Starfall (FJ)

Endless Ice

   Soon, they touched down onto the ice. Aodh changed back to her demon form before they actually touched the ground, causing Hans and Zïâ to land quite hard on their behinds. They stood up, wincing and dusting the snow off of themselves. Zïâ looked around, wide-eyed, at the endless ice of Glaceri. Hans shivered next to her, but Aodh seemed perfectly comfortable. Hans coughed again, into his arm. He stared with horror at his sleeve. Zïâ looked over, and saw blood. Hans had coughed up blood. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Aodh looked over, and made a face. She waved her hand, and cleaned his shirt off. She looked up, and her face softened with concern. She looked beautiful again, with ice around her, so she didn't look as pale, even though she made the snow look brown, and with her face all soft like that. She didn't look as cruel.

    "Are you feeling weak, human?" Hans quickly shook his head, but he coughed again. But this time he fought it down, and didn't lose any blood. The wind blew shards of ice and snow around them.

   "He's cold! Maybe he's just catching a cold!" Aodh waved her hand again and gave him a fur coat, but she flashed a cold, hard eye at Zïâ.

      "It is not 'just a cold' as you say. He is dying, and pretending never helped anyone. Now come, humans. The Glacerian traitors are in the castle." They walked up the hill, to an ice wall, that was made of almost completely clear ice, but it was so thick that you could only see the faintest silhouettes of sonething directly on the other side. They stepped around it, to see a magnificent, beautiful castle made of ice, snow, and silver. It was decorated with diamonds. The whole thing sparkled like water on a sunny day, but was much more intimidating than just water, with all it's spikes and towers. Zïâ saw people moving around on the very top of the castle. Aodh held Zïâ's arm in one hand, and Hans' in the other, and then shot straight up.

         "What am I supposed to do?!" Hans panicked.

       "You will feel it, when you wish for Glaceria's well being."

         "What if I don't?!" Aodh grinned in a mischevious way, which was very unlike her.

       "Oh, you will, trust me."

        They reached the top of the tower in no time, and then she released them.

        "Let go of the queen," Aodh commanded the impressively large Ash-turned-Glacerians.

       "Why?" ,one of them roared.

       "Because she is the queen!" And boy, was she a queen! She wasn't as beautiful as Aodh, but she seemed more human, which made her all the more beautiful. She was chained to the wall by her arms and throat, forcing her head up. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was turned slightly down, like she was asleep. Her hair was bright gold, and her skin was ivory pale. She had cherry red lips, and rosy cheeks. Her hair was long and wavy, perfectly framing her slender, heart-shaped face. Aodh thrust her hands out in front of her, and the chains exploded. Instead of landing on her feet, Glaceria collapsed in a white-robed heap. Suddenly her eyes flew open, and they made her look so innocent, like a child, with their baby blue, and Zïâ was furious at the traitors for torturing her. Aodh looked at her, eyebrows raised.

     "Do you want to fight them?" Zïâ nodded, fists clenched. Adh held her hand out palm up, and Zïâ took it. She felt a burst of energy go through her, and she realized that Aodh had just given her some magic. It felt much more powrful than the gift. She looked over at Hans, and saw him, eyes wide, kneel next to Glaceria, looking helpless, slapping her face around lamely, like that would wake her up.

      "Are you ready?" asked Aodh, as the traitors raised their weapons. Zïâ nodded. Anything for Hans to stay alive.