Eleros looked into the worn face of his captor. Had he not been invisibly bound, he would be frozen in pure shock.
Trian had changed a lot over the past two years. His eyes were bagged and his hair was long and unkempt. He wore long rags over his muscular frame and his wings were jet black. Time had been harsh on the once handsome nymph. The young, enthusiastic Trian now wore a menacing, almost sinister glare, on his face, a glare that pierced Eleros's eyes with venom. The most distinctive aspect of Trian, however, was that he was using magic. Eleros watched as the binds surrounding him slowly became visible, and saw that they were being emitted by a strange glove on Trian's right hand.
"What a surprise reunion this is," said Trian. "Was wondering if we would ever see you here."
Eleros was still in shock. Speechless, he watched Trian glide forward, keeping his binds fixed around Eleros's arms.
"Trian?" Eleros cried, finally finding his voice. "Wh-what on are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" Trian chuckled. "Well there's an interesting question. And so nice how you remembered my name."
"We... we thought you were..."
"Dead?" Trian finished. "Oh no, not at all. Although I may as well have been."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the fact that you left me!" Trian spat, his eyes now narrowing to slits as he continued to bore is glare into Eleros's eyes.
"We never left you," replied Eleros, still reeling from this sudden encounter.
"Come on Eleros," replied Trian. "There's no need for lies. I know that your only concern was the safety of the young nymphs. Not one concern was for my wellfare." Eleros continued to wriggle, trying his best to break free of the magical bind holding him.
"We never forgot you," Eleros replied, shooting Trian a vicious look. "We were looking for all of you."
"That's not how I remember it," Trian continued. "I remember it to be rather different."
"What do you mean?" asked Eleros, puzzled by Trian's words. They had tried to find each of the nymphs, including Trian.
"Don't think I couldn't hear your little talks when you and those other Guardians came searching the castle," replied Trian. "I heard it all." Eleros was now remembering snippets from those visits to the castle. Remembering talking with Delvero and Saralin.
"You seemed so concerned that those kids were in danger. Not once did you mention me."
"Those kids were no less than six years old," replied Eleros. "They were incapable of taking care of themselves. You were an adult nymph. You could..."
"Really? I could?" spat Trian. "Well you may have forgotten the day that I LOST MY POWERS!"
Eleros fell silent.
"I was a sitting duck," Trian continued. "Nothing more than a flippin' dragonfly." Eleros bowed his head. He was right. In all the commotion of the kidnapping they had completely overlooked the fact that Trian no longer possessed his powers.
"Starting to remember are we?" said Trian, noticing Eleros's now sombre expression.
"How did..."
"I get my magic back?" Trian cut in. "Well, where do I begin?"
* * *
Saralin and Sandy saw the five young nymphs emerging from the room Eleros has entered some time ago. They were flying gingerly, and looked very tired by the time they reached Sandy and Saralin. Saralin rushed over to them, arms open and tears in her eyes.
YOU ARE READING
Fight of the Nymphs - The Master of the Dragons
Fantasy"Spread out across the bank, on the far side of the stream, were three miniature doors, all of which were identical to that of the one Sandy had seen yesterday. It wasn't this, however, that made Sandy stop in her tracks. It was what she saw sitting...
