Magic in the Mist

Chapter Ten

     Hazel paced the room, her mind racing with possible escape ideas. On the other side of the room, Thalia was sitting down, fiddling with her sword sheath. The LavaTribe warriors had taken their weapons before throwing them in this prison.

'Thanks,' Thalia said from where she sat.

'For what?' Hazel asked, turning to look at her.

'For saving me you dummy,' Thalia said jokingly, smiling at her.

'I couldn't just let you die,' Hazel said. 'You know I wouldn't.'

'You should have left, Hazel.' Thalia said in a small voice. 'Then you would be home and—'

'And you would be dead,' Hazel said angrily. 'Thalia, I would never, ever, leave you to die.'

'Right.' Thalia said. Hazel walked over to Thalia, sitting down next to her.

'We'll be okay,' Hazel said, trying to keep her voice calm.

'Hazel, whatever you do, whatever they do to me, don't tell them about the stone we need. If they kill me, you have to keep your mouth shut, okay?' Thalia said, her voice dangerously serious.

'I—I can't let you die, Thalia. . .' Hazel said, biting back tears.

'Hazel, listen to me.' Thalia said, and Hazel could tell she was as scared as Hazel was. 'Do whatever you need to do to get you out of here. Not me, you.'

'O-okay,' Hazel said, her voice shaking.

'You promise?' Thalia asked, her voice shaking. 'Hazel, you have to promise me you'll escape, with or without me.'

'I-I promise,' Hazel said, no longer trying to keep her voice from shaking.

'Hey! Prisoners!' one of the LavaTribe warriors called. 'Come on, let's go.' he said, unlocking the door and sliding in.

Just then, Hazel got a crazy idea. She stood up fast, startling the guard.

'Turn around so I can cuff you,' the guard said.

Hazel nodded, turning around and waiting for the guard to cuff her. As she felt him tying string around her wrists, she brought up her left leg and kicked him so hard he crumbled to the ground.

'Come on!' Hazel called to Thalia.

'I love you,' Thalia smiled, standing up and walking out of the prison, Hazel following behind her. The two strapped on their sheaths and held their swords as they walked down the corridor.

'Hey! What are you doing?' a LavaTribe warrior called, running towards them, daggers at the ready.

Before Hazel could react, Thalia stabbed her sword into the elf's stomach. The elf fell to the ground, and Thalia pulled her sword out, letting the elf slide onto the ground.

'Come on,' Thalia said, and the two set off again. Soon they burst out into the throne room where Queen Lamaria and another elf were talking. The moment they caught sight of them, Queen Lamaria's eyes filled with rage and anger.

'Vanara, show these. . . MoonTribe rodents what they're getting themselves into.' Queen Lamaria said lazily to the other elf, a hint of anger in her voice.

'Yes, my queen.' Vanara said, walking swiftly over to Hazel and Thalia. Her outfit was similar to Queen Lamaria's, but instead of a gown she wore a black tunic and leggings. Vanara rushed Hazel and Thalia, her daggers at striking positions. Hazel stepped in front of Thalia, bringing up her sword right as Vanara struck. The two weapons made a clunking sound that echoed throughout the castle as Hazel and Vanara fought.

Hazel drove Vanara back, who was obviously having trouble keeping up with a bigger weapon. Behind her, Hazel could hear Thalia whistle; a loud, echoing whistle. And, like magic, Orian burst into the castle doors, neighing with delight as he galloped over to Thalia. Hazel smiled, adding power to her step and moves as she fought Vanara, who was regaining her footing. Thalia raced for Hazel, thrusting out her hand for Hazel to grab.

Hazel kicked Vanara away with her foot and grabbed onto Thalia's hand, who pulled her up onto Orian's back. Orian raced out of the castle, but right before they lifted off, Queen Lamaria threw a dagger which caught one of Hazel's arms, leaving a large cut mark where it had hit. Hazel twisted her arm to see crimson blood—her blood—pouring out of the wound and streaming down her arm. In a panic, Hazel covered the wound with her uninjured hand, but the blood kept on coming, flowing over her hand.

'Thalia—' Hazel said.

Thalia turned, her eyes lighting up in horror as she saw Hazel's blood-soaked arm. She turned back and Orian dove to the ground, and they landed just outside of the LavaTribe mountains on a grassy field where Hazel stumbled off of Orian's back and fell onto the ground, her vision becoming hazy as Thalia raced towards her, moving Hazel's hand to see the wound.

'Oh, no. . .' Thalia said, turning to Orain. 'Go,' she said to the pegasus who picked up on the worry in her voice and flew off again.

Thalia turned back to Hazel, pulling handfuls of grass and pressing them against Hazel's wound. Thalia kept on pulling bunches of grass from the ground and piling them onto Hazel's wound, but no matter how hard she tried, Hazel's blood kept on pouring out of Hazel's wound.

'What's happening. . .?' Hazel said weakly.

'LavaTribe poison. . . prevents blood clots from flowing through and the wound from healing.' Thalia said, her voice shaky.

Just then, MoonTribe warriors touched down on the field, rushing over to where Hazel lay.

'What happened?' Zozam asked, brushing off the grass from Hazel's arm and pouring water over the wound to clean it.

'LavaTribe poison. . .' Thalia said, looking wearily at Hazel.

Zozam cursed, beckoning Aridixon, a healer, over with a wave of his hand. Aridixon walked swiftly over to them, pushing Thalia aside and wrapping a gauze over Hazel's wound as Thalia got up, disappearing from sight.

'No. . .' Hazel said, trying to turn her head to see Thalia but a sharp pain stopped her. Thalia reappeared and knelt back down in the grass, holding Hazel's uninjured arm.

'You're going to be fine,' Thalia said, but her hands were shaking and her voice was filled with uncertainty. 'Aridixon is going to fix you up, you'll be fine. . .you'll be fine. . .' but Thalia was shaking uncontrollably now as a single teardrop slid down her cheek.

Hazel tried not to panic and turned her head back to look up at the sky. She tried to pay attention to the white, fluffy clouds floating in the blueness of the sky as Thalia squeezed her hand tightly and Aridixon worked on her arm wound, applying pressure in hopes that the bleeding would stop. But soon Hazel felt her eyes droop as she fought between staying awake and slipping into unconsciousness. Soon she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, so Hazel then closed her eyes, letting the darkness of unconsciousness consume her as her thoughts went blank.

Sorry for the late chapter, I was gone and wasn't able to update :(