Welcome everyone to chapter 29!
Time for Amira to get truthful and start explaining!
It has been brought to my attention via private message that I made a mistake. I'm far too lazy to actually go back and fix the whole chapter so I'll just say it right here:
Because of the death of her dragon, Amira is no longer immortal so she's now aging really slowly now.
Being honest I uh... I actually had no idea about that. See, I haven't even finished Inheritance Cycle yet. I just sorta skipped around until I got the gist of things. So thanks to my good buddy Ultimatrix bearer for pointing that out! : )
I hope you enjoy and let's get right into this!
Amira was slow to wake.
It felt like she was moving but so slowly it was as though she wasn't. She finally saw a faint pinprick of light and it grew larger and larger until it filled her vision. A moment later, the light cleared and she could see.
The purple-haired half-elf grimaced as she blinked several times. She moved to raise her hands but found that she was unable to. Her purple eyes widened and she looked down. She was sitting in a wooden chair in a room she didn't recognize. There were no ropes or other forms of restraints around her yet she still was unable to move her body, only her head able to move.
"Brakka du vanyalí sem huildar edtha." Amira chanted, knowing she was bound with magic.
(Reduce the magic that holds me)
She tried again to move but was unable; her legs and arms were still invisibly bound. She frowned and cast her spell once more, pouring more energy into her magic, but yielded the same results. She sighed heavily. Murtagh must have bound her, his magic stronger than hers.
"I'd give up if I were you."
Amira didn't bother to see who spoke. She knew their voice.
"You have to let me go. You do not understand the danger that will come if I remain here." She warned.
The son of Hades frowned from his position against the wall.
"Give me one good reason why I should let you go after everything you did?" He demanded.
"I have neither reasons nor excuses," Amira admitted sadly. "My actions are unforgivable and I shall forever feel regret."
"I don't care about your regrets. All I care about is making you pay for what you did to my sister." Nico snapped, moving in front of her but unconsciously staying in the shadows. His voice portrayed all the hurt and anger he felt but his eyes showed sadness and pain.
Amira wasn't surprised to see his eyes were red and his cheeks tear-stained. Again, she wanted to say that Hazel was alive and well in their hotel room in L.A. but that was all the way across the country and had no way to prove her words. So she remained silent.
"Tell me why you did it! And don't give me that "I didn't want to" s**t." Nico demanded. His voice was cold as ice and hard as steel.
"I did as I was commanded," Amira answered quietly. She knew the son of Hades' mind was clouded by anger and wouldn't listen if she tried to defend herself.
"The only reason you're still alive is because Tartarus is in control of the Underworld so sending you there would be pointless," He told her darkly. He stepped closer until they were an inch apart. "But believe me when I tell you that after he is gone, there will be nothing stopping me from giving you absolute hell."
"Nico! That's enough, get out of here." A new voice commanded, entering the room.
Nico scowled and gave Amira one last glare before fading away into the shadows.
"Why am I here?" Amira asked, keeping her gaze forward.
"Because out there, you're too much of a threat," Annabeth answered, moving to stand in front of the Alagaesian, crossing her arms.
"You do not understand what will happen if I remain here. Please, Annabeth, you must let me go." Amira begged. Annabeth narrowed her grey eyes.
"Then explain."
"What?" Amira blinked.
"Explain what will happen. If I believe you and agree that keeping you here is too much of a risk then I'll let you go and even help. But if I don't then you'll stay here, trapped in that chair, and you won't leave until Tartarus is dealt with and we decide what to do with you. Deal?" The daughter of Athena offered.
"Yes." Amira accepted, not having to think. The demigod nodded and pulled up a chair for herself and sat in front of the younger girl.
"Well? Explain." She urged.
So Amira did. She told Annabeth everything that had happened since pledging herself to Tartarus. Some things she was unable to say as she was commanded not to but Annabeth let it slide. She explained all the missions and tasks she had completed for the Primordial then, after a moment's hesitation, decided to tell the demigod about her and Hazel's secret plan too. She said how they had faked Hazel's death to trick Tartarus and how the two came up with the idea that he might use her as a host.
When she was finished with her explaining, Annabeth sat unmoving with her head in her hands. It was several minutes before she spoke.
"So Hazel's actually alive?" She asked for the fourth time, voice shaking with emotion.
"Yes. She is alive and well in our hotel in Los Angeles." Amira affirmed, giving her the same answer she had before. The blonde finally raised her head and she saw her cheeks were wet.
"And she helped come up with the theory that Tartarus is going to use you as a host?"
"Yes."
"Can… Can you talk with her still?" Her voice sounded hopeful. Amira nodded.
"Yes, if she allows me to." She answered honestly. At the demigod's insistence, she reached her mind out for Hazel's. She had to focus quite a bit harder because of the distance but they made the connection.
'Amira! There you are! I've been trying to get ahold of you for almost two hours!' Hazel's voice exclaimed in her mind. She was obviously worried and Amira winced.
'My sincere apologies. I have been occupied and unable to answer.' She mentally sent her apology.
'It's okay, I was just getting worried.' Her friend sighed in relief. Then Amira sensed her frown. 'But where are you? You feel really far away.'
'That is why I have reached out to you.'
'What's wrong? Did something happen?'
"Did you reach her? Did she answer? What's she saying?" Annabeth asked anxiously.
"Yes, something has happened. Do not worry yourself, for it is nothing too bad." Amira responded, talking mentally to Hazel and out loud for Annabeth to hear.
'What happened? You said "not too bad" which means it's still a little bad.' Hazel pointed out smartly.
Amira told Hazel how she had been distracted and caught by Murtagh and how she was now talking to Annabeth after having explained everything.
'Do you think you could teach Annabeth to open her mind like you taught me?' Hazel wondered. Amira winced.
"Perhaps over time I could but I fear that is time that we no longer have." She admitted. Both Annabeth and Hazel asked what she meant. "Hazel… Do you remember yesterday's morning when we discussed his possible plans?"
'Oh no. You don't- you can't mean that…?' Hazel couldn't finish but Amira could hear her horrified realization.
"I am afraid so: you were right." She agreed sadly, still talking aloud for both girls to hear her. "When returning from a task I had been sent to complete, I heard him speaking to one I could not see. He spoke of his anger that his own physical form was unable to appear in the world above. At the moment I knew that our suspicions were correct."
Annabeth's eyes widened and Amira could sense Hazel's did as well.
'Amira what do we do?! We- we can't jus- we have to do something! He can't just use you like that! He'll have to get rid of you in order to use your body an- we- we have to stop him-'
"Hazel, calm yourself! It is okay! I understand that you are worried but everything will be alright. Relax. I have a plan that may work but in order to succeed, I must ask for your help." Amira told her. She could see Annabeth about to ask about her idea and shook her head, silently telling her to hold the question back.
'Of course I'm gonna help. We're a team, remember? What do I do?'
Amira couldn't help but smile as she sensed how eager and willing Hazel was to help.
"I will explain soon. First I must know how quickly you are able to come to Camp Half-Blood." Amira wondered.
"If she takes a plane and we time the flights just right, she could get here in about six hours." Annabeth calculated. Amira then relayed the information to Hazel and she sensed the Roman nodding.
'That could work, yeah. We still have a bunch of money left but I'd need help planning the flights and times.' She agreed. Annabeth assured them that she could easily get those worked out.
Hazel found the phone number of the hotel she was in and read it to Amira, who relayed the information to Annabeth. The daughter of Athena wrote it down and said that she'd call Hazel as soon as she could and would help walk her through the flight process. The daughter of Pluto was really worried about Jupiter striking her out of the sky but Annabeth assured her that he wouldn't for fear of facing Pluto's wrath.
Amira and Hazel then said their goodbyes and wished each other luck before ending their mental connection. Annabeth looked over the phone number in her hand and slumped uncharacteristically in her chair, breathing out slowly.
"Gods, this is stressful." She muttered. Amira raised an eyebrow.
"Imagine being the one who gets her body taken over by an evil primordial if this fails." She countered with a humorless chuckle, still unable to move her body due to Murtagh's spell. The blonde nodded her head to the side.
"Touché. But being honest, how much time would you guess we have left?"
"I am not sure. If I were having to guess… I would say no more than a day's time."
"That's not very long." Annabeth pointed out. Amira nodded in agreement then her eyes widened when she felt her wrist tingle.
"And that time just got shorter." She announced. Annabeth looked confused so she nodded to her wrist, which was emitting a dim flashing light.
Annabeth cursed and jumped to her feet before bolting out of the room, leaving Amira alone and confused. Then she understood when she returned a moment later with a familiar dark-haired Rider by her side.
"- rid of your spell so she can try to stall for time." Annabeth was explaining, entering Amira's hearing range mid-sentence. Murtagh nodded once then held his hand out towards Amira.
"Losna pömnuria galdr." He chanted. His spell faded and Amira found herself able to move.
(Release my spell)
"When you go back, try to stall for as much time as you can while I figure out a flight plan," Annabeth instructed before rushing from the room to find a phone, leaving the two Alagaesians alone.
Murtagh turned to leave but Amira placed her hand on his arm. Immediately he spun back around to face her.
"What?" He snapped, his voice hard.
"Thank you." Amira told him. He nodded once in response, not saying anything, but Amira pressed. "I speak honestly, Murtagh. I see now that you were trying only to help."
The tingle on her wrist suddenly became painful and she looked down with a wince.
"You should go," He told her. Amira hesitated.
"Yes but… Murtagh, if- if something happens to me… If something happens then promise me that- that you will return home to tell Eragon yourself. Please, promise me that?" She practically begged.
Murtagh was about to argue that nothing would happen but then he saw how serious she was.
"I promise." He promised, voice quiet. Amira gave him a small smile before stepping back.
"Thank you."
She grabbed the pendant around her neck and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself back in the Underworld facing Tartarus.
And he did not look happy.
== Ω Ω Ω ==
Amira felt her heart drop as she faced the embodiment of Tartarus.
"Four minutes to respond is not like you," The primordial told her, a frown in his dark voice.
"I apologize, My Lord. I was occupied when you summoned my presence." Amira replied, hiding her shaking hands behind her as she bowed.
"Obviously. Where were you that caused you to be so occupied?" He demanded.
"You are able to see my location so I am aware that you have full knowledge of where I was." She stated bluntly. Tartarus nodded his swirling head.
"I do indeed. And what, may I ask, were you doing at Camp Half-Blood? Speak the truth."
"I- I was-" Amira tried to make an excuse but then she felt herself answer truthfully. "I had been warding the roads as you commanded me but was ambushed and brought into camp to be questioned."
"What did they ask?"
"They were- the- they demanded to know the reasons why I had done as I did to their friend and sister," Amira was forced to reply, telling only half of the truth.
"As I figured. I once again applaud you for that act of loyalty you showed." The deity told her.
Amira closed her eyes and dropped her head, hands in fists, playing the part of one who held deep regrets. She silently thanked all gods who existed in this world that he believed that she had actually killed Hazel. Because of his mark on her arm, he was able to know her location but was unable to see her and her actions.
"Is there a reason for this summons, My Lord? Perhaps another item needed?" She changed the subject. Her throat went dry when he replied with a negative.
"Finally my plan is able to be put into action." He announced with an evil chuckle. Amira felt her face pale.
"May I- may I ask what your plan is, my Lord?" She managed to ask.
"You see Amira," He began, starting towards Hades' former palace. Amira followed with shaking hands. "My physical form has grown weak because of my time locked away here in the Underworld. I am not able to go to the mortal world in this form so I must find another."
"Wh- what is it th- that- that you mean?" She stuttered, freezing mid-step, heart pounding. The Primordial noticed her pause and stopped as well. "If you cannot- if your form is unable to th- then how will you enact the- y-your plan?"
"Judging from your stutter and shaking hands, I would say you already know the answer." He told her, a chuckle in his rumbling voice. Amira shook her head in fear.
"No… No, you- you cannot do that to me." She stuttered with wide eyes, moving backward. "You- that was not a part of our deal!"
"Our deal," He repeated, moving towards her as she stepped back. "Was that I would give you back your magic and in return you serve me."
"You told me that you had spared my dragon as well but you lied. I cannot trust you or your words." Amira retorted, still backing away.
"Yet you still swore to me your services," The primordial pointed out, voice dropping lower and more dangerous. He commanded Amira to stop and she froze in place. "And now I call upon that oath by ordering you to relinquish your hold on your body and surrender to me."
"I- I have not th-the knowledge to perform the action that you call upon me to do." She stuttered, voice shaking terribly as she tried to buy more time. Tartarus stroked his swirling chin.
"I'll tell you what: I am in a good mood so I will give you several hours to figure out how to relinquish your hold on your body. However, if you haven't by that time I choose then I will take it by force. And my acting by force will be much less pleasant." He warned. Amira's hands went to her mouth and nodded quickly, faking to her knees as her legs gave out beneath her.
Then Tartarus stormed off, leaving the former Rider alone and sobbing on the hard ground.
And that concludes the twenty-ninth 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!
