Note: the italics are both the witch's and Azkadellia's thoughts. The story will tell you who is saying what.
The witch was waiting impatiently for General Lanot. She was so close to the emerald she could almost taste it. I was feeling some of it as well. I wasn't sure what were my own feelings anymore. The witch is angry all the time. She never feels anything else.
The General walked in with Zero and a few other of the long coats. Her general stood there with his hands behind his back, his face was stern but he held an air of fear.
"You made me a promise," the sorceress said.
"I'm sorry sorceress. Unfortunately there were complications with the resistant spies in the north," he said somewhat confidently.
The witch's face went stolid. She was so unpleased! Her anger is like fire in my head.
"A slight… delay sorceress. That's all," The general said feeling the seeping anger from the dark sorceress.
She walked slowly towards him. He swallowed hard. "The emerald Lanot… Where's my emerald," she asked in an even voice.
"We will double our efforts close the vice even tighter," he swallowed again. "All I need is a little more time."
"There is no more time," some of her anger was seeping into her voice. "In seven days the double eclipse will darken our skies. If I don't have the emerald by then everything I have worked so hard for. All of this," she gestured with a turn of her head. "Will be lost."
"We will have it by then. I give you my word," he promised.
She turned in annoyance. Then we could hear whispers. The sorceress looked around somewhat frightened. She swallowed nervously. I felt it too. Something… was coming.
"Something wrong sorceress," Zero asked.
"Lylo… I need to see Lylo," she said.
She walked past General Lanot and his long coats and headed down to the dungeons. No one will take my kingdom from me.
It's not your kingdom, I told her.
Be quiet, the witch put a wall between her and I. I winced in pain.
Raynz was waiting for the sorceress at the entrance to Lylo's cell. The door creaked up and the dark woman looked down at the creature. He pushed himself as far as he could into the corner. His whimpers echoed slightly.
Long coats grabbed his arms and pulled him out towards the mind reading room. Raynz sat him in the chair and hooked the cords to his head and locked his wrists in place. Lylo whimpered again knowing the pain was going to come soon.
My heart ached seeing the poor creature like this. He did not deserve it. I tried to shy away from it.
"Peer into the future," she whispered to him. "Tell me if there's anything that will hinder my plans."
"I-it hurts Lylo to look," the viewer stuttered.
Raynz look the prod and put it in Lylo's face. "It will hurt more if you don't."
Stop! I tried to yell at him. Of all of her vile, little pests… I hate him the most.
Lylo clamped his eyes shut and looked the future. Pain was evident on his face. The dark sorceress looked over to the bubbling tank of water and saw a picture form.
"Those who resist you… Will continued to be conquered," he said.
"The emerald, Lylo. Will I find it in time," she asked.
Lylo's breath came in short heavy gasps. Then he gasped in pain. And his head jerked back.
The emerald formed in the tank. It was so bright. The sorceresses' mouth dropped open slightly as she walked to the tank. Her future was there, in front of her. Oh! It is so beautiful. I tried to move my hand to touch the glass and found the witch in agreement with my thoughts.
"Where is it," she asked almost desperately. She went to the tank staring at the image of it as if she could put her hand in and pull it out. Yes! It's so close! No! You do not want it. I told myself. Don't let her influence you, I tried to tell myself.
"Lylo knows not… But before the eclipse in your hand it will be. It will be!"
"Do you see anything that will stand in my way?"
The emerald disappeared and the witches' anger seeped back in through her slight happiness. "Lylo see nothing… But…" he didn't finish his sentence.
The sorceress head rose slowly as she heard the pause in his words. She turned menacingly. "But," she said the word hatefully. "What?"
"Lylo feels…" happiness was in his voice. "A presence… A glimmer of light in the darkness! A glimmer of light from the other side."
A house formed in the water. "The other side," she said questioningly.
"General Lanot," she turned to him. "Awaken a travel storm. Take a small company of men and just slip through to the other side. Find this light. And extinguish it!"
The general nodded and left with Zero. We both had a curiosity of who this—light-- was.
"Return Lylo to his cage," the sorceress said with a flick of her hand.
She walked out of the room and up towards her private quarters. As she walked past the few windows that led to her room she looked at me in our reflection.
"The OZ is almost ours," she said in her scratchy voice.
I didn't reply. I looked down at the floor. She stopped walking to look at me in our reflection.
"Why are you acting this way," she said with my voice in a childlike tone. I almost believed her. Almost agreed with her. Almost. "Did you forget what I've done for you?" she said returning to her own voice. "I have made you empress of the OZ! And nothing is standing in our way. You should be happy."
She continued back to her room. I felt like a little girl again. I wanted my mothers arms around me, protecting me.
She hates you! Remember?
No, I told her. She hates you!
I could feel her jaw tighten in frustration. She opened the door to her room and locked it behind her. She walked to the mirror.
"I think you need to reflect on your thoughts, princess," she shoved me back into the recess of our mind and locked me in a cell.
NO! I yelled at her throwing myself against the wall of my prison. NO! I leaned against the wall tears pricking my eyes. I couldn't even remember what that felt like. Tears. I sat on the floor pulling my knees to my chest. I'm never going to get out of here.