World Of Light (Arula: Two)

Chapter 18

Karma's head swam and she felt ill. Her eyes rolled as they opened, her eyes were watery, and she had to blink to wipe them way. A dark, hooded figure squatted before her, his face hidden underneath his hood of the cloak he wore. "Well, well," he said in a smooth voice. "So, she lives," Karma tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out, she spat as she tried again. "Don't even try," the cloaked figure said and took out leather pouch filled with dust. "Recognize these? No? Don't worry I don't blame you. They're numberries. Very useful indeed. All you need do is let them dry and pound them into dust, add few things here and there and bingo! It works just like chloroform."

The cloaked figure shifted on his feet and tilted his head at Karma. "So," he continued. "This is the almighty Creator I've heard so much about." he said Creator with a tone of hatred "But let me tell you this, Creator, or should I call you by your real name, mm Karma?" Karma's eyes widen at this. Who was this man? How did he know her real name? "As I was saying though, let me tell this. You may be able to stop a bunch of rock brained ogres, but the real war is coming, and there are so many secrets in this world that you've yet to come to understand.

"You don't know who you're messing with here, Creator, not at all." Then gripping her chin with his dried fingers, he forced Karma to looked at him, even though she still couldn't see his face. "So don't go around poking in something that could possibly be your end."

"W-who are you?" Karma managed to say and the man laughed, cruelly.

"All in good time, m'dear, all in good time... Shush... Do you hear that?" Karma had to strain her ears to hear what this insane man was hearing. Her eyes widen when she heard it. Screaming.

"W-what did you do?" Karma said, horrified

"Oh no, Creator, it's what you did." He said with cool tone in his voice. Karma could tell he was smiling from beneath his hood. "Just remember, you can't always stop a war, sometimes you just need to let it play out. For who knows! It might be a good thing. You can't stop these Clans from destroying each other, you can only sit back and watch as they rip one another's throats out. You hear? Because your time in this world is coming to an end you can't stop what's already begun."

The hooded figure released Karma's chin and sat back. "For instance, you can't stop what's going on right now." Karma looked at the direction from where she heard the screaming. Standing up, she made way towards it, but not before the hooded figure grabbed her arm with his strong hands. "Heed my words, Creator, and heed them good... by the way, I'm glad you wore the dress I picked out." And with a hard shove, Karma went down into the dirt. When she turned back, he was gone. Shaking and horrified, Karma staggered toward the screams.

----

When Karma reached the sprite village, her heart skipped a beat. The palace, it was on fire. No, she thought. No! Karma raced forward and toward the burning palace. It wasn't long until two strong arms pulled her back. She about to punch whoever was holding her and found out that is was Omar. "There you are!" He shouted. "Where you've been?! I thought you were in the palace. What happened to you?"

Karma looked at Omar with guilty green eyes. "I...I...I..."

"The Queen!" Someone shouted, interrupting Karma. "She's still in there! We need to find her!"

"I'll go!" Said Captain Alastar and he raced into the palace just as the burning doors crashed behind him, blocking anyone from leaving or entering. Sprites all around raced through the skies with buckets of water as they tried to tame the flames.

"We have to help!" Karma said, as she broke away from Omar's grip. It was Dagner who stopped her, no longer drunk, he said,

"Whoa there, Lass. It's already too late. There's no way in, nor out. It's best if you stay here."

"Screw that!" she said and tried to push the dwarf side, but Omar came up beside her and grabbed her again.

"Please," Omar begged. "Just for once listen." And sadly, when Karma looked at the elf's hazel eyes, she did. It seemed liked hours before the flames had finally died away. And Karma stood there, looking at the palace. Children cried and mothers hushed them. Nothing could be done, and nothing could be said. They all waited, waiting for a miracle.

"I see something!" Cried a sprite. Coming out from the burned doors, Captain Alastar came into view. He was burnt in many places and he had a solemn look on his face.

"I have announcement," he declared in a tiresome voice. "The Queen... is dead."