The Princess Quest

Chapter 12: Disease Ridden World

Arawn

The world in flames.

People screaming and running.

Miraelin in turmoil.

He's standing in a field watching the darkness around them.

Zombies limp towards them.

Roya clings to him, and he holds her.

They shield their eyes as the darkness engulfs them.

He jolts out of his daydream. 

Roya

"Arawn are you alright?" She asks, as Arawn stares into space beside her. He jumps, and says, "yeah, sorry."

They were sitting around Xida's table planning their next expedition. As if this wasn't one already. Andrel, sitting beside Calypso, was deep in thought, and Calypso was studying the book that had dropped out of the hole in her hut. 

"I have an idea", Andrel said. Calypso shut the book and looked up. He continued, "we should figure out what the whole thing is. All of it. Once we get that sorted out, our path to retrieve the items will be much less steep."

"Okay," Roya said. "The tornado said that we'd meet a peasant," she nodded to Andrel, "an enemy who may not be," she smiled at Arawn, "and a helper who we may have to teach." They all looked over to where Xida was bustling about making fresh bread. 

"Don't forget the things we need to get," said Calypso. "A rare gem, a horse tooth, a fox hair, a dewdrop from fire, and a blazing star."

"That doesn't sound too hard," Andrel said. "Except for the blazing star part."

"I doubt each of these things are actually what we need," Roya said. "Prophecies from the Gods often have metaphors. The horse tooth seems pretty straightforward though."

"If I may," said Arawn, joining the conversation. "You guys said we were chosen by the Gods. If we can figure out which Gods, that may give us a key to figuring out these things."

"That's genius!" Calypso said. "But where do we start?" Roya sat thinking heavily for a moment. Then she spoke. "I have a theory. We all share our Gods, except for the Gods of Mischief. Each kingdom has it's own, Lyria with Dirshi, Miraelin with Rekker, and Ocaelyn with Keres. According to the stories, the three made the greatest trio in history. They called them The Trio of Foxes, because foxes are known for going about things silently and persistently with logic. They work about problems, and they are known to be very good jokesters, and pranksters."

"So you're saying that we need the hair of a prankster, or someone who has a false identity or facade," Calypso said. "That's brilliant!" Arawn shifted uncomfortably in his chair. 

"Ah, I know about the dewdrop from fire," Andrel said. According to the stories, the water goddess, Cordelia was a young troubled girl. She could manipulate water, and maybe it was her who gifted you your powers," he said to Calypso. He went on. "She fell in love with her opposite, the fire god, Aithne. God opposites are very volatile, and one day, Cordelia and Aithne got into a fight. Aithne's temper raged, and his heat almost obliterated Cordelia. To this day, her beauty is masked by scars and burn marks. Aithne always called her his dewdrop."

"Are you saying we have to get a God? 'Cause that's impossible," Calypso said. 

"Actually, because of her weak state, Cordelia can be compelled by a summoning ceremony," Andrel said.  

"I think the rare gem is just a rare gem," said Calypso. "There's an emerald that stands in the center of a pedestal in the Temple of the Moon that is used for summoning ceremonies. We should get all the other stuff, go to the Temple, get the gem, and summon Cordelia."

"That's a lot of stuff," Arawn said. "Where do we start?"

"Well, we've got a horse tooth," said Calypso. 

"Enough planning about your heroic journey for now kids," Xida said, as she placed a loaf of warm, fresh bread on the table. "I have made bread for you! Yes, yes, nice fresh pixie bread for you!" She went over to the cupboard and got plates. 

"A piece for the mermaid," she said, smiling at Calypso, and setting a plate down in front of her. "A slice for the Princess, a slice for the peasant, and a slice for the Prince."

Arawn promptly spit out an entire mouthful of water, and dropped the glass. It hit the floor, making an ear splitting sound as it shattered.

"What is she talking about?" Calypso asked. Roya and Andrel looked at him in confusion. At than moment the door burst open, and all of a sudden there were darts flying everywhere. Roya grabbed her bow, and Arawn drew his sword, but it was too late. Roya felt a prick on her neck, and saw her friends fall around her. Xida stepped in to defend her, but a blurry figure cut her down. Blood pooled around her. Roya must have screamed, because the blurry man stepped closer. "Oh dear," he said. "What a tragedy. You all will make me lots of money darling."

Roya tried to talk but her voice was slurred, and she was fighting the darkness that was trying to claim her. She was vaguely aware of rope around her hands, before her consciousness slipped away.