After what seemed like just a moment to her instead of sleeping the whole night, Jeneta groaned and turned away from the bright, glaring sun shining high above in the distant sky. But she could see the sun's bright light through her closed eyelids and the warmth on her dark brown cheek; it was morning already. Oh great, it feels like I only JUST got to bed! she grumbled in her mind. It had been a very interesting day and night indeed. Memories of what happened the day before entered her mind; They were attacked by a horde of Kumraa's assassin demons, and within just moments from dying, the girls had found out they were actually the reincarnations of the very Goddesses...The Ones Who Are Blessed..they were searching for.
It turned out to be a very confusing and surprising revelation to them, especially Jeneta. How was she...just plain old little Jeneta, a reborn goddess? Never in her young life did she ever imagine she held such a power, such a secret. And looking into the faces of her friends that night, she knew they were thinking the same thing she was; that there must be some kind of mistake. How were they supposed to turn into these powerful goddesses and save a whole world? It was just....impossible! But it was just as she was about to fall asleep last night that Jeneta realized that ever since she was younger, she had always felt that something wonderful was going to happen to her one day...something wonderful, magical, strange, and scary, based on the dreams she used to have. Maybe this was it. She then vowed to herself that if this was indeed her destiny to help this big world, then she would do her best, and her friends would too. But alas, she couldn't exactly do anything right now if she was going to sleep the morning away.
With an annoyed sigh, Jeneta's eyelids slowly fluttered open. She then smiled in relief when she saw that everyone was accounted for....Prya and Ling were asleep together on the large bedroll they shared, and Angeni was looking very comfortable laying next to Kain...although Jeneta had a sneaking suspicion that the young man snuck in next to her while she slept. Djoser, Tao, and Kondolar must have already gotten up and left to go scouting to find food, for the places where they slept was already cleaned up and they and their horses gone. Master Yelsnid was just putting out the large campfire when he caught sight of her looking at him, and nodded a quick "good morning".
Jeneta's eyes narrowed...someone was missing. With a gasp, she turned around to look behind her and breathed out in relief. Heather was lying right next to her, her eyes closed in a peace that she was unable to find until late last night. She had found the blonde girl in the forest crying her eyes out for the young warrior Danji, who died helping them escape from the evil General Zain.....who turned out to be Djoser's long-lost brother Menes. For what seemed like hours after Jeneta brought her back to the campsite, she just held the blonde girl, doing her best to soothe the girl's broken heart over the handsome young warrior she had fallen in love with. The night was filled with heartbreaking sobs until she finally managed to sleep. "Well, at least she's okay now." Jeneta whispered to herself as she gently flicked back a strand of blonde hair from the girl's sleeping face. The serene moment however was broken when Yelsnid walked over and nodded somberly.
"Come, we should get ready now. Time is of the essence. I can already feel a disturbance in the air. I believe Kumraa knows your powers have been awakened."
"Get...ready for what? Aren't we waiting for Djoser, Kondolar, and Tao?" Jeneta asked nervously. But the older man just shook his head at Jeneta and motioned for her and the others to make haste.
Jeneta rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, I hope I'm not that grumpy and pushy when I'm that old." she whispered to herself. She turned and gently woke Heather, then hurried over to where Angeni was just getting up herself, rubbing her eyes.
When she turned to see Kain sitting up next to her and smiling, she jumped back in surprise. "What are you doing here?" she shouted out. She growled angrily and began pushing him away.
"Hey, I had to make sure you were protected during the night! Can you blame me for that?" the handsome man chuckled with a dimpled grin. At the angry glare Angeni sent him, he couldn't help himself and laughed louder, the other girls chuckling along.
"Alright you guys, enough joking around. Master Yelsnid said we should get everything ready." Jeneta said, glad that some things were back to normal. As the other girls turned to go freshen up at a small stream, Kain helped Angeni to stand and gave her a serious look.
"Look...about yesterday. I...I didn't mean to hurt you, I didn't realize..I mean. You..you know I'd never harm you if I could help it, and..it's just that..when I was young..." He lowered his head shamefully and ran a nervous hand through his messy black hair.
Despite being annoyed at him, Angeni couldn't help giving a soft smile and laying a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Kain. I can tell that you've been through a lot...just by looking in your eyes."
Kain looked up at her in surprise, then smiled back. "Thank you," He put his hand on top of hers on his shoulder. "I guess I should tell you about my past..about what happened to me. You see..."
But Angeni turned and saw that Djoser, Tao, and Kondolar had already come back with food and supplies, and were listening to Master Yelsnid telling them something that seemed important, judging by his serious expression. "Hold on to that for a bit,I don't think we have much time to talk anyway," She turned back to him and smiled softly. "And there's a few things I've got to tell you too, okay?
The one-time thief nodded, and together, they hurried off...Kain going to where Djoser, Kondolar, and Tao stood with Yelsnid, and Ageni with the girls. Quickly the girls washed off stream, dressed in fresh clothes, ate a light breakfast, then hurried out to listen to the somber news Yelsnid was giving to Djoser and the other men.
"...and so, that is why we must get to Kumraa's castle and put an end to this now," the master sorcerer was just saying to the men as the girls joined them. "His power is nearly back to what it once was before he was sealed away. More people are dying, and now he knows that all five Sacred Medallions have been found."
"But how are we going to find his castle? It could be on the other side of the planet for all we know." Heather said with uncertainty. "We haven't found a clue as to where he is."
"Ahhh, but I do have a clue," said Yelsnid, his hands folded together in a hopeful prayer. "Last night, while you all slept, I did a very complicated locator spell. It was difficult, since Kumraa has shrouded his castle in a magic detection barrier, but I have pinpointed the closest place where I believe his castle is." He raised both arms into the air as he clutched his staff in his right hand, and a bright flash of light appeared. When it faded, a 3-D holographic image map of an unfamiliar landscape appeared above them, shining brightly in the shadows of the tall trees.
The sorcerer stepped forward and pointed to the east, where part of the land was darkened..as if in a ominous shadow. "This area here in the far east, somewhat near the ocean. That is where the most concentrated wave of evil energy is coming from. It is near there where the first attacks of Kumraa started years ago. But it's just an energy signal, there's no way for sure that's where Kumraa is. He could be a mile from there...he could be 100 miles from there for all we know. There are many places like this, but it was the first I detected with my locator." He sighed in frustration as he waved his hand again, and the map vanished.
"Then if that's the first place your spell came up with in finding Kumraa, then there's a possibility he IS there," Prya said, caressing her chin with her hand as she thought. "I guess we'll just have to take that chance and go there together. If not, we'll try again."
Yelsnid looked at them uncomfortably. "Well...that's another thing I have to discuss with you all," He walked to stand in front of the girls. "I'm afraid that I can only use this spell once...and I can only send you girls."
"WHAT?" Ling looked incredulously at the balding sorcerer. "What are you saying, that you're just sending us there all alone to face this monster? We...we can't do this alone! There must be some other way..." She looked around desperately at everyone, hoping that it wasn't true that she and her friends would be alone there.
"Please, you must understand," Yelsnid regretfully shook his head. "This spell was very complicated and drained much of my energy. If I transport us ALL to the place where Kumraa might be, I'll be powerless and of no help. And if this place IS wrong, Kumraa will have already detected us because of my energy signal and sent his army, and there would be no way I can do a spell to get us all out of there in time." He gave the girls a pleading look. "Believe me, I've thought about this long and hard, and there is NO other way."
"I don't know if I can do this...I'm too scared." Prya eyes misted and she backed into the safety of Ling's arms.
"No my child, do not be afraid," Yelsnid gently touched Prya's cheek and looked at all of the girls. "You all must believe you can do this...you must believe that everything you've been through has prepared you for this moment. I'm sure that in your journey for the Sacred Medallions, you each have learned very valuable lessons...something that you will take with you for the rest of your lives."
At those words, the girls looked at each other and nodded, knowing in their hearts that they did indeed learned many things in their search, including loyalty, determination, and compassion.
"Then use those lessons. Use them to combat an evil that wants to destroy all that we hold dear and good," said Yelsnid, his eyes burning with pride at the young girls...no, women standing before him. "Use them to overcome the lies, the confusion, the pain that Kumraa will surely put you through. I hold true to the belief that everything happens for a reason, everything follows a destiny, a pattern. There are no accidents. You are all here for a reason; to help us and to ensure that your world too will be safe from this evil spreading. I believe that, and I believe in you."
Jeneta nodded as a she felt the fear slowly fade from her heart, and smiled softly at him. "Master Yelsnid, you know my friends and I will not let you down. We know in our hearts we won't be alone now. The spirits of those who love us will be there as well." At those words, Jeneta turned to look at Djoser and blushed slightly. She turned to look back at Yelsnid. "Thank you for everything Master Yelsnid..everything that you've taught me..."
"We won't forget you, Master Yelsnid." Heather smiled, going up to him and giving him a hug. She was followed by Prya, Angeni, Jeneta, and finally a reluctant Ling was pushed to give him a hug good-bye, not used to being so affectionate.
As the others chuckled, Jeneta felt a hand take her own and pull her away from the group. Djoser smiled softly at her as they stood alone near a tall oak tree. "You know I have the highest confidence in you, don't you? You know that I believe you and your friends will back....and that I'll soon hold you in my arms again..." Even he couldn't stop the emotion from coming to his eyes and voice as he said those words. How, how could he go on if anything happened to her? It was just unthinkable!
"I know Djoser," Jeneta looked deep into his eyes, her heart almost breaking at having to leave him. "I promise you, I'll be back to say the many things to you that I've want to say. You've come to mean so much to me. I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone before. This...this is going just so fast for me, but..I don't care anymore. I...I just want to see you again when this is over!" With a sob, Jeneta rushed into his waiting arms, holding on tight to him as if never wanting to let go. Tears streamed down her dark cheeks as she looked up into his smiling face, then stood up on tiptoes to give him a long, gentle kiss good-bye. If she could have stopped this moment forever, she would have...but she knew in her heart she couldn't, there was too much at stake. All she could do now was live in the moment, and hope in her heart that this would not be the last time she would share a moment like this with him.
Meanwhile, just as Ling huffed and turned away from the group, she was also pulled away to a private spot with a nervous and blushing Tao. "I...I just wanted to say how...proud I am of you and..well...good luck and all, and...and..." The handsome man was flustered as he tried his best to sum up his feelings for her, but it just wouldn't come out. With a mischievous glint in her eye, Ling crossed her arms over her chest and turned away.
"Oh gee, well, thanks. I mean, it just took you FOREVER to finally say them to me" She turned to look back at him. "Is that all you've got to say?"
Tao's almond-shaped eyes widened as he blushed more. "I..errr...I mean...I hope you..come back safe?" He groaned at how stupid he sounded, slapping his forehead. Dammit, he had faced monsters, fierce opponents, and trained with the best, yet he couldn't tell a girl how he felt? He sighed and turned away. "Sorry. I'll just go now.." But he never got far as he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder turn him roughly around, and the next thing he knew, he felt Ling's soft lips on his own, and felt her arms wrapped around his neck. He was surprised for only a second before returning the kiss, his heart racing like never before. When the kiss ended and they pulled away, Ling looked up at him and smiled.
"You're an idiot, you know that?" she chuckled. At the look on his face, she laughed louder and hugged him once more. "But you're my idiot, so don't you forget it!" Stunned, the young man could only look down on her for moment, then threw his head back and laughed heartily along with her.
Not far from them, Angeni had just turned away from talking with Yelsnid when Kain came up to her. When the old sorcerer smirked with a knowing look and walked away, he shuffled his feet nervously. "I...I just wanted to say that I think it's very brave what you're doing, and...well.....I just hope that we'll have time for our...talk when you come back, and..."
The words had barely come out of his mouth when Angeni reached over and placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. When she took her finger away, she leaned forward and gently kissed him on the cheek. "It's okay, we can talk now. Kain...before you go on, there's something I've been meaning to say." The Sioux girl took a deep breath and took one of Kain's tanned hand in her own. "My friends and I...well, when I told you before that we weren't from around here, I meant we REALLY weren't from around here."
At the perplexed look on the young man's face, Angeni gulped and continued. "My friends and I..well, we're from a planet called Earth."
"E..Earth?" Kain blinked, then his brows furrowed as he tried to comprehend how this beautiful girl before him...much less anyone else, can come from a whole different world. "I've never heard of this planet...Earth," He smirked slightly. "Ahh, I see. So then are you from that country with the strange name you mentioned before on this Earth? What was it again? Ahh..meri..ka?"
Angeni could only laugh at the way the black-haired young man mangled the name of her home country. "Yeah, sure, that's it!" She smiled sadly as she remembered that fateful day in England when everything changed. "One day, we were just ordinary teen girls on a school trip to a museum...the next thing we knew, we're here on this strange, beautiful, and awesome planet." She looked up into his face and stared deep into his eyes. "I have to admit, we've met some pretty scary people and been into some tough situations, but there's also some things I'm glad we did...and people I'm glad we've met."
Kain blushed slightly as she continued to hold his hand. After a moment, he sighed and turned away from her, his head hanging in shame. "There's something...I have to say to you too. I guess by now you've figured out my secret. I'm what my people call a Lycanthra. Well, half actually."
Even turned away from her, Angeni could feel as much as know that the young man's eyes were filling up with tears...tears from emotions and pain locked away for so long. "My mother was a human...a very beautiful and highly respected woman. She had grace, refinement...intelligence. She was a priestess-in-training my country's major city. Her beauty was well renowed far and wide. It was no wonder that she managed to get the attentions of a certain full-blooded Lycanthra....my father."
For a moment he stopped, and Angeni thought that he was too distraught to continue, but just as she was about to put a hand on his shoulder, he sighed again and went on. "Lycanthra are a race of beings that can take the shape of wolves at will. One of them...my father, dared to loved a lowly human," Kain's head hung even lower. "My mother also went against the teachings and laws of her station and dared to love him back. They were married only a short time before I was born. They tried to resist the people trying to tear them apart...tried to make the people believe that their love was real...and for a while, it seemed like it worked..they were slowly becoming accepted. But one day, a child went missing. Everyone assumed that it was my father that took the child and killed her. Enraged, the people waited until that night when my father came home.....and they attacked him. My mother rushed out of her house, begging the people to stop. Someone fired an arrow with a deadly spell on it. It was about to hit my mother, but...my father had already transformed into his wolf form, and threw himself in front of my mother to save her. He...he died immediately."
A tear fell down the young man's cheek as he shook his head. "I...I was only 6 years old that day. I remember being so scared...so confused. My mother cried for hours over his body." Anger entered his eyes as he turned back to Angeni, his fists balled. "And you know what? That so called "missing child" that everyone was so concerned about? It turned out she had simply ran away into the woods and got lost. That child came back just one day later, laughing and having a good time." More tears fell down his cheeks. "My father died for nothing...NOTHING! For years after that, my mother and I lived in poverty because no one wanted to help support us. We were scorned...hated." Kain's body shook with rage at the memories. "Finally, only just a couple of years ago, I couldn't take it anymore. I just got up..and ran away. I know it must have hurt my mother, but...I did send her letters. I just thought...I just thought it might have been easier for her if I wasn't...there-"
"Oh, Kain," Angeni rushed over and took the sobbing young man in her arms, soothing him. She now realized that there was indeed a reason she felt such pain...such sorrow from him despite his bravado and air of arrogance he put on that annoyed her to no end. Right then, she wanted nothing more than to comfort him and make all his pain go away. And she swore in her heart that if she ever came back from this mission, she would. But for now, holding him was all she could do, and Kain's arms around her waist was the best feeling she had felt in a very long time.
No one saw Prya and Kondolar slip away to a small flower patch not far away. The sorcerer-in-training bent and gently picked a beautiful flower that was similar to a rose, but was a light turquoise in color and smaller. Smiling, he placed it in the side of her head in her hair and stepped back to see how she looked. "You look beautiful, as always," he whispered.
"Thank you," She could barely speak out the words because of emotions raging through her. After that, sadness at the thought of never seeing this special man again sent a lump in her throat. She looked up at him, tears swimming in her eyes. "Kondolar...there's so much I didn't get a chance to say to you, so much I want you to know and share with you..."
"And we'll get to do that, I promise you," He reached out and gently lifted her chin to look in her eyes. "I know I may not be the most.....graceful man out there, or the smartest, but...I do know that you're a very special girl, from the moment I saw you." He pulled her into his arms and laid his chin on top of her head. "In my heart, I know you'll be victorious and come back...because I now know what it is to be alive, now that I've met you." He held her closer, feeling his own eyes beginning to mist. "Please come back, because without you...there IS no life for me. I know that now."
"Kondolar," Prya looked up into his eyes and suddenly felt more loved, more cared for, and more wanted than she had ever felt in her life. She then knew that despite everything..his clumsiness, his uncertainty...she loved him, loved him more than anything she could think of. She lifted her head towards him, and they were just about to kiss when a bright flash of light and thunder suddenly sounded in the air. Prya turned in surprise and saw with relief that it was Master Yelsnid opening a large and swirling portal, black clouds swirling around and lightning flashing from within and around it. Prya gave one final look of love at the young man with the long, black braid, then they both hurried over, apprehension filling their minds and hearts.
Sweat was already pouring down the face of the master as he raised his arms and struggled to hold the immense portal open. His robes flapped fiercely around him in the strong wind, and his face was contorted with the strain. The large staff was clutched tightly in his right had, and its top was glowing nearly as bright as the sun. A moment later, he turned his head to the girls standing near him. "Quickly! I don't know how long I can hold it! It's already slipping away! Go, NOW!"
"But..how will we find Kumraa's castle if you're wrong?" Fear flashed in Jeneta's eyes as she looked at the portal warily.
"If not, then we'll find you somehow, I promise!" Yelsnid yelled. "But go, NOW!"
The girls gasped as the old man fell to one knee with a cry, his control slipping away more and more.
Gulping, Jeneta turned to the portal, then taking a deep breath, she balled her fists and rushed right into the portal, hoping beyond hope that all of this would not be in vain. She was followed by a scared-looking Heather, a determined Ling, and finally a curious-looking Angeni pulling a reluctant Prya after her. Not even a second after the girls had disappeared into the portal, Master Yelsnid gave one more cry of pain before falling down completely to the ground. The portal fizzled right at that moment, then shrank down very quickly. With a final flash of light, it disappeared, leaving behind a group of men that desperately hoped that they would once again see their loves...and that their world will be once more safe for them and future generations.
Come back to me soon, Jeneta, Djoser thought sadly, his hand balled into a tight fist. Please come back to me.
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In a barren, blackened, and abandoned land, where there was a storm that was about to rage, a flash of light...different from the lightning, burst out, and an opening in the sky grew larger and larger with each passing moment. Finally, it grew to an immense size, and five figures...each screaming with arms and legs flailing, fell out of the opening and landed heavily on the blackened land below.
For a moment they lay groaning with pain, and then slowly got up, dusting off whatever dirt and shrub they could. They looked around cautiously. "Where are we?" Prya said nervously.
"This...this must be the area Master Yelsnid was talking about," Heather adjusted the glasses on her nose. "Remember what he said? It's around here that Kumraa will most likely be." She wrinkled her nose and kicked at the ground. "Although, as far as I see, there's nothing here. He must have been wrong." She sighed and crossed her arms.
"Errr...guys?" When all the girls were looking at her, Jeneta blinked and pointed ahead. Far in the distance....very far, the faint outline of a black castle came into view when there was a slight break in the cloud formation above it. Even from that far distance, it was obvious at how evil-looking and imposing it was.
"That...that must be it...Kumraa's castle," Jeneta looked back at her friends with apprehension and nervousness. "Master Yelsnid actually did it. We're here. And we're actually going to fight this...demon."
"But it's so far away!" Ling said, squinting her eyes against the cloudy day to try and get a better view.
"Then that means we should get a move on. Judging from the weather here, it might get dark pretty fast," Angeni looked up, feeling a few drops of rain. "And it looks like it might pour too."
At that, the girls looked at each other with bravery, and together, they walked determinedly hand in hand towards the immense black castle. The low sunlight...darkened by the many clouds swirling in the sky, still somehow managed to shine enough to make the shadows of the girls behind them as they walked on, almost as though showing them that they weren't alone....that the spirits of those that loved them most walked with them, giving them strength in their greatest time of need.
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To Be Continued...
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