Chenoa (part 4)

15.
“You be magic girl, ork,” the mava squeaked when they were a safe distance from the trouble brothers. “Wow, how lucky I be to make a magic imaginary friend, ork.”
“I am a spellbinder,” Chenoa laughed at the mava’s terrified expression. “And I’m real. See.”
Chenoa waved her hand and made a bright purple flower appear in the air. A simple trick Galaxy had taught her to impress children.
“Oooh,” the mava sighed watching the flower hypnotized. “So beautiful, ork.”
“You can have it.”
Plucking the flower from the air, Chenoa handed it to the mava. Taken aback the mava hesitated then took it gingerly, tucking it under one of its wings.
“What is your name, mava?”
“I be Kork, ork. You, spellbinder, ork?”
“My name is Chenoa.”
“Kenoa?”
“Ch-en-oa.”
“Senoa.”
“Close enough.”
“Senoa, what you do here, ork?”
“I fell off my ride in the sky.”
“I know, ork. Me saw you fall, ork. Me caught you, ork.”
“Oh, well thank you than, Kork. I greatly appreciate it. I probably would have been severally injured if you hadn’t.”
Kork blushed turquoise and bent his head.
“Senoa, I likeded you.”
“I like you, too.”
The mava beamed and rubbed his head against Chenoa’s side, humming. Chenoa smiled back and stroked Kork’s neck.

Kork traveled with Chenoa for the next couple days as she searched for the portals Galaxy had told her about. The walking was as endless as the mist and Chenoa was glad for Kork’s company. They did not run into any more monsters and found it to be quite uneventful. Unfortunately Kork, being an unadventurous creature, had never left the Mist, and did not know how or where anyone could.
It was on their fourth night, when they stopped to rest that something finally happened. Chenoa decided that they had been safe so far so there was no need for them to keep a watch. They both fell asleep quickly. Chenoa did not know for how long she slept before she heard Kork call her.
“Senoa, ork!” he yelped near bye and she bolted up only to find herself tied down.
Struggling she fought the ropes that bound her as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She saw miniature people running around, tying up Kork and her. They could have only reached her hip if she was standing and if she had not seen them up close, Chenoa would have merely thought they were children. Yet they were not. Their short little bodies were well built and hefty. Some carried weapons that looked as if they could cause great pain.
“Stop struggling, wench,” a gruff, hoarse voice barked.
A stubby man appeared in front of her with a club that looked like a hammer made of bones and stones. Chenoa eyed him jadedly but still struggled. The man then clipped her on the head with the weapon. It was meant to stun her but instead the attack made Chenoa’s head throb and her blood boil.
“Disintegrate!” she thought with hot passion and her restraints burst into flames.
The mini people yelled and jumped back in fear as Chenoa stood up, towering over them. A few brave soldiers ran at her but she froze them with a simple hand maneuver.
“Witch!” the hoarse man shouted pointing at her as if she were a disease. “Leader, a witch! A withch!”
There was a rustle of leaves behind her and Chenoa snapped around to see a normal looking man walk out of the shadows. He was handsome with shaggy hair the color of the sun and skin the shade of a fawn. His eyes were a clear gold, like a lion’s, and his lips were full. This newcomer stared at Chenoa as if mesmerized for a moment then his lips parted.
“Stop fighting, dear child. Sleep, dear child, as your powers sag and make you drag. Sleeping will bring dreaming and the world is teaming with those who are dreaming so sleep,” he sang gently his eyes still locked on Chenoa’s. “Stop and sleep!”
Chenoa gasped as she felt the magic strike her. She reacted too late and felt herself lose all feeling in her body. The ground was rising to meet her and Chenoa knew no more.





16.
Light peeped in through her eyelids as Chenoa felt her mind start to work again. What had happened? Then she remembered.
She and Kork had been attacked and she had been fighting when that strange boy showed up. Yet what had happened after that? Where was she?
Sitting up Chenoa looked around and saw that she was in a tent made of what looked like leaves. Puzzled Chenoa had no time to think about how this was possible for at that moment the tent flap opened and in walked the boy.
He was just as Chenoa had remembered; his golden hair seemed to radiate light and his eyes watched with a hungry intensity.
“Hello,” he said his voice sounding like rain in a forest, his accent thick. “How are you?”
“I am fine. What happened? Where am I?” Chenoa blurted again looking around the tent.
“You are in mine village,” he told her watching her carefully as if she was possibly dangerous. “Ve took you and your friend here after ve found yous.”
“Found us? You all attacked us!”
“I admit my people vere not so…tactful I think is your vord. You have mine deepest apology.”
“Well…uh…”
He was polite but Chenoa still did not trust him.
“Vould you like some tea?” he asked courteously.
“Uh…sure.”
Waving his hand, the boy made a tea pot appear and then two cups.
“He’s showing off,” Chenoa mused watching him with a slight smile.
His eyes never leaving Chenoa, the boy poured them tea and then conjured sugar and honey. When he was done, the boy gave Chenoa a china cup and took a sip of his.
Chenoa examined the cup carefully and saw that it was beautiful with pink and blue water colors and a gold lining. Tenderly she picked the cup up and drank the tea. It was odd and she could not identify the taste.
“It is Silver Tea,” he told her as if he knew what she was thinking. “It is famous in this region, made of the leaves of our silver foliage.”
“Well…it is very nice.”
He smiled as if she had complimented him directly.
“Mine name is Leben but everyone calls me Sun.”
“Because of your hair?”
“Yes. Vhat is your name?”
“My name is Chenoa.”
“Chen..Chen…Chenoa.”
“Yes.”
“A very pretty name for a very pretty girl.”
Chenoa found herself blushing and looked at her tea.
“You’re sweet.”
“I am honest.”
Smiling Chenoa looked at him and saw that he too was blushing.
“Where is my friend?”
“You mean dat mava?”
“Yes.”
“He is tied to a tree near-bye.”
“Oh. Is he okay?”
“Yes. It is very strange for a young girl to be vith a mava.”
“Well, I’m a strange young girl.”
“I know. You do magic.”
Sun’s eyes suddenly became watchful and apprehensive again. It was as if he was daring her to suddenly attack him.
“I do use magic. I am a Spellbinder.”
“A Spellbinder? There has not been a Spellbinder in the Mist for centuries. They are not very common anymore in either vorld.”
“Really? My friend Galaxy never told me that. I figured that there were plenty of people who could use magic.”
“There are.”
“But you just said…”
“There are not many Spellbinders, but many people vho can use magic. Magic is not just restricted to Spellbinders, though they are the ones besides, the Nonelements, vho truly understand all of it.”
“Are you a Spellbinder?”
“Oh, heavens no. Mine mother is an imp, but mine father vas a Nonelement. He tricked mine mother into following him one day vhile she vas out picking berries. Nonelements have a bad habit of doing that.”
“Picking on imps?”
“Seducing vomen and sometimes men.”
“Oh!”
Blushing Chenoa thought of Draco and remember how she had been so very attracted to him. It must have just been him trying to seduce her. He hadn’t he told her father that it was an old habit. Draco cared nothing for her. Chenoa rubbed her palm with the star in it.
“So you live with the…imps?”
“Yes. Mine mother is the chieftain.”
“Wow, that must be cool.”
Sun looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“What?”
“How can it be cool? It does not feel cold.”
“Oh…uh…how do I explain? Cool in my world means like fun or something. Like running is cool or you’re a cool guy. It’s a good thing.”
“I do not understand but I vill learn. Vill you teach me?”
“Uh…sure.”
Chenoa didn’t know how she was going to for she barely understand the English language herself, but she would try. She was going to say something when a small man came in. He spoke in a language Chenoa could not understand and Sun responded. Frowning he nodded and listened then talked some more. When the conversation was over the man left and Sun turned back to Chenoa.
“Mine scouts have informed me that they did see a flock of Hindracorns flying over the sky almost a veek ago. They also mentioned a dragon.”
“The dragon was my friend Galaxy. I was with her and my friends Star, the unicorn, and Chris.”
“You are friends vith a dragon and a unicorn?”
“Yes, is it not common?”
“Not anymore. Dragons rarely live outside The Grit, vhich is far in the East of the Vorld of True Color. Unicorns, on the other hand, though common, rarely converse vith other creatures. They are too proud and haughty.”
“Oh.”
“Vhat is this Chris? Perhaps a fairy or a dwarf?”
Chenoa laughed openly as in her mind she saw Chris as a tiny fairy with wings.
“No…no…he is my friend from the other world.”
Sun’s face grew stony.
“He is a human?”
“Yes.”
“Hmmm.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No. I am sure he is very nice. I just don’t trust humans. They are veak at heart and greedy.”
“I happen to be half human, thank you very much, and though we are not perfect, I must dare say neither are any of your kind!”
Chenoa felt herself flare up in defense against Sun’s comment. Her father was human, her friends were human. What right did he have to criticize humans? He had no idea what humans were like! He probably had never even left his precious Mist!
“I am sorry,” Sun whispered calmly. “I did not mean to offend you. You are right. I have no right to criticize. Yet you must see it from minee view. The two vorlds had to be created because of humans. They have never been able to accept the other vorld vithout vanting to capture or tame it.”
Silence fell as Chenoa thought about this. She did not know the whole history of the two worlds but surely it could not have been entirely the human’s fault. There had to be much more to the story.
“Vould you like to see your friend?” Sun offered changing the subject quickly.
“Yes, that would be nice.”

17.
Sun led Chenoa out of the tent and into a clear circle. Tents and fires were scattered all over the place with adults and children, both close in size and look, running around and talking loudly. The sight reminded Chenoa of the Native Americans she had seen pictures of and the family she had briefly met at a reservation. Papa Bear had refused to live on a reservation saying that it was not true Native style.
Walking on past two children playing with grass dolls, Chenoa saw three other kids laughing at a stick creature. It was telling them jokes and swinging around their heads merrily. Chenoa recognized it as her mischievous stick that had escaped her.
“I made that,” she laughed and Sun looked to see what she was talking about. “It ran away before I could change it back.”
Smiling he looked at her.
“Really? Ve found that a day or two before ve found you. It vas a real fighter at first but once it figured out ve vouldn’t hurt it, the thing quieted down. It is quite harmless and the children love it.”
Chenoa beamed with pride and they kept walking. Soon they reached the edge of the camp where Kork was tied sullenly to a tree. At the sound of their footsteps, Kork looked up and in an instant his whole attitude changed.
“Senoa! Senoa!” he yipped pulling against his restraint. “You be alright, ork! Me so worried about you, ork!”
“I’m fine, Kork. I was just sleeping. How are you?”
“Not fine, ork! Not Fine, ork! The meanies took yous away and Kork was scared, ork! They nasty little people, ork.”
“No, Kork. They are our friends. We just had a slight misunderstanding.”
Kork looked at Chenoa as if she was crazy.
“Senoa, did that meanie make magic on you, ork?” Kork asked nodding at Sun.
“No, no. It really is alright. They are our friends. They are going to help us find a portal.”
Sun looked at her surprised but did not contradict what Chenoa said. Walking over Chenoa untied Kork and gently rubbed his beak.
“See, everything is alright.”
Kork hummed pleasantly and nodded.

That night Kork slept in Chenoa’s tent, afraid to leave her side. Sun was patient with the mava and even offered Kork a bowl of the mava’s favorite larva. It didn’t take long for Chenoa to realize that Sun was a caring boy who only wanted the best for his people.
Sun also seemed infatuated with the idea of adventure, even though he would never say it out loud. He longed to leave the oppressive forests of mist and see the other worlds, yet he had never had a real reason. His responsibility was to his clan. Yet with Chenoa there, Sun saw his opportunity and took it.
“I shall lead you and Kork to a portal,” he told them on their third day at the camp. “But I shall travel vith you in the other vorld to, not only ensure your safety, but to help you rescue your friends.”
“That is not necessary,” Chenoa smiled embarrassed at his apparent concern for her well being.
“I insist. It vill allow me to see the other vorld. I have always vished to.”
Yet everyone knew, including Chenoa, that besides Sun’s inert desire to explore, Sun had grown feelings for Chenoa. Sun found that when he was not with Chenoa, he was thinking about her. Her laugh made him laugh and her smile made him smile.
“Well, then its settled,” Chenoa said with a nod. “We should leave tomorrow.”
So when the sun was barely rising over the dancing mist, Chenoa, Kork, and Sun headed out, weighed down with backpacks full of food and clothing. Their farewell party was huge with almost everyone from the clan there. Women imps were hugging Chenoa and the men were giving Sun last minute advice. Right before they left a beautiful imp appeared. She had long gray hair in a single braid and startling blue eyes. Though she was small, like all imps, she seemed to possess a great atmosphere about her. Smiling sweetly she kissed Sun on the cheek and nodded at Chenoa.
Before Chenoa could even ask who the woman was, the imp had disappeared.
“My mother,” Sun said almost sadly.
“Is she okay with you going away?”
“She is not happy but she knows I must. Her dreams have told her so.”
“Oh.”
Chenoa did not ask anymore. It was too personal for her to be nosy about. So they started walking.
The three trudged on for a couple days and nights, resting only when necessary. Chenoa wanted to find Galaxy and the others fast and Sun said that the portals moved quickly. Time was of the essence. It was late on their final night in the Mist when something unexpected happened.
Sun and Kork were fast asleep while Chenoa watched the dying fire. It was her turn to stand watch. The flames suddenly turned blue and danced with a new energy.
“Chenoa,” a cool voice called. “Chenoa, where are you?”
Frozen to the spot Chenoa did not reply. For some reason fear gripped her and she could not feel her feet.
“Chenoa, come to me. Let me find you, Chenoa.”
A blue looking hand seemed to reach out of the fire towards Chenoa and Chenoa’s eyes widen; yet she still could not move. It was reaching, grasping towards her and Chenoa felt a scream stick in her throat. The cold light of the flames was illuminating her face as it almost touched her pant hems, when suddenly there was a sploosh and a waterfall fell on the fire. The fire hissed angrily and died.
Starting Chenoa looked up to see a man on the other side. He was lean and wirily built. His skin was pale silver but his eyes and hair were as gold as the sun. He appeared to be both there and not there as if he was between worlds. The man stared at Chenoa solemnly.
“You must be more careful, Onatah,” the man’s voice echoed sounding like the whispering of trees. “Fires are dangerous portals to horrible places.”
“Tha…thank you,” she managed.
The man nodded sadly.
“You have great dangers ahead of you, but I am sure you will be fine. You have a great talent, but you must remember to use it. I know it has been a long time, Onatah, but remember.”
Chenoa stood there confused by what this man was talking about.
“Of course, you also have the protection of some fine people, including Leben, my son. He is a strong boy, but proud. He will help you, but you must promise to protect him.”
“Your…your son?”
“Yes. I am his father; Ballerina is his mother, a most beautiful woman.”
The nonelement sighed wistfully.
“He is much like his mother and this journey will do him good. Take care of him, Onatah. He has a good heart but a green one. Call upon me, Elixir, if you are ever in great danger.”
With that the nonelement vanished.

18.
When morning rose and Sun awoke, Chenoa pondered if she should tell him that she had talked to his father. The idea nagged at her as they walked.
It was not long before Chenoa could feel magic pulsating in the air. It made her feel nauseous and she tried to pin-point where it was coming from. Looking at Sun, Chenoa noticed that he looked a little green too.
“A portal is near,” he whispered his eyes dancing. “You can feel its powers.”
“It is nauseating.”
“Yes. They are made of such dense and powerful magic that it can over-vhelm those vho have magic sensory.”
Chenoa bit her lip. Should she mention his father?”
“Do you get your magic from your mother too? Or just your father?”
“Mine mother is the one my power comes from. She is very vell blessed vith abilities rarely found in imps. It is said that her family has Spellbinder blood in it.”
“And your father?”
“I do not know about mine father. He is just a nonelement vho seduced my mother. His powers, if I possess them, have never shown themselves and I do not vish them to.”
Chenoa looked beyond Sun and for a moment she could have sworn she saw Elixir. His face looked pained but in a blink he disappeared.
“Maybe he has been around and you have not noticed.”
“No. I dreamed that vhen I vas younger. I thought I could feel and see him everyvhere vatching me, but the reality is he couldn’t give a damn.”
Sun frowned deeply and sparks flittered from his hair. His anger and bitterness radiated off of him for a moment before he shook himself and smiled.
“I am sorry that I acted that vay. I sometimes left my emotions control me too much. Forgive me.
“Oh no, Sun, it is all right. We are only hu…I mean mortals after all.”
Sun laughed openly, smiling serenely at Chenoa.
“Yes, ve are only mortals. Ah…ve are here.”
Stopping abruptly Sun looked grimly at a large shimmering circle. Studying the portal, Chenoa saw that it was silvery with blue and purple tinges and did not seem to be made out of one substance. It was like solid air and liquid gas all at one time. The portal was at least six feet tall and four feet wide and hung a foot off the ground. It pulsed and hummed with magic, making Chenoa dizzy for a moment.
“What do we do?” she inquired placing a hand on Kork for balance.
“Ve just valk into it and it should transport us to the next Vorld safely.”
“Wait…wait…should? What do you mean should?”
“Vell, since it is a magical thing and since magic is unstable, sometimes, but rarely, things can go awry.”
“How awry?”
“Uh, landing in mid air above a canyon in the next Vorld; becoming stuck in the portals passages, etc.”
“Those are pretty awry.”
“It only happens once in a human moon. Ve vill be fine.”
Chenoa was not convinced, but there was no other way. So she took a deep breath and nodded.
“Let’s do this then.”
“Okay, vell I’ll go first to make sure it is safe. Then Kork so that me and him can catch you as you come out.”
“Sounds good.”
Chenoa felt her stomach knot and she bit her lip in anticipation. Steadying herself, she took deep breaths as Sun walked into the portal. She blinked and he was gone. Kork and Chenoa waited. Compulsively Chenoa stroked Kork’s head and waited for some sign that it was safe. Then in a blink a flower appeared. It must have been a sign from Sun.
Hugging Kork, Chenoa tried to smile as the nervous mava stepped into the portal.
“It be alright, Senoa, ork,” he squeaked as he took one last look at her then disappeared.
Trying to calm herself, Chenoa waited for a few minutes. It was time. She had to go threw the portal. Walking up to it Chenoa took a deep breath as if she was diving into water than stepped in.
She felt herself spinning and felt as if her body was being pressed flat. All the air escaped her and she could not breathe. Just as panic started to seize her, Chenoa flew head first out of the portal, start into outstretched arms.


19.
“Gotcha,” a coarse voice chuckled as Chenoa felt large callus hands close around her.
Gasping Chenoa looked into the face of a man that was far from human. He had mean fuchsia eyes and thin lips that were stretched in a grim smile, exposing sharp teeth. His skin was an odd shade of tan with a blue tint to it. Running across his right cheek was a deep, large scar. The man seemed to look more like a demon from Chenoa’s nightmares than a person.
“Ello dolly,” he sneered in a faintly British accent, his grip tightening painfully.
“Ouch,” she yelped. “Let go of me!”
“Now why would I want to do that? You’re a pretty little bird and pretty little birds belong in cages.”
Struggling Chenoa tried kicking him, but her legs just fell short of his large box-like chest. Looking around Chenoa saw Kork. Kork was muzzled and tied up by a large man with a head like a goat. Yet Sun was nowhere in sight.
“Sun!” she yelled twisting her head this way and that. “Sun?”
“Calling your pretty boy, my birdy?” the man laughed. “Well, he ain’t going to answer, but don’t worry he’s okay.”
The man nodded and two other monstrous men appeared dragging Sun. Sun’s head lolled around, his eyes closed. His whole body was limp and his legs dragged in the dirt. His skin was a pale shade of ash.
“What did you do to him?” she cried.
“Oh nuttin, my birdy. We just made him have a drink. He’ll be fine. Just gunna sleep for a while so he don’t give us any trouble.”
Terrified Chenoa watched Sun as if willing him to wake up. The man slowly lowered her to the ground and turned her around. Placing one of his large hands on the back of her neck, he bent close to whisper in her ear.
“Now, my birdy, we are going to walk and you ain’t gunna give us any trouble or else we’ll have to hurt your friends. Understand?”
Swallowing hard Chenoa nodded.
“Good. Now walk.”
Giving her a hard shove, the man forced her forward. Chenoa walked numbly, trying to think of what to do. These men would take her to who knows where. She was unsure if they were working for Ark or just magical bandits. Her guess was Ark. Yet she couldn’t be sure. Then as if to answer he question the man started to talk.
“The master will be mighty proud of us, my birdy,” he swooned his thumb rubbing the back of her neck. “He will be very happy to have you so quickly. I knows he thought we’d be too stupid to catch you but this will show him. He’ll probably reward me.
“Ah yes, I can hear him now. ‘Good job, Tom. So proud! You must be smarter than I give you credit for.’ ‘Oh yes, Tom, you will be rewarded! Whatever you desire, Tom. You have earned it.’ Yah, that is what he will say, my birdy. That is what he will say.”
Chenoa just listened as she walked. There was nothing she could do or say.
“You know, my birdy, I don’t really see what is so special about you, but the master knows what he wants and he wants you. Maybe he is just looking for a wife, though you are a little skinny for me. I like my woman big and powerful. You seem as though a small wind would knock you over.”
Grimacing Chenoa said nothing.
“Whatever the reason, he is sure determined to have you at the castle. You must fit in with his plans. Oh and what grand plans they are. I, ol’ Tom, have heard a great deal of the plans, cause I’m so highly trusted. This whole place will be changed and for the better. My master’s rule will be infinite and I’ll be one of the head guards, maybe even Chief of the Armies after I bring you in. Commander Suture. Has a nice ring. Don’t ya think, my birdy?”
Jerking her head in a noncommittal answer, Chenoa said nothing, listening intently. Tom seemed to take this as a yes and kept talking. Chenoa was paying such close attention to his boasting, she tripped and nearly fell, if Tom had not been holding onto her. Laughing he held her in the air and shook her.
“Well, my birdy, you maybe graceful in the sky but on ground you are as clumsy as a platamook.”
Ignoring his jeering Chenoa blushed and wondered what the hell a platamook was.
They continued to walk for some time with Tom still talking Chenoa’s ear off. When they finally stopped, Chenoa sighed with relief until she looked up and saw the camp that was in front of them. It was full of ratty old tents and one large smoldering fire. At least six other men stood there, some of which were much closer to beast than man. One man was a dark blue color with bright green eyes, three to be exact. Another was large and stocky with the head and hands of a grizzly bear. And another that looked like a human ying and yang sign; one side was an indigo color with a maroon red eye, the other side was a maroon red with an indigo eye.
Chenoa stood mesmerized. Such bizarre creatures Chenoa had never seen.
“Good job, Oric,” Tom yelled to the blue man. “You were right about the portal.
The blue man looked up with the rest and nodded, his two normal eyes blinking while his third on just stared wide open. Fighting the urge to shiver Chenoa looked at the blue man and felt magic vibrate off of him.
“Someone come take this little scrap of human to a tent or something,” Tom barked. “I want to get some grub.”
Oric stood up and walked over to them, taking Chenoa’s hand gently and leading her away. His grip was firm but placid and he watched her as they walked away. Chenoa wonder how he did not trip as he stared at her intently, never once looking at the ground ahead.
Leading her to a far tent, Oric led her inside and shut the tent flap. Chenoa stood nervously inside as he still watched her, his third eye focused completely and unblinking.
“You are magic,” he whispered suddenly, for it was not a question.
“Uh…yes,” Chenoa gasped fidgeting in discomfort.
“You are no human,” he hissed still unmoving.
“No…I’m not.”
“You are much stronger than any soul I have met. Your aura is different.”
“Oh…is that bad or something?”
Oric did not respond.
“You have not trained it well enough though. It is still raw power.”
Oric lightly touched her arm as if he could touch her magic. His normal eyes widened and his third eyes grew even larger. For a moment he was frozen to the spot, before he blinked and looked at her with a worried expression.
“I must say at the risk of sounding cliché, you must learn to control your powers. They are directly from the magic spirits themselves and can destroy anything as easily as they can make. Be safe, Priestess.”
Oric bowed and left the tent.
Chenoa was confused. So far she had been called Onatah, Birdy, Priestess and Spellbinder. They were all names that mixed around in her mind so confusingly. She knew she was a spellbinder but who was Onatah and how in anyway was she a priestess? Birdy she could pass as an offensive chauvinist comment.
Her head aching Chenoa sat down and sighed. Placing her head in her hands Chenoa rocked back and forth. Her head was killing her. Moaning Chenoa closed her eyes. Pressure pushed against her mind as if someone was trying to pry it open. Stop, she thought. Stop. Stop!
Feeling an electric current shoot from her mind, Chenoa jolted as the pressure stopped. There was silence. Chenoa suddenly felt tired and lay down on the hard ground. A soft voice seemed to be singing. Ying-Yang man was singing. He was there or she thought he was there, and he was singing. Such a beautiful song came from his lips.

“Watch the flowers bloom and the raindrops come.
Feel the weight of the world lift and your spirit fly.
Come to the fields and watch the moon rise.
My hand in yours and yours in mine.”


20.
Voices crept into Chenoa’s mind. Voices were arguing. They were loud and she groaned. All she wanted to do was sleep. Why wouldn’t they be silent?
“What did you do?” a voice hissed.
“It was an accident. How was I to know this would happen?”
“Did you give it to the other one too?”
“Of course, but I didn’t know they would react this way!”
“Fool!”
The voices became clearer. Chenoa could tell the differences in the voices. One was Oric, or so she thought. The other was…..was…Tom….maybe… she couldn’t be sure.
“You have doomed us. Do you know what will happen when she sees?”
“What will she do? She is a human.”
“You are blind as you are greedy, Suture. Why would the master want a normal girl?”
“How am I to know? I am not the master!”
“For this exact reason!”
“How dare you talk to me with such insolence!”
“You are not my master! I shall say what I want!”
Chenoa staggered to her feet. Walking to the tent flap, she opened it and peered out. Tom and Oric were arguing heatedly in front of lumps of clothes. Tom was a shade of purple and Oric was tinged orange.
At the sound of her presence both looked up.
“Priestess,” Oric said sharply. “Go back to sleep.”
“What is going on?” she asked worriedly.
“Nothing!” Tom snarled. “Nothing you can do about.”
“Silence, Tom!” Oric warned. “Priestess, please go to sleep.”
“She is not a priestess, you freak! She is a human! I will prove it.”
Tom walked over to Chenoa and grabbed her arm roughly. Dragging her over the pile of clothes, Tom shoved her onto them.
“Tom!” Oric shouted his voice etched with fear.
Chenoa looked at the clothes and gasped. They were not just clothes but bodies. Two bodies. Chenoa looked into the ashen faces of Sun…and Chris. The boys both were dead looking with their eyes misted over and scarlet veins visible in their faces. Shaking Chenoa felt rage boiling in her. What had happened?
“What is wrong with them?” she stammered her eyes glued to them.
“They reacted poorly to the sleeping draft,” Tom sneered as if it was nothing to be concerned about.
“Fix them,” she commanded her eyes watering.
“Oh, and what are you going to do, my birdy? Cry?” Tom growled cracking his knuckles. “Anyways there is nothing we can do. They are as good as dead. There is no cure or at least not one any of us possess.”
Chenoa’s whole body was shaking. Oric watched terrified as he backed away muttering to himself. Heat filled Chenoa’s body as she pressed her ear to Chris and Sun’s chests to hear a heart beat. They were faint and very slow. Tears streaked down Chenoa’s cheeks as she fought to control the rising tide in her.
Tom, irate by his earlier argument and this human girl’s infatuation for those two pretty boys, struck Chenoa. Oric yelled in surprise as Chenoa fell onto her friends again. Suture started yelling at Chenoa telling them her friends were as good as dead, that they were cretin food and she would be lucky if he let her join them.
“They are worthless trash who, if anyone is to blame, are dead because of you, my lil’ birdy.”
Chenoa covered her ears, closing her eyes and shaking her head. This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t happening! No! She started yelling no over and over again as guilt and anger welled inside her chest, feeling as if she was suffocating.
Tom snarled again and laughed cruelly, yet stopped short. Even he, in his complete ignorance, could feel a change occurring.
Chenoa’s body sat still as a stone but seemed to be pulsating. Oric retreated quicker. Light started emitting from Chenoa and a soul piercing scream escaped her. Staggering to her feet, Chenoa suddenly was consumed by flames of a bright gold and red. Turning Chenoa faced the men that had appeared, her hair flying, her eyes blazing as bright as the fire.
Again she screamed and the men were blasted back. Rising in the air, Chenoa pointed at the tents and they sprung into flames.
“My friends’ lives were taken and now shall be yours…an eye for an eye…a soul for a soul…your pain for mine,” her voice echoed sullenly.
Some of the men yelled and fell to their knees, while others ran. Tom, transfixed by this display of enormous power, stood motionless. In his belly a snake awoke. It wanted this power. It wanted this magic. This was why his master wanted her. This was what his master had never mentioned.
Oric watched Tom’s greed spread across his face and Oric grimaced. Tom may not be a highly intelligent man but he was crafty enough to get what he wanted. Tom wanted power and he was seeing it. Oric knew that disaster would come so he turned to leave. A large hand grasped his arm suddenly. Tom was holding him there.
“I want her,” Tom barked his eyes dancing. “You will help me! You knew about this all along! You knew she possessed great power.”
“Tom, do not covet what others want!” Oric warned trying to break the grip on his arm. “Do not covet what is not meant to be tamed! Magic as wild as that is not something that is controlled but it is what will devour you!”
Just then an energy blast hit them and sent them flying. Oric hit a tree and felt his skull crack against the trunk. Tom hit a boulder and felt his bones snap and everything faded to black, his last image was Chenoa hovering in the air like a great angel from hell.