Frostbite [II]

Ransom Returned

"Welcome back, dear sister," Will says, his green eyes gleaming. "The gems?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

My gaze drifts to the sterile white room where Queen Layla lies at the verge of death.

"First," I say slowly. "First you let me talk to my friends."

"That wasn't part of the deal." Will says, gritting his teeth.

"You might as well," I reason. "Amelia has the gem of Light. You tiger can't be revived without ALL the gems." I say, gesturing toward Layla."

"I suppose." Will says with a sneer, putting his mask back on. "Guards! Bring out the gem ransom!"

Which suggested there were other prisoners. Soon after, Amelia, Katrina, and Supreme Commander Day enter the room, flanked by two guards.

"Ami!" I say , running over to her. Jake beats me there, hugging Katrina tightly. They share a passionate kiss.

"Enough with the affection." Will snaps. "Where's my gems?"

"Amelia," I say softly, since she is crying. "Do you have a yellow, light-filled gem on you?"

"I...I do." She says. "It's in the locket." I slowly open the locket and remove the gem, emanating a bright light from inside.

"Here," I say in an angry tone, plopping the bag of gems into Will's clawed hand. "Have your stupid gems."

For an instant, the slightest instant, I see a change in Will's face... regret? Fear? Repentance?

And then, a figure emerges from the shadows and ice, clapping his hands slowly.

"Bravo, son." He says, red eyes glinting. "Bravo."

***

"I did it, father." Will says, ripping off his mask. I now see the bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, the tears slowly crawling their way down his cheeks.

"You can have your gems. I'm done being your possessed puppet." He snarls, chucking the gems at whom I assume to be Thomas, who catches the bag with an outstretched claw.

"We shall see." Thomas chuckles, walking over to a podium with gem shaped holes cut into it. He places each one carefully before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a blue-whitish gem, the gem of ice.

"You better pray this revives my queen..." Thomas mutters, putting the last gem in place.

Colorful lights shoot from each stone into the center, where a palm sized, multicolored stone fills quickly with a bright light, then slowly dies out.

"What?!" Thomas exclaims. "NO! It was supposed to work!!" He picks up the black gem, which did not leave a trail to the stone. "You!" He says, pointing angrily at Trevor. "It's your fault! You gave me a faulty gem! It's your fault if she dies!"

Trevor looks exactly how I feel: completely and utterly confused.

Then, he faces the truth. The undeniable truth... That his father switched the gem for a fake one.

Trevor's confused look slowly turns to one of rage.

"Let's go, Sophia." Trevor growls. "I need a word with my father."

As he storms off, he crushes the fake gem under his boot.

"I hope you don't mind me keeping your friends here longer." Thomas said. "All your friends. I need some kind of insurance, you know."

"We'll be back," I say angrily. "And we'll get you your cure."

***

Trevor couldn't be angrier as we trek our way across the frozen lake that is Cryosia's landscape... I can tell Trevor is boiling with rage.

"C'mon, we're gonna fly." He says shortly.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders and neck and he holds my legs up for support. Then, we take off at frightening speed, with Trevor flapping his wings vigorously. We touch down outside of Tenexria, about the place where we crossed over the first time.

This time, instead of crossing over the rickety gate calmly, he blasts it down with a jet of darkness. Fueled by rage, the darkness shatters the fence into pieces.

We travel the rest of the way to Sodor Castle, and outside I see a very familiar looking young girl bending down to smell a flower.

"Natalie?" Trevor says, his anger subsiding for now.

"Brother! You've returned to us." She says happily. "I learned wilting today."

She spouts dark swirls from her fingertips, causing the flowers to wilt and die.

"Natalie," Trevor starts, "Where is the gem of darkness?"

"Right here on my wrist where it's always been," She says, looking confused. "Daddy told me to take it off while he got it cleaned though... do you need it?"

"Thank you, Natalie." Trevor says. "We need it to save our friends."

"But doesn't Father say, 'friends are just enemies who haven't shown their true colors yet?'"

"Sister, trust me." Trevor says with a smile. "Let me borrow your gem."

"Well... alright, brother." Natalie says with a small smile.

With that, Trevor storms toward the front door of Sodor Castle.