Hello lovely readers, I hope y'all have had a great week/weekend and I'm glad that you've taken the time to read this new chapter! Thanks to my betas, (y'all are the best) and to you, whoever you are who is reading this right now! If you've been following the story, I'd love to see a review if you feel so lead.
Enjoy!
Chapter 29: Perception
Amber watched in horrified awe as the sorcerers clashed with the force of a hundred thousand cannons. The jolting shockwaves of power shook her entire being as she kneeled, paralyzed with fear next to the royal sorcerer as they both gazed up at the magic blasts of black and purple explode continuously in the sky.
"The barrier, it's down! Get everyone out of here, now!" shouted Corporal Hanks.
Cedric scrambled to his feet, unable to wrench his gaze away from the immense battle that was raging in the sky. He felt a small hand grasp around his and he glanced down at his side, unable to see the invisible princess. "Sofia?" he asked.
"Yes, Mr. Cedric, it's me," she confirmed as her hand trembled in his grasp.
"Come on, we must hurry and get you to safety!" Cedric tugged on her hand, but just as quickly as her hand appeared, it was gone. "Sofia!" he called.
Sofia hurried over to the vaguely transparent form of her older sister. "Amber, hurry, let's go!" she urged as James ran up to them as well. Since the stealth cloaks made it impossible for anyone else to see them, they made sure to stick together.
"Amber, come on! The barrier is down!" James exclaimed, tugging on her sister's arm.
"R-right," Amber stuttered before her brother pulled her to her feet and the three siblings ran together towards the gate. Sofia pulled ahead of them and took Cedric's hand as the two hurried past the threshold.
Amber stopped for a brief second, turning back to observe the fight. Every purple shot of magic was sent flying into the air at an invisible target, while every black blast was aimed at the ground, but never once hit it, or the castle, or any bystanders.
She couldn't help but wonder as to why Vasilia hadn't completely disregarded the humans and let the blasts annihilate them. Could the insane sorceress be protecting them? There was the possibility that she was just protecting the castle, right? No, she wasn't protecting just the castle; she was making sure none of Kachshey's blasts hit anything on the ground: not the castle, not a tree, not a person. She didn't seem to care about any of that before, when she went on a rampage, so why the sudden change?
"Amber, come ON!" James called, a few steps ahead of his sister.
Suddenly, a massive clash of black and purple erupted in the sky, sending a huge shockwave that threw Amber's hood off of her head and knocked the girl onto her seat.
A flash of golden light appeared in Amber's mind's eye and suddenly she was in front of two old women. Two queens, to be precise. Golden tiaras sat atop their heads, complementing their tear-shining emerald eyes and greying hair. She wasn't sure why, but she felt a surge of relief wash over her when she saw the two strangers, yet she also felt an odd sense of familiarity with each one.
"Y-you look no different from the day you went missing," the one on the right sputtered.
Rage suddenly flooded her mind and overwhelmed her. "You mean kidnapped!" Amber snapped. She would have clasped a hand over her mouth if she had control of her limbs, but she couldn't control those either.
The woman on the left approached her, holding out her arms wide as if to embrace her. "Please, sister, you must understand, we had no idea where you were, or if you were even alive!"
Amber pushed the old woman away, causing her to fall onto the ground of the white and red tile of the throne room. Deep hurt and anger twisted together in Amber's heart as the woman gazed up at her with pleading eyes. "You never even bothered to look!" she shouted as hot tears formed in her eyes. The voice coming from Amber's mouth sounded familiar. She had definitely heard it before, but where?
"P-please, Vasilia, you must understand—" the other sputtered.
"Understand WHAT!? That my own sisters never once sent out a search party for me? That, while you were here in your ivory tower, I was being held captive by the vilest man Ledstrana has ever birthed?" She ground her teeth as rage bubbled over the hurt and the two old women looked down in shame.
Vasilia? That's where Amber had heard the voice before! But what was happening? Sisters? Was she somehow reliving Vasilia's memories? Was that even possible?
Vasilia sneered down at her two sisters as the tears threatened to overflow from her eyes. "After forty years, I thought…" Amber could feel the hot tears streak down her face as her sisters gazed up at her with fear in their eyes. "You two make me sick! Neither of you deserve to take the throne after the legacy that Father left!"
"Vasilyenka, please, we did look for you! We sent out search parties for months trying to find you!" exclaimed her eldest sister from the floor.
"Shut up! You do not get to call me that anymore! Ivan is the only one who could use that name with me! You gave up looking for me after a few months, but Ivan searched for me for an entire year before he found me! He was more family to me than you two ever were!" Vasilia squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists, trying to hold back her sobs.
"Please, dear sister, forgive us." The one on the floor crawled closer to her and took hold of her hand. Amber glared with scorn at Vasilia's eldest sister, but she could feel somewhere deep down a longing to be reunited. "We could be a family again! We could all three of us rule as Father intended!"
"You were always the one who tried to keep us together, Veronika…" Amber felt the sorceress's heart break as the old woman pleaded with her. She could remember flashes of the woman taking care of her, encouraging her to pursue magic; one specific image was of Veronika at sixteen years old cradling her youngest sister, who was then ten as they wept together on the floor. The pain Amber could feel in her heart was the same pain she felt when her mother died.
Vasilia's heart hardened as anger took root once more. "But it's too late for that," she spat, slapping her sister's hand away.
"Vasilia, please! Let's just put all this behind us so we can rule together, as Veronika said," the middle sister requested, still standing next to her throne.
Amber saw red as fury seethed through her. "Just FORGET!? That's what you think is going to fix this?" Vasilia let out a scornful laugh. "That's your solution for everything, isn't it, Viktorya? Just ignore it until it goes away, just like you did with Father, just like you did with me!" Vasilia was suddenly right in front of her older sister with a hand of glowing black magic posed at her throat.
Fear filled Viktorya's emerald eyes as she gazed down at the sorceress. "Y-You wouldn't."
"Oh, no? It appears you don't know me as well as I know you, dear sister." The derisive words seeped off Vasilia's tongue like venom. "I bet you were the one to disband the search for me before it even began. Let me guess: too much money being wasted?"
"I-it was a b-bit more complicated than that, and I'm sure you know that!" Viktorya stammered.
"Was it? Was it really?" Vasilia compressed the glowing magic in her hand to form a blade and pressed it against her sister's skin, glaring up at the slightly taller woman. Vasilia turned her attention back to Veronika. "Tell me I'm wrong."
The eldest sister merely looked down at the floor, unable to meet the other's gaze. Sorrow swelled in Amber's heart like a wave. Tears at the corners of her eyes dripped down her nose and cheeks as she let out a shriek so shrill it burned her throat. Hurt morphed into heartbroken rage as the wave crested and spilled over, the water turning blood red.
Vasilia seethed as she turned around to face her eldest sister. "And you. You let her."
"P-Please, Vasilia, don't do this, I beg you!" Veronika cried desperately.
"You're just as guilty as she is," Vasilia growled darkly as she stalked toward the cowering woman. Amber had a brief moment of déjà vu, feeling like she'd seen this exact image somewhere before.
"N-No, no, please." Tears streaked down Veronika's wrinkled face as Vasilia pointed the glowing, blood stained, knife at her.
Her entire body trembled as a plethora of emotions coursed through her: deep hurt tinged the sorrow and despair heated as they boiled into hot fury. Amber's vision blurred as red encompassed everything.
The scene changed, and this time she was standing in what looked to be an old cottage filled with potions and magical objects of all kinds. A bubbling cauldron sat in the middle of the room as a short, old woman stirred the huge pot. She had a long, crooked nose and an unruly poof of long, grey hair that was held off of her face with a decorative, green bandana. "I'm sorry, my dear. I cannot tell you how that power is forged. It's too dangerous," the old woman croaked, still not turning to face her.
"But Baba Yaga, it is the only way I will be able to defeat Kashchey when he returns!" Vasilia argued.
Baba Yaga just shook her head. "Vasiliechka, I'm sorry, but you do not understand the powers you will be tampering with."
"Then teach me! You must know its secrets, or you wouldn't be so adamant about me not using it!" Vasilia pleaded.
"I'm sorry, even I do not fully understand the power that Amulet holds. Its true nature has been lost to the ages. Much of the lore about it are merely myths and legends."
"But you always said that legends always stem from truth!"
"When the legends all have a common thread, yes. But the Amulet has too many different stories to know which one is real. It's not for us to understand." The old woman continued to stir her cauldron, and spoke calmly to her pupil.
Vasilia grunted in frustration. "Why is it that you always go back to that? The more we understand about magic, the better we can utilize its power for good! You have taught me so much already, from the purest of magic from the Light Realms to the most sinister of magic from the Dark Realms and everything in between, yet you will not teach me this? I do not understand!"
Baba Yaga sighed heavily. "It is not my information to give. Even if I wanted to teach you, I could not. The knowledge has been lost to me. All I know is that no one has been suited to wield that magic since the Realms were divided. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, it could mean the end of everything as we know it."
Vasilia's jaw dropped open. The words from her mentor stung like a thousand stings from a thousand hornets. "Are you saying…you don't trust me?"
Baba Yaga closed her eyes and breathed through her nose before looking up at the young sorceress. "I am saying that if you continue on the path you are on now, you will surely be consumed by the darkness within you. Pursue not the Amulet of Avalor, for it will only bring pain and suffering to you, and all those around you."
Vasilia clenched her teeth, fighting back tears. "The supposed pain the amulet could bring could never be worse than what I've already experienced. I will end Kashchey for what he did to Ivan, and for what he did to me."
The old witch shook her head and gazed into the taller woman's eyes. "The pain you have experienced is nothing compared to what is to come."
Vasilia could not contain herself anymore. "Fine!" she fumed with indignation. "If you will not teach me, I will find out myself! I cannot waste any more time here!" Vasilia stormed out of the cottage, the sting of betrayal cutting her heart deeply as everything faded from view.
The next thing she knew, she was in a bedroom with dark, stone walls. A large fire burned in the fireplace, causing dancing shadows to appear around her. Amber thought that the room itself would have seemed comfortable, but a seed of nausea tumbled around in her stomach as she hugged her arms close to her chest, standing in front of the fire, watching the logs burn.
A door opened. Amber would have glanced to see who'd come in, but Vasilia did not move her head, keeping her gaze on the fire.
"Hello, my little kotenok," a chilling voice came from behind her as a thin, yet deceivingly strong arm snaked its way around her waist.
Vasilia clenched her teeth as she swallowed a gag. "Hello, Kachshey."
"You seem troubled; is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, resting his pointed chin on her shoulder.
Rot in the deepest pit of darkness for eternity. "No, thank you. I think I am just tired."
Kashchey breathed deeply next to her ear. "Well, maybe I could help you into bed."
Vasilia clutched her arms tighter to her chest as her stomach tightened. "No, thank you."
"Come now, let me make you feel better," the man purred, massaging her shoulders.
"Not tonight. I am very tired." Vasilia muttered, trying to keep from vomiting.
"Let us just be together, then," the man hummed, grasping her shoulders firmly and pulling her back towards the bed. "I do so enjoy your company." He pushed her back on the bed and stood over her lap, bringing his face close to hers.
Every fiber of her being wanted to run away, and there were a thousand different spells that she knew that would incapacitate the man long enough for her to escape the room, but none that would allow her enough time to flee completely from his clutches. She merely stared past him at the fire, her eyes losing focus as she fought the urge to run. It was better to stay than to have him get angry and come after her. All she could do was close her eyes and turn her face away from him as the stench from his breath filled her nose. She felt as if her whole being wept as he drew closer and closer to her. Suddenly, everything went dark.
"Amber!" The voice was distant and warbled; the blonde princess didn't know who had called to her.
"Amber!" This time, the voice that met her ears was a little clearer. The voice sounded familiar. She heard her name a third time and the world slowly came back into view, her brother kneeling in front of her, pulling a veil over her eyes.
"There. Try and keep that on. Remember, Cedric said it protects us from magic. Now, come on! The barrier is gone, and we have to get out of here!" he urged as he donned his own hood, becoming like a semi-transparent image.
Amber stared slack jawed at her brother, stunned by what she had just seen. He hoisted her up from the ground, but she kept her gaze fixated on the sky, her mouth still slightly agape as flashes of black and magenta tinged the red and purple atmospheres.
"Come on, Amber! Let's get out of here before we get obliterated by those crazy wizards!"
Amber shook her head, bringing herself out of her stupor. "No!" she suddenly yelled.
"What do you mean, no!?" Her brother exclaimed as he pulled hard on her arm, forcing her to follow him. Amber was torn from her train of thought as her brother pulled her past the threshold of the castle grounds. They followed after Sofia and Cedric, who were a few paces ahead of them.
"Wait!" she exclaimed.
"Ugh! What is it?" James yelled, turning around reluctantly.
Sofia stopped and grabbed Cedric's robe so that the sorcerer stopped, and then pulled him over to the two invisible twins. "What is it, Amber?" the youngest sibling asked.
"We have to go back!" she demanded, steeling her resolve.
"Are you crazy?! Did you see that explosion? It was all, boosh! Bang! KA-BOOM! I mean, I like explosions as much as the next guy, but that's just too much!" James exclaimed, making grand gestures that only his two sisters could see.
"It's Vasilia. She needs help."
"WHAT!?" James exclaimed.
"It's not what you think, James. She's not insane."
James gaped at his sister for a moment. "Okay, now I think you're the one who's insane."
"I can't explain why, but I—I don't think she's as evil as we think she is."
"Amber, listen to yourself! Why are you defending the person who kidnapped Sofia? Of course she's evil!" James exclaimed with wide, swooping gestures.
Amber furrowed her brow, the heartache and pain from reliving Vasilia's memories still fresh. "No… How can I explain?" the older princess sighed, putting a hand on her head.
Amber turned her attention back to the fight and thought for a brief moment. That's it! "No, listen! She could have destroyed the Amulet here on the ground, but instead she threw it up into the sky far enough so no one got hurt. Then once they started fighting, she was only firing her magic blasts into the sky, away from all of us. She never once let one of Kashchey's blasts hit the ground either, or anything for that matter. Can't you see? She is protecting everyone!"
"Are you serious!?" James cried, touching his hands to his head. "She was holding Birk's family hostage in a dungeon! She tortured Anya! How could someone like that be protecting us?"
Sofia furrowed her brow and turned her attention to the two sorcerers dueling in the sky. The more she observed what was going on, the more it made sense what Amber was saying. None of the black blasts damaged anything around the castle, not even tall trees. Each time black lasers shot from the sky, they exploded with purple mist before they could hit anything. Vasilia wasn't actually attacking; she was defending!
"Mr. Cedric, Amber is right!" Sofia gasped as she threw off her cowl.
"What?!" Cedric exclaimed, both alarmed by what she said, and also the fact that only her head appeared visible when he first looked at her.
"We have to go help her!" The princess ran off, her head bouncing in the air as her body steadily revealed itself.
Cedric shook himself from his stupor at seeing the little girl's floating head. "Wait up, Sofia!"
Sofia ran over to her two arguing siblings and pulled off their cowls. "Amber, you're right!"
"Sofia! Oh, thank goodness you believe me! Come on, let's go!" the older princess exclaimed before taking hold of her sister's hand and running off back towards the castle.
"Wait, what's going on?" James gawked. His sisters paid him no attention and continued towards the castle.
"Sofia, Princess Amber, wait!" Cedric cried, running after the two speedy girls.
"What, Cedric, you too!?" James stared in disbelief as the sorcerer rushed past him. "Hey! Wait up!"
