Phases of the Moon
By: ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the magnificent authoress, Diana Wynne Jones. I just rented them for a while.
Claimer: I only own Wyn, Aidan, evil Kamania and Chris Aprilian, Mr. Calypso, and 'The Legend of the Maiden.'
To Lady Artemis: Me and my evil cliffhangers. ^_^ Hehe. Anyway, I'm glad you like the story so far. I think the end is nearing though. Nevertheless I might do a sequel . . .
To ness: I'm glad you like the part of the note. I liked writing that bit. Happy New Year to you too. Bye.
Chapter 21: In Which 'the Maiden of the Phoenix' Takes a Final Stand
The miniature bird shook the ashes from its bare skin and gave a yawn. It then dove into the ashes again and came out near the bottom of the pile. This time though the bird seemed larger and was covered in oily scarlet feathers. It puffed the feathers out and suddenly little flicks of gold appeared at the tips of its small wings. It was about the size of a small hen now and it wobbled in circles for a few seconds before it promptly coughed and unexpectedly it was the size of a large eagle.
Kamania watched this curiously and utterly confused. "What is that?!" she wondered out loud.
In response the bird cawed and looked darkly at Kamania. It became the size of a baby cow before it retorted indignantly, "You sure don't know you're mythology, Kamania!"
Kamania jumped and yelled, "But how?! You can't be back!"
"I'm here, aren't I?" Wyn countered cockily, "Let me enlighten you then. I'm in the form of a phoenix. Only the 'Maiden' can become a 'true' phoenix. A 'true' phoenix dies every five hundred years or so by bursting into flames and becoming reborn from it's ashes. That's why I decided to fight you in that decrepit bird form. I'm now stronger than ever in this new shape." She laughed and in the blink of an eye she was the same size as the old phoenix but now her feathers were clean and shone brightly. She looked totally healthy really.
Kamania didn't look so healthy though. She had turned pale. "That's not fair," she stuttered, "I can't become reborn!"
"Looks like you're fighting a losing battle then," Wyn pointed out smiling faintly. She pecked at her long tail feathers. Like her wings, they had edges of gold.
Kamania clenched her hands into fists and transformed into a bird about the size of a vulture with dark purple plumage. She squawked at Wyn irately and dived towards her.
Wyn soared into the air, dodging Kamania's onslaught, and cawed triumphantly. Unlike Kamania, who looked ruffled and tired, Wyn was fresh and her every feather, even after the flight, looked perfectly in place. "What's the matter, Kammy?" Wyn mocked, "Can't catch me?"
Kamania roared and flew up at Wyn, who once again dodged easily, but this time Wyn whacked Kamania with her no longer weathered beak. Kamania cried out in pain cursing and Wyn only laughed cockily.
"Dying must agree with me, I feel great," Wyn said smiling. Her smile widened as Kamania tried to attack her again. She flew upward and out of harm's way and caught Kamania in her talons. She swung her clawed feet backward, with Kamania still trapped, and threw them back forward, sending her prey flying. She laughed again as Kamania hit the ground and didn't get up.
'Time to get Morgan,' Wyn thought flying swiftly towards the spot where her brother lay. She made sure Morgan was breathing properly before deftly opening one of the black doors and throwing Morgan in.
'He'll be safer back home,' she thought whizzing around as Kamania crept up behind her and jabbed at her with her beak. Wyn countered the jab with a flick of one of her wings causing a tiny fireball to hit Kamania and stop her attack. Kamania flew backwards yelling something inaudible to Wyn. 'I'll be home soon,' Wyn thought as she flew towards the 'Power Huntress.'
************************************************************************
The people waiting in the moving castle were in one of their awkward silences when a black door appeared and Morgan flew out. Sophie was the first to act and rushed to Morgan's side. "He's alright, just bruised and unconscious," she explained after looking over him. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at that, but they still felt worried at the fact Wyn was still missing.
Morgan groaned and slowly opened his eyes, causing everyone, including Calcifer, to jump. Morgan sat up and rubbed his head. He blinked at everyone in disbelief and finally managed to say, "Wyn's still in that awful place, isn't she?"
"Yep," was Aidan's simple miserable answer.
Morgan tapped at the black door and watched as it disappeared. "So she's locked us out too," he realized drearily.
Aidan only nodded in response and turned away, staring absently at nothing in particular. Morgan sighed sadly and laid down again. 'You'd better stop her then, Wyn,' he thought.
************************************************************************
Wyn faced Kamania panting slightly. "This ends now," she said icily to her opponent.
"That it will, 'Maiden,' and I'll be the victor," Kamania retorted.
"Dream on, Kamania," Wyn countered. She flicked her red and gold tail with anticipation and flew forward. Kamania did the same and in seconds they made contact.
************************************************************************
All of Ingary shook with their force. Even though it seemed like it had been part of another world, the gray barren battlefield still caused other things to happen elsewhere. Even the moving castle was tossed around. The shelf in the bathroom rattled and several things could be heard falling off.
Calcifer dove under the grate and peeked out with wide eyes. "The finale has begun," he whispered.
"Obviously, Calcifer," Howl snapped as he attempted to stop some of his spell supplies, left on the workbench, from falling off and scattering.
************************************************************************ When the smoke cleared, Wyn found herself shaken but still standing in roughly the same spot as before. She shook herself to get rid of some of the dirt clinging to her feathers and stared around. She cringed when she saw the mangled state Kamania was now in.
Kamania was lying a few feet way, bleeding badly and half dead already. Wyn slowly walked over to her and sighed. "If you weren't such a power-hungry, greedy person I bet you could have been great for Morgan," she mumbled.
Kamania moaned weakly and stared up at her adversary. "You won, 'Maiden,' " she said huskily.
"That I did, 'Stalker,' " was the simple reply. Wyn walked away then. She may have always disliked Kamania, but she didn't want to see her die. 'I might have even saved her if she weren't so far dead,' she thought unhappily.
************************************************************************
As quickly as it had begun, the shaking stopped and everything settled in the moving castle. Another black door appeared in the room once again a few minutes later though. A filthy figure stepped out of the door and studied them.
"Wyn!" quite a few people yelled. Everyone ran to her and as she collapsed from exhaustion, Aidan caught her. She smiled weakly up at the others and mumbled, "I stopped her." She then proceeded to pass out leaving the others with several unanswered questions
************************************************************************
Aidan and his father stayed at the moving castle for the next two days. Wyn, in the meantime, awoke a few hours after her sudden appearance and told them everything. First of all, she apologized to an angry Aidan though and told him it had been for the best. "I went after her right after you, Morgan, was knocked out. I turned into this old phoenix and . . ."
************************************************************************
Hours later, after the story had been finished and all the questions had been answered, Wyn and Aidan sat outside on the doorstep of the moving castle's mansion in Market Chipping. "You could have gotten yourself killed, ya know!" Aidan accused Wyn.
"I did get myself killed though," Wyn explained laughing lightly, "I was afraid it would hurt and be awful after I saw the vision of me dying, but it wasn't that bad."
"Oh, Wyn," Aidan muttered shaking his head in an exasperated way.
"Don't worry, I don't plan on doing THAT again!" Wyn said laughing at the expression on Aidan's face.
Aidan only smiled weakly back at her. 'I could have lost you,' he thought dejectedly.
Wyn noticed his uncertainty and gave him a small reassuring kiss. "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry," she said confidently. And somehow Aidan knew everything would be all right.
************************************************************************
A/N: Since I know most of you won't read this chapter till tomorrow I'll say happy New Year everybody!
Oh and before I forget (like I COULD forget ^_^) please review. I just can't believe how many reviews I've gotten. *starts crying hysterically* Thank you everyone who's reviewed so far!
By: ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the magnificent authoress, Diana Wynne Jones. I just rented them for a while.
Claimer: I only own Wyn, Aidan, evil Kamania and Chris Aprilian, Mr. Calypso, and 'The Legend of the Maiden.'
To Lady Artemis: Me and my evil cliffhangers. ^_^ Hehe. Anyway, I'm glad you like the story so far. I think the end is nearing though. Nevertheless I might do a sequel . . .
To ness: I'm glad you like the part of the note. I liked writing that bit. Happy New Year to you too. Bye.
Chapter 21: In Which 'the Maiden of the Phoenix' Takes a Final Stand
The miniature bird shook the ashes from its bare skin and gave a yawn. It then dove into the ashes again and came out near the bottom of the pile. This time though the bird seemed larger and was covered in oily scarlet feathers. It puffed the feathers out and suddenly little flicks of gold appeared at the tips of its small wings. It was about the size of a small hen now and it wobbled in circles for a few seconds before it promptly coughed and unexpectedly it was the size of a large eagle.
Kamania watched this curiously and utterly confused. "What is that?!" she wondered out loud.
In response the bird cawed and looked darkly at Kamania. It became the size of a baby cow before it retorted indignantly, "You sure don't know you're mythology, Kamania!"
Kamania jumped and yelled, "But how?! You can't be back!"
"I'm here, aren't I?" Wyn countered cockily, "Let me enlighten you then. I'm in the form of a phoenix. Only the 'Maiden' can become a 'true' phoenix. A 'true' phoenix dies every five hundred years or so by bursting into flames and becoming reborn from it's ashes. That's why I decided to fight you in that decrepit bird form. I'm now stronger than ever in this new shape." She laughed and in the blink of an eye she was the same size as the old phoenix but now her feathers were clean and shone brightly. She looked totally healthy really.
Kamania didn't look so healthy though. She had turned pale. "That's not fair," she stuttered, "I can't become reborn!"
"Looks like you're fighting a losing battle then," Wyn pointed out smiling faintly. She pecked at her long tail feathers. Like her wings, they had edges of gold.
Kamania clenched her hands into fists and transformed into a bird about the size of a vulture with dark purple plumage. She squawked at Wyn irately and dived towards her.
Wyn soared into the air, dodging Kamania's onslaught, and cawed triumphantly. Unlike Kamania, who looked ruffled and tired, Wyn was fresh and her every feather, even after the flight, looked perfectly in place. "What's the matter, Kammy?" Wyn mocked, "Can't catch me?"
Kamania roared and flew up at Wyn, who once again dodged easily, but this time Wyn whacked Kamania with her no longer weathered beak. Kamania cried out in pain cursing and Wyn only laughed cockily.
"Dying must agree with me, I feel great," Wyn said smiling. Her smile widened as Kamania tried to attack her again. She flew upward and out of harm's way and caught Kamania in her talons. She swung her clawed feet backward, with Kamania still trapped, and threw them back forward, sending her prey flying. She laughed again as Kamania hit the ground and didn't get up.
'Time to get Morgan,' Wyn thought flying swiftly towards the spot where her brother lay. She made sure Morgan was breathing properly before deftly opening one of the black doors and throwing Morgan in.
'He'll be safer back home,' she thought whizzing around as Kamania crept up behind her and jabbed at her with her beak. Wyn countered the jab with a flick of one of her wings causing a tiny fireball to hit Kamania and stop her attack. Kamania flew backwards yelling something inaudible to Wyn. 'I'll be home soon,' Wyn thought as she flew towards the 'Power Huntress.'
************************************************************************
The people waiting in the moving castle were in one of their awkward silences when a black door appeared and Morgan flew out. Sophie was the first to act and rushed to Morgan's side. "He's alright, just bruised and unconscious," she explained after looking over him. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at that, but they still felt worried at the fact Wyn was still missing.
Morgan groaned and slowly opened his eyes, causing everyone, including Calcifer, to jump. Morgan sat up and rubbed his head. He blinked at everyone in disbelief and finally managed to say, "Wyn's still in that awful place, isn't she?"
"Yep," was Aidan's simple miserable answer.
Morgan tapped at the black door and watched as it disappeared. "So she's locked us out too," he realized drearily.
Aidan only nodded in response and turned away, staring absently at nothing in particular. Morgan sighed sadly and laid down again. 'You'd better stop her then, Wyn,' he thought.
************************************************************************
Wyn faced Kamania panting slightly. "This ends now," she said icily to her opponent.
"That it will, 'Maiden,' and I'll be the victor," Kamania retorted.
"Dream on, Kamania," Wyn countered. She flicked her red and gold tail with anticipation and flew forward. Kamania did the same and in seconds they made contact.
************************************************************************
All of Ingary shook with their force. Even though it seemed like it had been part of another world, the gray barren battlefield still caused other things to happen elsewhere. Even the moving castle was tossed around. The shelf in the bathroom rattled and several things could be heard falling off.
Calcifer dove under the grate and peeked out with wide eyes. "The finale has begun," he whispered.
"Obviously, Calcifer," Howl snapped as he attempted to stop some of his spell supplies, left on the workbench, from falling off and scattering.
************************************************************************ When the smoke cleared, Wyn found herself shaken but still standing in roughly the same spot as before. She shook herself to get rid of some of the dirt clinging to her feathers and stared around. She cringed when she saw the mangled state Kamania was now in.
Kamania was lying a few feet way, bleeding badly and half dead already. Wyn slowly walked over to her and sighed. "If you weren't such a power-hungry, greedy person I bet you could have been great for Morgan," she mumbled.
Kamania moaned weakly and stared up at her adversary. "You won, 'Maiden,' " she said huskily.
"That I did, 'Stalker,' " was the simple reply. Wyn walked away then. She may have always disliked Kamania, but she didn't want to see her die. 'I might have even saved her if she weren't so far dead,' she thought unhappily.
************************************************************************
As quickly as it had begun, the shaking stopped and everything settled in the moving castle. Another black door appeared in the room once again a few minutes later though. A filthy figure stepped out of the door and studied them.
"Wyn!" quite a few people yelled. Everyone ran to her and as she collapsed from exhaustion, Aidan caught her. She smiled weakly up at the others and mumbled, "I stopped her." She then proceeded to pass out leaving the others with several unanswered questions
************************************************************************
Aidan and his father stayed at the moving castle for the next two days. Wyn, in the meantime, awoke a few hours after her sudden appearance and told them everything. First of all, she apologized to an angry Aidan though and told him it had been for the best. "I went after her right after you, Morgan, was knocked out. I turned into this old phoenix and . . ."
************************************************************************
Hours later, after the story had been finished and all the questions had been answered, Wyn and Aidan sat outside on the doorstep of the moving castle's mansion in Market Chipping. "You could have gotten yourself killed, ya know!" Aidan accused Wyn.
"I did get myself killed though," Wyn explained laughing lightly, "I was afraid it would hurt and be awful after I saw the vision of me dying, but it wasn't that bad."
"Oh, Wyn," Aidan muttered shaking his head in an exasperated way.
"Don't worry, I don't plan on doing THAT again!" Wyn said laughing at the expression on Aidan's face.
Aidan only smiled weakly back at her. 'I could have lost you,' he thought dejectedly.
Wyn noticed his uncertainty and gave him a small reassuring kiss. "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry," she said confidently. And somehow Aidan knew everything would be all right.
************************************************************************
A/N: Since I know most of you won't read this chapter till tomorrow I'll say happy New Year everybody!
Oh and before I forget (like I COULD forget ^_^) please review. I just can't believe how many reviews I've gotten. *starts crying hysterically* Thank you everyone who's reviewed so far!