Virus (A Minecraft Story)

Chapter 35

Dax's POV

We were all gathered in the house the Ocelot Mage shared with her warrior companions, sitting at a jungle wood table while the warriors stood guard outside, keeping an eye out for intruders.

The roof was tightly woven from jungle leaves, the walls also jungle wood, torches fastened to the walls. A chest sat in the corner, tightly locked, but I didn't question it. We were all too busy looking between the mystery woman and Ana. The latter was looking defiant and sad, while the former was looking worried and relieved.

Roran leant forward, hands clasped. "I'm sorry to interrupt this moment, but what exactly is going on here? Ana, how do you know this woman?"

"I must agree with Roran there," the Ocelot Mage said, leaning towards the woman. "Medea, how do you know this girl?"

Ana cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but this girl has a name." The Ocelot Mage smiled, but did not reply. The woman, Medea, looked down at the table, interlacing her fingers. "I am bound by oaths that forbid me to produce an answer."

Ana let out a weary exhale. "Medea, those oaths no longer hold you or me. They ceased the moment everything was destroyed."

Medea glared at Ana. "Hold your tongue, child. The village is not dead as long as we exist, therefore the oath is still binding. You may not speak of it."

Ana leant forward, a fierce look on her face. She looked like a jungle warrior then, with her brown hair and blazing green eyes. "I'm not a child anymore. I can do what I want once I come of age, and you certainly can as well. The village leader is also who swore us to this oath, and he's dead."

Ana and Medea had a silent staring contest; everyone watched expectantly, even me. Then Medea recoiled with a hiss. "You wouldn't. You wouldn't even think about it."

"Why not?" Ana challenged her. She swept her arm around the room, indicating us. "I've known these people basically my whole life. I didn't live in that village for long, and I'm not going to live there with the ghosts. They're pretty much family, and they feel the same way."

Then she glanced at me. "O.k, don't really know you that well, but if you're going to be hanging around, you might as well know." She twisted around to look at the Ocelot Mage. "And you've guessed already."

The Mage dipped her head. "Indeed I have. I agree with you; lingering with the ghosts, burying secrets, can cause problems."

As she said this, I saw Lyta smile nervously at me, and I smiled back. But, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow pass across Tash's face, her orange eyes suddenly looking much more sinister.

Medea half-stood. "Darkflower, in the name of the Creators, I order you to hold your tongue!" There was the sound of something cracking, and a halo of green sparkles burst from Ana's head. She staggered, hands going to her mouth, and her three friends were the first on their feet, their element sparking to life in an outstretched hand.

Medea stared, eyes wide, backing away. "The Elementals. Fire, Water, Air. Which must mean..." her eyes switched to Ana, who'd taken her hands from her mouth. The sparkles were gone, and she smiled wryly at the shaking jungle warrior. "Your spells could never hold me, Medea. I was too strong-willed. But now the Earth is backing me?"

She held out a hand, and vines slithered from under her shift's sleeve, twining around her arm and pooling in her hand like a snake. Ana smiled. "There's nothing to hold me back. I respected the oaths, but now they're null and void."

She shook her arm, and the vines disappeared as she slowly turned back around to face us. I saw her take a deep breath, steeling her nerves.
Then, with a sigh, she said simply, "I'm a Sorcerer."