Forest's Ends

Thirteen

P.O.V. Derek

Misty yelled, kicked, and pulled against the guards dragging her towards the queen. I couldn't do anything, but watch in horror and feel useless, then I felt something hard and cold get shoved in my hand. I looked down to see Leaf giving me one of my pistols. I took it and she turned to get everyone else their weapons.

I checked the ammunition out of habit then pointed the pistol at the queen. She had her hand gripped on Misty's left wing a evil smirk on her face as she raised her sword. Taking my aim I fired. I watched as the queens face dropped into confusion then horror when she spotted me. She dropped her sword and Misty looked up at the queen then turned in my direction. I would have smiled and give her a sly comment, but guards were coming out of all directions.

Coal and Shkya had their weapons back, guards were being shot down left and right. "Derek here!" Leaf shouted and practically shoved all my guns into my arms. Rearranging my guns I noticed Dragco was dueling two guards at once, two more were sneaking up behind him only to be shot down by arrows.

I moved my attention to the guards charging Leaf and me. I glanced back at her to see she had Misty's weapons for her, but from the look on her face she doesn't know how to use them. Looking back at the guards I began shooting. There are a lot of guards and we are barely making a dent in them, "Leaf! You're tree roots would be helpful right now!" I shouted at her as I shot two more guards.

"I'm sorry Derek, but the wards put in the throne room prevent me for that!" She shouted back. I cursed silently as realization came over me. We were all going to die here.

Then suddenly all the guards were turning into dust. Several tried running away in fear only to be turned into dust as well. After awhile there was only about hundred or so guards left. "Misty is next to the queen!" Leaf shouted and sure enough shortly after that the queen screamed in pain.

There were little guards left when the queen stopped screaming. I looked back at Leaf and she nodded knowing what I was going to ask. I flew over and landed in front of Misty. Her eyes glowing slits as she fainted into my arms. I picked her up and flew above the others. "Come on! We're out of here!" I yelled as I heard the warriors on their way, "Coal, Dragco grab Shkya! Follow me!" I waited for them to join me in the air, Dragco managed to carry Shkya by himself, and Coal was helping Leaf carry all of Misty's weapons, which was a lot. We flew out the front doors and in the direction of the wastelands, fast. Shouts of the queen's murder behind us.

We clear the forest and still didn't slow. Going deep into the dead wasteland. Over hills and caves, around small mountains, towards the cliff side next to the ocean, were I found a cave, that over looked the ocean, for us to hide in. It was dark by the time we got to it.

Setting Misty down gently, I reached down to check her vitals. Her heartbeat and breaking were slow, slower than the last time she fainted. "Shkya!" I shouted, worried for the fairy I have just recently met. Shkya pushed me away and cradled Misty in her arms. She whispered frantically in the elven language, then she said, "No Misty I can't lose you too." Tears running down her checks. Leaf walked over and sat next to Shkya as I was starting to pull out my hair. Leaf placed her hand over Misty and looked at Shkya, "Do you think, if I draw a little life out of the plants in the ocean...?" She started to ask, but Shkya was already nodding before she even finished. Leaf nodded and closed her eyes, her hand began to glow a faint green. She held it there for awhile then Misty trembled and Shkya gasped, "Stop!" Hitting Leaf's hand away she said, "I can hear her voice. She's speaking to me with her mind."

"What's she saying!?" I asked.

"She says that Leaf almost helped to much." She laughed slightly, then her face dropped, "No no no, Misty!"

"What's happening?" I walked towards the two and crouched in front of Shkya. I reached my hand out to feel Misty's pulse, but Shkya pushed my hand away and started whispering in elvish again.

"Shkya let me help." I said, but she just continued to whisper in Misty's ear.

"Misty please." She whispered holding Misty closer, tears still running down her checks. I reached out again and this time Shkya let me grab Misty's wrist. Her plus was there, but it was very faint.

"Derek," Coal said, "Maybe she needs the healing of a dark fairy." I nodded at him, understanding what he meant, dark fairies heal each other by giving the other their deathly touch. I looked at Shkya and gestured at Misty, she nodded, but wouldn't let me remove Misty from her arms. Slowly I healed the dark fairy in her, careful not to touch the water fairy in her or we might lose her. Every so slowly her heartbeat went up and steadied. Shkya released the breath she was holding and pulled Misty closer towards her. I sat back and released my own breath, as did everyone else.

Five days later and Misty finally woke up.

"Don't you ever, ever, try and save my life like that again! Ever!" Shkya was yelling from the cave as we came back from our hunt. "Misty must be awake!" Leaf hurried to the cave, Dragco, Coal, and I fast behind her.

Misty was sitting on the ground, looking up at Shkya. Confused and amused at the same time. "Umm, what?" She asked rubbing her head.

"You acted like a fool is what!" Shkya yelled, tears making her eyes sparkle. "You thought of us before yourself. Killed most of the guards, then killed the queen before she could be healed! Almost killing yourself in the progress!"

"How is that a fool thing? I saved you all, even if I did almost die." Misty said trying to stand up, but Shkya and Leaf both moved to keep her sitting.

"But then I would have lost you!" Shkya yelled again with Leaf nodding in agreement. "We would have lost you." Shkya said looking at Leaf. Misty's eyes were tearing up and she held out her arms smiling at her two friends, that bent down to hug her.

I looked at Coal and Dragco, cleared my throat very dramatically, and they followed in suit. Then we tried to look around the cave very awkwardly with big goofy grins on our faces making the three girls laugh.

"What are we chopped liver?" Coal asked with a smirk, which made Leaf jump up and kiss him. Dragco and I exchanged surprise expressions, when I look at Misty I almost dropped to the floor laughing. Her face was one of complete shock, her jaw dropped so far she might catch flies. Shkya closed her jaw and said, "Ya they have been bonding since you've been out."