Chapter 13
Ray of Light
"Fatima, how are you?" Serenity asked, smiling at the prophet's daughter.
Fatima smiled back and replied, "I am fine Serenity. Seto do you have the fifth stone?"
Seto grunted in response and opened up his hand. The opal shone in the cave that they were in.
When the six had awakened, it was due to the coldness surrounding them. They found themselves lying in snow. Yami had awakened first and had immediately opened his pal. Yami's hand burst into flames, warming him up immediately.
Anzu, who was lying next to him woke up and shivered. Joey, Mai, Serenity and Seto woke up and huddled near Yami. Fatima had appeared a few minutes after.
Fatima floated towards Seto and he handed the stone to her. "Thank you dark friend, for returning Darjan's jewel."
He shivered in response. "Friends, I am deeply sorry that you are cold," she said, watching them shiver.
Anzu asked, "Can you help us?"
Fatima shook her head and bowed her head. "I'm a sorry."
Serenity smiled weakly and said, "Please, don't be. We'll be okay."
The others nodded in agreement. Fatima nodded her head, and looked up. "Okay. Your mission is to reach the very tip of this mountain. You're in the ice caverns at the moment. Just go up hill for a few hours and you'll find an opening to the outside. Go up a few feet and a golden flag marks the tip. You'll find the stone there."
"Thank you," Mai said.
"Thank you, elements."
Joey rubbed his shoulders. He was freezing! What had happened to his cloak?
Oh yeah… he had taken it off when they had visited the volcano.
Shit, Joey thought and growled.
Ever since he was little he had hadn't snow, cold, and winter in general. He remembered one time he had been on the lake, the Lake of Dreams. He had been watching Serenity ice skate. She was pretty good. Joey had been waiting for the lake to freeze over since the first snow.
So when he got on the ice, he slipped and fell. He got up and then fell back down. Serenity giggled and skated over.
Then Joey fell through the ice.
He screamed and thrashed and reached towards the surface but his skates and all the layers he was wearing was weighing him down. He looked up.
Joey saw his sister throwing of her things. She was surrounded by light, like a little angel. Serenity raced into the water and helped her brother take of his things. They floated to the surface.
That's why he hated it.
He looked over at Mai who was walking next to him. Her teeth were chattering uncontrollably. She was rubbing her arms so hard, that her movements were almost a blur. Joey walked over to her…
…and put his arms around her.
They stopped. Mai had stopped her vigorous rubbing. She turned and looked at Joey. He looked down. Violet met chocolate brown. "What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly.
"Keeping you warm," he replied, simply.
Mai turned pink in embarrassment but didn't object. She liked the Prince. Joey sure didn't act like one.
When Mai worked at the inn a prince from the country Rikate had come to stay the night. The boy had black hair and glinting green eyes. He reminded her a little of Duke. The prince was bratty and treated her fellow workers like crap. He even had the nerve to dump a glass of lemonade on one of her friends when he thought that the lemonade he brought had 'dirt' on the ice.
The girl had left crying and Mai almost ran over and slapped him. The nerve of that man!
But Joey was nothing like that man! She had heard stories of the blonde prince. How he could handle a broad sword as if he was born with it in his hands. How he was kind but serious and loved his sister dearly.
Serenity was different from the princess she had heard of. Serenity was sweet and kind, just like she had heard. She was also strong and could cook surprisingly well.
She had heard many stories about the ice prince from Arilea. Seto was indeed a cold person. He called Joey 'mutt' and was sarcastic and superficial. Bu5t he was a good friend and had saved her from being eaten alive by darkness.
Yami was her prince. She knew all about him. He was nicer and friendly than she thought he would be though. He also seemed to like Anzu.
"The end of the tunnel!" Anzu cried out in relief.
Yami cheered along with Serenity and Joey. Seto stared straight ahead and waited for the rest of them to settle down.
"The final stone is close," Mai whispered and followed Joey out.
And Serenity had thought it was cold inside.
Well, she was wrong.
Very wrong.
It was so cold her lips were numb. She couldn't feel herself stepping into snow underneath her. She could feel her fingers. All she could see was the weird masses of white in front of her.
It was snowing violently. That's the only thing she could feel. The ice shards ripping her skin. She felt blood trickling down her face where a piece of hail had hit her.
Serenity suddenly felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw the hazy figure of Seto. "Seto…" she croaked.
He was frowning. "We're almost there. Look up."
She did as she was told and saw a flash of gold. "The flag!" she said.
"I'm bringing you to Yami. Your brother wants you warm."
He took her hand and brought her so she stood right next to Yami. Serenity instantly began to melt. She looked over at Joey. Serenity mouthed a thank you.
Joey looked over questionably and walked over. "What?" he asked.
"Thanks for thinking of me," she whispered, still cold.
"For?"
"For telling Seto to bring me to Yami to get warm, of course!" Sometimes Joey was a little slow. Maybe the cold was affecting his brain or something.
"I never told that guy to do anything, but I'm glad you're warm. I'm going to stand with Mai," he whispered and patted her shoulder.
Serenity looked confused. She turned to the taller boy and watched him as he walked ahead of them.
The snow had died down. The flag was right in front of them. The flag was indeed gold. It had a white star emblazed upon it. I wonder what the star means, thought Anzu.
Anzu watched as Serenity boldly made a grab for the flag. Anzu heard a gasp and looked over at Mai. Mai had turned around. Her violet eyes were wide in fear. "Mai, what's wrong?" Yami asked.
"Can't you see them? There are thousands," Mai said and helplessly stared in front of her.
Anzu frowned and looked at the same spot Mai was. What was that girl staring at? Anzu squinted her eyes and concentrated hard. "I don't think you guys can see them yet, and believe me when I say I'm happy you can't. Try closing your eyes. Listen," Ami instructed.
Anzu watched as Serenity and Joey closed theirs. Yami had as well. Seto on the other hand, was staring coldly ahead. Anzu closed her eyes.
Wing beats; the clang of armor; the swishing of tails; the cries and screeches. What were theses things?
"Look," Joey said.
From behind a cloud charged hundreds of black winged animals. They were like the beast that had captured them on the mountain, only all black and ten times worse. A tiny black ball, laced with dark blue lighting flew towards the creatures. They stopped their flight and watched as it came closer.
It stopped in the middle of them. A snap of fingers was heard and the ball exploded, blowing back the creatures. Anzu turned to the Arilean prince who was preparing a second ball in the palm of his hand.
Crimson fireballs through the air; rocks and stones hit the wings of the creatures and mini tornadoes crashed upon unsuspecting beasts.
Anzu, feeling useless, looked around. Too bad there wasn't any water…there was only ice. ICE. Feeling stupid. She remembered what Joey had done against the spider in the jungle. Shaping her hands in the air, she created an imaginary ice knife.
She turned around and saw a life size one behind them. She threw it towards the creatures and continued making more.
Serenity watched fearfully behind Yami and Anzu. What terrifying animals! She wished she could help but seeing no long sticks and unable to use magic was holding her back. She froze.
Why wasn't anyone moving?
She looked over at Seto who was trying in vain to produce another black energy ball. Yami and Anzu weren't able to use magic either. Neither was Mai or Joey.
With a screech of triumph, the creatures hurled themselves at them. Anzu grabbed Yami and his behind him. Mai held Joeys hand. Seto growled in annoyance. No! Serenity cried.
Serenity fell into the snow. Why, why, why, why, why? What had she done wrong? Where was the stone? Tears streaming down her face, Serenity looked down and gasped.
A pair of golden eyes were staring right back. Serenity realized that there was something sitting in her lap. A paw was on her thigh.
She could barely make out the wolf's outline. It was as white as the snow. The only thing that told her were its snout was, was that the wolfs pink tongue was hanging out. "Um…hello…" said Serenity uncertainly.
The wolf licked her face. Then it walked into her. Serenity gulped. The light…it was so strong! Her body burned and withered under the sheer power of the new magic. She cried out and then got up.
Her eyes changed from chocolate brown to gold. She turned towards the creatures. She lifted up her hand. A white shield appeared. The beasts, unsuspecting, flew straight into it. Dying before they could scream, they disappeared in puffs of black smoke.
A few had stayed behind. They were smarter than their friends. Anger pulsing through her, her shield went down and she pushed her hands out, Her arms glowing pure white, began pulsing in magic.
Crying out, she threw a flurry of light balls at the last ones. They cried out. When the light faded, they were gone. She floated down into the snow again and shook herself. Wow.
"Serenity," whispered Joey.
"Yeah, Serenity!" cried Mai and Anzu. They clobbered her.
Serenity was tearful. She had gotten her magic. Yami patted her on the back and Joey hugged her. She saw Seto nod curtly at her before saying, "The stone."
"Right," Serenity said and looked at the flag. It was gone!
Instead, in its place stood a crystal pedestal and on the top was a diamond. Serenity ran over and grabbed it. "The final stone," she whispered.
They were gone in puffs of yellow smoke.
A mountaintop away sat a white-cloaked figure. Shocks of white hair flew from underneath his hood. A smirked played across his handsome face. "Master will be pleased."
I hope you guys know who the white haired man is. Anyway, please review and I'm sorry this was so late!
-Em