Tang Ri Shan
(Stay with me! We're almost at the best part!)
Tinkerbell: Curse of the Duskmoth
(I do not own Tinkerbell or any of the Disney Fairies. Enjoy!)
Chapter 16
Tinkerbell had fallen to her knees, her limbs were quivering and she was moaning and gasping, like she was struggling to breathe.
"What's ha-happening to her?" Rosetta stammered, glancing up at Vidia, who stared back at them with confusion written all over her face.
"Patience, my friends. Watch" Erikel said, and everyone gasped as Tinkerbell began changing right before their eyes. Her wings, which had been sticking straight out, slowly began to lose their shine, their golden glow fading to a deep purple which crept slowly up the delicate patterns on her wing membranes until they were completely covered. A deep hiss filled the chamber, so low they they almost didn't hear it. Several fairies gasped as the skin on Tinkerbell's legs slowly began to fade from healthy pink to a sickly, smokey grey, that was streaked with veins of darker grey, almost like the liquid stained the major veins in her body. Tinkerbell's body suddenly shuddered violently and her arms flew out and began clawing at the sandy floor, they were the same color as her legs, and instead of nails, sharp-looking claws had sprouted from the ends of her fingers. Another growl tore through the air but it wasn't the Duskmoth, it seemed to come from Tinkerbell. As everyone watched, Tinkerbell threw back her head and gave out an unearthly shriek that made everyone cover their ears. She gave a few violent shudders and then collapsed on the chamber floor, breathing heavily. For a few seconds, no one moved, and the only sound was Tinkerbell's breathing. Then Terence slowly, cautiously, stepped forward.
"Tinkerbell?" Tinkerbell twitched, as if in response, then slowly started to get to her feet. She didn't respond. "Tink, are you okay?" He asked as she straightened up. Tinkerbell didn't answer, but then she suddenly spun around. Everyone gasped, two fairies screamed and Terence jumped back in shock. Tinkerbell's eyes had changed from green to a glowing purple like Vidia's, but they were brighter and were pupiless, like deep holes of purple. The face of her skin had faded to gray, even her hair had darkened. Before it was golden blonde, now it looked like dirty straw, and patches of it were sticking up, giving her a wild look. Tinkerbell opened her mouth, revealing small fangs, and hissed at her friends, who screamed and darted backwards. Slowly, Tinkerbell stalked up to her friends, hissing and spitting angrily, her eyes smoldering, her clawed hands snatching at them.
"I think you're overdoing it a bit, Tink" Vidia's voice made her stop and turn. Vidia was hovering a few feet above her, an amused smile on her face.
"You think so?" Tinkerbell responded, then both fairies started laughing.
"Tink!" Fawn exclaimed while Silvermist and Iridessa shook their heads in annoyance. Klank and Bobble, who had been clutching each other in fear, let go immediately, looking embarrassed, and Rosetta placed a hand over her heart. Erikel sniggered from in front of them and even the Duskmoth seemed to chuckle with amusement.
"Very funny Tink" Terence scolded as she helped him get to his feet, but he was smiling.
"Sorry" Tinkerbell lowered her gaze. "but I couldn't resist. This power is amazing! I have so much energy, I feel like I could do anything!" As she spoke, she lifted straight up off the floor...and almost crashed into the chamber ceiling.
"Like I said!" Erikell called from below as Tinkerbell slowly came back down to the ground. "The mixture increases a fairy's abilities!" He turned to the others. "Who's next?"
An hour later'
An hour later, Vidia and Tinkerbell led the others back towards the Pixie Dust Tree. They moved slowly, darting from shadow to shadow, being as stealthy as they could. The forest was quiet, eerily quiet.
"It sure is quiet out here" Tinkerbell jumped at Bobble's outburst, even though he had been whispering. The serum had enhanced their senses as well as their abilities. She glanced back at he friend and shrugged to his the shiver that flitted through her. Bobble now looked hideous, but the scariest thing was his eyes, the water droplet glasses he wore reflected the light from his eyes and made them brighter.
"He's got a point" Vidia whispered as they continued. "It's too quiet"
"Yeah" Klank agreed as they approached the area where the Tinker's workshop was. "The Tinker's area is never this quiet"
"Let's take a look" Tinkerbell flew ahead before anyone could stop her. She crested the rise, stopped dead, and gasped. Below her, the Tinker's workshop had been ransacked! Devices had been smashed, contraptions had been wrecked and tools were scattered everywhere. Tinkerbell heard Silvermist land beside her and felt her friend stiffen in surprise.
"What happened here?" She exclaimed as the others joined him. Klank and Bobble cried out in horror, while everyone else stared in shock. Slowly, the group made their way down the rise and flitted among the ruins of the workshop.
"Everything's been destroyed!" Iridessa observed, gazing at a ripped basket.
"What could have done this?" Rosetta asked, looking over a broken wheel.
"And where is everyone?" Fawn added, gazing around nervously. She was right, the workshop seemed deserted.
"I don't like the look of this" Terence mused as he picked up a hammer. Suddenly everyone froze, a light was bobbing through an archway ahead and angry voices could be heard from inside.
"Hide!" Vidia hissed and everyone scattered. From her vantage point behind a bush, Vidia watched as four figures appeared. Two of them were guardian guild fairies, one holding a tall lantern, the other two were Fairy Mary and Fairy Gary, who were arguing with the guild fairies.
"This is ridiculous!" Fairy Mary stated, pouting. "I still don't see why we have to all up and move to the winter woods based on a mere rumor!"
"It's for your own safety" The fairy holding the lantern responded, rolling her eyes. "The Duskmoth and its sprite minions have never been seen in the Winter Woods, so clearly that is the safest place to be right now. Besides, you saw for yourself what those sprites were capable of" She gestured to the surrounding wreckage as she spoke. Fairy Mary gazed over the workshop and her lip trembled, She looked like she was about to cry.
"And what's this about moving the blue pixie dust there as well?" Fairy Gary demanded. Vidia perked up at this. "Without that dust, the Pixie Dust Tree will dry up!"
"That is Kelsier's orders" The sparrow-man holding the lantern replied in an annoyed tone. "Do you have it?" Fairy Gary scowled, but patted the satchel he was carrying. "Good" The sparrow man smiled. "Kelsier believes the Duskmoth attacked the tree to feed on its pixie dust. Stop the flow of dust, and eventually the Duskmoth will die away"
"No" Vidia heard Tinkerbell hiss in annoyance from behind a nearby wheel.
"What was that?" The two guild fairies suddenly whipped around.
"What was what?" Fairy Gary asked, still annoyed.
An angry hiss filled the clearing, causing everyone, including Vidia to jump. She heard muttered whispering that seemed to echo around the clearing.
"What's going on?" Fairy Mary asked nervously, drifting a little closer to the others. Vidia smiled, took a deep breath, and let out a loud hiss of her own. The fairies spun towards her, fear beginning to show on their faces. Then another hiss came from the other side of the clearing and they spun to face that. Vidia suppressed a chuckle as she crouched on her hands and knees and prepared to spring. Let's have some fun!