"She will be assigned a quintet to guard her," Belliard vel Jelani said.
Gaelen scoffed as came closer to Charlie as she wiped the tears that had gone down her cheeks. "If the Feyreisa's quintet is the best there is here, I scoff at the capabilities of the other warriors."
Charlie's eyes widened and Belliard's jaw clenched.
"Did I do something wrong?" Charlie asked, turning to Gaelen, eyes wide with panic. "Please don't lock me up, I'm too young to go to jail."
The panic in her eyes amused Gaelen, even Belliard, who was usually stoic, raised an eyebrow.
"Jail?" Gaelen said, the word sounded foreign in his mouth.
But Charlie's panic didn't cease—she'd just decided to make this world her home, and they were going to lock her up. "You know, where criminals go for whatever crimes they've committed."
Gaelen laughed, "Shei'tani, you are not going to 'jail'. You are being assigned guards for your protection."
"For what?" Charlie's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Was she going to die? But she just go here.
"You are a shei'tani, my shei'tani, and all shei'tanis are treasured and protected."
Charlie backed away slowly, clutching the cloak to her. "What does that word mean?" She asked worriedly. "What is 'shei'tani'?" She tried to pronounce it perfectly but she failed. She was sure, however, that they understood the question. "Is that your word for slave?" Her eyes widened at the prospect of becoming a slave.
"Nei! No! Not slave, shei'tani." Gaelen denied vehemently.
Marissya sighed. "Of course she'd be confused, kem'jeto, we did not explain. Come, Charlotte, sit by me," she patted the space beside her on the sofa where Charlie had slept. She looked at Gaelen and it seemed to Charlie that they were communicating silently.
Finally, Gaelen clenched his jaw, growling out, "Fine. vel Jelani, show me these warriors for the quintet." He strode out the door with Belliard in tow, along with the rest of the warriors that filled the room, except for Dax, he stayed where he was on a nearby chair.
The door closed and Marissya smiled at her.
"Did you do that thing that Gaelen did? The one where you speak in your minds?" Charlie asked.
Marissya nodded softly, "Aiyah. Yes. What I will be explaining might make you uncomfortable with him around."
That made her nervous and unsure, and she twisted her hands in her lap as her palms grew sweaty.
Marissya began to explain. "In Eloran, there are different peoples, the mortals, and the immortals—the Eleven, the Fey and the Denae. The Fey have always treasured women, because girls born are rare and they are celebrated."
Charlie's eyes widened at that—on Earth, women outnumbered men, and based on history, they were far from celebrated.
"Females, however, can only be born of one bond, the shei'tanitsa. Within the Fey society, there are two bonds that a man and a woman may take, the e'tanitsa and the shei'tanitsa. One is a bond that is chosen between two Fey who love one another, the e'tanistsa, the bonds of the heart. The shei'tanitsa, however, is different in that it is rare and it is a joining of two perfectly matching souls, the bonds of the soul, what is called truemating."
Charlie's could already see where this was going, and it wasn't a pleasant thing.
"The shei'tan, once recognizing his shei'tani, binds his soul to hers," at that, she glances at Dax with a smile on her face before she looks back at Charlie. "Ver reisa ku'chae. Kern surah, shei'tani. Your soul calls out. Mine answers, beloved."
Charlie's face paled, recognizing the words that Gaelen had first spoken to her.
"But I don't love Gaelen," she spat out, brows creasing. "I don't even know him."
Marissya pursed her lips. "Shei'tanitsa only exists where deep and strong love can form. You may not love him now, but if you give him time and chance, the love that will form between you will be beautiful."
Charlie bit her lip as she looked down. She didn't want this—though she would admit that ever since Gaelen had left, she felt more afraid, and it soothed her own emotions when he was there. "And if I don't accept the bond?" This was madness.
Marissya smiled sadly, and it made Charlie look away. "That you must ask Gaelen himself." She swallowed. "All I ask, Charlotte, is that you give him a chance. He will prove himself to you, he will protect you."
"Is that why he says I need to have guards?"
"The quintet, the cha'kor, will give their lives up for a shei'tani—the wife, the beloved and the truemate of a Fey. A truemate is so rare, she is treasured, Charlotte. Gaelen will put himself between you and any danger there could be"
She stood from the sofa, turning towards the balcony. Here she was, being asked to give a man a chance to court her—which was, in itself, one of her romantic dreams. But she was in a world she didn't know, and she didn't know who she could and couldn't trust. She had to use her head here, or she could die.
"I'll think about it," she mumbled as she stepped out into the balcony. It wasn't a definite no, so maybe it would appease Marissya for now.
«How is she, kem'jita?» Gaelen said to his sister on a private Spirit weave as he paced outside the door of the Tairen Soul's suite.
«Give her time, Gaelen, she is confused, afraid and wary. This is different world to her—literally or figuratively, I cannot tell»
«The gods weave what the gods will, Marissya. She could very well be sent by the gods themselves. She fell from the sky and straight to Celieria. Her appearance here can't be a coincidence.» Gaelen pursed his lips.
«And she's truemated to you» Marissya replied. «Whatever magic she has that can unravel weaves, especially mine, is powerful—she may possess even more abilities than we can tell right now.»
He didn't reply, the situation unnerving him. What had the world gotten into? Feys were becoming truemated to mortals. First, it was the Tairen Soul's, the Feyreisen's, Mage-claimed truemate, who could restore souls as lost as the dahl'reisen, and disintegrate sel'dor, the metal that burned Fey and curtailed powers. Next, it was the woman the Adrial vel Arquinas had truemated to—despite the woman already being married. Then, finally, it was his own shei'tani, who was a mystery—falling out of the sky from another world, and unweaving magic. Of course, she had only been here a few bells, so he needed to see more of her abilities—and ensure her protection.
The five warriors that Bel had recommended needed more training—maybe even a thousand more if they were going to protect his shei'tani. They would have to do, for now. It's not like he was likely to leave her side anyway. Which reminded him… he hadn't brought her a courtship gift yet.
«The Feyreisa is awake» Marrisya's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
About an hour later, Charlie was in the room with the crying woman again, her name, as she was introduced earlier, was Ellysetta Baristani, or Ellie. After having snapped at all her guards and Gaelen, the queen of the Fey told them all to give her a few minutes, because she needed a moment to herself. Of course, Charlie being Charlie, took one look at the girl and knew she was going to lose it. So, she closed the door and, without being asked, took the girl into her arms. Ellie was a bit taller, so it wasn't that hard to pull her into her arms and soothe her.
"Hey, Ellie, speak to me," Charlie said as she pulled the girl to sit on the bed.
"I don't want to speak of it," she mumbled, "besides, you are a stranger, why should I talk to you?" She seemed to catch herself and red colored her cheeks. "I apologize, that was rude."
"It's alright, Ellie, it's alright. I understand," Charlie said. "But who better for you to speak with? I am a complete stranger to you and your customs, to your world. I have no biases to cloud whatever I can say." Charlie swallowed as she looked at the woman who seemed so sad and broken. "You remind me of my sister, Greta. She was a strong, strong woman, and she sometimes had the exact look on her face as the one you have at this very moment."
"And what is that?" Ellisetta asked—she couldn't skim into her mind, and for that she was grateful. What she did get was an overwhelming sense of support from her, and unbiased loyalty—even if they had just met.
Charlie became sad, remembering Greta was difficult for her. Greta who always hid behind a smile and a façade. "The look of simply wanting someone to listen."
They were in the room for what Ellysetta had said to be three bells—which, to Charlie, were three hours.
Gaelen vel Serranis stared at his shei'tani. She held his gaze, uncowed.
"You're not going," Gaelen stated firmly.
"I'm going whether you want me to or not, it's not your choice to make. Ellie is asking me to go, and I will."
Ellysetta Baristani proved to be a kind hearted girl with a vulnerable soul, as Charlie had discovered. As a child, she had suffered through seizures and questionable nightmares—which now had proved to be something done by the evil magic of the Elden Mages. Now, the Mages were after her and she was in danger by staying in Celieria. Charlie, thanks to Marrisya's explanations earlier when Gaelen and the others brought Ellie back home, now had a sort of understanding of the political and social issues of this world.
The Fading Lands held the Fey, a magical race of people, who did not, by the by, have pixie dust, but they did have the five branches of the Fey—Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Spirit, and they were woven like threads. There was the forbidden sixth branch, which was called Azrahn. Eld had the Mages—evil creatures who could control humans and do evil magic. They wielded Azrahn and they were hell bent on killing the Fey because of a centuries old grudge that started during the Mage Wars, as of yet, she did not know anything about that, but it did cause a great rift between the Fey and the Eld, more than there already was. Celieria, which was a mortal country, had an alliance with the Fey, but people were now having issues with that alliance.
Anyway, back to Ellysetta. Rain, her shei'tan, hated the Mages, and so had left her the night before due to the Mage-claimed Marks on her chest, and because she was the daughter of the High Mage—she had been adopted by the Baristanis as a baby, and that was why the Eld were trying to get her. Her mother, who hated magic with a passion now reviled her as well because she could do it. She was getting married today and was going to get the Bride's Blessing from the Church in a while, and the plan was that she was going to get married right after and be brought to the safe place of the Fading Lands, behind the Mists, but now everything was so uncertain because Rain wasn't there and her own mother had rejected her. Moreover, she was so afraid of whatever magic was inside her because she feared it to be so dark, she could end the world and kill everyone.
More or less, Charlie had gotten the run down on the situation.
After Ellie had spoken to Charlie, with the latter just listening away and soaking up everything there was to learn of the world and of Ellie, the former had asked her to accompany her to the Church.
Ah, friendship always bloomed so fast with Charlie.
As Bel readied the Feyreisa for the Blessing by strapping his bloodsworn dagger to her calves, doing what Gaelen had helped to plan, Gaelen argued with his shei'tani.
"It's too dangerous, shei'tani," Gaelen stated.
At the Fey word for wife, beloved and truemate, Charlotte coloured. She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw. When she opened her eyes once more, she fixed Gaelen with a stare that made his heart clench. "I will be there. She wants me to be there, and I will be there." Her gaze was resolute, and she was determined to see this through to the end. "You either let me go, and you can go guard me openly, or don't let me go, but I promise you that I will find a way to get to her."
"Why are you going on such lengths for a girl you've just met?" He asked, truly perplexed by her personality.
Charlotte looked stunned at the question. "Because… I…"
Gaelen shouldn't have asked the question, because he saw tears spring at the edges of her eyes. It had been so long since he had seen tears—he himself couldn't cry as dahl'reisen. He didn't know what to do.
Charlotte looked away, closing her eyes. Swallowing as she clenched her jaw. She looked back at him, her gaze, this time, was no longer determined. Her hazel eyes now contained grief and sadness he couldn't fathom—he wanted to wrap his arms around her and just hold her tight.
He hesitated for a bit, not knowing what to do, but he was the only one who could give her comfort right now. He brought her into his arms and held her, his stilled his shaking arms to wrap around her shoulders. She didn't resist. But after a moment, she pulled back and looked up at him.
"I will go, Gaelen."
Gaelen had weaved for her a simple dress—the Earth magic was still, very, very amazing to her, all their magic was. The dress was similar to what Ellysetta was wearing, but instead of blue it was greed.
"It brings out your eyes, shei'tani."
She had blushed at the compliment, but thanked him nonetheless. He had also given her comfortable boots under her dress. She had tied her hair in a ponytail. They headed out to the carriage that awaited them—there were a bunch of people protesting, reminding Charlie of the big protests that happened near the White House, but these people were held back by the black clad warriors of the Fey.
Ellie and Charlie sat inside, while warriors fanned out on all sides of the carriage.
A couple of minutes—chimes—later, a voice called out, "Halt in the name of the queen!" Ellie and Charlie both stuck their heads out of the carriage's windows, and they both saw a small group of soldiers blocking their path, then Charlie looked around to see that soldiers, all armored, approached on all sides.
One of the men, the one who called out, stepped forward. "We have a warrant for the arrest of the murderer Gaelen vel Serranis. In the queen's name, I order you to surrender him to us." He extended a parchment to Bel. "I have been instructed to inform you that harboring vel Serranis will be viewed as an act of war."
Beside Charlie, Ellie stepped out of the carriage, and Charlie followed, despite hearing Bel, and Gaelen, explicitly command them to stay put. Ellie grabbed the scroll and read it, eyes widening in rage, behind her, Charlie tried to read, but she could not understand the squiggling lines.
"This is ridiculous! Even if Gaelen was with us—and I'm not saying that he is—I wouldn't give him up to stand trial for something that happened a thousand years ago."
"There is also the more recent matter of murdered Celierian citizens in the north." The captain of the guard stood in a more aggressive way. "Lady, I am here to arrest Gaelen vel Serranis, who is knows to be in your company. If you refuse to surrender him, I'm afraid I must take you into custody in his stead."
By the way things happened, Charlie knew that he should not have said that.
Bel stepped in front of his queen, his voice was low and cold. "She is the Feyreisa of the Fading Lands. She is no longer subject to the laws of your land. If you are fool enough to try to take her from us, you and your men will die where you stand."
The guards looked nervous at that, some drew their swords. The captain, however, stood his ground. "If that is the price of obeying my queen, ser, then that is the price I and my men must pay."
"Setah," Gaelen said as he stepped forward, in front of Charlie and Ellie. "There is no need for threats or violence." There was a pause, where a moment passed between Ellie and Gaelen, afterwards, Gaelen had looked at the captain of the guard. "I am Gaelen vel Serranis."
The captain looked like he was going to faint. To his credit, he spoke in a voice that did not crack. "Gaelen vel Serranis, by order of the queen, I am placing you under arrest. Step forward, ser, and hold out your hands."
He was handed shackles, and Bel seemed to tense beside them. "Were you also ordered to bind him in sel'dor?"
"I was," the captain answered. "The Dark Lord's power is too dangerous to leave unfettered." He approached Galaen.
Charlie stepped in front of Gaelen. "You won't touch him." The ferocity in her voice made the captain stop.
"Move out of the way, shei'tani, we cannot delay any further," Gaelen's voice was gentle as he moved away from her.
Ellie stepped in. "Captain, if binding Gaelen's powers is what you require, the Fey can do it. There's no need for these." No one stopped Ellie when she reached for the sel'dor shackles, prying it out of the hands of the captain. She released a sharp cry as she released the manacles and Charlie saw that her hands had been burned badly.
In a flurry of movement barely followed by Charlie happened. Warriors surrounded them, five warriors pressing in on all sides of Ellie and Charlie. She heard the sound of drawn blades, and she saw what looked like thick threads coming out of the hands of each warrior—the colors were either in red-orange, green, blue, white or lavender. She heard snarls as the Fey waited for the command to attack.
"Stop," Gaelen's command rose over the Fey. "Put down your weapons. I will go with them, bound in sel'dor as they demand." The captain picked up the manacles and place them around Gaelen's hands. He looked at Charlie, then at Ellie. "This is for the best. Trust me, shei'tani, kem'falla."
Ellie looked distraught, flinching as the manacles snapped close. "We'll go to the king. We'll have Marissya Truthspeak you while you tell him what's happening in the north. He'll have to believe you."
"There is no time for that, Feyreisa. Go and do what you must." Gaelen's gaze shifted from Ellie to Charlie. "I will be fine, shei'tani, don't make that face. Keep close to your cha'kor, Charlotte."
When Charlie didn't move, he spoke to her through her mind. «I will be fine, shei'tani, please get back into the carriage and assist the Feyreisa.»
There was something odd with Gaelen, and she reached out to him, moving past the quintet that surrounded her, holding his manacled hand. It felt real, but a part of her knew, deep, deep within that it wasn't.
«Don't mention a word now, shei'tani, go with the Feyreisa. I will be with you»
She wasn't quite sure what he meant, but she knew they couldn't delay. Ellie was in danger just being in this city.
"Bring them to the Cathedral, vel Jelani, and put those shields up as soon as you cross the bridge." Gaelen called out over his shoulder as the soldiers led him away. He threw his head back in laughter. "Gods bless meddling Celierian queens!"
"Why in the world is laughing? And what did he mean by 'bless meddling Celierian queens?'" Ellie turned to face Bel, but Bel was looking at Gaelen suspiciously.
Cyr, one of Ellie's quintet, came forward with a signal from Bel. He did his work and Charlie saw threads of red orange between Ellie and Cyr's hands, dying down the redness. Around them, the remaining soldiers backed away to clear the path in front of the carriage. The Fey warriors also moved back, going into their original positions.
Bel's eyes looked happy. "Look, Ellysetta. The sel'dor burned you. Badly. And you weren't even weaving magic."
A gasp was heard from Ellie, one of realization. "Sel'dor doesn't burn Eld flesh."
Bel smiled. "Nei, it doesn't. Such a strong reaction can mean only one thing." He smiled and Charlotte thought he looked so much better. "Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Ellysetta, you are Fey. Full-blooded, immensely powerful Fey."
Ellie looked down at her hands and smiled. She looked at Charlie, who was grinning wide.
Charlie placed her arms around the girl. "Oh, Ellie, this is great news." She pulled back and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "But we need to get you to the Cathedral."
They had all gotten to the Cathedral with no other delay. The Cathedral was much like the ones back home, with tall arches and columns.
They were inside in a moment, and when Charlie looked back, she saw that the Fey were already putting up some sort of shield, going up and up and up. Ellie had introduced her to Lauriana, the mother who had reviled her—but still loved her enough to be here, which Charlie really, really respected—to Selianne, the pale woman who looked scared out of her wits, and the Greathfather Tivrest, who was wearing white robes. Selianne looked alright, although Charlie got a very disturbing feeling from her—one she didn't like at all. Goosebumps rose across her skin and the hair at the back of her neck stood at attention.
Once they were inside, the Fey checked the surroundings. They were led to the door behind the altar called the Solarus, where the Bride's Blessing would be given.
Bel had gone inside to make sure it was safe, outside of it, they all stood—Lauriana, Selianne, Greatfather Tivrest, Ellie, Charlie and the remaining of Ellie's quintet.
Greatfather Tivrest, an old man who looked very stern turned to Charlie. "She cannot go inside, for she did not undergo the devotions—she is neither Beacon nor Honoraria."
Ellie looked troubled for a moment, but Charlie reached out her hand to hers. "It's alright, I'll stay outside. I will pray for you here."
"Thank you," Ellie smiled and squeezed her hand. "I don't know why, but it seems to me as if we've been friends for a long while."
"I know the feeling," Charlie replied, and it was true. She felt as if Ellie was a long-time friend—and one she needed to protect against all costs.
After Bel had given them clearance to enter and they disappeared.
When the door closed, Bel spoke. "I know you're there, vel Serranis. We're alone now. Show yourself."
The air began to shimmer, and the space near Charlie began to waver. Soon, there stood Gaelen—fully armed and black-leather clad.
"Spit and scorch me," dark eyed and dark haired Kieran muttered.
"How'd you manage it?" Blonde eyed Kiel demanded. "How did you break free of the sel'dor?"
"He didn't," it was Charlie who spoke.
"Aiyah," Bel nodded in agreement. "He never let the sel'dor touch him."
"Perhaps there is hope for you yet, vel Jelani," Gaelen smiled approvingly at Bel.
"But how did you do it?" Kieran asked.
"When the Feyreisa burned herself, I used the confusion to kick the real manacles under the carriage, and spun some weaves. The manacles and the Gaelen vel Serranis those buffoons carted off were Spirit." He raised an eyebrow at the astonished quintet. "You honestly think I'd leave my shei'tani in an even remotely dangerous situation?"
Charlie flushed, hiding it by heading to the pew directly in front of the altar, kneeling and bowing her head, resting it on top of her entwined hands.
"Besides, I would defend the Feyreisa—to the death if I could. I would've sworn a blood oath if it weren't for Charlotte."
At that, Charlie looked up at Gaelen on the altar. There was sudden silence and she heard Gaelen mutter what must've been a curse from the look on his face.
She schooled her expression into one of stoicism. She didn't know why tears sprung from her eyes, but she forced the lump in her throat down to speak. "I'm sorry that my sudden appearance ruined that opportunity for you, Gaelen. If there were any way for me to go back, I wouldn't be here a moment longer."
Charlie bowed her head, unable to dissipate the tears that formed. She closed her eyes, letting the tears that had sprung fall, and held her breath, trying to stop the surge of unexplainable emotion in her.
She decided to pray. The place itself gave her a sense of serenity and solemnity—it was a place where divine power was. And she prayed that whatever they sent her to do here—if the gods, or God, truly did send her here—she would have the strength to do it.
Scorch him.
Scorch him to the Seven Hells and back.
The moment he said it, he knew that he'd dug his own grave.
He looked at vel Jelani, who shook his head in disapproval, then the rest of the Feyreisa's quintet, who had all suddenly found either the floor or the ceiling interesting.
Suddenly, Charlotte looked up, her eyes wide and perplexed. At the same time, Bel turned and shot a powerful five-fold weave on the Solarus, intending to break it. A concussion force threw them back and blew at least six pews into sawdust and utterly decimated the altar.
He turned to see that Charlotte lay on the floor, recovering from the blast. Coughing out the dust that went into her throat.
Gaelen was beside her in an instant, helping her up. "Are you hurt?" He checked for blood on her head, or anywhere else for that matter. "The flaming room's been built to withstand a five-fold weave. It's warded against magic—and I'll wager beneath that gold finish, the door's entirely clad with sel'dor. Walls, too, probably."
The other warriors rose as well, but an icy wind swept through the place, and nauseatingly sweet smell spread throughout the dark room. Laughter—cold and hissing, swept through the shadows.
"Ah, krekk," Kieran mumbled.
Gaelen clenched his jaw, shoving Charlotte behind him. Krekk. He knew she should've stayed at the palace. "Demons. Stay here, shei'tani." Without waiting for her to say anything, he pushed her behind him. "We've got company, cha'kor. Three of them."
"Cha'kor! Five-fold weave, now!"
Bel's Spirit weave was mixed with Kieran's Earth magic, then by Kiel's Water weave, next to join the mix was Teris' Air and Cyr's Fire.
«There's an active selkahr crystal by that small alter at the back of the nave, I'll go and destroy it, protect Charlotte» The air in the room grew colder and Charlotte shivered, running her hands down her arms. "Krekk." Gaelen muttered.
"What?"
"Add one dahl'reisen, very unfriendly. Don't speak on the common path. He'll hear you." He spared Charlotte a glance before speaking. "I've got to smash that crystal. Keep these fellows occupied."
Bel nodded. "Go. We'll give you what cover we can. And hurry. The Feyreisa needs us." He stood by Charlotte as Gaelen ran off. "Remember, Fey, five-fold weaves only. Steel's useless. And for gods' sake, don't let them touch you."
Oh, wow. Thanks, truemate.
Charlie watched with wide eyes as Gaelen ran off.
"Keep behind me, Charlotte, stay within reach of the cha'kor." His head darted from side to side, looking for the threat.
Two demons came at Bel, dark, shadowy figures, screeching and hissing.
Bel took control of the shapeless mass of magic and blasted it at the demons, the net of magic sizzling the bodies of the demons and they hissed.
"Charlotte, kem'falla, stay close." Bel growled out, keeping the demons at bay.
Charlie, heart ready to leap out of her chest, moved closer to the protective semi-circle that they had made.
The two dark creatures leapt back. Then they were at it again, but they jumped and were to close. Bel took control of the magic once again and made it into a long scimitar-like blade, much like the one on his hips. Charlie watched as one of the demons leapt to and landed in front of the other cha'kor. Cyr separated and went to help Bel, while Kieran, Kiel and Teris dealt with the other one, all wielding a scimitar-like blade, but it was all shorter now that they had to distribute the magic.
They fought the demons, but every time they seemed slash at the demon, it only wavered and went back into full form. She stayed, back to the Solarus, knowing she couldn't do anything but be in fear.
Maybe she could open the Solarus. She ran to the Solarus and grabbed the door handle, and concentrated on lifting the heavy door. The door moved slightly and she felt relief at the progress.
She didn't notice the sickly sweet scent becoming more prominent, nor the cold that grew around her—possible because her efforts made her body warm and perspiration gathered on her temple. What gave it away was the hissing sounds beside her.
Charlie turned her head and saw the demon a couple of meters away from her. She let go of the door and moved back slowly, keeping her eyes on the demon. She went down the stairs of the altar and the demon moved in front of the Solarus door, she thought it would stay there but it followed her.
She stumbled on the last step and fell to the floor, and the demon took that chance to leap at her. Charlie screamed as the demon came close, on instinct she flailed her arms out.
"No, Charlotte!" Bel screamed.
But it was too late, her hand made contact with the cool, wispy black. Terror took her at the idiocy—then the demon disintegrated, the wisps dispelling into air.
She stared wide eyed at Bel, who looked at her in shock. After a moment, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You just dispelled a demon with your bare hands, kem'falla." Kiel said.
Teris and Cyr looked at her with astonishment.
"Shei'tani!" Gaelen screamed from near the entrance as he fought with another demon.
"She's alright," Bel shouted back. "Focus!"
Kieran leapt to his uncle's aid. Bel offered her a hand and she took it, letting him pull her up.
"Are you truly alright, kem'falla?" Bel said, his eyes unsure.
Charlie nodded, swallowing. "Just shaken, I guess."
"Stay behind us, we're going to open the door."
The stood around the golden door and started to let their magic go flow through their hands and to the door.
"When this is done, puppy, and the Feyreisa and Charlotte are safe behind the Mists, I'm going to teach you respect for your elders."
"You can try." Kieran grinned as he took his place around the quintet and joined his green threaded magic with theirs.
Charlotte turned to see Gaelen, winded, but unharmed.
"I never just try," Gaelen smirked. Then he turned his attention to her. He cupped her face and ran his eyes over her body, inspecting. "Are you truly unhurt, shei'tani?"
Charlotte nodded.
He looked at her for a moment longer, "Kabei. Very good." He looked at the Solarus, at the magic that tried to melt it down, frowning. "That's not going to work, vel Jelani. Five-fold isn't enough." He looked at Bel, his face grim. "Six-fold is her only chance. Will you stay your blades?"
Bel frowned. "Weaving Azrahn is a banishing offense."
"Save her first. Banish me later. Just don't stab red in my belly until after we break through. Agreed?"
Bel looked at Gaelen. Charlie watched as he seemed to search for something, then nodded. "Agreed."
Sickly sweet smell and ice cold emanated from Gaelen, and Charlie stepped back from the cold on instinct. Black threads appeared on his hand and Charlie felt dread enter her.
Bel, with a clenched jaw, stepped away, letting Galen and his threads through. "Hold steady, Fey. Tighten the weave." The magic seemed to meld together and became a shining rope of power. "Aim for the hinges. Now!"
The light attacked the hinges, and slowly, it started to melt.
After the first hinge melted. Charlie, with the intention to help, grabbed the hem of her dress and pried it apart with all her strength—oh, wow, the magic was strong—and ripped it all the way to her thigh. Charlie then went to the door and pulled at the handle—she didn't understand why they weren't trying to open the door like this anyway.
"Kem'falla, it's useless, stay behind us," Bel said through clenched teeth.
But the moment he had said it, the door opened just a little bit. And she grabbed at that crack to pull it enough so that there was space for her small body. She cried out as the door burned her flesh, but she maintained her grip. It was probably because their magic heated the door—steel was a good conductor after all.
"Charlotte, get back!" Gaelen shouted at her.
But she didn't listen and let go of the door enough to shift the position of her hands so that she could get in. Tears formed in her eyes as the pain in her hands shot upwards. She managed to squeeze through, but she felt the searing pain on her arms as she skimmed past the door.
"Charlotte, stop, don't—"
Whatever Gaelen was about to say was cut off as she entered the Solarus, the door shutting heavily behind her.
She took in the scene in front of her. Lauriana stood still as Selianne held a knife to her ribs. A short but stock man was wearing long deep scarlet robes and cloaks, the hoods down. A man lay dead near the back, and Greatfather Tivrest was sprawled at the bottom of the altar table, dead as well. Finally, she took in Ellie. Ellie was unconscious, laying on the slab of altar in the middle of the room with thick, black needles sticking out of her body—shoulder, hips, legs.
"Ellie!" She screamed.
Danger rang around her, but she didn't really care right now. Ellie—who seemed so much like Greta, poor, sweet Greta—was in danger.
"How in hell did she get through?" A man with white blonde hair hissed as he looked directly at her. In a split-second he had formed a globe of blue-white magic and flung it at her.
She stood, frozen to the spot. Fuck, she did not think this through. It came fast at her, but about an arm's length away, it dissipated.
The light haired man looked at her with unveiled shock and bits of curiosity. He turned to the stocky man. "You, take care of her while I open the portal. We have no time left."
"Charlotte!" Lauriana shouted. "You have to save Ellie!"
Charlie ran to the altar, but the stocky man blocked her, dagger at the ready. He was about five feet away.
It seemed that this man didn't have magic at all—he'd have used it if he did, wouldn't he? This. Now, this she could handle.
Hand to hand combat was her thing. With Dad in the military, he made sure she knew how to defend herself against attackers—it was the only rule for her to live away from home to go to college. What started out as a hobby as a child became something required before she could go to the Conservatory.
As he lunged at her, she grabbed with both hands his knife hand and twisted it, bringing her knee up to his groin until it hit him hard. He gave a pained cry as he fell to the floor—though she knew it wouldn't incapacitate him enough, the pain would make him release the knife, which she kicked away. Then, with the expertise of so much practice, she wrapped her legs where his shoulder met his torso and pushed her hips into his elbow. This wasn't practice, so she didn't need to go slow or wait for the tap. She pulled back with all her might, ignoring his cries—waiting for the telltale sound.
Crack!
The man screamed and cradled his arm as she quickly disentangled herself from him, quickly, on all fours, she crawled to grab the knife and just as she gripped the hilt, the man had grabbed her ankle and brought her back. She twisted and buried the dagger into his forearm.
The room became cold and she once again smelled that sickly sweet smell. She heard again the gnashing and hissing. She looked to see that the man—a Father—who was dead was being devoured right in front of her eyes—his skin peeled back from the flesh, the liquid red of his blood spraying out, and the bones became white powder as it entered a widening dark hole above the Father.
The man turned to pull out the dagger with the arm that she broke, but howled at the pain.
"Don't pull it out, you fool!" The pale haired man snapped. "You can't enter the Well bloody. You'll drive the demons into a frenzy. Sel'dor wounds don't bleed as long as the metal stays in the flesh."
Charlie ran to Ellie, who was already waking up. "Ellie! Come on!"
She felt a sharp pain, then an icy cold penetrated her body. She looked at her shoulder and saw a dagger buried halfway to the hilt. She cried out, falling to her knees.
"Charlie!" Ellie screamed as the pale haired man grabbed her and she couldn't stop her struggles.
"Selianne, get the mother into the Well." He said as he tugged Ellie off the altar.
Charlie clenched her teeth and forced her hand to wrap around the hilt of the dagger and pull it out. Fuck, that hurt, but that adrenaline was numbing the pain. Then she remembered what the Mage had said.
"Ellie, take out the needles! Take it out! They can't bring you into the Well if you're bleeding!" Charlie shouted.
There was a boom, and the Solarus shook. The Fey were coming, that much she knew, but she didn't know how long they could hold out here.
Charlie stood and ran past the Solarus, past Selianne who was poking Lauriana towards the dark hole called the Well. She tackled the scarlet robed man and made him let go of Ellie. She slammed him down hard enough to knock his breath out. She crawled to Ellie, who could barely move with all the sel'dor in her.
"Help me pull these out," Ellie said as she grabbed one, crying out as she took one out.
Charlie hissed as the burn in her hands were back—not even recovering from the burn she experience a while back. "Fuck, this burns!"
"Watch out!" Ellie screamed and Charlie looked back to see the pale haired man get up and lunge for Charlie.
Charlie's split second panic placed her in death's grip as the man tackled her. He brought a dagger out of his robes and plunged it towards her chest. She grabbed his wrist and pushed, but he bore his weight down on it.
He was suddenly pulled back by Ellie, which earned her a punch in the jaw, the force sending her halfway under the altar table.
"Brodson! Get the girl, plug her wounds and get her into the Well."
Charlie used the distraction to bring down her elbow on his jaw, making him spiral backwards and off of her.
There was a vicious tug on her head, her ponytail, although loose, was now being used to drag her away and she struggled to her feet. It was the man from earlier, whose arm she had broken, he was now dragging her with the arm she had buried the dagger in.
Lauriana had managed to get out of Selianne's grasp and grabbed a scepter from what Charlie guessed to be Greatfather Tivrest's body. She brought it up and intended to smash it into the ground but Selianne took the scepter and brutally pushed aside Ellie's mother, sending her to the edge of the altar table, where her head hit the marble and she fell to the floor.
"Mama!" Ellie cried as she tried to crawl to her mother.
Brodson threw Charlie to the ground and she had barely enough time to get up before he had punched her in the face, sending her to the ground once again, her vision becoming hazy.
A loud boom went through the Solarus, something hard was being rammed against the door, making it shudder and give way.
Selianne, her eyes, the whole of it, was now black as she gave an order. "Nivane, Brodson, have done with your fumbling. Bind the girl's wounds tight. Even with the scepter's weave intact, it won't be long before the Fey break through. I am coming to you now. Bring the girl to me in the Well!"
Charlie saw something glittering in the Well, and she realized that it was the jewels in a sash of a robed man once again. Brodson was no longer on her as he went to grab Ellie.
Ellie looked at Selianne. "Smash the scepter, Selianne!" Then she gave a horrid, shriek that cut through Charlie's heart. "Gods help me!"
Charlie watched with hazy eyes as Selianne's black eyes flickered and became blue once more. There was horror and confusion in her face. "Ellie?"
"Smash the scepter's crystal, Selianne! For the gods' sake, do it! Quickly!"
Then Ellie was screaming again.
"Time to take you home, girl." Another man with the long scarlet robes came out of the portal. "You've led my master on a long chase all these years." He took a step closer to Ellie. "But your days of hiding are over."
Charlie didn't listen to his rant, she lunged for the scepter in Selianne's grip and fought her for it, forgetting the knife that was in her hand, which was Charlie's mistake as the girl brought it out to stab her, but Charlie's hands moved with instinct—she couldn't stop the knife now, but she could at least redirect it.
A flash of pain on her hip signaled to her that the dagger was well imbedded, but the pain had caused her a moment, and at that moment, Selianne shoved her hard and unto the floor.
"No, Sel! Don't do it!"
"Give me the scepter, Selianne! Obey me. Remember your sweet Cerlissa."
Charlie could barely hear what was going on, her blood thudding in her ears as the pain from her shoulder and her hips brought tears to her eyes. She heard a thud once again shaking the Solarus She watched with hazed eyes as Lauriana, now awake, jumped for the scepter.
"Mama, watch out!" Ellie had cried out.
The Mage had swung a globe of blue-white magic at Lauriana and she didn't have time to dodge—Selianne, however, had pushed her out of the way, the globe of magic took her, dissolving her very body before Lauriana's cry of horror.
Charlie pushed at her elbows, forcing them to help her up as she saw another globe of magic formed. Ellie kicked at the man, making him lose balance and the globe that was intended to kill Lauriana dissipated harmlessly above her head. Lauriana then took the chance to smash the crystal, bringing it down to the floor.
The Solarus shook, and Charlie heard the doors burst open, and she was sure that the Fey warriors were inside. Charlie saw the man grab a dagger and threw it at Lauriana, but Charlie was too late to help the woman. After the dagger had gotten into her chest, the man flicked his wrist and Lauriana went flying, hitting a column to the right and crumpling to the floor.
"Mama!" Ellie cried, struggling hard.
"Nivane, damn you!" The man said as he threw another globe of magic at the Fey. "Get her into the Well now!"
With that Charlie stood and ran to Ellie. A globe of magic came at her, but like before, it dissipated into nothing before reaching her. Charlie didn't lose a beat as she headed for Nivane and Brodson, who were dragging Ellie along.
She tackled them to the ground, and Nivane stabbed her once again, but this time with a sel'dor needle to her shoulder. She cried and saw Ellie struggling with Brodson, then she saw the shimmer of space, revealing a Fey she hadn't seen before, but by the menacing look on his face, she could guess that this was him—Rain, Ellysetta's shei'tan, her truemate.
Under her, Nivane made to push her, but she grabbed the blade that he had dropped a while back and brought it to plunge at his chest, at the same moment when he had struck her with another one of those burning needles, but this time to the back. She dropped the dagger and fell to her side.
She saw Brodson leap into the Well, and Ellie running to her mother. Nivane now had a dagger embedded in his eye, a dagger with a red handle.
Charlie was thankful she stayed on the ground, because the next thing she knew, a flurry of arrows came out of the Well, hitting Rain, who had turned around, on the shoulder, back and thigh. He then snarled and sent a ball of Fire into the Well.
He cried out. "Fey, ti'Feyreisa! We have company!" He grabbed Charlotte and pushed her on her feet and to the back.
She cried out as the movement made the needles and the dagger at her hip jostle. She grabbed the needle on her arm, her hands were already burnt badly, welts and blisters had popped and blood she hadn't noticed now stained her hands. Screaming through clenched jaws, she took the needle out, dropping it with difficulty.
She reached for the one on her back, but before she even touched it, it was already out.
"Honestly, shei'tani, I can already tell that you'll bring me great frustration—almost as much as the joy." Gaelen was behind her, his face held shame, but then it turned into rage as he saw her face. "It is your shei'tan's duty to care for you and protect you, and I will set this right."
Charlie looked the dagger at her hip and saw that it was very close to the surface, the bone had managed to veer it away, and that was why it was so painful. She grabbed the hilt and pulled it free with another cry. Wordlessly, Gaelen had started to weave green and lavender threads into her wounds, and the bleeding stopped soon after. "We can talk about all that later." She saw Rain fight with the black armored soldiers. "Go help Rain. I'll be fine."
"But, shei' —"
"If Rain isn't able to hold those people, we're all going to die," she wasn't quite sure, but right now, she'd say anything to make Gaelen help Rain.
Without another word, Gaelen moved.
She rested her back on the wall. The moment of respite only lasted about a minute or two, but in those two minutes, she saw the armored soldiers dying one after another—being burned, being thrown violently against the walls, or by the red handled daggers the Fey threw.
Elysetta's quintet were close to where she was. There was loud boom and the quintet were on their backs. Without thinking, she jumped into the path of a globe of magic intended for Cyr, covering him with her body, and as the globes that came near her had, it dissipated an arm's length away from her.
"Are you alrigh—ah!" She let out a muffled cry as dagger imbedded itself into her shoulder, the now familiar feeling caused her to fall, but Cyr had moved in front of her, gently laying her on her side.
The edges of her vision dimmed, and she could only remember that Ellie was crying for her mother.