Setting a Trap
Charmcaster stood at a crossroads, she tossed her runes then groaned frustrated when they didn't give her anything useful, she rubbed the ring of her left hand, the reflective ruby surface showed two faces looked back up at her, one with short black hair and irritation in her cold grey eyes, the other face looked warmer, blond with faded blue eyes and a wide smile "Charmcaster!" she said while Empusa said "Be care full how much magic you use sister, It's starting to show" she referred to her sisters increasingly fading glow. "One goat and a small enchantment" Charmcaster explained "Hardly extravagant" "well even using the ring will take its' toll" said Mormo, they saw Charmcaster through a ornate mirror as she saw them through her ring "Better you only call us in dire need, and use your runes to locate the star" "I used them and she should be here by now" Charmcaster said impatiently "But now they're just telling me gibberish" her sisters sighed and retrieved a small crocodile from one of the cages, Mormo took a steel knife, she dug it into the crocodiles tough scaly skin near its head then ran it along its body only stopping once she reached the tail, she and Empusa yanked it open and took it the slimy insides. Mormo then turned to face her sisters "It is because you must stay where you are, my sister. She is coming to you" "Oh, be warned Charmcaster" said Empusa and Mormo turned back to the crocodile remains "delicacy is needed, She is drained by misery. She's barely shining." Her voice sounded dismal and uncaringly distant "set a trap that ensures her heart is glowing before you cut it out" Charmcaster nodded and faded from view.
"Gwen?" Kevin called as he walked back into the clearing in the forest, the Star wasn't where he'd left her "Gwen?" he came to a stop at the gnarled tree "Oh, you idiot" he threw down the food he'd bought, though fortunately it was wrapped up so it wasn't spoiled, he debated internally for a few seconds whether or not to go looking for her, he decided not to, reasoning that he was too tired and hungry to bother at this moment. He slumped to the floor, huddled his jacket tighter around him and looked up at the sky, the stars flickered and shone, The moon was full and strangely big tonight, did he imagine the lines of worry on its face? Kevin shook his head, ever since he'd met Gwen he'd saw the sky differently, but that was expected. He fell into a deep slumber, he face covered in moonlight.
Charmcaster, still stood at the cross road, bend down so that she was level with the two goats she'd used to pull her chariot, she whispered in their ears "You shall become human" she stepped back, a purple band curled around the two goats, covering them completely, when it faded two people rose from their knees to their feet. One was a stringy, white haired old man with a beard that didn't fit with his face; he had a look that inevitably screamed 'Goat'. the other was a dull eyed, spotty boy, Charmcaster touched the boys forehead, he transformed, his hair grew, he face changed shape and two drooping breasts formed of his chest, they were complimented by a chocolate brown dress, with a wave of her hand, Charmcaster's dress changed too, from the dark, gothic style to a humble dusty red. "You are Billy the Innkeeper" she told the old man "She is your wife and I am your Daughter" Charmcaster stood over the other side of the cross roads, towing her transformed minions behind her, she waved her hand at the chariot and it too transformed, growing in size, becoming square and house-like, inside purple flames, licked up the walls, creating beams of wood and rooms, eventually the flames stopped and a darkly coloured inn stood at the cross roads. Charmcaster and her minions walked inside, she admired her spell work "Make everything ready, our special guest will be here soon"
"I mean, who's to say he'll even keep his promise about the candle?" Gwen's voice rung through the darkness, she rode on the back of the Unicorn "I just refuse to believe that he's the only person in Stormhold who could have helped me" she muttered to the Unicorn "He just keeps going on and on about 'Kai' this and 'Kai' that" she progressed through the forest. Kevin slept under the branches of the tree, dreaming. Kevin? A voice said, he grunted and turned over. Please protect out sister, Kevin. Gwen is in grave danger. The voice hissed through his head, making him jolt awake. The Unicorn came to help her, but now their heading into a trap. Kevin jerked awake; he looked around trying to locate the source of the noise it seemed to be coming from the sky, more specifically the stars. No star is safe in Stormhold, the voice continued, the last to fall over 400 years ago, images filled his head, there was a bright light that slammed into the ground, as the light faded a girl lay in a crater, like the way he'd found Gwen, only this girl was blond and looked a little happier that Gwen did when he'd found her. She was captured by the same witches who seek Gwen now, the voice commentated as the images played, a gloved hand reached out to the girl and helped her to her feet, they tricked her, three women pulled a glowing girl across a hall and up a set of stairs, they strapped her to a marble table. Cared for her.
And when her heart was once more aglow. One woman stroked the shining girl's hair, while another held her hand and the last raised a knife, they cut it from her chest. Kevin jumped to his feet and looked up at the moon, there's no time to waste, the voice said, hardening but raising no higher that a whisper, A coach is coming, by any means possible you must get on it. Run. Kevin did, A coach pulled by four horses. The coach was driven by Prince Primus and his brothers, the Dead ones, slept in the carriage, Kevin ran out to the edge of the road as the coach passed, he slammed into the side and bounced off. The coach stopped a few steps down the road and the driver got out, he walked over to Kevin, who lay on the floor, his limps aching, Prince Primus extended his sword and pointed it at Kevin's neck "If Darkstar insists on sending a boy to do a man's job" he said, Kevin cursed "No," he said "No, I don't know a Darkstar, I just need a ride" he panted "Look, I'm unarmed" he held up his hands, Primus stood down "I just need a ride" "Fine, I could use someone to tend to the horses" he walked back to his carriage "Get on" he said. Kevin did, he sat next to Primus the Carriage, pulling on the reigns, the carriage jolted forward.