Dragon Tide Chronicles: Dawn Rising

Chapter 62: The Eleventh Hour

Chapter 62: The Eleventh Hour

As the spirit of Wintress continually pounds us with attack after attack of spears of ice, my frustration, confusion, all from the past couple of weeks begins to boil over into anger. When she moves to strike again, I snap.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!!!” I roar, my anger channeling through all of my body, and finally exploding… into fire.

I watch in disbelief as the fire explodes outward and blasts Wintress’s ghost, and then melts the ice barrier around us. Mom stares at me with surprise.

“You just used… fire? I thought your primary element was earth? What is going on? Ever since Alexandi…” Yes… that was awfully suspicious. All of these weird things happening to me… do they have something to do with Alexandi? Just what is happening?

My thoughts return to Wintress’s ghost as she writhes in agony from the burning fire, and then she suddenly vanishes in a violent gust of wind. I look at Mom, and she doesn’t need a second to understand my meaning. We’ve already lost valuable time. She brings out a large cauldron and all the various materials we would need for this complex spell, though spells that take great preparation and time are usually called rituals.

I can’t really explain the ritual too much, because it’s just so complicated in the procedures. We would first need genetic material from the original body of the person being resurrected, because we would be creating a whole new living body, spirits are not capable of living in dead, lifeless bodies. After we get the basic DNA requirement, various herbs are used, and some choice words of magic that are long and tedious to say. The funny thing with magic language, is that it isn’t a constant language, like common is. Ancient languages such as Ancient Dragonic is pretty much impossible to learn, it always changes and alters, with thousands of words meaning the same thing yet changing all the time. Ours is far simpler, but at the cost of being more limited.

After hours of chanting and praying to Aladimia, finally we stop the last part simply to call on the spirit to return to its mortal host.

“Wintress, wife and lover of Alexander, I ask that you return to your mortal body, made anew.” I call out. I wait a few minutes, and realize nothing is happening.

“Please, he really needs you, more than ever! He is going to die soon, and he needs you back in his life! Please don’t…” A finger lies on my lips, silencing me.

“Hush. Tell me one thing, Danica Crown. Why would you risk your life and waste your time all to help a Dragonling like Alexander? Are we not your enemy?” I look and realize that Wintress is now alive, with a cold expression on her face.

“Because… no one deserves to suffer. Not like he has. And besides… I don’t consider him my enemy.” She gives me a surprised look, and regards me curiously.

“You are one curious fairy, you know that?” She says, her voice almost wintery, yet pleasant like an early spring.

“But umm, do me a favor would you?” She asks with a faint smile.

“Umm, sure, what is it?”

“Get me some freaking clothes, I’m freezing!!!” I blush apologetically, then call Mom to get some clothes.

“Just one second!!” She calls out, then hurries in with a simple white dress, and various other necessary articles of clothing, and then we let Wintress get properly dressed.

When she comes out, she wears more than just clothes, but a kind, warm hearted smile on her face. Her pale blue eyes twinkle with kindness, and a bit of humor glints in them as well. Her long, white hair is as white as snow, which ironically, it had just started snowing. In the middle of the summer no less. She notices our confused expressions and laughs, a peal of wintry light laughter that rings out softly in the air.

“Oh sorry, I can’t help it, when I’m really happy, it starts snowing.” She smiles briefly, but then the happy look in her eye fades.

“So… what happened to Alexander?” She asks softly.

I take a deep breath, and start from the beginning, but try to simplify it so the story doesn’t take too long to be told.

“I see…” She whispers. “And you think that if I am alive again, I will be enough of a reason for him to want to live again. For your sake, Danica, pray that this works. Or otherwise,” She growls, “There’ll be hell to pay.” I wince, her change in attitude was almost frightening.

“I promise, we’ll make it.” I say, stuttering a little. She smiles faintly.

“I hope so. So…” I could feel her beginning to ask the million dollar question: “How do we get there in time? From what I understand, we only have an hour left.” I pale, terrified at the reality of our situation.

Elsewhere…

“Are you SURE that was his orders, Shade?” Terra growls in irritation. Shade just laughs.

“Would I lie about an order taken directly from our leader, Signas?” She smiles behind her mask. Boys, how amusing creatures they are.

“…No. Just get it over with. I have to take care of Theta, he’s trying to kill Sigma again.” As Terra walks off, Shade can’t help but think what a… hunk he can be when he’s irritated. Her and her attraction to men, unfortunately it came with being the package of being the Love/Lust of Alexandi… now to deal with Danica and her friends.

She teleports, knowing fully she’s going to enjoy their reactions.

Ruins of Sunneroria

We had been brainstorming for a few minutes, when I felt an all too familiar presence. One of the Covenant? Just perfect.

“What do you want now?!” I swing around yelling, to be confronted with Shade. She giggles in delight at my response, and opens a portal.

“You killed my partner, I won’t forgive that. But Signas gave me orders, and you get a lucky break. I won’t help you ever again, so be thankful.” She disappears, leaving us with the choice of risking Alexander’s death, or trusting one of the most dangerous people in the world.

Unfortunately, we all knew the choice had to be the most annoying one.

Sometimes, I hate having to trust people. We walk through, just as Time resumes.