Chapter 11: The Outsider
(Freud/Mercedes)
Note: Finally! The Heroes will now meet up and join. Those of you who actually care to read the top, you will see Freud/Mercedes. As more of the heroes join, there will be more names up there depending on whether they are in the chapter or not. Oh, and Freud is called Dragon Magician because he has not mastered Afrien yet. Enjoy and R&R please! :)
Mercedes woke up with a start, gasping for breath. She had the strangest dream where she was battling the Black Mage with the strangest of characters. And she knew the words of Rhinne would haunt her forever. After a few seconds, she realized that she was in the infirmary. She was sleeping on a warm bed and wearing patient clothes. Her weapons were on a table next to her bed. Her battle instincts told her that she wasn't alone. As quick as the wind, she grabbed her Dual Bowguns and pointed them at the bed next to her. She put them down as she gasped. One of the men from her dream was sleeping on the bed next to her. He was wearing patient clothes also, but he had on a purple headband with gold markings and red dragon wings.
"Your Highness, you're awake!" a familiar voice cried out.
Astilda hobbled over towards Mercedes and gently pushed her back into bed.
"Five minutes awake and already preparing to fight an army!" she said disapprovingly.
"Astilda, who is this human and why is he in Elluel? And what happened after the eclipse? Has the Black Mage-" she cried anxiously.
"Elluel is safe, your Highness. The eclipse ended, but you fell on the ground screaming. We took you inside and healed you, and you've been unconscious for two weeks."
"Two weeks?!" she cried out.
"Shh! My liege, let's not get so anxious!" Astilda cried.
"What has happened to my people while I was gone?!" Mercedes loudly whispered.
"Well just yesterday, an Onyx Dragon teleported here with this young human and asked us to heal him. Apparently, he is a Magician named Freud and he has formed something called a Spirit Pact with the dragon. I don't have a clue what it is, but the dragon - Afrien was it? He seemed very worried about Freud's condition and made us swear that we would do our best to heal him."
Freud now stirred and slowly opened his eyes. Mercedes dashed over and bent down to look at Freud. The first thing she noticed was his piercing blue eyes. They were as open as the sea and showed that he had a vast intellect. Astilda bustled and moved Mercedes over.
"Dear, how are you feeling? You had quite an injury on your shoulder. Took nearly half an hour to fix up!" Astilda cried.
Freud tried to sit up, but grimaced in pain as his shoulder started to take weight.
Mercedes herself pushed Freud back down and said, "Take rest. You are safe now. Your dragon has taken you to Elluel and we have healed you."
Freud now sat up and cried, "Afrien? Where is he?"
Astilda said, "He is safe also. We have kept him well fed and he is resting near the Unicorn Grove."
Freud now got up and ignored the pain of his injury.
"I must see him at once!" he said and started to walk out the door.
He suddenly stopped and gave the best of a bow he could, "Oh, forgive me your Highness! Where are my manners? I am Dragon Magician Freud. Who do I have the pleasure of acquainting?"
"Greetings Dragon Magician Freud. I am Queen Mercedes - Ruler of Elves and Master of the Dual Bowguns."
Freud said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Queen Mercedes."
He reached for her hand and kissed it.
"Your Highness!" a sharp voice cried.
Mercedes gasped and looked at the doorway. Philius and Danika were standing with different looks on her face. Danika's face was red and hot, looking down at the ground. Philius was shocked and somewhat angry. Mercedes found herself blushing and became very self-conscious of the fact that she was blushing in front of all her Elders. She pulled her hand away from Freud and grabbed her weapons. She walked with as much dignity as she could muster and walked out the door without giving so much as a glance to anyone.
Astilda looked at Freud and said, "Dear, you should-"
"But nothing!" Philius cried, "How dare you - a human - kiss the Ruler of Elves! Not even the noblest of Elves are allowed to so much as glance at her body and here you are trying to molest our ruler!"
Freud tried to say, "It wasn't like tha-"
"You are done healing - now leave! I don't know why we didn't leve you for dead before! We are a superior race and help no one - especially an environmental disaster like you, human!"
Saying this, he stormed off to speak to Mercedes. Danika gave him an apologetic look as she followed Philius. Astilda gave him a sad look and reached for a bottle. She poured the contents on Freud's injury and it began to close up.
"There, you won't feel any more pain. You have completely healed. Now, if you have no more business in Elluel, then I suggest that you leave."
She too got up and left the room. Freud looked on his bedside table and took his mage robes. He discovered that they were now fixed and looked new. He quickly changed into them, took his staff and left the room. He walked towards the Unicorn Grove, where he found Afrien eating some berries distastefully. Afrien looked at Freud and rushed towards him.
"Master, are you all right?! The Black Mage will pay for this all!" Afrien cried.
"I'm all right, Afrien." Freud smiled and patted Afrien's snout.
"What are we to do now, Master?" Afrien asked.
"We should leave and start to look for allies."
"Why not ask the Elves for help?"
"The Elves do not want a human here."
"Why not?"
"They are a proud race who believe that humans are evil."
"What? I will talk sense into them!"
"No, Afrien. We should not bother them anymore. Come, we'll go to Rien to ask Aran for her help."
Just then, Mercedes and Danika ran into the Unicorn Grove in battle armor. They strapped saddles onto the Unicorns and sat on them.
"What is happening?" Freud asked.
Mercedes said, " Ephenia - Queen of Fairies - has sided with the Black Mage. She is on a rampage trying to take over Victoria Island! Dragon Magician Freud, if youhelp us defend our home, then you may stay in Elluel."
Freud looked at Afrien and both nodded to each other.
Freud looked at Mercedes with determination in his eyes and said, "As you wish, your Highness."
Mercedes, for the first time since Freud awoke, looked into his eyes, seeing how calm yet determined they were. Danika coughed to remind Mercedes of the situation. She broke from her trance and climbed onto her friend Sylvidia the Pegasus. The other Elves got on their Unicorns and Freud got on Afrien. Mercedes took out one of her Dual Bowguns and pointed it in front of her.
In a leader's tone, she said, "Then onward comrades, for today we defend our homeland!"
The Elves gave a cry of joy as the Unicorns charged on. Sylvidia and Afrien took flight, leading the Elven Army into battle.