AN: Right...sorry for the long ass delay. I've been doin lotsa traveling and have been away from the computer. I'll post another chapter tomorrow before I leave on another 'expedition' lol. I'll be in England for a week and a half or so. Peace.
Chapter 5
"Throw the anchors, men." The gruff captain shouted over the roar of thunder. "Don't ye be slow about it, quicken up that pace of yers. GET A BLOODY MOVE ON!"
"Yeh heard the capn', men." The first mate shouted, if possibly, louder than the captain. "We have a weapon to steal, and a war to begin. We don't want to keep the ŠęŗġöĢņã waiting. Heh heh."
Pri sat huddled in a cramped corner under the stairway to the upper deck where the captain and first mate were giving their orders. She shivered and bit her tongue, not only against the stinging cold of the rain pelting down, but also against the throbbing pain that seemed to be increasingly intense throughout every inch of her body. They're after my Willow…this whole war they're planning…it's all for my Willow. I have to get to her…I have to protect her. I promised I'd be there always…I promised…I promised…She snuck a glance through a crack in the stair, and saw that they were near to the 'world' on which they were landing. She knew not what good anchors would do, what they would clutch onto, as there was no bottom to this sea. As there was no sea to begin with, she also wondered what rocked and tossed the ship as it was. She shrugged, now asking herself why that would matter. What mattered was the overall fact that they were landing, quite possibly, where Willow was battling her own monsters, her own fears.
Suddenly, a strong, sharp talon-like hand gripped her shoulder and roughly turned her to face it's owner. It was a creature she had not yet seen on this ship, but she assumed whatever its intentions may be were not something she would thoroughly enjoy.
"Don't think you can hide out here and we'll just leave ya unattended, now," the thing growls. "Wouldn't want you escaping on us." It pulled her to her feet and dragged her to an area of the deck where a strange rowboat-type-thing was being prepared to carry the creatures over to the island. "You're coming ashore to see what damage we can do."
Pri gulped in fear and anticipation of the horrors awaiting her, being pushed into the rickety old thing before her. At least this way I'll be reunited with Willow. Then perhaps we can plan something.
"Thespia, your servant calls upon you in your name to ask your aid. Give me the strength to banish this evil from my sight," Willow chanted, a steely glint in her eye. She unblinkingly glared at this creature before her and called upon magicks in hopes that they would come to her and she would be able to protect herself. It was hissing out words in some strange language, and looked as if it were launching some sort of an attack. Oh, goddess Hecetae, protect me. Raising her hands together, she formed a black energy ball between her palms. In the moment the beast lunges at her, she screamed a word of Latin that launched the energy ball into the center of the worm-creature's 'mouth', blowing it up from within.
Breathing deeply, Willow looked around to see if more danger was coming. So much for warding off the baddies…uh oh…in the distance she saw smoke rising from the trees. Strange creatures flew from the trees, making an exodus so great it appeared that clouds of black were forming and hovering above the forest. "What on earth could be worse enough than those hideous things that could drive them to the sky…"
Her question to herself was soon answered when a pack of large, varying demons burst from the edge of the forest before her, followed by a swiftly spreading flame, which devoured the greenery but stopped at the clearing. Several demons held torches, others swords, axes, crossbows, and some strange weaponry the Wicca could not recognize. They all seemed to be formed in a clump around one figure in the center, which appeared to be a hostage, as though protecting it from being stolen from them.
They were a loud, raucous bunch, some tall and gangly, others short and bulky. Cruel laughter left the throats of a few of the brave ones, only to be reprimanded by who looked to be the leader. A few other brave ones took swings at the hostage, harassing him or her.
With a painful jolt to her heart, Willow stumbled backwards and fell clumsily on her bum. She saw as the group drew nearer, their hostage was Pri. Baby, please tell me you hear me now. Please answer.
WILLOW! It worked, she didn't know how, but Willow's power was now working again. Willow, where are you? I can't see you, are you alright?
Pri, oh thank the goddess you can hear me. I can see you from where I am…I'm in the center of this clearing here…forget if I'm ok or not, I'm not the one surrounded by those-
Pirates. Well, that's what I call them. They're these soldiers-for-hire type demons…this world is filled with hundreds of thousands of floating worlds and they hire this army to fight battles for them or to capture weapons…
Wow…
I woke up…I don't know how long ago…and I was lying on their deck…they're here for you. You have run…quick! Don't worry about me, just go and I'll get myself out of this mess and meet up with you. You can't let them get both of us-
Are you mad? I'm not leaving you. And I couldn't if I tried. I'm surrounded by flames…we both are. The forest is gone…but you can use magick, right?
I haven't tried yet, aside from trying to contact you.
Ok, well you probably can because I just threw an energy ball at this worm thing.
If you're suggesting we band together and use our magicks to get out, I don't suggest it. These creatures can absorb your magicks until you run out, and then they'll capture you. That's why they're here. They keep calling you 'the Weapon'.
So how the hell do we get out…wait…they absorb our magicks if we direct it at them, but what if we don't direct it at them?
Explain in please?
I'll wait til you all get closer…then when I say the word chant the levitation spell…you know the one. I'll chant it with you…we'll both levitate above them up to the next world…I can see it above me. Just keep chanting it until you get high enough then try to pull yourself onto the plateau or whatever the damn thing's called.
You're crazy, but I guess it's better than dying without a fight.
Willow stiffened at Pri's words. We will not die. You won't, I won't, and we won't be forced to stay here forever. Don't you dare doubt it.
Pri shivered at Willow's voice, for it sounded suddenly hoarse and rough in her head. Will…I…I love you.
Don't…please don't say it like we're never going to see each other again…I'm so scared to lose you…
Will-"OW!"
"Hey, little witch, what's with the water works? Heh heh heh," a demon to Pri's left chuckled gruffly.
The brunette realized she was crying. "I don't know why you think me a witch," she replied. "These aren't tears, this is my true nature aching to break free," inspiration was slowly making its way past her fear.
"Not a witch, eh? Let's see this 'true nature' then," another demon to her right laughed and gave her a shove.
"You're making a mistake."
Pri…Pri, what's going on? Why are you smiling? Why are those demons…acting like you're doing something…I want to say funny?
Willow, I love you…and I just had an idea…I'm waiting for your word…but wait a bit. Just incase what I'm about to do doesn't work.
Pri, what are you-
I LOVE you, Willow. Please…don't fight me…this may help us…trust me.
I'm just so sca-
Scared. So am I…you wouldn't believe.
I love you, too, Pri. Be careful.
I promise-"OW! Get the fuck off me!"
"Hey, prisoners don't give orders," a rather puny demon angrily shoved her from behind. "Let's see this 'true nature' of yours, if you want us to believe this isn't some rouse to delay us finding your little witchy friend."
"I told you bastards, I am NOT a WITCH!" Wind picked up around her in a whirlwind and she held her arms out at her sides, palms up. From the whirlwind came streams of water sprouting up, weaving its way through the gale, her hair changing into short bluish-black spikes. Her muscles bulged and strained against her already skin-tight clothes, a vein in her neck throbbed and twitched and her hands clenched into fists as she bent her elbows and brought her arms back. Her eyes darkened, not solidly as Dark Willow's once did, only the iris became a dark, deep blue with amethyst swirling about. A short, barely noticeable ridge rose from her spine like a not fully-grown fin, and indents appeared along her neck resembling gills, though no actual slits were formed. The watery whirlwind now became so forceful she rose about a foot off the ground, and she finally lowered her arms, the winds ceasing, hovering. "I'm Ťėťļo'ŗąl. The last remaining water demon of the Human world…or the last remaining which possesses any power."
Silence filled the air, the only sounds were the rustle of theҲǽŋģŁẹЌћåʼn's clothes and the still raging fire surrounding them. "Ahem," the captain finally spoke. "If you are being truthful, what reasons do you have for hiding your identity?"
"Fools. If I told you, you would have tossed me off of your fine vessel. I wanted you to bring me as close to my prey as possible before I revealed myself," the Wicca in her demon form chuckled. "This weapon of yours is mine. I followed it from my world…the mortal child thought it could escape me by coming here. Since your target was my prey, I thought I could use you for transportation. I could have killed you at any time-but what use would you be to me as corpses?"
A wave of chuckles went through the crowd, and the captain replied to her power-speech. "So, you're here. Kill us."
"Well, now, I would, but I want to be fair. Your plan was to tell your employers that there was a battle and return to your base for back up. If I were to kill you all, you couldn't go back…there'd be no one to inform your comrades of your failure, and they'd think everything was fine…so no reinforcements could come…they'll all relax and have a jolly good time while your employers get pissed…and looking at the rest of this world's inhabitants when they get pissed, I'm not inclined to thin your employers would take your 'delay' lightly…and your whole organization would be screwed-
"Ok, miss, what's your point?"
"I'm offering you a free ride. Return to your ship, fly back to your…wherever you're from, and tell your employers the truth…that you were faced with an enemy with uneatable strength and resources, so you were forced to turn back…the force had already laid claim to the weapon and you had no choice. I'll leave this world with what is already mine, and no lives will have to be lost."
"I find it odd a demon, of any kind and any world, would give up an opportunity to kill."
"In all honesty, to kill you would be a waste of power and time. I have other…more formidable and worthy opponents to destroy in my world and I'm behind schedule…" the witch in demon form coolly looked at her right hand and examined her fingernails, feigning boredom. "If you truly desire it, I shall play your game," despite her cool manner, her heart was racing and she was fighting to keep her fear hidden.
Pri, what the hell is going on? Is that your full demon form? Whatever you're doing, quit fooling around and get out of there-and stop playing with your fingernails…now isn't the best time to act like nothing's-
Willow, I think all this fear is getting to your head…preventing you from thinking clearly. Now, think.
"I think we'll play," the captain smirked.
Willow watched in terror as every demon in the group took a fighting stance towards Pri. Pri! You told me they absorb magicks, and now you're giving them free samples? I get what you're doing. Showing them your demon form may throw them off from keeping you prisoner…but they can still take your power!
I don't plan on using magicks. The younger witch, in her demon form, shot from under her fingernails steel splinters and scattered them about the ҲǽŋģŁẹЌћåʼn, taking out several in one shot.
Pri…full or surprises…
I don't do this in our world. I was afraid to do it here. I never fully transform like this. If I do I tend to be overpowered by my dark side…plus the splinters hurt like hell… but this world is different…I feel more in control…don't be afraid of me, though, I-
No need to explain. I know you would never hurt me, and you would never put me in danger…LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!
Pri whirled, still in midair, and stopped in time to catch five demons making their move and she took them out with more splinters. Thanks for that, love.
Anytime. The redhead smiled, her body being overcome by a soothing calm. "Everything will be ok," she said to herself aloud.
