Twilight Shadows

Chapter 47

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The hooded figure's lips curved into a cruel sneer. A thin, bony hand reached for his hood, pulling it off.

"Stephanie Johnson," He regarded me with interest. "How nice of you to join us."

I clenched my hands into fists. I could feel Derrick's body radiate a sense of flaming power, his sword clenched tightly in his hands.

"Don't you dare go near us," Derrick hissed. Lord Seth turned his attention to Derrick instead.

"Well," He simply said. "A citizen from the long lost Fire Kingdom. Son of Keegan, I suppose? Ah, you greatly resemble your humble father." Lord Seth smirked.

Derrick clenched his fists tighter, his sword vibrating.

"Looks like I just touched a nerve," Lord Seth said calmly, his grey eyes swooping over me. "But that's not my concern. I need her. My master needs her." Lord Seth said greedily, taking a step closer to us.

Derrick whipped into action, his sword a blur of blinding fire. It cut through the lord easily, taking no damage.

"That was very unwise." Lord Seth remarked. Suddenly, he cried, "Kill the spare!"

I glanced around. Boiling bubbles of black goo erupted from the well-kept, tidy grass. They took the form of gladiator soldiers, just like the ones in the Graveyard.

I gasped. "Them!" I cried out. Midnight appeared in my hand, now a scythe.

Lord Seth smiled evilly. "So, so weak and vulnerable. My poor, poor Healer." Lord Seth was clearly enjoying himself.

"Derrick, you've got to get out of here!" I yelled at him, but he seemed rooted to the spot.

"I am not leaving you!" He spat at me. I felt taken aback. I wasn't sure I heard right.

"Derrick, I - You -" I stuttered uselessly.

He grinned, his eyes ablaze with Deathly fire. "I gotcha covered." Derrick pulled out the vial of ancient fire that he had taken momentarily earlier, and spread it on the floor. The fire spread immediately, effecting the gladiators.

They fell back immediately, dissolving into black dust. 

I heard Derrick mutter, "One time use only... I'm out." Lord Seth narrowed his eyes at us.

Suddenly, he said, "Peter. Get the girl!" 

"P-Peter?" I stammered. I wobbled on my legs, uncertain. A blur of black circled us, moving rapidly. Lord Seth smiled cruelly. Derrick glowered at him, clutching his sword tightly.

I felt a sharp strike at my shoulder blade, and I screamed. Hot, searing pain coursed through my body. Blood dripped from my wound to the fresh, mint grass. I breathed rapidly, gripping Midnight so hard my knuckles turned white.

I tried to pinpoint where Peter was, but he was a shadow; a blur of black moving swiftly. I put a hand over my wound and healed it quickly, grateful for the training.

Another accurate stab. My thigh felt like it was on fire. I healed that too, but I could already tell a few more times of this would tire me out.

"Derrick," I said. He turned his head towards me. "I can't keep this up. They're going to tire me out!"

Lord Seth's cold grey eyes glinted from outside the circling Peter. "Looks like our Healer isn't as empty-headed as we thought."

Anger boiled inside of me. Slashing out with Midnight, I felt like I nicked something. I was rewarded with a low grunt. My attacks became more precise and timed, and Peter started slowing down.

"Help me," I panted to Derrick. He nodded, and started slashing out wildly.

My eyes narrowed at Peter. His green eyes caught mine's, with a blank, empty stare about them. Midnight became a short dagger, and I used it to dig it into Peter's back, and I flipped over him, taking Midnight with me. He howled in fury and stopped, his hand gripping his back.

I returned his cold, hard glare, showing no mercy. Lord Seth advanced on us, and Derrick moved swiftly to my side.

"We can do this the easier way." Lord Seth said, his voice dangerously soft. "Or, we can do this the hard way." He snapped his fingers, and ropes sprung from the ground. They did not bind us - yet.

A deadly-looking saber appeared in the lord's hand, and he pointed it at Derrick's throat.

"Come quietly, and maybe your friend here won't have to suffer a slow, painful death." Lord Seth said, his eyes void of emotion. "So what will it be?" Lord Seth pressed the sword into Derrick's throat slowly.

Derrick made small movement with his hand that was not holding his sword. Blood trickled down from his throat to the ground. He was breathing heavily. His amber eyes had no more of its usual tinge of fire.

"Okay!" I suddenly shouted, Midnight disappearing.

Lord Seth withdrew the saber, and it disappeared. Derrick's wound disappeared of its own accord too. Peter hobbled over to Lord Seth, awaiting further instructions.

"Take her to the Tree," Lord Seth barked to Peter. "I'll deal with the Flame Wielder."

Peter limped over to me, taking me roughly and firmly by the arms. Frankly, I was relieved that I had done the training back at the camp. Although Peter was injured, his grip was strong, but not as strong as Derrick's. I smiled to myself.

Peter led me over to the Tree, blood still trickling from the wounds that I had caused before. Pretending to stumble over a rock that was jutting out, I fell. Taking advantage of the shock, Peter tried to jerk me upwards.

I thrust my head backwards, connecting with his jaw. His grip slackened, and I was able to wriggle out. I punched him on the stomach, and he doubled-over, coughing.

I swept him off his feet with a low swipe of my leg, and summoned Midnight again, pointing it at Peter's chest.

"You traitor," I growled at him. He looked up at me in fear, scrambling away. Midnight transformed into two daggers, and I threw it at Peter, both of them landing in front of him, making him retreat.

"Is there any way to prevent the Evil to awaken? An antidote?" I asked, and Midnight returned to my hand, now a balanced sword. 

Peter glowered at me. "I won't tell you." He seethed stubbornly. I pointed Midnight to his throat, millimeters away from his skin. Peter paled, sweating.

"Tell me." I hissed. "Or this may be the last thing you'll ever do before you die." I nicked a bit of Peter's skin, drawing blood. He yelped.

"Fine!" Peter said, breathing heavily. "There is a weakness in the Tree," Peter closed his eyes, as if relieving something painful. "The part that gets all the nutrients. If I'm not mistaken, Evil hasn't rose to the trunk of the Tree yet. It's still in the roots. If you somehow manage to flush it away, Evil will not rise until seven moons after... But the Potion was strong. You cannot stop Evil completely." Peter smiled wickedly.

I lowered Midnight, thinking about his ominous words. "Very well," I said. "Take me to the Tree."

Peter got up, leading me to the direction of the Tree. Suddenly, I heard an enraged shout. I whipped my head around, scanning the area.

Derrick and Lord Seth were gone.