Somewhere
I Belong
Chapter 7
A Reluctant Mentor
AN: Hey everyone, thank you all for the wonderful reviews, and I'm sorry how long its taken to update this and my other stories, they all will be updated, it just may take some time. Special shout outs go to: Fae the Queen, Woodland95, NiatheWickedLover, Elphaba'sGirl and L8lzytwner. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. Again, I'm sorry for how long it's taken to update. Thank you all again and God Bless
Aeryella stepped lightly through the vast network of tunnels and caverns, her dark chocolate eyes flickering back and forth, eyeing the shadows, a flutter of movement. A light breeze sweeps past her, threading through her long raven hair, a few lose strands tangle in the silver breeze, billowing majestically around her. A fervid flame burns within her eyes, igniting the darkened swirl of chocolate and hazel to shimmer like liquid crystal.
Noises roused her attention. Snapping to attention, she lightly tiptoes to an open doorway, and peeks inside. The wide smile on her face fades to an annoyed frown, seeing Raven and Leilani snickering and snorting, cavorting like two prissy school girls.
Face palming, she turns and quickly steps away from the door, shaking her head as the snorting laughter slowly fades back into the distance.
"Atlas…where have you gone off to now?" growls Aeryella.
Hard grunting soon catches her attention. Stiffening, she carefully makes her way to the Chamber of Mirrors. Creeping up to the doorway, the grunts and groans grow louder.
Gasping, Aeryella slams her back against the mud-slicked wall. Her hand rises and covers her mouth, hearing the man within fumble awkwardly on the ground. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her fervid heartbeat, pounding like a steady drum within her mind.
"Oh Oz please…please don't let it be what I think it is?!" whisper/screams Aeryella.
"Yeah take that!...Ha you like that don't you!" grunts a familiar voice.
Immediately, Aeryella's body goes rigid, her heart crashes hard against her chest, and her blood pounds within her veins. A light sheen of glistening sweat dances across her forehead and her breathes become hard and uneven. Swearing beneath her breath, she slams her fist against the wall.
"Oh you dirty little…you like it hard don't ya" chuckles Atlas.
Swearing under her breath, Aeryella bangs her head against the wall. For she knew that no matter what, she had to look, consequences be damned she was on an important mission, and no matter what…or whom he was doing, she had to interrupt his "session."
Squeezing her eyes shut, she reluctantly turned.
Puffing out her breath she jumps out of the darkness and stands rigid. Her slender hands curl into tight fists, turning the knuckles white as they bounce hard against her sides.
"ATLASIDON'TCAREWHATYOURDOINGTHEHIGHELDERSAREREADYTOSEEYOUANDELPHABA!" rambled Aeryella.
Silence follows, heightening her senses. Nervously, she swallowed the none-existent lump in her throat.
"Atlas?" she squeaked.
"Yes" came Atlas's dry response.
"Are you…I mean is it…" sighing, Aeryella's body relaxed, her shoulders slumped, and her fists slowly untangle and fall limp at her sides. "is it safe to look?"
"Err…why wouldn't it be?"
"Atlas!" angrily Aeryella stomps her foot on the ground in annoyance before fisting her hands once more against her hips. Ebony lightning crackled around her, flickering, dancing along the tips of her fingertips "This isn't funny!"
"Okay before you decide to fricassee me or…my balls…will you just stop for a moment…and breathe please…for me…and my future children's sake!" cried out Atlas.
Sighing, Aeryella did as told, and took in a few quick breathes.
Atlas stiffened, watching Aeryella's body stiffen. A maniacal smile and her hand rises. A burst of black mist, and a ball of ebony electricity crackles in the palm of her hand. Smirking, she gracefully raises her hand up closer to her face.
A loud crackle and the flicker of white and black electricity flashes across her face; the electricity licking at her skin, casting her features into shadows, and darkening her appearance.
"Oh come on Aeryella!" screams Atlas. Nervously he backs away from the Spryte.
"You wanna play games?" smirked Aeryella.
"AERYELLA THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" roars Atlas.
"Isn't it?" cackling she quirks her head to the side. "Cause I think it is"
"Aeryella! ForOzsakesopenyoureyes! Iwasjustkidding!" pleads Atlas.
"Thank you" smiles Aeryella darkly. For a moment she stands, facing Atlas, the ball of ebony lightning snaps and crackles in her hand. Smirking, she hurls it towards the wall, narrowly missing the side of Atlas's face.
"AERYELLA!"
"What?" blinking her eyes open, she stands regal before Atlas, and a soft smile painted on her soft lips. "I missed"
"You were this close lady!" growling, Atlas leans closer to Aeryella, his pointer and thumb finger gesturing to the small fraction of an inch to which her energy ball had narrowly missed sizzling his skin.
"Oh you big baby" gasping, Aeryella's dainty hand flies to her chest in mock horror. "I'm sorry-" stilling, her dark eyes scan the room. Finding it empty, she frowns back at Atlas. "It's empty"
"What?" asks Atlas confused.
"I…I thought…but you…there were noises…and…and you were grunting…and you…said" babbles Aeryella.
For a moment, Atlas stood rigid, watching Aeryella's hands wildly gesture back and forth from the door to the room. Suddenly, realization dawned on him. Relaxing his hand flew to the top of his head, as the other clasped hard against his chest as he fell into a roaring fit of snorts and chuckles.
"A…Aeryella…you…you thought!" laughs Atlas, struggling to get the words out.
"But…you were" answers Aeryella, her voice small.
"I was training" laughing, Atlas's hand rises and wipes a tear from his eye. "You honestly thought I would do something like that! In the Chamber of Mirrors?! Come on Areyellie…I thought you knew me better" smirked Atlas.
Huffing, Aeryella crossed her arms tight against her chest and glares back at the cocky mage.
"I wouldn't put it past you" quirking an eyebrow, Aeryella's her supple lips thin, and darkness crescendos within her eyes, unnerving the mage, and making him quiver in fear.
"What is it that you needed?" sighed Atlas.
"The Elders are calling for you and Elphaba" Icily her eyes drift down his ripped body. Small buds of sweat glisten across his chiseled chest, and drip down to below his beltline. Huffing, she turns and storms out of the room. "Elphaba is waiting for you at the Chamber of Mysts" she calls from behind her shoulder.
Frowning, Atlas bows his head and eyes his body. Confused, his gaze snaps back up to the door.
"Woman" sighs Atlas. Rolling his eyes he quickly grabs a towel and his black leather vest and follows Aeryella out into the hallway.
Wiping the sweat off his body, he gracefully twists his black leather vest over his shoulders, and grabbing the front, moves it in place before stepping down the last of the corridor.
Reaching the hall, he skids to a halt, seeing Elphaba stand by the entrance to the chamber of Mysts. Slowly his body relaxed as he gazed upon the raven haired beauty, standing tall and regal. Smiling, he stepped back into the shadows, not willing, nor ready to give way his position yet.
Hidden in the darkness, he watched her as her small, delicate fingers nervously threaded and twisted against her chest. A heavy sigh and she bows her head. Like a river, her long ebony hair cascades like silk down her shoulder, a few lose strands tumble down the slender slope of her back, twisting and curling slightly at the ends.
The dress she wore; which he had guessed Aeryella had given her, was black like midnight. Small, delicate archaic designs interlaced within the bodice, twisting down the elegant curve of her hips and down throughout the pleated skirts and fading to a light silver wisp. The light flickers of oranges, twisted in yellows and mingled in red and blues, cast her emerald skin in an ethereal glow, small splints catch the soft huh of her raven hair, making the strands glow.
For a moment, Atlas forgot how to breathe, for the emerald witch standing but a few feet away, looked like an angel.
A gasp and Elphaba turns towards the shadows. Wildly, her dark chocolate eyes flicker back and forth between the darkness, for she could sense someone standing there. Stiffening, her hand rises, and small crackles of emerald lightning dance at the tips of her fingers.
"Who's there?" she called. Sighing, Atlas regally stepped out of the darkness
Elphaba stiffens, watching the shadows fall away from Atlas's body.
"How…how long have you been standing there?" she queried.
"Not long" smiles Atlas. "You…you look" awkwardly, he stumbled over his words.
"Awful?" frowning, Elphaba's eyes dart down to the ground. Nervously her fingers twist the pleated silk of her skirt. "I told Aeryella not put me in this"
"Elphaba" gently, Atlas's fingers lid beneath her chin. Gently, he lifts her head up, until her dark chocolate eyes stare once more into his. "I was going to say beautiful"
"Beautiful and Elphaba do not go well together" growls Elphaba. Irritated, she jerks her head away from Atlas's grip.
"I" starts Atlas, but a knock at the door silence him. Sighing, he turns just as the grand ebony doors slam open. Large gales of smoke and mist flood the hall, obscuring his vision.
"Who dares enter the Chamber of Mysts" came a raspy voice.
Elphaba's eyes widen, watching a cloaked figure hobble out of the swirling mist.
"Oh can it Quirk" growls Atlas.
"Hey!" Immediately Quirk's hands fly up and grabbing the hood of his cloak, flip it down to his shoulders, revealing his identity to the terrified witch.
The man, Quirk, was about a foot smaller than Atlas, with long strawberry blonde hair and gentle emerald eyes. His skin was soft, yet pale as a Gillikin pearl.
"Why do you have to ruin my entrance!" whines Quirk.
"Some entrance…a Hobbit…limping out of the mist…oh I'm so scared" jokes Atlas.
"I'm not a Hobbit" sniffing, he lifts his head high in the air. "Besides…Hobbits don't exist"
"Hobbits?" asks Elphaba softly.
Stiffening, both Atlas and Quirk turn and stare incredulously at Elphaba, standing a few feet away.
"Who's this?" asks Quirk.
"The 'Chosen One'" answers Atlas, sarcastically.
"Oh!" darting away from Atlas, Quirk zips over to Elphaba and lifting up her hands, tangles his short, knobby fingers with hers. "I've been waiting ages to meet you"
"Err…it's nice to meet you too" smiles Elphaba uncomfortably.
"Quirk" sighs Atlas. It had been a few minutes of awkward silence of Quirk standing before Elphaba, gazing into her eyes, and holding her hands tight in his. Coughing, Atlas points a finger at the strange man, and smirking, sends a riptide of electricity to spark from the tip of his finger, and zap Quirk in the butt.
"Hey!" cries out Quirk.
"You were staring" smiles Atlas.
"Was not"
"Was too"
"Was not"
"Was too"
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"GENTLEMEN!" screams Elphaba. Stiffening, Atlas and Quirk, who were now standing toe to toe, slowly turned and stared shocked back at the raven haired witch.
"Were too" mumbles Atlas, before nudging Quirk in the shoulder.
"Were not" mumbles Quirk, returning the gesture.
"While this is all very entertaining…can anyone please tell me what in Oz is going on here!?"
"Yes" squeaks Quirk. Straightening, he takes a few steps closer to Elphaba. "The High Elders have decreed you to be brought into the fold of the Resistance"
"Me?" whispers Elphaba surprised.
"Yes…and as part of their decree…they have decided to have Atlas be your mentor…training you in mastering the skills of the sword, and other weapons…defense and attack…and-"continues Quirk.
"Me!" shrieks Atlas.
"You have a problem with that?" asks Quirk, turning and quirking an eyebrow at the old mage.
"I" stilling, he hits his forehead with the palm of his hand. "I've just got the worst Ozdamned headache ever" moans Atlas.