quiet, but it was quite the opposite.
I heard many voices. I wasn’t sure if it was in my head, or if I was with the Fates, or if somebody was here to save me. The voices were so muffled at first, but they came clear enough for me to hear every word.
The sound of people was like a melody, playing just for me. I lay there, on the ground, wondering if seasons were changing and years were passing. I remembered how it used to be… Now I just can’t go on. I can’t even breathe. I’ve got nothing left- just an empty heart.
I’m a wounded warrior that must give up the fight. There’s nothing more for me. There’s not a road I know that leads to anywhere but pain.
In a way, the world seems not the same, though I know nothing has changed. It’s all my state of mind. People will cry and mourn my absence, but whats the point? In a few years, I will be forgotten.
Then it hit me.
I can’t leave it all behind.
I know I should realize that time is precious; it is worthwhile in the end to be careful of how you spend it. Despite how I feel inside, something tells me that I’m going to have to trust it’ll be alright.
No. I can’t do it. I can’t go back.
There were lights. So many lights, with so many faces. I saw hands; some were amber and a golden brown, or a pale rose. They reached down to me.
If you lose yourself, your courage soon will follow.
No… This pain is just too long… I have no strength anymore. There’s no more pain when I start to drift away…
Suddenly, through the mist, I see a face. One that catches my eyes, apart from the other faces that beckon me.
Mary…
I have to fight.
No, Mary. You can’t leave me.
I can’t say goodbye.
I felt as if I was drowning. I needed air. My lungs were squeezing together.
The handsome face turned into a whole body. His figure was so beautiful, so bright, and so marvelous. He reached his hand down.
“Caspian…” I saw my hand rise, and I took his hand. He smiled, and pulled me up. Behind him, it rippled like sunlight hitting the water, seeing it from underneath. It was so beautiful.
I gasped, opening my eyes. It was as if I had been drowning, and pulled up from the sea, into the fresh air, so sudden and quick. Instead of being with Caspian, I was looking up into Sophia’s eyes.
“Mary?”
“S-Sophia.” I gasped, hanging on to her like an anchor. Tears ran down my cheeks as I panted, barely able to speak. “Juan! H-he has a knife that can kill us, Sophia. He killed me. I’m dead.”
“No, Mary.” Sophia hushed me, cradling me in her arms. She was a good sister. “You’re not dead, honey. You’re all right. We’re all here, and Juan’s dead.”
“Juan’s dead?”
“Yes. Ronan killed him right after we saw him stab you. By the Fates, Mary, we thought we lost you forever.”
I cried in her arms for a few moments. “Why am I alive?”
“Sophia,” Nikki’s voice rang from behind Sophia, anxious and worried. “We need you over here.”
“I’ll be right there.” Sophia called back.
“Whats happening?” I froze up in Sophia’s arms, searching her face for an answer.
“Mary, do you remember when you told us about Jane turning our ancestors immortal? Do you remember how the Death Titan didn’t like being cheated over? It works the same for saving a life that should have been unstoppably dead.”
“No.” My eyes widened, and I cautiously pushed Sophia away from me, immediately standing up. “No, it can’t be.”
“Sophia, we need you over here now.” I heard Abby’s voice, demanding and serious.
“Mary, stay back.” Sophia warned, her eyes shining with sorrow. “You can’t do anything to help her.”
I couldn’t seem to catch my breath. “Please, Sophia.” I pleaded hopelessly. “Who is it?”
Sophia halted her breath, and there was a horrible moment of silence. Somewhere, near Nikki, wherever she was—there was a heart that was losing its beat. Slowly, the breath of a dying savior was gently disappearing. The pond’s water did not ripple. The tall walls of the maze did not creak. It was painfully still.
“It’s Natalia, Mary.”
I closed my eyes, and swallowed. Natalia was so young. So innocent. She shouldn’t have been the one to save me- I was older than her. “Take me to her.”
“No, Mary.” Sophia protested, stepping in front of me. “You won’t be able to handle it.”
“Take me to her, Sophia.” I demanded, glaring at her.
“Sophia,” Nikki’s voice rang out once again, and I noticed that it was near the pond, where the bushes were. Close to that area, there was another entrance from some other part of the maze. That’s probably where they first saw me, being killed, and where they had entered. “She’s asking for Mary.”
I stepped past Sophia, who reluctantly let me go. Now in mostly a clear view of the area, I saw Juan lying on a patch of bloodied grass, a plain arrow pierced in his chest. Not an arrow of Sophia, but of Ronan.
I walked towards the bushes, and I swore that my heart skipped a million beats when I saw the legs of a small person lying in the grass, Nikki and Abby looming over her, Abby doing the best she could with her powerful potions. We all knew it wasn’t enough. Ronan stood in the shadows, his shoulders quivering, but no tears escaping his eyes.
Nikki was murmuring encouragements softly to Natalia, whom bore no tears of regret for what she had done. She turned her head weakly, once pretty and young, now pale and withered. I saw her lips move. “Mary…”
Nikki and Abby and I exchanged looks and they left Natalia’s side so I could speak to her. Carefully, I pulled her up so I could hold her in my arms, to talk to her face to face. “Sweet darling, you shouldn’t have done this for me. You are too young.”
Strangely, Natalia smiled. “No, it was meant to be.”
I felt myself tear up once again. “But why?”
“Another day is another waiting game. A little different, but it's still the same. I am here, but wherever is my purpose?” Natalia spoke softly, almost too gentle to bear. “When you're fighting to believe in a life that you can't see, just know there is a destiny, especially for those who wait patiently.”
“And you think this is your destiny?”
“Back in the arms of my family is where I belong. Back to the peace that I so love. Back in the arms of the Fates, I can finally rest, feeling happy once again.” Natalia took my hand. “But I need to ask you of something. Something very important.”
I leaned forward, trying to hide the tears. “What is it?”
“Forget the fear of dying- it’s just a crutch that tries to hold you back. Your dreams are already on fire, don’t turn them to dust. All you need to do is just trust yourself. You need to dream again, take yourself where you’ve never been and believe. You will become unbreakable, unmistakably. No one will touch you, nothing will stop you.” This took the breath out of Natalia, who was fading fast.
“Natalia, please don’t go. Don’t leave us.” I begged helplessly, hanging on to her body like it would help her soul stay.
“Mary,” Natalia spoke breathlessly, still holding my hand. “I see the Fates.”
“That’s good, Natalia, that’s good.” I smiled, but tears were leaking, making lines through the dirt on my face.
Natalia opened her mouth once more. “Mary, go to the Imperial Jade Palace
“Why?”
“T-they won’t tell me. Just go there. Promise me.” Natalia wasn’t looking at me anymore. Instead, she looked straight up, as if she was talking to somebody else.
“I promise.” My throat hurt, and it felt swelled. “I wish I had more time, Natalia.”
Natalia spoke for the last time, her eyes turning glassy. It was a quiet murmur of a sentence. “It's a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up.”
I sniffed, and nodded, but Natalia turned limp in my arms. She did not blink, but stayed staring up at me, but really not seeing anything at all.
Abby cried out in mournful grief, and Nikki held her in an embracing hug, tears also running down her face. Sophia wore a blank face, and was as still as stone. I lay Natalia back on the ground, wishing that we could have more time to have a proper ceremony for her. It was the least thing I wanted to do; to leave her here, dead, in the maze. We had no choice.
I swallowed dryly, and got up from my squatting position. It turned to the others mournfully, but somehow strong. “We must go now. Fast. We haven’t much time.”
“We can port back to the Jade Palace
“Speaking of under attack,” I interrupted clumsily, picking up my satchel. I noticed my wounds were healed, but I was still sore. “How did you all find me in this chaos?”
“It’s a long story.” Ronan came up from behind us and he grimaced. “Sophia, Nicole, and the others found out about the attack when they were returning to Fiona’s cottage. I found them when Sierra and I teamed up near the Yoshihito Village
“Mary, a quick question.” Sophia added, chiming in. “Why didn’t you port to the Tree of Life in the first place? You had full capability of doing so, considering that you’ve been here before and you knew what it looked like.”
“I… I suppose I didn’t want to hurry into the process of being sacrificed. I wanted to live the last moments of my life slowly.”
“Sacrifice-?” Nikki’s eyes widened, and she crossed her arms. “What is this sacrifice?”
“I-“I realized that they didn’t know about the reason that Juan took me here. Ah, crap. I didn’t feel much into explaining it, now or later. “There’s no time for that. I’ll explain later. We must go.”
We joined hands in a circle. We exchanged glances, and Abby was the first one to ask the question we were all thinking. “Where should we port?”
“I think it’s best if we port right on the Imperial Jade Palace
“Will they let us in?” I asked, frowning. Last time I tried to convince an Imperial Warrior, he insulted and tried to hurt me.
“They have no choice.” Nikki answered, determined. We all looked determined. Abby’s raven black hair was messy and wild, and she had dirt stained over her pale face, contrasting with her shining bright cat eyes. Nicole’s hair lit up the dark corridor of the maze like a sun, her face showing little cuts, but she didn’t conceal the ferocity in her eyes. Sophia’s hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she looked slick and graceful as always. She wore all black, which contrasted with her moon white skin and red lips. She held her bow like a true huntress, and I wonder how she got her bow and arrows back so quick. Ronan stood there, as the only man, his dark eyes full of sorrow and strong perseverance, standing up straight and like a warrior.
And then there was just me, which was all I was. Me.
“We’re the only people who could help them, now.” Nikki spoke once again, knowing we were all in deep thought. “And they know it, too.”
I nodded. “Then the steps of the Palace it is.”
We closed our eyes. We whispered the little porting spell, and in a flash of wind and color, we all ported.
I felt white marble under my feet before I even opened my eyes. The air was no longer sickly, but I could hear the battle still continuing ever so closely. Opening my eyes, I knew I couldn’t see the battle itself, but it was close enough for anybody to hear it.
There were about thirty guards near the entrance, who were staring at us with intense stupidity and anger. They honestly hated us, but didn’t know what to do.
“Do not feel threatened.” I spoke loudly for the entire crowd of guards to stop and freeze their weapons that they had drawn. “We are here to help.”
“How do we know that you’re not a traitor, daughter of the Dark?” A huge, mean looking cow wearing lots of metal walked up to me with a fierce, threatening posture. I did not move, however, but stared him straight into his eyes when he spoke. “You could have caused this battle.”
“Your emperor is a very important person,” Nikki walked up next to me, speaking softly, but intimidating. She was always so radiant. We all were. “And you all know that it’s Malistaire who is fighting us. Thirty guards will not protect the Emperor long enough, so you evidently have a spell to keep out evil.”
“And if that spell kept out strong evil, then why did it allow us in, if we would be evil?” Abby chimed in. She pointed at me. “She did not grow up with the man who hates us all. She grew up with the opposite of that, and yet she is still underestimated. Tell me, warriors, who are the people who are evil here? The side where they underestimate their saviors, and reject them as outcasts- or the side that has an unmistakably and uncontrollably terrible past, and yet, wants to help with all their might?”
The warriors exchanged glances. There was silence.
Suddenly, the large marble doors of the Palace crashed open, sounding like an avalanche of rocks and glass. The warriors turned and grabbed their swords, and a maid was screaming, running down the steps to where we stood.
“Monsters! Demons! They’re in the palace!” She sobbed, running past us.
Monsters? Demons? Could the demons be in the Palace?
“That’s impossible!” One of the warriors shouted from the crowd, clearly befuddled. “It’s impossible to get into the Palace, even by porting.”
“It was also said that it was impossible to port from Marleybone, all the way to Mooshu.” I froze inside myself, knowing why the Fates wanted us here, now.
“Men! Inside!” The large warrior cow screamed, and they charged forward, and we were forced to follow, weapons also drawn.
I wasn’t sure if thirty men could take on what was in the Palace, near the emperor.
Through the chaos of screaming warriors charging into the Palace, fighting whatever was in there, I heard two kinds of screaming. Both were female, because they were high pitched. I recognized one of the screaming, because I heard it back when I was in the clock tower, Big Ben, in Marleybone.
“Danielle is here!” I yelled out in shock, and my sister’s gaped as we ran towards the door. Ronan was nowhere to be seen in the midst of the warriors. I tried to make my way forward, but we couldn’t seem to get past the back of the crowd.
Suddenly, there was a hissing and crackling in the air, and it smelled of melting metal and… Steak. Honestly, it was the strangest smell, until I realized what was actually happening.
“Stop running!” Sophia cried out, and we stopped as hard as we could, despite being pushed by the heavyset warriors. We stood on the stairs, as the warriors unexpectedly caught on fire and shriveled up in a matter of a few seconds, as if they were being shredded quickly.
“There is a curse on the door.” I stared, wondering if the cows could be anymore stupid for not stopping when they saw their own kind burning up. They must have slow reflexes. “A barrier of some sort.”
“Hoc aggere purgandum, sit rursus recipere quod nostro!” Nikki shot a red beam of light at the door and the wall became visible. It was like a blue, transparent, electric wall. Nikki’s beam seemed to send cracks through it.
Abby, as a death student at heart, used her hands to fight the barrier. Black, shadow-like smoke shot from her palms, and send more cracks through the wall.
I pointed my sword at the wall. I closed my eyes, and whispered a spell I had studied in Krokotopia. “En nome da sabedoría, eu axudar a romper este muro!” A bright flash of emerald shot into the barrier, which now looked like a spider web of cracks.
Lastly, Sophia drew her bow and arrow. She held it nimbly, and pulled it back, the fiery golden arrow glowing flickering shadows on her face. She let go.
The barrier broke like glass, and fell in shimmering shards, that disappeared before it touched the ground.
We ran like hell inside, now knowing that Danielle was inside. However, when we saw the scene, it stumped us.
The beast was here, standing on its hind legs, ferocious and hideous as usual. Standing in the corner like its personal body guard was an elephant that was about the size of a two story house. It was not an ordinary elephant, but a green one that stood on its hind legs, and was glowing a yellowish color. An Oni, or demon, in Mooshu religion. Instead of stumps at the end of its arms, it had human hands, large and meaty. One of them held a very large, thick sword that glowed at an unearthly grayish light.
That wasn’t really the reason that we were shocked. We were surprised because half of the entire throne room, which was pretty much the size of a football field, was flooded with hair. Midnight dark, beautiful, and soft and silky to the touch.
Danielle stood in the corner of the room, her hands and feet shackled to the floor. Her white blonde hair was greasy and matted from not being allowed to take showers (I’m guessing), and her tan skin was dirtied and bruised. However, her moonstone eyes shone bright and strong, like stars.
The girl next to her, the one that seemed to have grown all this hair, was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her skin radiated healthy, dark chocolate amber, her eyes were moonstone, but held the sun and the moon and the stars all in her sweet gaze. Her cheekbones were high, but not too high. Her nose was dainty and her lips were full and lush, and the color of a red rose. Her hair, so black that it shimmered a blue-like shine, cradled her face like a princess, full of volume and beauty. Of course, as a girl, I couldn’t help but feel a ping of jealousy.
The great news was this: she was the last Angel that we had to find. The Angel of beauty and love- the granddaughter of Cecilia. The Fairytale curse must have made her as Repunzel.
In the middle of the room was a large table with seven seats.
I saw a cow, most likely the emperor, wearing a simple red robe, lying on the ground near the throne, as if sleeping. I prayed that he wasn’t dead.
I saw the girl look up, and she smiled. I wondered if Danielle and the girl knew who we were, or if we had told Danielle who we were at all.
“Itss youu aggaainnn…” I heard the beast hiss, and I sighed in annoyance.
“I have the same reaction.” I replied back, cleverly. “Except this time, you’re going to be dead and we will be leaving with both our sisters.”
“Mary, what do we do?” Sophia hissed in my ear anxiously.
“I don’t know!” I whispered back, holding my sword up in defense. “The beast can only be killed by fairytales, and I don’t think Repunzel’s magic hair is going to do much.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t believe I look so… Presentable.” The beast did a weird, monster chuckle and he began to writhe. He twisted, and his body seemed to be grounding up. It looked extremely painful, but I soon realized that he was changing into a man.
When he was finished, he had many beads of sweat on his face, but looked casual. His hair was dark, and his skin was very pale. He looked like he was sculpted out of marble, and made alive. His eyes were pure black, with no pupils. He spread his arms out to us, as if welcoming. “Come, sit at the table.”
I cocked my head, weapons still raised. “What are you playing at, beast?”
The man/beast laughed. “Merely having some fun before I kill you.”
“You honestly believe after saying that, we’re going to want to sit down and have tea with you?” Abby sneered, gripping her daggers. She reminded me of Caspian. “I don’t think so, you bastard.”
“Don’t worry, my ladies. I won’t hurt you. Yet, of course.” He beckoned us forward as he sat in one of the chairs lightly.
“You got to be kidding me.” Sophia put an arrow in her bow as fast as lightning, but a huge roar sent a shudder through the room. The elephant demon was staring at Sophia with menacing eyes.
The beast/man didn’t even look up when this happened. He took a sip of tea, and simply stated: “You do that, and you will be crushed by guard.”
“Guard…” I glanced at the elephant. It growled menacingly, onyx eyes spewing radiant darkness.
He smiled. “Come, sit, and we may talk.”
My sister’s looked at me for help, for I was the one with the instincts. I took a deep breath, and made my decision, however stupid it might seem. (Who knew we were going to burst through the doors of the Imperial Palace
“It’s safe, for now. Just don’t drink the tea.”
We walked up to the table, and sat into the chairs farthest away from the beast. This was a business meeting of some sort, I suppose.
“There we go,” The beast put his cup of tea on the table quietly. “Isn’t that nice?”
“What do you want, beast?” I leaned forward, demanding to know answers.
He ignored me. “I don’t believe you’ve met my trusted guard, one of the mythical Oni’s, or demons, of Death, Life, and Myth.”
I glanced at the evil elephant. At least it wasn’t one of the Falsarium-Noctis. We could probably beat it.
My eyes moved back to the beast. “No, I’m afraid we haven’t.”
The man cleared his throat in amusement, and crossed his arms. “I want one of your Angels.”
I leaned back as well, clearly befuddled. I didn’t expect the beast to be so direct. “Why?”
I saw Sophia shift in her seat slightly, looking blank. I saw her hand move under the table, and Abby’s arm move. I wasn’t sure what they were doing, but I didn’t stare to draw attention, even though I wanted to.
I wondered how we could attack. If we attacked the man quickly, the Oni will come after us with its huge sword and heavy body, and will try to deprive us of reaching the two Angels chained to the floor. At the same time during these two enormous actions, we’d actually have to keep the girls safe while we are defending ourselves.
I swallowed, nervous. Think, Mary, think! I was born for this stuff. As the Angel of wisdom and battle strategy, shouldn’t I know what to do?
I looked at the chains that held the girls down. They were probably magically bound, but I didn’t see any evidence. If there was something to cut the chains with or something powerful enough to hurt it, then it could break.
My sisters and I were strong, but we wouldn’t be able to break the chains with our bare hands. We needed a weapon; although I wasn’t sure if metals or rocks would do the trick.
The knife powerful to kill an Angel? Could we possibly get the demonic blade over to them without hurting them? If so, the slightest cut would kill them. I didn’t want them to go through the pain and guilt of losing a friend because they were too weak to fight. No, I didn’t want that weight on their shoulders. Not like me.
Nikki was trying to get answers out of the beast, but the beast was only replying in riddles. Words that are English, but don’t make sense when they are strung together. He was teasing us, knowing that since we got this far, that we wanted more.
I wondered if my father was coming. Deep inside, perhaps in my soul, I felt a shuddering realization. I was weak, and none of us truly knew how to fight. We were good, I knew; but we were never trained. We were never trained to fight with swords, or to learn a million spells, or to even defend ourselves.
Then there was my amulet. I never wanted to take it off, but it may be the only thing that could save me. My amulet was given to me when I had first gotten my powers, triggered by my very first port. Cyrus Drake had recognized something in me, and had fought with my mother when he saw her, knowing that she was Sylvia. My mother had done something to him: probably a mental memory loss spell.
The basic meaning of my amulet is for it to protect me from myself and others. I could not unleash my true power without letting go of the amulet, and Malistaire knew it. However, I was deathly afraid that if I took off the amulet, I would hurt somebody. Even in its sword form, it still held me back.
If I was going to hurt somebody, it wasn’t going to be around the people I loved. Not ever.
Abby’s voice brought me back, startlingly vivid and strong. “Why haven’t you killed us yet? Why bother telling us things?”
The man laughed. “Because, my dear children; I want to see the agony in your eyes. When he kills you, the moment before the lights exit your eyes, I want to see the message ‘I knew so much information, but now I cant do anything because I’m dead.’ It is frustrating, am I correct?”
He?
“I…” I frowned and smacked my hand on the marble table. “What is it that Malistaire wants from us in the first place? Power! He could have gotten that by being good. Why does he hate us so much? What have we ever taken from him!?”
“That’s the very point, Mary.” The beast snapped his fingers and pointed at me, smirking. “What have you taken from him?”
“Do you know?” Sophia glanced at me, speaking with a hoarse voice. “Do you know why?”
“I-“I protested, in shock of Sophia actually accusing me of knowing something. “I don’t know what the hell my father wants with us.”
“Not with them.” The beast quickly corrected, his eyes glinting in amusement. “But you, my dear.”
“What?”
“Ah, the shock. Personally, I think you’re rather stupid. Isn’t it quite obvious that he wants you dead the least, and yet he wants you murdered the most?”
“That makes no sense.” Nikki interrupted roughly, looking uncomfortable.
“This makes you sound like ignorant children.” The beast replied, sounding slightly brittle. “Mary embarrassed Malistaire, for once. She was hidden from him for sixteen years, and he never knew about it. That took away his pride of the hunt and his intelligence, which makes him yearn for her blood on his hands.”
“He would kill for that?”
“No, you little brats. He would punish, for that. It’s mainly the fact that Malistaire wants something from Mary that she should have never had obtained.”
I blinked. “An object?”
“No, Mary.” The beast replied tightly. “An ability.”
I heard Nikki laugh, making me jump. “We all have abilities, you idiot. What do you think we were put here for?”
“Shut up, girl.” The beast snarled at her, and for a second, I could see the ravenous beast inside his human form’s eyes.
“I don’t understand.” I replied truthfully. I desperately tried to think of a special power I could have, but I found none. I didn’t even have a clue. “Does he want my wisdom?”
“I’m not your teacher, remember that.” The beast answered with firm impatience.
“And you’re not our killer, either.” Sophia smiled smugly. “You would have killed us already.”
The beast sat up a little straighter, showing no emotion. “Mary was killed tonight.”
I perked up, surprised at his words. “Yes, but I came back to life when somebody sacrificed their life for me.”
“But you were dead.” He glared at me, dislike in his tone. “And that means you were with the spirits of the dead, and close to the Fates. You saw their hands trying to grab your soul, to bring you up.”
I gasped in horror, realizing that I had seen Caspian. “No…”
“Whats wrong?” Abby asked dryly.
I felt myself shaking. She had to know. It wasn’t something I could bare to keep secret. I felt myself open my mouth, and for a second I thought I couldn’t speak. My heart was never whole, but now it had shattered. “I saw Caspian when I was dead.”
I saw a shudder rush through Abby, and she didn’t move. She didn’t say anything. I saw her soul shatter behind her emerald eyes, and her pale skin turn grey. “He… He’s dead?”
There was silence, save the beast’s loud chuckling.
I was frozen in time. I couldn’t speak, nor could I cry. I wouldn’t, not in front of the beast. I wasn’t going to show how weak I actually was.
“Why haven’t you killed us yet?” Nikki’s voice wavered. “We’re vulnerable. What have you been waiting for?”
The beast’s dark eyes finally looked up, stopping his excruciatingly cheerful chuckling, exchanging stares with us. “My master has given me the right to exchange the body of Danielle with Mary’s newfound ability to be immune to one or more forms of physical damage. The arousing body of Danielle will be my prize.”
“That’s just peachy.” Nikki crossed her arms. I noticed her continually glancing at Abby. She was waiting for something. “Malistaire wants Mary’s power to be immune to dying?”
“Not dying. Spells, curses, all things magical. However, if she is attacked by something scientific, then she will be killed.” The beast answered with cheerfulness.
I was free from the curse. I could fall in love.
Yet, somehow, I felt as if I was still chained and trapped in an everlasting darkness. I was never going to find it. Not after today.
“And you want us to be here because…” Sophia’s eyes widened.
“Because my father is coming.” My voice was quiet, gentle, and frail. It frightened me, and even I knew it wasn’t like me.
Everything happened in a blur. Abby and Sophia made eye contact, and Abby was standing on top of the table in a quick flash, the deadly knife in her hand. She threw it with great force, past the beast’s head, and farther behind him. It took a swift second to realize that she had thrown it at the Danielle and the Angel chained to the floor.
“Abigail, no!” I screamed, panicking. I stood up, thinking that the unidentified Angel was raising her arm up to defend herself in fear and betrayal. However, she caught the knife with a slender twist of her wrist, and brought it down with tremendous force upon the chains that bound her, causing the chains to break like ice shattering.
The Oni let out a ground-trembling roar. It charged towards us, slashing its deadly enchanted sword in furious anger. A streak of bluish white light stayed in the air a few seconds after every movement of the sword, like lightning following metal.
The beautiful girl, now unchained, began to saw at her hair with the knife. The hair seemed to glow slightly, causing a strange yellow aura around the entire room. I dodged a throw of the heavy sword that the Oni threw at me with its massive arms, and rushed to the girl to help her.
I could hear the beast, screaming and yelling in strange annoyance with my sister’s shouts. His words merely surprised me. “Don’t kill them! Do not kill them yet!”
Abby and Nikki were fighting the beast, shooting spells and throwing sharp daggers. Sophia, however, was facing the Oni alone. By the looks of it, she was winning. We only had limited time, however, before the most deadly person comes for us. I didn’t know how long it would take for Malistaire to get here. Wherever he is, I knew it wouldn’t be long. He’s here in Mooshu, and that’s all that’s needed to know.
I knelt down by the girl, and attempted to help her cut her hair. Danielle looked half unconscious, but I knew nothing would come to hurt her. After the Repunzel girl was free, we could deal with Danielle much easier.
It was difficult helping her. I was able to hold out her hair so she could handle the knife more easily, but that was the point: she had the knife. There wasn’t much I could do.
“Careful cutting,” I warned her. “One cut and it will kill you. Trust me.”
The girl looked up, still sawing at her hair. She was halfway done, but her hair had been about a foot thick. “You people are different, aren’t you?”
My breath quickened, wondering how much she knew. I remembered my reaction when I figured out who- what I was, and I had known nothing. “You can say that.”
The girl bit her lip. “I expected this.”
Her hair was almost cut all the way, only a handful left. I stared at her. She seemed to know some things, but she also seemed clueless. “Whats your name?”
I saw a bead of sweat appear on her amber forehead. “My name is Elizabeth
“Your whip..?” I raised by eyebrow, and looked at the Emperor. He did look a little bit uncomfortable, as if he was lying on rocks. I looked back at Elizabeth
Jumping up, I ducked to avoid a rebounding spell and covered my head from dust and objects crashing down from the impact. I ran up the stairs to the landing of which the Emperor lay. Scanning the scene, I saw that Elizabeth Elizabeth
Since the Emperor was a cow, I didn’t know exactly how to check its pulse. Putting my ear on its chest, I sighed in relief when I heard a heart pumping blood. I pulled away from the Emperor’s moving chest, and pushed him slightly aside. I saw a coiled black whip, cold to the touch.
Before I could get to Elizabeth
“Thanks Abby.” I replied, but she was already gone. I gently opened the Emperor’s lips, and unscrewed the bottle. Tipping it into his mouth, a fluid that looked like water slid into his mouth. I knew it wasn’t water, however, when I saw a faint glimmer of emerald in its contents. As he drank, I tried to calm my breathing and the speed of my heart beat. I waited until he drank the last drop, and put the vial in my pocket.
I heard somebody scream, and looked up in surprise. The beast was charging at Bell
I felt somebody take Elizabeth
I rushed down the stairs. Elizabeth
But time was ticking. I could feel his presence coming. It was soon; perhaps too soon. If Malistaire entered here too early, it could ruin everything.
I died once, I can die again.
The beast launched himself at Danielle once again, and Sophia shouted and shot an arrow into his back. He screamed a bloodcurdling sound, but then stood up and slowly took the arrow and pulled it out of his back, black blood shimmering like oil against the fire light. He turned and he fixed his eyes on Sophia with menacing eyes. He looked as though he was going to take a step forward, but he quickly turned around and threw himself at Danielle for the third time. This time, however, he was already too close and too fast. He was too angry to make sure that Danielle lives; he could kill her too easily.
I heard Elizabeth Elizabeth
His head rolled off, leaving blood and his head’s contents behind it. The beast’s body, standing up, fell to the ground in an enormous heap of flesh and bones. We stared at Elizabeth
“That was unexpected.”
“I thought only fairytales could kill him.”
“It was a touch of bad-ass, I’d say.”
I looked at the large marble doors, about twenty feet from us. “We need to get out of here really soon. Malistaire’s coming, and who knows how many of the undead he’s brought.”
“What about the others?” Abby spoke up, her voice miserable. “Fiona, Ronan, Sierra, and Alia?”
“I…” I swallowed, wondering what to say. “I don’t know. Should we leave them behind?”
“Malistaire is here, and since Juan was his little puppet, I’d say that he knows about everybody we’ve talked to. They’re not safe here.” Nikki exchanged glances with us and we knew our decision.
“Wait.” Elizabeth’s voice rang out, sounding nervous. “Who are you people?”
I smiled. “We’ll say our names, but it will take too long to explain what we are, only that you’re very special and so are we.”
I frowned. “Who?”
“His name is Wolf Deathbringer. He’s a trained warrior and has honors in all his classes at Dragonspyre Academy Elizabeth
“Adam Deathbringer, doctor and author.” I smiled, breathless. Elizabeth
“Well, that was spectacular.” Nikki laughed. “We’re going to Dragonspyre, I suppose.”
I didn’t know where Dragonspyre was, or if it was a new planet we’d have to travel to, but all I wanted to do is ask Wolf about his father.
“Shall we introduce ourselves?” Abby asked smugly. I nodded, still pondering about Adam and his son, Wolf. I actually recall speaking to the Librarian in Wizard City
“My name is Mary.” I replied kindly.
“Abigail Silvereyes, nice to meet you.” Abby shook her hand, smiling mischievously. I grinned, but glanced at the door. We had limited time. “But you can call me Abby.”
“My name’s Sophia.” Sophia added, grinning.
“I’m Melissa Nicole, but you can call me Nikki.” Nikki spoke last, but then looked towards Danielle. “And that’s Danielle, if you don’t know her name already. I think she wanted to be called Bell
“Alright!” I clapped my hands, and they jumped. “We have to get moving now if y’all want to save our friends.”
“Should we port?”
“It’s the best way. How about we port behind Fiona’s cottage?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“And then we can figure out about how the beast died without any fairytale resemblance.” I decided.
“Yeah, that part is a bit confusing. But for now, we have to go. Like, now.” Sophia glanced at the marble doors uneasily. “Unless y’all want to die…”
“And then we can figure out about how the beast died without any fairytale resemblance.” I decided.
“Yeah, that part is a bit confusing. But for now, we have to go. Like, now.” Sophia glanced at the marble doors uneasily. “Unless y’all want to die…”
I sighed, and relaxed. Walking over to Bell
Did I just get hit with a spell? I didn’t feel its impact.
I’m immune to violent magic!
But in a flash of colors, we were gone.
