Iceblade: Chapter 3

Chapter 3

            “How do you open it?”  Emily asked, holding up the pendant that was in the shape of the snowflake.  “Is there a catch?”
            -Hold it flat in your hand for a few seconds.  Then it should open automatically.-
            Quickly, Emily laid the pendant down on her palm.  After waiting a while, the pendant opened in her hand, revealing a mess of delicate mechanisms.  Miniscule gears turned, tiny levers moved back and forth, and in the center of it all, a white, pulsating crystal, that seemed to glow.  Emily was awed.  “Your uncle was a very talented man,” she breathed, amazed at the craftsmanship.  Setting it down on the desk in her small bedroom, she grabbed the stapler that she had borrowed from her dad’s office.  “I would never be able to do a thing like this,” Emily exclaimed, gazing at the levers working in the pendants.  “Which lever do I need?”
            -The biggest one.  And, this is actually pretty bad.  For a Myrcadian, I mean.-
            Setting a staple over the lever in question, Emily then put the stapler over in the corner, and picked up the soldering gun, that she had also borrowed from her dad.  “Really?  I can’t wait to see all your work.”
            -I guess that you could say that Myrcadians are best at this kind of stuff.  I don’t build a lot of stuff, though.  I’m good at it, but I’m more interested in science.-
            “Oh,” Emily replied, trying to use the soldering gun to melt the staple on to the pendant.  It wasn’t working, which was probably a good thing, since Emily had no experience with the tool, only common sense.  “What’s the Etherworld power?”  Emily asked, checking the gun for other settings.
            -Hm? Oh, the ability to understand and create music.-
            “That’s it?”
            -It’s a good power, once you realize what’s it’s like without the power.  I get headaches, some have actually died, the pain was so horrible.  But how much the person can stand varies.  Scientists call it tolerance.  Are you done with that pendant yet?-
            “…I… can’t find the switch.”
            Megas sighed.  –Do you know how to use that?-
            Emily stopped, sheepish.  “Not really.”
            -Oh.  Why don’t we… wait, I’ve got it!  We can use the Mara pendant!-
            “Okay.  And which one is that?”  Emily asked, holding up several at eye-level.
            -The eye.-
            “Kay,” Emily answered, finding the correct one.  Finally, she selected the eye, a white, metal rim, where a black, round stone, sat in the middle.  After setting a staple in the works, she placed it around her neck, and heard a brief melody echo in her head. Within a few moments, a girl’s voice broke through Emily’s thoughts.
            -Ach… Where- what happened?-     
            Emily heard a sharp intake of breath from Megas.  –Leere! Um, hi.-
            -Megas?  Whoa, getting dizzy…  Where am I?-
Another deep breath from Megas.  –Uh, Leere… Meet Emily.-
            -Emily?  What the…-
            Then, Emily chose to speak up.  “Um, hello, Leere.  My name is Emily Frostlen, and you seem to be in my head.”
            -What!?-
            “Mara elai,” Emily intoned in a much calmer fashion than she felt.  Who ever in… Sunan was Leere?  Obviously, she knew Megas, but she was from Mars, or Mara.  Was it ever hard to get used to the idea of a whole other world outside of Earth!  Or the Etherworld, or whatever.  She didn’t even know what Megas looked like!  The dizziness that she had felt before, with the wings, was coming upon her, and her eyes were starting to droop.  Suddenly blinking, the feeling went away, and her eyes were focused, focused on every little detail about the room, the pendants, everything.
            -Megas, I should have known that you had everything to do with this!-
            -Hang on, Leere, let me explain for once!-
            -You don’t need to explain!  I know exactly what you’ve done!  Gone ahead and made another weird experiment, where I’m you’re test subject!-
            A throbbing pain started to haunt Emily’s head, and then it escalated into a sharp pain, threatening to split her brain in two.
            -Weird?  Well, what do you call your little machine at home?-
            -Megas, you have no right-
            -Neither do you, copycat!-
            -Dingbat!-
            It was at that moment when fire, or at least intense heat, flew from Emily’s eyes.  Shutting them closed, she could feel the pressure building behind her eyes, a strange feeling for one who is not Marsian.  “My head really hurts, people!  Some help?”
            Leere, guessing what had happened, was first to react.  –Megas, who this girl? -
            -Emily--
            -I already knew that!  Which Realm?-
            -Uh, she’s an Etherworlder.-
            -I could kill you right about now.  Okay, Etherworlders’s eyes react to mood, somewhat, such as grief, or intense pain.-
            “That would make sense, since my head is about to split in half!”  Emily replied, her teeth gritted.  Yet, now the pain seemed to be subsiding, back to its slow throb.  Emily unclenched her teeth, and opened her eyes, still extremely observant, but no longer shooting fire.  “What happened?” she asked, uncertain herself.
            -No clue.-
            -How does an Etherworlder have Heat vision?-  Leere’s tone was dangerous, slightly sweet, yet enraged, but quiet.
            Megas’ tone, however, was unsure.  –My uncle--
            -Shut up, Megas!  Emily, you seem all right, not stupid like Megas.  Why don’t you tell me what happened?-  The dangerous tone in her voice had disappeared, apparently, a tone she reserved for Megas.
            “Well, Megas has an uncle who made these pendants, and you put a person in them, and…”  Emily told Leere everything she knew concerning the matter at hand, until Leere seemed satisfied.
            -I see.  So it isn’t his fault, at least, not directly.-
            -What do you mean, not directly?-
            -Everything’s your fault!-
            -Do I have to fight you?-
            -Bring it on, godmoder!-
            “Headache, headache!”  Emily cried, her hands pressed firmly against her head, eyes closed.  “Can’t you guys just shut up!”
              Both Leere and Megas seemed to settle down, and finally, after the ache died down, Leere snapped her fingers.  –That’s it!  Arguing!  Fighting!  That’s what’s been giving you headaches!-
            -How do you know?-
            -Shut up, Megas!  Now, we can get back to business!  Uh, what are you guys doing?-
            -We’re--
            -Didn’t I just tell you to shut up?-
            “We need to fix these pendants.  The ones I-“
            -I know, I’m not stupid. Just look at the target, and stare at it.  Like you want to kill it.-
            Wasting no time, Emily leaned down, so that her eyes were five centimeters from the staple.  Following Leere’s advice, Emily stared at it so fiercely, that in seconds, the fixture was set in permanently.  Blinking, Emily saw the results, then smiled.  “Now I say mine to get back, right?  Etherworld elai.”  She blinked, and her vision returned to normal.
            -Wait, we aren’t speaking Sunan?-
            -No, we’re speaking English.  It’s the main--
            -Yeah yeah, I know.  So, if we’re speaking English… does the pendant have other functions?-
            -Well…yes…-
            -What is it?-
            -I really don't want to tell you.-
            -Do I have to kill you?- Leere asked, getting frustrated.
            -Fine!  Say repre after the name of the Realm!-
            “Mara repre,” Emily said, after hearing it, curious despite the nagging feeling at the back of her skull.  A new sensation filled her, as if she was turning into dust…
          -Oh no, Leere, you’re…-
          Emily closed her eyes… and heard an eerie, yet familiar, melody.