Chapter 42

~Normal POV~

Next morning Darkness got me up again, but earlier. It was still dark out, but you could tell the sun was gonna start coming up any second.

"That's the horse life High Priestess, get used to it these next two days," Darkness quipped as we walked to the stables.

"I have a name, nimrod."

"And I have a name too, pumpkin head."

"Hey, no fair using my own name calling against me."

"Too bad." We got to the stables and I mucked out the stalls again. I did better this time and I brushed out the horses' coats, manes, and tails.

"I don't need to practice archery today. Just agility. Could we like, set up an obstacle course with the hay bales?" Darkness shrugged.

"Go ahead, I guess. I'm not helping." I huffed, but, what did I expect? With difficulty, I dragged the hay bales where I wanted them. The horses watched with interest. Darkness found my struggles amusing, of course. I finally got everything set up. I grinned, proud. I used the whole day to work on my agility. I got better, but I do still need work. I put the hay away when I was done. Again, no help from Darkness. Nothing new. Tonight, I went straight to sleep. No food at all during the day. I just wanted to practice. Next morning after a 4:30 AM breakfast, Darkness was even more grumpy than usual when I called out for him, and taking care of the horses after breakfast,

"Yo, do you have any saddles?" I asked after putting away the brushes.

"'Yo'," Darkness mocked. "No, why would I? I let them be free, other than taming them, they're free to roam around here. The fence-line is big."

"Damn, I wanted to ride one of these two, or both."

"There is such a thing as bareback riding." I looked at him, a little unsure.

"I think I would prefer having the safety of the saddle."

"Wuss."

"Am not! I just want to be safe is all. Plus, if I get injured, I don't know when the Olympics is, I might still be injured by the time that comes around. I'd like to participate." Chestnut came over to me and lipped my cheek. I giggled and pet his snout (A/N: still dunno what the long face of a horse is called).

"They seem to trust you." I looked back to Darkness, not as unsure. He's right, they do seem to trust me, given Starburst's interaction with me yesterday as I brushed out her tail and Chestnut's interaction with me just now.

"Fine, I'll try." I turned to Chestnut. I tried to get on his back, but it was hard. Darkness sighed, rolled his eyes, and came over to help me. Chestnut moved a little, uneasy. "Whoa, boy. It's ok. He's helping me get on your back," I soothed, petting his neck. Chestnut settled a bit. I was able to get on him with no issue now. "Where the hell do I hang on?"

"Just lean forward and put your arms around his neck," Darkness said impatiently. I mean, fair... I'm just a little uneasy. This is very different. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms gently around Chestnut's neck. Darkness clicked his tongue and Chestnut started moving. That was very unnerving. I hung on tighter, but not too tight. I don't wanna hurt Chestnut. After a little bit of Chestnut walking around, I got braver and more used to riding bareback. I sat up a little more. Chestnut then sped up a little.

Darkness was leaning forward against the fence, looking out, his back to me. Of course he's uninterested. I rode Chestnut around the pasture for a long time, the horse getting increasingly faster as I became more comfortable. At the end, Chestnut galloped with me on his back to the stable. It was exhilarating! I'm glad I overcame my uneasiness. I got off Chestnut's back clumsily.

"Thank you Chestnut." I gently patted his neck, then I went over to Darkness. "What do you have in store for me next?" He stood straight again. Before I knew it, there were Darkness tendrils all around me, slithering up my legs and encasing my body. "The frick?!" I exclaimed out of shock. The horses reared and whinnied, galloping away.

"You'll be wrapped in these for the rest of your stay. I've been thinking about how to get you on my side since you went out riding. I figured being wrapped in darkness would be the only way for you to break. You're too good at resisting mind games, High Priestess." He had the tendrils bring me to my cell and I was forced to the ground. I glared at Darkness.

"This won't work. I won't give in." He said nothing and locked the door, taking the key with him. A few minutes passed and I heard things I never heard before. Whispers, all saying 'give in to the darkness', 'join us', etc etc. I rolled my eyes. "Never, you can shut up." That didn't work, the whispers only grew louder. I sighed. I closed my eyes, hoping I can just sleep the rest of today away. I couldn't fall asleep. My body is too used to being awake during these hours and I didn't really exercise.

Over the course of the day, I kept my mind blank. I kept the whispers out of my mind. I didn't think of them. I ignored their presence. I wondered if I'd get fed now, seeing as I'm pretty much straight-jacketed by the tendrils. I kind of doubt it, I had a feeling Darkness wouldn't want me to get unwrapped, even for a moment. I can feel his intention, and it's not pretty. He's desperate now. He really wants my power. He knows he has very little time left now. He basically said that this was his last resort. He didn't say it outright, but it was intoned in what he said about this being the only way he can think of to get me to join his side.

I'm not scared, I won't falter. Throughout the rest of the day, I laid there, on the ground, keeping the whispers out of my mind. Darkness came in, tried talking to me, but I was so zoned out, I didn't know it. I never heard his voice, but I felt his presence. As he went away, I finally drifted off to sleep. I had a nightmare. The tendrils entered my brain, taking me, over. I transformed then, into a darker version of myself. To be honest, I looked badass, not gonna lie. Still, that isn't me. I would never join Darkness. Dark me followed Darkness to the main islands, standing atop the Isle of Gathering building's rooftop. Dark me called out to everyone. As everyone gathered, I could see the disappointment and sadness on their faces.

"Phoenix..." Gandus said, very hurt. That pained me, I never want to hear that again... In fact, I won't hear that ever again. This won't happen, it's only a nightmare.

"Nix... noooo..." Oh... Ianite, her reaction shot right through my heart. She'd fallen to her knees. Dark me didn't care, not one bit. Ooohhhh... that made my decision for me. Like hell I'm letting Darkness convert me. If, somehow, I wasn't so against it now, I'm definitely dead set on keeping my wits about me now. Dark me made a whole speech about Darkness being better and let out a big soulfire ring. I heard terrified squeals and I really hope everyone took cover. But by the time I could see, I'd been startled awake by Darkness' voice in real life.

"Get up."

"I can't, dumbass. These damned things are binding my legs and arms, remember? I can't do shit."

"You'd do well to hold your tongue. You've got until 7 PM tonight to be converted. It seems like now you've still got your wits about you."

"And I still will. Remember what Phoenix and I said, you won't prevail. I will escape. It's inevitable. Just give up."

"Never! I will have you on my side, no matter what it takes!" He raised his arms, the tendrils punctured my skin and I could feel something. I think he's literally pumping darkness into me. Aw fuck. THIS is his last resort. I had to do something, to keep the darkness from taking over me. I thought quickly. I thought of Ianite, keeping my love for her close to me. I thought of Sparky, our friendship with each other and closeness as fellow Ianite followers. I thought of Gandus, my sister. We finally met up again after 16 years. I focused on our relationship as sisters.

I thought of Karl, his friendliness and gentleness despite his rugged, caveman looks. I thought of Tom, the dapper zombie who loves mischief. I chuckled to myself. His antics do make me laugh sometimes. I thought of Dec, my fellow Priest of the gods. I thought of Mianite and Dianite. Their silly quarrels and how Ianite keeps the Balance. Ianite... Balance... her presence is full of turmoil, that's right. And it's my job to make it so that her presence is more peace. I can't let Darkness win.

I struggled against the tendrils, Darkness restrained me harder, but I was stronger. I could feel my soulfire magic bubbling through me. It started to burn up the tendrils that had pierced my skin and I let it out. A burst of soulfire came out through me, starting from the middle and going outward, getting bigger as it burnt up every little bit of darkness that surrounded me. The soulfire also purified my body as it burned every bit of Darkness' tendrils. I took the soulfire explosion as the perfect cover to escape. I melted the lock off of the door and ran the opposite direction of where Darkness was. I went immediately to the stables. I'm so glad I practiced my soulfire magic... if I hadn't, I'd hate to think how badly I'd be done in by the Darkness right now...

On my way, I'd erected a strong soul barrier. It moved with me. I had silently called to the souls and asked them to strengthen their numbers and strength, so that I could be safe. I ran along the pasture, looking for the horses. When I found them on the edge, I hopped onto Chestnut's back and clicked my tongue at Starburst, basically calling for her to follow us. I had Chestnut leap the fence, that was super unnerving. I hadn't practiced jumping fences bareback, but I had to, in order to escape. I got a little unsteady when he jumped, but I hastily righted myself. After a long time galloping away, I felt Aianite's presence at the shoreline. I veered left, bringing the three of us to her. Aianite was surprised, but she was on the ball. She teleported us alongside herself to the Isle of Gathering.

Momentum kept the horses going, however, and the three of us ended up in the water. I let down my soul barrier now that we're safe. Aianite, giggling, helped me get the startled horses to come back to shore. When we got the horses settled, I held on tight to Aianite.

"Please... tell me that's the last time I have to deal with the Darkness until it's my time to shine..." Aianite gently rubbed my back.

"I promise Nix, it is. You focus on getting more stronger than him now. Keep up your soulfire magic and your soul magic. Those, alongside your psychic powers, will help you in the fight against him." I nodded. I will practice, no doubt. I felt more presences get near us. It's all my friends and Ianite.

"Nix! You're ok! Drenched though, what happened?" I held on tight to Ianite now. I sunk to the ground, she came down with me, holding me.

"I don't wanna talk about it... let me revel in being here with you guys again..." I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Sparky. His presence was the other closest one to me.

"We're glad to have you back, Nix. We'll give you as much space as you need." I nodded.

"Where'd these horses come from?" Tom asked. Innocent question, but... I tightened my grip on Ianite.

"Um... let's not talk about the horses with her here, ok?" Ianite suggested, knowing what that meant. "I think I'll take her home. Let us both be together alone for a while, ok?" Sounds of affirmation sounded from the others and Ianite teleported herself and I to our place. She sat us on the hill.

~Aianite's POV~

After Ianite and Nix disappeared, "These horses came from Darkness' land. The white mare is Starburst and the dappled gray stallion is Chestnut. She used Chestnut to escape. I watched as everything unfolded. I hid my presence, as I'm a spirit, I can do that, and I kept watch, making sure that everything went according to prophecy. What she went through was fairly intense... yesterday Darkness entangled his darkness tendrils around her, then earlier he made them break into her skin and tried physically pumping darkness into her. Thankfully she'd been good at practicing her soulfire magic, not diligent, but practicing enough so that it helped her.

"It burst from her and burnt up the tendrils, also purifying her at the same time. In the confusion, she took that chance to escape and sprinted through the pasture where the horses were kept and when she found them, she leapt right onto Chestnut's back and called for Starburst to follow. I waited for Phoenix to feel my presence, which she did, but when she came to me with two horses, I was shocked, but I recovered quickly so that I may teleport them back here. To answer Ianite's question of why her and the horses are soaked, the momentum from the horses galloping sent them into the ocean when they appeared here."

The looks on everyone's faces was shock, naturally. It's quite the tale to tell.

"Oh, Nix..." Gandus was most stricken by the tale. I'm not surprised. They're sisters, they also just finally bonded again. The others also felt for Nix. It seems like they'll give her the space she needs to recover from the ordeal. I hope they do. I know Sparklez, Dec, Karl, and Mianite will. I think Nix would be ok with Gandus' presence. Though I hope Gandus understands that Nix needs time before she can talk about it. After I felt that they'll be good now, I went back to the spirit world. My body felt the pull again.

~Normal POV~

I had laid on the ground, my head on Ianite's lap. She was gently running her fingers through my hair. That felt so soothing.

"Why was I drenched? Aia teleported me and the horses here. I was on the gray and white one's back and momentum kept us going straight into the water."

"I see. You escaped on a horse, huh? Quite the heroic act, don't you think?"

"I am a hero, but... that experience was awful... I wanna go to bed early." Ianite nodded and I sat up. She teleported Gandus back and came with me to bed after explaining to Gandus that we were off to bed early because of what happened. Thankfully Gandus understood and after we laid down, I curled up against Ianite. I may have been brave in the face of danger, but now, I'm allowed to show how it affected me. Ianite held me close to her, gently rubbing my back.

"Thank you Ia... I love you, so much."

"Oh, Nix. I love you too. I wish sweet dreams for you, my Champion." I smiled a small smile and I was able to fall asleep faster than I did back in that cell, because the familiarity of Ianite was making me feel safe.

A/N: I tried including a front and back pic of Dark Phoenix, but this stupid site won't show them in the chapter... dammit fucking all...