Welcome everyone to chapter 13!
Battles and dreamland, ladies and gentlemen! I also realized that in every story I've written, someone has gotten shot in the arm by an arrow. Hmm. Must be some kinda weird... not kink... some kinda thing I like to do to hurt characters.
I dunno. I just had the thought.
I hope you enjoy and let's get right into this!
Author's Note:
I'm cursing myself because I'm a dimwit with a bad memory. I'm pretty sure I had forgotten to add Nico in the last chapter. So instead of going back and practically rewriting half the story, let's just assume he's just been there the whole time, chilling in the background shadows all creepy-like.
Jason couldn't help but shiver in apprehension as the loud screech rang in his ears.
"What was that?!" He demanded. Amira didn't bother answering.
"LEAVE! GO! NOW!" She practically screamed. The son of Jupiter didn't question further and he and Festus shot forward, flying west. Amira glanced back and saw the Lethrblaka were already in the air.
"Holy…"
Jason also made the mistake of looking back and instantly began pouring more speed but was forced to slow when the Lethrblaka's riders began shooting at the pair. The arrows just pinged off of Festus but Amira had to duck under more than a few. The problem came when a lucky shot hit Jason's arm, who did not have the protection of wards. He cried out and lost concentration. His control over the winds faded and he began falling to the ground.
"JASON!" Rational thinking came quickly and Amira yelled out, "Vëoht mihh eom aí letta!"
(Slow him to a stop)
The son of Jupiter's descent slowed to a stop just above the ground and Amira released the spell but he was already close to unconsciousness. Festus turned and dove to land in between him and the Lethrblaka and the Rider jumped off. The Ra'zac too dismounted, drawing their bows, and Amira prepared herself.
Festus roared and blew fire at the creatures and they shied away but not before letting loose their Seithr-covered arrows. Amira blocked the ones aimed at her and the wooden arrows had no effect on Festus. He stopped his steady stream and the Lethrblaka grew impatient so they charged the dragon in an aerial assault but the bat-like beast had forgotten or simply did not know that Festus was made of pure metal.
The two collided and the Lethrblaka was knocked back, outmatched in weight and strength. The Ra'zac glanced over at its mount and Amira took the opening to attack but its neck was saved by the intervention of its friend. Their swords clashed and sparks flew. Amira was forced to go on the defensive as the two remaining creatures attacked at once. She spun back and again drew her Parry-style-Dagger from her belt to block strikes from the Ra'zac. She gritted her teeth but despite her efforts, she failed to get in attacks of her own and was forced into defense. Then one of the Ra'zac got in a blow and their sword hit her back with the side of their blade.
Her steel-boned halter bustier was made of firm leather-armor and protected her from getting sliced in half but she was still knocked back onto the ground with a slice in her tunic's sleeve. Arvindr and her dagger were sent flying out of reach and the Ra'zac raised its own weapon in what it thought to be the finishing stroke. Timing her action just right, Amira kicked out her foot and knocked it back. But the second Ra'zac saw her distraction as an opening and swung its blade at her head.
Amira's purple eyes flashed as the weapon came down in an arc. Her heartbeat painfully fast and her mind desperately scrambled for a spell.
"Sharjalví edtha fra thornessa jierda!" She cried out in desperation.
(move me from this hit)
The Ancient Language fell from her lips and once her Gedwëy Ignasia glowed silver, Amira was suddenly yanked out of reach by an unseeable force, sparks flying as the Ra'zac's sword hit the hard cemented ground as his target was now out of its reach. It made a horrible growling sound and Amira quickly flipped up to her feet. The second Ra'zac had managed to sneak up behind her though. Right before her neck would have pierced by its arrow, someone appeared beside her and sliced the projectile in half mid-air.
Nico shoved the cloaked creature back and swung his black sword in a deadly series of attacks. Ignoring Amira for the moment, the second Ra'zac discarded it's bow and drew its own sword. Glancing over his shoulder, the son of Hades noticed and shadow-traveled behind his attacker before stabbing the creature in the back, the Stygian Iron of his sword absorbing the creature's soul into the blade.
Next to them, there was a *sickening crunch* as Festus's metal jaw bit down on the neck of the last Lethrblaka. Amira jumped forward with a shout and managed to stab the final Ra'zac through the back, effectively killing it and ending their battle.
The fight ending in Amira and Nico's victory, the Rider and half-blood stood panting and worn out before remembering that Jason was still wounded. They ran over and Nico pulled out a small bag with ambrosia, kneeling beside their friend.
"Ow…" Jason groaned, hand on his blood-covered arm where the arrow jutted out. "This really hurts. At least it wasn't another brick though."
Nico ignored his friend's attempt at a joke and scanned his eyes over the wound.
"It didn't go through your arm but it might have hit bone. We could take it out but there's the possibility of tearing a vein or nerve and that'd cause more than leaving it in." He decided. A frown came to his lips as he realized that he may have been spending too much time with Will.
"The Ra'zac's coat their weapons in deadly Seithr Oil so we cannot leave it in. Pull out the arrow; if I am quick enough, I might be able to heal him." Amira ordered, kneeling beside them and readying her magic.
"Might?!" Jason repeated with wide eyes.
"Are you ready?" The half-elf asked.
"This is gonna hurt," Nico warned the Roman, grabbing the arrow's shaft.
"Can't be worse than that gladius from Michael Varus." Jason replied, bracing himself.
Nico pulled the arrow out.
Two minutes later, Blackjack and Arion landed on the ground beside Amira, Jason, and Nico.
"Hey guys," Jason greeted as Amira chanted her magic.
"We heard lots of shrieking but were too far away to help. What happened?" Annabeth asked worriedly.
"Lethrblaka," Amira reported simply with a concentrated frown as she healed Jason's arm.
"Bat-looking things with mounted riders attacked us," Jason explained. "They shot me down and-"
"WHAT?!" Piper shrieked, rushing to his side. "Where? Let me see!
"It's fine! I'm fine, Pipes." Jason assured, trying to calm her down. He chin nodded to where Amira knelt beside him, her hand glowing. "Amira's healing me."
"Festus and I defended Jason while he was wounded on the ground," Amira continued after finishing her healing, the spell of healing having required more focus energy on Earth. "My life may have ended there but Nico stepped in and saved me. Well, he rather just appeared."
"The official term is shadow-travel: it's like using the shadows as a portal to teleport," Nico explained.
"Thank you anyway," Amira thanked the son of Hades. He nodded in response.
"Well, thank goodness for that." Annabeth let out a breath of relief.
Deciding that the fight Ra'zac may have attracted unwanted attention from any nearby monsters, the group decided to continue on. As they flew, Amira was hit with sudden weariness. (Nico had already fallen asleep on Mrs. O'Leary).
Amira frowned as she felt herself starting to fall asleep. As a half-elf and Alagaesian Rider, she should have been able to stay awake for days longer with full energy and strength. Still, she continued to struggle to stay awake and despite her efforts, she eventually fell asleep.
When Amira opened her eyes, she was no longer on Festus's back; she stood in the middle of a large garden filled with deathly white trees just outside a palace made of pure black stone.
'Amira!?'
Amira's purple eyes widened. She would know that voice anywhere.
"BALENDA!" She exclaimed as she spun around.
Her hands went to her mouth with a gasp: the purple dragon stood several dozen feet away but thick black chains around her neck and legs chained her to the palace's wall. Standing next to her was a large humanoid figure that radiated such hatred and malevolence that Amira wanted to drop and run but he had Balenda so she managed to stand her ground, if barely.
"Who are you?" She demanded, drawing her sword.
"Has Perseus not told you of our previous encounter? Surely he still has night terrors," The being answered.
The being's dark voice sent a shiver of fear down Amira's spine and her gaze darkened.
"Tartarus." She realized.
"Yes. Normally I do not interfere with the ongoings of mortals and demigods but you intrigue me." The primordial told her, crossing his gigantic arms. "My latest encounter with Perseus has made me the laughing stock of the primordials. ME! The strongest and most powerful of primordials, outwitted by two half-gods, a mind-wiped Titan, and a turncoat Giant!"
Amira heard a scowl in Tartarus' deep rumbling voice.
"I curse that I failed to keep the Doors of Death away from the hands of those two demigods. Unfortunately, that spawn of Poseidon is out of my direct reach and even I do not have power against Gûntera and his deities. However, aside from crowning new dwarven kings, they are not allowed to interfere with the lives of mortals which means I can send a couple of friends after him."
If he had a face Amira suspected that the primordial would have been smirking. She made sure she paid enough attention to tell the others when she woke up (she was reasonable enough to realize she was in fact in a dream) but the majority of her attention was on Balenda.
'Are you alright?' Amira asked through their mental connection.
'I am fine. How did you get here?' Her partner of soul and mind asked in response, fighting against the thick black chains.
'I am here only in mind as my body is asleep. Where are you?'
'I don't know. I have not-'
"Hey!" Tartarus growled, snapping his giant fingers in front of Amira's face. She naturally stumbled back a couple of paces. "Pay attention!"
"Percy embarrassed you with the help of a Titan and Giant and you cannot reach him in Alagaesia because of Gûntera so you are now sending 'friends' after him to do your dirty work for you," Amira repeated deadpanned.
"Oh. You were listening." Tartarus scratched the back of his swirling head. "Well… Pay more attention! Don't talk to your dragon!"
"How do you expect me to not?" Amira snapped, anger flairing. "I have neither seen nor heard from my soul-partner in days and now that she has appeared to me in a dream, you think you can command me to ignore her?!"
"Yes, I do." Tartarus answered, a frown in his dark voice.
'Amira, I have no idea where I am. I just appeared here after you went to talk with Eragon.' Balenda told her Rider.
'Try to find your location so that I may find a wa-'
"ENOUGH!" Tartarus thundered. Balenda growled in anger and immediately all the fear Amira felt evaporated, replaced by rage.
"Release my dragon!" She demanded, her knuckles white from her grip on her sword's hilt.
"You think you can command me?!" The primordial laughed. Amira charged at Tartarus but when she swung at him, her blade passed right through his being. "Ah, but you are not actually here. You have no power."
Tartarus backhanded her and she was sent flying. She landed on her side with a loud crack and shout, gasping and clutching her side; it felt like she had broken several ribs.
"I admire your bravery but frown at your idiocy. I, however, created this dream so I can affect you." Tartarus stepped forward and towered over the Rider, his giant steps shaking the ground.
"Now listen closely. You are going to disrupt and end the quest that you and your little group of friends are attempting; kill them, lead them astray, lie, steal, whatever you choose. Just keep the accursed demigods from interfering with my plans. I will be checking up on you to make sure you accomplish your tasks and if you fail to do as I say…"
He held up a glass vial filled with a thick silver liquid.
"What is that?" Amira asked, gasping in pain as her broken ribs moved.
"Poison. Fatal even to dragons, in a high enough dosage, and excruciatingly painful too. I do love some of the mortals' inventions. Now get to work."
And that concludes the twelfth chapter of A Strange and Different Land!
Thank you all for reading and I hope you chose to continue the story. Please feel free to leave a review. Criticism, advice, compliments or corrections are welcome.
Have a good one and I'll see you later!
