Shadow Princess

Chapter Twenty-Five: Disenchanted Nightmares

Callista growls in frustration as she sits in the middle of the high grass. Nature blossoms around her, dancing around her in the gentle wind. The cottage sat a few feet away from her an she tenses at the thought of it. Coped up day and night for a week to review everything she could about the magic she had lost. Dismo is a serious one, but she is caring and has dreams outside of bringing the kingdom to safety.

Footsteps crunch behind me, the grass swaying. Callista turned her head and caught the lovely looking nymph behind her. The dark-skinned female snorts. "You weren't supposed to pay attention to anything but nature."

Callista wrinkles her nose at Dismo. "I heard you walk on the grass."

The nymph sighs, her arms dropping to her sides. Her outfit consists of shorts and an oversized blue shirt. "I understand how frustrating this is. But we got to figure out how to break that block in your mind."

"Why can't you just train me, all over again?" Callista snaps, yanking strands of grass out of the ground. She threw them down.

"Because the first time, it took you eight years. And I know nothing of the training methods. Only your mother and those who trained her, all of whom is gone." Dismo explains, coming over and sitting across from her.

Callista flung herself back, soaking in the sunlight as it dances upon her skin. She feels the nymph's eyes on her. A spirit nymph is what she called herself. Born with a mission and will be set free once it is completed. Callista didn't believe she would just die after completing her mission. She imagines the nymph in her mind, slowly fading away.

She realized as she came back to the present, Dismo has been talking. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth on her skin and Callista smiled as she finally understood the exercise. A sense of euphoria erupts through her and she let out a small gasp, a jumble of images crashing her mind.

Callista tries to sit up, to warn Dismo of what the images include, but excruciating pain sweeps through her body. Trapped inside her mind, she screams. The pain entering all parts of her body as she trembles. Tears slide down her cheeks as the pain flickers higher, burning almost every nerve in her body. Callista feels a dull throb on her gums and she cries out as the pain rushed to that spot.

Something drips down her chin, but Callista had no control over her body anymore. A soft feeling touches her and she realized Dismo must be taking care of her. Images bombarded her again, images of a woman who had long black hair and blue eyes. Her mother. More images poured, circling around her. Callista as a child, growing up, learning the magic that has been kept in her family.

The pain flared high and Callista felt a shock go through her body as her heartbeat became slower. She feels the slowing thud go through her body and she feels true fear strike her. Was she dying?

∞†∞†∞

Dismo didn't know what to do. She was watching Callista rest in the sun, praying and hoping a connection to nature may help process the healing of her broken mind. She pats the rag to her forehead again, the fever burning through. She dips it in the bucket of cool eater, dripping some on Callista's trembling body. She had started seizing and a white light flared around her, like a comforting hand. Dismo did everything she could think of to help, but there wasn't much once she entered unconsciousness.

She starts humming a song her anchor sung to her when she was summoned. Dismo gently patted her forehead with the washcloth. Callista's closed eyes darted back and forth in a panic and she let out a small whimper of pain.

Suddenly, her body tensed all over and her lip split as she clenched down. Dismo stares as blood dribbled down her chin and her mouth opened, blood coating her teeth. The nymph sat there wide eyed, the sun blazing down on them. Her neck prickled and her head whipped up. Soothing dark eyes flicker from the forest but did not approach. Noticing the mother wolf, Dismo dips her head in greeting.

Something was amiss if the mother wolf approached after leaving her in the beginning. Dismo kneels beside Callista's frail body, watching as ripples of pain shot through the female's body. Her simple black dress is drenched in sweat and sticking to her skin. Peeling it back a little, Dismo let out a sharp breath. The girl's skin was fading to a pale color and dark blue veins are visible.

Swallowing harshly, Dismo quickly got to her feet. If this is what she feared, Callista was in more trouble than they all believed. The prophecy never foresaw this and now, another hard decision will rest upon the shoulders of Callista. The female by her feet looked asleep, so peaceful.

Three days pass after Callista fell into a coma so Dismo tended to her garden around the cottage. She breathed in the air of nature, letting it move through her. Callista stopped seizing and has been in a restful coma ever since. The nymph began to worry about what this meant to their mission. Did the prophecy change now that Callista changed? Did her memories come back of the training?

Groaning softly, Dismo rubs her hands across her face, her stress eating her alive. Without the needed training, something dark and hungry will be released into the world. The sun warmed her, but her body felt frozen. Too many lives were at stake for Callista to not be the prophecy chosen. They didn't have years anymore. Not under this king, who declared war among every species that doesn't follow his control.

Footsteps sounded behind her and Dismo stands up in alert. She turns her head to catch Callista standing at the entrance. Her black hair is down, drifting in the slight breeze. Her body is swaying back and forth, with her hands twitching at her sides. Her black dress flared around her, like a black flag. Dismo watches as Callista takes a step forward, entering the garden fully. The nature around them stirs and she heard whispers among them.

Callsita stops when she gets in front of the nymph, her eyes closed on her peaceful face. Her pale face glows in the sunlight and Dismo let out a choked noise as realization hits her.

The female opens her mouth, but it isn't her voice that says, "When the time comes that kingdoms collide, a broom of death sweeps the valley. A long, lost princess returns; unbeknownst to who she is. A sweet flower heals her, a gallant warrior defends her. and a cruel man will destroy her. The realm will rise or fall by her hand." It's an ancient voice that sends crackles of power through Dismo's blood. The new prophecy. Callista crumbles and Dismo lunges to keep her head from hitting the solid earth.

Her eyes open, a silver hue taking over her eyes before fading to their normal blue-silver color. Her black hair fans around her, draping along Dismo's hands as she held the princess. Hatred and rage glittered beneath her surface as she yanks herself from the nymph. Her hands clench at her sides and the nymph stands from her position.

"I remember," Callista's voice came out unevenly as the anger bubbles underneath her skin, "everything. To the day I was first told of our curse and to the day I was taken. There is a jump between being in this realm, and then I was in the mortal realm, with Tamara and Lukas."

Dismo watches her, her hands wringing behind her back. "The training?"

Callista turns her blazing eyes to the nymph. "I was completely trained by the age of seven, just a year before Darius Flynn declared war by taking me hostage. My training is in need of two things to make this mission successful, Dismo." Her voice is low and haughty. "A golden blade of fire and the Fate's Tower."

Dismo blanches. "You want to lay siege to the Fates'"

Callista smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. Something changed within her as she is no longer the naïve mortal girl who was brought here against her will. "No. I need to take the blade and bathe it in the Fountain of the Moon Goddess. To purify it. So when I use it against the evil that is my curse, it shall never return."