String Puppets
Suddenly, a heavy surge of water rushed into them. When the bubbles dissipated, Revna shouted with glee.
"Jarl!"
Jarl stood with his feet apart as he scanned the inside of the tunnel. It was just as he remembered it, only that the ice seemed thicker and the temperature was colder. In the center, a spring of water generously welled up from the ice. Purple and lavender [not for sale or printing] Crocus blooms over narrow, grass-like foliage surrounded it, looking much like a circular fountain.
Nius hovered above him, coming beside Magni, Leif's echo.
Revna flew to him and he returned her warm embrace, overjoyed at seeing her alive and safe.
"I knew you'd come for me," Revna cried.
"I always do, Mother," he murmured to her hair.
He released himself [not for sale or printing] from his mother's embrace as Oric joined them and bowed before him in respect.
"My Prince."
"Oric. Why am I not surprised?" Jarl clapped the old man's shoulder, pleased at seeing his familiar, kindly face. Oric had always been resourceful. He would know how to survive here.
When he turned, his eyes next fell on Leif.
"You." Jarl growled, his nostrils flaring. In a flash, he bolted forward, his fist connecting with Leif's face.
"What a stupid, irresponsible King you are!" He yelled, "Leaving your kingdom to 'find' yourself and deceiving everyone for years!" And he hit him and hit him and hit him with all the anger and frustration he had in his heart.[not for sale or printing]
Leif didn't even lift a finger to defend himself, or make an effort to ward his blows off. He took every blow with nary a sound.
Oric rushed forth, positioning himself between them. "My Prince, please! The King had more than enough torment to last him a lifetime. Please, stop!"
"Good!" Jarl spat out. "If he still lacks of it, I am more than willing to add to it."
"My son," Revna intervened as well, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. "Hear me out. Then tell me afterward if you still feel the same." [not for sale or printing]
In the next few minutes, Revna quickly recounted everything that was revealed to her.
When she finished, Jarl felt like he had been inside a violent tornado, his limbs ripped and torn from his body. He spread his trembling fingers over the top of his head, which suddenly felt too heavy.
He glanced at Leif.
His cousin was slumped on the floor, his face bloodied. His body was limp, his spirit shattered. He was staring at his feet with empty, emotionless eyes.
Just moments ago, Jarl [not for sale or printing] was prepared to kill him, believing him to be a villain unworthy of even a small act of mercy. But now, Jarl came to realize that Leif was not a villain. He was a victim.
Jarl's heart went out to him. His cousin did not deserve the horrible misfortunes he suffered.
They were all played by Aimon. Like string puppets, he had pushed and pulled and manipulated them to his every whim to achieve his sinister grand plan. [not for sale or printing]
Aimon must pay.
He crouched in front of Leif, forcing him to meet his eyes.
"Aimon will pay," he said firmly. "For Aquosvegna!" He held up his right fist between them, knuckles facing his cousin.
Leif blinked, as if woken from a trance. The gesture brought back memories of their childhood, when life was easy and the only friend they had was each other.
Doing the same, Leif clenched his right fist, knuckles outward, and held it up parallel to Jarl's.
They were allies once more. Their blood bond renewed, their singular devotion to Aquosvegna united. [not for sale or printing]
Leif breathed out, "Aimon will pay," and gritted, "For Aquosvegna!"
Just then, they heard an animalistic, ear-shattering growl.
The dragon.
Jarl and Leif stood up at the same time, their hands gripping their weapons. Above them, their echoes hovered, on guard.
Revna blurted out, "It must have heard us!"
Oric blurted out, "We have evaded him so far. Our body heat must have alerted it." [not for sale or printing]
Leif added ruefully, "And my scream." He had barely finished his statement when the ice wall behind Oric broke apart and cracked into large pieces, giving way to a gaping hole.
Before any of them can move, a giant black claw appeared from beyond the hole and snatched a screaming Oric away. The wall immediately closed, leaving no trace of its broken state a few seconds ago.
"Oric!" Leif threw the Trident at the wall, which instantly shattered. He rushed into the hole before it was gone.
Mother and son watched as Leif vanished behind the wall.
"Stay here with the echoes, Mother," Jarl instructed, as he lifted his sabre to strike at the ice. But he wasn't able to.
He gasped out loud as his sabre, as if it had a mind of its own, pulled him forcefully backward. Recognizing the futility of resisting, Jarl twisted his body and allowed himself to be dragged toward. . .
The spring.
When the tip of his sabre touched the water, it glowed like gold, spreading to the entire blade up to the knuckle head. Then he felt heat in his palm once more as the words engraved in it infused him with power.
AQUOS
He closed his eyes and took it all in: all the energy, the force, the potency of Aquos.
His mother watched in awe, agape.
When the glow dimmed, Jarl swam to the wall and struck it, once. It exploded into a million pieces.[not for sale or printing]
Unlike with Leif, however, the wall did not return to its destroyed state. It remained open, a gaping hole where he can pass through.
Jarl's mouth fell open as he stared at the destruction the sabre caused—which the Trident didn't accomplish—and neither did the Dragon.
But there was no time to [not for sale or printing]contemplate. He burst out of the tunnel, and came face to face with the two-headed dragon.
