Hey kids…lovely to see y'all. First things first…I need to correct an error. In the "credits" for the previous chapter, I referred to Blaze da Dragon as "sir." Blaze is actually a lady, so I should have said "ma'am." Miss Blaze, that I have insulted you in front of the entire Pit, makes my heart hurt. 'Tis never my intention to embarrass or hurt anyone in the Pit, so I humbly beg your forgiveness (author falls to her cartilage-challenged knees, bows head, clasps hands together, and starts to cry.). I truly am sorry for the mistake. As penance, I shall listen to "Tiny Tim's Greatest Hits" continually until you can forgive me.
Item 2: I should have included Mr. Visigoth in the éclair bunch for the previous chapter. He has been following along with my thinking for quite a while now; his deeper insights into this story are spot-on. 'Twas naught but an oversight on my part milord; I beg your forgiveness as well. As penance, I shall listen to "Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits" continually until you can forgive me (following Tiny Tim of course…I can only handle one penance at a time).
Thanks to all those who took the time to submit a review: Prince Vincent Black (extra pound of chocolate for you for being first); Pita Girl (you go sister); AzhureTigress (the world's longest review; very helpful); Invader Spyder (soon you'll start to suspect Leafy…); KiiroK (lovin the moments too); Visigoth (Susan Vandom is hot…LOL); and Blaze (I like your hat milady). Now a Whale Welcome to Nats, aka Irma 2, our newest Pit member. This is where everyone claps loudly and cheers. I'd also like to do a shout-out to the Lord of Darkness…haven't heard from you in a while; hope your life is rockin.
Now the moment you've all been waiting for: I had two offers for the position of Whaleguard. Thanks to both Prince Vince and Azhure for volunteering to protect my unworthy self from harm. As Azhure has already been appointed Knight Protector of the Whale Pit, and because the Prince offered first, I do now hereby appoint Prince Vincent Black as Honorable Whaleguard! Thank you my liege.
Right then, that's it for business…on with the story!
Chapter 18
Three Guardians and one former Guardian moved quickly through the halls of Candracar. Two Guardians floated between them on a pocket of air created by one of their closest friends. Taranee and Irma were unconscious, though the latter continued to shake uncontrollably and moan. Taranee's face was frozen in a grimace of pain and her breathing was irregular and shallow.
The group moved as swiftly as they could, but it was still too slow for Will Vandom's liking. She had no idea what the Mage had done to her friends, and she was worried. Despite the seven-foot woman's reassurances, Will felt in her heart that something was wrong. Irma was obviously uncomfortable around the Mage……but why? Will shook her head; just what the hell had been going on in Candracar for the last three weeks!
The group approached the Elemental Chamber of Water. Yan Lin pushed the doors open and led the way inside the huge room. She motioned for Hay Lin to follow her. Without a word, Will and Cornelia stepped up and took Taranee between them so Hay Lin could concentrate fully on Irma's "care." Though Hay Lin was more than capable of keeping Taranee suspended in the air while she tended to Irma, the young asian Guardian took the gesture for what it was and felt grateful to her two friends.
Hay Lin followed her grandmother to the huge pool of water that dominated the Chamber. She gasped at the blueness of the water; Hay Lin had never seen anything so...well…blue in her life. Yan Lin knelt beside the pool.
"Put Irma in the water, Hay Lin," the old woman instructed.
Gently, Hay Lin lowered the still-violently-trembling Water Guardian into the pool. Almost instantly, the water took hold of its mistress and floated her to the middle of the pool. Gentle waves massaged Irma's back as the water held her head above the surface. Hay Lin watched in fascination as the water "cared" for its mistress; but despite the water's best efforts, Irma did not stop shaking.
"I will stay with her," Yan Lin said, placing a comforting hand on her granddaughter's shoulder. "Help your friends with Taranee now."
Hay Lin gasped; in her concern for Irma, she had nearly forgotten about Taranee. Guiltily, she hurried back to Will and Cornelia. The two Guardians still supported Taranee between them; Hay Lin created an air pocket once again and Taranee rose into the air. Will took point and the group started for the door. The redhead suddenly stopped and turned to Yan Lin.
"Um, Mrs. Lin………where exactly is the Room of Fire, or whatever?"
Just then, the doors opened and a tall feline-like creature strode gracefully into the room. Everyone stared at the newcomer as she approached the small group of Guardians. She towered over Taranee's unconscious form and gazed momentarily at the dark-skinned young woman. The feline-woman raised her paw and stretched it towards Taranee.
Will slapped the paw away. "Whoa, hold on there Catwoman. We've had just about enough of strange people putting their hands on our friends."
The feline glared at the Guardian Leader, but said nothing. Will held that glare and refused to back down. Hay Lin stepped between the two "combatants."
"You must be Luba," Hay Lin said, extending her hand towards the feline.
Luba continued to glare at Will for a few seconds, then took Hay Lin's proffered hand in her paw. She squeezed a little harder than she meant to and Hay Lin squeaked. Luba instantly released her hand.
"Yes, Guardians I am Luba, Caretaker of the Aurameres. I have come to escort you to the Elemental Chamber of Fire. Follow me."
With a last glare at Will, Luba turned and started for the doors. Hay Lin rubbed her throbbing hand and raised an eyebrow at Will. The redhead shrugged and followed Luba, keeping herself between Taranee and the feline.
The group proceeded along a hallway parallel to the Elemental Chamber of Water. As they walked, the air around them began to get steadily warmer. The wall to their right suddenly became darkened glass, extending the length of the circular hallway; the Guardians peered curiously through it but could see nothing. Luba never slowed down and the Guardians were obligated to keep pace. As they neared two large double doors, the air temperature became somewhat uncomfortable. Luba opened the doors and the Guardians gasped. The room was swathed in Orange flames. They licked upwards, creating huge conflagrations of intense heat. Instinctively, the Guardians backed away; but Luba continued forward.
"Come Guardians," she said, "the Flames will not hurt you."
"My ass," Cornelia mumbled. After that display with the Mage, Cornelia wasn't ready to trust anyone in Candracar; much less a walking rug with an attitude.
As Luba proceeded into the flames, the three Guardians stood blinking at each other. None of them were willing to test Luba's word at this point. Presently, the feline reappeared at the doorway.
"The Flames are here to protect the Fire Guardian while she sleeps," Luba said, a little irritated. "They will only harm intruders. You are the Guardians, and thus, by definition, not intruders. Come."
Luba disappeared back into the flames. Again, the Guardians looked to Will for guidance. Will swallowed and approached the nearest column of flames. Gingerly she extended her hand towards the fire. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as she inserted her hand into the flames. She waited for the pain…but it never came. Will opened her eyes and pulled her hand back. It wasn't burned at all. Will grinned and showed her hand to Cornelia and Hay Lin. Hay Lin smiled and immediately proceeded after Luba, Taranee still floating beside her. Cornelia still looked skeptical, but she followed Hay Lin. Will came last.
Luba walked to the middle of the huge chamber and stopped in front of a large red…...something. The something was flat, but curved up at the ends. It floated about two feet off the ground and seemed to pulse with energy. Hay Lin couldn't tell what the something was made of, but she was instantly fascinated. She reached her hand out towards it, but Luba grabbed her wrist.
"Do not touch it Air Guardian; only the Fire Guardian may safely come in contact with the Spherule."
Hay Lin nodded and relaxed her hand. Luba released her wrist and nodded to the young Air Guardian. Hay Lin floated Taranee's unconscious form to the Spherule and gently lowered her down. Hay Lin released her magic and Taranee's body sunk into the Spherule several inches, leading Hay Lin to surmise the red something must be soft and pillow-like.
Upon contact with the red "pillow" of the Spherule, a large transparent "bubble" cocooned Taranee protectively. Flames surrounded the Spherule and seemed to caress the bubble-like enclosure. Far from being hurt by the flames, Taranee's face actually relaxed and she took a deep breath. Though she did not awaken, Taranee's breathing evened out and she seemed to be asleep rather than unconscious.
Luba nodded, satisfied with Taranee's condition. She turned to the Guardians. "You may stay if you wish Guardians; the Flames will sense your presence and will not hurt you. If you wish to sit, the Flames will sense this as well and provide for you. But be warned; do not touch the Spherule, for only the Fire Guardian can withstand the heat."
With that, the Caretaker excused herself and left the Chamber. The three Guardians stood staring after her, unsure of how they felt after this encounter with the decidedly serious feline. Cornelia was the first to voice her opinion. "She seriously needs a day at the spa."
Hay Lin turned back to look at Taranee, sleeping peacefully in the comfort of the flames. "What do you think happened to her?"
Will shook her head. "I don't know Hay Lin; I really don't know."
"It happened sometime in the middle of Mage War Three," Cornelia said. "She just grabbed her head and gritted her teeth. I heard her grunt a couple of times, then she just fell over."
Will's eyes narrowed as she wracked her brain for an explanation. She growled in frustration when no little light bulbs appeared over her head. She started to sit down and remembered in "mid-sit" that there weren't any chairs; but it was already too late to stop herself. She gave a small cry of surprise when a soft cushion burst up through the flames and caught her. She couldn't see anything holding the cushion up, but it seemed solid enough. Will also noticed the cushion adjusted itself to the perfect height for comfortable sitting. She leaned back and felt a cushion position itself behind her, perfectly supporting her back. Curious, she stuck her feet straight out in front of her and a cushion immediately appeared under her legs, like an ottoman. Will grinned and sighed. She leaned back and closed her eyes. "A girl could get used to this."
Cornelia immediately tried her luck and wound up in the same position as Will. Perfectly comfortable, except for the stifling heat, Cornelia nodded approvingly. "Hay Lin, you have got to try this."
Hay Lin looked indecisive and looked pleadingly at Cornelia. The Earth Guardian cocked her head slightly at Hay Lin's distress. It took only a few seconds for Cornelia to understand. "Go," she said.
"But Taranee's my friend too…"
"Yeah but Irma's more like your sister, heaven forbid," Cornelia answered. "Go ahead; we'll hang with the Firefly."
Will nodded enthusiastically. "We'll let you know if anything changes."
Hay Lin hugged her two friends and bounded out of the Chamber. She was sweating by the time she opened the doors to the Elemental Chamber of Water. Yan Lin stood up at her granddaughter's approach and gathered the young Guardian into her arms. She held Hay Lin for a few seconds then released her.
"How is she Grandma?" Hay Lin asked.
"There has been no change," Yan Lin answered.
Hay Lin looked at her friend floating in the middle of the pool. Unlike Taranee, Irma looked anything but peaceful. She almost seemed to be fighting the water that held her protectively. Hay Lin could see her friend was tense and her fists were clenched. Occasionally, her head would thrash from side to side or her back would arch momentarily. These episodes were always coupled with moans, or whimpers, or grunts between clenched teeth. Once, Hay Lin was certain she caught the word, "No."
"Irma…" Hay Lin whispered. She started towards the water, but her grandmother's cool hand on her arm stopped her.
"No Hay Lin; let her be."
Hay Lin looked perplexed. "But……she's in pain; she needs me!"
"It is not safe Little One; she could accidentally injure you should you approach her."
Hay Lin knew something was going on, and she wasn't going to let her grandmother get away with hiding it from her. "What aren't you telling me Grandma?"
Yan Lin sighed and placed her hands on her granddaughter's shoulders. "Irma has not been herself lately. She is………confused, Hay Lin. I do not want her to hurt you."
Hay Lin knit her eyebrows in confusion. "Hurt me? That's ridiculous…Irma would never hurt me."
"Not intentionally, no. But if she does not realize who you are…"
"Who else would I be?"
"Hay Lin, please……listen to an old woman."
Hay Lin looked into her grandmother's eyes and saw a desperation she had never seen before. She looked at Irma and, though she couldn't see her friend's beautiful eyes, Hay Lin saw that same desperation; a different kind of desperation, but desperation nonetheless. Hay Lin looked between her grandmother and her best friend; both women meant more to her than words could possibly say. On the one hand, the old woman had cared for her as a daughter, had been closer than a grandmother. On the other hand, the young woman had been a surrogate sister to her from the day they had first met; had always been there when Hay Lin had needed her. Now Hay Lin was torn, for both women needed her help and her trust, albeit for different reasons. How do I choose?
In the end, Hay Lin sighed and sat down next to the pool in which her sister struggled. Yan Lin whispered a quiet "Thank you" and sat down next to her. She gathered Hay Lin into a comforting hug. She knew the young woman didn't understand, but Yan Lin wasn't sure she was prepared to explain it all. Nevertheless, Hay Lin had a right to know what was happening to her best friend.
Yan Lin stroked her granddaughter's long black hair and gently rocked her; she knew Hay Lin was no longer a baby, but it was a habit. Hay Lin let herself be comforted by her grandmother; it made her feel safe. Hay Lin was nearly asleep when Irma suddenly belted out a bloodcurdling scream. Hay Lin jumped and immediately extricated herself from her grandmother's comforting arms.
"Hay Lin!" Yan Lin shouted, knowing her granddaughter's intentions.
"I'm sorry Grandma," Hay Lin replied, "but I can't let her go through this alone." With that, the Air Guardian dove into the pool and began swimming quickly towards her best friend.
Hay Lin reached the thrashing Water Guardian seconds later and began calling her name. When Irma did not respond, Hay Lin began to shake her by the shoulder. Suddenly, Irma's eyes flew wide open and she stared wildly at Hay Lin.
The Air Guardian smiled. "Hey Irma…" she began.
With a loud, anger-filled growl, Irma grabbed her best friend by the throat and started to squeeze. Hay Lin's eyes widened in shock and she grabbed Irma's wrist. She tried to pry the Water Guardian's fingers away from her throat, but to no avail. She tried to say something, but all her air was cut off, so strong was Irma's grip.
Just when Hay Lin thought she would pass out, she raised her left hand and summoned a strong gust of wind. The strong wind blew Irma backwards and Hay Lin was free. She coughed and choked but never took her gaze from Irma. It didn't take long for Irma to recover and she looked even angrier before. She shot a heavy jet of water at Hay Lin. Hay Lin dove beneath the surface and swam behind her friend. Surfacing behind Irma, Hay Lin grabbed her friend in a full nelson and held on tight. Irma screamed and fought, but Hay Lin had the leverage.
Suddenly Yan Lin was beside them; Hay Lin started to worry for the old woman, but soon realized she had nothing to worry about. Yan Lin reached out and slapped Irma hard across the face. The crack of skin-on-skin echoed throughout the Chamber and Hay Lin gasped in horror. Before she could protest, however, Yan Lin slapped Irma again. Irma stopped struggling and shook her head several times as if to clear it. Her eyes focused on Yan Lin, and she let herself go limp in Hay Lin's grip. Yan Lin reached towards Irma and gently patted her reddening cheek.
"I'm so sorry Irma," she said sadly.
Hay Lin looked around her friend to gaze questioningly at her grandmother. At a nod from the old woman, Hay Lin released her friend. Irma immediately started rubbing her cheek.
"Oh no…Mrs. Lin, what did I do?" she asked, the panic clearly evident in her voice.
Yan Lin pointed behind Irma and the Guardian turned. She gasped when she saw Hay Lin gazing back at her in concern. Irma's surprise quickly turned to regret as her memories finally caught up. Her eyes raked her friend's throat and noted the angry finger bruises. She shook her head slowly.
"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no…."
Hay Lin reached for her friend, only to have Irma retreat. Undaunted, Hay Lin continued her advance, and Irma continued to retreat. Hay Lin knew she had no chance to catch her; after all the Water Guardian was a much better swimmer. Finally she stopped and began treading water.
"Irma……what's wrong?"
Irma looked at Hay Lin like she had just grown three more heads. "Are you serious? I just tried to kill you, and you ask me what's wrong!"
"Oh come on Irma, that was totally random. I know you would never hurt me."
"Were you watching just now Hay Lin? If you could see your neck, you'd totally freak. No, it's best if you just stay away from me."
"And I'm supposed to believe that you know what's best for you and everyone else right now? Please! I'm not going to abandon you just because you think it's hazardous for my health."
"It's not just yours, Hay Lin; it's everybody. So far I've tried to kill Luba, your grandma, now you……"
"Wait, what? My grandma?"
"She didn't tell you? Well let me remedy that slight hiccup in your education. I tried to drown her just a few hours ago. If Luba hadn't interrupted, your grandma would be at the bottom of this pool right now. It would seem I have it in for the Lin family; so why don't you take the hint and STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"
Hay Lin was shocked; she didn't know what to say. Her hand flew to her heart and she struggled not to hyperventilate. She looked at her grandmother, hoping it wasn't true. Yan Lin hung her head and nodded quietly. Hay Lin looked back at Irma, tears welling in her eyes. She had never heard her friend this angry before, much less this angry at her. She reached a placating hand towards the Water Guardian, but Irma slapped it away angrily.
"I said GO! Just go away…we're through, so leave me alone!"
"Irma, please…" Hay Lin begged gently.
"You helped her do this to me!" Irma screamed, her face a mask of fury. "You held me down while she, while she……" Irma grabbed her head in her hands, clenched her teeth and shook her head. Her grip on her head increased and a sustained grunt escaped her lips. She raked her fingers down her face, her nails creating bloody trails. She clenched her fists and raised her eyes towards the ceiling. "STOP IT! I swear if I ever find you, I'll kill you! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Hay Lin was horrified and appalled at the naked rage emitting from her usually-happy-go-lucky friend. She had no clue what was going on, but she wasn't going to abandon her friend. She still believed Irma wouldn't hurt her when she was thinking clearly; and Hay Lin would be damned if she was going to let Irma hurt herself either.
Yan Lin guessed her granddaughter's intentions and immediately placed herself in front of Hay Lin. "No, Little One; she needs time to cool off. She's too angry right now; you will never reach her."
"But Grandma……"
"Listen to me Hay Lin; I am trying to protect you."
Hay Lin knew her grandmother was right, but she hated to leave Irma. It was against everything in her nature to leave someone alone in pain. She knew Irma was suffering mentally and psychologically; she had just bloodied herself and threatened to kill someone who wasn't there, for Pete's sake. On top of it all, she believed her best friends had just betrayed her. Hay Lin wanted nothing more than to grab Irma in a bear hug and hold her until the Water Guardian's pain diminished. But in her heart, she knew Irma would never let her get that close……not now, anyway. Hay Lin sniffled and swam towards the side of the pool. She hoisted herself up and turned to assist her grandmother. When Yan Lin was safely out of the water, Hay Lin turned her back and walked a few paces away.
"Hay Lin…" Yan Lin began.
Hay Lin turned with fire in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want you to judge Irma harshly. She is your best friend, and I did not want that relationship to become tainted."
"Oh, so it's better that I found out like this? What were you thinking!"
Yan Lin remained silent as Hay Lin continued. "Did it just slip your mind? Seem unimportant to you? How could you keep this from me?" Hay Lin's tears finally overcame her attempts to keep them from falling. As they coursed down her cheeks, she collapsed to the floor and buried her face in her hands.
Yan Lin knelt and gathered her sobbing granddaughter into her arms. Hay Lin rested her head on her grandmother's chest and cried in frustration, anxiety, and fear. Yan Lin patted her back and rocked her. Once, Yan Lin turned her head and noticed Irma watching them from the opposite side of the pool. Even from the distance between them, Yan Lin could see Irma's eyes were worried and soft. When Irma noticed Yan Lin was looking, she quickly reworked her face into an angry expression and turned away. But she couldn't help looking over her shoulder every now and then.
Yan Lin smiled slightly and continued to rock her granddaughter. Several minutes later, Hay Lin's tears dried up and she looked into her grandmother's gentle face. "Oh Grandma, I'm so sorry. I had no right to be angry with you."
"Shhhhhh, Little One; it was important for you to let your emotions out."
"But I'm not angry with you; I was just so worried and scared. If I ever lost you…"
"But you haven't, my little Hay Lin. I'm right here and I'm just fine. A little wet, but fine nonetheless."
Hay Lin giggled and summoned a warm breeze to dry the both of them. Yan Lin winked proudly at her granddaughter. Hay Lin's smile grew wider and she wrapped her slender arms around the old woman. Yan Lin returned the hug and patted the Guardian's back.
"Grandma, what are we going to do about Irma? I feel like I've really let her down."
"Irma is confused, Hay Lin. In time, she will think more clearly. Then you can talk with her."
"I know she's confused, but she's also suffering. How can we let her just suffer alone when we can do something to help?"
"And what would you do Hay Lin?"
Hay Lin thought for a moment. "I don't know, but I guess I would start by just being here with her. I know she hates me right now, but………what she tried to do to you was awful, but I just can't bring myself to hate her. Does that make me a bad granddaughter?"
Yan Lin laughed. "No, Little One, no; it makes you a wonderful friend. And Irma does not hate you; she's just very mixed up right now. She will need you before long…"
Hay Lin sighed and gazed at her friend. Irma's back was still turned and she was absent-mindedly rubbing her left shoulder. Hay Lin felt a stab of guilt; guess I was too rough with the full nelson.
Hay Lin, come in here a sec; we need to talk.
Hay Lin jumped when she heard Taranee's voice in her head. She looked at her grandmother, who was gazing at her curiously.
"Taranee just contacted me; I guess that means she's awake."
Yan Lin nodded and smiled. "Good. What does she want?"
"She wants me to meet the others in the Chamber of Fire. She said we need to talk."
"Well then, don't keep her waiting. Off you go…"
Hay Lin looked worriedly back at Irma. She was now holding her forehead in her right hand. A tendril of water emerged and wrapped itself completely around the Water Guardian's shoulders. It enveloped not only her shoulders, but her collarbone, sternum and upper chest as well. Irma turned her head to the right and shifted her gaze downward towards her shoulder. She smiled slightly and patted the tendril gently. Seconds later, she nodded and let it drag her below the surface of the pool.
Hay Lin tensed but Yan Lin patted her arm. "Don't worry, Little One; the Water will not harm her."
"But, but………what was that?"
"Irma has always felt most comfortable in water. The Water knows this and is trying to comfort her."
"The Water knows this? You make it sound as though it's alive…"
"It is alive Hay Lin; all the elements are alive. But here in Candracar, it is much more noticeable; and never more-so than in your respective Elemental Chambers. The Water loves Irma, like the Fire loves Taranee, like the Air loves you. Because of this, you can be certain the Water will not harm Irma."
Hay Lin watched, fascinated by the "relationship" between Irma and the Water. She found herself grinning in spite of her worries for her best friend. "It's so……I don't know; so……amazing."
Yan Lin smiled. "Irma may be the Water's commander, but she is also its friend. They are inseparably connected to one another. The Water knows Irma is in great distress and is trying to help in the only way it can."
"Can she talk to it?"
"Not in the traditional sense; but I believe she understands its intentions. She feels safe and that is enough."
Hay Lin? Everything okay?
Hay Lin jumped again as Taranee contacted her for the second time. Um, yeah Taranee, I'm fine. Be there in a sec.
"I have to go Grandma. Will you be alright here alone?"
"Don't worry about me; there's still a little mojo left in the old girl."
Hay Lin laughed and hugged her grandmother tightly. "I love you Grandma…"
"I love you too, Little One. Now go……don't keep your friends waiting any longer."
Hay Lin giggled and waved to her grandmother as she left the Chamber.
Yan Lin waved back and smiled until the doors closed behind her granddaughter. Then she turned her attention to Irma and the smile left her face. Now Water Guardian, let's you and I have a little talk...
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Will and Cornelia lounged in the Elemental Chamber of Fire and watched over Taranee. Currently, she was sleeping peacefully in the Spherule, surrounded by flames. While the heat was a little uncomfortable in the Chamber, it wasn't dangerous to the Guardians. Hay Lin had left the Chamber some minutes ago, so Will and Cornelia sat in silence. Will was trying to wrap her brain around what had just happened. First Irma, now Taranee……Will knew the attacks were connected, but what exactly had happened? And for that matter, were they actually attacked? The Mage had never harmed the Guardians before; quite the opposite, she had helped them on more than one occasion. Perhaps Irma was having more trouble adjusting than they expected; the Mage had said she was having hallucinations. Could it be that Irma simply thought the Mage was trying to hurt her? Will's head started to hurt……
"What?"
Will looked up. "Sorry?"
"What's wrong?" Cornelia replied.
"Who said anything's wrong?"
"You're holding your head and growling under your breath. Now what's wrong?"
Will supposed growling was a dead give-away; funny, she hadn't noticed she was growling. "I'm just trying to figure things out. I don't know who or what to believe anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"Cornelia we just wrestled our friend down and let some magician cast a spell on her. We have no idea what it did; all I know is Irma was pretty damn terrified and now Taranee is out too."
Cornelia listened quietly and thought carefully before replying. "So, are you more worried that the "spell" screwed something up even more; or are you more worried that we screwed something up even more?"
Will blinked at Cornelia a few times, then groaned and resumed holding her head. "Cornelia, I'm sorry; my head hurts a little too much to even come close to following what you just said."
Cornelia sighed. "Alright, let me ask you an easy one then." Cornelia ignored her leader's glare and plunged on. "Has the Mage ever done anything to harm any of us?"
"Not that I can recall, but…"
"So the answer is no, yes?"
"No, yes?"
"As in, the answer is no, correct?" Cornelia was starting to get a little irritated.
"Correct, the answer is no."
"Okay; here comes question two. What state of mind is Irma in right now?"
"Well she's probably a little……I don't know….off?"
"That's a nice way of putting it; but yes…Irma's a little off." Cornelia resisted the urge to take a shot at the Water Guardian and continued. "So we have the Mage who has never done anything to hurt us, and we have Irma who right now is nucking futs. Now, which one are we supposed to believe? Honestly, I don't see the problem Red."
Will was slightly appalled at Cornelia's description of her friend's psychological condition; still Cornelia definitely had a point. If the Mage was telling the truth and Irma truly had been hallucinating, then the Guardian's word certainly couldn't be called infallible. But if the Mage was lying and Irma really was in danger, then the Guardians had just committed betrayal on a spectacular scale. Now Cornelia's first statement made sense: was Will more worried that Irma had been harmed by the Mage, or more worried that Irma had been harmed by her friends? Neither prospect was appealing in the least; in fact Will wasn't even certain which prospect she found to be the lesser of the evils.
"Did we do the right thing C?"
"Isn't that what I just said W?"
"Yes, but what if Irma was right? What if the Mage really is a……a fink?"
"I'll try to forget you ever used the word fink in casual conversation. But all things aside……Will we couldn't take the chance that the curse, or whatever it was, was destroying Irma's mind even more. Seriously, how would you feel if Irma turned into a carrot because we were afraid of hurting her Guardian feelings? She's a big girl Will; she'll get over it."
Will shook her head. "Why do you do that Cornelia?"
"Do what?" Cornelia asked, a little confused.
"Run Irma down all the time. Anyone on the outside would hear what you're saying and think you didn't like her. They would think you don't care what happens to her."
"Listen, Will…I'm not going to defend myself to you or to anyone else. I deal with things in my own way. Just because I'm not blubbering all over Irma and taking great pains not to step on her toes, doesn't mean I don't care about her. You have no idea how I feel about Irma and this whole situation, so just back off!"
"I just think you ought to cut her a break alright? She's in a bad way right now and all you can do is make snide comments about her state of mind."
"I was just trying to point out the facts in plain black and white, Miss Holds-the-Heart-of-Candracar! You asked, I answered."
"Could you two shutup a little? I'm trying to sleep over here."
Will and Cornelia whipped around to look at Taranee. The Fire Guardian was awake and sitting up in the Spherule. She looked a little groggy, and Will could see she still had a headache; but otherwise, Taranee looked alright.
"T! You're awake! How are you feeling?"
"I'm alright Will; my head's still throbbing, but I'm okay."
"Any idea what happened?" Cornelia asked.
Taranee nodded. "Yeah I think I do. I was worried about Irma so I tried to read her thoughts. But her mind right now is a jumbled mess; I couldn't tell much."
Will was almost afraid to ask. "What do you mean a jumbled mess?"
"I mean she's really confused and has a lot on her mind. It was really weird; almost like there were two distinct personalities. One was Irma, but she was terrified; the other was Irma, but she was angry." Taranee shook her head and shrugged.
"Anyway," Taranee continued, "I wasn't sure what to expect when she saw us for the first time in weeks. I was trying to get a feel for her mood; I couldn't read anything definitive, but I know she was nervous, scared, angry, anxious………just a mess."
"I'm afraid to ask, but what was she afraid of? Nothing can hurt her in Candracar." Cornelia said.
Taranee looked at Will intently. Will's jaw fell open. "Are you serious?"
Taranee nodded sadly. Will shook her head and blew out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Cornelia wasn't sure how she felt about being left out of the loop. "What?"
"Us, Cornelia……Irma was afraid of us."
"That's ridiculous; we're her friends. Why would she be afraid of us?"
Taranee shrugged. "I don't know, but she was. Did you guys notice how close she stayed to Mrs. Lin? And how Mrs. Lin broke up the group hug so fast and so abruptly?"
Will's eyes slid to the side as she accessed her memories of the meeting. Presently she looked back at Taranee. The Fire Guardian nodded; she knew Will had just realized she was right. Cornelia's expression remained neutral.
"What's going on with her?" Cornelia asked, irritated that the answers didn't simply fall out of the sky.
"She has PTSD." Taranee answered.
Cornelia nodded in understanding; that would explain some of it, she thought.
"What's PTSD?" Will asked.
Cornelia answered. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."
"Post Train, what?"
Taranee smiled. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Will. It's sometimes called Shell-Shock. When someone has been through a traumatic experience they can develop PTSD. It can cause all kinds of problems like depression, disassociation, mood swings, flashbacks, among other things."
"Well I would say that getting tortured to death would qualify as traumatic." Will said, as Taranee and Cornelia nodded. "Flashbacks? Could these be the hallucinations the Mage mentioned?"
Taranee shrugged. "It's possible I guess. If Irma was having a flashback right at the moment the Mage touched her, it could explain why she went ballistic."
"So you're saying that Irma thought the Mage was Nerissa?" Cornelia asked.
"I'm saying it's possible; but her mind is still so messed up I can't read her. I can't say with any degree of certainty that that's what happened. All I know is Irma certainly believed the Mage was a threat."
"Irma thought the Mage was a threat?" Will asked. "So she was right; we shouldn't have let her anywhere near Irma."
"Easy Will; Taranee said Irma believed the Mage was a threat, not the Mage was a threat. If Irma had a flashback right at that moment, wouldn't she believe she was actually living the moment and not just recalling it?"
Taranee nodded again. "Yes, she would. She would have no way of knowing it was just a memory."
"Which essentially leaves us right back at square one," Cornelia sighed. "We have absolutely no idea if Irma recognized something sinister in the Mage, or was having a kick-ass flashback."
Will's headache was increasing as she tried to keep everything straight. "Taranee, what do you think? Was it a flashback, or is the Mage a bag that needs popping?"
Taranee shook her head sadly. "I don't know Will, that's the point. I have nothing to compare it to, so I have no idea how to distinguish what's real and what isn't to Irma's mind. As far as she's concerned, a flashback is every bit as real as actual present time. She probably doesn't even realize what's going on."
Will sighed again. "That wasn't exactly helpful T."
"Sorry Will; best I can do."
"You never finished explaining what happened to you Taranee. How did you get mixed up in this?" Cornelia asked.
"Well like I said, I was concerned about Irma so I connected myself to her mind. I tried to communicate telepathically with her, but I don't think she heard me. I'm pretty sure she didn't want to be there though; like I said before, we scare her and we make her nervous."
Taranee took a deep breath before continuing. "When the Mage walked in and offered to remove the curse, Irma's feelings of discomfort shot through the roof. She was definitely afraid of her, but I didn't know why at the time. The only reason she let the Mage near her the first time was because Yan Lin convinced her it would be okay. Then Irma just wigged out. I knew she was afraid of the Mage and us, so I tried to show her that we were on her side."
"The human shield," Will recalled.
Taranee nodded. "Exactly. I thought she might trust us a little if I showed her we took her fears seriously. Hay Lin played along, but the Mage convinced Irma to go with it. I think Irma only offered herself to the Mage a second time because she was afraid we would think she was nuts if she didn't."
"She is nuts," Cornelia muttered.
Will shot a thin bolt of lightning at Cornelia's rear. The Earth Guardian yelped and jumped in surprise. "Ow," she said, rubbing her left cheek and glaring at Will.
"Knock it off," Will growled. She gestured for Taranee to continue.
Suppressing a grin, Taranee continued. "I was still connected to Irma at that time, so I know she was terrified of the Mage, or more accurately as it turns out, whoever Irma thought the Mage was. The third time, when we all held her down and the Mage grabbed her face…" Taranee shuddered at the memory of the pain.
"Go on Taranee; it's okay." Will encouraged.
Taranee swallowed. "When the Mage grabbed Irma's face, I felt...something; I don't know what it was. But it hurt so much. All this pain just exploded inside my head. I remember hearing Irma scream, and then I think my brain just sort of shut down or something. Next thing I know, I'm in here and you two are arguing."
Will felt a pang of sympathy for her friend; she had no idea it was that bad and that painful for Taranee. "Are you gonna be okay T?"
Taranee grinned. "I'll be fine Will…no worries."
"We need to talk to Hay Lin," Cornelia said.
Will nodded. "I agree; I'll go get her."
"Wait; let me see if I can reach her." Taranee requested. Without waiting for an acknowledgement, Taranee closed her eyes and attempted to contact Hay Lin.
Hay Lin, come in here a sec; we need to talk.
Taranee opened her eyes and shrugged. "Guess we'll know in a few."
Several minutes passed with no acknowledgement from Hay Lin. Taranee tried again.
Hay Lin? Everything okay?
This time, she received a response almost immediately.
Um, yeah Taranee, I'm fine. Be there in a sec.
Taranee nodded. "Hay Lin's on her way."
Will nodded. "Good thing we left our Astral Drops on Earth. I think this may take a while."
Cornelia sighed. "Great. Do you think the Silver Dragon delivers this far away?"
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There we go my little chickadees; please drop a review so I'll know what y'all think. Take care…all of you. Much love!