Chapter 10
Vexicus' image sent everyone into shock. The throne room went from anticipated silence to suspicious bedlam. "Everyone, please, calm down. Just wait." Bryn said as she turned back to the image.
"Well, it this the great band of sailors and royals that are suppose to defeat my army. HA!" Vexicus ominous expression and voice put everyone on their guard. Toris became infuriated and shoved Maeve and Bryn aside,
"YOU COWARD! Where is my mother?!" Vexicus just laughed at the prince's question. "Your mother is quite well....she feels right at home." The image changed from Vexicus to a picture of Queen Ileana. She was lying on a long stone, which looked to be a deep slumber.
"I swear if she is hurt in anyway Vexicus I shall...." He was cut off when the image was changed back to Vexicus, "You shall WHAT my dear prince? Please share with me your great plan for my demise if I hurt your precious mother." Toris remained quiet but continued glaring, "Just as I thought, a pitiful waste, like his father before him."
Before anyone could grab him, Toris flew at the image. He was thrown back to the ground by an invisible barrier. Doubar picked him up and dragged him back to where the rest were.
"Mama?" the little voice cut the chaos of the room. Maila walked towards the image with her hand up to touch it. Rongar picked her up as she got too close. "Get her out of here." Said Deora still holding Shalice's side for support. The child began to struggle in Rongar's arms, as he moved towards the door she latched to the side. "No...mama...I want my mama..what's wrong with her? No put me down...I want to see her." Toris seeing his sister calmed himself and said to her, "Maila go with Rongar, I will be in to see you." They could hear her screams and cries from the room.
"What is it you want Vexicus?" Maeve asked with a menacing tone. He turned his attention to the woman who stood closer to his image. "AH......to the point Maeve, I admire that. However, you know what I want." Bryn shook her head and walked to stand by Maeve, "The Stone of Cynx stays with us." Bryn's comment made Vexicus chuckle once again.
"If is not the alluring little witch. You have been haunting many of my nights my dear," he said in a perverted manner, sending Dermott's head reeling. Before he could make a mistake identical to Toris' he felt Sinbad grab his forearm, eyeing him to keep his composure.
"That stone is too powerful, even for you Vexicus. You cannot use it." Vexicus turned his attention back to Maeve, "THAT stone is MINE. You will give it back to me, or your Queen dies." Maeve shook her head, "The stone belongs to Dim Dim, you STOLE it. And you know very well if you kill her, you never have access to Mailadine's powers, and you would not risk losing that." Vexicus was stunned that Maeve knew that much into his plans, but he maintained his stand, "We will trade for the stone. I will be on the isle of Panthera. Send Princess Deora there at sun break, the stone in possession, or the queen dies. The rest of you remain on your boats, or I kill her! Plan or no plan, I will have my stone."
When he finished his words the light faded, and the sphere began to disintegrate into a liquid that burned straight through the table onto the floor. "NO! She is not going!" Toris' voice brought all eyes to him. Deora left Shalice's side and sat her down. She turned to her betroth, "Toris if I do not go, your mother will die." Her words were stern and truthful. Toris began to shake his head in disbelief at his situation.
"Maeve what happens if we give him the stone?" Firouz asked from Shalice's other side. "Firouz if he gets his hands on this stone.....he will be able to destroy much more than this island. He is here for revenge, after Cestria, with the stone, he could destroy......" Shalice tried to get up again, "We cannot give him that stone Maeve. If he gets it we are all doomed." Toris glared at Shalice for her words, "He will kill my mother, YOUR queen if he does not have it." The force of his stare and words sent Shalice back to her seat.
"Toris, if we give him that stone, even if he does give us back your mother, he will destroy the island, and kill every living thing on it, including your mother." Bryn said as she walked towards the crowd. He turned from all of them. He knew the truth in her words. But how could he let his mother die? 'I could take them away, Maila, Deora, mother, we could just go off to a far land.' His thoughts plagued him. Could he leave Cestria? 'But the people.' He would give anything to save his family, but his subjects would be defenseless. His parents taught him to fight, and protect his land. His mother would die though, and how could he send Deora to the vicious beast knowing he might take them both from him? What would he have left if she were taken too? He knew it was no time to be weak, but he just could not find strength for this.
"What was it you said about Mailadine?" Sinbad inquired as he made a path for Maeve's side. "Master Dim Dim bestowed a great power to that child, a power only she can release. However, as she is young her mother triggers the only sign of her power that are visible. That is why you felt the floor tremble at her scream. Vexicus cannot take her power unless she uses it. That is why Ileana is needed."
"Maila is not the only power he is after." Shalice said from her seat, wincing from the pain she was still in. "He also wants to take Maeve's magic." She continued as she positioned her to a more comfortable arrangement, "I also believe he is now after Bryn. If he obtains their powers added to the power of the stone....." Everyone knew what she was implying.
"Where is this isle of Panthera?" Doubar questioned to the others. "It is on the North Western coast. It is a small isle; there are no inhabitants on it. He will more than likely have Ileana in the caverns. If we go to give him the stone he would have it filled with his men, waiting for us." Deora answered him sounding as hopeless as she felt. No one spoke. The obvious solution would be to not go, but it would sacrifice Ileana's life. Leaving a kingdom without their queen, and children without their mother.
"We know what we have to do, I will explain it to Maila." Toris said turned back to the group his eyes red. They knew he had to be the one to make the decision, and he just made it.
As he turned for the doorway he was halted by Sinbad, "Wait. No. You are all giving up this easily."
"Sinbad, we cannot continue with our current plans if we meet him with the stone. If he has it, we will not be able to stop his destruction;" Firouz turned to her, "But you were able to get the stone away from him once?"
" That is true, but the reason for that was your arrival. He was not prepared to take on two women of magic. This time he will be prepared. If he gets the stone now..." Maeve could not finish her statement because Sinbad grabbed her arm to cease her speech.
"We HAD a plan. But this opens us to an entirely different opportunity." Sinbad walked into the middle of the melancholy group, and turned to Toris. "We can get your mother back," and he looked back at Maeve, "and keep the stone away from him."
"Little brother we cannot take on his entire army." Doubar said poignantly. Sinbad turned back to his brother. "Yes we can. If he brings his army to the island he thinks that they can attack us if we stay in the water. I think there is a way to turn it back on them. Vexicus is arrogant; he thinks we will give into his demands or coward out. He won't be expecting us to fight." He turned back to the group, "I will need EVERYONE'S help, and so everyone must agree to do it. It will be a risk, and I cannot promise we shall all return health intact. But if we do this right, we can end this, destroy Vexicus once and for all." He looked around to Maeve, and she walked to his side and nodded. The Nomad's crew all agreed. And Toris, after getting signals of agreement from Deora and Shalice, also agreed.
Sinbad explained his plan in depth after Toris brought out the maps of the isle. Everyone would be needed; the crew who was helping the villagers would stay in the boats. The soldiers and villagers would stay behind on case they were needed to fight and protect Cestria. And the group who planned it each had there own special jobs.
The sun had completely set, as was their plan for the next day. All they could do was wait for the sun to come back, and for the final battle to begin.
-Two/three chapters left (let's see how much I can fit in a chapter) and an epilogue if you guys want. I want to finish by tomorrow/Monday night.
Thanks....y'all know the drill from here....and yep next chapter someone WILL die....
Vexicus' image sent everyone into shock. The throne room went from anticipated silence to suspicious bedlam. "Everyone, please, calm down. Just wait." Bryn said as she turned back to the image.
"Well, it this the great band of sailors and royals that are suppose to defeat my army. HA!" Vexicus ominous expression and voice put everyone on their guard. Toris became infuriated and shoved Maeve and Bryn aside,
"YOU COWARD! Where is my mother?!" Vexicus just laughed at the prince's question. "Your mother is quite well....she feels right at home." The image changed from Vexicus to a picture of Queen Ileana. She was lying on a long stone, which looked to be a deep slumber.
"I swear if she is hurt in anyway Vexicus I shall...." He was cut off when the image was changed back to Vexicus, "You shall WHAT my dear prince? Please share with me your great plan for my demise if I hurt your precious mother." Toris remained quiet but continued glaring, "Just as I thought, a pitiful waste, like his father before him."
Before anyone could grab him, Toris flew at the image. He was thrown back to the ground by an invisible barrier. Doubar picked him up and dragged him back to where the rest were.
"Mama?" the little voice cut the chaos of the room. Maila walked towards the image with her hand up to touch it. Rongar picked her up as she got too close. "Get her out of here." Said Deora still holding Shalice's side for support. The child began to struggle in Rongar's arms, as he moved towards the door she latched to the side. "No...mama...I want my mama..what's wrong with her? No put me down...I want to see her." Toris seeing his sister calmed himself and said to her, "Maila go with Rongar, I will be in to see you." They could hear her screams and cries from the room.
"What is it you want Vexicus?" Maeve asked with a menacing tone. He turned his attention to the woman who stood closer to his image. "AH......to the point Maeve, I admire that. However, you know what I want." Bryn shook her head and walked to stand by Maeve, "The Stone of Cynx stays with us." Bryn's comment made Vexicus chuckle once again.
"If is not the alluring little witch. You have been haunting many of my nights my dear," he said in a perverted manner, sending Dermott's head reeling. Before he could make a mistake identical to Toris' he felt Sinbad grab his forearm, eyeing him to keep his composure.
"That stone is too powerful, even for you Vexicus. You cannot use it." Vexicus turned his attention back to Maeve, "THAT stone is MINE. You will give it back to me, or your Queen dies." Maeve shook her head, "The stone belongs to Dim Dim, you STOLE it. And you know very well if you kill her, you never have access to Mailadine's powers, and you would not risk losing that." Vexicus was stunned that Maeve knew that much into his plans, but he maintained his stand, "We will trade for the stone. I will be on the isle of Panthera. Send Princess Deora there at sun break, the stone in possession, or the queen dies. The rest of you remain on your boats, or I kill her! Plan or no plan, I will have my stone."
When he finished his words the light faded, and the sphere began to disintegrate into a liquid that burned straight through the table onto the floor. "NO! She is not going!" Toris' voice brought all eyes to him. Deora left Shalice's side and sat her down. She turned to her betroth, "Toris if I do not go, your mother will die." Her words were stern and truthful. Toris began to shake his head in disbelief at his situation.
"Maeve what happens if we give him the stone?" Firouz asked from Shalice's other side. "Firouz if he gets his hands on this stone.....he will be able to destroy much more than this island. He is here for revenge, after Cestria, with the stone, he could destroy......" Shalice tried to get up again, "We cannot give him that stone Maeve. If he gets it we are all doomed." Toris glared at Shalice for her words, "He will kill my mother, YOUR queen if he does not have it." The force of his stare and words sent Shalice back to her seat.
"Toris, if we give him that stone, even if he does give us back your mother, he will destroy the island, and kill every living thing on it, including your mother." Bryn said as she walked towards the crowd. He turned from all of them. He knew the truth in her words. But how could he let his mother die? 'I could take them away, Maila, Deora, mother, we could just go off to a far land.' His thoughts plagued him. Could he leave Cestria? 'But the people.' He would give anything to save his family, but his subjects would be defenseless. His parents taught him to fight, and protect his land. His mother would die though, and how could he send Deora to the vicious beast knowing he might take them both from him? What would he have left if she were taken too? He knew it was no time to be weak, but he just could not find strength for this.
"What was it you said about Mailadine?" Sinbad inquired as he made a path for Maeve's side. "Master Dim Dim bestowed a great power to that child, a power only she can release. However, as she is young her mother triggers the only sign of her power that are visible. That is why you felt the floor tremble at her scream. Vexicus cannot take her power unless she uses it. That is why Ileana is needed."
"Maila is not the only power he is after." Shalice said from her seat, wincing from the pain she was still in. "He also wants to take Maeve's magic." She continued as she positioned her to a more comfortable arrangement, "I also believe he is now after Bryn. If he obtains their powers added to the power of the stone....." Everyone knew what she was implying.
"Where is this isle of Panthera?" Doubar questioned to the others. "It is on the North Western coast. It is a small isle; there are no inhabitants on it. He will more than likely have Ileana in the caverns. If we go to give him the stone he would have it filled with his men, waiting for us." Deora answered him sounding as hopeless as she felt. No one spoke. The obvious solution would be to not go, but it would sacrifice Ileana's life. Leaving a kingdom without their queen, and children without their mother.
"We know what we have to do, I will explain it to Maila." Toris said turned back to the group his eyes red. They knew he had to be the one to make the decision, and he just made it.
As he turned for the doorway he was halted by Sinbad, "Wait. No. You are all giving up this easily."
"Sinbad, we cannot continue with our current plans if we meet him with the stone. If he has it, we will not be able to stop his destruction;" Firouz turned to her, "But you were able to get the stone away from him once?"
" That is true, but the reason for that was your arrival. He was not prepared to take on two women of magic. This time he will be prepared. If he gets the stone now..." Maeve could not finish her statement because Sinbad grabbed her arm to cease her speech.
"We HAD a plan. But this opens us to an entirely different opportunity." Sinbad walked into the middle of the melancholy group, and turned to Toris. "We can get your mother back," and he looked back at Maeve, "and keep the stone away from him."
"Little brother we cannot take on his entire army." Doubar said poignantly. Sinbad turned back to his brother. "Yes we can. If he brings his army to the island he thinks that they can attack us if we stay in the water. I think there is a way to turn it back on them. Vexicus is arrogant; he thinks we will give into his demands or coward out. He won't be expecting us to fight." He turned back to the group, "I will need EVERYONE'S help, and so everyone must agree to do it. It will be a risk, and I cannot promise we shall all return health intact. But if we do this right, we can end this, destroy Vexicus once and for all." He looked around to Maeve, and she walked to his side and nodded. The Nomad's crew all agreed. And Toris, after getting signals of agreement from Deora and Shalice, also agreed.
Sinbad explained his plan in depth after Toris brought out the maps of the isle. Everyone would be needed; the crew who was helping the villagers would stay in the boats. The soldiers and villagers would stay behind on case they were needed to fight and protect Cestria. And the group who planned it each had there own special jobs.
The sun had completely set, as was their plan for the next day. All they could do was wait for the sun to come back, and for the final battle to begin.
-Two/three chapters left (let's see how much I can fit in a chapter) and an epilogue if you guys want. I want to finish by tomorrow/Monday night.
Thanks....y'all know the drill from here....and yep next chapter someone WILL die....