Destiny (Volume I: Shur'tugalar)

Chapter Seven Part LXII - Section 1 (ED)

"Nia!" Rosaminda shrieked, leaping forward to grasp the other's hand. The move sent the blonde hurtling over the edge as well, but Nathan was there to snag her feet. He heaved backwards, the strain evident in his deep brown eyes as the two girls swung like a pendulum, both flinching as they hit the rocks. 

Niaomi's eyes were frantic, the silver completely washed out in terror. "Don't drop me, okay?" she squeaked nervously, voice pitched a few octaves higher than normal. "Don't drop me, Rose." 

"I - won't," Rose promised, clutching her fingers tighter as her godsister did the same. "I - got - you." 

Her speech was broken due to the weight pulled her in opposite directions. Carefully, Renata steadied her twin as Nicholas pulled his brother backwards, helping to drag the blonde back over the edge who - with her beau's support and her twin's assistance - managed to pull her godsister back to safety.

Nia immediately collapsed onto the ground while Nate wrapped his arms tight around Rosaminda from behind. He buried his face in her wavy gold strands as he said, "Don't ever, ever scare me like that again, Rosa." 

She hissed in pain, and he immediately let go, turning her around to face him. Rose gave a small smile and replied, "I'm fine, just a bit bruised is all." 

Eragon could see it was true; her deep blue dress had thin lines running down the bodice, and past the mid-length sleeves and hem, purple bruises were already beginning to bloom on her creamy skin. A cut marred one side of her face, stretching past the cheek and almost reaching her temple; multiple ones also adorned her legs and arms with streaks of blood. 

Niaomi groaned and rolled over, wincing as the right side of her body came into contact with the ground. She looked just as bad as the blonde, with ripped stockings and holes peppering her clothes caused by the sparks. Sitting up, the girl raised her right hand to her slightly bent nose and spit out the phrase, "Waíse heill!" 

The translation "Be healed!" appeared below on the mirror as Nia's nose straightened to its previous position. Nathan began to do the same for his beau, but she only allowed him to heal her face and a nasty bruise on her knee before she stopped him with a gentle admonishment. 

"I'm fine, Nate," Rosaminda said with a soft smile, and some of the worry left Nate's eyes. He helped her to her feet as she continued, "We'd better get moving." 

"I'm fine, too," a slightly irritated voice sounded from the ground. "Just had a near-death experience, but there's no need to worry so much. Please, don't fret over me - I'm in tip-top shape." 

Rose staggered over to Niaomi, frowning at the other's words. Nathan was there to steady her as she questioned, "Really, are you okay, Nia?" 

Violet eyes opened at the words, and a genuine smile replaced the wry one. "Thanks to you, Rosie. You saved my life by risking your own." 

The blonde blushed and looked away. "It was nothing you wouldn't have done for me." 

"But you are the one who did it." Nia shakily climbed to her feet and clasped her godsister's hands in hers. "You were so brave, Rose. Thank you." 

Rosaminda grinned brightly before giving her friend a warm hug. The reminiscence's viewpoint zoomed in on Niaomi's left wrist, where two charms, the sapphire and the hematite burned a bright white glow - quite literally, in fact.

"Ow!" Nia yelped, abruptly leaping backwards out of the hug. Rose managed to stay steady as the other pawed at her hand fiercely, struggling to remove the glowing bracelet. Once she had, the charms immediately dimmed, the gems now as black as obsidian. "What in the name of Tartarus is this?" 

Ignoring his sister's obscene language, Nick grabbed the bracelet for examination. "This is indeed strange. Nia, try to use your elemental powers for stone and water."

She did as bid, pointing her left index finger at the floor at focusing intently. Nothing happened. 

Scowling, Niaomi uttered the word stone in the ancient language. "Stenr!" There was still no change, and she turned to her brother and shrugged. "Stone isn't working." 

"Try water," he urged, his green eyes narrowed. 

Letting loose a small sigh, she followed his directions and said, "Adurna." A trickle of water dripped out as the blue elemental ring on her hand glowed hotly. 

Nia yipped in pain, and as the small flow stopped, the ring cooled as well. Taking it off, she healed the wound and complained, "All this burning is getting really tiring." 

"I've come up with a conclusion as to why your powers are not working, or are not at full strength." Nicholas paced as he explained in simpler terms than usual and gave his sister her bracelet back. "When you used your power, the amount of energy it required must have been enough to burn out - pardon the pun - the lesser element, stone. The main one, water, can still be channelled using the word of power, but has some side effects." 

"Obviously," she said with a grimace as she put her orbital ring back on. "But regular magic should work; I figure that if the physical barrier was removed, the magical one was, too." 

"I shall test that theory," Ren replied. She murmured a phrase to bring light, and new beaming sphere formed on her right palm. Raising her hand, she turned in the direction of the exit (another hole in the rock) and said, "Well, let us be on our way." 

Her twin followed on her own as Nate hovered nearby. Nick hurried to join his beau, and Niaomi took one last glance backwards. The lava was still flowing into the trench and spitting embers across the gap. She refastened the band of charms onto her wrist before turning around and departing from the place where she had almost met her death.