Sister Like Brother

PART IV

Cammi said goodbye to his mother and sister, as he made his way down the corridor after his father, having asked and told him that he would help him, with patrolling the forest.

Though his father disagreed at first, having saying that the evil was here for one purpose and that being Cammi once again, Cammi still insisted that he'd go, saying that it was his responsibility, and that he should deal with it.

Just as Cammi was about to round the corner and disappear out of sight with his father, he stopped, turned and gave a knowing wink at his sister, before disappearing.

His sister Isabelle chuckled silently upon seeing her brother wink at her, knowing full well why he did it. Ever since the first time she'd met him, the two hit it head on, telling each other of their pranks, and what to do to improve them. Cammi had also mentioned to her of the secret passageways he used for escape, when he was a cub and sometimes pushed his pranks just a little too far.

Though Isabelle and Cammi, looked very much the same, they also had a lot in common together, and loved every bit of it.

Isabelle felt her mother's eyes on her, and felt she had stared after her brother a bit too long. Turning she looked at her mother, who gave her a look of 'what are you up to'. Isabelle gave her puppy eyes and the expression of, 'Nothing, honest' then in thinking mode 'not'.

Running off in the direction, towards where the other cubs were, after her mother told her to go and play, she then headed off in another direction. Checking to make sure the corridor was isolated she then ran into the middle of the hall, pulling up a few lose tiles, she slipped in. Pulling the tiles over her head again, she went along the new secret passage that Cammi had mentioned to her not long ago as she was ready to act out their little game.

Cammi had just saddled his unicorn, along with his father, as the two mounted and joined the small group of knights by the gates. Riding out the gates, at a brisk pace, into the forest nearby, they began their duty, though with more precaution, for the sudden evil's presence.

Meanwhile Isabelle had just finished the last touches to her plan, altering a few things too. If her brother thought he was getting off easy with this plan and landing her in trouble again, though she didn't know whether he would cover for her, she decided she wouldn't take chances, so he had another think coming.

Now having everything set and ready, changing her plan so it no longer effected the other knights but just Cammi, wanting to backfire his plan on him and see how good the results were. Waiting from her secret hiding place that not anyone in Gummadoon knew about, let alone Cammi.

Trotting along in the forest, Cammi couldn't help smiling. He knew that when he returned home, his sister had a surprise for them all, though he also knew that he would almost likely be involved, though she hadn't mentioned, he knew already too well. Oh well he would just have to try and find some sort of excuse to get away and spoil his little sister' fun.

Sir Plucki spared a glance at Cammi and noticed that he was forever smiling, he had been like this way since they were saying goodbye to the family, and caught him winking at his sister.

Now everyone in Gummadoon knew that, that was not a good sign, so he suspected that those two were up to something, of course him and his friends not knowing what it was, because that was beside the point, they weren't suppose to know.

Riding along in silence, occasionally exchanging one or two words with one another, they found that the forest was clear, for now at least as they began their journey back to Gummadoon.

Isabelle became excited and anxious at the same time upon seeing the knight's return, as they became visible at the edge of the forest. Watching with sparkling eyes, as they drew closer, then she sensed an extreme amount of power, one she'd never felt before as the idea out of her sudden pranks were forgotten.

Though she had a few weak magic abilities, inheriting them from her mother, she was able to sense and see magic beams searing and shooting across the forest, not hitting anything, but it was obvious that they were aimed for the knights.

"LOOK OUT" Isabelle screeched as loud as she could from the castle wall.

Cammi and the knights looked up, upon hearing Isabelle shrieks, and pointing back at the forest. Cammi immediately turned round and fell off his unicorn just as, as say dodging a fire beam, meant for him. He silently cursed himself under his breath, for not staying alert and thinking about the evil, rather than thinking for an excuse to get out of his sister's little prank.

Then again at the same time he just realised that he hadn't been able to sense the evil person's presence until now, when it decided to act.

Isabelle sank to her knee, her head bowed, a tear rolling down her cheek at the sudden attack, but she felt as though she must do something but at the same time knew she could do nothing as her magic was not strong enough, but maybe her mother could. Reaching her hand into her small pouch she retrieved her mother's medallion, then chanting a quick spell to rid of the prank, she went in search for her mother, but there was no need as she saw her mother already at the castle wall and with the Councillors. Knowing she had to be quick, she sprinted as fast as she could, stopping not once until she was by her mother side, did she shove her mother's medallion into her hand.

Meloni had sensed and felt the energy of the evil, and had immediately gone to the castle wall where she saw the Councillors, but as she arrived, she felt something being placed in her hands. Looking down she saw her daughter place her medallion in her hands, a terrified and sad expression on her face as her Isabelle pleaded her to help them. Meloni then placing the medallion around her neck, her hands falling down to her side and closing her eyes in concentration.

Ancient words soon then swayed across the land, but it was not strong enough, to fend off the other unknown opponents spell, or to even protect the knights. Concentrating harder, new words were enchanted, as a spell, she very rarely used was chanted, a spell she knew for sure would drain most of her energy, but she had to do it to protect the ones she loved, to protect them.

Focusing on her energy she managed to reach out towards the knights, and shield them from the spells, and as much as she would of like to, she would of protected Cammi too, but she was low on energy and didn't know how much longer she would last. She only hoped that Cammi could protect himself, as he did stand a better chance than out of all of knights, as he did know ancient magic himself.

Cammi dodged another spell, though not quick enough as it passed him, leaving a clean new wound of where it had seared his fur. Putting up his shield spell, a lot of spell he manage to rebound, apart from a select few.

Boosting up his shield another level, he had one eye trained on the oncoming spells, whilst the other was trained on his father and friends still mounted upon their unicorns. They seemed unharmed and were watching him though they looked anxious to help him out in any way possible, as he watched the spells bounce off them somehow.

Cammi's knees then buckled beneath him and gave way as he fell to the ground, due to a powerful blast that managed to overpower his shield, as another blast then came up behind him, and hit him square in the back. Cammi laid there on the ground, immobile, though barely conscious. He felt his vision sway, and could see his father and friends horrified faces calling after him, but he could not hear them only see them, as an evidently loud and evil cold cackling mingled with his senses. He could not make the laughter go away, no matter how hard he tried to block it out, he thought that he would feel this way, but now he truly wondered whether he was dying.

Then something caught his attention, an increase in power, but whom's, as his eye caught a golden light radiant off someone, though more than just one person. Whoever light it belongs to, it was soothing and taking away the pain he felt, as his eyelids began to droop. He tried to fight hard against it, to stay conscious to find out long enough whom possessed that light, as the light dimmed, revealing his mother and the Councillors.

Meloni, having sensed that Cammi was falling, then went to extreme levels, pushing every ounce of energy she had, in order to help her oldest child, unwillingly to let him fall. No parent wanted to see there child fall, and therefore she helped him every way she could, shielding him from all the spells.

Cammi saw that his mother had tried to save him, along with the Council's help, but still he felt that he had failed them all again for the second time.

The last thing Cammi felt before losing consciousness all together, his eyes closing and blackening out, was someone, though he did not know who, heave him off the ground in one swift move, and flung him over the back of a unicorn.

Sir Plucki immediately gave out orders to the surrounding knights, as they retreated back into Gummadoon, Meloni and the Council shield still protecting them, from the spells that were still being fired at them, though they were starting to die down.

Now riding through the gates, the shield was taken off them, as a small crowd formed round the knights, though they left a path open to Sir Plucki and Sir Cubbi who headed straight to sick bay, with Cammi.

Meloni smiled weakly, before collapsing herself mainly through pure exhaustion and having her energy drained from her, but her daughter and one of the Council members caught her before she made impact with the stoned floor. She had gone way over her limit, and it would take her a while before she would be fully rested and wake again.

Isabelle was by her mother side, tears streaming down her face, she had watched everything that had proceeded outside the castle and feared for her brother life, but was also now even more upset that her mother had gone unconscious.

Cammi was now left to the medics as they tried to help him out as best as they could, whilst his friend Sir Cubbi waited outside patiently waiting for the news on Cammi's recovery, and hoped it wouldn't be too long.

Cammi's sister, Isabelle, had previously come down a few minutes ago, though she was told to go to her mother, and was accompanied by her father as they didn't want her to hear what they presumed most likely, ill news on Cammi's recovery.

Now Sir Cubbi sat here on his own, as minutes ticked by, which soon turned to hours. He had by now paced round the room several times, his patience wearing thin, through continuous waiting and just when he though he could stand it no more, the door to Cammi's room opened.

All the medics came scuttling out, and all but one went off in there own directions, helping out others that were injured.

Sir Cubbi observed the medic before him, and recognised her as Deed. She was a young gummi, about mid twenties, with dark purple fur, short black flowing hair falling neatly around her shoulders, and bright sparkling eyes.

The two discussed Cammi's condition not being very good, and the medic's opinion of not being sure whether Cammi would make it. The severe blow to his back had not only paralysed him, but made it so his breathing was very laboured and shallow, so he was hardly breathing at all.

Sir Cubbi nodded to say he understood the situation, and was granted permission to go in and see Cammi. Watching as the medic left, Cubbi stood there, unmoving, just staring at the door, leading to Cammi and was deciding whether he should or shouldn't go in.

Snapping out of his trance when he felt someone shake him slightly, he turned and saw Lilli standing there beside him, a sorrow look on her face, unlike her usual cheerful, happy one. She nodded to him, indicating that she had heard the news on Cammi.

Together the two went into Cammi's room, soon finding that Deed was certainly true to her word on Cammi's condition.

Lilli left Cubbi's side and went to sit by Cammi's bedside, linking hands with him, and whispering comforting words to him, but still he did not budge, even when his father returned and was informed on Cammi's condition. Now all they could do was wait and hope.

***

Meanwhile Cammi found himself in a distant place, far away from home. Slowing half opening his eyes, he found himself floating. He couldn't feel anything about him, his body being so numb, so all he could do was to stare at what laid ahead of him. Gazing round, he figured that he was in some sort of realm, which one he did not know, though he could only imagine it to be heaven, hell, dreams or sleep, and several other various realms.

This realm however he guessed to a combination of them all, with the clouds above and around him, encircled and mixing with streams of fire spitting out along with earth as he was glued to the ground. He had an eerily feeling to know also how much it looked to like Tarquan's lair.

Though one thing told him that it wasn't, was that the atmosphere didn't really have an eerily feeling, but more peaceful, and the smell was not repulsive, forever lingering with the smell of blood.

In fact Cammi came up with the conclusion that he couldn't really describe the realm, as it seemed to have possessed a mixture of numerous emotions, feeling and smells.

His attention then strayed to the clouds that were slowly starting to diminish before him, revealing at what was also including in this realm. Though what he saw was completely unexpected, as he felt his heart froze, his mouth slightly locked open, his eyes wide and burned with anger and hatred, as it revealed two figures.

One of the two of them that stood before him, Cammi knew only to well as he charged forth throwing punches and casting several spells, though he soon latched on that he was inaudible and invisible to them. Stopping his attempts at trying to beat this person before him, noticing that here he didn't have his powers, so it meant that he was powerless. He soon guessed that he was in the realm of dreams, but how when he had never seen this scene before.

Realisation struck him as he believed that his enemy had planted this into his mind and for a reason, not to kill him but to show him something that he obviously needed to see as he his fell on the two present people before him. One he did not know and other one, who he hated and loathed was…Tarquan.

TBC…

END OF PART IV

PART V COMING SOON!