Heather's Adventures: The Search for Maxamus

Chapter 70. Max

"Hey you guys are back!" Sheria smiled as we entered the castle's kitchen—or what we assumed was the kitchen. She took the crate of supplies from Heather, "Oh yes it's all here! Oof, and it's heavy, but that's alright! I can finally get rid of that stupid curse! Just give Dawnlight and I some time and you should be all feather free in the next few days!" She was beginning to walk off before Heather called after her.

"Sheria...wait." Heather's voice was dark as she took out her bow parts and pieced it back together.

"Yes Heather? What's going on? Are you okay?" Sheria turned around and put the crate on the table, "why do you look so sad?"

It took Heather a moment, but she was finally able to speak in a somber tone, "Sheria...I don't think this bow belongs to me. I think it belongs to you."

"That's nonsense and you know it. I can't use a bow; I can barely use my staff properly." Sheria picked up the crate once again, "And look at that, I didn't even know the thing came apart. It's your bow. Not mine. Thalia isn't watching over me anyway."

"The bow is attracted to those who seek light and have a pure heart. I'm not a good child, I don't seek the light, nor am I pure at heart with the light. I'm not fighting for the light; I'm fighting to save my sister from the darkness."

Rheannah laughed, "well you're fighting the darkness, that means you're fighting for the light."

I shook my head at her, "and by that you're saying Heather's a child of light?"

"Light doesn't want me. Trust me. Back when we had our tournaments at my academy I would ally myself with the darkness since it was easier to slip by them to take down the light allies since they didn't know what they were doing. I always told them when I took their fort for fire that I was a better light user than them because my flames burned brighter than the brightest light..." Heather's voice was trailing off.

"Well if you're so unsure let's see who the bow belongs to, then you won't have any doubts about it. And just because you said something doesn't mean it's true." Rheannah took her own sword out and was looking it over, "I can't imagine what would happen if I found out this sword wasn't mine. We've come too far together. I guess I could adapt to a new one, but it'd never be the same."

Heather nodded, "that's why I have to know." She put the bow on the ground between her and Sheria, "alright, Max tell it to show the powers of its true owner, the one with the pure heart of light. If I tell it to then it may react to me."

"Okay..." I was a little unsure what she meant at first, but I was quick to remember scripture language. These things speak it because it is after all the language of our Lords. I cleared my throat before speaking loudly and clearly in the scriptures, "Bow of Thalia, display the powers of your truly intended owner with the pure heart that will wield you to aid the light against the war of the darkness." The bow lit up with a bright, warm yellow glow.

Then it spoke back to me. "Who dares question the intent of my owner?"

"I don't question your owner's intent; I just want to know who your true owner is. Is it Heather, or Sheria?"

"You question what side of this fight my owner is on. You think she has more darkness in her heart than light."

Heather turned to me and spoke back to me in the scriptures, "you think that of us, Max? You think Sheria and I are from the darkness?"

I shook my head franticly, "No no that's not what I mean! So Heather is your true owner?"

"And she is your sacrifice. You question her intent yet you have devoted your life to protect her for the next few years of hers. She has the amulet too after all. Her amulet tells me she was close to the cross. The two swords are here too. You have gathered too many artifacts too quickly to even be CROSS. And they were trying to protect us."