The Magic Of An Alter Ego.

Chapter 28

"Alastair, your mother is dead," Wilson finally said, "Please, understand this... this isn't what she wanted."

The world went cold. Wilson wasn't sure what made him say it.

King Degran stopped in his tracks, stepping back. Perhaps as a compromise. Although the king said nothing in his controlled daze, the compromise was obvious.

He wouldn't attack while Alastair was so vulnerable.

Alastair stared and without removing her eyes from him, she held out a hand. It cupped underneath the bell's underside, bringing it to a complete stop. The last chime of the bell echoed before she slowly lowered it down.

Wilson gently lowered the spear from her neck.

The runes faded quietly back to the bronze color. They sat in silence, a quietness drifting around them, Alastair searching his face for any sign of joking nature.

"I'm sorry." He lowered his head, "I'm sorry we couldn't do anything to help you."

They had failed to save her mother. Perhaps if they allowed her to tell her story, months before the ridiculous plot had been put to work, they would have been able to save her. To cure her illness and prevent something so horrible.

She looked almost lost, her white dress blowing gently in the winds. It had gone black at the edges, charred from the flames of the attacks in the city. Alastair looked down at the hammer in her hands.

For a moment, Wilson wanted to know what was on her mind. What was running at a thousand miles through her head? Her face twisted in emotion. Was it anger? Fear? An emotion he had never felt and could never relate to.

There was a scream as Alastair swung the sledge hammer.

Wilson wincing for a final strike to his head.

Instead, it cracked against the bell, breaking the weapon into pieces. She screamed again, slamming the- now broken- hammer against it over and over again. The bell's ringing over and over again.

Wilson watched in silence, hand outstretched to stop her. It didn't help in any way.

There was a spintering crack, WIlson gasped as the bell was broken down the center. A large splitter going down the middle and chipping the bottom.

The bell slowly attempted to reform itself, the metal pulling back together.

Alastair finally stopped, running her hand over the runes. The reformation stopped, like magic before his eyes. She fell to her knees, resting her head against the damaged side.

Everything froze, the King backed away. Wilson turned to him, turning his back onto the witch girl. The king winced through his teeth, covering up his side. Was that it?

Wilson rushed to his side, knowing the spell had worn off. He hoped it had for everyone.

"Wilson? What are you-?" He stared at Wilson as if he was watching a ghost.

Wilson opened and close his mouth like a fish out of water. He would have been grateful to known that the King knew him by name. It just wasn't the time to freak out over the fact.

Wilson patted him on the shoulder as if he was smiling at an old friend, "Good to see you too, your majesty."

The bell was broken.

They had won.

He jolted back up. Slowly, WIlson turned as a faint, yet warm, glow covered his skin. He trailed it back to the source. The runes began to glow once more as Alastair turned to look at them. She turned back to her side.