Part 97: My Friend, My Enemy

Main story folder & table of contents: "Return To Manitou Island" 
Previous chapter: "Part 96: Wrath Of The Ice Queen" 

PART NINETY-SEVEN:
My Friend, My Enemy

CHARMIAN, NISKIGWUN, AND Moon Wolf stood upon the shore of Devil's Lake, frozen and staring. The look upon Charmian's face was the worst of all. Her eyes were wide and her face pale, as she stared in disbelief at Thomas, who stood right before her. His own eyes met hers, and they were bright yellow.

They flared, and Charmian swallowed so hard that it hurt. "T...Thomas...?" she whispered, her skin cold.

Thomas continued staring at her, and his eyes flared. At the same time something at his chest flared--Charmian wasn't certain if she caught a glimpse of the Wendigo spirit stone inside him or not--but a grimace suddenly contorted his face, and he doubled over, letting out a pained sound.

The feeling of shock was broken and Charmian started to race toward him. "Thomas--!" she cried, only to feel somebody grab her wrist so abruptly that her legs went out from under her and she fell in the snow. Moon Wolf pulled her back, Charmian struggling and fighting the whole way.

"Let me go! I have to help him--!"

"Charmian!" Moon Wolf shouted. "You can't go near him!"

Charmian gritted her teeth and fought even harder; Niskigwun blinked himself out of his daze, then rushed forward to grab onto her other arm before she could tear herself loose. "I HAVE TO HELP HIM!"

Chepi pushed herself up from the snow. "What...what's going on here--?!" She turned her head and spotted Ocryx lying near the water, then let out a horrified gasp and clambered to her feet to stagger toward him. "OH NO! WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?!"

Tears sprang to Charmian's eyes as she fought futilely against her captors; Thomas crumpled to the ground, shaking and letting out little pained noises as if he'd just been shot in the stomach. "Thomas!" she yelled, falling to her knees; Moon Wolf and Niskigwun loosened their hold, but didn't let go of her. "I have to see him! He's hurt!"

"Charmian," Niskigwun said in a forceful voice. "The spirit stone got to him. It isn't safe for you to be here! He is half Wendigo--you saw how it affected Augwak and Sooleawa Chepi!"

"No!" Charmian shouted, straining against them. "Thomas isn't like that! See, he's trying to fight it off!" She raised her voice as Thomas continued grimacing and clutching at his chest. "FIGHT IT OFF, THOMAS! I know you can!"

Thomas slowly put out one shaking hand to grasp at the snow, his teeth bared. He weakly lifted his head, and his eyes glowed brighter, then dimmer, then brighter, then dimmer. He dropped his head again and took in a shaky breath, then let it out, his muscles relaxing. Moon Wolf and Niskigwun frowned in confusion; Charmian took the chance to abruptly pull herself free, and they gaped at her as she ran toward Thomas and dropped down to her knees in the snow beside him. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"Thomas...?" She looked back at the others, her eyes brimming. "See? I TOLD you he could fight it off! He's part human too, you know!" She looked down at Thomas again and gave a watery smile. "I knew you wouldn't let it take you over like that, Thoma--"

Thomas's head popped up, and his arm shot out; Charmian's head snapped back when his fist connected with her jaw. Moon Wolf and Niskigwun sucked in a startled breath each, Charmian collapsing in the snow. She pushed herself up, putting one hand to her lip, which was split open and bleeding; her brow furrowed at the sight of blood, and she glanced up at Thomas as he got to his feet, clenching his fists and towering over her. His eyes looked just like Chakenapok's when he looked down at her, and she felt a chill settle over her.

"Thomas...?" she murmured hesitantly.

Niskigwun snapped to life and pulled his bow forward. "Charmian! Get away from him!"

"He's just confused!" Charmian insisted as he fitted an arrow to his bow. She stepped in front of him and flung out her arms. "Don't hit him!! I can talk him out of it, I know it--!"

"Remember!" Moon Wolf snapped at her. "Remember how you fought me! NO reason will work with him now!"

"That was different! Augwak and Chepi didn't forget who they were!" Charmian looked back to Thomas. "Right--? You still remember me, don't you--?"

Thomas's eyes glittered. "Mainlander," he said, simply, and before Charmian knew it he was running at her and his elbow slammed into her stomach. Charmian let out an awful gasp, when CRACK--he brought his arm down over her back and she fell flat to the ground. She started trying to push herself up and he kicked her in the ribs, sending her rolling.

"Th-Thomas--!" she croaked as soon as she came to a stop. She blinked hazily and saw him walking toward her, his face carrying the same evil leer that Chakenapok had given her so many times before--the sight of it there unnerved her more than anything she'd ever seen. Thomas shouldn't have that look on his face...!

He halted beside her, and lifted up his hand. An ice ball similar to the one Chepi had hurled started forming over his fingers, and Charmian's eyes grew wide. Then something struck the ball and it disappeared with a puff, and Thomas looked at his hand in surprise. Charmian cringed when Moon Wolf swooped past, grabbing her by the arms and dragging her away before he could renew his attack. Chepi let out a little gasp and vanished behind Ocryx when Moon Wolf pulled her behind the demon as well, letting her fall in a messy heap against his side. Charmian winced and wiped at her mouth.

"He can't forget me like that!" she cried. "He's part human! Chakenapok doesn't have him!"

Moon Wolf stooped over her. "The spirit stone brings out a Wendigo's qualities!" he hissed, jabbing his finger at her. "Meaning anything else is suppressed! Augwak and Chepi are all windling--he is not! They had nothing to forget--he has half of his life to forget! Including you!"

Charmian's eyes widened, her shoulders shaking. "He--he's a Wendigo now--?" she managed to get out, before Chepi let out a squeak and ducked down under Ocryx's wing; Charmian and Moon Wolf peered behind them and saw Thomas running their way, crooking his hand at the air and then whipping it forward. A blast of frigid wind pummeled them and they gritted their teeth, shivering in the onslaught; Moon Wolf pulled Ocryx's wing over her and jumped over the unconscious demon, disappearing from her sight. Charmian caught a brief glimpse of Chepi's terrified face before pushing the feathers off of her and struggling to her feet.

Moon Wolf landed on Ocryx's other side, Thomas coming to a halt several yards before him. They stared at each other for a brief moment before Thomas grinned and came running again; Moon Wolf flung his hand forward, and a ball of snow went flying. Charmian saw Thomas blink, then grin--then he gasped when the snowball actually hit him, glancing off of his chin. Charmian winced at the noise it made when it struck and then broke into pieces; apparently Moon Wolf had picked up the snow and coated it with water before throwing it. Thomas lowered his head and scowled, wiping at his own mouth. Moon Wolf kept his place, and after a moment Thomas bared his teeth and let out an awful hiss.

Charmian gasped and popped up. "Thomas! Snap out of it!"

He looked at her. Then with a smile he came running. Charmian braced herself this time, and his arms connected with hers, nearly driving her back into the lake; he vaulted himself over Ocryx and started swinging at her with his hands, kicking her in the legs with his foot. Charmian cringed at every blow, but they felt like nothing compared to what her mind was going through.

Thomas! she appealed mentally. It's me! Don't tell me you can't remember me! Not after all this--!

"Why not talk aloud, fleshling?" Thomas sneered, and she shuddered at the ugly yellow in his eyes. "You don't want them overhearing how pathetic you are?"

Charmian's breast stung. "I know you don't mean it! That spirit stone is making you say that!"

"Oh really?" He took a jab at her side and she gritted her teeth and doubled over. "Like someone like me would actually care a bit about someone like you?" He struck her in the chest and she cried out at last, falling over; she heard something snap, and saw that the cord holding both the ice flower and Yellow Turtle's Megis shell had broken; the two little objects pittered into the snow. Her eyes grew wide looking at them, until he brought his foot down and they disappeared from sight. She sucked in a ragged breath.

"You really get all worked up over a stupid little flower?" Thomas went on, smirking down at her. "It isn't even a real one."

Charmian clenched her teeth. "I KNOW YOU DON'T MEAN IT!" she yelled. "THE REAL THOMAS WOULD NEVER SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT!"

Thomas leaned down toward her, and his smile was as bitter icy cold as the air. "Hate to break it to you, little girl--but I am the real Thomas."

Charmian's heart clenched in her chest. He--he called me "little girl"--!

Thomas would NEVER call me "little girl"--!!

Anger flared up inside her and she pushed herself up. "LIAR!" She flung a handful of snow in his face and scrambled to her feet, turning toward Niskigwun, who stood at the far end of the clearing, holding his bow; as soon as he saw her on her feet he held it up and pulled the string taut. "I don't believe you for one MINUTE!"

"So is that the reason why you're running away--?"

Charmian skidded to a halt. Niskigwun gawked at her before she turned around again, her fists and teeth both clenched. Thomas stopped as well and grinned; Charmian seethed at the look on his face.

"What?" she barked.

"Charmian!" Niskigwun shouted; then, in her head, It's a trick, Charmian! Don't fall for it!

Thomas just smirked and shrugged. "You say you don't believe it's me--so then you run away? If it's not me, then why not just fight me? Or are you afraid of hurting me or something...?" His grin grew. "Now why would that be...?"

Charmian's lip curled back. "Just because you're in his body DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE HIM!!"

He shrugged again. "So, who else would I be?"

CHARMIAN! You have to get out of the way--!

"EASY!" Charmian snapped. "Who ELSE thinks all of this is one big stupid game? I've got news for you!" She turned around completely and balled her fists at her sides. "I'm ready to play now!"

Thomas laughed. "Charmian--!" Niskigwun shouted, when she ran at him. Thomas held up his hands, ready to throw another blast at her.

Right before she reached him she dodged to the side and flung her hand down at his feet--"Snow!"--and Thomas suddenly disappeared in a flurry of white which shot up from the ground around him. After a second he started batting his way free, but by now Charmian was behind him--she stretched out her arms, then swept them toward herself. "WATER!" A gout of water from Devil's Lake surged forward and Thomas blinked right before it swept over him. The water formed into a whirlpool arising from the ground, and a sopping Thomas struggled to free himself from it.

"Give him up!" Charmian shouted. "He's not your playing piece!"

"Charmian!" Niskigwun yelled. "GET OUT OF THE WAY so I can hit him!"

"NO!" Charmian cast the Michinimakinong a furious glare before turning back to Thomas. "What if he gets killed, or hurt--? I can't let that happen!"

"He is NOT possessed!" Moon Wolf shouted from his own side of the clearing. He stood not too far from Ocryx now, Chepi peering out from behind him. "Get this straight! He is himself and you cannot talk him out of that!"

Charmian's face contorted. "THAT'S NOT THOMAS!!" she screamed, and whipped her hands at the water surrounding him. It twisted even harder--Thomas let out a yell--and then it broke apart, splashing into the snow around him. The snow still flitting about in the air clung to him as it fell and he bared his teeth, his hair dripping in his eyes. He held up his hand and she braced herself for an attack, but all he did was close his fingers.

"Don't buy it?" he snapped, and then opened his hand. Charmian stared numbly at the little ice flower--an exact duplicate of her own--which he now held. "Then how's that? Still don't buy it?" He closed his fist and crushed the flower so the little pieces of it fell to the ground. "Then how's this--? A valentine does look rather like a red leaf! And Justin says I'm lucky, being with you!" His mouth twisted into an ugly parody of a grin. "Though that's open to debate, don't you think--?"

Niskigwun and Moon Wolf both looked confused. Charmian's face went dead white, her eyes large and wet, and her shoulders started shaking; a moment later she raised her hands over her head, the tears spilling from her eyes.

"Snap out of it!" she screamed, and made a clawing motion at the sky--"ICE!"--and little bolts of ice began raining down on them, aiming at Thomas. He held up his arm to shield his face; Charmian raced to the side and swept her hand at the snow. "SNOW!" She ran several more paces and waved at the trees--"SHOWER!"--then several more paces, and waved at the lake--"WHITECAP!" Thomas turned about with each move she made, watching her progress with apparent amusement; yet a moment later when he was suddenly pummeled by snow and water and ice, he didn't seem nearly as amused anymore.

Thomas grimaced and batted away as much of the snow and water as he could. "You really think you can fight me off with this sort of stuff?" he managed to get out. "I think you'd better head back to school and learn a bit more!"

Charmian halted in front of him. "I'M the one who taught YOU, jackass!" she shrieked. "You wouldn't know anything but throwing around wind if not for me!"

Thomas pushed away a splash of water. "SUITS ME JUST FINE!" He jabbed his hand forward and Charmian cried out when a row of ice crystals blossomed across her shoulder, quivering as she flinched. He flung another set at her, striking her other shoulder; then another set hit her in the shin and she fell to her knees.

"KNOCK IT OFF!!" Charmian screamed, furious.

"What's the matter?" Thomas exclaimed, grinning gleefully and threatening to lob another set of crystals. "And what was all this talk about not knowing anything but 'throwing around wind'--?"

Charmian clenched her teeth. "Once I snap you out of this I'm going to kick your stupid ass for being such a--SUCH AN ASS!!"

Thomas rolled his eyes. "I should tell you now, you're not as dreadfully clever as you think you are, either--"

Something whizzed past Charmian's head and she sucked in a breath. It hit Thomas in the chest and he jolted and gawked in surprise, then fell to his knees himself, grimacing; he clutched at the wind arrow before it evaporated, and Charmian glanced over her shoulder at Niskigwun as he pulled out the last one.

"Stop it!"

"You cannot reason with him!" Niskigwun barked in response, and aimed his bow. Charmian heard a sound, and turned back to see Thomas slowly pushing himself up, his eyes flaring as they fixed on Niskigwun; Charmian started to scramble to her own feet, turning and stumbling toward him as fast as she could.

"GET DOWN--!"

Niskigwun loosed the second arrow and it flew over Charmian's shoulder. She whirled her head around to see Thomas running after her--and he grabbed the arrow straight out of the air, twirling it in his fingers and wielding it like a knife as he came. Charmian and Niskigwun gawked; the next thing she knew, the Michinimakinong had grabbed her by the arm and hurled her into the snow, and Thomas jabbed the arrow into his chest.

Charmian let out an unintelligible scream, clawing at the snow. She continued screaming when Niskigwun fell down beside her, his hands wrapped around the arrow, but just as with Thomas it disappeared; he was left wincing and clutching at his chest. Charmian's scream died away when she saw that he was still alive--if still hurt--but she gasped when Thomas grabbed hold of him and yanked him up to his feet. Niskigwun managed to let out a startled yell before he went sailing through the air--then his yell changed into a scream which would have been almost comical, if he hadn't then struck the ground with a painful thud. Moon Wolf gaped at him as he crumpled over on himself, then glanced back at Charmian.

Thomas stood over her again and he smirked. "Well, that was easy. I guess they don't call them Turtle Fairies for nothing."

Charmian bared her teeth. "If THIS is the real you then you'd better hope for a good health insurance plan once I'm done!!" She clawed up a handful of snow and flung it in his face, rolling to the side as he swiped it away. He turned his head just in time for her to punch him in the face, and he blinked dizzily and put his hand to his mouth, Charmian clenching her fists and hopping in front of him like a boxer. He started laughing.

"Oh wow, so you do know how to use your fists!"

"Snap out of it," Charmian growled. "I know you're not like this and YOU know it! So knock it off!"

Charmian! Moon Wolf's voice came in her head, and she flinched at the harshness of it. If you insist on following this plan then you have to get that spirit stone out of him FIRST! He will not reason with you until then!

He took Niskigwun's last arrow! Charmian cried.

Then you will have to do it yourself!

Charmian's eyes welled up again, and Thomas paused just briefly to frown and peer at her more closely.

"Are you crying--?" His brow furrowed, then the grin started to creep back onto his face. "You are! What's the matter, a sore loser, are you...?"

"I haven't lost anything yet," Charmian hissed, "except my frigging PATIENCE!" She stuck out her hands, wrist to wrist, and yelled at the top of her lungs. "ICE ARROW!"

A bolt of cold shot from her hands, and Thomas stared at the shaft of ice which flew his way. He batted it aside and feigned a yawn. "ICE ARROW!" She flung another, which he just as easily swept away, and she felt like tearing out her hair in frustration. "WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF!!"

Thomas made a pfft noise. "You really think that sort of drivel is going to actually work--?" he asked, then let out a gusty sigh and waved. "Oh, FINE then."

Charmian blinked the blur from her eyes and fired a third time. "ICE ARROW!" This time Thomas stood still--actually spreading his arms and smirking as the arrow flew at his chest--and it lodged in his breastbone, quivering and glinting, before breaking into pieces and falling away. Charmian waited, yet...nothing happened. He didn't even grimace as he had when Niskigwun's arrow had hit him. She gawked in dismay, then tried another tactic--"Wind arrow!"--only for it to hit him in the chest as well, with no result. Her mind panicked.

It's--it's WORTHLESS! Niskigwun's arrows must be something completely DIFFERENT--!

If that's so, then how am I ever going to get that stone back from him--?

"Done yet?" Thomas asked; when all she could do was stare at him mutely, his mouth twitched. "Fine then. I'm not"--and with that, he raced at her, and the next thing she knew, his icy fingers were wrapped around her neck--she felt herself flying through the air--then all the breath was knocked out of her when she slammed to the ground, landing on her back. A second later Thomas was straddling her stomach, one hand raised over her head and ice forming around his fingers. Charmian's eyes grew wide and wet, and she started struggling to get loose.

A noise came from off to the side, and she saw Thomas lift his head; he made a face and jerked his free hand at the air. Charmian craned her neck to see Moon Wolf crash to the ground as soon as a gust of wind hit him, and he lay still for a moment before slowly and painfully lifting his head.

"Moon Wolf--!" Charmian cried. His head jerked up now and she saw the fear there; he made another dash toward them, but the result was the same; this time he ran into Ocryx, Chepi squeaking and vanishing from sight. She looked back up at Thomas, hating the tears that spilled down her face, as well as the shrill note in her voice.

"STOP IT!" she yelled. "I'M the one you're fighting, NOT him!"

Thomas smirked. "And he's the one you learned from--? No wonder that was so easy." He stooped over her and crooked his hand again. "So I take it this should be pretty easy, too...?"

Charmian's teeth hurt from the pressure of grinding them so hard. Helpless rage flared up in her breast, and all of her muscles tightened as the ice crystallized over Thomas's fingers. His amusement grew, but then his smile faded slightly...she saw something red glow in his eyes, and that confused her, since his eyes were still yellow. That was when she noticed how he looked down at her chest, and in his eyes she caught a perfect reflection--

My spirit stone! It's--glowing--?

She wrested one hand free and clamped it over the glow as if to press it back away from sight, but found herself twisting her hand to face him instead. Thomas's look of confusion grew, then he forced a smirk again.

"And what's that you're trying, little girl? One last fling before it's over? One good thing to be said about you, at least you're too thickheaded to know when to give up."

Charmian's vision blurred again until he became nothing but a vague colored image. Her spirit stone hurt, and she could tell that it was throbbing with those ugly black tendrils which Chakenapok had introduced...yet this thought only fueled her rage, and she felt her fingers crooking so sharply that her hand hurt. When her voice came, it was as if someone else were speaking, it sounded so strange and hateful.

"I'm not a little girl," she grated between clenched teeth. "And I'm not letting him do this to you."

Her spirit stone throbbed, then she felt a painful tingle running down her shoulder, to her elbow, and up toward her wrist. Her fingers started to pulse, and then glow, and then a humming noise filled the air. The tears slid from her eyes and she saw Thomas staring at her glowing hand with a trace of uncertainty now, and this just made the glow grow even brighter.

Moon Wolf pushed himself up onto hands and knees, staring at them with wide eyes.

Thomas's look of unease grew when the glow began pulsing in unison with her heartbeat, hard and angry. "Give him back," Charmian whispered, her voice seething. "Or I'll take him from you."

A voice--Chakenapok's voice--came in the very back of her head. Think you can actually go through with it, Mainlander...?

Moon Wolf's voice directly followed it. Charmian! Do it! You can get him back! Just do it!

Thomas smirked once more, though not as convincingly as before. "Plan on actually doing anything with that, little girl...?"

Charmian bared her teeth. "I'm not a little girl!" she hissed, and the surge of energy began to accumulate in the center of her palm, throbbing and flaring and surging to be let go.

Charmian! DO IT!

Charmian's and Thomas's stares locked on each other, and they hovered frozen that way for a moment that felt like an eternity, his hand full of ice, hers full of flame. Her hand glowed brilliant yellow and her muscles tensed to let loose the blast that would strike him straight in the spirit stone...

And then Charmian took in a shaky breath, and shut her eyes...

And the glow slowly died away.

Continue:

Part 98: Fire-Juggler  (13+) A desperate Moon Wolf seeks to end the fight, by strange means... #937317 by Tehuti, Lord Of The Eight

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