Ever The Contrarian

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Mercury decided to just accept everything and just sit on the ground. No more thinking for her - she juts wasn't cut out for it, and things were getting too complicated. She had done her part (albeit poorly) and the emperor was pretty much "dead'. Ish. She sincerely doubted she would ever see Baldy again, but it had been a good farewell. Ugh, she hated to admit it, but it did make sense that he was the emperor...! As she sat on the slink carpet, she wondered how the others were doing. Probably not good. Oh that note, let me just write this - Suddenly, someone burst in. 7 guards. They were escorting Iodine and Nox, who both had their hands tied behind their backs and their mouths gagged. Not good indeed. Mercury jumped (literally jumped) to her feet and grabbed her sword. The guards were still 25 yards away, but she could make it if she dashed. "Dont even think about it, or these two die. Where is his majesty?" the guard asked, and Mercury smiled. Stall, stall, stall, the only thing she was good at. "Dead." she fibbed, lying through her teeth, and the guard, who *apparently* believed her lie, suddenly turned pale at the crown in her hand. Oh yeah, the fact that she was holding the crown made her lie believable. Thanks, Baldy!

"YOU PHSHCO!" the guard yelled, and Mercury inwardly laughed. It was good she hadn't killed Baldy, but another problem was Nox and Iodine. They were both looking at her, and their eyes seemed to whisper, Don't. Please Don't, as if they knew what she was thinking. They probably did. That's how childhood friends work.

"I.. I'll surrender if you let them go," Mercury said softly, and the guard exchanged glances. Pondering. Mercury bit her lip. If this didnt work - Suddenly, Nox and Iodine were shoved forward, and, before they could say anything (not that they could say anything either way, they were gagged), Mercury was grabbed by the guards and seized roughly by the elbow. Ouch. Iodine screamed through her gag, and Mercury felt cold iron on her throat. The cold iron of the tip of a sword. She closed her eyes. Ha ha, she'd thought that she'd be executed, but this was even worse. even after I did my part... I wonder where things went wrong. Or was there never a chance? Mercury mused, smiling bitterly. Nox was screaming too now, and Mercury's smile went wider. One last smile, for the ones she had laid her life down for -

suddenly, a brust of wind brust through the door, but no ordinary burst of wind. the strongest Mercury had ever seen by far. By a landslide. The guards were all picked up like leaves and flung against the wall in a sickening cascade fo cracking bones, and Mercury was somehow left unharmed. Main character luck! it wouldnt be good if she broke her bones now. Her face was now a mask of shock, now. Huh?! Gael and Fliourine were standing in the middle of the double-doors now, and Gael's palm was glowing brilliantly. Behind them were lots of grey-green, ghostly humanoid shapes. They were in the throne room too, kicking at the guards and punching them too.

The guards were now littered and lifeless around the walls of the room, and Mercury, unharmed, was back to accepting everything with her butt on the floor. Like I said before, no more thinking for her. "So, Gael, nice magic wind powers. Did you summon spirits?" Mercury asked sheepishly, the carpet soft under her fingers, and Gale nodded happily.

"Yes, but I didnt just summon spirits! I summoned a new friend too!" Gale said excitedly, throwing her arms around Flourine's neck, who looked like she always did - pretty much expressionless. Her eyes were wide and taking everything in, though. Mercury smiled. Ah, but she did owe them her life now. Oh, yeah, guess who else she owed her life to, and was ready to give her life up for? her friends! Mercury turned around to look at Nox and Iodine, who were both not staring at her in relief. They were still gagged, though. "Oops. Sorry. Wind spirits, can you cut them free? I dont feel like moving right now." Mercury slurred lazily, and a few sprits glared at her as they bent sharp fingers to tie the rope free. Phew, who knew taking down an empire could be so exhausting?! Mercury felt like taking a nap. As soon as her friends spit out their gags, they ran to hug her. "Never again! What were you thinking?!" Iodine screamed, bonking her on the head with a fist. "Erm, sorry, but Im alive. All well that ends well, right?" Mercury asked, referring to her mantra from chapter 7. Her friend, though, was not so amused. "Ends well, my foot! You're holding the crown, which means you're the next emperor!" Iodine snapped, and Mercury instantly dropped the crown like it was made of snakes. Guess the silk rug's going to be the next emperor, then, because that's where the crown was. Fluorine and Gael were now holding hands and looking out the window. Mercury peered out too. Below her, swarms of wind spirits were untying elves and guild members, carrying them to safety, throwing guards into the air, and slamming them into the ground. "Ah, the war was tipped towards us..." Mercury murmured, patting Gael on the head. "Good job, you two. You're really the best."

Gael smiled, and Flourine hugged her. The agurds were now all tied up and condensed into one, big, moving, man-pile. Mercury smiled, and suddenly Mags popped into the window from the other side, waving to them. Mercury jumped back, startled, and Fluorine opened the window so he could step through. "We won. I guess there's another person named Rue who showed up to help us out." Mags said, smiling, and Mercury chuckled nervously. What was she going to say now? Oh. hey, ive been lying to you for the past three months, and im the person your hunting down? And I'm Rue, leader of the guild of Ulteron. Ha. yeah, right.

"Yeah, sure. Mags, can you sit down for a minute?" mercury asked, grabbing him by the shoulders (or at least what she thought were his shoulders - she couldn't see through the cloak) and steering him to the silk carpet. "There are a lot of things we needed to explain."