Here is the second part chapter 9. Thank to my Beta Poliamida and TTigerZ for being here when I needed someone to bounce ideas.
As a reminder :
/!\This chapter is the main reason Horror and M are on the descriptive. The concerned scene are necessary for the story and the development of the concerned character, but there I can understand if that particular scene would be a trigger. /!\
Disclaimer : I don't own Witch, Winx or the prequel of this story.
Company of Shadowed Light
Chapter 9: My love :
Part 2 :The Fountain of Life
...
...
"You're sure? We should tell the others at least."
"The boys know and will be watching out but no else should know."
"But... I don't like hiding things from the girls." She really didn't. And not only because they were her friends. They needed to be united more than ever. Tecna had at least proved that.
She held back a tear as she though about her lost friend. Tecna was strong, she had to be alright.
"I know but if they know then..." Nabu tried to evade her eyes, finding his words but she understood and let him know.
"We should at least tell Cassidy." She was still ambivalent on the Guardians as a whole, but she knew Cassidy did really care. It didn't sit right with Aisha to hide a plan like that from her.
"She doesn't trust us Aisha. You said it yourself, she doesn't think we can fight." She hugged him closer. "It's just a secondary security if She does show up."
"... She will, won't she?" She shivered, not daring to look up at him. She wasn't stupid. Nabu couldn't even convince himself it wouldn't happen.
"...I'll protect you myself. She won't take you away from me." In the end it came to that. He needed to do something for her.
Even if it came to nothing and she ended up... This time she couldn't suppress the shivers "Please Nabu ... Don't leave me."
"Never." She felt him shift in her arms, taking her in a protective embrace.
She looked up, and saw the intensity in his eyes. "I love you Nabu" She said, kissing him "Now and always."
"I love you too." He kissed her back. "And...The water Guardian can know if you want."
"Thanks." She smiled.
...
( ,-)
Slowly, she let herself out on the beach, the crackling noises from the fold blending with the music on the stage.
Looking around she held back a smile. The party here was in full swing. Contrary to popular belief, humans were as able to feel the shifting of the world as any other creature. What distinguished them was their ability to not listen and go beyond this instinct that told them to flee or hide.
As she passed through the crowd surrounding her prey she could feel the tension around her, and as she slowed and touched some of them behind the head she could hear their fear vanishing, taken away by something far more important.
That done she pushed her way toward the front, letting her aura flare to ward off any protest.
Finally, they took notice.
The song halted and the crowd went unmoving, as if time had stilled.
Only the sound of the waves broke the illusion as they crashed on the beach with the rhythm of an heart-beat.
Aisha was in front of her, flanked by both Cassidy and Nabu. The others had been scattered around in groups, blocked and hidden within the crowd. "Hello!" She waved at them with a smile. "Missed me?"
As time took back its course the prince and the Guardian moved into position between her and Aisha, glaring at each other.
Will tilted her head. How did they know she was here for her? 'Meh' She shrugged, 'Not that I could be here for a whole lot of things.'
Taking note of Cassidy's changed form she looked up at the shaking shape of Aisha looking around for her friend. 'Guess it is happening faster than I thought'. The link that the Water Guardian had with the Stars was one of the thing she would have to contend with now.
"Aren't we a lucky little princess Aisha? Two bodyguards ready to die for you... But they do not seem to get along well... I wonder why?"
"That's not your problem witch." Nabu spat, glaring at her, scepter already glowing. "You will not have her."
She let put a long breath and sagged. "So you did know beforehand huh? Not that it matters a whole lot now but am I already that predictable?"
"Maybe you are, it come with the territory I heard." Cassidy smirked. But Will could see her backing a little, her eyes darting left and right, her wings wide open ready to grab the person behind her and fly away.
"You know what come with your territory Cass? Bantering at the worst of times." Turning around she laughed. It was an already done deal. "I already have her."
"Nabu!" Aisha shout clued them in to the sky.
The fairy had never been there in the first place.
All the while she had been struggling against the bind she had put in her mouth and the air-grasp that had stopped her from moving. 'Funny how even those who fly never bother to look up.'
"Aisha! I'm coming to save you." The boy's spell crashed against the ground to push himself higher and Cassidy had to turn around to fight Will.
Rocks rose all around them entrapping most of the crowd." 'Seems that time's up.' The others had finally noticed Aisha flying above them and were trying to pursue.
Sending back Cassidy's attack with some of her own Will noticed that Roxy had chosen to come after her, eyes radiating a new strength. She was also wearing the White circle around her finger. 'She is growing alright.'
"You'll have to wait for your turn, this princess has an appointment." She dodged Roxy's attack and winked as she passed her by. She opened her wings wide and flew past the remaining crowd.
Musa was almost on her but she caught Aisha first. Once she had her firmly under her arm, she whispered in her ear. "I'm taking you to a nice place."
"Let me go!" Aisha trashed about like a scared animal, trying to escape her grasp. Her fear felt so intoxicating that she had to remind herself to dodge the double crossing fire-streams, courtesy of Guardian and Dragon. She did not want her new boarder to burn after all.
She then turned back to the fairy in her arm "Don't you want to know where Tecna is?" The girl stopped moving. 'Worked like a charm.'
"Tecna. She is still alive?" Hope was mixed with fear in her shivering voice. "Where is she?"
Will smirked as she passed through the folds, closing them behind her. "You'll see."
...
"Aisha!" The shout was echoed behind him as he watched his love disappear with a blue crackle.
"Aisha, I swear, I'll join with you. I swear it Aisha, I'll find were you are, we will be together." Nabu swore, smashing the sand. He had been sure the plan would work. He had checked the spell-works at least ten time over. Both illusions should have had held out against any cursory check even from Saladin.
He hadn't liked using Aisha as a bait but Aisha's and the Guardian's dream were proof enough that she would be targeted either way. They had been readying for this ever since their 'leader' had come to him to question him.
He'd been outraged then. What rights had she to ever question his loyalty? But he still knew enough to know the Guardian's visions were the real deal.
Apart from Timmy, and of course Tecna, everyone on the team had been close by, ready to strike and call at the first sign of the blood haired Demon.
At least it should have held enough time for Aisha and the specialist to clue the girls in so that they could box the monster in. Yet she had even made it past the Specialists, who had known were Aisha really was.
He let a cry of despair, hitting the sand once more with his staff. It had been as if they had only been spectators as the bloody witch stood there and took away the love of his life right in front of him.
'How did she know she was up there? Even The damned Air guardian didn't.'
"Shit." He swore once again as the others finally caught up.
"I told you it would not work." The Water Guardian said with what felt like a pitying tone. He hadn't noticed her joining him on the beach. "Throwing a plan on my visions is never a good solution."
He vault-face, slapping her. "You acted on it when you came to me, questioning my love for Aisha."
She did not move, almost didn't react, only rubbing her white cheek, looking at him with those ice cold irises.
He winced, his hand throbbing. 'Damn'
"I never put your love in question Nabu. I checked if she had you under her thrall." She said, rubbing her white cheek where he'd just hit her.
"And where were you when I was running after Aisha?" He asked, still angry.
"On the ground, a certain someone let me face her alone in the middle of a crowd. There were others to run after her, you let me alone against Will." She answered, pointing insistently on his chest. "If not for Flora, Kadma and Hay Lin I would not even be up. They were forced to turn round to save me."
"Ah... I'm sorry." He slumped down, the weight of what he'd done downing on him only now. He was supposed to help distract the monster. "I was so worried about her that I..." He'd left Cassidy wide open.
"I understand Nabu. It's hard to think straight when our love ones are one the line." He felt her pat his shoulder.
"What's that doing here?" She said, surprised.
"What are you..?" He turned and saw she had a paper in her hand. "Is it ... A message ?"
"Yes. And I think it's for you." She handed him the paper which he took with trembling haste.
He hoped it was a clue but the Guardian darken face told him he would not like its content.
Before even reading the message he knew he'd been right. The red letter making up the words could not be ink. "Aisha."
He wanted to crumple the paper. But he had to read first.
'To the damsel's knight
Be careful what you wish for.
The Queen'
That was the whole content of the message.
No clue, no blame, no outright threat either. Just a macabre commonplace. Nothing useful at all.
All he wished for right now was to be reunited with his loved one, and to never let go of her again.
He put the paper in his pocket and got up.
"Will you be alright?" Sky question startled Nabu out of his thoughts.
He looked at his friend and sighed. "I'll try to be. I can't afford to fall apart like Timmy." He looked back to the Guardians. "Do you think we will find her?"
"We will." Cassidy nodded, there was no doubt in her voice. "We will find both her and Tecna, there is no doubt about that. What worries us more is the state we will find them in. Whatever Will has planned for them, they will never be the same."
It was what he was afraid of. Hearing it however struck a part of him that he thought he had lost. He stood straight in front of her, really observing her for the first time. He towered at least one head higher than her but now more than ever he felt small next to her.
Having already reached a decision, he bowed. "Please, Guardian. Will you train me?"
"Us too." Still bowed he looked behind him and saw the four Specialists bowed behind him. "We know how to fight against gigantic monsters, witches ans sorcerers, but we know nothing about fighting someone like her." Sky said, swallowing his pride. "We should have realised it earlier."
"Sky." Bloom swooned.
"Yes you should have." Taranee snarled as Hay Lin nodded.
"Better late than never." Kadma acknowledged.
"We will try our best. But you should know that we don't know that much about how to fight her either." Cassidy said. "That's pretty much why we are in this mess in the first place."
"It would still be better than what we do now. We have to fight together." Helia said looking successively at him then Brandon. "I want to be able to do everything in my power if something happens to Flora."
"Helia." Flora quipped, taking his arm crying.
Riven and Brandon remained silent, stealing glance at Musa and Stella. They were following the same line of thought. The girls were visibly in shock about what had just happened
"Great, then let's work on it." Stella said visibly angry, and Riven could not hold a little snicker as they saw Brandon shiver. The fool did not know he should enjoy the time he had with her.
Nabu would do anything to still have Aisha by his side.
...
...
Tecna looked at the vastness in front of her and nodded in contentment. She had done a great job at it. Sure the grass was purple and the trees a metallic grey but she preferred it that way. It was more her, and reminded her of home.
"So, started expanding your world huh?" Miranda said as she flew down. Tecna repressed a shiver along the images of so many things destroyed by her warden.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything to this place." The spider-girl smirked. "Consider it a present."
"A present, what's the occasion?" She asked, curious, but still on her guard. She had trained enough to stand her ground against Miranda but would not hold out for more than a year.
"Think about it." Miranda strolled around her. "For how long have you been in here?"
Tecna thought about it a little, making a show of counting on her finger. "Let see. I...killed the firth health care after 24 years, 50 years after that you lead the destruction of the little civilization I had going as a study... I found the last survivor 2 years after that... trained him into the second health care... deleted him 6 after when he said I was mad for trying to build a NPC village anew... The village had its first adult yesterday so ...I would say... 100... years." She gasped a little. Had she really reached that threshold? No wonder she felt so mentally exhausted nowadays.
"Exactly.100 years and... some days. You're a virtual centenarian Tecna, that's something to celebrate isn't it?" Miranda smirked, , showing off teeth that were too white. "By the way, you secretive little thing, I didn't know you finally had 'adults' among those beast-men... maybe I should make a little visit to see."
"You would fit right in." Tecna muttered offhandedly, she had other projects right now which she was more focused on. At first each day had been an agony, alone in a literally infinite world. Then she'd started following Will's advice and really started exploring the possibility of this world.
She'd never had a day off since. It seemed as if she found new threads to follow every days.
Slowly, Tecna had understood why that civilization had been destroyed. She had grown them too fast, too close to what she knew. Her later attempts were far more interesting to watch.
Still, none had ever matched the one made by Will in the central island. She'd abandon the project for now.
Thinking about it Tecna would love to go there again. In the chaos of the only true city she could forget she was alive. The NPC there, there were no trace of them being anything but real people. It was fascinating, being able to study the inner working of almost real people. Of an almost real world even.
Will still scared her to the core, but now amidst the deep rooted fear and other negative emotions was also respect.
At one time some virtual years ago she had asked her how she had done it. Will had just smirked and said she should try harder. And then proceeded to fry her brain for having studied her creation without asking.
"By the way, where is 'sacrifice n°5' " Miranda asked lying down.
"Sacrifice n°5?" Tecna tilted her head. There were strange names among the people here but she did not remember hearing that one.
"Your health care. Our Queen calls them that because you always fry them when they tell you a truth you don't want to hear."
Tecna felt herself blush a little. "That's not... Ah, you mean IWSI? She is back there, inside. A far greater survival instinct that the preceding ones." She opened a screen and showed Miranda a young purpled haired girl, looking around 10 years old, hiding behind the door of what she should recognize as Tecna's home. "Isn't she cute?"
"Yes, she is." Miranda said while looking at Tecna with a large grin. "I think I know why she is like That. I had my doubt with DAM TSIP. But now I'm sure."
"I don't see what you mean. They have nothing in common. Dam was an old grating 'I know it all' hag. And this is me who is saying that." If she had to be honest the two did have some physical traits in common, like the purple hair, and IWSI had appeared by herself just after she'd deleted Dam. But IWSI had more in common with the first health-care if Tecna was asked.
"Yes in fact, this is you who is saying that." Miranda laughed, emphasizing the 'you'. "I know our queen will want to hear about her."
Tecna felt herself beginning to tick, bad feelings coming to the front. The subject itched at something she did not like, so she chose it.
There was one subject in particular she was interested in... and was ashamed to have forgotten about it for so long. "Do you have any new about the girls... and Timmy?"
"At last, I'd started to think you had forgotten." Tecna winced at Miranda barb. "Nothing has changed for your boyfriend since the last time, still miserably killing himself over you loss. It's only been four days you know."
"Ah..." Tecna sighed. "I'd forgotten. It feel like it has been so long for me. I don't know if... And the girls?"
"Your little butterfly friends? Well, while I was coming back from my hunt outside I heard someone cry in the last basement soooo, I guess you're not alone in hell now." Miranda jumped up. "Though yours is without a doubt far better than hers. So much more space, freedom and, well Time."
Tecna felt her anger rising which had she not been angry might have been a relief for her. Although her love had diminished she was still able to care for her friends. "Which one? What is she doing to her?" She growled, looking down to her sparkling scepter.
"Whoa! You'll ask her when you see her ... if you still care that is." Miranda said bowing down to her. "As for me, it's time I go see that village of yours." Miranda transformed into her spider queen form and started to run toward the forest, leaving Tecna alone behind.
"Ayah!" Tecna lashed out against one of the three, unleashing an electronic storm against the plain she had just created. She saw and felt how her energy seeped into the trees and virtual sky, making the new land even more dangerous.
Once she had calmed down she looked down her work, and smirked. "Yeah. It's better that way."
...
...
Aisha gasped, trying to understand what she'd heard, trying to understand what she'd seen. But all too soon she was on the other side.
There, in the hall on the other side of a hole in space were people she'd only heard about recently, but could readily recognize.
First, waiting for them was a petite girl with pale blond hairs. The white girl wore a red flowing dress with accents of silver, her hairs tied in two cute braids topped off by a silver crown. This was Elyon and overall the girl smiling down childishly at her as she was carried looked innocent, until you got to the details. Details like the spikes on the heavy circles tying her braids, or the dress particulars taint of red, or, just now the glint in her eyes as she greeted her, touching her in a very disturbing way, giggling.
"Hihihi. Welcome to our embassy, your highness."
This was the 'Light of Meridian'. Just that moment was enough for Aisha to wish the night was near, and would never end.
In the next room stood a rather handsome young man clad in a black armour with gold high-light. The red-haired young-man had obviously been waiting for them and bowed as soon as they came in. She saw in the red-haired boy respect and fears both in amount she had never seen in any of her father's subjects.
"You look a lot like my ex you know." The predatory smile made her shiver as Nigel came closer, relieving his mistress from her weight. All she could see at that moment was the blade at his waist still dripping fresh blood on the floor. When he saw her looking insistently at it he just shrugged and adjusted his grip on her.
To turn her mind away from her situation Aisha started looking around. Maybe she'd see something that'd be useful later.
On first glance Will seemed to have normal taste, for a villain. She couldn't compare it to Valtor's but both the Trix and Darkar had had those dark mazy and thorny cold castles with endless small rooms that didn't seem like they hadn't seen any use in decades. She couldn't judge for the outside but the only thing scary,... Apart from the people living here of course... Was how much the room looked like their own loft. Maybe a little less untidy, and with more purple touches.
Here and there she could see comfortable looking sofas and chairs around a coffee table, facing a TV on the wall. Various furniture leaned the wall one of them topped off by a green frog plushy. The two windows were closed by black curtains, leaving her to wonder where the light came from.
Searching for an answer her eyes passed by the TV once more, and stopped, fixed on the blurry pictures of a video going fast forward at extreme speed. She blinked, once, twice, she tried to rub her eyes or look if someone was playing a game on her but there was no mistaking it. The images had been hazy, but she could still recognize the character on the screen as Tecna.
Losing sight of the TV, Aisha tried to gather herself. Was Tecna actually in the TV, or had it just been some kind of recording? Maybe some other illusion to trick her mind. 'If only I could contact Cassidy... she'd know what to do.' She thought 'but first I need to know where I am.'
As she was trying to push through the magic blocks they finally reached stairs.
Going down the atmosphere changed, and she was forced to amend her earlier notes: Will's taste could be as twisted as any other villains.
It also made her rethink on where she had been brought. As much as she could have been anywhere. The architecture of the previous floor seemed to indicate she was at least in a modern city.
'But if that's the case then.' She glanced at the old stone bricks making up the narrow hall, repressing yet an other shiver and trying to avoid lingering on the massive grilled doors. 'She has a state of the art dungeon under her living room?' She could hear people shouting and crying for help on the other side of those doors and she suspected she would have smell rots if not for the faint breeze now surrounding them.
However, it did not stop there. Going further down, they reached a second basement. The first things that hit her there was purple light. Another of those fold was suspended, illuminating the lowest floor with strange shadows. This one seemed more stable than the one she'd came here from, and she could sort of make a stone bridge on the other side.
The sight that greeted her once at the bottom of the stairs the sight chilled Aisha to the bones and nearly stopped her heart. This time she could not repress the shivers.
On each sides of the room was a sculpted door. Each of a quality that talked about professional work. Her eyes fixed on one in particular, to her right. The door was a deep blue, waves masterfully sculpted and carved on it as if they were in movement. And to top it off, her name written in Silver.
"Like it?" Will asked with a sly smirk. "I had them made by the best craftsmen on Meridian and the last one was installed just yesterday. They were a little slow to deliver at first, but I got them motivated."
Aisha gulped, she just knew that the motivation was not monetary. People had probably died to make the door of what she assumed would be her cell.
"Here Nigel, open the doors please. I'm sure our guest Will want to enter on her new life on her own two feet?" Will said and she finally was able to touch the ground again.
"As you wish." He had already let go of her and was rummaging through his pockets. "Here they are."
She blinked, then looked at the hole in space, the stairs. She could flee, try to get away. There were not even any restrains around her limbs and she could feel her magic buzzing in her core. Nothing was stopping her from running or jumping through the rift.
'Nothing but.' Her eyes darted back to the dark presence, waiting next to the door, a cruel smile plastered on her lips as she waited patiently for her to go, the door already opened by her minion.
Will knew what was going through her mind, she was sure of it. She had to be laughing at her struggle.
Images of her nightmare flashed back before her eyes, of being hunted through the forest, futilely trying to escape a fate worse than a simple death. What could she, a simple fairy just out of school, do against Her.
'Girls...Cassidy...Nabu. Help me...'
At long last Aisha took a deep breath, and went past the blue door. She was about to turn round to look once last time at the outside when she noticed there was another door on the other side of the room she found herself in.
"Don't stop here that's just the waiting room." Nigel said, overtaking her to the other side of the room. "Your palace is on the other side."
She gave a cursory glance, but there indeed was nothing in this room. Nothing but place.
Not wanting to dwell on things for too long, she followed her would be jailer and once there, didn't wait to pass the second, sturdy door.
And heard it close behind her.
"Hope you'll have a nice time in our company." She heard Nigel laugh. "Every meal is on the house."
"I will come to see how you're doing, soon." Will said from the other side, her voice a whisper that seemed to coil around the primal part of her mind.
Then the final metal clang resound on the far side and she was left alone in the dark.
...
After the door was locked she steeled herself. She should not only count on her friends. She at least had some things to try.
Once her eyes were used to the damp luminosity of her cell she made stock of what she had. Contrary to the first room there was no bricks in her cell, it had been dug in the rock and she counted her mercy when she checked that the ground had been levelled and smoothed over, but for a hole on the far corner, and an elevation on the closest one on which reposed the mat...
That was all she had. Nothing else, and she had started to fear what the little hole was for.
"... Time to try something... I guess." She took another look at the door and the celling, and once she was sure she heard nothing called for her magic.
"Zoomix" First of course were the transport wings. If it worked inside the city she thought that maybe it would work here too. At first it seemed to work and she felt herself moving. Then it was like she'd tried to run through a forest of cactus, and she found herself sent back crashing against the wall.
"I should have ...betted on it." She rasped, turning back into her human form.
A little dizzy, she took a long breath to push herself up and for the first time noticed how dry the air was.
'Of course it would be'. She thought. She could already feel cracks on her lips and her sweats was gas before she even felt it on her skin.
Letting her gaze wander up she saw what seemed like small holes in the ceiling, 'Probably to let the air in." She thought. She couldn't guess were they went, or if there was some kind of filter, but looking at them gave her an idea.
She transformed once more.
Once under the biggest hole she could find she reached out for the blue gem on her collar. "Nothing ventured..." She let herself relax. "Fairy Dust, mini Winx."
Once shrunk to the size of a pixie she flew to the celling and readied herself. However this time, she would first try some spells through before going in herself, Just in case.
...
Sometime later, having exhausted her repertory Aisha was forced to relent. Nothing she had seemed able to make it through, either rebounding back or fizzling out along the way. "Even a rope of Morphix can't get out. She really thought her cell. Of course she had to be thorough too." Aisha complained as she flew back down.
"Well, no use remaining small then." She said to no one in particular " I bet there rats here as well."
...
At the same time on the top floor of a building on the outskirts of Gardenia, nine winged girls were sited in their lounge, looking grimly at the two empty seats.
After having wasted close to half an hour looking for any traces of Will's presence left, they'd retired for the day and let the boys clean up while they headed "home".
And no, she could not call this apart shared with ten other girls "home" without adding the comas. There had already been too much anger and tears to ever feel that way.
There had been a lot of cries and incoherent shouting on the way back but for the past ten minutes things had been so quiet Cassidy could have sworn she heard the waves crashing against the rift on the other side of town.
They were looking at the seats, into emptiness, into themselves. Now that time had come to really talk none knew where to start.
Cassidy felt that as the leader, as Aisha's Guardian, she should be saying something. But it was because of those same reason that she knew she could not break the moment.
Finally, it was the sun fairy who did. "First Tecna, and now Aisha, what do she want with us?" Stella growled, her voice shaking and hoarse. "Is she starting a collection?"
"With her ... that's a possibility." Cassidy soothed, she could feel the tension in the air, and most of all the repressed tears in the girls eyes. "What do you think about it Kadma?"
"I don't know my friend." Kadma said, massaging her left side. "We have to find them before something irreparable happens."
"Of course we have to!" Bloom seethed, shaking with barely restrained anger. "But how? We don't even have the beginning of the idea where they might be!"
"If it's the same as the last time, she is probably right there, under our noses." Hay Lin said with a mile long gaze out the window. Cassidy had first noticed her having it back in Kandracar, but it had become far less common until a week or two ago, and with what she'd learned from Kadma 'I'll need to have that talk soon... May, you knew those were never my thing.'
"Roxy, are you sure you don't remember anything?" Musa pleaded, still avoiding to look at her.
"It's useless Musa, I already checked." Taranee sighed, earning her glares as she did each time she admitted having scrambled through their minds. "Will did a thorough work on her."
"I'm sorry." Roxy looked down, playing nervously with her ring. "I only remember that it was somewhere in Gardenia."
"You'll tell us if you remember anything, won't you?" Flora asked in a pleading tone.
"I will." Roxy nodded. "What happens next? Do you think she'll go after someone else?"
Cassidy shook her head. "Not yet.I think that whatever she might do afterwards... she has not finished with Aisha yet." Cassidy answered.
"You're thinking about your dream, aren't you?" Kadma asked. "Are you sure you should act on it?"
"Act on it no, we just had a reminder of how useless that is. But we have to be ready. Something will happen around Nabu. If she is to do something to Aisha, it will be through him."
"Then what do you suggest, that we always all gather around him?" Bloom said with some resentment. "You just said it. It was totally useless with Aisha, she just walked right through us."
"You're right ... but unless we find her aim, I can't see what else we can do." Cassidy slumped.
"You're sure she has a goal. I mean, other than doom and giggles?"
"I'm sure Stella." Taranee answered before she could. "She always has one."
...
Looking around her cell once more, Aisha exhaled for the umpteenth time. It had been..., well, she didn't know how long it had been in fat. Four days? Five? A full week?. There was no natural light here. From her meals in ha been at least three days since she had been captured, since the door had closed behind her.
Three days since she had last heard any friendly voice and today she'd come to a conclusion.
This place was hell for her.
It was not a universal Hell, nor was it the hard hell she imagined people thought about when they heard about it.
No, it was a soft hell, just made for her. Not the harshest thing, but just enough to make her slowly wither away.
The first thing, she thought, had been the air. So dry that despite her best efforts no more than a dip would form in her hands after hours of harvesting water out of the it, and even that was probably her own sweat.
But as if it was not enough, it was cold too. Not the biting cold of Domino's that would kill you within minutes, but rather a slow cold that had seeped into her bones after hours of inactivity, which had been made worse as the hunger an thirst had come in.
That had only been the first day.
Then there was her "host". Will came down every so often to check on her, and each time her mere presence battered at her defense, seeping out what little energy she could regain in her rest.
And it was not as if she could avoid her. For some obscure reason the monster made a point about bringing down Aisha's meals herself, which by itself explained why she had never eaten nor drank anything she had been given since. Which was the third point.
She had to fight her basic needs, but there was a strange smell about the meat she had been served, and she still remembered vividly that dream in which she was fed blood by Will.
And talking about blood, she now had a very real idea about how that tasted now.
"It's diner time!" Just has she had been thinking about her, Will's voice came from the door. Taking her out of her musing.
'Think about the wolf.' If Aisha hadn't already known she could, Aisha would have wondered if Will could read her mind.
"(Cough) I'll do without." Aisha answered, her voice weak and raspy from the lack of water. She didn't even have to over do it. What little she had went into her effort to get out.
"Drink at least a little" She said in a tantalizing voice as the feeling of an other liquid enter her cell. "You'll die if you don't, you know."
"And drink whate(cough) ever (cough) poison (cough) you put in it? (Cough) No... thank you." She smirked faintly and turned her head toward the door. "I know you won't le-(cough) Let me die either way"
"You're right about that." Will admitted, smug. "But you may don't like the way I'll make you live."
"(cough) As if I liked the way I'm now." She retorted, trying to spit on the ground, but finding her mouth too pasty to do so.
"Touché." Will laughed. "I'll still let your meal here, for the rats." She said and the meal appeared on her side of the door.
'Why does she bother coming down everyday if she can just do that?' Aisha wondered, glaring at the plate while waiting for Will to go away. 'Is she so bored that hearing me starve... Well she is insane... I suppose.'
"Oh, before I forget again. I have a message for you." Aisha looked up at the door 'Who could be?'. "It's from Tecna, I should have delivered it days ago actually."
"Wha (cough) what is it?" She asked, unable to hide a little hope in her voice.
Will cleared her throat, and her hope was crushed.
"Welcome to Hell Aisha." Tecna voice came from the other side of the door, and Aisha almost jumped out, but it could only a recording. "Don't fight it, please. I know it's hard, believe me, but don't fight. The others will soon be here with us." It was Tecna's voice but... Aisha looked at the door dumbstruck, had Tecna already broken down?
"What have you done to her?!" Aisha shouted. It hurt to pull on her throat so much.
"I guess after 150 years your sense of humor changes." Will shrugged.
"One hund(cough, cough) hundred years !? How is that possible?" Aisha shivered at the idea. Had Tecna really gone a century inside a Tv?
"That is a part of her price to pay. For each hour that goes for us one full year will wear on her mind. Believe when I say it is not taking it as well as she likes to think... I can't wait for when she discovers the other surprise I brought in there for her." The anticipation in the monster's voice almost made Aisha rush at her in anger. But she had no strength to spare for useless fight.
"You'll pay." She growled, shaking with fury. "I swear you'll pay."
Aisha would decide later she'd just found an other reason why this was hell. An indescribable cold went over her core.
"I already paid more than you can imagine little... "
Aisha could not move, frozen on her back, eyes glued to the door. She swore she could see the dark angel's semblance look straight at her.
"Now, you should worry for yourself my dear." Will's voice had lost its previous playfulness, the wave of malevolence letting Aisha breathless. "Gather what little strength you have left."
And then it was gone.
As Will left Aisha felt the weight she carried around lift a little. However she could swear that the air had become drier, and colder than before. 'I can't forget who I am facing.'
...
When she was sure Will was gone Aisha crawled toward the hole in the floor. She'd guessed it was superposed to be her toilet but she was using it for something else.
She had been right when she had predicted there might be rats in there, and now she was thankful for it.
The first time she'd seen one it had been eating her leftover. Her eeps had frightened it away and she had just the time to see it fit its boy though the hole.
Of course her first reflex had been to test it just as she had tested the ceiling, but she'd held no real hope, and was proven right.
Hours later, with the equivalent of a full day of "food" waiting cold next to her and her bowel digesting itself, an other pest had showed itself, and it didn't look like it was the same. That was when she had her idea. She had used what little power she could, sticks from her mat and shards from her plates to make a trap.
And she'd caught something today as well. She could feel them move around, almost as dried as the room.
They were disgusting and most likely full of disease themselves. Poisoned with the food she left for the ones that got away but it was still something. No one could survive without any income of water for such a long time, and they could filter out the poison for her.
Not long after drinking her fill Aisha fell asleep from exhaustion. Once more she could not have a good sleep, the floor was atrocious and hurt her back but worse than that the nightmare always came to haunt her.
...
"Nigel. It's time." Will called him as soon as she got out of the basement. "She is already at the brink. For some reason she think I poisoned her food."
"And you didn't?" Nigel raised his eyebrow, looking up to her. He really wouldn't put it past her.
"I didn't poison the food, no." She smirked. "The food in itself was sufficient for my plan. Still she chose the hard way, and the hard way she shall have."
"Finally." He stood, That was more like it. "I had begun to fear my sword would rust before it saw any real use." He could feel his hand twitch to reach the handle on his hips.
"Really? It saw plenty of use recently, didn't it?" Elyon said from her place on the sofa with an unnerving knowing smile. "I don't think I ever saw it dry."
"You don't understand Elyon. That was just some practice. Now I can really test it." Before even thinking it the sword was out. He could feel his blood boil. He'd gone out hunting since Meridian, but he couldn't wait to finally test himself against magic again. It had been too long since he had a real fight.
"Remember Nigel. Do not kill him, or you'll have to take his place." Will reminded him, cooling him down right where he stood, shivers running down his back.
Nigel sweat-dropped. "I know, my Queen. I still value My life."
"I'm sure you do." And he did. Nigel knew he was not 'Right in the head'. He'd left his sanity somewhere between Heatherfield and Meridian and unlike Eric no one was waiting back for him. But if what drove him now was his fiery bloodlust, he would never forget whose sign was on the armour he wore.
"Now... What am I waiting for?" He asked seeing that neither of his companion had opened any fold for him to go through.
As if she was just waiting for him ripples formed on the screen of the TV and a small spider went out. "I think that would be me." Miranda said, taking her human form. He wouldn't show it but he envied this of her. Not that she was a shapeshifter, but the fact that she could use magic.
"You're coming with me?" He snarled, taking a glance at Will's reaction. Did she think he needed a chaperone? "Thank for the vote of confidence."
"Not only her, but the three of us." Will corrected him, and he noticed that Elyon had taken her place behind her.
He scratched the back of his head. "You three? Isn't that a little... overkill? Not that I don't like to imagine the faces they would make but..." He was definitively missing something.
"Don't be stupid Nigel." Elyon sneered. "Will alone would have been overkill."
Nigel sighed. It was hard to believe it, but Elyon was making sense. "Then where do the four of us have to go? I was not aware of any grand, final showdown."
"There will be none Nigel. I just wish to make sure everything goes alright." He felt a kiss on his cheek. "Would you refuse three girls the pleasure of seeing you fight for them?" He felt his blood boil again. She was teasing him, and it was working. "Or perhaps are you afraid of losing, and don't want us to see your crushing moment."
"Of course not my Queen. I just wondered. If it's for you..." He paused and sighed, noting he now wore his Black armor. "Not like I can really refuse you anything. It'll be my pleasure to bring my maimed foe to your feet."
"As long as it's only your foe." Elyon muttered, sending him a dark glare which he tried to ignore. He had no pretence to take her place next to Will, Elyon knew it. But she was still awfully jealous.
"Oh, Elyon!" Will giggled, laughing at his misfortune. "You know he doesn't have a heart in there anymore, so why scare the boy?"
"Because it's fun?" Elyon said in a sheepish voice cocking her head to Will. Then she turned back to him, and the true Elyon was back. "It's not like it was an empty threat."
"Not that I was scared either." Nigel regretted the quip the moment it left his lips as Elyon face morphed into the brightest smile he'd ever see.
"Do you want me to give you a reason to?" Her words were like pure sugar and he was unable to tear his eyes away from the too white teeth.
Finally her heard will laughed, soon followed by Elyon. "I think you just did my dear."
He groaned, but stood straight beside them. He was used to it now and as long as he was receptive to Elyon's intimidation, he would be 'safe' from her.
"Now enough joking around. It's time to play, we have a princess waiting after all." Will's hand slashed the air, a tear in space opened and she went in first, the three of them following. Even with all the spells the three had put to stop intruders from coming in or out Will could still slash through space like it was paper.
' dzt '
On the other side of the tear was a dark alley. Nigel did not know what it was with Will and back alleys, but he guessed this time she just did not want to scare the population.
"We'll be up there waiting for you, good luck." She slashed him a smile before the three of them disappeared up the building.
"Seriously. I don't need it." Nigel grunted to no one in particular. He hated being reminded he was the weakest of them. He was better than Aldarn and Drake on virtue of being smarter but he only could best Eric because his "friend" was still too soft. As for Elyon, Cedric or even Miranda he had never been able to even dent them once they stopped playing ball. Magic was the name of the game.
That was why he was thankful for the opportunity Will was giving him today. To test his skill against other, true opponents. How else could he finally quench the thirst he had for that person's blood?
"Now... what was the address?" He massaged his temples, looking around. He had walked around town a little, but he'd had to avoid place frequented by the butterflies. He went down the road looking around for any clues. Seeing a bike which clearly had no right to be on earth parked just outside one of the house he smiled. "I guess that's the one."
He crossed the road and, without checking if he'd been right or if there was anyone in the street, slashed the door. "Is the knight in shining armour here? This is the dark knight!"
"What?" He heard someone yelp in surprise in one of the room. Before being able to check who it'd been he was jump by a brown-haired boy. Alerted by the green blur Nigel saw the too big sword just in time to crouch down. Not leaving his opponent the time to recover he kicked the boy's legs right under him before springing up with all his strength, cutting his assailant's breath away he fell on him with an 'ouf'. The boy was sent flying against the nearest wall, trashing some furniture with a sick crack.
"At least it was not him." Nigel said looking for the first time at his would be ambusher. "I just hope he's not dead... Elyon wouldn't let me hear the end of it."
"Brandon! What..." Another boy called out from where the first had come from. "Who are you? What do you want?" It was the blond, Sky if his memory was right. A blue sword and shield appeared in his hands but he didn't charge straight away.
"I'm just a hunter searching for his prey." He grinned. "Luckily for you, you're not it."
"You work with that monster who took away Tecna and Aisha, don't you?" The boy said, while slowly moving toward his fallen friend. "Where are they?"
"I'm not under any obligation to tell you. But there is someone here who'll have the chance to find out." Nigel said pointing his sword toward the chestnut haired boy who had his gun pointed at him. "You the cyber-girl's boyfriend, right?"
"Her name is Tecna ... Where is she ... What did you do to her?" The boy croaked, his stance faltering. He had deep circles under his eyes and his arms were fighting to get the weapon lined up on him.
Nigel laughed. 'Love make you insane.'
"I did nothing. However... she is not taking her imprisonment very well you see, I could give you a chance to find her." Nigel said, his eyes passing from one boy to the other. "In truth, I'm only supposed to offer this deal to Nabu, but seeing he's not here I might as well give you a chance."
"What do you mean?" Sky gritted his teeth. "What twisted deal does your mistress want to strike with Nabu."
"It's quiet simple. She wish to test your love... As if such a thing existed." He snorted. "'Challenge Nabu to a duel. If he wins I will lead him to his loved one. If he loses he should know that he will never pose his eyes on her, in this life or the next' That's what she said, and so I'm here. If you think you can defeat me, I can give you a similar opportunity."
"Could I...?" The tech boy wavered, looking at his friend for support.
"Don't listen Timmy. He's probably lying." Sky stared back at him, getting in stance after having checked on is fallen friend. "They always do."
"But what if he isn't. I'd have a chance to find Tecna."
"I would not dare to lie using my Queen's name. I'm not that insane." He smirked. Not even Elyon was that insane. "So will you take the chance? I can even let the two of you fight me at once if you want."
The two boys looked at each other. "I could find Tecna." The chesnut-haired one said falling to his knees.
"Think about it Timmy. You could as well never see her again." The blond answered.
"Then don't lose. Problem resolved." Nigel shrugged, he was getting bored. "If you don't speed it up I'll have to retract my proposition."
"I don't know." Timmy looked in his friend eyes. "I don't know Sky, what should I do? I've been trying to find her for so long. He is our first lead... but if we lose ... they may kill her."
Nigel chuckled. There was no way Will would Kill Tecna now. There were other ways to make sure this contract was honoured.
"What's so funny?" A stern voice called, magic crackling behind him.
"Ah! Looks like your time is up Timmy." He turned round, ignoring the sound of someone tumbling on the ground. "The guest of honor has finally arrived."
"Who are..."
"Nigel!" The howl took both him and the boy he'd been waiting by surprise. 'Taranee' 'Nigel jumped back on the defensive at the sight of the interloper. 'What is she doing here?'
He had not predicted his ex would be here. A second glance revealed that all the butterflies were. Suddenly he felt really glad that Will was watching out. She would not save his life if she felt he was useless, but she wanted the job done and she needed him for that.
"Hello Taranee. Did you grow a little since last time?" He asked with a smile, clenching his sword. It was not so long ago, but his beautiful little betrayer had already changed so much.
He wanted to gut her so much right now.
"And you, did you get any stupider?" Hay Lin snarled, holding Taranee back despite the fire. "At least last time you had Elyon and a crowd to protect you. Or did you come to give up?"
"Hay Lin, Always the dreamer I see. I would so love to chat but I have a mission you see." He turned to the boy who had first aboard him. "As I just said to your friends there I have a message for you concerning your girlfriend."
"And what is stopping us from just taking the information from you by force?" Nabu growled and without anymore warning Nigel found himself far closer, and a little higher.
Nigel hated being jerked like that, but he held himself back, and looked back at his opponent without flinching. "Because you know it won't gain you anything?" He was not afraid of him, but the girls behind were another story. "If you could you wouldn't even be asking the question."
"He is right." Cassidy said putting a hand on his shoulder.
Nabu seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally let him go with a disgruntled push. "So. What do you have to say... about Aisha?"
"Come." He made to leave, passing by Taranee and out of the house. "Follow me and you will see." He had to lead him to the meeting point. Not hearing anyone behind, he turned around and called out again. "Afraid? They can follow if you want but no intervention or you pay the price." He said pointing to the girls. He could feel the radiating heat of the glare Taranee was sending from the back.
After looking at each other the group finally started to follow him.
"Good" He nodded. "While we go there let me say you that you have a difficult girlfriend. We offered her an air-conditioned room and meals made by her Majesty's best chief, but she keeps on turning them down and starving herself."
"I find it hard to believe it concern you." Nabu gritted.
"That's because it doesn't." He admitted with a slight grin. "In fact I find it very entertaining to watch. But Will would prefer to have her alive you see. And that's where you come in."
"And what does she want me for?" Nabu asked, and Nigel knew he finally had his true attention. Still, his staff had not stopped to glow, and the tip was distinctly pointed at his head. "Talk now."
"Easy there. As I already said to Timmy-boy, here is the deal her Majesty have for you." He scraped his throat. "We will fight, one on one, you against me. If you win she will lead you to her and let you be together forever. If you lose, you'll never see her again."
"What's the catch?" Nabu asked distrustful.
"The catch?" Nigel paused his steps, checking one last time if he was in the right place. "The catch is that you don't really have the choice." When he was sure, he turned back to take a glance Nabu's incredulous stare and went into the back alley he'd come from earlier.
He then walked a little deeper, and found some sort of disused court between the buildings and gripped his sword tightly. It was were the show would take place.
He turned round to get it on the round and noticed that if the boy seemed to be taking in the options, the others had found another priority. Musa and Hay Lin behind him were taking worried glance up while discussing something with the other butterflies.
Nigel sighed, a little disgruntled. He didn't even need to look up to know.'She showed herself huh... I'm starting to feel like she really don't think I can do that on my own.'
"So. What will you do?" He asked, focusing on the tanned boy who was frowning as he listen to Cassidy's advice. "Try and do something for your beloved? Or Will you do as they did, and let my Queen decide on Aisha's fate."
"You said it yourself, didn't you? I don't have a choice." Nabu answered immediately, advancing toward the center of an unseen rings and sliding into a low guard. "Do I have your word?"
"She never lies." Nigel answered, taking his own stance. "Now let's see if you have any talent. I must admit that I wonder myself how I will fair against a mage."
...
Will sat back on the building ledge feeling content. Despite Nigel's little ad-lib things were as she wanted them.
"So it finally starts." Miranda stated, lying down next to her and only barely interested in what was going to happen. "For one moment I thought they would try to gang him up."
"They almost did." Will confirmed, smiling back down at Hay Lin's glare.
"Too bad they didn't. I'd have loved having some action." Elyon smirked, almost bouncing from her perch. "I know you have a reason for it not to happen, and it would probably waste all the back work we did for the Winx but..."
"No Elyon! I won't have the pieces broken before the party ends." She left her eyes from the preparation to look down at Elyon long enough that she'd know she was serious. "Resurrection is not something I'll ever do and it would all be pointless without them. I'd rather not break my own rules." Will acknowledged. "Now let's see how our boys fair."
Below them the fight had already started. Nigel had tried to cut Nabu right of the bat but the Mage had dodged to the left, leaving a flaring ball where he was to explode when Nigel touched it and propelled him back. However it was far from enough. Nigel bounced back with a few burn on his face and dived down for Nabu's foot.
Once more it didn't connect, but Nabu was forced against the wall, bruising his back and forcing him to block with his staff wincing at the weight Nigel could put in his strike.
The fight raged on for a long time, Nigel had the advantage of strength and stamina making ample strikes, while Nabu had magic, agility and technique to his advantage.
Where Nabu used a shield or dodged Nigel relentless assaults Nigel could no-sell Nabu direct strikes, forcing him to use his talents on other fronts, stalling Nigel and striking on the articulations and other precise points. The way he almost seemed to hold back while still striking as hard as he could and always avoiding contact reeked of one too many times with Taranee, and Will could see the mark of Hay Lin's training in the way he moved from all side with agility and fluidity, always wary for a strike that could come unseen.
"It's almost sad he have to die." Miranda remarked as Nabu managed to strike Nigel's inner elbow, making him lose his grip on the sword. "He would have done great with that armor."
"Yes, he would. But he will do even better with Aisha." Will grinned.
"And we already have enough with five bull heads." Elyon added in a rush. "You know, they probably packed him full with tracking spells and devices."
"Don't worry Elyon, I know. But I don't mind. They can always try, you and I both know they won't find any..."
She was cut by the Winx startled shouts as Nabu was sent crashing into them by one of Nigel's kicks. Reflexively Flora sprouted vines from the ground and caught him before he impacted with her.
"Stop, this is my fight." Nabu stumbled up, rejecting Helia's offered hand. The young mage's upper dress was full of tears and numerous shallow cuts were bleeding, proof that his dodges until now had been narrow. He was also bleeding slightly from his temple and more seriously had an impressive mark were Nigel had just kicked him.
"Miranda. Elyon." Will called, they knew what to do. At her order magic hit the makeshift arena, creating a cage of light and silk around the two boys.
"Will! What are you playing at?" Taranee shouted at her from bellow, and Will couldn't hold back a smirk.
"Me? I'm just making sure things remain fair. Flora just helped Nabu right now by cushioning his fall."
"And you help Nigel by limiting the range." She answered. "Even a brain-dead Lurden could plow through like that."
"My, my. Aren't you a little too harsh against him?" Will laughed. She then looked back down at the two fighters, and nodded. "'sigh' You do have a point." She snapped her finger.
"Wha…" Both men yelped, suddenly feeling the wind on their torso. Nigel glared at her, while Nabu readjusted his stance wincing slightly. She had just taken the upper armour from both of them. Nigel may have had no bleeding on his torso thank to the armour but he still had some haematoma and most of all his hands, elbows and knees had suffered from the strikes. They both knew he was getting sloppier.
"There, now both have a handicap. And we get treated to a really handsome sight." She whistled. "Really. Nigel, did you train behind my back?"
"He did." Taranee murmured and the fight started anew. Both men were already quite tired. The weight Nigel had lost with his armour gave him some needed speed to make up for his hurting arms, and soon the cuts he made became deeper, and had she allowed him to kill he would have won then and there by striking a major artery before Nabu got the time to adapt.
However despite the blood loss Nabu managed to gather himself and, sidestepping inside Nigel's guard at the last second, he landed a few spells at point blank before striking Nigel's head as hard as he still could to gain back some of the needed distance to stop the haemorrhage while his foe was blinded.
Without his armour the rather weak spells still did their job, and for the first time since the start new wounds had appeared on Nigel's well-toned torso, blood flowing freely on his eye from the last hit on the head.
Has he wiped it away, purple light hit his left arm, making him fall backward just missing the magic cage by a planting his sword in the ground.
From her sit, Will grinned. It had been only luck that left Nigel breath right now. The shot had been aimed at his throat. "We're reaching the end." She said to herself.
Down there Nigel mirrored her thoughts, having reached the same conclusion. The stress and stake of their little game had finally overcame Nabu's honour. The mage was switching to lethal.
Far from lost in his thought, Nigel smirked and rolled to the right to dodge Nabu's follow up, grazing the mage's neck with his sword as he pulled it from the ground, and hit his main arm with a powerful kick.
Or well, the shield on his arm. Why he was only using that now, even Will didn't know. Apart from the fairies, she'd rarely seen magic shields used.
Using that little surprise Nabu shot a spell with the downward part of his staff and was pushed away from another's of Nigel's retaliatory slashs, reaching the other side of the arena with an unsteady landing.
The two of them stopped for a moment, the blow having opened some distance between the two of them witch they both used to breath and assert theirs and their opponent's remaining strength.
Everyone seemed to hold their breath as it became clear for even the inexperienced that the next blows would be the last.
After some second of silence the brawl started anew, sword against staff and magic.
'Brrrr ' The Ground's arena quaked as one of Nabu's fire spell was cut by Nigel's fireproof blade and both men were sent to the ground sending heaps of dust in the air.
"Well, look like it's finished. " Will said as she gracefully flew down. After an instant were she could feel both of them looking at her back Miranda and Elyon dispelled the cage and followed after her.
"Who won?" She heard one of the Winx asked frightfully.
Wasn't it obvious?
...
"So I have your words you won't do anything to him?" Cassidy distrustfully asked next to him as the little bleached haired girl named Elyon opened a tear in space behind them. Nabu still didn't understand how someone could have enough power and control to do that without magic artefacts, but he'd come to accept it was the kind of thing he'd have to let go. He had more important matters to settle right now.
Like listening to what the Monster was saying.
"As long as he don't try anything against me or mine, yes. None of my followers shall do anything but lead him to Aisha." Will smirked, something was fishy, but he couldn't let pass up the chance to save Aisha. Not when the hardest hurdle had been passed already.
"And you?" Cassidy insisted, grasping reflexively in the waves of her dress. "You won't touch him or do anything to him either, right?"
"Yes, neither will I, I won't touch him. Do you have so little confidence in me?" Even though her champion had lost, The Dark Angel was taking things rather too well, and seemed like she couldn't stop teasing the Water Guardian.
"No, I don't Will. I have even less."
Despite the show she was putting on, Cassidy was afraid. The tension on her side could be cut with a chainsaw while on her side the Monster just looked bored? Overexcited? The chaotic being was just unreadable. With the power that emanated from her he had trouble to even stand with all the wounds he had. And they wouldn't let him be healed
When Flora and Kadma had offered to close them they'd been stopped by Elyon. He'd feared a fight might start then but Will had then made it clear he had to be in the state he had ended the fight in. "So the princess can appreciate what the prince went through" Or so she said she said.
Although a part of him wanted to show his scars off like every man, he really regretted not knowing any healing that he could perform on the spot. He had been lucky Nigel's sword had been Fireproof, his little surprise wouldn't have worked otherwise, and he doubt he could have handled anymore of the same.
His opponent for the fight had already been dragged back in a bag of silk by the spider-girl but he had to wait the end of the 'negotiation'.
"There is a catch somewhere, isn't it?"
"Of course there is Tara" Will said with a little laugh. "I would not be who I am if not. But it all depend on him and Aisha."
He felt a shivers down his spin. His love was to be tested on this day, but if Will did not really lie he had a way to save Aisha, and if he played his card right they would also find Tecna.
"Now, prince in a not so shining armour, it's time." Elyon called with a mad grin. "I'll lead you to her cell."
He nodded, gave a last meaningful look to his friends, and followed after her through the blue tear.
The moment he was in he was assaulted by the malevolence of the place. People had suffered and were suffering still in here. He stealthy checked at the device he'd been given by Helia and pushed on the button. If it worked they now had an idea of where on Earth they were.
"Sorry to crush your hope but it did not pass." He heard Will's voice behind him and froze. "What am I saying? I'm not sorry. But I guess you had to try." He saw her shrug as she passed by him. "Now follow us."
Both the girl led him down long, richly decorated onyx stair. They were only wearing dresses and he was behind them, he could have struck at them at any moment and yet he felt like he was the one about to be killed from behind by those two, and knew his instinct were right.
Once down he saw a blue and red door, the name 'Aisha' written in silver letters.
"Is she...?" He was afraid to ask .
"She is. Just go through the room and call for her?" Will answered. "Don't try anything funny, I'm looking at you."
Not daring to mess up so close from his beloved, he did a told and passed through the door, cross the room and called for her. "Aisha" He called as he putted his hand on the lock. "Are you here?"
...
Drinking...something... anything? Such had been Aisha's only thought for days now. She hadn't had something to drink for what seemed like weeks now, but had probably only been a few days.
She was so thirsty that she'd tried to drink her own blood if she could.
Even the rats had learned not to get near her cell, and the meal she'd thrown in there had somehow managed to be even drier than the air of her cell when she'd tried it in desperation.
She almost threw up again as the ashy taste came back in her mouth. The headache and sickness had not left since then.
Aisha remembered still. It had smelled so good, and she'd been so thirsty... Her addled mind had temporally forgot who had provided it.
In other words, she felt like crap.
...
"Aisha!" A call came, and she lazily looked at the door.
Who could it be? One of her jailer's? No, she knew their voices now and none sounded like that.
"Aisha, can you hear me?" The voice came again, and she felt like she knew from where? Everything was fuzzy. All that counted right now was if the voice was coming with something to drink.
She heard door unlock, and the hinges cry, spurring her headache. " 'top it, p'ease."
"Aisha? Are you here?" The words echoed in her head as light filtered by the open door, letting her see his silhouette.
From where she was she couldn't see him well against the light but he was tall, and seemed hurt. Back against the wall, she gathered her last force.
"Who...Who awe you?" She asked, squinting her eyes to see. She smelt something nice coming from him, something that made her salivate.
"Aisha!" The man exclaimed and she felt another pang in her head. "It's me ... Nabu ... Don't you recognize me."
She couldn't stop herself from shivering "no." Nabu .. her Nabu ... That was not possible. He couldn't be in Will's dungeon, unless he was... but then she'd never threw him here.
"I've come to free you." The man said getting closer. This close, he reminded her of the figure she could never remember in her dream.
Aisha chuckled 'A dream, of course' She thought 'That what it is'. She was getting so bad that she had started getting hallucination.'I'm so tired, I'm mixing up dream and reality.'
Still she stood up. She could still feel the good smell of water near and there was no way that one was a dream. She'd go so long without it that her very core called her to it.
"Aisha?"
Taking another whiff, she looked at the man. "Wate'." She moaned, advancing slowly toward the smell. "I need water." If there was anyone here, she'd probably look like a ragged doll with lose string.
"Oh, Aisha! My love." The dream man touched her, but she felt nothing. "What did she do to you?" As it tried to catch her, the illusion winced, and she fell back to the ground.
That was when she heard them. Drops. Falling on the floor. She followed them, and found herself looking straight into the mirage's mouth
'Of course, if there was somewhere.' Faster than she believed herself able to move, Aisha leaped to kiss her salvation.
As the original would have done, she felt it moan into her kiss as she started to drink.
And drink she did, despite the distinct metallic taste and the slow trickling at first she could not stop. She was too thirsty, and this tasted better that the blood of rats.
So she drank again and again, unable to stop for fear the delicious nectar might go away, knowing she had been on her last breath prior to its coming.
She heard the man's painful groan as she slowly regained her force but she needed more and drank again, using her power to pull it to her mouth, closing her eyes from the pleasure.
It felt so good to feel the life back into her.
"a..,(smack) sha ( smack)" He kept on moaning as she sucked him dry. She had to take it all. Who knew how long would she be forced to starve again.
Now that she was more lucid, the smell and taste brought back memory of a better time.
"Nabu." She moaned, finally opening her eyes, curious as to what she was really drinking.
Only to stare into the blue, lifeless eyes she now recognized.
For an instant the world seemed to stand still, her mind trying to reject the truth.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" She pushed him back. "NO! NO! NO!"It was just like that dream... But now she had enough strength to know it had not been a dream.
Nabu stood there thinned down and battered to almost a skeleton. He'd came to save her and she'd...
"Nabu!" She called, standing over him searching for a solution. "Please, someone! Anyone! Save him." Red tears dropped from her eyes. She could still feel a pulse, there was still a chance.
As if she'd be waiting for that moment, Aisha felt Her presence behind her, and for an instant she had hope.
"I can't, no one here can!" It was not something she'd ever thought to hear from that voice.
"But... " She hesitated, she would do anything to save him from her own weakness.
Will knelt next to her and smirked with a smile that she would never be able to forget in her life. Everything wrong on that world could be fond in this smile, her eyes reflecting the glee that could not be of this universe.
"I gave my world that I would not do anything to him. And..." She said getting far too close for Aisha's comfort before finishing in a whisper. "I ...Never ...Lie." imprinting those word on her mind forever.
Tasting her own tears, she let a chuckle escape her lips. Something had broken inside, and she'd never get it back.
The rest of the scene was as if a film passed in front of her eyes. She was not really there, just a very up close spectator.
Will got up, letting the broken protagonist with Nabu's dying body in her arm and she saw Elyon behind the open door. "So Elyon, what did you think about it ?" Will asked.
"Indeed my queen,
It was a beautiful dream."
...
FOR: (Turn to the readers) Yes, I know it was long. Almost a year but, laziness and studies took my time. So without further ado :
See you next time in Chapter 10: Interlude : Never a Peaceful Moment
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