Welcome everyone to chapter 21!
Dun dun dun! Here comes Bad Amira doing Bad Amira magic!
Also, I am well aware that Amira's final spell does not have its translation shown and that's on purpose. If you'd like to know what it says, feel free to shoot me a Private Message and I'll send you what it says.
Or you can just ignore it and enjoy the mystery! : )
I hope you enjoy and let's get right into this!
For a moment Murtagh said nothing; he couldn't say anything.
"What do you mean 'Amira killed herself'?" He demanded. "You said she was here! How is she here 'helping your enemy' if she's dead?!"
"Calm down, Amira came back. Tartarus didn't let her stay dead." Annabeth told him, trying to calm the angry Alagaesian.
"Explain yourself."
"Tartarus is in control of the Underworld and when Amira died, he didn't let her stay there. He sent her spirit back to her body after a few hours." Annabeth tried to explain but from the look on Murtagh's face, she wasn't doing a good job; his face was turning red and his hand was clenched tight on the hilt of his sword.
"Murtagh, calm down." Piper tried, lacing a bit of charm-speak into her voice. She saw the tension in his shoulders relax just a bit and she continued her power until his Gedwëy ignasia lost the glow.
The demigods all let out a breath. Even though they had barely just met him, they were pretty sure they didn't want to see Murtagh angry. He was scary enough as it was.
Annabeth nodded once.
"Good. Now if you pay attention, you'll understand."
Several minutes later, Murtagh was frowning as he followed the blonde down a long path before stopping in front of a pair of large doors that didn't seem to have any handles.
Annabeth hid a smile and pressed the elevator's 'down' button. The Alagaesian's grey eyes widened and he started slightly when the doors opened on their own. Annabeth, Piper, and Jason couldn't help but snicker at his expression while they stepped in.
After a moment's hesitation, the Rider followed. Annabeth pushed the down button again and the elevator began its descent. Murtagh stumbled against the wall when he felt the elevator move and Piper muffled her laugh.
"I'm going to guess you've never been in an elevator before?" She teased.
"You know about where I'm from, so I'm going to guess you know the answer to that." Murtagh retorted smartly.
"... Touché." Piper admitted. She brushed away the confused look she got.
The elevator stopped and the four found themselves in the Empire State Building's lobby where they saw Leo, Hazel, and Frank waiting. Leo and Frank were glaring at each other while Hazel stood between them with her face in her hands.
"Where's Nico?" Annabeth asked as a greeting. The two boys' glares turned to nervous looks.
"Um, he left?" Frank answered vaguely, averting his eyes. Annabeth crossed her arms.
"Where did he go?"
"He… didn't… say?" The Roman's response sounded more like a question. Annabeth pressed her lips together
"Is this the new guy?" Leo interrupted, pointing to the Alagaesian.
"New guy?" Murtagh repeated, frowning.
"Guys, this is Murtagh. Where's your brother, Hazel?" Annabeth repeated her question.
"He might have possibly said something about, um… about us not telling you that he was, uh… was going after Amira?" Hazel finished weakly, looking like she was trying to melt into her shirt.
Annabeth's face went blank and she said nothing, which honestly scared her friends more than her yelling or shouting.
"And how exactly was he planning to find her?" She asked through her teeth.
"He said that since he knows the Underworld and since Amira is there then he thinks-".
"You know where Amira is?" Murtagh repeated, hearing only half the conversation.
"Sort of. We just know her general location." Hazel admitted. "Tartarus took control of the Underworld and since Amira is now helping him, we're guessing that he's going to keep her close."
"But Nico has been to the Underworld so many times that he's convinced he can find her and bring her back," Frank added. Murtagh's hand went to cover his eyes.
"Is there any way I can talk to her?" He asked no one in particular.
"Not at this present moment," Jason apologized.
"If there was a way then why would Nico be wandering through the Underworld?" Leo added unhelpfully.
"Besides, there isn't really that big a rush to let her know you're here. Tartarus might be able to find out from her and use it against her." Piper imputed.
"'Not that big of a rush'?" Murtagh repeated, his hand clenching into fists. "It has been more than ten days since she was taken from Alagaesia! I swore to my brother that I would find his apprentice and bring her home and I am going to!"
"Well you're not the only one who wants to find Amira." Leo snapped. "And you're not the only one who cares about her. Why do you think we're here? The seven of us could be back at Camp Half-Blood right now doing nothing but instead, we're out looking for her."
"Time must move slower in your world cuz it's been almost twice as many days here," Frank noted randomly.
The shadows in the room suddenly began to form together into one place before Nico appeared. Clearly, the son of Hades had over-exerted himself because once out of the shadows, he stepped forward only to fall to his knees.
Surprised by his sudden appearance, Murtagh half drew his sword, not sure what happened.
"Nico!" Hazel exclaimed, running over to her half-brother's side. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just… used too much energy." The son of Hades answered after a moment. "But I'll be fine in a minute."
"Did you find Amira?" Annabeth asked him. Nico shook his head, accepting Hazel's help to stand.
"No and that's the thing; I looked literally everywhere in the Underworld besides Tartarus and couldn't find her."
"I thought Tartarus was a being?" Murtagh wondered, sheathing Zar'roc but keeping his hand on the hilt.
"Tartarus is a place in the Underworld but it's the embodiment of the place that worries us," Jason explained simply. Murtagh nodded as if he understood even though he still had no idea. "What about anywhere else, Nico?"
"I searched around the entrances but they're all sealed. I even snuck into dad's palace but I still couldn't find her anywhere. Amira just isn't in the Underworld." The son of Hades announced with a shrug.
"Do you think…?" Annabeth trailed off, looking as deep in thought.
"Think what?"
"It's just a thought but... do you think she would be at Camp?" She mused.
"Why would Amira be at Camp? Tartarus doesn't want her to be around half-bloods." Piper reminded her friend.
"No, he doesn't want her around us because he knows we'll try to bring her back." Annabeth corrected. "She's stronger than we are so we all know that the command to get rid of half-bloods is coming. He could have sent her over to get rid of us without knowing that we aren't actually there."
They were all silent as the daughter of Athena's words sunk in.
"We need to get to Camp Half-Blood." Jason voiced what they were all thinking.
Annabeth nodded and the eight quickly left the Empire State Building.
== Ω Ω Ω ==
Amira sighed as she sat by herself in the creepy Underworld garden.
She already felt so alone. She wanted someone with her who wasn't dead or a monster, she'd take anyone: Leo, Eragon, Hazel, Arya, Murtagh... Being alone was worse than being hated. She would even be fine having a bunch of steaming demigods standing around her glaring.
Anything to get rid of the loneliness.
Ever since Amira learned that Tartarus had lied about Balenda still being alive, she had been avoiding the primordial at every possible chance. True, he had given back her magic but the fact that he had purposefully given her false hope of her soul-partner made her hate him more than any person or being in any of the worlds.
Amira was pulled from her thoughts by loud and angry steps. Her purple eyes rose to see Tartarus storming over. If he had more than just glowing eyes on a swirling pit, Amira knew that his face would not be a happy one.
"Amira!" He demanded. She sighed as she stood and walked over.
"Yes?"
"I have your next mission." The Primordial told her.
Amira held back another sigh. Tartarus had been using her to fetch things for him from the mortal world as he didn't want to go there just yet and she was beginning to feel more like a delivery girl than a warrior.
"As you command." The Alagaesian replied with her usual response and bow.
"Go back up to the mortal world and return to Camp Half-Blood. Those demigods have annoyed me for the last time. Fire, flooding, lightning, however you want. Just get rid of them." Primordial ordered.
Amira felt a stab in her heart. She knew that order was coming eventually. She would have to do anything Tartarus commanded her but she didn't want to hurt her friends. Well, former friends; she undoubtedly lost their trust and friendship.
"Is there a purpose as to why you wish to do this so soon? Had you not planned to rest until you obtain the fullest of your power as you had wished to enact this aspect of your plan yourself?" Amira asked as she tried to find a way to stall her command.
Tartarus seemed to be thinking (or maybe trying to decipher what she said) before angrily shaking his swirling head.
"No. As tempting as that is this cannot wait. Those blasted half-bloods gained something from their gods which I fear could ruin our plans. Now get rid of those Greeks!" With that, he left.
Our.
The Primordial seemed to think that she wanted this all to happen and added her into his rants. What he didn't realize was that Amira wanted this less than everyone. She wished there was something she could do to stop him but as long as she has her oath, she had to obey his commands.
The whole reason she had sworn her oath was that he had told her he spared Balenda but he had lied and now she felt like a piece of s**t.
Amira sighed, something she seemed to be doing a lot lately. She picked up her sword from where she had set it down and buckled it back around her waist. She took a breath and grabbed the small pendant on a chain around her neck, a charm Tartarus gave her that allowed her to travel to and from the Underworld, and closed her eyes.
When she opened them, she found herself in a public park next to a giant rock. Then she realized she had a rather big problem: she didn't know how to get to Camp Half-Blood.
So she shrugged and began to walk. She saw what looked like a forest in the distance so she started that way. She had no idea where she was going but she ended up back in the city. Again, Amira was overwhelmed by the number of people. There were just so many! In just this one place there were more people than all of Surda and Ellesméra combined! The sophistication of all the buildings, the electric signs, the mechanical cars, people's phones…
Amira shook herself from her self-caused daze. She had an incredibly depressing mission to complete.
Two hours and half-a-dozen spells later, she finally managed to find the road that eventually led her to the camp. She saw the very top of the giant statue peeking out from the top of the trees in the forest and started to smile. Then she remembered why she was there and said smile quickly faded. Amira wanted to turn and leave but her oath's command forced her to continue forward. So she kept walking until she reached the top of Half-Blood Hill.
There was camp.
From her position atop the hill, Amira could see everything: the lava wall, the training arena, the lake, the cabins, the pavilion, the stables. She saw the majority of campers in the pavilion so she figured they must be eating. She sighed. Having them gathered all together makes her job easier, sadly. Amira felt tears threaten at the thought of killing all those demigods; they were innocent, they hadn't done anything.
Then a thought came to her. A small smile slowly spread across her face, growing bigger as the idea grew. She looked around the entire camp, seeing a few other people here and there. She took a breath and haired her hands, palm raised and glowing.
"Benir alr eom sem ília." Amira chanted.
(Gather all to that place)
She saw the few people that were not at the pavilion stop what they were doing and move to the crowded building. She nodded once everyone was there before stretching her hands out again.
"Taelda alr."
(Entrap all)
Amira felt her energy drain. She watched as a giant wall of energy formed around the pavilion, closing in all the campers and preventing any and all from leaving. She carefully lowered herself to her knees, tired. Her eyesight was blurred and her ears rang so she took the littlest of energy stored in Arvindr's gem. She saw someone try to leave but they were blocked by her shield.
That was done.
Amira sat on the ground, waiting for her energy to return. She saw the campers starting to panic as they tried to attack the barrier but despite the number of weapons hacking at the invisible wall, it stood strong against the Alagaesian's magic.
After several minutes, the half-elf felt her hearing and vision clear and her energy was restored so she stood. She knew the spell she planned to cast would be very strong and would cause her to blackout so she found a place with soft ground. She rolled her arms and took a very deep breath, mentally preparing herself. Feeling ready, she stood strong and held out her hands.
"Atra sem ília eitha thornessa welden un gánga eom und!"
Amira felt a surge of magic in response to her Ancient Language. She fought hard, knowing she had to maintain her spell until it was complete for fear it would backfire. It was difficult and several times Amira felt her concentration or her magic waver but she took a breath and forced her mind to calm and focus. She remembered something Eragon had told her when she first began her apprenticeship:
"Magic is the art of thinking, not strength or language. It comes from the mind and heart, not the mouth."
As Amira concentrated, the pavilion began to waver and fade from view until it completely disappeared; the building itself and everyone inside was completely gone with not a trace left.
Amira ended her spell and fell to the ground.
Mission accomplished.
And that concludes the twenty-first 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!
