I AM BACK!!!!! haha. It wasn't that long was it?? I missed you all though. Well I am on a 60 day trial with Microsoft word now, which works I guess, haha. gosh I hate technology, lol. Anyway. I don't own the wonderful books that this story was born from, haha. so thank's for sticking with me in my short absance and I hope u enjoy chapter 14!!!!!
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The sky gets darker as we get closer to the Winterlands. Our battle cries ended a while ago and with them left all the energy we had when we started. Baily, Sophie and Charlotte sit in a circle whispering things I can't here. Shalin sits with me next to Gorgons head. My excitement has been replaced with nerves and 'what if's?' Shalin rubs my back trying to calm me and it does help but not completely.
"I sense nerves Most High." Gorgon says turning her yellow eyes to me.
"Just a little." I say quietly.
"You'll be fine." Shalin says, for about the tenth time now and I nod my head and fall back against his chest and he wraps his arms around me.
"He's correct Most High." Gorgon says. I turn around in Shalins embrace to face her.
"How do you know?" I ask.
"I don't." She says calmly.
"But I believe in you." She continues, looking at me.
"And so do your friends, and the Hajin, and the forest people, and Kartik and your mother."
"And me." Shalin whispers in my ear.
"All those people believe in you, all you have to do is give them a reason to." Gorgon finishes turning her eyes to the river before her. I lay my head against Shalins chest and he continues to rub my back. I try and think, Gorgon's right. All of these people believe in me, there trusting me to make things right again. It's a lot of pressure but I can't let them down. My eyes fall shut slowly and the rhythm of Shalins breathing lulls me into sleep.
"Olivia." Shalin whispers to me. I blink my eyes a few times to remove the sleepy haze.
"Were here." He says. I move to stand and he helps me up.
"We should send someone up first to determine what we face." Says one of the Centaurs.
"Yes." I say, and all eyes turn to me.
"I'll go." One of the Hajin offers. He's a tall man and looks quite strong and I believe we can trust him.
"Thank you." I say. Gorgon lowers a wing to let him off and then closes it again.
"For now we wait." I say and everyone settles in again. Baily, Sophie and Charlotte join Shalin and I.
"And your sure we can do this?" Baily asks.
"I think we can try." I say. It doesn't satisfy her and she walks away with Sophie following. There nervous I can tell but I am sure they'll be fine soon enough. Charlotte still stands with us and she takes my hand.
"I believe in you Olivia." She says smiling.
"Yes, thank you." I say and give her a hug. We sit back down, there's nothing to do but wait until the Hajin returns.
The time feels like it goes on forever until I see the man we sent come back over the hill and head for our boat. Gorgon lowers her wing and her rushes back up on deck.
"The trackers are back." He says, or try's to, he's completely out of breath. Murmurs start thorough the crowd and I can feel the discomfort.
"We must turn back!" Yells one of the Hajin.
"There's no hope now." A centaur adds. Angry shouts continue to erupt from the crowd.
"We can't go back now." Charlotte yells, gaining courage.
"She's right." I add. Gorgons voice comes from behind us.
"There right Olivia. If the trackers are back the Winterlands are corrupted now, there's no hope for your friend." She says solemnly.
"No, I know Kartik, he's strong, he's still fighting I can feel it." I argue. He's to important to my mother, to me, to leave behind. The shouts continue. Yelling to turn back, go home, there's no hope now.
"Stop it!" I yell as loud as I can. I step up to the highest point of the ship and then jump onto the ledge so that the entire crowd can see me.
"Listen to me!" I yell again and all talking stops, every pair of eyes trained on me.
"What is wrong with all of you? Why are you willing to give up so easily?"
"We don't stand a chance against the trackers, there's no use." Shouts a centaur.
"Says who, you?" I say pointing to a Hajin "Or you?" I add pointing at a centaur.
"Why? You've never tried. My mother changed that tree, and with less people than we have now. They were greatly outnumbered but they changed things because they tried." I yell. Heads drop in shame.
"She didn't fix it though, things have gone right back to the way they were. The trees been corrupted again." Shouts a centaur, more shouts follow.
"No!" I yell silencing them
"I know the man inside that tree, he's the closest thing I've ever had to a father, he's strong and he's still fighting I can feel it. I will not leave him behind." I can feel the anger and dread slowly leaving.
"We will fight and we will do everything we can and if we die, we die in glory! But we will not sit back and do nothing while the Winterlands gain control." I say. A few cheers come slowly.
"But we will die, Why bother, what is there to die for?" The same centaur yells.
"What will we die for?" I question.
"We will die for the chance to have freedom, because if we don't try the Winterlands will surely rule us all." I say, shouts of agreement follow.
"If we die, we'll die for the hope of our families, for our friends, for love." Shalin and my friends look to me and I smile. Shouts from the crowd and I can feel the power coming back. They all shout names and things they're willing to die for, loved one's and family.
"My mother, Gemma." I shot into the crowd. More yells erupt. Baily Sophie and Charlotte shout names of their own.
"Kartik." I add and cheers of joy erupt from the people. Shalin offers me his hand and I take it jumping down from the ledge. People continue to shout.
"What will you die for?" Yells a centaur.
"Olivia." Shalin says looking at me, we both smile and I nod.
"Shalin." I say. Without noticing the crowds is quiet and they wait for my command. I turn to look at them.
"To Freedom!" I yell. Weapons are raised and shouts are heard. Gorgon lowers her wing and the throng of people move off and start up the hill. We reach the top and hide as best we can behind rocks. Shalin steps out and calls their attention.
"It's our job to keep those things away from Olivia. She has to get that tree and were to make sure she does it safely. Stay hidden as long as you can." He says, the army moves forward slowly staying as quiet as possible. Shalin turns to me and pulls me to him placing his lips on mine.
"Just in case." He says smiling at me.
"You'll be fine." I say, he only smiles at me and then follows the others over the rocks. Baily, Sophie and Charlotte are the only ones remaining with me.
I walk up to them and we take hands smiling at each other.
"Thank you all so much." I say.
"Like we would have gotten this kind of adventure back at Spence." Baily says laughing.
"It's no problem at all." Sophie says.
"Well good luck, and be safe." I say. We all hug and then creep over the rocks.
I am to get as close as possible to the tree. I move from rock to rock as the rest of them follow stealthily. I am a good twenty feet away when were discovered.
"She's here." One of the trackers hisses. It's exactly like the things from my dreams. Enormous and skeletal. I can't count how many there are, I don't have time, but they sniff the air trying to find me.
"There." One of them screams, and points to a large rock just behind me hiding about five Hajin.
"Now!" I here Shalin yell. The army emerges from where they were hidden and the battle begins. Weapons are taken up and I can see the girls using theirs skillfully.
"Olivia, go!" Shalin yells from a small cliff above my head. I've been to frozen with fear to move but I find the will and begin to run. All around me shouts and screams fill the air. Sophie's fire rocks have started a fire out the ground making it hot. A tracker moves in front of me. He's still small and is walking yet as the others fly. He wields a sword of his own and I find I am defenseless against him. Shalin jumps in front of me just in time to block a blow with his own sword.
"You have to run, don't worry about me." He says continuing to fight with the tracker. I breath in deep and run as fast as I can for the tree. I reach it safely, now I only have to get Kartik out and the magic in. I touch the tree with my hands and I call feel it start to change immediately. Soon Kartik is standing in front of me. He' injured though I can tell. There's deep cut marks across his chest and he's breathing heavily.
"Thank goodness." He says seeing me.
"Hurry, please. I don't know how much longer I can fight them off." He says wincing in pain. I move my hands to the base of the tree and open my mouth to speak and that's when I hear him. A cry from behind me, I turn to see the young tracker standing over of Shalin who holds his side in pain and I can see the blood between his fingers. The trackers watches me warily.
"Shalin." I whisper. Kartik sees the hurt in my eyes and he kneels down beside me.
"Listen, his blood can not touch the ground or the tree will take him instead, I'll take care of him but you need to say the spell and fast." He says quickly.
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Yes, now hurry!" He says and then takes off running for the tracker and Shalin. Kartik has more power than I thought. With a wave of his hand the tracker fly's through the air and lands far away from them.. I turn my attention back to the tree and put my hands on it. The words I found a few hours ago come to mind and I hope beyond all hope they'll do well enough. Screams continue around me and I block them out so I can concentrate. I begin to shout the spell, finding that the trackers are too busy with fighting the army to worry about me.
"I give the tree all the magic of the realms. If anyone dares to corrupt the tree again they will only corrupt the magic, and in turn corrupt themselves." I finish. Nothing happens and I fear it won't work but then I feel a rush leave me and I hear the shrieks of the trackers in the background. I turn to Kartik who is bent over Shalin, both of them in pain. I say a silent prayer that he's not too far corrupted. The trackers start to shrink before our eyes and then there's a bright light, I close my eyes against it. I feel another pull coming from my body and then everything goes black.
"Shh, I think she's waking up." Says a deep voice. I can't tell where it's coming from.
"Olivia?" says a girl.
"Olivia." This girl is different. I blink my eyes a few times, then I feel a hand come to my face.
"Olivia." Comes another male voice, he sounds familiar. I open my eyes fully now and Shalin's head takes shape in front of my eyes.
"Shalin?" I say. My voice is horse and my head feels horrible. He stroks my face and smiles at me sweetly.
"Am I dead?" I ask, completely serious but I hear people laughing.
"No, you're not dead." Shalin says.
"Are you dead?" I ask, again completely serious. The last time I saw him, he looked close.
"No, but I almost was. Here sit up." He says taking my shoulders and helping me to sit up straighter. I take in the scenery around me. Were back on the ship. I can see Kartik and Shalin. Baily Sophie and Charlotte sit in front of me, a bit ruffed up but otherwise they look okay.
"How does your head feel?" Shalin asks.
"Horrible right now, what happened?" I ask.
"When you gave away the magic it was probably too much stain on you and you passed out." Kartik says placing a cool, damp cloth on my forehead and brushing back the hair that falls in my face.
"But your okay? Your free now?" I ask holding his hand.
"Yes, the spell worked and I am free of the tree, I can go home." He says smiling.
"My mother will be happy." I say. He laughs.
"Yes she will be." He says and then wraps his arms around me in a hug.
"Thank you so much Olivia." He whispers in my hear. I smile hugging him closer.
"And what about the rest of you?" I ask. Letting Kartik go. The girls smile.
"Our dresses are a bit dirty but were amazing." Sophie answers.
"Yes Olivia that was quite the adventure." Baily agrees.
"Yes, I felt quite like a hero." Charlotte says laughing.
"You are, all three of you." I say and they all give me a hug.
"Thank you so much girls, I couldn't have done this without you." I say, then turn to Shalin.
"Are you okay?" I ask taking his hand. The smile falls from his face and he gives me a serious look.
"Well." He starts. I tense up, worry flooding my face. He has to be okay, I can't lose him.
"I am just kidding, I am fine." He says and they all laugh. Even I let out a giggle before I punch his arm with all the force I can muster.
"That's not funny." I say, even though I am laughing myself.
"Sorry." He says pulling me into a hug.
"He does have a gash on his side but the magic should help it heal quickly." Kartik says. Shalin plants a kiss on me cheek.
"Olivia." Kartik says. "There's something you should see." He says. Shalin and Kartik help me to my feet. I realize now that I've been sitting near the bow, hidden from the rest of the ship. I stand on weak legs and Kartik and Shalin help me move to a part of the ship that lets me see the mass of creatures below. It looks as if the whole army survived.
"Only a few were lost in battle, the majority survived." Kartik whispers to me. A centaur looks at me.
"Look!" He calls pointing to me. Everyone stands and turns their eyes to me and cheers erupt though the crowd.
"Hail Priestess Olivia!" they cry. A smile appears on my face.
"Hail Olivia Priestess of Freedom!" Another shout.
"You did it." Kartik says, tears come to my eyes. I don't think I've ever been happier than right now. Kartik's right, I did it. I won back freedom for all these people;
I gave them a reason to believe.
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Okay, so there you have it. one more chapter to wrap everything up!!!!! I am so excited to hear what you all think about the next to last chapter. I am so sad this is ending though :( plz review, as always, thanks again!!!!!
~meg~