Yeah! Five reviews! And from some new people too! Sorry I'm a little late. I got sick and looking at the computer made me dizzy. This is the next chapter of Finding Perfection. Long and action-packed (hopefully) just for you guys! All my reviewers get an imaginary piece of your fave kind of pizza. Okay! I'm done now!
Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks, Nerd Corps does. Vanessa really owns most of the plot and Kezzywezzy25 owns some of it. I own my OCs.
Previously on Finding Perfection…
Alexis is into week two in the Land of the Deceased. She meets a girl named Shylee, who gives her some very valuable advice and convinces her not to give up on her journey back to life. She finally gets to talk to anti-Aerrow and now anxiously awaits to watch the scene unfold in the Pond of the Living.
I laid beside the Pond of the Living, waiting for something to happen. Where's the anti-Aerrow? Why hasn't he gotten to the Condor yet? He should be there by now…
I was beginning to become worried. What if something had gone wrong? How would I get the message to Aerrow? Was this how the others fell? Did the demons fail to deliver their messages, leaving them stranded, waiting endlessly for the next demon to come?
I sighed and decided to rest for now. I was going to need it.
The old woman watched the girl from her spot in the woods. "Little does she know that I have stopped the demon. It won't deliver the message and she'll be trapped here."
"Why are you doing this?" Shylee demanded.
"No one is meant to make it back to their living selves. It would be too supernatural for the ignorant humans to stand." The woman said.
"Why do you prevent this? You don't care for the humans. You would love it if they all went insane and killed each other. Just another pathetic show for you to watch." Shylee said.
The woman turned swiftly and grabbed Shylee by the throat. "Don't test me, you foolish girl, or I will send you to Limbo right now! The task can be done without you, and will be done without you unless you prove yourself worthy! I am doing this for us. For you. For her. The humans would kill her."
"How do you know?" Shylee asked.
"It has happened to one other. My sister. It will happen to no more! I already tried to discourage her when I first met her in the square. It seems that that hasn't worked, for whatever reason…" Shylee looked away. "But I will stop her soon."
"Nicosia…" Shylee began.
"It must be done."
"Wake up, Alexis." A voice told me gently.
What? I'm not asleep.
"Alexis. Come on. Wake up."
Just five more minutes…
"WAKE UP IF YOU WANT TO WATCH FOR YOUR FRIENDS!"
My eyes shot open. "What? Can't a girl get any sleep around here?" I exclaimed.
"Do you want to watch the demon or not?" The voice demanded. I recognized it now. It was Shylee.
"Is it starting? Did the anti-Aerrow make it?" I asked anxiously.
"No." Shylee said.
"Then, why did you wake me up and get me excited? Where is he?" I demanded.
"I can't tell you." She said. She signaled slightly with her right hand. She wanted me to follow her. I glanced back at the Pond of the Living. What if the anti-Aerrow finds Aerrow when I'm gone? Shylee widened her eyes urgently and I decided to just follow her.
She led me into town and to a small hut. "We can talk safely here." She said.
"Talk safely? What are you talking about? What's going on, Shylee?" I asked.
"Shh. Don't talk too loud. She might hear us." Shylee shushed me.
"Who?"
"Nicosia."
"Who is that?"
"Just let me start from the beginning…"
"Nicosia is the guardian of the Land of the Deceased. She has vowed to protect it, and all who are in it. Her heart is not good. Even when she has good intentions, her evil doings from her past ruin them. Whenever she's around, disaster is lurking near. Nicosia is the old woman from the village when you first came here. She's the one who tried to discourage you about getting back to your life."
"Why would she do that?" I asked.
"She believes that if someone got back to their life on earth, it would be too supernatural for the humans to handle. She believes that they will kill us. She's the one who has prevented everyone from making it to their lives." Shylee explained.
"If she was so evil, how did she ever become guardian of the Land of the Deceased?" I asked.
"She took over when her sister died."
"How did she die?"
"Nicosia's sister, Curia, was taken from her life too early. When she came here, she had such good in her soul that people began to look up to her in her time here. She would have been perfectly happy here, but she missed her life so. While she was happy when others were around, she secretly desperately trying to find her way back. Back to her life. She worked hard and faced her demons and eventually made it back to her life. No one knew that though. In the Land of the Deceased, it appeared as if she had just vanished. The land was brought to turmoil. Nicosia saw this and took over. She told whatever force was listening that she would take care of this land. She is now chained here, never able to leave until someone else takes over."
"As for her sister, Curia appeared back home, not finding what she had expected to find. Everyone had moved on. She had been forgotten. When she was first seen, but her own father, he decided that the return of her would bring disgrace to the family name. They would be feared. Others would think they could bring back the dead. He decided to go get the rest of his family and tell them that a witch had taken over Curia's body. When they all gathered around her, she was so happy that she made it home. She rushed forward to hug them, but when she got close enough, her father revealed a knife and stabbed her, killing her too early once again."
"What happened to her? Did she come back here?" I asked.
"No. If you die too early twice, you don't get a second chance. You go straight to Limbo." Shylee told me.
"So that's what happened to her?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Well, what about the anti-Aerrow? Do you know where he is?" I asked.
"Nicosia took it. She's keeping it from sending the message. Your next demon won't come unless the message for the previous one has gotten through."
"That's how Nicosia has stopped the others who tried. That's why most people don't try. She's struck fear into their hearts. But you're brave. You can make it back and prove to everyone that it's possible." Shylee told me.
"What about you?" I asked.
"I can't go against Nicosia, but I can help you!"
"Where is she keeping the demon?" I asked.
"I don't know. You can call it back though and send it again. Just call, 'daemonium fero' and it will come."
"Okay." I said, taking a deep breath.
"Do it in the woods in five minutes. I'll distract Nicosia." Shylee said.
"Okay. Good luck." I told her.
She ran off and I made my way slowly to the woods. I walked slowly through the dark trees. My mind just kept wandering back to all the horror movies that I'd watched that took place in the woods. This was becoming way too real for my taste.
I stood in a clearing for a couple of minutes before I called, "Daemonium fero!"
The leaves rustled slightly and the anti-Aerrow was standing in front of me. "I'm sorry. I was caught by the guardian of…"
"I know, but you have to go now. Fast! My friend, Shylee, is distracting Nicosia. Go get to Aerrow so I can face my next demon! I have to make it out of here!" I told him.
"Yes. Go to the Pond of the Living immediately to watch. I will go as fast as I can. The guardian will not catch me again." Then, it disappeared.
I ran to the Pond of the Living, ready to finally watch Aerrow.
Aerrow was sitting in his room. It'd been a slow day. Nothing to do really. Chores were done and the Atmos was peaceful. It was like the unbearable silence right after a horrible storm.
"It was my fault that you were killed. I should have taken you home when I first found you, but I didn't. I'm so sorry, Alexis." He said quietly.
Suddenly, my ghost appeared. Aerrow stared at it, or me, in shock. "It wasn't your fault. Aerrow, you didn't take me home when you first found me because you're so kind. I was desperate and scared and home was the last place I wanted to be. You were compassionate enough not to force me back there." It, or I, said.
"But now you're dead." He pointed out.
"Not for long. I'm going to find a way back. I'm going to spend every minute of my time trying to find a way back to you. All of you. Back to my life. If I don't make it, at least you, the rest of the Storm Hawks, and Ace will know I tried." I said.
"I still think things would be better if I'd just taken you back home." He said.
"Who knew what would've happened then. Ave would have still been there and just taken me away with him. Or, he wouldn't have been there and I would have tried to find him. You did what was best, Aerrow." I said.
"I did what was best?" He asked.
"Yes, and you know why? Because you're a true leader. One of the best I've ever seen. Goodbye, Aerrow. I'll see you, and everyone soon." I said.
"I'll see you, Alexis. Stay safe and be careful." Aerrow said as my ghost faded away. "This is Alejandro's fault."
I pulled away from the pond and sighed. "Not again. Not revenge. What is with these people and revenge?"
"That is how all living people are. Getting back at someone is the only thing on their minds." I turned to find Nicosia standing with Shylee.
"What are you two doing here?" I asked.
"I'm coming to warn you. You must stop fighting me. I'm only trying to help you." Nicosia said.
"But Shylee told me…"
"Shylee. Of course. Such a confused child." Shylee's gaze seemed to harden, but I couldn't tell. "She got the story all wrong. Saying that bad things happen around me. Not at all! Only what I want happens and I want good things for you."
"I believe that the people back in her life love her enough! They won't hurt her!" Shylee yelled.
"Quiet, child!" Nicosia yelled.
"They won't hurt you, Alexis! Don't listen to her!" Shylee screamed before Nicosia swept her hand and she disappeared.
"Now we can talk without being interrupted." Nicosia said.
"I don't want to talk to you." I said, turning back to the pond.
Suddenly, I was spun back around to face her. "Foolish girl! You don't want to go back to your life. They'll kill you, just like they did my sister!"
"No, they won't. From the sounds of it, she had some pretty serious family problems that made it to where they didn't want her, but my friends want me back. They've told me so. And you can threaten me and try to scare me all you want, but you don't scare me. Have fun trying to stop me." I said.
Nicosia screamed in rage. "Shylee!" She yelled.
I was worried about my friend, but there was nothing I could do to help her. She'll be okay. She'll get away.
I looked back to the Pond of the Living to hear Aerrow telling the Storm Hawks, "Let's go find Alejandro and bring him to justice." I sighed. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.
And there you have it! The extremely late chapter five! Hope you liked it! Please review!
5 reviews- January 31st
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2 reviews- February 21st
1 review- February 28th