Water Bond preview

Water Bonds

Her dark brown ruthless curls bounced back and forth as she shook her head wildly. No was all she could think. She hadn't wanted this. She had never asked for this. "But it's still happening" the forest seem to spit the words at her as she slowly sank to the ground and buried her filthy face into her equally muddy hands. Though she didn't care, maybe her tears would wash away some of the mud from her hands. But she wasn't crying. It didn't make any sense.

A soft sound cracked just in front of her; but she couldn't bring herself to look up. To see the body lying limply in front of her, slowly going dead cold; she couldn't bare it. She was sure that if she looked up to the body of her long time tormenter slowly bleeding out, she would go insane.  All those years she had never fought back. All those years she had taken what she deserved. But not this time, this time she had ran. All those years of hatred and bruises and endless punishments for something that never happened and never will. They had all lead to this finally blow, and it had come from her; the one blow that she had actually really felt. She had felt it reach into her waiting soul and turn the knob of a door that had been locked shut for so long. It felt so wrong, that open door did. Why did killing him feel so wrong and twisted to her? How many times had he taken pleasure in trying to kill her as painfully and slowly as he could? She couldn't even remember the answer to that, but it was sure a lot. Was her dark brown ruthless curls bounced back and forth as she shook her head wildly. No was all she really so weak that she couldn't even help herself?

A moaning sound escaped into the air from something other than herself; making her gasp and bolt upright. What if someone had seen her do it? In front of her the dead body that should be still was rolling over on to its stomach. It couldn't be! How was he still alive? Wide eyed she stared as his bright green eyes, much like her own, but filled with fire, scanned the forest until they rested on her. Slowly he started to get to his bare feet. He said nothing, but he didn't need to. The look on his face said it all as he stood and grasped the handle of the kitchen knife poking out of his abdomen. He slowly pulled it out not even wavering in his stare at her and dropped the knife to the ground next to his bare feet. He smiled down at her a sick kind of smile that made her shiver inside and out and want nothing more than to throw up. All she could do was whimper in fear as he picked up the shovel next to where he'd dropped the knife on the ground and just right of the big Oak tree that they had named years ago as kids.

Once again she was consumed by one thought and one thought only, no. With force she didn't think was necessary, he swung the shovels head forward. The last thing she heard before the shovel struck home was the soft chirps of the morning birds and her brothers' grim voice echoing through her skull repeating over and over again the same line as it bounced off the walls of her head and back again.
"Don't you know you can't kill me little sister?" She couldn't help but think as she slowly felt herself floating further away from her body that maybe this time, maybe he would finally kill her. And then there was nothing. Then there was the peace bliss of emptiness.
The smell that surrounded her when she woke up was a musty sort of saw dust smell that was all too familiar to her. Ivy knew instantly from that and the cool wind the brushed soft on her skin that she was in the attic. Or she should say they were, guessing from the soft and just slightly there sounds of another human being in the room. Ivy could only guess that this other person was Sam. She groaned as she tried to sit up and immediately fell back to the pillow as needles of sharp pain shot through her skull. Gasping as she lay on the pillow from the pain she tried to move her hands up to wipe her eye and maybe a bit of the pain away, but failed. Pulling again at her hands, she realized that they had been chained down. Slowly she peeled her eyes open to take in her surroundings and guess on how bad of a beating she would get this time.

The clanking of chains reached her ears just in time for her to squint through the florescent light and get an eyeful of her beloved cat, Sybil, hanging with a huge hook right through its middle from the ceiling. The cat hung a little less than a foot right above the very table she was strapped too and over about her mid chest. Ivy let out a strangled gasp as her mind finally took in what was hanging above her. Her poor cat still seemed to be squirming a bit as it wailed to be free and die. But Ivy had no doubt that Sam had stuck the hook in a direct spot where it would take quite a long time for it to die. She tried to hold herself together as Ivy's horrified mind scrambled over itself like a pack of mice and tried to figure out what to do with itself next. Slowly she felt her sanity floating further and further away from her, but she stopped. She blocked it out. Ivy couldn't let this be her end; she couldn't give Sam what he wants. She pulled her vision in, staring anywhere but the cat. She couldn't look at the cat. The only friend she could ever remember having in this life.

     Chains clinked as the poor yellow and white tabby cat know as Sybil stopped its moving and finally died suspended above her owner like a leave on a tree. And then just as leaves do in the fall, Sybil fell. Her small limp body with the hook prodding through it fell on to its former owner's body yellow tail first. Ivy couldn't help it, she screamed as her cat landed on her chest and fell sideways, its blood dripping don't her sides and soaking her bra. All she could think was that she was going to get punished for that scream. Sam always likes to punish her when Ivy cried or screamed. But ivy knew he liked it when she did. She knew he took pleasure in hearing her cry out in pain.

"What was that I heard sister?' he let the words drip like the cats blood for his mouth to her waiting ears as he slowly stroked his shining blade. "You know what is said about screams, or do I have to remind you?"
"No, please" she whimpered out trying her hardest to lean away from his frame, but despite her begging; he continued.

"When you scream, it's just another way of letting your demons show, and you know the way to get rid of demons don't you little sis?" Oh she knew; Ivy knew all too well. Sammy also knew she knew, but he went on anyway; ignoring her tears fallen down Ivy's flushed cheeks. He was picking the best spot to drive his favorite dagger in. "you make the demons think the host is dying" his whisper was petrifying as he plunged the knife down toward her glowing skin. It blade glimmered brightly in the florescent light as it made its journey down and pierced her cats body. I the dagger when all the way through her beautiful dead cats body and just barely entered her own skin. She screamed again in pure fear. Terrified even though Ivy knew her scream would do nothing for her.  Sam lifted the cat up and off of her body grinning as he pushed it off the knife and looked right in her eyes.

It was a toothy grin that she had never seen before. Something about it made him look so much more insane, something about this grin was so wrong that it couldn't be explained. So wrong that it had her gasping to try and catch her breath. He was Sam anymore. There was something wrong with him; with this Sam. Ivy just couldn't put her finger on it, but that smile...

"Oh sister" he whispered intruding her thoughts, "there are so many demons in you." AS he whispered this he pulled his now blood cover blade up between them. He dropped the cat that he had been holding by the tail, as he watched the cat land on the floor with a thud time seemed to move at a turtles pace. The minute the cat touched the floor and its blood splattered Sam's green cat eyes snapped back up to her. His eyes searched over her olive colored skin no doubt covered in blood and dirty and her wild with curls brown her probably equally dirty. He moved on looking over her soft pink lips as full as the ocean and her small nose with blood dripping from the right side. There was no question that Ivy looked like a dump. And she knew it.

"You're actually quite lovely" he continued, staring her down. "It's too bad you're my sister, oh wait; I forgot I didn't care." Then he laughed. It was like a cold bucket of water had been dumped on her. She knew that laugh, that wasn't Sam's laugh.

She remembered that laugh; it was the laugh they all had. The laugh of the scarrows; the water bonders of the earth and quite possibly the world. Then Ivy remembered, she remembered that she was not the one with demons. Sam was the demon holder. She remembered hearing the laugh in the mother, grandmother, and now even Sam. They had gotten to Sam now too. Before he was just hurting her to finish out their mothers dying wish; but now it was so much worse. She was such an idiot. Ivy should've known the minute he pulled the knife out just like nothing had happened. Or maybe that was it, maybe killing him had activated the call that she knew they all carried in them from birth and had allowed this monster to take over his body.

While she was thinking all of this and spacing out Sam's body must have been trying to make her scream again, cause when she came too with her surroundings all she could see was the blade tip inches above her bleeding nose. In his eyes she could also see the disappointment that she hadn't screamed. If she really looked, looked hard, Ivy could see that Sam's eyes were dead. Sam, her brother who she had loved despite everything, was dead; dead and gone.

Like that; she screamed, but not a scream of fear. This was a scream of pure and utter rage. Ivy screamed in the face of the monster that had taken over her brother's body. Sure Sam would have never won the best brothers award, trying to kill your sibling over and over again will do that. You couldn't exactly call him loving, but he'd still been her brother. It didn't matter that he'd hurt her every day in every single way Ivy thought was possible. She knew that that had all been for her mother who Sam had all but worshipped the ground she'd walked on. When they were young they had actually been kind of friends. And now, knowing that this, this monster was going around parading in Sam's body enraged her to no extent.

So she screamed, Ivy stone screamed with the voices of the hate and monsters everyone so feared; she screamed with the voices of the people she hated and the things that waited in hell. With all her might she pulled as she let it out, thinking of all the terrible things that had been done to her and all the things to come. A ripping sound broke through her scream of rage and a look of recognition flashed within the dead eyes of the scarrow before her. Sam's dead but moving body backed away knowing the storm to come.

Only this demon didn't know, it only thought it knew what was coming. This time, not even Ivy stone herself knew what was coming. It had all happened before with her grandma, aunt, grandpa, and even her mother; but this time was different. This time she would not just pass out and end up in the arms of her next tormenter. This time she would stay. This time Ivy would find her father and she would fight. This time she wouldn't give up.

~

"What do you mean she's gone!?" The man in the suit exclaimed in to the phone as he got up and began to pace. The office that was his was a huge place with more than a few bookshelves and a huge oak desk that set facing away from a beautiful overview of a disgusting city. A wall made entirely of glass gave the room a sophisticated feel and the tan plush carpet with bits of dark brown contrasted perfectly with the wood walls stained to match his desk. You could bet your bottom dollar all of it was real wood. The man's face which had slight olive tint and was relatively tan, began growing increasingly red while he listened to captivator on the phone. All while he was pacing his massive office with a purposeful stride. This man's name just so happened to be Renwell Stone, the wealthiest and most well known soap company leader in the all of western United states. I know what you're thinking. Who gets insanely rich off of making soap? And who even cares about who makes the soap, I mean isn't it insanely lame to be known for something as stupid as owning a soap company? The answer to that question is, yes. It is very lame, but you see, it isn't really the soap company this dangerous man is known for.

He is and probably always will be the demon king of this realm. In his mind there was absolutely no probably about it. All of these stupid smaller demons had no chance of overtaking someone like him, the only person that had a chance at that (a very small chance) was his daughter, and she was locked up being tortured for eternity. Or at least she had been, now that those idiots had lost her and didn't know where she was. This was a problem, or well it could be. But he wasn't going to let it become a problem. That's just how he rolled. Besides, she had nothing but her fairy blood from her real mother going for her. The very women he had locked up in his cell. Ha, thinking she could get the drop on him. Good luck with that sweet heart, he'd been the king for over 6,000 years and that was not about to change because of some nearly 200 year old half demon half fairy. In fact he thought as his mood began to brighten, this might actually be fun.
                                                                ~
Ivy stumbled through the forest, her brown curls tangling with the reaching tree branches and rose thorns tearing at her bare legged skin. She was really only half coherent as she moved the not so safe path back to the cabin her and her associates were staying in. It had been almost a whole 3 months since she had escaped and Ivy had gotten together as many people as she could on her side.

So far there were only 3 of them but their numbers would grow once they got more things figured out. Her army of 3 included David Hanburg who was a very skilled wiccan with short spiked brown hair and a knack for wearing clothes that made him look like a rocker teenager. The other in their little group was a not so sweet young girl name Lunafae Welchen who didn't actually have any powers of her own yet but when she got older she would grow wing and produce saliva that could make you bleed without stop, or at least that's what she told Ivy, Ivy was pretty sure she was just a lonely human. The girls hair was exact contrast to Ivy's, being such a blond that it could hurt you just looking at it. Lunafae was such a vicious fighter that you would think who ever she was fighting had killed her entire family. Finally topping off the group was Ivy herself, who just found out that she was a demon fairy half breed; and that of the two most powerful people in all 7 realms. Right now her only powers that had shown themselves were the ability to channel others emotions as well as change them and to make others think what she wanted. Neither were very useful since she couldn't use them against demons, but they came in handy when they needed places to stay, which was a whole other matter to be talked about.

It was time to move, Ivy and her friends had been attacked 3 times just this month. They knew where they were so back up would come to the city. Her feet padded against the bare ground, caking her toes with mud. Ivy had decided to tell them tonight that they had to leave. This was the worst part of living a life like this, but she would take it over what she had had any day. Turning the knob to the old wooden door, Ivy stone braced herself for the talk they would have later. She hoped they would all stay with her. Instead of opening the door to a lovely picture of her two friends making dinner and laughing with each other, Ivy walked in to both of them at each other's throats.

Oh yeah, couldn't forget that, they kind of hated each other. David and Lunafae shared a sort of love hate relationship that baffled Ivy and almost always gave her a heart attack. The milk carton she had been holding spilled from her hands as she took in what was happening. David and Fae were rolling around on the floor; Fae trying with all her strength to bite poor Dave, and Dave trying with strength to match to get his Wiccan kit.

"Stop!" she screeched out but neither listened as they continued to roll around and beat at each other viciously, "I said stop it!" It was no use; they never stop when she asked. She would have to stop it for them. Using her powers to sense out their anger emotions, Ivy pushed them, asides and brought out one she thought would make the situation better. Happiness was the agers replacement and she smiled ready to open her eyes and see them helping each out up. Instead she found them making out in a spiraled ball in front of her. Ew was all she could think was she made a face of disgust and went back into their minds to fix what she had done wrong. Ivy was still learning to use her powers and sometimes passion and happiness looked so much alike it was hard to tell which. She was so going to get killed for this mistake.

               Ivy opened her eyes after fixing them to both of them staring at her like they needed body parts to hang on their Christmas tree and she was the donor. Oh great, now she would have to make them not hate her as well. She held her hands up in an 'I mean no harm' stance.

"Look guys I'm sure we can talk this out I really didn't mean too-"
"Didn't mean to!" David exclaimed in his slightly too high for a guy voice, cutting her short of the apology. "You can't just say that and think we'll be fine with it, not I have to live with the fact that I've kissed a girl!"

"Yeah!" Lunafae cut in, "and I have to live with the fact that I kissed him, plus you know how I feel about you messing with my emotions; I don't like it at all Iv."  Yes, she did know but they never listened to her and she hated the fighting. Even though she knew she needed to be on good terms with them for the talk tonight she still got mad, and when she got mad it was hard to calm her down.

"Yes I know that you don't like it Fae," Ivy practically spit the words as she moved a little closer, "but you also know that I don't like it when I come home to you fighting. And you never listen to me, I mean never." With the last word Stone flipped around and stalked off to her room, unable to stand looking at her friends anymore. How could they be so stupid and self centered? They had a war to fight. They didn't need one to fight with themselves as well. Ivy didn't even understand why they always fought over the smallest of things and threatened to kill each other on a daily basis but would protect one another's back at any point. She knew for a fact one would die for the other it was just so stupid. Finally letting off some steam she plunged herself into her bed and buried her face in, trying not to scream in frustration. Ivy felt like a horrible leader; maybe that was why she only had 3 people following her.

A crash sounded from the living room and shouts followed. They were probably at it again Ivy thought, well they could just go ahead and kill themselves for all she cared. Another crash came and she heard Lunafae scream, great, they were actually going to kill each other. Then she would have no one to follow her. Sighing she sat up in bed; Ivy could give up on the only two friends she had. Then she heard it, a deep voice that couldn't possibly be David's and was definitely not Fae's. Ivy leaped from her bed immediately going into battle mood and grabbed her staff that she often used against demons when they went out on hunts together and sprinted to the door. Slowly Ivy opened a bit door to get a view of the situation. At first she was just simply confused when her eyes meant a plaid green shirt. Then she looked up and found it covering wide shoulders and connecting to a slightly good looking demon male. Shoot was the word she thought as her eyes meant his and locked. He was thinking got ya. He swung his fist hard and fast, if she would have waited another second they would all be done for; lucky for them she didn't. Her staff came up to meet with his fist and he went flying backwards. Fae was screaming for Ivy to leave them and get out and she could hear the distant grunts of her other friend Dave. No way was she leaving them. Ivy ran out into the living room as her handsome enemy was trying to pull himself off the ground. At first what she saw almost made her heart stop. David was on the floor with a demon straddling him, the demons mouth to Dave's bare neck sucking blood from his body. Dave's outreached hand trying with everything he had left to get to his magic pack. Screaming in outrage at what was happening to her friend, Stone flew at the monster. She flung the demon off of him and out of the house with strength she didn't know she possessed.

Pure rage overtook her body as she looked for her sister of life. Lunafae was pinned in the corner by yet another demon. Rushing over Ivy was on the other side of the room before she could even blink an eye. She snatched a handful of the monster's dirty blonde hair and ripped him back away from her friend. With all the strength she had acquired with this rage she beat its face against the wall. Until there was no wall in that space left to beat him on. Again and again she smashed his face, not thinking only knowing that she had to kill him, for her and all that she loves sake. It was his entire fault, all of it, her childhood, her suffering, and her friends. He was responsible for all of it and he had to pay. Distantly, as if it was happening in a whole other world, Ivy heard her friends take down the other demon and send him back to where he came from. Faintly she felt hands claw at her, begging her to stop, begging it all to end. But she couldn't stop it. She felt the dirty evil blood of the demon squeeze through her fingers that still clutched a handful of its hair. A horrible ripping sound broke through the stale air. Before she knew what was happening David had her in his arms; Carrying Ivy away from the traitor.

"No!" she screeched, "No he has to pay! I have to make him pay!"

"Shh," David whispered softly holding back her fruitless attempts to break free, her strength that she had had was completely gone.  "It's going to be okay Ivy, just calm down." She felt some ones hand on hers, gently prying it open to take out the glob of hair and blood and flesh.  Calm down her had said, Calm down? How could she calm down when revenge was so close to her fingertips? Ivy screamed in outrage yet as she did she felt herself slowly calming down. Dave held her close as they walked, burying her face in his chest and smoothing her hair down.

Finally she believed that everything would be fine. That they would find her father and slay him where he stood. They would take over the demon population and make it a better race. Make the entire world a better place for everything. For once in her wretched life she felt like everything was going to be fine. With that she passed out and let the light drain from her mind for the time. It was the best sleep she had got in, well, ever.

Distantly Ivy stone was aware of things happening around her. Of people preparing for battle and her eccentric friends she had known sitting by her bed side, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't force herself to wake up. It felt like the strongest glue of all dimensions had been used to make sure her eyes would never open again.  She tried with all the strength she had to move at least one muscle, to twitch in the very least, but nothing happened. In and out of awareness she went until finally her bright green eyes fluttered open and filled with the beautiful peaceful thing of sunlight. It felt like it had been a thousand years since she had seen the glorious rays from the bright ball of flame in the sky. Weakly she tried to sit up but found it strangely difficult in her state of existence. She was weak and need food. Ivy didn't know when the last time she had been awake but she was sure it had been long ago. The room was completely empty save for her and a few buzzing flies that flew around freely with no one to swat at them.  The air was still as if she was the first person to move in it for a long time, and the rays of sunlight that come through the windows going up and down the rooms walls on either side were low on the floor, meaning it was around 3 in the afternoon.

Slowly she sat up again to try a get a good view at her situation. Even Ivy knew she wasn't strong enough to fight if she had been captured, and she probably wouldn't even be ready to walk if she didn't get food soon. Then the smell hit her, the beautiful mouth watering smell of mashed potatoes and peanut butter. Who could resist that smell; especially when she was so hungry. When she saw the tray at the bottom of the bed she practically jumped on it, and if she had been in a better condition she probably would have. Ivy took a spoon full of potatoes on the tray and shoved them in to her waiting mouth, not even stopping to think about them being poisoned or about how eating solid food so soon could make her sick. Ivy ate like she had never had food before and when she was done she felt stronger and more sure of herself.

Standing up she moved softly and slowly down the room to the double yellow and red doors on the right hand wall. Ivy reached out and pushed lightly on the handle, making the door swing open and slam against the wall; wow, touch Stone crept out into the hallway, stepping over a pair of tiny green shoes that some little girl should be wearing. It was too quiet; there weren't even the sounds of bugs that were normally constant. Around the corner of the olive green walls she walked. There were door at the end of the hall where she could see movements of people or things behind the glass. She couldn't think about what was happening or what she should do to try and stay undercover. In fact, she couldn't really think at all. Everything was also mixed together and she didn't know what was going on. Ivy practically sprinted to the door, trying to hear anything; even a faint whisper. Grasping the handle she flung it open to reveal a small gathering of mostly people she didn't know. Then she saw him, or rather them.

~

David meant her eyes and sighed in relief as a great weight was lifted off his shoulders. He had used a sleeping spell that night to calm her down, but in the chaos of it all he used too strong of a dose and put her under for what he had begun to think was forever. It had been a whole month and she hadn't woken up. All life had seemed pointless since he'd killed one of his only two friends.

Now seeing her bright olive green eyes staring up at all of them like a lost child made him want to dance, to sing out loud, and hug her so hard she yelled in surprise. He had his friend back, it seemed like this war was already so much easier to fight. All the people in this room practically worshipped Ivy, it would totally freak her out if they were to start bowing and kissing the ground she walked on. Which, with these people, was likely to happen. He had to get her out of here before that happened. He meant eyes with Lunafae silently delivering the message, it was clear she agreed when they simultaneously started for the door way that Ivy stood in. He grabbed her arm and pulled her with them in to the hall while Fae shut the door to the stunned crowded inside. He pulled her into the biggest bear hug she had ever seen as tears meant his eyes. He was so glad to have her back.

~

Ivy couldn't breathe. Not because some chemical or a medical condition or anything like that. Nope, it was the good old fashion strangling method, and it wasn't even by her enemy. It was her best friend David. He had her in a hug that could have squeezed the life out of someone a bit more fragile. Not like it wasn't also squeezing the life out of her.

"S-stop," Ivy squeaked, "can't. Breathe. Help." Finally he set her down and wiped his eyes. To his surprise he had been crying. Fae stood aside, not wishing to partake in such a mushy gooey reunion.

"Enough with that already would you," Fae spat, "I can practically smell the love over here, and it stinks." Laughing Ivy Stone looked at both of her friends and immediately went into serious mood again, demanding answers for every question she had. Her first one was most important though.

"Would someone please explain to me why there is no sound whatsoever?" The question hung in the air for a few precious seconds before Dave picked it up and answered.

"Oh yeah sorry that's kind of my fault," he started, "I put a protection spell on the house so nothing could get in and I really made it nothing. No sound, no wind, not even mail can get past my borders unless it's been in and out for when I first put the spell on. Hints the eerie silence." Oh that did make sense, she guessed.

"Also I know this doesn't really make any sense to ask but, what's with the Childs shoes outside the door of the room I came out of?"

"What Childs shoes?" they both said in time with each other. It was so together it creeped even ivy out.

"The cute little green girl shoes back there," she gestured behind her with her thumb back to where she'd come out of, "I saw them when I first stepped outside the door." Both David and Lunafae looked at each other, and then started forward to look at these so call shoes. When they reached the door with Ivy close behind, the shoes were nowhere in sight. But she had seen them this didn't make any sense. "They were right there, where did they go?" David and Fae looked at each other once again and then Fae patted Ivy on the back.