Disclaimer: I don't own the Avalon: Web of Magic series or the song "Open Ground", they belong to Rachel Roberts and Tristania respectively.
You can find this song on YouTube or Project Playlist.
Digging in the ground
Digging in the mud
Sweat streams down my face
My spit tastes like blood
"The Otherworlds!" Kara gasped.
"Very good, my dear," The Dark Sorceress stepped from the smoky nothingness and stood next to her accomplice. She pulled down the hood of her cloak and long silver blonde hair spilled over her shoulders. Her bright green animal eyes pierced the darkness. "We escaped, but have brought you here now."
"Why?" Kara asked, returning the sorceress' icy stares.
"We know where to locate the last of the nine-- oops, eight--" The Spider Witch looked pointedly at Kara, "--of the power crystals."
Kara resisted screaming at the witch. "I hadn't meant to destroy the crystal," She hissed through clenched teeth.
Thw witch smiled at the reaction she had managed to get out of the blazing star. "But that's beside the point. We know where the last crystal is. You and the other mages had returned six of them to the fairimentals, and, as you well know, Miranda (1) and I have the seventh. Now, you have a choice. Join us, and surrender your magic and your jewel to us, or sit and rot in the Otherworlds and surrender your magic and your jewel to us." (2)
Hide me with locks from your hair
I cannot breathe
"What do you choose?"
"What?" Kara spat, her blue eyes filled with hate. "Neither! I'll get myself out of here!"
"Silly girl," Miranda sighed. The sorceress glanced at her throat. "Lucinda, you meddling wench," She muttered under her breath. The Spider Witch caught this.
"What? What is it?"
The sorceress pointed a long, silver-clawed finger at Kara. Where her unicorn horn jewel usually hung was Lucinda's protection gem.
"Fairy magic!" The witch exclaimed. "We can't touch her!"
"No," Miranda agreed, but her eyes flashed. "But we can get her to take it off."
Kara snorted. "Yeah, right."
"Oh, I think we can," The sorceress smirked, and they walked out, talking to each other in low voices.
Bleeding...
Dying...
Digging...
Falling apart
The torch went out
The room went dark
Kara looked up when the Sorceress walked in again, flanked by two reptilian-like guards. "Take her," she said simply, and one guard grabbed her right arm and another grabbed her left. Kara shot them hostile glares and stood up, trying to shake their grip. The Sorceress noticed this and motioned for the guards to let her go.
"Follow me, or they lead you again," She told her and walked briskly into the fog. Kara obeyed, frantically thinking of ways to get herself out. She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed when the swirling mists were replaced by stone walls and oak floors until she found herself staring into the flame of a lighted torch.
Kara was led into a large room, where the Spider Witch was directing arachnids over a stark white tapestry.
"Ah, here we are," She turned and grinned when they walked in. With the flick of her wrist, she silently ordered the reptilian guards to leave the chamber. "Come here, child."
Wary, Kara took a tentative step towards the witch, even though every fiber in her being screamed at her to stop.
"Stare into the tapestry."
Running in the fog
Crawling through the mud
Tears fall down my face
My spit tastes like blood
Cover me with locks from your hair
As soon as she glanced at the shimmering cloth weaved from spiderweb, she regretted it. She knew what was going to happen. She had experienced the same thing in the astral planes with Lucinda. Now it was too late to tear her gaze away.
FLASH
Lyra, dying of the Black Fire that coursed through her veins...
Emily, hazel eyes exhausted and pained, leaning over the leopard, too late to save her...
Zach and Marlin, being beaten down by a manticore...
Adriane, doubled over on the ground as her arm bled...
And Lorren, staring at her, disappointed and hurt...
FLASH
Bleeding...
Dying...
Digging...
Falling apart
The torch went out
The room went dark
Kara was ripped fiercely from the visions by the witch.
"We can make all that happen," She hissed, meaning every word. "Take off the protection amulet. Surrender your magic to us."
Kara pressed her lips into a thin line and shook her head, fighting back the tears that pricked her eyes. Thw witch's eyes blazed with anger. "Now!"
Rage flowed through Kara's veins. The unicorn jewel in her hand burned white-hot. Glittering blazing star power, combined with the Skultum magic she had acquired two years earlier and her paladin's firemental power, shot from the jewel, crashing into the witch and the sorceress. In the flash of white light, Kara thought she saw a beam of red-orange shooting towards her. In the next moment, Starfire, her paladin, the firemental stallion, stood proudly next to her.
"Paladins come in time of great need," He whinnied. In one fluid moment, Kara jumped onto the horse's back. Her jewel protected her from being burnt by the flames that made up the horse, as it had in the Fairy Realms. Starfire reared onto his hind legs, and with a powerful leap, galloped right through the tapestry.
Insanity is always near
Deep in my bag full of fear
I cannot see
The pain that trigged your screams
I cannot see
The next morning during school, Kara pulled Emily and Adriane aside to speak to them about what had happened the night before. Emily shifted in to business mode when Kara was finished, swearing to check on the dreamcatcher after school and be sure the animals knew to keep an eye out.
"We have to contact the fairmentals. They took over the Otherworlds-- who knows what they have control over now," Adriane said. Emily and Kara both agreed.
Emily glanced at her watch. "I'm going to be late," She told them, and headed off towards her class. Adriane turned to follow her, when Kara reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Ow!" She hissed. "Kara!"
"Just to let you know," The blonde whispered. "I haven't forgotten."
Bleeding...
Dying...
Digging...
Falling apart
The torch went out
The room went dark
Adriane stormed off to her next class and took a seat to the far right of the room. She could hear Rae, Mrs. Windor's annoying niece, trying to suck up to Molly and Tiffany by spreading false gossip.
"She looks anorexic," Rae commented in her loud, nasal voice, clearly talking about Adriane. "I bet she cuts herself too. Stupid emo kid."
The warrior rose in anger and walked over to Rae.
"What?" Rae asked impatiently.
Adriane didn't reply. She just drew her fist back and punched the other girl in the face so hard, she fell into the desk.
Silence immediately fell over the previously loud classroom.
"Adriane!" The teachers gasped in as shocked voice. "Main office! Now!"
Bleeding...
Dying...
Digging...
Falling apart
The torch went out
The room went dark
From the corner of my eye
I feel them closing in
I know they caught the scent o me
And then they went for me
I chose for you to stay with me
(1) - The books never say what the Sorceress's real name is, but in Heart of Avalon she called herself "Miranda", so I just used that name to add some variety.
(2) - Product of my imagination. I know that never happened in the books.