Author's Notes: Just take this next chapter as my peace offering showing that I won't be around until school is over again. And just for your information, Drew IS supposed to be this sulky this chapter. Imagine if you were in his place!
This Chapter is brought to you by: Firefly-Dream's reviews: (I will never update a multi-chapter fic without a review or a need to finish it); and my school librarian: who leant me a pen and allowed me to finish most of this chapter.
Chapter 5: The Trials Part II: Lost
It was like passing through a waterfall to come out into the most lavish lagoon he had ever seen. Before him were more playful nymphs clad in emerald colored robes and catering to the male clad in long pants and no shirt, while others just played in the water. The man, with dark unruly hair and stormy eyes, noticed the Prince first and stood. Looking rather annoyed, he waved the female away from where they were trying to rub oil on his body, and he approached the prince.
"Drewel, I welcome you to my realm. I am…" the man's voice was a smooth baritone but it rumbled forth from his chest like an earthquake, "I am the Angel of Earth. For lack of a better name, you may call me Lord Lewerd. And yes, I am very aware that it is your name backwards, but I am not as open with my sacred name as Nysil."
A smack was heard in the corner of the room, and all eyes moved from me to where the two exotic angels mentioned stood in person.
"Not as open? You're just paranoid!" the Water Angel Nysil hissed as he smacked 'Lewerd', really called Greiven, again. "At least mine is a real hard trial!"
"You tried to get him to sleep with you!" Greiven countered.
Before either Mercale or I could regain control of the GFs assembled, another male stepped into the argument. I smiled thankfully at the familiar face.
"Now now boys," the Fire Angel, servant of Phoenix, said, "No need to flirt in front of the 'you-know-whats'. Relax."
The two looked at the fiery male named Feniux and growled, but obeyed so that I could continue the tale.
The Prince looked the Lord over, his eyes noticing a suit of bronzen armor leaning against a tree and the monstrous gauntlets with long claws of bronze coated steel. This man was obviously just as powerful as Nysil, and just as tempting to look at. Still he was different. Nysil dressed scantly, something better suited to a sea based life. The on who asked to be called Lewerd wore tight leather pants of a soft brown. His body was well toned, nearly sculpted, but not overly buff like guards of the place. Yet he was still appealing to the Prince.
"My task for you is simple," the male said, "Find the Earth Guardian, and move him. Retrieve the item under his paw and return to me. It's a far simpler task than others you will perform… Though all seem simple at first."
"Where is the Guardian?" Drewel hazarded to ask.
"Tsk, Tsk. I can't tell you that…"
"Mistress Mercale," a panicked voice called out.
I looked up from my work, right into the eyes of Corin and the carriage driver from the ball.
"Corin?" I asked in shock, "Why are you here?"
"Drew is in trouble…" he simply responded, "The Trial, they have lost control."
"No one helps during the Trial," I pointed out.
"We put him under three days ago. He is lost in a limbo, we can't reach him!" Corin said angrily.
"Then he has failed," I said, half happy because if he wasn't prince, he could be mine.
"No Crysil, you don't get it," the driver said, "We've lost control of the Trial. They have him. We must send you to him."
"I do not understand…" And it was true, I was confused.
Corin looked around, and once he seemed sure we were alone, he held up a hand. Fire suddenly seemed to fill his eyes, and even covered his hand. I jumped back in shock, a gasp escaping my lips. Then fire sprang from my necklace, and the tiny phoenix carved into my pendant flew forth, moving to fly around Corin's head. The other male growled and the lion Griever sprang from the necklace, moving to run along the table before me.
"Who are you?" I demanded in shock as the two metal guardian images returned to my necklace.
"My name is Feniux, and he is Greiven, and we are…"
"Phoenix and Griever," I gasped out in shock.
"Please Crysil, tell no one. But we need your help," the retainer insisted, "Will you help us?"
I nodded, "Anything for Drewel."
He had moved Griever and gained the Earth Drum. Next he chased and captured the volcano mistress for the Fire Horn, a task given by Phoenix and the angel Feniux. Then he had, by order of Tiamat and his angel Rein'ly, retrieved the Wind Flute by diving right into the center of a tornado. Finally, he'd ended up here, in the black void. The sacred instruments were meant to play, and open the door to the light realm, where he'd receive his final test. But when he had arrived, the darkness had reached out, raked at his chest and leaving bloody cuts. The dark hands stole the instruments and broke them all. In the darkness he could not tell how much time he had been lost here.
"Oh Crysil," he whimpered, the endless time in darkness having practically shattered his spirit. He practically jumped when a gentle hand wiped away his tears.
"Do not worry, I will help you," The person said sweetly. A woman clad in blood red was before him, her gold eyes twinkling evilly. Drewel quickly drew back. He knew the face, knew the voice, and he knew what those eyes meant.
"Mother?" he whispered doubtfully.
"Yes, my dear Drew, I am here for you," Xera said. She wasn't actually his mother, but his father's second wife. Unlike his own mother, or his father's current wife, this woman had hurt him many times. She was the one who had broken the royal ring, and she was a sorceress! "I will save you Drew, if you become my knight."
"Back off witch!" another witch came, and a blast of fire hit Xera right in the chest. The sorceress was thrown back into the darkness while another, a woman dressed in radiant white, moved to his side.
"Crysil?" he questioned looking up in awe of the radiant savior, her hair loose and the divine instruments circling her.
"Get up Drewel, my prince," she said, "She is not supposed to be here. She is the one that has trapped you here."
"How did you get here?" he questioned.
"The Guardians came to me, told me I must help you. And I can't do that if you lay there!"
The Prince nodded and struggled to his feet. Once he was standing the Earth Drum and Fire Horn left their original orbit around the smith and began to circle the prince instead. No sooner had this happened than Xera stood again.
"No commoner will steal my Knight!" the sorceress yelled before hurling a giant wave of fire at Crysil. The smith responded as the Water Harp hovered in her hands. Crysil played a few notes and a wall of ice sprang up around them.
"He is mine!" Crysil yelled, allowing the harp to play itself while snatching up the flute to launch a counterattack in the form of a twister.
Seeing this, Drewel took the Fire Horn and put it to his lips. He blew hard upon the divine instrument, and a fireball shot out of it to strike the sorceress.
"Drewel," a voice said, "Just focus on playing. Awaken the instruments so they will open the portal…"
The four angels were hovering over them now: Nysil in his platinum armor and with his great sword; Greiven in bronze with claws like a lion; the fiery Feniux clad in gold and held a pike shaped like flames; and the ill tempered Rein'ly, protected by silver and holding a giant axe. Feniux had been the one to call out, and now he winked to Drewel. All four began to chant as wings spread from their backs, transparent and ethereal.
"Drew," Crysil whispered, the flute now hovering and playing by itself. "Drew, take care of the horn, keep playing it until I pulls away from you." That said, she took the Earth Drum and beat out a rhythm suited to the song made by water and wind.
While Xera fought the four, the most beautiful music played. The songs of all four instruments blended, the music delicate, but flowing and so alive. It was the music all life moved to, for it was the Song of Life. Behind the two mortals, who listened in awe, a great portal opened, spilling golden light upon them.
"Come Drew," Crysil said, taking his head, "The final test awaits…"
Together they stepped into the light and the clamor of fighting died beyond them. Before them was a raised dais, four people seated upon it. Two were, to Crysil's eyes, lovely women, one in crimson, the other azul. The other two were like stately lords, one clad in yellow and silver while the other wore green accented by bronze.
"Welcome Prince Drewel and Lady Crysil," the woman in red spoke, standing and smiling. "I am the Lady of Fire and Sorceress of Phoenix. These are my companions: the Sorceress of Forsaken and Empress of Water; Sorcerer of Tiamat, King of Winds; and the Sorcerer of Griever, Master of the Earth. We are the children of the fallen, and you come to us for a final task. Alas, my poor sweet pair, our task is brutally simple, and deathly important."
Drewel compulsively swallowed, thinking of the 'simple' task of the darkness realm. "What would you have me do to be the ideal ruler of my people, to be worthy of your blessing?"
Kalari smiled.