Secrets of the Trees

19 - The Beginning Of The End

Kael? A traitor? This was all so surreal. My head can't wrap around what just happened while I'm being sucked through the portal, probably toward my near death. If there is now a controllable duplicate of me, and I am in the enemy's hands, then all of our preparations have been made in vain. Every person who has made an effort in the fight back, are now going to be lead into a sudden death. They won't even know it was coming.

Because of the rough push into the portal, my exit wasn't as smooth as last time. Forced out on my hands and knees, I was back in the palace. On cue as I turned my chin up to see the raging fire in the fireplace, the master began to speak from behind me. 

"Lily! Welcome welcome!" The way he spoke sent shivers down my spine ten times worse than Kael. I pushed myself up to face him. But I didn't give him the satisfaction of my attention, so I crossed my arms, scanning the room for some sort of way to get out.

"I think you'll find that defiance gets you nowhere. Certainly didn't help your mother," I shot him a look. He knew where it hurt. "You see? Because now her act of desperation failed. Now you're in my hands." His despicable mole face was no more. Instead was a black smoke figure that matched this entire room perfectly. 

Only his yellow eyes were easy to make out, otherwise his features varied beneath his dark blue cloak. The master stood up from his leather couch, and circled around me a few times, arms tied behind his back. An uneasy, uncomfortable feeling shot through me as he stared at me like a vulture preying on a mouse. He stopped so that he was side by side with me, but faced the other direction, whispering in my ear.

"Call it fate, Lily, but our paths were destined to be intertwined." Chills ran up and down my body, and his decaying scent made me want to retch. Eramthgins were created to feed off of your fears, and even though I was more creeped out and disgusted than afraid, I had to be careful not to give into him. 

"Right as I speak, Kael has taken his duplicate of you with him to meet your friends. They are going to do everything as your little friend Wymon has planned. On the day of your 'attack' on Wraithmarsh, the fairies will find no one home. My guards will be stationed across the entire land and use forbidden spells to enhance their power to dictate fear. Now my people are going to be in the Hataed Mountains which are on the very edge of our country, staying safe in the caves.

So this means while the rest of the pathetic bunch of you Kloftcesni are still in Palladia, starting a riot or whatever distraction, the group who went to my home are all going to be killed. No, wait, tortured to death. Through vivid nightmares. Everyone will be ripping their hair out, screaming like babies. Oh this will be so much fun! Nobody will see it coming!" 

The way the master spoke was with delight. He reminded me of the Joker in a way, just as digusting inside as out. I tried to hold back every fiber of my being not to try and throw my hands around his neck. But being made of smoke, how could I? Besides, he would somehow manage to just get back at me. I spoke instead.

"What of me then? What about the rest of my kind that aren't in Wraithmarsh? You're going to kill us all too? And why haven't you tried this before? Why did you retreat that day back in my world in the forest?"

"Did I scare you?"

"You aren't answering my question."

"Why should I? Go on, answer my question first." Man he is really getting on my nerves.

"Yes. I thought I would die."

"Perfect," he replied, saying the word slowly which brought out and entire mouth of jagged teeth. Probably trying to remake himself the day he appeared when I was alone in Elkwood.