Rough Waters: Book 2 for the Imagination Academy Series

Chapter 11: Ambush

We fly in peaceful silence, swooping in between mountain passes. Soon, our group becomes thirsty from our long flight and lands at a small lake to drink. The water is clear, cool and refreshing. I wash myself, still having salt on my clothes.

We don't see it coming until it's too late. Suddenly, the sky turns black, and I can't see. I stumble about, but run into thick, leathery walls on all sides. I realize I am trapped by some huge creature, and I am under its wing. I reach into my shirt pocket, and get out my notebook and pen. They are glowing softly. I draw out my sword, and draw a set of bow and arrows that Wren taught us to use.

I hear echoing footsteps, and a familiar laugh. Aritch's face appears in the light of a lantern, that soon lights up the whole cave. I can see my friends scattered around the room, looking frightened.

"You didn't fool us at your underwater stronghold." I say, hoping that my voice won't quake. "Why are you doing this?"

"To get revenge." he says. He rolls up left his pant leg and shirt sleeve. I can see cold, black metal. "My arm and leg were blown off when the fort collapsed, and so I have come for you now. You. Chop off the head, and the problem goes away."

"No." I didn't see Wren in a corner of the great room. She now walks towards us. "She is not as strong as me. I am the leader of this group."

"Oh really? She has more power than you might expect. After all, she is" he pauses with a smirk, enjoying the drama of the moment"half sea serpent."

I gasp, but stay standing.

"Aritch!" Wren screeches. "She is too young for this!"

"Look what she has already seen" Aritch says calmly, in that snakelike way of his. "Our young Aurora has almost killed me not one, but two times. She has been in more battles than many men in the human's army. I would say she is quite worldly in the ways of magic." he turns towards me.

"What I am offering you, is to be my apprentice. I would teach you in the ways of dark magic, the mysterious and powerful art. You would become one of the most powerful wizards in the whole world. We could share our power. We could be great."

I open my mouth.

"Before you refuse," he says, "know that you are missing the opportunity of a lifetime. You could become powerful. We could be like family."

I consider. It is tempting, to start anew. I almost say yes, and that frightens me. I steel my resolve, and make my decision.

"No." the single word bounces around the room, echoing ominously.

Aritch sighs. "I thought as much. I have given you your chance at greatness, and you have declined. I am sorry to lose such a valuable young wizard, but you must be destroyed." he lifts his hands, and begins to glow. I blast him, knocking him down.

"No magic this time. Tell me. Who were my parents? You tell me I am half sea serpent, but none of my parents are so."

"You were adopted. Your parents could not raise you. Your mother was a wonderful sea serpent, a great wizard. Your father... was... was lost in the sands of time."

Wren's eyes widen. I glare at Aritch.

"You are lying! What did you do to him?" I leap at him, sword held ready. He pulls out a glistening black sword, as dark as obsidian. Our swords meet in a clash of metal on metal. We parry, jab, and dodge. I don't know how long we fight. I'm a good swordswoman, but Aritch is better. Slowly, I weaken.

Aritch's sword slices across my leg, leaving a rip in my pants and a trail of blood. I clench my teeth and keep fighting, gasping for breath.

Eventually, I topple over, exhausted.

Seeing me weakened, Aritch smiles. He closes in for the kill.

From some hidden store, one last burst of energy fills my body. I get up, shaking, and throw myself against Aritch, knocking him over.

I put the point of my sword on his throat. He gulps.

"Tell me who my parents are." I say. "And I will let you live."

His eyes are frightened for the first time I've seen them. He takes a breath.

"Aurora..."

"No!"

"I'm your father."

"You are lying!" I shout. "Why do you torture me like this?!"

"If you would just listen to common sense, it would all work."

"If you are my father then WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"

His eyes harden again, and he throws me off of him, and stands. "You are mislead. You could be great. You could have power."

"Now you are the one not listening. We have defeated you many times over. Don't you think that your magic is quite weak if a first-year apprentice in magic can defeat everything you throw at us?"

Wren pulls us apart, and shoves Aritch to the ground with her talon. "You are different from most apprentices." she says. "Because both of your parents are skilled in magic,-"

"What do you mean, are skilled? I thought that my mother was dead."

"No, she lives still, but she is imprisoned. Anyway, both of your parents are skilled in magic, one Light, one Dark. So, you have equal ability in both light and dark magic."

My eyes widen. I could have gone down that dark path?

Seeing my look, Wren explains. "Dark Magic doesn't necessarily have to be evil, but it is more responsibility, so users have more potential to go evil... like your father."

I wince at hearing the title.

"Situations like yours are exceedingly rare. There is, however, a forgotten art, a mix of the two that combines both magics' strengths, while leaving out many of the faults. It is called Shadow Magic. This, however, comes with much more responsibility. It can easily lead you astray. You need two mentors. One in light, one in dark."

Wren bends down over Aritch. I see what she's going to do, but I am too stunned to do anything. Her beak stabs down, plunging directly into my father's chest.

I turn away as I hear an awful, otherworldly scream.