Ch.25 A Lady's Return

Des and Toc leaned against the fence line that went around the pen that held the pigs. They had their arms cross over their chests watching the front gate. Their dad had left not but nine hours ago. It was just about to be dark. Surely the trip to get Sell wouldn't take all day? The pigs oinked and squealed behind them.

Des shrieked leaping away as his tound touched his butt. Toc looked at him wondering what happened.

"Pig just rooted right near my area!" he looked at the pig with narrowed eyes. "You're next on the food chart! I won't forget your face!"

"Stop lying. You know all pigs look the same," Toc said looking down at the pig. "Look at him. He has that innocent look. In reality we all know its gay."

"You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?" Toc asked his brother. He was getting no comfort from him. He had just been nosed in a wrong way by a stupid animal. "Hey, get nosed by one. Tell me how it feels."

Toc giggled at him when the front gate creaked open. They turned to see their father return, another head bobbing close to him. "Sell!"

I heard my name and looked over to see my brothers racing over. "Des! Toc!" I brushed past dad and embraced them. "I'm so glad to see you all again!"

Skipping a few things, there was much reuniting going on. I saw my mother and I haven't been able to leave her side for the sake of me. She tied us together with rope. I dare not burn it in front of her. I was shown mothers shop in town and decided to help her run it here and there.

Father however had the reunitement short lived. The very next day he drug me off to a urgent meeting. This meeting was held in the place I had watched him go when I had first seen him dressed and changed as a Skeletal Lord. The iron door opened with a creak, allowing us entry. I stepped in before my father and saw all eyes turn to us.

My skin broke out into goosebumps at all the aura's and feelings that were in the room. Suppression was a good term to use. It was almost drowning me. My chest felt heavy as I made my way over to Hel. He was leaning on the wall, his collar gleaming under the dim light. He turned his head slightly, cocking an ear down to me.

"How goes it?"

"You know already. Absolutely crazy. Mom's such an obsessive person." I leaned against the cool wall next to him. Their eyes still penetrating me. "This is creepy."

"Yeah. Creepy for you. I'm just getting the usual looks. Nothings special about me." He replied in a annoyed tone that I caught.

"You think I like the attention?" I said heatedly. "I hate being watched."

"That makes two of us then."

I turned to see Skelar leaning on the wall next to us. "Skelar. When did you get here?"

"Just now. You were too busy conversing with Hel to notice me and dad enter." He said thumbing the door. "Rayr didn't want to be in a small room. He can't take it. We left him outside."

"Coward," snorted Hel. "He calls himself a werewolf."

Skelar ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I don't think you're going to like this meeting today, Sell."

I raised a brow. "What do you mean? Why do you think that?"

"You're going to have to speak to them," Hel said before Skelar. "Everyone's eager to know about you. What you've seen. Word's gotten around that you faced the Dark Lord. Not once but twice and lived to tell about it. No one has survived a meeting once."

I felt a lump form in my throat. "Oh Notch." I turned to see my father scan the room and give a nod to himself as if counting and seeing that the numbers matched before turning for the podium. "Fuck. It's starting."

"Yup. Let's take our places." Skelar said walking towards his father who was seating in a chair. Several other chairs like it were in rows looking towards the podium.

Hel took my hand and led me to the front far left side and sat down. "This is where we will be sitting from now on. Your spot is always here. Here or on the podium."

I swallowed the lump only to have another form. "Damn it. I don't want to speak."

The lights turned off. We were in complete darkness. Only lights on the edge of the room were left on and one above my dad. Enough light to not make a monster spawn in on us somewhere. I could tell everyone was eager to hear what I would say when I got up there.

He looked around to everyone that was seated. "Gentlemen of the Skeletal race! We are gathered here today to share a great happiness that has fallen upon us today! Our Lady has returned!"

The lords cheered excitedly. Rien smiled and flicked a gaze to Lones who only sat there with his legs and arms crossed. "Our youngest heir, Skelar, has returned alive and experienced. His father is as proud of him as I. He progressed quickly being alone on his journey. I hope that he shows what he has learned out there in the wilderness while helping us fight the evil on the front lines."

Lones bent his head over to his son's and bumped Skelar's head lightly. Skelar beamed at the praise from him and the lords. The lords looked at him giving him support and thoughtful words. The room went silent then as Rien's face grew serious. "That's not the only reason I called this meeting a day early. The Dark Lord of the Nether has begun to move about. He has plans. Evil plans for us all.

"I and Lones had a face to face encounter with him, as you all know, in that black cavern. My daughter Sell was also there too. She was the one who held him at bay until we came. Of course he escaped. Today we felt him reappear not too far from where we were at.

"It was near a village due North of us." He paused to look at me. Giving me warning that my time would come soon to be up there. "She is the only heir to come face to face with the Dark Lord and live to tell about it. But that's beside the point. I'm not sure what his plans are or what is about to happen to the innocent. We must keep vigilant in our fight for peace and keep a sharp eye out for anything unusual."

The agreed and applauded before settling back down. Rien cleared his throat before going on. "Our dear and beloved Lady Ananon has named a new Lady in her place."

"Who is it?"

"Did she reincarnate another body?"

"Notch revived her! Right?"

Rien held up his hands for silence. They all stared at him eager to know. "She is dead and will remain in the Aether watching down upon us. She has named the new Lady to take her place where she failed. I present to you all…"

I swallowed the lump in my throat for the ninth time now. Hel gripped my hand tightly making me flinch and his under my breath. "Ow!"

"I did it to make you snap out of it, Lady Sell." He side glanced me and winked. "Speak from the heart. It does wonders."

"Lady Sell!" Rien announced looking down towards me. "Take the podium, my Lady."

I stood slowly hearing the murmurs of the lords behind me as I shuffled to the podium nervously. Father placed a hand on my shoulder firmly and nodded encouragingly. "You'll be ok."

I stepped up to the podium as he took the seat next to Hel. Hel nodded to me as I looked at him. My eyes traveled to Skelar and Lones who also nodded to me. My hands clenched the edge of the podium and unclenched. "Umm. H-Hello."

Everyone murmured a hello just loud enough to hear. My voice suddenly left me. Fear gripped me so bad. My legs locked up. I felt like I couldn't breathe because a great weight was on my chest.

Hel stood then seeing that I had gone into shock. "Sell. We aren't against you. We're with you. Lady Ananon has faith in you to do her job. Stand up and speak on her behalf!"

Everyone nodded in agreement. My face went bright red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I've never spoken to this many people before."

Everyone understood that. They could feel for me. I looked at everyone still nervous but a bit less than before. "I'm Ananon, daughter of Lord Rien. I'm not quite sure where to start on how this happened but I will recall as best as I can. It was a few months ago when I met Maul. He was Hel's father."

I went on to tell them the story of how I died to Maul's pack. How I met Lady Ananon and went to the Aether with her. I told them of all the things that went on in the Aether and how I returned with a vengeance, dragging Maul to his grave alive. I told them how I attempted to save a tormented Lost Soul named Hym from the Dark lord and ended up meeting the Dark Lord himself. How the Dark Lord destroyed Hym for the energy he had stolen.

I told them about Serdra from the village that I had taken refuge in with Hel, Skelar, and Rayr. How the Dark lord had tainted her and warped her mind. In the end kidnapping her before our very eyes and taking her away in a wall of fire and flames. They all stared at me in shock. Father hadn't known about that but listened intently.

"Lady Ananon told me that it would've still been the same if she had been alive. Her death changed nothing but all of you. Gave you more will than you previously had. Her anointing me with her title she believed that I could lead you all sussessfully and defeat the evil that is upon us now." I was relaxed more now. I didn't grip the podium as bad. "Having faced the Dark Lord twice and lived to tell about it I'll be honest with you all. I'm as dumbfounded about his ideas and whereabouts just like all of you. But we promised each other that we would meet for a final battle in the Nether. I'll be damned if I can't get there. We will face one another and I'll take him to oblivion along with myself if need be!"

I bowed my head to them as I stepped down from the podium. The room erupted into applause so loud it shook the room itself. "I pray…" I said standing next to the podium looking at all the lords that applauded me. "I pray night and day that one day peace will be returned to the lands of Minecraft. No more hiding in the night from the evil. No more losing innocent lives just for evil deeds. No more funerals for a life cut short."

The room listened to me. I hadn't felt this presence from people before. It was deafening to me. "We fight so hard and take a step or two forward to only be pushed back. Forced back! That will end. I pray that the day between I and the Dark lord. Lord Hatos. He will fall out of power once more and be at peace once and for all to my hands! To our hands! The hands that have protected and shielded the Minecraftian's for years!"

The Lords applauded me more as I nodded to them and stepped from the floor to take my seat back. Hel beamed down at me proudly. "You have acceptable speech skills, my dear. Well done."

Father stepped from where I sat hugging me. "You amazed me up there. I've given you lesser credit than you deserve."

I shook my head. "Don't worry. I don't need credit. I just need the safety of Minecraftian's. I run off the peace that they enjoy."

He hugged me once more with tears flowing down his face. "Lady Ananon is proud."

I rested my head on his shoulder. "She is and also in joy. Her friend's morals and spirits have been lifted once more."

I watched father walk back to the podium wiping his face on his sleeve. He laughed a bit embarrassed. "She is quite the speech giver."

The Lords chuckled at him as they watched me retake my seat next to Hel. I let out a sigh I had been holding back and slumped into my chair. This was such a tiring ordeal for me.

"So, going along now with the meeting. We will now update our list of new information and happenings about the community of Minecraft. Anyone care to speak?"

Several men stood at once. One by one they spoke of their difficulties of the evil and talked about the good stuff. Some of their wives were expecting babies. Always a great thing to hear. Our forces would be possibly getting bigger.

The meeting was then dismissed on a good note. The lords hung about talking to one another catching up on things. I was brought about to each Lord as a better way to get to know them. Father made idle chat with others while I spoke to them. Before I knew it all the lords were around me listening to me and asking questions.

I learned things about them as they learned things about me. I talked of my whole adventure from start to end. They seemed to really enjoy it. It was more action packed than their own. As the hours dragged on the Lords began to say their goodbyes and leave for home.

It wasn't long before it was only me, father, Skelar, Lones, and Hel standing about talking. I yawned and stretched in my chair, tired from the recent events. I needed some much needed rest. My head was still slightly pounding. Hel placed his jacket about me seeing that I was tired. "You need to get home and into bed."

I gave him a weak smile. "I know. I will be. Once we get done here." I looked over to dad. He was talking to Lones and Skelar. "Dad, can I head home? I'm exhausted."

Rien turned to me and nodded. "Sure, sure. Hel, take her home swiftly. I don't want you two to meet the darkness. I'll follow behind in a little bit."

Hel nodded and picked me up gently. "We're heading out then. See you soon, sir."

He nodded to Hel and watched us leave through the heavy iron door. It creaked shut behind us and locked on its own. Through the dimly lit hallway Hel walked quietly. He opened another door and went up the stairs to a building that was a fake business. He placed me on his back and sprinted down the gravel sidewalk on the lookout for anything that would harm me.

"You did well tonight. I thought you would pass out on the podium."

"I almost did," I muttered resting my head on his back. "If you hadn't encouraged me I think I would've passed out."

The lights above the sidewalk flickered on. Our shadows danced about on the gravel as Hel sprinted along. I looked up ahead to see the house on the hill. Warm and homely. "I missed this place."

"It missed you as well," Hel replied softly as he slowed to a walk, heading up the hillside steps towards the first fence gates. "I missed having company to talk too."

I began to drift off under the soft light of the streetlamps. "I know. Dad knew it too. I'm glad to have you here. Back home."

Hel leapt the second fence gates that led onto the farm. He didn't want to let the creak of the gates waken me. Striding up the gravel drive as quiet as his shoes would allow him he looked over his shoulder at me, fast asleep. "Thank you, Sell. I don't know what would have happened to either of us if fate hadn't brought you there."

The front door of the house opened. A warm soft light from within the living room and the kitchen shone out. Aumi stood there with her hair in a ponytail wiping her hands with a cloth towel. "Hel. You're so sweet. Come on in and place her in her bed. It's upstairs. Second door on the left."

Hel bent his head to her out of respect and stepped through the door. Aumi closed the door and followed him upstairs. Hel placed Sell in her bed that was already made for her to sleep in. He stepped back and let Aumi tuck her daughter in and kiss her forehead. Hel and Aumi left shutting the door softly behind them and headed back downstairs.

Sell slept without moving or dreaming of anything that night. Her body and mind were too exhausted to work on anything more. Hopefully she would be able to sleep a bit more than what she was getting at the village. Toc and Des opened the door and poked their heads in to check on her once the coast was clear.

"You think the meeting went well?"

Toc shrugged. "Hell if I know. She's asleep."

Des tiptoed over to her bedside moving a strand of hair from her face. "Mom is much happier now that she's back. She's started singing again."

Toc stood against the window staring at his little sister through the moonlight. "I'm just happy that she's back here alive."

"You think she'd want to go around the town with us and see the changes?" Des looked up at his brother excitedly at the idea. Toc shrugged.

"Up to her. Remember though, we got work to do at mom's shop."

"Oh yeah." Des slumped a little. "Well, let's go and leave her be. We'll see her tomorrow."

Toc nodded and left the room along with Des. He shut the door softly.

Off in the distance, in another town, there was evil brewing up an evil scheme. This scheme had plans for several people that were not known yet. It was for the greater evil at the hands of a man that had risen out of the ground. This man was unknown to anyone. A tombstone with his named etched onto it.

His plans had finally been set into motion and he gulped the cool air with a hastiness that made him look like a fish out of water. He let out a sigh and a grin spread across his face with pleasure that went on within his mind. With a crooked gnarled hand and long fingernails, he grasped a gem encrusted staff and cackled as he hobbled his way to the mountains where the several people that he knew would be living there.