A/N: Hey there! Due to the fact that band practice doesn't let out until 6:00 PM for the Mardi Gras trip (and a load of homework to do) AND I leave for New Orleans this Thursday (THOR'S DAY, hehe...), this might be the last update I'll do in a week. Maybe I'll spit another chapter out, but right now, I have fanfics to read.
Chapter 9
"That's crazy!" Phoebus exclaimed.
"But you haven't listened to what I have to say..." Joe set the mask down between each other.
"What the dream was trying to tell me is that Femi stole The Book, because she was trying to buy her freedom from slavery." Joe looked at the white mask again before handing it to Phoebus. "This mask might be a slave mask."
"Nonsense!" Phoebus shook his head. "I never saw a slave mask like that. Are you sure that your dream wasn't just that, a dream?"
"I thought so too." Joe shook his shoulders. "Until I woke up and found this on the pillow next to me…" Joe placed a small brown box on the table and opened it. The box spit out a pile of sludge before it formed into a scroll with a black seal. He opened the scroll and read it out.
"Dear Joseph Arthur, do you remember your little friend, Femi? I currently have her tied up and ready to be executed. You see, I can't get The Book to work properly. My slave girl tells me that there might be a ban spell on it and YOU have the reversal spell. Since you care so much about her well-being, let's have a deal. Come to the Calypsian Coast tonight with the reversal spell and I'll spare Femi." The letter slowly morphed back into sludge after Joe was done reading.
"So, your dream wasn't just a dream?" Phoebus said, watching the sludge scurry back into the box. "You really have to go to the Calypsian Coast and get Femi. Go ahead and reply back, this is a messenger box. It will record everything you have to say and return it to the sender."
"Whatever happens, I'm not going to give him The Book." The box opened again and spat out more sludge. A blank piece of scroll paper formed, along with Joe's sentence 'Whatever happens, I'm not going to give him The Book' in fancy writing. "Yeah, he can forget about the ban spell because I'll fight him for The Book and rescue Femi!"
The paper with Joe's part of the deal was signed. It rolled back into the box and disappeared.
Phoebus stood up and handed Joe a wooden sword and shield. "Outside, now."
Joe held the shield up to his chest and gave Phoebus a blank stare. Phoebus rolled his eyes and got a practice sword for himself. "You said you were going to fight Femi's slave owner, I hope you know how to."
"Well, I'm not THAT good of a fighter." Joe bragged, flexing his "muscles". "My dad took me out of military school because he needed me to work in the family business."
"Let's go and review basic training," Phoebus stepped outside with weapon and shield in hand. "Femi better hope her rescuer will not die trying to save her!"
"Good to see you're up, Richard!" Phoebus grunted, blocking all of Joe's weak attempts to hit him.
"That soothsayer was a real good one, healing powers and everything!" He leaned against the doorway watching Joe and Phoebus.
"C'mon Joe, you can do it!" Richard cheered, watching Phoebus sparring with Joe. Phoebus blocked Joe's attack with his shield and used his leg to make Joe lose balance. Instead, Joe did a full 360 in the air, before falling flat on his face.
"Okay, I quit. I can't do this…" Joe raised his hand in defeat. Phoebus lifted Joe up and shook his head at him.
"You said you knew how to fight!"
"But not for a long time!" Joe went to pick up his wooden sword. Phoebus disarmed him and held his wooden sword to Joe's throat.
"I've seen former students still remember their training after years of inactivity. You obviously have no training!" Phoebus's ponytail was coming loose, and his curly, silver hair stuck to his sweaty face. "I used to be a fighting instructor at an academy and had the privilege to take in disciples and mentor them. Never look at merchants as 'just' merchants…"
"That's how I met Phoebus, we went to military school together but I wasn't into the bloodshed like he was." said Richard. "I put this practice room out behind my house as a way to stay in shape."
"I was not into bloodshed! I was, and still am, in love with the strategy and cunning of war." Phoebus put his sword down and smiled sheepishly. "And I always wanted to go sightseeing, that too."
"Sorry about this, but it's nice to know you guys have a fighting background to lean on…" Joe pushed the sword away from his neck. "But I have to fight a creature made out of sludge and get Femi if I want to go home soon!"
"Did I miss out on something?" Richard asked Phoebus, confused.
"I'll tell you the rest, but right now, Joe's right. He has no fighting background of any sort and he said he was going to fight him." Phoebus took the shields and wooden swords away from Joe.
"Time and place?"
"Tonight, at the Calypsian Coast; he's holding Femi hostage in one of the caves." Phoebus said.
"We still have a few hours left. Let's plan something inside and we'll take you to the Calypsian Coast, Joe." Richard walked back inside with Phoebus. They were whispering to each other and kept glancing back at Joe.
Joe looked up at the darkening sky. He was nervous, no… in fact, he was scared out of his mind. He said he was going to fight a ten foot creature made out of sludge AND save The Book and Femi. He couldn't even hit Phoebus while sparring! Joe took a deep breath and followed Phoebus inside.
"…I'll fight him for The Book and rescue Femi!" I read and squealed with glee. "I can't believe it; he's coming to see me!"
I danced around the cave in happiness; Joe was willing to put his life in danger to save me. I knew it from the day I looked into his eyes; we were meant to be together. After tonight, he'll forget about leaving Ryn and stay with me!
"But I thought this was about giving Joe back his book… after all, I don't want him to think of me as a…"
"A thief?" I rolled my eyes. "Pu-lease, you ARE one! Stop trying to make yourself a victim here. Remember, priorities!"
"Joe will arrive in a few hours expecting to fight a made-up monster and save me in the process! How are we going to do that if: A, we have no monster and B, I'm not in danger?" Femi pointed out.
"With this!" I tossed a thick, dusty book with a pure white cover. "Now stop questioning me and trust me on this one!"
Femi hung her head in defeat. "Fine. I hope this works…"
"It will." I quipped. I closed my eyes and sighed dreamily.
Joe… soon we will be together…
Forever!
A/N: The last part of the chapter barley scratches Femi's psyche. I'll let my loyal readers make up their own interpretation on Femi. A review and fave is much appreciated. ;)
