Long Ago

Chapter Fifteen

"Raven."

The sound of my name brought me back to reality. I hadn't fallen asleep, but I was not fully awake.

"Raven!"

Just then, all the pain in my body came rushing back. The adrenaline had worn off now. I felt the burning sensation and sharp bursts of pain in my cheek. The blisters on my ankles that felt like fire taken form on my body. I let out a small whimper. My whole body felt tired. My bones ached from running so fast. And my head ached from the impact of that tree.

"Raven!" The sound was closer now.

I slowly lifted my arm, signaling the person looking for me. It ached so bad I had to put it down. But, I heard jogging footsteps rushing towards me. "Raven!" It was Ray. "Thank the gods. We thought you were dead. You were taking gibberish, then you just... vanished. Where were you?"

I looked up at where he knelt beside me. He slowly pulled my head onto his lap. His lips formed a tight line as he ran his fingers through my now short hair. He gently ran his finger down the cut on my cheek, and I winced as it sent pain prickling across my face. "I... I was in a witch's cottage." I breathed. His eyes grew wide and his fingers paused their caressing. "I... I gorged out her eye." His eyebrow twitched and a smile slowly began to bloom on his face.

"Raven Willows, you impress me more and more every day."

I smiled softly up at him.

"Raven! Ray!" Apollo yelled as he ran towards us, Teylie in toe.

I sat up slowly and smiled at them. "Hello." I said, my voice raw and gravely.

"Raven, what is wrong with you? What were you thinking?" Apollo snapped.

I knitted my eyebrows, "What?"

"You just stood there while trolls ran towards you!" He yelled. "Teylie and I were watching from nearby... you just let them charge at you!"

"Now," Teylie cut in. "Let us just take a deep breath. I am sure there is an explanation as to why-"

"No!" Apollo yelled cutting her off. "Raven, you just stood there, and then you vanished. I never should have let you do that. I guess my first instincts about you were right. You are an idiot. Somehow you always manage to get someone around you hurt." He scowled at me.

Tears blurred my vision as I scowled back at him. "You know nothing." I whispered.

"Don't I?" He asked, practically screaming it. "What I do know is that you almost got yourself killed because you just stood there!" I realized then that he was more dragon than any of us. I could practically see the sharp teeth and long talons as he screamed at me.

"Apollo," Ray cut in. "Calm down." He sounded tranquil, but I could see the anger boiling underneath his skin.

"Calm down?" Apollo snickered, but it had no humor behind it. "She almost got killed, Ray! She almost threw away the only thing that can safe us!"

"That does not give you the right to rip her face off, Apollo." Ray snapped. "You're right, she almost died. So, do you really think that now is the best time to discuss this?"

"Just shut up, Ray. You think just because you were deemed the Wisdom Dragon that makes you a genius?" Apollo scoffed. "No. You were born into that position. You. Mean. Nothing."

A bright blue light erupted across the clearing we were in. And it came from me. I let out a loud yell as my light lit up everything around. The light felt like dropping something heavy I had been carrying for days. Something tight inside me released as my magic let go of itself and went into every crack and crevasse in the world. 

As my magic flew across the world, my gaze was pulled along with it; showing me where it went and what is saw. It soared everywhere, showing me quick glimpses of the entire world. I felt darkness tremble in the wake of it... of me. I felt and sensed every evil creature hide as the light I was emitting passed by them. My magic flew up, up, up until it was as if we were looking down from the sky. I could see the entire world imprinted on my eyelids even though I was still laying down in that clearing with my friends. 

Darkness covered the entire globe, but as my light was released, it all ran back to a single spot... it pooled there as my light went around it. I knew what the source of that darkness was without being told. 

The King.

My light returned to me as I took in a large breath. When I opened my eyes, my friends were gaping at me. I stood up slowly, no pain left, no bruise or scratch left on me. I began walking, as I passed Apollo, he opened his mouth to speak. I held up my hand, not looking at him as I muttered, "Don't. Do not speak to me again until you learn how to treat people with respect when things do not go your way." I lifted my chin and marched past him. I heard Teylie and Ray follow, leaving Apollo alone in solitude.

Ray came up beside me and whispered, "Are you alright?"

I nodded.

He stopped me with a gentle hand on my shoulder. He bent over slightly to peer into my eyes as he said softly, "Raven. You just spent more magic than I ever thought possible for anyone to even have."

I looked at him and said, "I don't feel drained though... I feel... refreshed."

His mouth slanted and his eyebrows knitted, "That is... unheard of."

I smirked at him, "Isn't that my middle name by now?"

He chuckled, "True."

Teylie came to stand beside us, her face blanched and her eyes still wide. "That was... I have never seen anything like that."

I nodded, "I have never felt anything like that."

She tilted he head and examined me closely, "When I asked you to create a ball of light... that was not exactly what I meant."

I chuckled, Ray snorted then said, "What did it feel like, Raven?"

I shrugged a shoulder. "It felt like a huge weight was lifted from me. And I could... I saw things."

Teylie's eyebrows drew together as she asked, "What exactly did you see?"

I told them everything my magic had shown me. I told them of how I had seen the entier world in a matter of minuets without even taking a single step. I told them of the darkness fleeing from the light I had created; that was unaffected by my phosphorescence. My theory of that being where the king was.

"That sounds like a possibility." Ray said. "Do you think if you saw a map you could point to where the darkness was?"

I nodded.

Teylie cut in then, "I have a map we could use."

"Okay." Ray said. He looked to me, "Raven. If it is the king, that could mean that he might not be affected by your magic if it just went around."

I sighed shaking my head. "That's not good."

"Sadly, quite a few events happening right now are not good." Teylie muttered.

I looked at the two friends in my company and said, "I think it's time for King Peter to take a step down from his high pedestal."