Carolyn's Comments: Oh my God. I am SO SORRY!!! I haven't updated in...(looks at calendar and screams)
I've got reasons though. If you're interested in my excuses, then read 'em, if you don't really give a shit, just skip down to the next chapter. Sorry if my long rants bore you guys, but I need someone to whine to!
Here's my recap from the three weeks from hell:
1. My family and I drove from Illinois to Florida right after the first hurricane hit. Lots of wanton destruction. It was actually a fun vacation. I planned to put a new chapter up before I left, but I never got around to it. I figured I would write one when I got home. I figured I would have plenty of time, right? Wrong.
2. I miscalculated the date we got home. We got back home two days before school started. I figured I use that time to write the chappie. Then Katie called me, saying that her, Caitlin, and me should have one last sleepover before summer ended. Seemed like a good idea, so I agreed. We wound up staying up all night, and I spent the day I had set aside for writing, catching up on sleep.
3. School started. I can hardly be blamed for not writing those first few days of getting used to my schedule.
4. The new 'Cirque Du Freak' book 'Allies of the Night' came out. I dropped everything I was doing at the time and read it.
5. Just as I was sitting down to write, Katie called me in an excited mood. It turned out that in the middle of the night A SMALL FRIGGING TORNADO had appeared in her backyard. (That could only happen to Katie) It uprooted a huge tree in her backyard, and totaled her dad's car. Needless to say, I rushed over there to check out the damage.
6. Minor family problems.
7. Then, just when I had everything under control, when I thought everything had settled back to normal, when I thought I could finally start writing again, I came down with a bad cold. Not just one of those colds where you cough and sneeze every now and then, I'm talking about one helluva nasty cold. It felt like someone pumped my sinuses with raw acid. I spent the entire weekend in bed, wondering when God was going to stop messing around and just end it. In fact, I'm still recovering from it a little, but it's not nearly as bad as it was.
See what I go through for you people?! (Just kiddin'. Seriously I love you guys...)
The next day seemed to drag on forever. Mia, Carolyn, and Katie were frantically preparing for the ceremony. Katie was meditating in a corner, chanting random mantras, such as 'I am one with the duck'. Carolyn had locked herself in her room with a copy of the magic spell she needed to read, with the vow that she wouldn't come out until she knew it backwards and forwards. Mia was studying quietly at one of the tables in the hall.
Everyone seemed worn and tired. Caitlin kept muttering something about werewolves and then took a nap, Alex was too tired to hit on Tira or Cassandra so he sat down and started reading 'Winning Fangirls for Dummies', Sam got bored and tried to snap Katie out of her trance, but then she bit his hand, and Cronos was moping around the weapons room, looking at the stock.
Cronos eyed the numerous racks of scimitars, battle-axes, spears, and countless other weapons. Not bad, he'd seen more in the armory of Faerie City, but this weapon collection was still impressive.
He lifted a short sword up from the shelf and gave it a casual swing. He sighed; the balance was off in this one. He placed it back on the shelf and picked up another one. He smiled; this one was better he gave it a few more swings before holding it up to examine it. His reflection shone in the steel blade.
It was a fairly good weapon; not that he needed it. If need be, he could be his own weapon. Years of experience in the field had given him a keen sense of weapons. He could detect flaws in them just by holding them. He didn't need this short sword, but he knew that whoever got to wield it next would be fortunate.
It's a good weapon to kill someone with, don't you agree boy?
Cronos stopped. That last thought… that last thought was not his own.
A good sword to slit someone's throat, like your pretty little girlfriend's, don't you think?Cronos froze. He felt someone reaching out into his thoughts, like a sinister claw wrapping tightly around his mind. He gasped with pain. The sword fell from his hand and clattered as it struck the ground. He staggered to the wall and propped himself up with his hand.
"Damnit Fredrick!" He screamed grasping his forehead with his other hand, "Get out of my head!"
Get the sword Cronos. Kill the girl with it. See her blood run as Fiona's did that day. Experience the pleasure it gave me to see her die.
Cronos pulled at his hair, trying to silence the voice. Suddenly his body was moving on its own. He was on his hands and knees, crawling towards the weapon on the floor. His body shook as he struggled to fight against the invisible force that had seized control of him. Just as his hand reached for the sword's handle, he wrested back control of his right hand. He swung his fist, and struck himself in the side of the face. An explosion seemed to go off in his head. His head reeled back and he saw stars as his head hit the floor. He felt the grip fall away from his mind. His breaths became even again. There was something about his breathing that seemed to say that it was his; it felt as if a clamp had been released from his lungs.
Then he heard it again; that hideous voice that haunted his nightmares and continued to torment his life.
You can't beat me Cronos. I'm inside of you. I live in your thoughts. I'm always hiding just behind your mind. I'll wait here, biding my time. Then I'll reclaim Fiona, I'll reclaim my bride.
Cronos could hear the warlock's evil laugh, echoing around the inside of his skull. He felt the dizziness from his punch to the face beginning to take hold. The world became black as Fredrick's cold chuckle faded into the back of his mind.
That was how Raphael found him, fifteen minutes later.
Carolyn was in deep concentration on the scroll before her. It was an old bit of parchment, and it was written in an ancient language. Fortunately, she knew some of it. Back in her world, the current queen of Faerie City, Fyora, had taught her a few things. Fyora was a good friend of hers; she was also Fiona's great-great-great-granddaughter. Fyora regarded Carolyn as the little sister she'd never had. Fyora had taught her the very basics of the language in front of her. She said it was used universally throughout the different worlds and dimensions. Using this simple knowledge, Carolyn was able to decipher the basic elements of the spell.
She was interrupted by a pounding on her door.
"I'm studying!" She called. "Come back later!"
"Carolyn?" Raphael's voice called. He sounded alarmed.
"What is it?" She sighed turning away from the scroll.
"It's Cronos! Something's wrong with him!"
That was enough for Carolyn. She quickly got to her feet and hurried to the door. She unbolted it and pushed it open. Raphael was standing there, his face looked grim.
"What's going on?" Carolyn asked. "What's wrong with Cronos?"
"I was hoping you could tell me. I found him curled up on the floor in the armory. His face is messed up pretty bad. He wants to talk to you."
Carolyn followed Raphael down the hall. Her heart was pounding. What was going on? Had Cronos been attacked? Who would want to attack him out here? It didn't make any sense.
They entered Cronos's room. The young half-faerie was sitting up in bed, holding an ice pack to the left side of his face. Carolyn could see a black eye forming, and there was a huge bruise on his cheek. It was sickening purple and red color.
"Cronos!" Carolyn screamed. She ran to him. "What happened? Who did this to you?"
"Describe your attacker," Raphael said, "He may still be in the temple; we can hunt him down!"
Cronos chuckled and lowered the ice pack. Carolyn was shocked at the size of the bruise on his face. It trailed all the way down to just above his chin.
"I know who attacked me. I can give you his name right now."
"Who?" Raphael asked anxiously.
Cronos smiled thinly. "It was me."
Raphael blinked at him. "You? I don't understand. What-"
But Carolyn understood. She lowered her head. "Fredrick?" She whispered softly.
Cronos nodded. Raphael's eyes widened.
"Fredrick? But he's been dead for-"
"200 years, I know." Cronos said calmly. "Listen, we'll explain it to you later, I need to talk to Carolyn."
Raphael didn't move. "I'm not leaving. What's going on here? I need to know, I have a right to know."
Cronos looked up at him. From his look, it was obvious that he wasn't going to explain it all at that moment. "Here's the short version: I'm possessed. Does that answer your question? Now I'd like to talk to Carolyn, please get lost."
Raphael stared him. He seemed to hesitate, then decided against it. He turned and left the room, pondering this new turn of events.
Carolyn pointed at the welt on his face. "Does it hurt?"
Cronos shook his head. "Not much. I got myself good that time. It'll be gone by the day of the ceremony."
"What was he trying to make you do?" Carolyn asked. Her voice was shaky.
"Trying to make me kill people, as usual." Cronos sighed. "It's really hard to believe. He followed me all the way into this world. He just enjoys making me suffer. He doesn't care that I have to witness every horrible thing he makes me do."
"Cronos…" Carolyn sighed. She wasn't sure what to say.
Cronos laughed bitterly. "Some guardian I am, huh? I'm supposed to be protecting you, yet the one person who I'm supposed to protect you from, can manipulate me like a puppet. I honestly don't know why you put up with me."
"Cronos! Stop talking like that!" Carolyn yelled. "What Fredrick does isn't your fault! You shouldn't feel guilty; if it's anyone's fault, it's HIS! It's his fault all this happened! If he hadn't done all that shit, if he hadn't killed Fiona, if he hadn't let the jewel corrupt him…" Her voice trailed off. Her fingers flew to the jewel. The small yellow gem hung from a chain around her neck.
A world of ifs…and none of it made any difference.
Cronos looked at her, then nodded. "Thank you. Carolyn, you always know how to cheer me up when these things happen."
Carolyn smiled a little. "Well-" She was interrupted when Cronos pulled her into a tight hug.
"I love you, Carolyn." He murmured.
Carolyn nodded and hugged him back as tears began to spill down her face. "I love you too, Cronos."
