StarLight

Chapter 47: Mixed Up And Messy

~~~~~~~~~~
Arya
~~~~~~~~~~

That was the wrong way to go about it...
Skylar stood still-stock.
Everyone stared.
I kinda shrank back.
This was not a good time for it.
Emotions were too high right now and only sky-rocketing at this rate.
"What?" Skylar breathed out.
Yeah...
This is... great.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Far, Far Away from Arcadia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The girl pushed the door open to her cottage, falling to the ground in a coughing fit as plumes of smoke curled around her.
She heaved herself up, looking inside as the black smoke slowly dissipated.
Another dud.
Whoever did this magic was certainly strong, twisted, and dark.
However, she knew she was stronger.
She'd overcome it somehow.
Her mother raised her better than this before she had left her father's side.
She ran a hand through her black hair, bronze eyes smoldering in disappointment.
Xena landed next to her, rubbing her beak along the girls' fingers.
"Thanks Xena..." The girl sighed, getting to her fit.
She clapped her hands together before dusting off the soot on her hands.
"Let's try again." She muttered, heading back inside and closing the door.
However, that was not a good idea.
The troll was awake.
"oops..." She whispered, her hands beginning to glow red as she readied herself.
"Bular." The girl began softly, catching the troll's attention.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alden
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked down the street, my hands stuffed in my pockets.
My anger was getting harder to gain control of.
I was getting impatient.
The easiest way to gain my power would be to destroy those changelings.
That stupid promise was hindering me.
Keeping me back.
I wanted unlimited power...
I needed the magic running through their veins...
I glanced up from the sidewalk, a smirk falling over my lips as I noticed who was stopped ahead of me.
Skylar...
However, I quickly frowned when I noticed who she was looking at.
It seemed I had just come across a sibling quarrel.
How splendid...
Now would be the perfect time to begin squeezing in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arya
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jim tried and failed to find the words needed to explain as Skylar stared at him expectantly.
My being tensed and I looked over my shoulder, seeing Alden approach us.
"We can all discuss this later." I hissed, making a quick gesture at the approaching threat.
Skylar met my gaze, glancing at him and nodding.
"Let's get out of here. And James." Skylar spoke, glaring her brother down.
"This conversation is far from over." She stated coldly.
He only gave a weak nod in response.
Alden then raised his hand in the air.
"Hey guys!" He greeted casually.
"We're kinda busy right now, Alden. We'll talk later." Skylar spoke quickly through grit teeth before ushering us all along.
"Maybe I can help?" He suggested.
"No, we have enough hands as is." Was her reply.
I turned to him.
"Thank you for offering, Alden, but we really don't need extra help." I spoke before following after the others.
I glanced back, seeing his easy-going smile...
However, his knuckles were white from clenching his fist.
I quickly increased my pace, making my way to Skylar's side.
When I looked back, he was gone.

Skylar led us to a cliff to overlook the sunset after a long day of exploration.
She messed with the straw to her slushie as she stared off into the distance, her feet swinging over the edge as Jim talked with Claire and Toby in hushed whispers.
Blinky was standing by himself, watching the last rays of the sun.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly.
"Better than most, worse than some. I imagine." She said softly before falling silent again.
I stayed silent too, knowing she would either spill everything or say nothing.
Either way, she needed the silence.
"I don't understand why he wouldn't just tell me I was the second choice... It all makes so much more sense now... Why I never felt like the actual troll hunter. Why I'm not doing the best. I feel as though... He was great at it." She whispered before wincing and clutching at her head.
She then let out a breath, her muscles releasing the tension within them.
"He was good at being the troll hunter. I don't understand why it chose me this time..." She whispered.
I frowned.
"You remember the other timeline?" I asked.
"No." She muttered quickly before frowning.
"I remember fragments, I think." She corrected, placing the tips of her fingers to her temples.
"I brushed it off as Deja Vu... That's what it felt like... Despite the headaches and the vision impairment." She added on before sighing.
She then glanced over her shoulder, frowning as she stared into the forest.
"Stay here." She spoke before standing, leaving her slushie behind as she raced into the woods.
After she disappeared, everything went sideways, Jim having already grabbed a stick to defend himself as giant golems raised from seemingly nowhere.
"You guys take them out. I have to find Sky!" Jim shouted before running into the forest after her.
Great. 
All he had was a stick and he still wanted to play hero.
I unsheathed my knives and looked to the three that were still here.
We could take them.
I ran full speed at the first Golem, Toby and Claire taking on another and Blinky distracted the third.
My blades sliced at the shards of glass as I made my way up the golem and into the chest.
I twisted the blade before tearing it out, the small statue crumbling around the blade after being ripped out.
I moved on to the next one that Blinky was distracting as Toby and Claire trapped theirs in the dumpster.
They waved their hands, catching my attention.
I nodded as they pointed to the tree, I needed to lead this golem over to.
I dragged my daggers across its legs, causing it to swing at me.
It discarded Blinky and began following me as I ran.
Once reaching the tree, I turned facing down the golem.
Slowly, it got closer and closer, Toby hopping from foot to foot in anticipation.
"Now!" Claire yelled, causing me to jump into the limbs of the tree as they pushed the dumpster with all their might, smashing it into the golem.
I landed on the dumpster, stabbing the chest and taking out the small statue.
I sighed, looking to the others.
"C'mon, we have to go get them." I spoke, before quickly running into the trees.
As I ran, I heard the sound of metal on metal.
Jim then appeared before my gaze landed on Skylar fighting the troll.
That's when I noticed Jim was clutching at his side.
"Stop!" He shouted, heaving.
Skylar barely spared a glare at him before blocking an attack.
The others came over, catching the troll's attention.
He backed away, looking us all over before narrowing his eyes at Jim.
Skylar, fixed her stance, readying herself.
It was obvious, however, that he wasn't going to stay long.
Angor's golden gaze flitted over me before meeting Skylar's blue eyes.
"Until we meet again, troll hunter." He muttered before disappearing into the shadow.
Skylar then turned to Jim, sheathing her sword as it joined once more.
"I do not need your help. I may be your replacement, James, but I am not incompetent." She hissed.
"If I didn't help you. You would have fell for the stasis trap." Jim replied, gesturing to the stick he had been carrying earlier currently stuck in said trap.
Blinky widened his eyes.
Skylar only continued to glare before breathing deeply.
"I'm going for a flight. Blinky, check his injuries. We'll talk later, James." She ordered before unfurling her wings and taking to the sky. 
We turned our gaze to Jim.
"You should have told her at a better time. Sooner than you had, I think." I stated before turning away to head home.