Things Lost and Found (a Waglington and Mianite fanfiction)

Chapter 26

Hello again, lovelies! :D I should be studying for my class, but I wanted to post a chapter instead... :P I am the best procrastinator I know...

I should warn you all that this is the last relatively feelz-safe chapter for a while. >:) I hope you all enjoy!

*Donella's POV*

Tom Syndicate and I were flying back to The Fyre wizards' town after hearing that Matt had found James. We had wandered farther than initially intended, and night had already fallen. It was completely dark now aside from the stars and the blood red full moon. I ignored the monsters teeming below us, though I did have to occasionally dodge a well-aimed arrow from a bold skeleton. Tom was light-heartedly sniping at monsters as we flew, laughing when he took one down. A true Dianitee. I was trying to think of anything that could have gone wrong with my limited knowledge of this world and its magic, concerned by Matt's report of James acting strangely. Tom broke my worst case scenario train of thought with a question. "So, Donella, you know Dianite?"

I glanced over to him flying a few feet to my right. The zombie was clearly nervous asking. "Yes, we've known each other for a couple centuries now," I replied, short and to the point.

"A couple centuries?!" He exclaimed. I could feel the disbelief radiating off of him without turning to look again. "Geez, woman, you barely look my age! How long do wizards live, anyways?"

"We don't age the same way mortals do." We started out aging the same as mortals, but our physical aging slowed to a snail's pace after our magic finished maturing. For most wizards that was in their late teens or early twenties.

"Sheesh. No wonder you're all so good at magic. I would be too if I had ages to practice." I shook my head at his nonsense and grinned slightly. I suppose mortals aren't all bad; they can be amusing at times.

"Anyways," Tom continued, "How did you meet Dianite? He doesn't seem like the type to make friends, at least from the time I spent working for him." Ah, that's what he's curious about. I couldn't see any harm in telling him

"He wasn't always like that. Remember I mentioned being in a war with Mianite?" Tom nodded, keenly interested.

~Flashback~

We met a few decades after the war started. I had had a disappointing day on the battlefield, and an old friend—more than a friend if I was honest with myself—had fallen. I needed to get away from the others and fight something that wouldn't bring the entire enemy army down on top of me, and I needed to do it before I broke down in front of my wizards. There had been a nether portal in a nearby village that was abandoned when the fighting first started. I thought the Nether would be a good place to let off some steam without the rest of my troops seeing and losing respect for me. I snuck through the portal with my sword and wand that night and started slaying everything in sight.

Hot tears flowed partway down my cheeks before evaporating in the scorching nether air now that I knew no one would see. The tears ended long before my rage was spent. The familiar sounds of battle and death echoed through the Nether. By the time I'd worn myself out, there was nothing alive within two miles of the portal, except an immortal with red skin and eyes. Dianite had been watching me for some time apparently. I took my hat off and wiped soot and sweat from my forehead with my arm. I finally turned and started stumbling back toward the portal, and I saw him watching me from a ledge above it. I sat down on a pile of gravel and set my hat next to me. I waited to see what he would do; he could smite me for all I'd care. I almost wished he would; so I wouldn't feel the aching hole in my chest anymore. I had failed my best friend. No number of Mianite warriors or nether creatures slain could undo that.