A Romance Sort of Thing

Chapter 27: Ruins of Magic

Nightfall is upon us, as I let Ryuu carry me through his plan of escape. We in the forests now. Dead trees surrounded us. Not a single plant that was alive.

"I think I can walk now," I felt bad for him carrying me so far. He's been walking for hours.

"No, I can carry you a bit longer," he smiled.

I had a million questions to ask him but I got the feeling he didn't want to talk about what happened back there with Queen Amelia and the King.

"Ryuu..." I whispered, "what were they doing to me?"

He let out a sigh. "The King is powerful... he's the King of Hell. He seduces those who don't choose the darkness into choosing it."

Thoughts of what my father said echoed through my mind. Ryuu stopped at the edge of heavy fog. I looked up at him trying to read what he was thinking. I looked into the fog realizing there were some sort of ruins.

"Are these ruins?" I whispered.

"Yes, are you ready for this?" His eyes never leaving the ruins, it was like they had him in a trance.

"I guess," I was unsure what he truly meant by that.

He grabbed one of the grimoires from a back he was carrying on his back. He opened a page he had bookmarked.

"Rose said this spell should get us through," he handed me the book.

I looked over the spell. It seemed simple, it would help guide us through the chanted ruins.

"You sure I can do this?" I was worried because this was still new to me.

"Rose said you could, you're so powerful that even if you are unsure it is bound to work."

I nodded and took a deep breath and began saying the words out loud. It sounded like I would imagine Latin sounding, but I was not sure. Once I was finished, I waited, pausing. Nothing happened. Maybe I missed something? I re-read over the pages trying to understand the spell.

"Maybe I don't have magic anymore?" I questioned.

"No, it has to be something you missed," Ryuu reassured me.

"There," I pointed on the page, "I found it. I must bleed onto the path I wish to go through," my voice confused. Ryuu shifted, grabbing for something.

"Here" he hands out a knife.

I slowly grab the knife and start to speak the words of the spell again. Once I am finished I cut my hand enough for blood to drip down to the edge of the fog. It was sort of gross as my blood came out both red and black. As the drops fell onto the earth they soaked in and flowed forward. Creating a path through the ruins. Red and black thin lines, but thick enough to make a visible path.

"I did it!" I gasped, handing the grimoire back to Ryuu as he put in his bag.

Ryuu looked relieved but worried at the same time. I grabbed his hand, squeezing it for a second and ignoring how good it felt to have his hand in mine as I led him into the fog.

Audience:

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