~Chapter 48~

Noella

I stared in disbelief that it was mom standing in front of me. I mean it was her, there was no mistaking it, but at the same time something was eerily different about her aside from her choice of attire. My mom had left Seattle a broken woman consumed with grief, but this woman standing here now was different, strong, and had an aggressiveness in her face.

"I've been looking for you for months. Did you know this?" I muttered.

She rolled her eyes crossing her arms impatiently.

"Noella, your mother is dead." She snapped, "I am not she."

"But your face...it is you." I insisted trying to ignore the lies I was being told.

"Your mother became my host body, so once I consumed her, she went away."

"What do you mean went away?" I pressed anxiously with tears forming in my eyes out of anger.

"She's dead." She replied harshly, "So there you have it...I am Corissa."

"How dare you take her name!" I shouted.

Corissa's eyes grew mad, but then she smirked as she looked away from me at the doorway. I spun around and there was Joel. Relief swept over me immediately, but it didn't stick due to the fact that Joel didn't move to help me. He almost even looked happy.

"Do you like my trophies, child?" Corissa asked gesturing to the mirrors.

"Trophies?" I questioned curiously.

"Your friends." Corissa sneered.

She began to laugh maniacally as I peered over at the mirrors on the wall. What I thought were pictures, were my actual friends trapped within magic mirrors.

"No…" I muttered to myself.

Joel

My eyes opened again and my head was beating like a drum.

"Are you okay?" Kadri asked.

"Eh, my brother and I have never seen eye to eye." I shrugged, "I have to get up there."

I said glancing over at the staircase to the main level.

"Joel…" Kadri muttered barely audible, "There's not much time, so let me try and make amends…"

"What are you talking about? Make amends for what?" I asked.

"For my sister's wrong doing...perhaps I can help." Kadri muttered.

Before I could question her further, a bright light shown up where Kadri was and I had to look away. As the light diminished, in the spot where Kadri was, there were two dual wielding swords and the iron choker that was around her neck laid on the floor. Not only that, I felt something strange come over me. Like an unusual strength and I struggled further against my restraints and the irons broke in pieces. I got up and grabbed the dual blades off the ground.

"Thank you Kadri, I'll remember your sacrifice." I muttered.

Noella

I spun around toward Corissa wanting to slug her for her actions against everything between my friends and my family, but she surprised me as I turned grabbing my neck.

"I won't fail this time." She growled as she began to squeeze tight.

I grabbed her hands trying to loosen the grip, but nothing worked. I gazed into her eyes and she looked ill at ease as if something was wrong. Seconds later she released me to my surprise, as she threw me to the floor and I slid against the ice.

"Why can't I do it?" Corissa muttered.

In a daze, I struggled to get back on my feet and I looked at Joel.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"How stupid are you?" He snapped at me and I immediately recoiled in surprise, "My name is Kaleb and Joel is my twin brother."

"What?" I asked completely stunned by this deception.

Kaleb slowly approached me drawing his sword.

"I assure you, my brother was with you this entire time until you came into this snowy province. He failed his job and so my mistress asked that I take over." Kaleb replied.

"My huntsman…" Corissa interrupted, "Since I can't end her life, I must ask you to do it on my behalf."

"Anything, mistress." Kaleb replied.

"Bring her to me, she must first be drained of her light, so her last defenses are gone." Corissa ordered.

Kaleb came toward me with no hesitation in his stride. My mind was reeling with all the answers to things I had received in mere minutes all at once. I had no weapon as Kaleb approached me, so I lowered my head down in a defensive stance as Joel once taught me. Kaleb reached for my arm as if I wouldn't fight back. I quickly slugged him in the jaw and I think it hurt me more than him because he didn't seemed phased by it, only angry. He slapped me across the face and in my daze he grabbed me bringing his sword to my throat as he dragged me over to Corissa.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" Corissa sneered.

Corissa grabbed my hand and waved her staff over my hand. Immediately, a thick iron bracelet appeared attached firmly to my wrist.

"What did you do?" I asked feeling a little faint.

"I want power and control Noella…" Corissa replied, "And to do that, I need to snuff out your light. Your friends with their lights are trapped within my mirrors and controlled and now it's your turn."

"Lower your blade, Kaleb." Corissa ordered, "She is not a threat."

Kaleb lowered the blade from my neck and seconds later, I turned and saw Joel charge into the room with two blades drawn.

AN: Oh man guys...things are amped now. Who's pumped? Cause I know I am ^.^

Stay tuned...this story has two chapters left and it's bittersweet for me cause Fantasia Unleashed has been such a joy to write. With that said, I have many Disney related ideas up my sleeve, so if you enjoyed this be sure to follow me for future story exploits that I plan to start immediately after completing this. Until next time readers...you rock! :D