Chapter 9
Adeline let out a banshee like scream and charged at Oberon. His eyes widened in surprise as the two of them began fighting! Well, Oberon was trying to block her because her punches and kicks were definitely painful! After all, she had half the strength of his own queen!
"Enough of this! Stop resisting me!" He ordered, now trying to grab her wrist, but he ducked as she sent a punch over his head.
"NEVER! YOU KILLED EVANDER!" She hissed, now tears filling her eyes. She then sent a slash at him and that almost cut him on his face!
"Your fool destroyed himself! He's the one that opened that portal and OOMPH! ENOUGH!" He snarled as she kicked him in the stomach.
"No, it's not enough! It not enough that you tried to kidnap me!" She yelled, now punching him into a tree.
"Adeline, halt this," he said, now ducking from another punch from her.
"And it's not enough that you chased me across realm after realm," she shouted, now kicking him as he stood up. Oberon shouted in shock as he went flying and he hit his back on a boulder.
"You must stop this," he growled, now standing and seeing her advance again! "I will not fight you!"
"Of course you won't because you can't win!" Adeline said, now seeing him make energy balls in his hands. She made energy balls in hers too, but Loki ran in front of her.
"Adeline, don't! Oberon is too dangerous," Loki pleaded with her gently.
"I'm sorry, Loki, but you need to move," Adeline said as tears poured down her cheeks.
"Adeline…you're not thinking clearly. You don't need to fight him," Loki said, now making her look at him. "Your fever is still present and you…,"
"I CAN DO THIS! I CAN'T LET HIM HARM YOU ALL!" Adeline shouted, now pushing past Loki and running at Oberon.
"ADELINE, NO!" Loki pleaded, now trying to stop her as his tail stretched. But it was too late! Adeline charged at Oberon with the last of her strength.
"OBERON! THIS ENDS NOW!" She screamed, now lunging at him with the largest energy blasts she could muster.
"I told you to stop this and I mean NOW!" Oberon roared loudly, now using his blasts as a shield and that created a large explosion!
"ADELINE!" Loki shouted in horror, now running at the blast but being shoved back into a tree. Once his vision adjusted Adeline was laying unconscious on the ground and Oberon was leaning over her.
"My foolish darling," he said, now going to pick her up. He was clearly injured, but still able to move.
"Move back, Oberon," Loki said, now coming closer.
"Stop being a complete clown, Loki! I have won and there is nothing anyone can do to…," he paused as the portal shot open once more and Evander flew out. His ringmaster clothes were torn and he looked weak, but he was back! "No….NO! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!"
"It's not impossible, Oberon; the portal technique did not work. But he helped me to return back to this realm," Evander said, now pointing a clawed finger at a large black mist that flew out with him. Oberon snarled at the mist and the white eyes looked at him and a toothed grin appeared in the black mist.
"You…how could you come back here…," Oberon said, now backing away angrily.
"Oberon…trust me…I know when you are on the move and Loki told me that you were up to no good," the chuckling voice said.
"YOU-YOU CAN'T STOP ME! The Golden Moon has given me great power," Oberon said, trying to sound strong. But his eyes widened as the mist slowly transformed into Lauhin himself.
"Oh stop sounding that way, Oberon; remember, I ALWAYS know how to keep you in line," Lauhin smirked.
"You keep away from me, Lauhin!" Oberon growled.
Lauhin only rolled his eyes and turned to Evander. He helped the ringmaster to stay on his feet but Evander gasped as he saw that Adeline was unconscious.
"NO!" He gasped, now weakly walking over and kneeling before her. Loki walked over, now transforming back into his human form, and kneeled down as well. Evander then looked at Oberon and whispered darkly. "Oberon…what have you done…?"
"I have done nothing. She attacked me, but her attack backfired," he said, now running a hand over his head. "But once I get her into my bed…,"
"BED?! YOU TWISTED BEING!" Evander roared, now standing and letting his hands glow. Lauhin smirked and stood back and so did Loki. "Oberon, I challenge you to a final battle!"
"You must be insane; you're barely standing," Oberon chuckled darkly.
"I mean it, you twisted fairy," Evander hissed, making Oberon growl. "A battle to the finish; whoever yields first must agree to leave Adeline alone forever."
"Ha! That is easy…," Oberon laughed out, now seeing Evander stand in front of her bravely.
"Wait…," a voice said. Both turned and saw Lauhin come forward. "I have a better idea."
"Lauhin, stay out of this," Oberon growled. Lauhin arched an eyebrow and looked at the fairy king.
"Oberon…you are pushing your limits," Lauhin warned, now making him take a step back. "Now then…Evander, you are strong but in no condition to fight. Oberon, you are half crazed with the Golden Moon rays and are not thinking clearly. Once I drain it from your system, you will be more sane."
"What?! I need nothing! This is how I want to stay!" Oberon shouted, now feeling the Golden Moon being covered by a cloud. That made Oberon shake his head a bit, feeling slightly drowsy. Lauhin nodded and then walked over to Oberon and quickly placed a finger on his head. "L-Lauhin, stop!"
"Shhhhh, Oberon…relax and sleep," Lauhin smirked, now making the fairy king sleepy.
"N-No! Titania! Guards! Don't let them leave," Oberon said, now leaning on a tree. Lauhin chuckled and looked at Evander.
"You both have fought enough and you risked your life today to protect her," Lauhin said, now walking over to Adeline and holding her bridal style. "Come. Let us go to another realm to recuperate."
Oberon growled and tried to fight the sleep that was coming over him as he struggled to follow them, but the queen came out just in time. She had seen everything.
"Guards, take your king to our chambers. He needs to recuperate from the Golden Moon," she said.
"N-No! Adeline…I want her…," Oberon growled. But the queen pouted angrily.
"No! You are coming inside the castle! I am not going to compete with that human anymore!" The queen huffed, now seeing the guards struggle and take their king inside. Oberon's eyes glowed red as he watched Evander, Loki, and Lauhin leaving.
"This isn't over….one day…I will become so powerful that you will be my servant. There will be a day when Lauhin won't always be around to save you…," he hissed, now turning and looking away.
Evander only shot an angry glare at him and then he gently took Adeline from Lauhin.
"I thank you for coming for us and protecting us," Evander said.
"Evander…you almost died trying to protect Adeline…you need to rest now," Lauhin said seriously.
"He knew he probably would," Loki said.
"Yes, because without rest I knew I would be no match for Oberon. But Adeline was my priority no matter what," he said. Lauhin only smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"And you showed what a true guardian you are to her. I must go now; there are others I need to check on, but you all can go and rest in the shooting star realm. I will leave a path for you to follow," Lauhin soothed, now becoming a black midst and then shooting across the sky like a shooting star. As they watched them, Loki ran a hand over Adeline's head.
"She was very brave; you should have seen her," he cooed.
"I know she was because I could hear her in the other dimension. I wasn't dead, but I was using my strength to not be taken further. Lauhin pulled me back before I could be sucked out of reach. Oberon wasn't thrown as far as I wanted so that strategy was ineffective," Evander said, now feeling Loki place a hand on his shoulder.
"Come. You both need to recuperate," Loki said, now leading the way back to join the others.
Four hours later…
Adeline slowly opened her eyes and saw that she was laying in a bed with navy blue blankets and a warm cloth on her head.
"W-Where am I?" she thought out loud.
"You're in the guest room of the shooting star castle," a voice said. She turned and saw the mermaids, Shell and Marina, sitting on her bed.
"Adeline, I'm so happy you're alright," Shell said, now hugging her.
"Thanks, you guys; are we back? Is the group back together? Cirque Mystique?" She asked.
"Of course. We were just told by Evander and Loki to stay back and lay low for a while," Marina said.
"L-Loki? Is he alright?" She asked, now blushing slightly.
"I think he's fine. He is recuperating well and Evander…" Marina started.
"EVANDER?! IS EVANDER BACK?!" Adeline said, now sitting up and throwing her warm cloth off her forehead.
"Whoa, whoa! Calm down! He's fine, but he's in a deep sleep. Recuperating," Marina said. But Adeline scrambled to her feet as she shoved her covers away.
"I need to see him! Now!" Adeline said, tears going down her face. Shell and Marina hesitated, but saw Adeline's desperation.
"Alright…come with us…," Shell said, now leading the way. They walked down the hallway and led her into a large room. The bedroom was filled with stars on the walls and there was Evander, laying on the bed and looking like he had been through a war. He was covered in scars and definitely asleep.
"Evander," she said, her tears flowing down her face. She walked toward the bed and kneeled by it. "I'm so sorry."
And with that, she placed her head down and squeezed the covers. Her small cry made the mermaids tear up; Adeline felt terrible that Evander was in such pain.
"I don't need to be in this group; he almost died because of me," she said.
"Not true…," a voice said, now touching her head. Adeline's eyes shot open and she saw Evander looking at her. "You need to be in bed, resting."
"I'm sorry…" she whispered.
"What?" He said.
"This is my fault…," she squeaked out. "You almost died because of me."
"Adeline…," he said, now sitting up.
"No!" She begged, now sitting up and standing up. "This is my fault!"
And with that, she turned to leave. But Adeline let out a shout of shock as she heard the crack of a whip and she felt something wrap around her so fast that it pinned her arms to her sides. "HEY!"
She then felt herself being pulled back to Evander's bed and once she got to the side, she felt his arms pull her to him and he pulled the whip off of her.
"Let me go!" She shouted, now trying to get away.
"Stop moving," he said calmly.
"Let go, Evander! I need to leave," she said, now trying to push on his chest.
He only cuddled her closer and soon she was facing his chest and she could only cry. Her tears soaked his shirt and he didn't even flinch.
"You need to rest, Adeline," he whispered. "I am here."
"Stop it! You almost died because of me," she cried out.
"I'm here…," he whispered, now hugging her closer.
"Evander!" She said, now finally giving up.
"Shhh…," he said, now placing a finger on her forehead and making her fall asleep. "I'm here."
After a few seconds, she slowly went to sleep with him cuddling her. Evander was rarely affectionate but for some reason, letting the young teen rest with him was alright. After all, he was her guardian. As the two of them were laying there, Loki gently eased into the room and to the bed in his human form. Adeline was slowly flowing into a deeper sleep and Loki leaned on the bed.
"Is she alright?" He asked.
"Considering all she has been through I would say she is doing better," Evander said, now looking at him. "I thank you for your assistance, Loki."
"You are welcome, Master Evander," Loki responded. But at that moment, Evander's eyes narrowed.
"I am ready to hear what her debt to you is," Evander said. Loki gave a small smile and leaned over and nuzzled Adeline's face and that made Evander shift and gently move him back. "Is there something specific you want?"
"Evander…as you know, I would not harm Adeline, but she does have a debt to pay to me." He said. Evander nodded. "For my assistance to Adeline, I wish for her to come and stay at my realm for six months at the beginning of the new moon."
"What?! Never!" Evander said, now baring his fangs a bit. Loki put his hands up in a 'calm down' motion.
"Now calm down, Evander…I did not mean for it in that manner. The months would be split up. For two months, she would travel with Cirque Mystique and for one month she would be with me until the six months are done," Loki explained.
"And what is that going to do? Why?" Evander continued to ask.
"Oh come now~ there is no reason to be afraid. I am not going to harm Adeline. She will simply learn of how I do things. After all, she has not had time to live among many other beings besides the ones in Cirque Mystique. She has not lived in any other realm because she travels so much," Loki said.
"And living in a swamp near the Gashadokuros is going to help?" Evander huffed.
"No, I also live in other peaceful locations. Trust me, she will be fine. I would show her how I live as well as other beings in other realms. She has only visited some, but she hasn't been able to actually live among others," Loki said, now running a hand over her head. Evander watched him carefully and arched an eyebrow.
"I see. And this is solely for Adeline? It's not for you at all?" Evander mused.
"Well~, let's just say I too have plans for Adeline, only my approach will be a bit more gentle," Loki soothed out, now grinning at her as she gently began to wake up.
"Approach?" Evander said, now looking at him somewhat sternly. But he looked at Adeline, who greeted Loki in a friendly manner.
"Hi Loki," she said, now rubbing her eyes. He only chuckled and bent down and nuzzled her nose with his own.
"Shhh…go back to sleep. You need rest," he cooed to her, making her giggle. Evander cleared his throat and gently moved Loki back.
"I see. Well, we can discuss this matter later. In the meantime, we still thank you for contacting Lauhin and assisting us," Evander replied, now placing a protective arm over Adeline's sleeping form.
"You are welcome. Now, get some rest, Evander. You are still in need of recuperating," Loki winked, now turning and leaving out of the room. Evander only nodded and laid down to rest. For him to fully recuperate, he would need to be completely asleep for 7 days. But rest would definitely be possible now. After all, Oberon was confined to his realm for now and they were finally safe.
guestsurprise's words: Oberon was finally defeated! What do you all think? Is he gone for good? Will they ever escape him? The finale is next!
To guestsurprise: I think Oberon would be a fool to try and get Adeline again and I think if he tried again, Titania would have something to say about it. XD
To everyone else: Please leave guestsurprise a review, but no flames!
GoldGuardian2418