Welcome everyone to chapter 18!
It's Deal Time y'all! In the past, I've gotten some mixed reviews about this chapter but if you think about and read it carefully, it makes a version of sense.
I hope you enjoy and let's get right into this!
"So what do we do now?"
Piper, Annabeth, Jason, Leo, Hazel, Frank, and Nico had all gathered to sit in the Infirmary's waiting room. After seeing and hearing Amira in so much pain, they decided she just needed some time alone.
Annabeth shrugged in response to Hazel's question.
"I'm not sure." The daughter of Athena admitted.
"Amira's the main person of the prophecy. We're just here to help." Jason reminded. "We can't do anything without her."
"But she's really hurt right now, physically and emotionally. We can't make her do anything yet." Hazel argued.
"I don't know about the whole "Alagaesian Dragon Rider" thing but losing her dragon really hurt her," The son of Mars agreed.
"Amira said Tartarus had used it to blackmail her into helping him," Nico remembered.
"She also said he had threatened to kill the dragon if she told us about talking with him," Jason added. "He hadn't wanted us to know she was helping him."
"I made her." Piper's eyes widened and her hand went to her mouth with a gasp. "Oh my gods, I made her tell us, and he-"
"It's not your fault, Pipes." Jason interrupted her, shaking his head. "You couldn't have known what would happen. We were all so caught up in trying to figure out what she didn't want to tell us."
"I still feel horrible." She muttered. He returned his arm around her.
"Amira also said something about not being able to use her magic." Hazel's golden eyes held sadness for her friend as she cuddled in Frank's embrace. "From her reaction, I'm gonna guess that's something that shouldn't have happened."
"I agree but Apollo said Amira had literally killed herself from using too much magic after Tartarus killed her dragon." Her boyfriend reminded her. The room fell into silence once more then Jason leaned forward on his knees.
"I know absolutely nothing about Amira's world so I don't know how it all works there but- I'm gonna go on a limb here- but maybe… maybe she died as a "Dragon Rider" but when she was brought back, she was just regular Amira? No dragon or magic or anything, just a regular person?" He suggested.
"That would make sense." Annabeth agreed slowly. "Nico? Have you noticed anything different about her?"
The son of Hades turned to look at the door to Amira's room.
"I don't know. I mean, her life-force is pretty weak but it's definitely still there." He reported, brows furrowed and arms crossed. "There is something different about her but it's a small change and I can't tell what. As for her magic, I don't know anything about it so I don't know what I'd be looking for."
"I thought so." The daughter of Wisdom sighed. "But you and Jason are right that we don't know enough about her or her world."
"She's so torn right now. She looks and sounds really depressed. How long do you think she'll be like this?" Hazel sighed worriedly.
"I can't say for sure but I doubt this is the kind of thing Amira will just brush off in a day."
The seven sat in silence for several more minutes as they thought of their friend. They didn't know Amira very well but it hurt them to see her in so much pain and her not being from Earth really didn't help with trying to form ideas of how to make her feel better.
"I hate seeing her like that." Piper sniffed after a few minutes, eyes looking glassy. "She just sounded so... so empty and broken. It was like she was drained of all feelings."
"I wish there was a way we could help." Hazel agreed miserably.
"Are you okay, Leo? You haven't said anything since we left Amira's room."
Leo looked up at Jason's words, a little startled.
"Huh? What was that?" He asked.
His mind was running a hundred miles an hour but despite what those thoughts were, they always returned to Amira's kissing him. His lips tingled when he thought of how soft her own had been and the distracting thought had caused him to zone out everything everyone had said until then.
"I was asking if you were okay. You haven't moved for five minutes. That's not exactly normal for you." Jason repeated.
"Oh. Sorry, I- I'm just super tired and my brain isn't working right. Think I got a couple of loose screws up top." He faked a grin, tapping his head with a small screwdriver he had been fingering.
He wasn't sure how they would react if he told them what he was thinking about. His friends nodded, believing him.
"I think we're all pretty tired right now." Annabeth agreed. "We should get some rest."
"Should someone stay with Amira? Just in case she needs anything," Hazel suggested.
Leo wanted to volunteer but Piper beat him to it. With that, the six others agreed and left.
Piper took a breath then returned to the room Amira was in. She knocked gently before going in to see that Amira hadn't moved. Her eyes opened to see who came in but they closed again after she saw.
"Hey." Piper greeted softly. "You okay?"
"Why am I still asked that when you know that I am not?" The purple-haired teen sighed, her usually light voice now quiet and dull.
Piper moved over and sat on the loveseat by the widow to Amira's left.
"I'm sorry. We just don't like seeing you like this. It hurts." She apologized.
"You do not understand what it is like to be hurt," Amira muttered, not moving. "I now feel a pain your mind cannot comprehend. My best friend, my partner of soul and mind... she was taken as well as a part of me. I have lost my magic as well, a thing that should not have been possible-"
"I am so sorry, Amira! It's all my fault everything happened to you!" Piper broke down miserably. The half-blood's apology actually made Amira sit up and turn around.
"What do you mean?" She frowned.
"I made you tell us about your deal with Tartarus, I forced you." Piper explained, wiping at her eyes. "I made you tell us and he kept good on his threat so it's all my fault that you lost your dragon."
For a moment neither of them said anything. Then Amira sighed.
"Piper... I do not blame you." She told her, her voice a little stronger than before. The daughter of Aphrodite looked up. "Yes, your abilities forced me to tell you of my betrayal but your actions also saved your friends. Had we continued our quest, I would have led you into Tartarus's trap and you would have perished. But instead, I was brought here. You saved your friends."
"But you lost your dragon because of me. You said it yourself that she was a part of you." Piper argued lightly.
Amira said nothing, her heart aching. She wasn't sure what to say. Deciding against talking, the two girls instead said nothing and just sat in silence for several awkward minutes.
"So what's going on with you and Leo?" Piper finally asked to break the silence.
Amira felt her cheeks heat up and thought that the Cherokee girl somehow knew about her kissing Leo. Then she realized she was just talking about him staying with her earlier and her blush faded.
"Um… I am not sure." She lied, trying to bluff her way through. Piper gave her a look that was soft but still said 'do you expect me to believe that?'
"Amira, I don't know what's going on with you two but one second you're close and happy then the next you're practically avoiding him, then you're back together."
"It is not as simple as that." Amira dropped her gaze.
"My mother is the goddess of love. Try me." The half-blood stated with the barest hint of a smile.
"Well... *sigh* I am not from this world, from your "Earth", but he is. I hopefully will sometime be returned to Alagaesia and when I am, I have doubts that I will ever return. I do not want to give him false hope that he can be with me."
Piper nodded, understanding her predicament.
"But...?" She urged.
"But what?" Amira frowned.
"You're leaving something out."
"I do not want to give him false hope." The Alagaesian relented. "But… I cannot stop as I feel myself beginning to… to..."
"To love him?" Piper finished gently. Amira didn't bother to reply; she already knew her answer.
"I know that Jason does not want me to as he has made clear." Piper frowned at that but Amira shook her head, fighting back tears as her hands turned to fists. "I just wish all of this had never happened. I could have had a good life. We had just won the war and Alagaesia was finally free. If I had not let go and fallen unto that damned wind tunnel, I would have remained with Eragon."
Amira shook her head, fighting back tears.
"But if you hadn't then Percy wouldn't have gone to your world and helped defeat the giants," Piper argued. "No one would know anything about our monsters and your world would have been overrun and probably destroyed. Plus… we wouldn't have gotten to meet you."
Amira tried for a smile but failed.
"I guess you are right. I still continue to miss my homeland and friends."
"Anyone would. I'm sure they miss you too but if you want to get back then we need to stop Tartarus."
"I know. It is hard for me and I am very nervous." Amira admitted quietly. "I have already killed myself just because he made me mad. He also has done the impossible and stole my magic. I do not know what else is capable of."
Piper had to admit she had a point but before she could say anything else, Amira laid back down and turned over.
"Night." The demigod sighed quietly, laying down on the couch. After a moment she closed her eyes, praying there was a way she could help her friend.
Amira wasn't sure what happened.
One minute she was laying on her bed and the next she was once again falling through darkness. She wasn't sure how long she was but it didn't seem to end. When she did finally see the ground, it was about twenty feet away.
"Letta pömnuria jierda!" She exclaimed out of habit.
(Stop my hit)
Her purple eyes widened when nothing happened so she tried to brace herself. A fall like that should have broken her back but she instead just got the wind knocked out of her.
"Did you already forget you don't have magic?" A voice asked mockingly.
Amira scowled. She hated that voice. It had ruined what could have been a good life for her. Ignoring the pain in her back Amira stood up and faced the Primordial that stole her from her world, killed her dragon, and took her magic.
"What do you want?" She growled.
"I just needed to ask you a few questions."
The Primordial stood with his giant arms crossed in a large room that looked to be made of glittering black obsidian, a huge black onyx throne sitting proudly on a raised dais behind him. Shadow fountains placed in each corner of the room were decorated with bouquets of flowers made of precious metals and jewels.
Amira scowled.
"What have I done to you to deserve this?!" She demanded.
"You've done nothing, actually." He confessed.
"Then why do this to me? Why ruin my life?"
"Maybe because the gods don't really care about you and won't intervene. Maybe because you're such an easy target. Or maybe because you could have been a serious threat to my plans."
"Me? How could I have ruined your plans?" Amira was surprised.
"You are a Dragon Rider who has strong magic- sorry, you were a Dragon Rider who had strong magic." He taunted. Amira fought back tears and clenched her fists.
"Eka otherúm. Eka weohnata vergarí ono un meka voil hvat ono hávr denó." She swore in the Ancient Language.
(I will stop you. I will kill you and make you pay for what you have done.)
Tartarus laughed evilly, his swirling head unnerving.
"And how exactly will you stop me? You have no magic." He taunted.
"I- I do not know but somehow I will!"
"Or I could make this easy for you. I could give you back your magic and dragon and in return, you join me." Tartarus offered. Amira's eyes widened.
"Balenda is alive?! Yo- you have my magic?" She gasped.
"Yes. I simply destroyed the bond between you and your dragon and you didn't lose your ability to work magic because I took it from you. I will give them both back and in return, you join me and leave the demigods." He repeated.
Amira couldn't say anything.
Tartarus took her magic and didn't kill Balenda! As much as she desperately wanted her magic and partner-of-soul, she also wanted her friend's trust. She didn't make it known to many but Amira knew that loyalty and trust were her fatal flaws.
It almost physically hurt her to even think of betraying her friends (again) but with her magic, she might be able to find a way back to Alagaesia and finally be reunited with her partner-of-soul again. But… she would have to fully betray her friends and possibly fight against them.
Could she do that?
"I- I should not…" Amira averted her gaze and shook her head. Her mind was twisted as it battled itself.
"You say you shouldn't but again you know what you want." Tartarus seemed to know what she was thinking. "If you still plan to try to defeat me, at which you will fail, who will help you? Your so-called "friends" have no need for you anymore; your magic has saved them many times but now that it is gone now, they see you as nothing but a burden. As extra weight."
"No! You are wrong, they do want my help!" Amira denied but the primordial was slowly starting to make her doubt herself.
"Then ask them. Ask your friends if and why they would want you to continue. The demigods will say they wanted your magic. You will see I am right and when you do, your dragon and I will be waiting."
And that concludes the seventeenth 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!
