Turning my head back towards a scream, I saw a screaming woman running away with her child and other villagers. Then I saw Foil, sword in hand fighting desperately for his life against a hooded man in black robes. I saw right away he was no match for the robed man who moved swifter and struck with more force than he did. Foil could cast spells, indeed he had enough power and experience but he actually needed to drop his sword and use his hands to cast a spell, which he was too preoccupied to do considering the robbed man was trying to chop off his head.
Before I was able to get up and help him Mana pulled me down low. "Don't let him see you!!" She hissed at me. "If he finds out who you are you're as good as dead!! We must leave quickly!!"
"What are we going to do? We can't just leave Foil to be killed by that thing!!" I hissed not daring to risk the chance I might be heard.
She starred at me deeply and hoarsely replied as quiet as she could, "There's nothing we can do Raven!! Nothing!! I can't let you be killed!! Even if it means letting Foil be killed!! All we can do is pray that the gods give him a miracle!!" She grabbed my hands tight and I could tell she was crying. I wanted to tell her that everything will be ok but even I didn't believe it would be.
I nodded and crawled between the benches after her. I hated myself for leaving Foil like that. Fighting against an enemy he couldn't win against. But who was the robbed man? One of the shadow walkers? There weren't any other shadow walkers from what I could tell and they couldn't attack alone, could they? It didn't seem likely the dark wizard (I wish I knew his name) would show up so soon. Then who was it?
We got to the end of the row and Mana grabbed my hand as she got up and ran. I easily kept up pace with her as we rushed through the forest. We came across her backyard and she hurriedly went behind a barrel and picked up two capes. Rather convenient, I guess she was preparing for this. She handed me the hooded cape and I put it on quickly.
We ran down the streets to Merlin's house. The teleporter was there which we needed in order to go to the human world. We were only a few blocks away from his house when a black streak flashed in front of my eyes and next thing I knew I was on the ground and the robbed man was on top of me. His hand gripped my throat and I tried desperately to pry his hand off. He just seemed to stare at me for a moment, as if thinking about something. I knew he most likely couldn't see my face through my hood. I didn't start to really panic till his other hand started to reach for my hood to take it off. I struggled madly under his firm grip. He was 10 times stronger then I was and it was impossible to get free. Just as his hand started to pull at my hood something tackled him, causing him to let go of me and roll off with whatever tackled him. It was Foil, a wave of relief pass through me. He was still alive.
Mana was lying on the ground unconscious. I swung her arm around my shoulder and held her tightly around her waist as I slowly picked her up. I saw Foil and the man fist fighting on the ground. Foil was covered in blood and even though I couldn't see the other man through his robes I knew he was hurt badly too even though he was obviously winning. The man pinned Foil to the ground and raised his fist for the final punch.
I desperately searched for a spell in my head, there had to be something, just one little spell to knock him off Foil .... then it hit me. "Eigh!!!" I screamed at the man, holding my free hand up at him as ice shot from it and towards him. The three ice crystals hit him and dug into his robes piercing the skin and he yelled in pain. Foil then kicked him away and ran/limped towards me.
"I thought you said you couldn't do any decent spells." He smiled weakly and hurried me to Merlin's house. We didn't check to see if the robbed man was dead. Something told me that he wouldn't bother coming after us again until his wounds were healed.
At Merlin's cottage I laid Mana on Merlin's bed and tended to Foil's wounds in the living room. I whispered little healing spells here and there but none that could compare to the nurses healing spells. Mine were only enough to get rid of any bruises, which didn't do anything for the stab wound in his shoulder and the abundance of blood spilling out of it. I bandaged his wounds with cloth and got out a blanket so he could sleep on the couch. The whole time neither of us talked or made a noise. It was as if he was just a simple test dummy covered in corn syrup. At least that was what I kept thinking to keep myself from getting sick.
When Foil was asleep I snuck into the cellar and went to the circular room with my backpack in hand. In the room I sat on the velvet red chair. I snuggled into its soft cushions briefly wondering if Merlin sat in this chair often. I dug out my note book from inside my bag. I remembered the voices in my head as I was sleeping those couple days in the nurse's house.
"I see it black ." I said the words I heard in her dream with no pictures. All I heard was voices saying the poem out loud. No pictures, just empty space. "This is how I see it; this is how I see myself, lifeless and black .." The words were unlike me, out of character. Like it was someone else's words placed in my head. But the emotion in the words .. that was something I could relate with. "No light can reach me. No life but my own." It reminded me of how alone I was, how out of place from the others in the fairy realm. Even in the human world I felt like an outcast, but almost everyone felt like that in the human world and that gave me some comfort.
I wrote each line of the poem in my notebook, surprised that I remembered it all. The poem related to me in ways of my loneliness and my pain. I couldn't explain how I felt, why I felt it. I just knew the meaning deep down. I didn't have to explain it to myself, I just knew. The words may have been something different but the meaning grasped my heart till it ached.
Putting the notebook back in my bag I saw something glitter inside. I took the glittering object out to find it was the choker Foil showed me. It was beautiful. White diamonds cover the surface of it and strands of silver wove itself around each one it vine like shapes as if it were grown into that position. The silver vines led to the white crystal at the front. Never had I seen such a pure crystal, no trances of dirt or another type of crystal or stone in it. Not even an Elvin craftsman could've made such a thing.
Slowly I placed the choker around my neck ..
"What are you doing?" I heard Foil's voice behind me.
I quickly pushed the choker back in my bag before he had a chance to see it. "I was just looking at the room ...It's beautiful isn't it?" I quickly said. He surprised me and my voice showed it.
He stepped around the chair so he could see me and looked at me curiously then shrugged. "Yes, it's very beautiful." He then started to around the room. "You should rest Fitheach, big day tomorrow."
"Please, call me Raven." I said, "Truth is I hate being called 'Fitheach'. It's too formal for my liking."
He nodded. "Ok then Raven. Oh and I just want to say this before I forget, thank you. You saved my life tonight." He grinned and then left the room and I shortly followed.
Late that mourning we were packing the books and tools in the circular room so we could bring it back to my home in the human world. Foil sat and gave orders since his wounds were still healing. Mana was awake now and she helped me pack up.
"No, no, no!! Don't put it in like that!! You'll run out of space!! Put it in sideways!!" Foil waved his hands around at Mana as she tried to pack the books into the box. "No!! Not that way!! The other way!! No, no!! The other, other way!! You're doing it all wrong!!" We stared at him in annoyance. "What? I would do it myself but you know I'm too wounded. It's killing me that I can't do this myself, the least I can do is tell you how to do it." We shrugged and went back to packing and he continued giving orders.
After an hour we were done packing. Mana and Foil went down to the nurse's house and the nurse changed Foil into fresh bandages and used proper healing spells on him.
I sat looking at the teleporter in front of me. "It's been nearly 5 days since I've been home ... I hope I'm not fired ." I worked as a waitress at a bar in Club Phoenix. It was one of the biggest hot spots in Toronto. There were 10 other people who worked with me on my shift ... None of them were my friends. Actually, I had no friends at all in the human world. Mana was my only friend, and maybe Foil who I just met. Then again I did save his life and I guess he think he owes me. On top of that he could just be pretending to be my friend because Merlin told him I would one day have the ability to use soul magic.
Thoughts swam rapidly through my head to the extant that I almost screamed 'SHUTUP' at myself. To keep myself from drowning in those thoughts I made myself busy cleaning what was left of Merlin's house after all the people on his will took everything. All that was left was a few chairs and couches and his bed ... well, would you want to own the bed of dead man? Mana practically freaked out when she realized she was sleeping on his bed. Maybe our people exaggerate about death but that's what happens in a world of perfection ... well almost perfection.
"We're back!!" Mana skipped into the room and I jumped up. Mana stood with her curly black hair flowing down to her shoulders and a cheery smile across her face. The point of her ear made its way through a few stands of curls and stuck out. She wore a black leather vest with a royal purple coloured blouse underneath. Her navy jeans fit with the human fashion and her running shoes finished the modern look.
Foil strode in after her. He looked a lot better then before. His blond hair neatly tied back in a pony tail making his fairy features stand out. His features were sharp like most Faes, his chin pointed, sharp cheek bones, slender body but well built, his insect like wings not present so he looked human but any person who saw a fairy would know he was not human, his ears were pointed as well but were smaller and the point not as long as an elf's ears. Pale skin and ice like eyes filled with magical knowledge. The loose white linen shirt and black breeches and high legged traveler's boots only added to the fairy's beauty. Then again there was the ugly gash across the side of his head, the bruised but not black eye, the swollen puffy lips, and the numerous strands of medical bandages across his shoulder and around his waist. I guess the nurse was only used to healing minor wounds like scraps and bruises and pain killers. Though I could tell her talent out matched mine by a million, all the cuts and bruises beside the major one were gone and I even noticed how the bandages were wrapped with more skill and care than what I had done.
Foil immediately sat on the couch and I stepped on the teleporter along with several piles of book filled boxes. The teleporter was pretty big, about 3 meters radius of the center of it. Mana pressed the panel and I was transported along with all the boxes into the human world.
I starred at the walls of the familiar room. The room was basically empty besides the plants that littered the windowsill. The walls were a simple white. This would probably be the place where I would put the books .. though I need to go shopping first for some good book shelves. The rest of my apartment was taken up by the living room, small dinning room attached to the small kitchen, a bathroom, and two bed rooms. Two bed rooms because Mana sometimes slept over. I didn't where Foil would sleep .. or where he would get some good clothes he would like. I hastily removed the boxes off the teleporter and sent a signal to the other side meaning it was clear.
Foil came next sitting on the boxes containing weapons. I didn't really want to bring them but Foil insisted that we will need it. He got up and out of the way as I pushed the 1 ton boxes off the teleporter. I saw his mouth open to argue with how I handle the weapons so I sent a quick deathly look at him which made him shut his mouth and look at the floor. Smiling at myself I moved the other boxes and sent the signal back again.
Mana appeared several minutes later. Most likely she was checking if nothing was being left behind that we might need. The boxes she had mostly contained amulets and crystals with other magical tools.
She walked through the Dawes Valley Park in the city of Toronto. "ahhh..Fresh polluted air." She sighed and breathed in heavily then coughed. Raven walked a long the path through the park's trees. Mana was off shopping for the book shelves and clothes for Foil since he didn't have any of the human's latest fashions.
Raven made a game out of kicking a stone as she walk. She held her backpack on her one should as she picked up speed chasing after the stone that she kicked. Dead autumn leaves flying around her feet as she began to run. All her focus was set on the stone and not what was ahead of her on the long twisting path.
"Ow!!!" A male voice yelled. Raven froze at the man in front her that was rubbing his head. His back was to her and he was wearing a black sweat shirt with the hood up. He cursed as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I'm so sorry!! I didn't mean to hit you!!" Raven quickly sped up to him then stopped a few feet away from his hunched back. She hoped she didn't hit him too hard.
He turned his attention to Raven's voice and straightened enough so Raven could see his face. "Hello again Raven." Shamein smiled wickedly at her as she starred at him in shock.
Raven nearly fell back at the sight of Shamein. 'Damn it! Why did I have to hit him of all people?' She silently cursed herself. She wondered briefly what Shamein thought of her. She also noted how he remembered her name.
"I was wondering when I would run into you again." He grinned. Shamein tried to put his hands on his sides in a mocking position but a surge of pain went through his body forcing him to grab his stomach. Raven thought this was odd since she swore she hit him in the head.
"Are you ok?" Raven asked not daring to touch someone she secretly loved. It scared her to be this close to him. He was human. She wasn't supposed to love a human. She wasn't sure if she could control herself if she touched him.
A gasp escaped his lips and he kneeled on the ground. Raven panicky kneeled in front of him still not daring to touch his beautifully built shoulders. "This can't be happening!" He painfully yelled through tightly locked teeth.
Raven looked at his hands that were starting to get covered in blood. Full panic shot through her body. "You're .. You're bleeding."
"No shit Sherlock!!" He stressed his voice and gasped as more waves of pain hit.
"Oh god, oh god, what am I going to do?!" Her heart beat heavily in her chest. She couldn't use her spells at all in front of him since humans knew nothing about elves, wizards, unicorns and fairies.
"Uuurgh ." He groaned then thought for a few seconds. "My apartment is near here." He attempted to point but the pain from the wound in his chest stopped him. "Just follow up the path behind me."
"But . Shouldn't we get you to a hospital?" Raven was tripping on her words. She wanted to calm down but every time she looked at Shamein she was hit with more panic.
"NO!!" He yelled and Raven starred at him wide eyed. "I mean, I can't. Just please, help me get to my apartment." His eyes locked on to hers with a desperate expression.
Raven was confused and even more so she was scared to death. She tried to gather her senses and made a decision. "Ok, I'll get you to you're apartment." She faced her fears as she moved closer to him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Her arm went around her back and held on to him by his side. Raven could feel his well toned muscles through his sweat shirt. The feel made her knees go weak but she forced herself on as he directed her towards his apartment.
When they finally entered the building to his apartment Raven could hardly believe how there was no security system and how the painted walls were peeling like rotten bananas. The carpet was ripped at some bits and completely stained to the extant that she couldn't figure out what the original colour was. Shamein pointed down a hall and whispered hoarsely, "137." She was glad his apartment was on the first floor since she didn't like the condition the elevator was in, if you could even call the thing an elevator.
Shamein's apartment was in pretty the same condition as the rest of the building except no carpet. It was disturbing to think he or anyone could live here. From what she could tell the apartment was made of 4 small rooms, a kitchen, bathroom, a work out room, and a bedroom. Everything was second class stuff. Stuff you would find at a garage sale. Raven had no idea he was this poor.
She carefully laid him on his bed .. well a mattress on the floor which she assumed was his bed. Raven hesitated before removing his shirt. She gasped at all the blood leaking out of the bandages around his stomach. There were several others at his side and in his back. He grinned at her as she examined his upper body.
"How did you get like this?"
His grinned quickly faded. "There's a first aid kit in the bathroom." He said avoiding the question and her eyes.
Raven half annoyed quickly got the first aid kit and kneeled beside him on the mattress. She carefully removed the blood soaked bandages around his stomach wishing he would've let her bring him to the hospital. "God ." The wound was much deeper than she thought. Shamein flinched at the contact of cold air to his open wound. It was so huge.
Then Raven noticed something odd .. a clear sparkling substance inside the wound and all around it. The same kind of substance left behind after using magic, most likely from an ice or fire spell. But his skin wasn't burned so it had to be an ice spell and that could only mean the one thing Raven dreaded the most. He was the one who attack Foil at Merlin's funeral and it was most likely the one who killed Merlin too. "No . you can't be ."
"Huh?" Shamein looked up at Raven as she stumbled off the mattress onto her feet. "Wait!! What are you doing?!! Please don't leave me like this!!" He tried to get up but his body painfully refused to and his wound tore itself more causing blood to spill out double time. "Gahhh!!" His head was getting heavy from the blood lost. Shamein felt himself slipping into sleep.
Just before he passed out he felt slender hands touch his stomach then a thick cloth pressing against his wound. He opened his eyes to Raven who had tears running down her face. Shamein looked at her confused then noticed something he never did before .. she had pointed ears.
"Forgive me Merlin." She whispered softly. He figured out who she was just before passing out.
