Paper Wings

Chapter 4

Tieyan POV

Sumya and I start flying home, when I see Sumya look at the forest, wearing a shocked expression. "I see someone."

"Oh please," I say. "It's probably just a centaur."

"Hm... I'm not sure. I'm gonna go look," she said.

I followed her. There was no arguing with Sumya. Once she set her mind towards something, there was no way to change her mind.

Turns out, she was correct.

We land and see a girl about our age pinned on the ground by a Chimera. I gape at it. Sumya pulls out her bow, and shoots the lion head. I take one of my throwing-spears and throw it aimlessly, trying to save the girl.

My spear wizzes past the wolf head, but it is enough to get the beast's attention. It lifts its mighty paw from the girl's chest, and turns towards us. It snarls, growls and hisses at us.

Sumya shoots it again. I throw another spear, and this one meets its mark. The wolf head yowls in pain, and drops. One down, two to go.

Sumya POV

I pull out my bow that rests on my shoulder. I take and arrow out of my quiver, and shoot the beast. It shoots me a death look, and gets off of the girl. I shoot it again. My arrow pierces the snake head's eye.

I see Tieyan throw a spear and the wolf head stops moving. The girl is on her feet again, trying to get a good hit on the snake head.

Suddenly, the beast lunges at me. I'm knocked to the ground, and the wind is knocked out of me. I gasp for oxygen, my breath coming in short rasps. I look to my left, and see the girl staring at me, with a look of shock and pure horror. I tilt my head to the right, and see Tieyan giving it all she's got; going full-blown maniac with her spears, trying to save me.

I still can't breath. The Chimera is still on me, watching as I die. This is how I die. Goodbye Tieyan. Goodbye Star. Goodbye world.

My world grows dark, then black.

Beatriz POV

No no no! I can't let someone who saved my life just up and die!

The other girl and I lunge at the Chimera, this time each of us killing a head. It's legs buckle, and it sinks to the floor. I now stare, wide-eyed at the two girls. One alive; one possibly dead.

"Th-Thank you," I say to the girl, and I run. I run, and I run, and I run until my oxygen runs out and I cannot take another step. I now realize that I should have helped the girls. Heck, I could have helped them, had it not been for my fears.

Fear. Fear saves your life. Fear destroys your life. Fear keeps you going until you drop. Fear keeps you from achieving for biggest dreams. Fear. If only it didn't exist.

Lillia POV

I look about my room. Thankfully, the walls are a dark beige. Better than green at least.

I drop onto the hard mattress, and fall into a light sleep.

•••••••

I wake up. My stomach growls, and I realize I hadn't eaten anything besides some bread and cheese today.

Waffles sound really good right now. I'll go and get some.

As I walk to my door, I hear a knock. I open it cautiously.

"Room service!" Says the witch at my door. She takes the lid off of the tray. Two waffles and a glass of pomegranate juice sit nicely atop a napkin.

"How did you—."

"Don't question the ways of the witch." And with that, the door slams shut.

I shrug and sit at the small table with two chairs. I spread a small blanket over it, acting like a tablecloth.

I set down the tray, and the waffles into eighths. To my delight, it came with maple syrup. I drown them with the sticky liquid.

I soon finish my breakfast. I haven't had waffles in ages! I walk down to the front desk. I hand the witch two gold coins from my emergency pouch. It included twenty coins, bandages, and a dagger. You could never be too prepared.

Krystal POV

"Kitten..." Father says again.

"Don't you 'Kitten' me! You left me! You may be able to win Jasper's affection, but not me!"

"Krystal..." Father's voice was now gruff and agitated.

"No! Stop! Jasper come on. We're going home."

"But... but Daddy's here Krystal!" Jasper whines.

I kneel down in front of him. "Jasper. Father is a bad man. We need to go."

"No! I want to stay with Daddy and Mommy!"

At that, Father scratches the back of his neck in guilt. "Um... Jasper, bud. Mommy's not going to be here. Mommy's gone a... a... a trip."

Jasper pouts. "Can't we go visit her?"

This time, Father kneels in front of Jasper. "No bud. Mommy is in a place far, far away. A place called heaven."

I gape at him. Mother's dead? Why? How?

Jasper looks at him, clearly confused. "I've heard of heaven. Where is it?"

"I already told you. A place very far away," Father says gently.

I cut in. "Mother is on a dangerous mission," I tell him, trying to convince myself as well as Jasper. "It's very, very dangerous. She-she may never come back." I choke back tears. Jasper couldn't see me cry. I am strong. I have to be. So what if she abandoned us? She's still my Mother.

"Oh... okay," Jasper accepts my lie, to my relief.

I'm going to protect Jasper, whatever the cost may be.

Grace POV

Crap! No no no! I stare at frozen Harper. I flip through the pages. Fire. Ice. Wind. Nature. Levitation. Electricity. Ugh! Really? No time-freeze?

I flip through the book six more times.

"I'm sorry Harper!" I say aloud, although I know she can't hear me.

I run back into the castle. I head to the library. I pick out every book I can find on magic, and put them on a table. I count them. Fifty-seven books! You've got to be kidding me! I start reading.

•••••••

My eyes begin to droop. C'mon Grace! Just one more! I pull out the fifty-seventh book. I flip through it.

Time-freezing! Yes! I read the page.

Time-Freeze

The time-freeze spell has never been performed. It is a spell that exists only in stories. No one can perform it, and no one ever will.

You're kidding me! Well, looks like I'm just going to have to figure this out myself.