Uderzo and Goscinny own the universe of Asterix. Until the next album appears, and I will have to extend that statement.

I am getting closer to the end of the story! Maybe two or three more? In between two evening classes and my job it is really hard to find time and the right set of mind, but I'm still proud of this chapter. I finally got to write a scene that have been picturing since I started the story. Thanks for bearing with me to get it finished!

Phyllis Chapter 30

Phyllis slowly regained sense of more than the darkness around her. It was not pleasant. She was hurt, scratched and burnt. But most of all she was tired. She had not taken Asterix' last words to her kindly, but she had acted on them. Feeling that she had indeed stood a chance against Mesmeron today. Still, it seemed to come down to the same it always did. She was fighting for something, and it weakened her. Was she weaker because she had not given up her capacity to heal? She had wondered about it. But even without those powers, if she defeated Mesmeron by giving up on everyone around her, what was the point? Then she could just have left, they would have ended up no different. Today she had realized that her powers were just tools, they did not determine her.

Asterix had shielded her without healing powers, just because he didn't have them, did not mean he fought without losing sight of those he battled for. Phyllis' mind drifted to the small warrior….She felt Bonny's focus on him, and Manilla trying to reach Bonny….Manilla secured the villagers, or at least most of them, because she felt the confusion of a few of them that were running around in the darkness. Why was it that it became so easy in this self-created darkness, to feel things she had struggled to focus on even before she had ever heard on Mesmeron? She rolled over to see a faint light in the distance, and she knew Bonny was going to give herself away soon. She also knew that Bonny would not fight for a lost life. She respected the nature of things too much to do so. There was a hope, and a reason to continue fighting. Soon Phyllis would need to shield Bonny, or Mesmeron would get to her while she was defenseless. But there would be no one left to go after him if she did.

Which made it all pointless; Mesmeron would still win in the end.

Goliath's soft nose touched her cheek. Phyllis reached out to her and pulled herself to a sitting position. Goliath kept touching her. She wanted action from of her.

Manilla's words. She had said something about Goliath. She had thought Phyllis had transferred her healing powers to the horse. Which she hadn't. She had not even known it was possible. If the distance between them had not been so big, she would have asked Manilla about it right away. Manilla seemed to think Phyllis would want to cast her healing powers aside, but even now, when it seemed to form a solution, it scared her. She had experienced what it was like not to have that backup, and it certainly did not encourage her to go pick a fight with Mesmeron without them. If she failed now, it would be over.

Still, she held her horses' head between her hands and focused. After a while the dark around them lifted a little, and she saw the glow in Goliath's eyes. It was not as hard as she had believed it would be, but there was more to this than transferring her powers. Goliath had jumped in front of Phyllis once, wanting to protect her. Since Phyllis' powers were directed by will, she was quite sure they would work for Goliath as well. But how to tell her horse what to do? She could send her to Bonny, she would go to her. But would her horse, known as difficult and even aggressive, protect someone other than Phyllis herself? Bonny? Asterix? Obelix? She had known Bonny longest, and her friend had treated Goliath with the soft kindness she applied to everyone. But Bonny had kept her distance from the horse, respecting, but never truly grasping the fondness Phyllis felt for her. Most importantly, Phyllis had resented Bonny for three solid years, and part of her still did. Phyllis focused on Asterix instead. She had fought with him as well, but Goliath had followed him to her, and she prayed that her horse somewhere carried some of the gratitude she herself felt for that. She pictured the moment Asterix got hit by Mesmerons' spell. She had no time to collect her emotions about that, only one message that she tried to get through to Goliath: 'Please do not let it happen again!' She looked into the horses' eyes, unable know if the message got through. But if she had to start trusting again; Goliath was the best place to start for her.

The darkness was really lifting now. Phyllis stroked Goliath's head with both hands, realizing that this could be goodbye. She felt oddly at peace with it; Goliath was carrying part of her with her. They would never be truly separated again. After one last caress, she sent the horse away. Goliath went at once, and it gave Phyllis courage. She would not get a better indication that Goliath had understood her than this.

Bonny was exhausted. Her hands trembled, and she had long given up hope to shield her and Asterix. She looked at the warrior, too dazed to realize that it was not just her powers that lit his face, but the light that was slowly revealing them. He twitched and turned, as if having a nightmare, which was probably the case. Bonny had never been hit by Mesmeron herself, but she had seen Phyllis go through it. Phyllis never took the entire blow though…Still, Asterix was obviously suffering, but his weakening heartbeat had picked up again, very much so. The blow itself had severely burned his chest, but she had gotten to him quickly and prevented his longs from harm. The burnt skin looked pink, where it had previously been black. It was more than she had thought herself capable of. She moved her hands towards his head. Trying to calm his mind like his skin. But either she was too exhausted, or it simply did not work, because Asterix kept breathing quickly and twitching. Obelix was right next to her watching his friend as if he was agonizing too.

"We have to wake him up," He said hoarsely. Bonny shook her head. "That would not make this stop…I've seen it with Phyllis, she kept hallucinating even when she was awake." Obelix did not seem to catch her words "That's how I got this," Bonny said, turning to him and shaking back her sleeve to reveal the burned spot on her arm. Obelix caught her eyes this time. He looked at his friend again…Asterix still lived, but it was obvious that he would not get through this adventure unscratched.

They both saw Mesmeron later than Mesmeron saw them. Obelix realized that even if he managed to reach Mesmeron before he struck, Mesmeron had a big chance of evading his attack. And he would not attack Obelix if he did, but Asterix. So he just shielded his best friend and Bonny, thanking the gods for his big posture just this once, and cursing them for letting this happen.

But the blow never came.

Bonny opened her eyes, sensing Phyllis shielding them. Her eyes traveled to Goliath's back, and found it empty. She stood up, looking around wildly. She could feel Phyllis, her shield had always been different from others. Not like the impenetrable blanket Manilla's was, but more like a massive stone wall. But Phyllis was not making this shield. Her shocked eyes mirrored thoseof Mesmeron for just a moment, before something hit him from the side. Mesmeron didn't fall. Phyllis had not aimed at him. She had simply thrown herself forward and snatched the long wooden staff out of his frozen hands, pulling him along. In physical strength, Mesmeron was no match for her, and he was forced to let go. But once he no longer touched it, the staff became heavy like a massive rock. It burned in her hands, and she only managed to pull it a few meters from his owner.

"Did you really think that would work?" Mesmeron sneered at her, but he backed away nevertheless. The gesture was not lost on Bonny, and Phyllis seemed to have noticed it too, because her determined look did not weaken. She was focusing on the object with all her might, on all the powers it held, powers that were not originally Mesmerons'. But he was the one who had sealed them in this object. Her attention shifted to Mesmeron, locking him in her gaze while she did.

…

Asterix felt his head was about to burst as he tried to control the violent attack on his mind. He and Obelix arguing, over things that were supposed to be in the past. Over things that he did not even remember, but that hurt nevertheless. Images of their burning village. Why were they arguing, if the village was burning before their eyes? He tried to ask, but he had no control over his words. The scenes kept switching. Marching armies neared the village, and he had no potion to defend it. His friends were retreating to a nearby island, and he watched the boat leave. Their village burned behind him. He turned to watch the flames and something stirred in the back of his mind. He tried to focus on it. He watched the village gate. It was made out of one solid piece of wood. Where were the piles it was supposed to made of? He looked up, and saw no hut inside a tree. Three oaks at the back of the village, where Obelix menhirs were supposed to be. This was not his village. The village gates opened, and the villagers running out were strangers to him. He felt no less urged to aid them, and no less able to do so. But this was not his village. He tried to hold that thought with all his might.

The image shifted. He was inside a wide room with high ceilings, staring at a blonde woman larger than him. She looked at him with pained eyes, and he felt his heart cringe even though he didn't recognize her. Her eyes shone bright from unshed tears, emphasizing their light green color. He recognized those eyes. He had seen them in a different face, even sadder than this one.

In those tear-filled eyes, the next scene unraveled. A camp, a sense of dread as he passed the gates and neared the bodies hanging from a gallows at the center. One face, blue and distorted, he had seen not long before, even if it had just been an illusion. The stench and terror accompanying this image invaded him with such a power that he shook awake, moving to a sitting position. The image did not disappear, but he saw Phyllis and Mesmeron through it, she holding his staff, her eyes closed tight. Reality returned, and for one moment, he thought Mesmeron was using illusions on Phyllis.

But the deep cold rage behind that last image could never be Mesmeron's. Asterix was not watching illusions now, but memories, and it was Phyllis who made them flash by with a power that drove Mesmeron's attack out of his mind.

Asterix could not see it, but when Phyllis opened her eyes again, Mesmeron did see the red glint in them. It was not that that made him back away further though. It was the feral, outraged expression her face carried. Mesmeron realized the meaning behind it, but he had no time to run before she pointed his staff at his chest. He felt like it was pulling at him, and he fell to his knees, trying to grasp at the ground. His hand found support on some lost tree roots, but he could not control the powers flowing from his body. He finally recognized the attack…the one that he had never for one second expected to ever be used upon him. He had been the only one who had ever used it. His thoughts seemed to fade into a blur, twirling around and trying to grasp what he was losing.

Bonny watched as Phyllis drew Mesmerons' powers out of his struggling body. She knew it meant the end, but she did not feel the weight of the battle lift. Manilla touched her shoulder, grasping it tightly. Mesmerons' powers were traveling the air, to get sealed along with the other powers locked inside the staff. But they were brimming, and the hand that was holding them was shaking with rage. Mesmeron crumpled, and Phyllis raised the staff towards the air. Bonny recognized how the air became unstable, like it had done after Phyllis and she had fought about Mesmerons' first attack on the village. Phyllis lack of control had not done much damage back then, but she had not been holding the staff, carrying Mesmerons' power.

Bony stepped forward, cautiously, but Phyllis seemed to feel her near. Bonny froze at the expression on her pale face, and at the staff pointing towards her. Phyllis seemed to hiss at her, but he eyes were not focused on Bonny. She doubted Phyllis even saw her.

'Get back here,' Manilla whispered. Bonny backed away until she was back with Asterix, who was at his feet now, supported by Obelix.

"That staff can kill every single one of us," Manilla said, her tone low. Even though he could barely focus on reality as it was, Asterix managed to give her a skeptical look. "Including her," Manilla added, with a small nod in Phyllis direction. Asterix looked at Phyllis. She had turned to Mesmeron again. "If she attacks him like this, she'll never be able to hold back," Bonny whispered, her voice a mixture of fear and acceptance. Asterix believed her. Mesmeron had lost control of his powers against Phyllis' pure rage. Maybe Phyllis would indeed not be able to control his powers like this. But she could control her own feelings.

He felt too tired to speak, but he knew his best friend well enough to convince him without words. He managed to make Obelix let go of him as he stepped towards Phyllis. She never noticed him approaching, too focused on Mesmeron and on the staff she was trying to point at him. Mesmeron was no more than a crumpled heap. She did not need the staff to defeat him, but she did not seem to realize it. The images that had woken Asterix returned, turning him dizzy. He touched her shoulder, both to steady himself and to calm her. She turned at once. He stared into a pair of deep blue eyes. In his dazzled state, it took him a while to realize he was looking at his own eyes. Then the image blurred and he saw Phyllis' own shocked face. The rage was gone from her eyes, which meant she was safe. Now her thoughts no longer invaded his mind, he felt the images of Mesmerons' spell and the pain in his chest come back with doubled intensity. The world faded to black once again.

Asterix fell forward, and Phyllis caught him with both hands, softly lowering him to the ground where the staff shattered into pieces. The powers inside it whirled around them, as well as sharp pieces of wood that she tried to shield him from. Bonny saw that her friend had forgotten all about Mesmeron, who was scrambling back up. He was quickly cornered by some villagers. Manilla went to them at once. When Phyllis looked up again, she looked around until she found Bonny and mouthed a silent 'help' to her. The distance between them faded away with that single word. Bonny ran at her, and threw her arms around her smaller friend. With one hand, she tried to heal Asterix further, leaving the other arm around Phyllis shoulder. Even if her friend had no healing powers left, just holding her made Bonny's strength return.