Ch 4
Artie was nervous as he walked in the forest. Snowgre had told him about Ogreix and in order to earn his, he'd have to show how much he cared for his friends. He may be human but some humans have it inside them lying dormant, waiting to be unlocked.
"Snowgre looked so cool when he got his. What if I can't earn mine? No I know I can do it." He thought as he was cornered by somebody. It was Rapunzel. She had Darkix like Charming. "What do you want?" he asked angrily. "Nothing… Just stopping you from earning your magic and becoming an Ogreix Knight!" she yelled as she created a huge troll. But then Leah and the others appeared.
"How did you guys know I was in trouble?" he asked Carley as she tried to free him from the vines that held him captive. "I don't think so blind freak!" Rapunzel yelled as the vines grew sharp teeth. "Carley!" he yelled as she was surrounded by the vines and was hurt. Artie couldn't keep the anger in anymore.
"This ends here Rapunzel! I believe in myself so much that I can save my friend!" he yelled as he fought the vines by cutting through them with his sword. They were hurting him but he didn't care. He had to save Carley. "It'll be okay. They're gone!" he told her as the vines vanished and Leah and the others surrounded them. Artie then saw black and passed out. But then magical energy surrounded him. "What's happening to him?" Fiona asked Leah. "I think Artie just earned his Ogreix and became an Ogreix Knight like Snowgre!" she answered her. When Artie opened his eyes, he found himself in a suit of golden armour with a lion symbol on it like his Worchester jersey, a long flowing cape and a katana on his back sheathed. "Wow Artie! You're awesome!" Snow told him.
He wasn't listening as his armoured hand glowed with magic. "Healus!" he said as magic shimmered over her body. "Please let this work. I... love her more than she ever knows." he thought but Fiona could still feel she was alive. "We need to get her to the swamp, okay?" Fiona told them. Artie nodded understandingly. Leah was worried too for her friend like Artie but was trying not to show it. Fiona carried their friend's body to the swamp. Shrek was nervous as he helped them. He was scared. He was Carley's mentor and also creative muse. He helped her feel better when she felt depressed about beng disabled in the mortal world or feeling lonely. "Don't worry. She'll... recover. You'll see." Fiona told him but he was worried. Leah understood as she and Artie joined him. "Look! One of the fangs is in her leg!" Artie told them as Shrek pulled it out gently.. "Oww go easy." they heard her say as her eyes opened. Leah and Shrek were relieved as well as Artie.
"She seems to be recovering well. How is that?" Snow asked them. "It was Artie's magic. It healed her but she's not out of the woods yet." Shrek answered as he put some cold cloths on Carley's smaller leg. Leah saw the other princesses stare at the shortness of the leg. "Guys stop it! It's part of her Sclerosis. She has a curve in her spine and sometimes her back hurts." Leah yelled. "Take it easy Leah. It's no big deal." Snow snickered. "It is to Carley. She's different, okay? In my world she gets treated bad by other mortals who don't understand her. They stare at her and her symbol cane. It's a big deal when you guys start asking about her problems, okay? She thought you were her friends." Leah explained as Carley flinched a little in pain. Doris then saw Snow touch Carley's back and ran her finger down her spine.
"Wow! It's like Quasi's but way better!" she told them but Leah saw tears come from her friend's eyes. Shrek then knelt by her side. "It's okay Carley. It doesn't matter to me that you're disabled and neither does Artie or Leah or Fiona or the other princesses." he said gently, his voice soothing her. "Yeah. Everybody except for Snow." Carley told him softly as her back hurt. It was really sore. She then transformed back into her normal form and the pain eased a little. Snow watched as the teen fell asleep again. Artie noticed that they needed an antidote for their friend. She'd been hurt badly by Rapunzel's vines. "I know how to make one but you guys will have to get the items I need, okay?" Shrek said to them. "Sure we'll do it!" Leah said bravely as Shrek gave them a map of where the items were. Snow noticed the others were giving her the cold shoulder.
"Look I'm sorry about what I did and said! I have no idea what upsets her. Besides we were curious about it." Snow told them. Artie sighed at this. "Yes but you took your curiousity too far. At least the others understood when Leah told them." he said. "Yes. In this realm I was hoping Carley could get confident and this is wrecking everything!" Leah told her. Snow then remembered what Leah had said. "What other problems does Carley have besides her back?" Snow asked. "She has Bardel-Biedl Syndrome. It's a rare genetic condition which affects her whole body. She has stubby fingers because of it with little manual dexterity, Retintis Pigmentosa which is Night Blindess and she lost all her night vision a long time ago as well as tunnel vision. Now do you understand Snow?" Leah explained as the other princesses flew back with the items they needed.
Snow felt guilty at what she'd done eariler. Carley was her friend and she was always nice and willing to help them. "I'm sorry, okay?" she said as tears fell from her eyes as they landed at the swamp...