Hey! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I know it has been a long time since I last
updated but I have had teachers hassling me about exams and coursework.
Iggytheicyiguana- Hiya! Wow! Must have taken you a while to read it all in one go. I'm glad it kept you interested and that reviewed cause I loved reading what you thought. I have tried to make the bad guy a bit more sinisterish but I don't think I have succeeded, oh well I hope you like this chapter and I am looking forward to hearing from you again!
Angel Street- Thank you for reviewing again! I like your ideas for the evil mage guy so I will definitely be using them. I am really happy that you thought the chapter was good and I hope you'll give me your opinion on this one. I have put a line between the story and my comments but I don't know if it will work of ff.net, sorry if it doesn't. Thank you!
EclipseAzNGTX- Thanks for taking the time to review! Review again!
Fate of Destiny- Hiya! He he, I hate cliff-hangers as well but its fun to write them! Like the name! Thanks! Hope you like and review this chapter cause I love hearing from you.
Jamara bit her lip as her eyes travelled over the scene around her. She met the nervous eyes of Sandry and did her best to look reassuring. Her eyes turned towards the chanting mage and she studied his face. He had screwed his eyes shut and his thin, dark brows were scrunched together. His thin face looked pale and the flickering candle light gave it a sinister glow. He seemed unnaturally slim to Jamara and the dark clothes he was wearing hung off his skeletal frame. She was still watching him as he stopped chanting and opened his eyes.
"There" he smiled "A spell like this needs a lot of protection."
The air had a greasy feel to it and there seemed to be a flickering light that Jamara could see in the corner of her eye but every time she turned to face it, it seemed to move. Turning her attention back to the darkly clad figure she watched as he started to draw on the floor using a blue stone. His movements were jerky and stiff. Jamara stared at his face as he paused and swallowed hard. Paling visibly he took a deep breath, as if he sensed her gaze on him, his head snapped up and he fixed her with a penetrating stare. Jamara's breath caught in her throat as she saw the icy pale green of his eyes. Unable to tear herself away she felt she was drowning, she couldn't breath and she started to panic. Finally he smirked, looked down and continued drawing the strange symbols on the cold stone floor. Gasping slightly Jamara rubbed her head which was now pounding.
Standing, the dark mage dusted his hands off and looked around.
"Time for the sacrifice" he muttered
Sandry's head snapped up.
"What sacrifice?" she cried
"I need the blood of a goat to perform the ritual" he answered
Seeing the horrified look on her face he added: "Don't worry, I'll do it in the other room"
He stalked towards the edge of the circle and quickly traced a series of patterns on the shimmering air. Slipping beyond the boundary he turned and repeated the movements before striding out of view.
"Are you all right?" questioned Daja as she faced Sandry, who nodded shakily.
As everyone crowded round Sandry they heard a small whimper behind them. Spinning the group was shocked to see a tear slip down Jamara's face.
"I can hear him" she stuttered "He's only a baby"
Seeing the others confused faces Tris muttered: "She has wild magic as well. She can hear the goat."
Covering her mouth with her hand she scrunched her eyes together.
"Leave him alone" she muttered "Leave him alone!"
Shouting, Jamara rushed towards the rim of the circle and rammed her shoulder in to the flickering light.
There was a loud crack and she was thrown back to the opposite side of the prison. Landing heavily on the floor she lay still. The four mages rushed to her side with Briar reaching her first. Lifting her head off the floor and resting it on his arm, Briar shook her gently.
"Jamara?"
Groaning slightly, Jamara opened her eyes. Suddenly she clapped a hand to her mouth and shuddered.
"He's gone"
Sitting up Jamara buried her face in her arms.
"I'm sorry" came her muffled voice
"You have nothing to be sorry about" said Briar as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
Jamara raised her head and looked at him.
"I could hear him. He was begging me to help him and I couldn't"
Her face crumpled and she threw her arms round his neck. Briar froze for a few seconds but eventually relaxed and patted her back as she sobbed. The five mages sat close together in a group as Jamara grieved the loss of the young animal.
Jamara lifted her head and wiped her eyes.
"I'm not going to let him see me like this" she murmured determinedly
Straightening her back she pushed her shoulders back and her chin forward.
There was a flicker as the black mage entered the circle again carrying a deep bronze bowl. As he placed it in the centre of the enclosure the five trapped mages were able to see the dark sinister liquid contained in the vessel. Jamara was pale in the flickering torch light but she met the amused stare of the mage with defiant eyes.
"Who are you?" asked Jamara
The mages eyes flicked upwards but quickly returned to the task of sketching with the blood on the floor.
"Why do you care?" he enquired
"So I can tell the guards when we hand you over"
The mage snorted "What makes you so confident?"
"You've cast a protection spell, nothing impressive, why should I be scared of you?"
"You have no idea"
"So give me an idea" she persisted
"Listen" he hissed striding over and thrusting his face within inches of her own "I am doing this for the power, nothing more, nothing less. Stop trying to find hidden reasons"
Jamara frowned and pursed her lips.
"So what's your name?"
The mages eyes blazed and his whole body tensed. Jamara watched him calmly but her fists were clenched and she was coiled like a spring.
"Antorell" he muttered before swinging round and leaving the circle again.
Jamara let out a long breath and relaxed.
"Has anyone heard of an Antorell somewhere?"
"Never heard the name before" answered Daja as the rest of the group shook their heads.
"There is something familiar about him though." Tris said "His eyes remind me of something" she continued in a puzzled tone. Suddenly her eyes widened, "I know why he seems familiar" she cried
"Why?" questioned Daja "Who is he?"
"I am not certain but I think I have read about his parents. His mother and father were very powerful mages. No body suspected them for years but eventually the truth was revealed. They had been kidnapping mages from all over the country and stealing their magic. The process used was incredibly complex and none of the imprisoned mages survived. They went unnoticed but as their hunger grew they began to capture more powerful mages to feed their addiction. Eventually people noticed the disappearances and they were put to death."
"So how do you know Antorell is their son?"
"The murdered mages were mostly male. Antorell's mother was famed for her beauty and especially for her eyes, which were an unusual shade of green. She would to seduce the victims and lead them to a hidden room where she and her husband would subdue them and rob them of their power. Her husbands name was Antorell."
"Wow. I've never heard that before" murmured Sandry
"The king tried to keep the news quiet. He was embarrassed that Antorell's parents were able to carry on their evil practices for so long."
"Which king?" asked Jamara
"The king of Muntab" was the answer provided by Tris
Jamara's eyebrows rose.
"I was supposed to marry his son" she said quietly
"That's who you were betrothed to?" asked Tris, slightly shocked
"Yes" replied Jamara, nodding miserably "I can't believe his father covered up all those murders"
"It wasn't his fault the king made a bad decision" reasoned Daja
"I suppose" agreed Jamara "But I'm still not marrying him"
At that point Antorell swept back in to the circle carrying a gleaming dagger. The five mages tensed at the sight of the razor sharp weapon.
Antorell smirked, "I'm going to enjoy this" he whispered advancing threateningly at Jamara who backed away.
"What?"
"I need your blood to complete the ritual"
"You're not having my blood!" she exclaimed
He advanced further forward and raised the vicious looking dagger but Jamara dodged quickly out of the way. Antorell glared at her.
"Fine" he called to her "I'll just have to spill someone else's blood"
He grasped Sandry and pulled her to her feet, yanking her arm out in front of him. He placed the sharp edge of the dagger to her wrist and looked at Jamara. The princess tensed and drew a deep breath. Her eyes flickered round the small circle before she let out a sigh of air and gave up. Walking towards Antorell she offered her palm. The dark mage let go of Sandry and pushed her away. Snatching her hand he drew the knife diagonally across her palm and fingers. Jamara hissed through her teeth as the dagger sliced through the flesh of her hand. The blood began to trickle down Jamara's wrist as the mage hurriedly picked up a small bowl from the floor. Collecting the dark fluid until the container was full Antorell smiled and looked satisfied as he released Jamara.
Jamara glared at the age and tore away the sleeve of her outfit. Wrapping it awkwardly round her bleeding hand she went and sat on the opposite side of the circle. Trying to tie the improvised bandage with her teeth she smiled as Briar stopped her and tied it himself.
"Thanks" she said softly
Antorell was crouched over the bowl containing Jamara's blood, chanting gently.
Rising he said: "We can begin the ritual to separate you"
He marched to where Jamara was sat and grasped her injured hand. Drawing a sharp breath she didn't try to stop him from pulling her to the centre of the circle. Pulling a length of rope from under the robe he was wearing the mage bound Jamara's hands behind her back.
"Don't try to escape" he warned before ordering Daja, Briar, Tris and Sandry to stand at the four points of the compass within the circle. Leaving Jamara in the centre of the ring he grasped the basin holding her blood and walked towards Daja. He dipped his thumb in to the crimson fluid and drew a complicated symbol on her forehead. Repeating the process on Briar and Tris he moved on to Sandry. As he reached towards her, his thumb dripping, she blanched and tried to dodge away. Hurriedly placing the bowl on the floor he clamped his hand round he arm and held her still while he traced the shape on her head. Sandry tried to pull his hand away. The sleeve of Antorell's robe was pushed back and Jamara saw his arm. The veins all through the limb stood out and were a dark blue colour. The Acro-mages eyes widened as she noticed they pulsed slightly. Antorell finished drawing on Sandry's forehead and noticed Jamara staring, yanking his sleeve back down he stalked back to the centre of the circle. Coating his finger again with the blood he traced a shape on Jamara's forehead. The mage smiled and backed to the edge of the enclosure, Briar glared at him the whole way.
"Don't look like that" commanded Antorell "It's only the princess there that I'm unbinding, it won't hurt you"
"What about Jamara?"
But the mage had already shut his eyes and was starting to slow his breathing.
"What about Jamara!?" Briar shouted
He tried to move forward but at that moment the evil mage began softly calling the chant which would begin the ritual. The five trapped mages found that they could not move their limbs. Briar began to struggle wildly and Tris's eyes widened in panic.
"Don't" a voice resonated through the bound about to be broken "Don't fight"
Briar's eyes swept the group until they met with the saddened eyes of Jamara.
"There's not point" she continued "At least you four will be alright, don't worry about me"
"Don't be stupid" snapped Briar "We not going to just let him do this, stop trying to be heroic"
"I'm not trying to be heroic" she called back through the connection, she started to sound frustrated "If you four survive there will still be a chance of stopping him"
"We would have more of a chance if you were there"
"Not if we try to break free now, we're trapped; the protection spell is too strong"
"But .... "Briar trailed off
"See, you know I am right"
Jamara broke the contact between them and faced Antorell. The chanting had risen to a shout now and the mage had raised his arms. Jamara could feel the power crackling around them and occasionally a flash of light would illuminate part of the magic filled ring. The eerie song that Anteroll was singing gradually increased in volume until the room reverberated with the sound. The song concluded dramatically with the dark mage singing thunderously. He lowered his head and set his piercing gaze on Jamara, his arm snapped up and he spoke a word which dripped and slithered out of his mouth towards the petrified acro-mage.
A terrific force slammed in to Jamara and she felt as if she was being smothered. The crushing power brought her to her knees; she couldn't breath, she began to panic. Her head began swimming, her vision darkened. Then as soon as it had hit her, it let go. The princess gasped for breath. Around her, her friends watched with concern, unable to help. Anteroll spoke another writhing word. It seemed to hit her in the stomach. She was unable to stop herself from screaming from the pain. Her stomach felt as though it was being ripped in two. Part of her was being torn away. Jamara curled into a small ball and slowly raised her head until she met Anteroll satisfied stare. Glancing round she managed to smile at the rest of the group before Anteroll flicked his hand upwards and completed the ritual. Jamara eyes widened and her mouth opened soundlessly before she fell to the floor and fell still.
Well, I am not very happy with this but it has taken me nearly a week to write and I was making it up as I went along. I would love opinions so please review and tell me what you think. Hope to hear from you!
Telle
I replaced this chapter cause I realised I had made a mistake but it is all fixed now so enjoy and review!
Iggytheicyiguana- Hiya! Wow! Must have taken you a while to read it all in one go. I'm glad it kept you interested and that reviewed cause I loved reading what you thought. I have tried to make the bad guy a bit more sinisterish but I don't think I have succeeded, oh well I hope you like this chapter and I am looking forward to hearing from you again!
Angel Street- Thank you for reviewing again! I like your ideas for the evil mage guy so I will definitely be using them. I am really happy that you thought the chapter was good and I hope you'll give me your opinion on this one. I have put a line between the story and my comments but I don't know if it will work of ff.net, sorry if it doesn't. Thank you!
EclipseAzNGTX- Thanks for taking the time to review! Review again!
Fate of Destiny- Hiya! He he, I hate cliff-hangers as well but its fun to write them! Like the name! Thanks! Hope you like and review this chapter cause I love hearing from you.
Jamara bit her lip as her eyes travelled over the scene around her. She met the nervous eyes of Sandry and did her best to look reassuring. Her eyes turned towards the chanting mage and she studied his face. He had screwed his eyes shut and his thin, dark brows were scrunched together. His thin face looked pale and the flickering candle light gave it a sinister glow. He seemed unnaturally slim to Jamara and the dark clothes he was wearing hung off his skeletal frame. She was still watching him as he stopped chanting and opened his eyes.
"There" he smiled "A spell like this needs a lot of protection."
The air had a greasy feel to it and there seemed to be a flickering light that Jamara could see in the corner of her eye but every time she turned to face it, it seemed to move. Turning her attention back to the darkly clad figure she watched as he started to draw on the floor using a blue stone. His movements were jerky and stiff. Jamara stared at his face as he paused and swallowed hard. Paling visibly he took a deep breath, as if he sensed her gaze on him, his head snapped up and he fixed her with a penetrating stare. Jamara's breath caught in her throat as she saw the icy pale green of his eyes. Unable to tear herself away she felt she was drowning, she couldn't breath and she started to panic. Finally he smirked, looked down and continued drawing the strange symbols on the cold stone floor. Gasping slightly Jamara rubbed her head which was now pounding.
Standing, the dark mage dusted his hands off and looked around.
"Time for the sacrifice" he muttered
Sandry's head snapped up.
"What sacrifice?" she cried
"I need the blood of a goat to perform the ritual" he answered
Seeing the horrified look on her face he added: "Don't worry, I'll do it in the other room"
He stalked towards the edge of the circle and quickly traced a series of patterns on the shimmering air. Slipping beyond the boundary he turned and repeated the movements before striding out of view.
"Are you all right?" questioned Daja as she faced Sandry, who nodded shakily.
As everyone crowded round Sandry they heard a small whimper behind them. Spinning the group was shocked to see a tear slip down Jamara's face.
"I can hear him" she stuttered "He's only a baby"
Seeing the others confused faces Tris muttered: "She has wild magic as well. She can hear the goat."
Covering her mouth with her hand she scrunched her eyes together.
"Leave him alone" she muttered "Leave him alone!"
Shouting, Jamara rushed towards the rim of the circle and rammed her shoulder in to the flickering light.
There was a loud crack and she was thrown back to the opposite side of the prison. Landing heavily on the floor she lay still. The four mages rushed to her side with Briar reaching her first. Lifting her head off the floor and resting it on his arm, Briar shook her gently.
"Jamara?"
Groaning slightly, Jamara opened her eyes. Suddenly she clapped a hand to her mouth and shuddered.
"He's gone"
Sitting up Jamara buried her face in her arms.
"I'm sorry" came her muffled voice
"You have nothing to be sorry about" said Briar as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
Jamara raised her head and looked at him.
"I could hear him. He was begging me to help him and I couldn't"
Her face crumpled and she threw her arms round his neck. Briar froze for a few seconds but eventually relaxed and patted her back as she sobbed. The five mages sat close together in a group as Jamara grieved the loss of the young animal.
Jamara lifted her head and wiped her eyes.
"I'm not going to let him see me like this" she murmured determinedly
Straightening her back she pushed her shoulders back and her chin forward.
There was a flicker as the black mage entered the circle again carrying a deep bronze bowl. As he placed it in the centre of the enclosure the five trapped mages were able to see the dark sinister liquid contained in the vessel. Jamara was pale in the flickering torch light but she met the amused stare of the mage with defiant eyes.
"Who are you?" asked Jamara
The mages eyes flicked upwards but quickly returned to the task of sketching with the blood on the floor.
"Why do you care?" he enquired
"So I can tell the guards when we hand you over"
The mage snorted "What makes you so confident?"
"You've cast a protection spell, nothing impressive, why should I be scared of you?"
"You have no idea"
"So give me an idea" she persisted
"Listen" he hissed striding over and thrusting his face within inches of her own "I am doing this for the power, nothing more, nothing less. Stop trying to find hidden reasons"
Jamara frowned and pursed her lips.
"So what's your name?"
The mages eyes blazed and his whole body tensed. Jamara watched him calmly but her fists were clenched and she was coiled like a spring.
"Antorell" he muttered before swinging round and leaving the circle again.
Jamara let out a long breath and relaxed.
"Has anyone heard of an Antorell somewhere?"
"Never heard the name before" answered Daja as the rest of the group shook their heads.
"There is something familiar about him though." Tris said "His eyes remind me of something" she continued in a puzzled tone. Suddenly her eyes widened, "I know why he seems familiar" she cried
"Why?" questioned Daja "Who is he?"
"I am not certain but I think I have read about his parents. His mother and father were very powerful mages. No body suspected them for years but eventually the truth was revealed. They had been kidnapping mages from all over the country and stealing their magic. The process used was incredibly complex and none of the imprisoned mages survived. They went unnoticed but as their hunger grew they began to capture more powerful mages to feed their addiction. Eventually people noticed the disappearances and they were put to death."
"So how do you know Antorell is their son?"
"The murdered mages were mostly male. Antorell's mother was famed for her beauty and especially for her eyes, which were an unusual shade of green. She would to seduce the victims and lead them to a hidden room where she and her husband would subdue them and rob them of their power. Her husbands name was Antorell."
"Wow. I've never heard that before" murmured Sandry
"The king tried to keep the news quiet. He was embarrassed that Antorell's parents were able to carry on their evil practices for so long."
"Which king?" asked Jamara
"The king of Muntab" was the answer provided by Tris
Jamara's eyebrows rose.
"I was supposed to marry his son" she said quietly
"That's who you were betrothed to?" asked Tris, slightly shocked
"Yes" replied Jamara, nodding miserably "I can't believe his father covered up all those murders"
"It wasn't his fault the king made a bad decision" reasoned Daja
"I suppose" agreed Jamara "But I'm still not marrying him"
At that point Antorell swept back in to the circle carrying a gleaming dagger. The five mages tensed at the sight of the razor sharp weapon.
Antorell smirked, "I'm going to enjoy this" he whispered advancing threateningly at Jamara who backed away.
"What?"
"I need your blood to complete the ritual"
"You're not having my blood!" she exclaimed
He advanced further forward and raised the vicious looking dagger but Jamara dodged quickly out of the way. Antorell glared at her.
"Fine" he called to her "I'll just have to spill someone else's blood"
He grasped Sandry and pulled her to her feet, yanking her arm out in front of him. He placed the sharp edge of the dagger to her wrist and looked at Jamara. The princess tensed and drew a deep breath. Her eyes flickered round the small circle before she let out a sigh of air and gave up. Walking towards Antorell she offered her palm. The dark mage let go of Sandry and pushed her away. Snatching her hand he drew the knife diagonally across her palm and fingers. Jamara hissed through her teeth as the dagger sliced through the flesh of her hand. The blood began to trickle down Jamara's wrist as the mage hurriedly picked up a small bowl from the floor. Collecting the dark fluid until the container was full Antorell smiled and looked satisfied as he released Jamara.
Jamara glared at the age and tore away the sleeve of her outfit. Wrapping it awkwardly round her bleeding hand she went and sat on the opposite side of the circle. Trying to tie the improvised bandage with her teeth she smiled as Briar stopped her and tied it himself.
"Thanks" she said softly
Antorell was crouched over the bowl containing Jamara's blood, chanting gently.
Rising he said: "We can begin the ritual to separate you"
He marched to where Jamara was sat and grasped her injured hand. Drawing a sharp breath she didn't try to stop him from pulling her to the centre of the circle. Pulling a length of rope from under the robe he was wearing the mage bound Jamara's hands behind her back.
"Don't try to escape" he warned before ordering Daja, Briar, Tris and Sandry to stand at the four points of the compass within the circle. Leaving Jamara in the centre of the ring he grasped the basin holding her blood and walked towards Daja. He dipped his thumb in to the crimson fluid and drew a complicated symbol on her forehead. Repeating the process on Briar and Tris he moved on to Sandry. As he reached towards her, his thumb dripping, she blanched and tried to dodge away. Hurriedly placing the bowl on the floor he clamped his hand round he arm and held her still while he traced the shape on her head. Sandry tried to pull his hand away. The sleeve of Antorell's robe was pushed back and Jamara saw his arm. The veins all through the limb stood out and were a dark blue colour. The Acro-mages eyes widened as she noticed they pulsed slightly. Antorell finished drawing on Sandry's forehead and noticed Jamara staring, yanking his sleeve back down he stalked back to the centre of the circle. Coating his finger again with the blood he traced a shape on Jamara's forehead. The mage smiled and backed to the edge of the enclosure, Briar glared at him the whole way.
"Don't look like that" commanded Antorell "It's only the princess there that I'm unbinding, it won't hurt you"
"What about Jamara?"
But the mage had already shut his eyes and was starting to slow his breathing.
"What about Jamara!?" Briar shouted
He tried to move forward but at that moment the evil mage began softly calling the chant which would begin the ritual. The five trapped mages found that they could not move their limbs. Briar began to struggle wildly and Tris's eyes widened in panic.
"Don't" a voice resonated through the bound about to be broken "Don't fight"
Briar's eyes swept the group until they met with the saddened eyes of Jamara.
"There's not point" she continued "At least you four will be alright, don't worry about me"
"Don't be stupid" snapped Briar "We not going to just let him do this, stop trying to be heroic"
"I'm not trying to be heroic" she called back through the connection, she started to sound frustrated "If you four survive there will still be a chance of stopping him"
"We would have more of a chance if you were there"
"Not if we try to break free now, we're trapped; the protection spell is too strong"
"But .... "Briar trailed off
"See, you know I am right"
Jamara broke the contact between them and faced Antorell. The chanting had risen to a shout now and the mage had raised his arms. Jamara could feel the power crackling around them and occasionally a flash of light would illuminate part of the magic filled ring. The eerie song that Anteroll was singing gradually increased in volume until the room reverberated with the sound. The song concluded dramatically with the dark mage singing thunderously. He lowered his head and set his piercing gaze on Jamara, his arm snapped up and he spoke a word which dripped and slithered out of his mouth towards the petrified acro-mage.
A terrific force slammed in to Jamara and she felt as if she was being smothered. The crushing power brought her to her knees; she couldn't breath, she began to panic. Her head began swimming, her vision darkened. Then as soon as it had hit her, it let go. The princess gasped for breath. Around her, her friends watched with concern, unable to help. Anteroll spoke another writhing word. It seemed to hit her in the stomach. She was unable to stop herself from screaming from the pain. Her stomach felt as though it was being ripped in two. Part of her was being torn away. Jamara curled into a small ball and slowly raised her head until she met Anteroll satisfied stare. Glancing round she managed to smile at the rest of the group before Anteroll flicked his hand upwards and completed the ritual. Jamara eyes widened and her mouth opened soundlessly before she fell to the floor and fell still.
Well, I am not very happy with this but it has taken me nearly a week to write and I was making it up as I went along. I would love opinions so please review and tell me what you think. Hope to hear from you!
Telle
I replaced this chapter cause I realised I had made a mistake but it is all fixed now so enjoy and review!