Home Character Bios Important Happenings Tessa's Blog Taylor's Blog Emily's Blog Image Map

Monday, July 26, 2010

Part 39 by Taylor.

"Hello Aelysha," Mintara greeted coldly, throwing back her hood. The beautiful girl was shocked. Where was Stephenius? She focused her violet eyes on Mintara's icy silver ones. Both women were stunningly beautiful, but Mintara's beauty was.... different somehow. No one would think her beautiful when first meeting her; whereas Aelysha could melt anyone's heart at first glance. "Hello, Mintara," Aelysha said casually. She could feel Stepheneis's presence, and she could only hope that Mintara was unaware. Behind Mintara, a shadow moved noiselessly. Aelysha frantically tried to think of something that would hold Mintara's attention. It wasn't necessary. "What are you doing here?" Mintara said dangerously, her staff tensed in her hand. "Just looking around," Aelysha lied.

The shadow sprung from the tree line. Mintara suddenly whirled around, the heel of her hand smacking Stepheneis on the ear and sending him rolling. A blow landed on the back of Mintara's head, knocking her to the ground. Aelysha dropped her modest cloak, and crouched like a cougar, ready to spring, eyes like flames. Twang. An arrow came into Mintara's field of vision. She backflipped off the ground, out of harm's way, and landed behind Aelysha. The wizard knocked the evil girl's legs out from under her, and she landed on the ground hard, knocking the breath out of her. Mintara raised her staff. But it was too late. Stepheneis came up from behind and grabbed Mintara's long white hair and wrapped an arm around her neck. "You're coming with us, dead or alive," Aelysha panted. Mintara's icy eyes snapped sparks.

A ways off in the forest, Kyrian suddenly felt a jolt, like a shot of electricity. She looked furtively all around her. Then she heard a scream, and she leaped to her feet, dropping her herbs on the ground. She hiked up her skirts and ran for all she was worth towards the sound. She came to the edge of a clearing and saw Aelysha hit the ground. She quickly realized the beautiful "healer" and anger filled her.

Suddenly, Kyrian heard a noise behind her. She was almost too petrified to turn, but she finally did. And was met by a soft whuff in her face. "Emerion," she breathed a sigh of relief and rested her head against his silky mane. Wait. She was actually touching him. She raised her blue eyes to his indigo ones, and saw pain and fear. She glanced back into the clearing, and saw Mintara in Stepheneis's grip. She inhaled quickly, and, without thinking, grasped the unicorn's mane and swung onto his back.

He leaped forward, clearing the trees and landing in the clearing, startling the twins. While Stephenius was distracted, Mintara lifted her staff and drove the end backward into Stepheneis's stomach. He doubled over in pain, and while Mintara still faced Aelysha, she kicked him in the face, snapping his head back and landing him on the ground. Emerion, Kyrian still aboard, reared and charged at Aelysha. She turned to face them defiantly, then leaped out of the way at the last second, barely escaping his razor-sharp, silver horn. She came out of her roll and sent a blast of green flame after Kyrian's retreating back.

It struck her squarely and knocked her off her mount, searing heat washing over her motionless form. Emerion skidded to a stop and wheeled around on his haunches. A slim figure blocked his way. In a quick, fluid motion, Aelysha whipped a cord like steel around his nose, twisting his head around and throwing him to the ground with a squeal. She got on top of his head and held the point of an arrow to his throat.

Meanwhile, Stepheneis, battling Mintara, ducked a blow from her staff, and, muttering a strange incantation, moved his hand forward and flung her backwards across the glade. He ran over to the unconscious Kyrian and grabbed her collar, dragging her to her feet and waking her up.

Mintara struggled to her feet and lifted her staff, a bolt of light ready at the tip to obliterate anyone who came against her. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the scene unfolded in front of her. Aelysha held Emerion's head down, an arrow poised at his throat, and Kyrian in Stepheneis's clutches, a small, black dagger with its tip resting on her neck. "It's time to make a choice!" Stepheneis yelled. "All we want is the girl. Choose who will live," Aelysha said, nodding to Kyrian, who's terror made her breath come hard and short. Mintara stood undecided, her heart frozen with the decision she had to make, eyes darting to Emerion's liquid, gentle eyes, and Kyrian's large, terror-stricken ones. It was the hardest choice she had ever had to make, or would ever make, but it was made in an instant.

Closing her eyes for a moment to draw strength, she pointed at Kyrian in one, eternal instant. Stephenius released her and nodded to Aelysha. Mintara dropped into blackness as Emerion's scream pierced her innermost being.

"Mintara." She opened her eyes and saw a blurry image in front of her eyes. She blinked several times, and her vision cleared. Kyrian was leaning over her, looking at her with concern. Mintara glanced over and saw Tomas, Landlion, and Laurel standing near. Suddenly, it all came back to her. She moaned in agony and closed her eyes. "She's in shock," she heard Landlion say before darkness again claimed her.

"What're we going to do?" Laurel said sadly. They had taken Mintara to Kyrian's house to wait for her to wake up. "I don't know," Tomas sighed. He glanced over and saw Kyrian huddled at the base of a giant dogwood. "Kyrian?" he questioned. "It's all my fault!" she cried, bursting into tears. "If I would have dodged that fireball, then everything would be fine! Emerion wouldn't be gone, and those two wouldn't have escaped!" Tomas sat next to her and comforted her. Laurel and Landlion moved away to leave them alone. "Kyrian, you can't blame yourself," Tomas gently admonished. But Kyrian just sat and cried for a long time.


When she was under control, she went to her house to watch Mintara and be with Laurel. "Come one, Tomas, we need to take care of things. Without the girls," Landlion said, motioning for him to follow. Tomas understood what he was insinuating, and followed him to the clearing. "It will be hard to dig a grave for such a large animal, but-" Landlion's voice trailed off as they entered the clearing where Emerion had been slaughtered. There was no trace of the unicorn's body. "Where is he?" Tomas asked, thinking that some of the elves had already moved him. "I don't know," Landlion said, his voice betraying the confusion that he felt. "Wait. You mean that that body isn't here? It's disappeared?" Tomas's voice sounded strangely excited. "Um, yeah, I guess so." Landlion turned to face him. "Why?" Tomas's eyes danced. "I'm not sure yet." He ran off toward his temporary hut and slammed the door, leaving Landlion standing there, wide-eyed.

Several hours later, Tomas was pouring over his books. Landlion silently entered behind him. "Where did you get these?" Landlion asked in amazement. "From the library," Tomas answered briefly. Landlion picked up a thick book and looked at it's cover. "'Ancient Potions and Spells'," Landlion read. He raised an eyebrow at Tomas, who leaned back and rubbed his eyes. "Just reading up on a theory. Emerion's gone, right? Well, that girl apparently killed him with a special arrow, tipped with a special potion."
"What does that mean?" Landlion asked.
Tomas sighed. "It means that Emerion's not dead."
"He isn't? But how?" Landlion was becoming intrigued. "That girl has him," Tomas answered. "He's like linked to her now. Her fate is his. His spirit lives on. If she dies, his spirit dies. If she lives, he does."
"But how do we set him free without killing her?" Landlion asked.
"Well, that's the tricky part," Tomas sighed. "We need a special potion, to kill her without killing him. We'll dip some type of weapon in it and stab her with it. It's the only way. It's a slim chance, but it is a chance." He looked at Landlion. "What do you think?" he asked. Landlion's eyes lit up. "Let's try it."

6 comments:

Emily Ann said...

Eep!!! I love it!!! That was my exciting reading fix for this evening. =D =D

If Tessa dosn't write the next part soon I might just have to.

In Christ,
Emily

Pink Panther said...

It wasn't too confusing? The last part seemed a little tricky to understand. =/ Glad you liked it! It just may be the longest part I have ever written on this story! (which is saying a lot!) =D

Yes, yes, write the next part! *jumps up and down*

Emily Ann said...

Well it was a slight bit confusing. Like how and why does Tomas have all those books in his hut? He just moved there a few days ago...also he never had those books with him when they were traveling before.
So maybe he went to a library instead.

Also you spelled Stepheneis 'Stephenius' a few times.
I think I've scoured the chapter and I don't see anything else wrong with it.

In Christ,
Emily

Tessa Voccola said...

Sorry Taylor! I've been in Atlanta on a mission trip! I love this part though! I love the whole complicated mess of things going on!

Pink Panther said...

Awww, it doesn't matter. =) Yeah, it's pretty weird! But pretty sweet. =D

Pink Panther said...

Sorry Emily! I realized that I had spelled it wrong when I finished, and I went back through and tried to fix all of the times I had written his name wrong, but evidently, I missed a few. =(