The team began to question as I scoured the remains. I was looking for my mother's emblem somewhere on their armor, and I found it. I tore the medal from around the orc's neck and walked back to the others.
"Are you alright?" Abe whispered when I stepped next to him. I nodded before I handed the seal to Krauss.
He took it in his glove and looked it over a few times. "Tahk…"
"Stop!"I shouted to cut him off. It was a bad idea to say my mother's true name in front of me. That was how I nearly lost control of my powers nine years ago. "It's not a good idea to say her name. The best way to go about it is to just call her the Dark Queen." Abe nodded, remembering what happened before.
"Oh, yes of course. The Dark Queen apparently sent these orcs to kill somebody on this team. Most likely the target was Hellboy or Cara. We need to narrow that down and find out why." I gave a slight snort at Krauss' indecision as to the target and the motive.
"Me; she was trying to finish what she started by killing me. When all but Abe and Bahia turned to me in confusion, I sighed and answered as quickly as I could to beat the tears. "My mother, the Dark Queen, sent a mercenary who killed my twin brother, Damian, last winter." I drew in a shaking breath as Abe moved to my side to comfort me.
We heard a slight rustle behind us that was too small to be an enemy, so we ignored it. "Sindri began to think that we would be too late, but I knew we would not be disappointed." Came a rasping hiss from the darkness. All but I jumped about a foot clear into the air.
"Father!" I cried as I turned and ran toward his voice. I saw a pale yellow light bob up and down in a wave as it came nearer. After a few moments, a black cloaked figure holding a light-tipped staff walked out of the trees. Behind him came a short, purple clad figure with long black hair. "Sindri!"
"Cara!" Sindri cried. The kender mage ran past my father to hug me around my waist. I tousled his hair while he clung to me. "Who are all the weird people starring at us? Are they agents for the Dark Queen too?" he whispered conspiratorially.
"No, you silly kender! They're agents, true, but for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense." I laughed when his child-like face scrunched up in confusion. "They're scientists for the supernatural. That includes you and me."
"So you're an experiment or something?" he was still just as confused.
"No, she is an agent, too." Abe answered as he stepped toward Sindri and extended his gloved hand. "I'm Abraham Sapien, a fellow agent and old friend of Cara's. You must be Sindri Suncatcher, the first kender mage and Cara's father's apprentice."
Sindri shook his hand tentatively. "How do you know so much about me?"He asked timidly. Sindri was one of only two kenders to ever admit that he was afraid. And he knew that other one, Tasslehoff
Burfoot, from his occasional visits to the tower where Sindri and my father and his family lived. He would either visit with my uncle, Caramon Majere, or my father's old companion, Tanis Half-Elvin.
"I 'read' a lot." Abe removed one of his gloves to show Sindri his hand.
"So you 'read' me?" The kender was now a cross between frightened, amazed, and annoyed.
"No, Sindri, he read me; and has done soon many occasions." I separated self from the pointy-eared ball of pent up energy and approached my father. "What brings you to Earth, Father?"
He pulled back his hood to reveal his long silver and gold hair, golden skin, and hourglass shaped amber brown eyes. "I came to warn you, my child. Your mother seeks your powers, and I am not strong enough to protect you." He leaned heavily on his Staff of Maigus as he began to cough violently I supported his shoulders as he wiped the blood from his pale lips.
"I don't see how you were ever strong enough to protect her to begin with. You're just a sick, metallic old man!" while Hellboy ranted, a small smirk came to my father's face before he morphed it into a scowl.
Father removed himself from my hands and stepped towards Hellboy. "You should watch your tongue, demon. I am sickly, not sick. And have been so since my ill-fated test of high sorcery. I appear metallic to you because of the same curse that weakens me. Cara holds some of the traits as well. Her slightly gold tinted skin reflects some spells while mine deflects almost all, and her slightly hourglass eyes are reminiscent of mine. Hers, however, do not age everything a few centuries as mine do. It is very interesting, looking at the lot of you. You, demon, do not change, neither does the fish. The spirit's suit decays and he floats free, while my daughter ages a few more years. My apprentice becomes an adult of his kind, but the woman crumbles to a dusty skeleton. And I am not old. Cara was born when I was younger than she is now. And I assure you, I am quite powerful enough to send you back to where you came from in many different ways. For I am Raistlin Majere: the master of Past, Present, and Future, and the most powerful archmage of Krynn." He hissed in a voice that sent visibly shivers up Hellboy's body. He let his eyes rove over the group before they settled on Abe with a measuring stare.
"But we can protect her." Liz voiced from the back of the group.
"No, you cannot." I whispered, but it carried on the breeze to everyone on the clearing. "The only person who could have helped to protect me was my brother. By killing us one at a time while we were separated, my mother wins the game and our powers." I shook my head in sadness and defeat.
"No, we're not going to lose you!" Abe growled under his breath.
"Ah, you must be the Abraham Sapien whom Car spoke so much about. I must thank you greatly for your heroic efforts to save her." My father extended his long, thin hand to Abe. He slipped his glove back on to meet the rather random gesture of gratitude. "I see." My father murmured after a moment. He released Abe's hand and strode back over to me. "I suppose you could have chosen worse. He is
quite worthy, and apparently a good fighter. I give you my consent." He rested his hand on my head before running it down to my shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.
"Thank you." I sighed in relief. That had been the part about the love between Abe and I that I had worried the most about.
"I will return before the beginning of the encroaching battle to aid you; for I can do no more now." He turned back to where he had come from and began to walk away with Sindri when I remembered something.
"Father, wait!" I ran to him as he turned around. "I'm sure you read from Abe that I passed for a short time?" he nodded solemnly. "I saw Damian. He told me to tell you that he misses you and that he will visit us soon, but that he has missions to complete in his stage of life."
A tear rolled down his golden cheek. He did not choose to be a father with the coming of Damian and I. And he saved us out of duty, for he had only met us once before. But he loved us, and we loved him. "And I believe you told him the truth on that I miss him as well?" I nodded. "Well, farewell for now, my dear child." He touched my forehead before he disappeared into the trees.
I turned to the team; the strange yet somehow familiar people who had become my friends. Tears began to brim out of my eyes as I realized that each and every one of them would die if they protected me. Liz, who was a good friend, would perish. Hellboy, who I realized truly cared for me in an annoying cousin sort of way, would perish. Krauss, who was becoming a mentor and an almost father figure, would parish (again). And Abe, the person who my heart belonged to in almost every sense of the words, would perish. I took a shuddering breath before I told them what was unfolding in between their world and mine. "The battle of all magic for the single key has begun."
We're back (for the second time today). We said we'd update again tonight and we have. But the next installment might be in a while since we start school tomorrow.
What will the Dark Queen do? Why will the team die? What war is Cara talking about? What's the key?
Answers to these and other questions will be included in chapter 9.
As always, your input (reviews)are always welcomed and replied.
Sincerely,
C M + L W idkaname