It was raining again, Jenny was right behind me, holding my hand. Jenny was the key to get the gate open again. For the first time in ages, I was scared. Scared to lose my daughter, the only thing I had left. The only thing that could bring back James a bit, every time Jenny smiled. I could feel Jenny’s fear as she was holding my hand. She looked up at me.
‘I’m scared.’ She whispered, and squeezed my hand tightly. The wind blew her blonde hair up, a green mist surrounded us, it was getting warmer and it had stopped raining. The mist lifted, and a large blue circle showed itself. I looked down at Jenny, picked her up and walked into the gate.
Colours surrounded us, Jenny held on to me tight. It was cold, getting darker with the second. I put Jenny down when we had the ground under our feet again. We were stood in a tunnel, condensation was dripping off the walls. The torches which were stuck into the walls gave some light. I got one out to make things clearer. When I looked a little closer, I could see words written on the walls. Looking even closer, I saw that the walls were made out of gravestones, names and dates written on them. Green moss had grown over the carvings. I tried to get some off to see what name was written on it.
‘Keeran, born September 12th 1587, killed July 23rd 1645.’ I whispered to myself. I got hold of Jenny’s hand, and started walking. The further we walked, the more gravestones without moss on them. My eye caught sight of a familiar name. I stopped walking and held the torch near the stone. ‘Charles, born June 7th 1723, killed November 16th 2003.’ I gently touched the stone, and a solitary tear trickled down my cheek.
With a flash, I was transported into a small wooden shack in the middle of a dust-ridden mountain road. Somewhere not in England. Not even in the 21st century. Sitting at a table, staring at me, was a girl of about 13, with dark brown hair, wearing simple peasant clothes. Another person, a woman, sat with her, waving a huge green precious stone about on the end of a plaited string.
‘Do you want me to tell you your destiny?’ the frail old woman asked the girl, her eyes growing larger and larger with each word.
’Yes, go on Grandmamma,’ the girl fiddled with her fingers irritably.
The old woman placed her crippled hand on the girl's face and waved the stone about in the air. She breathed deeply, and suddenly dropped the crystal.
She looked startled at the girl, and moved away in fear.
’Maria,’ she said, staring at the girl. ‘Our time has come. The time this family has been waiting for, for hundreds of years. The Revolution has come.’
I flickered my eyes, and I was back in the dark tunnel, holding the torch in the one hand, Jenny in my other.
‘Something wrong, mommy?’ Jenny asked, innocently. I shook my head and tried to wipe the single tear off my cheek with my sleeve. I took a deep breath and walked on, reading the names on the gravestones carefully, hoping for that one name. But instead of the one I was hoping for, I got the one I hated most. ‘Matt, born May 8th 1773, killed July 24th 2006.’ I closed my eyes and was prepared for the worst.
I touched the leaves scratching my face with every step I took. I glanced around a beautiful garden, with a wall of rose bushes and a tall silver birch tree just a metre away from me. At the far side of the garden was a boy and a girl, probably double the age of Jenny, give or take a year. The girl sat on an old wooden swing, rocking back and forth, the light catching her shiny auburn hair every so often.
Then, she ran off the swing, and deeper into the garden. I followed her, and so did the boy. The girl led us into a darker part of the garden, where there were only a few slightly wilted bluebells swaying in the breeze. The boy approached the girl, but looked at me. I stared deep into the dark pools in his eyes. He was definitely Matt. Matt moved closer and closer to the girl. She grabbed hold of his arms and fluttered her eyelashes at him. Suddenly, his lips were against hers. I wanted to say something, but no words came out. My eyes closed again, and I went back to the real world...
I shivered, for out of the corner of my eye I could see an ITHE walking up to us. I grabbed Jenny by her hand tight and pulled her behind the large, burning trashcan. The thing groaned, looked around and turned his back on us. I sneakily looked from behind the trashcan to see if it was gone.
‘What was that, mommy?’ Jenny asked. I couldn’t hide it from her anymore, even though she was only a six-year old. ‘That’s an ITHE, Jenny. They are bad. Mommy has to make them disappear.’ I explained. Jenny looked at me as if she understood, but I knew better. I stood up, Jenny followed my example. I turned my head to the gravestones again.
‘Daray, born July 24th 2006, killed July 24th 2006.’ My one and only son had his own gravestone in this dark, funny smelling tunnel. I don’t know why, but I felt hurt inside. I felt my heart getting ripped into thousands of pieces.
‘Mommy, why are you crying so loudly?’ Jenny asked, her lower lip trembled. My fingertips touched the engraved letters unconsciously, followed by a flashback.
I was in our apartment, I could see Matt coming in through the door, looking around him. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes for a second. His hair turned blonde, his posture changed, and his eyes turned into pools of blue. He had changed into an exact copy of James. He walked into the bedroom. I followed him, aware of the fact that he couldn’t see me. I saw myself lying on the bed, reading a magazine. I looked up and saw myself smiling at James, or better said, Matt. He ripped the magazine out of my hands and bent over me, kissing me and undressing me slowly. I fell back, onto the bed, and he fell on top of me.
I opened my eyes, and saw my fingertips holding still on the Y.
‘Come on Jenny.’ I whispered and dragged Jenny with me. ‘Mommy, daddy’s name is on the wall!’ Jenny yelped, and jumped excitedly up and down. ‘Shh.’ I tried, and looked on the wall, James’ name was written on it, along with his birthday and the day he had died.
‘James, born September 13th 1983, killed May 2nd 2007.’ By now I knew what was going to happen if I touched his stone. But I wanted to know what it would show me, so I touched it.
I was in a house. It was kind of dark and I saw a little boy, about six years old, sitting on the floor, under a table, playing with some miniature cars. He had blonde hair and was wearing green glasses. Similar to the ones James wore when I met him, only smaller. A few framed pictures on the wall showed a pretty girl, who looked a bit like me, and a guy holding hands. They were smiling happily. The picture next to that showed a baby and the one next to that a little toddler on a woman’s lap. The little boy, whom I thought was James, looked up. It looked like he was looking me straight in the eye. He picked up one of his little toy cars and threw it right to my head. Before I could do anything, the car had went through my head and hit the wall behind me.
The boy grew, the room changed and he was sitting on the couch reading a book. He looked about twelve, and was wearing the same green glasses as he had worn before, only one size bigger. I just stood there, watching him. James turned around, looking at me. A knock on the door made him look away.
‘James, honey. Can you open the door please?’
James yelled a ‘Yeah, sure’ and stood up and walked towards the door. A big man stood in the doorway.
‘Where’s your mother?’ James opened his mouth to answer him and was already pointing towards the kitchen. But before he could say anything, the man had knocked him over, making his glasses fall off. I could hear his mother scream, the man telling her to shut up and him dragging her out of the kitchen. She looked like the woman James had showed me a photo of once. James was crawling on the floor looking for his glasses when he heard his mum scream.
‘Mum? Mum, are you okay?’ James was stood on his feet again, but without his glasses, trying to find something to hold on to. The man had James’ mother over his shoulder, knocking James over again as he walked out the house.
I was walking down the tunnel with Jenny on my left, the torch in my right hand. Suddenly, light was coming from the wall on my right. I dropped the torch. A window was appeared in the wall, growing larger and larger, until it was the actual size of a window. A sign above the window said something like, ‘Dead man’s bar’. Or at least, that’s what I thought it said. I could hear loud music, people laughing and joking. I took a look closer and saw faces, lots of the faces. The room was filled with people, unfamiliar faces, familiar faces. Beer was drunk and songs were sung. I could see a small table which had six people at it. They were all laughing, and they all had familiar faces. One was laughing so hard he fell off his chair and onto the ground. When he stood up again, I could see his face clearly, it was Matt, laughing about a joke which Charlie had told him. Luke was sitting at the side of the table, a girl was sitting on his lap, he was kissing her neck every so often. James was sitting right next to him, a bit quiet, not really saying anything. Matt gave him a pat on his back and he smiled.
A shiver rose up my spine. God, I missed that smile so much. I was searching for the door wanting to get James out of there and take him in my arms to take him home with me. But there was no door, and the walls were closing in again, making a brick wall with names and dates on it.
My lower lip trembled, I was facing the wall again. I wanted him back so badly.
On my left was Jenny, who obviously didn’t understand a thing of what had just happened. Was I seeing things?
‘Wasn’t that daddy?’ She asked me confused., knowing that her daddy wasn’t alive anymore. ‘I don’t know,’ I said slowly, and honestly, I didn’t know anymore. I looked from the wall to Jenny. I stroked a lock of blonde hair out of her little face. She smiled at me, reminding me of how James smiled. ‘Come on, Jen.’
We came near to the end of the tunnel, and a city was in front of us. At the entrance to the city was a wall, guarded by two stout ITHEs, dressed in some black garb. I attempted to cross the barrier into the walled city, but both men simultaneously drew their swords in front of me.
'What be ye business 'ere?' said the shorter of the men, his boiling red face scowling at Jenny. 'We don't 'ave no kids 'ere.'
'I'm here to see James. James Bourne.'
'Ye be his whore, eh?' replied the taller of the men. The two men laughed.
'Er... ...no,' I said, covering Jenny's ears.
'Well then, if ye be not his whore, what're ye?' The shorter man looked at me accusingly.
I paused for a bit. 'Err, I'm his promised,' I pointed to Jenny. 'She's his daughter.'
The men withdrew their swords. The taller guy eyed my engagement ring suspiciously. 'That be some booty, aye,' then the guy went into a daydream. 'I once 'ad booty like that, twas huge, one hand either way, big n' green. Twas the way in 1798.'
I snapped. 'Are you going to let me through or not?'
The men cowered. 'Yes, m'lady,' they both cried, and dropped their swords.
I picked up Jenny, and walked through the huge wrought iron gates which led into the city. I looked ahead, and row upon row of crooked Tudor houses lined the filthy streets. The moon lay high up in the sky, blurred by clouds. Jenny rested her head on my shoulder and dug her tiny fingers into my jumper. 'Mommy,' she quivered, 'I'm scared.'
I stroked her head protectively. 'We're going to find Daddy.'
I could hear trumpets from behind me. I turned around and there it was. The castle I was supposed to look for, right under my nose. Standing tall, mighty and macabre on the top of a steep hill, ridden with sharp pointed rocks.
A big man came onto the balcony high above us, followed by a tall guy with darkish blonde hair and… Hell, that was Charlie! My jaw dropped as the fat guy put his hand on Charlie’s shoulder and pulled him forward.
‘Everybody, listen up!'
A member of the crowd interrupted. 'What's it now, Duke? Had one too many?' The crowd leaped into fits of laughter, but Duke remained serious.
'The boy Charlie is goin' ta be the heir. Next week, on Friday the 7th of June, on his birthday, he’s going to get crowned, at 8 o' the clock precise. Make sure ye be there, or ye be damned.’
The raucous crowd cheered, the trumpets resounded again and everything got back to normal. Men were drinking, whores were flirting, and occasional innocent children ran their hoops across the barren ground. It was like a scene from a Dickens novel, but with a huge fat castle and lots of pirates thrown in.
Charlie would be crowned king, but what about Matt? Charlie had died, but he was here, and definitely alive. But then, where were Matt, Luke, and most important of all, James? I had too many questions, and no one to obtain answers from.
As I was thinking and looking up at the magnificent, yet jagged, silhouette of the castle, I could feel an arm slip around my waist.
‘What in God’s name are you doing here, Elly?’ I heard a familiar voice ask. I looked at my right and saw the side of his face in the dim light. He was looking at the castle as well.
‘Melissa sent me, actually. To kill your leader.’ I continued studying the castle, scanning all the portcullises for a safe way to get in.
‘You won’t be able to kill him, you need the sword for that.’ He replied.
‘I know, that’s why I need your help.’ I said lightly, as I studied his face. Weird, he hadn’t changed. He looked exactly the same as he had looked like before he got sick.
He turned his head to me and flung his arms around me. He held on to me so tightly I could scarcely breathe, occasionally turning to kiss me. 'I've missed you so much!' He sighed. I could feel someone wriggle in between us. James and I looked down, and Jenny was there, her eyes gleaming like those of a Siamese cat. 'Yuk,' she laughed, glaring at James, and then stepping away cautiously.
‘I take it this is little Jenny?’ James asked, picking her up and looking at her. For the first time, Jenny didn’t know what to say. I could see that she was thinking.
‘I’m not little!’ She yelped, before clinging onto James’ neck. 'Daddy!' she squealed.
'I had no idea you were pregnant! Until Melissa told me,' James exclaimed, stroking Jenny's hair lovingly. 'When, where, and how?'
'Under that apple tree, at 4am in the morning, and you know how!'
James laughed. ‘She looks like you,’ he concluded before putting her down. 'Very cute.' He kissed me again, and I could see Jenny grimacing with disgust in the corner of my eye.
‘She’s got your smile and your brain, though.’ I added.
He grabbed my hand and put his arm around Jenny. ‘Let’s go, before anyone sees you.’
We trampled through the muddy, cobbled streets until we came to an enormous wooden building, rotting at the joints. Up on the steps sat a woman in a strange iridescent dress, stroking a lone dove and feeding it. Jenny pointed at her. 'Daddy, who is that lady?'
'She's the guardian of the library,' James replied. 'She sits there day and night and looks after this place.' I looked up, and there was a huge sign saying 'Ye Olde Public Library'. Right.
James led us inside the library. On the walls hung skeletons, cobwebs and death certificates, which made it look like an extra catacomb. Finally, we came to a rusty door, literally hanging on it's hinges, and James yanked it open.
What I saw next was something I will never see again for as long as I shall live. Stacks upon stacks of books lined the walls around us. There were probably thousands of them, perhaps hundreds of thousands, or millions. They all seemed to climb up in a spiral, a never ending tower of books, ending hundreds of metres above us. At the top, there was a window, but no light came through. Only black. Skulls surrounded it, and a golden, archaic script surrounded the skulls. At my right stood a dwarf-like ITHE on a 20ft ladder, pulling a yellowed book out, dusting it off and then sliding it back into it's rightful place.
James sat me down on a random table. Jenny climbed the bookcases, and started chatting to the dwarf guy on the ladder. James brought out a huge, leather-bound book, about as thick as 6 or 7 big novels. The dust flew off it's cover and into my face. James ran his finger along the pages, one by one pouring through chapters of painstakingly arranged sections. I watched as he read the shiny black handwriting under his breath. Word by word. Suddenly, he halted and pointed at some silver, embossed lettering, which said 'The Sword of Ail'eminor'. Over by his little finger was a magical painting of the sword. For a moment, I thought that the sword was actually in the book itself, because the painting appeared so real, catching every beam of light that caught the surface, recreating every shade of silver on the blade, and every stray band of colour in the pearl that graced the handle.
'If you're going to kill him, at least know a bit about what you're going to fight with,' James said. 'This book has everything you need to know.'
I squinted and struggled to read the scrawly text. I could just about make out each word, thanks to the magnificently lavish pictures. I read out aloud:
'The Sword of Ail'eminor.
Crafted deep in the glades of the forests of Ail'eminor, by a group of powerful ITHEs, the sword is made out of pure silver and pearl. Rumour has it that the silver had previously been enchanted by a woman who resides in the small mining town on the south side of the Underworld, a powerful sorceress whose magical heritage dates back hundreds of years.
For millennia, the kind of the Underworld has been led to believe that only one person, a slayer, an enemy, could unleash the sword and it's power within. Due to this, tensions had rose in the Underworld, leading to the passing of the 1567 bill to protect the sword. Since then, no man or beast has been able to find the sword. Countless attempts at the quest have failed, with many a life being lost. However, a quest lead by Alexander Mortmain in 1635 led to the finding of a piece of the pearl, leading us right to the sword. Ever since, no-one has dared touch the cursed stone, and the woman who made the silver has long since hidden from sight.
Documented by Daria, 1886.'
James leaned over, and hissed in my ear. 'You must not tell anyone you are looking for the sword. You will be killed, or found guilty of treason by the Lord of the Underworld.'
'But what of the stone? And the woman? We must find them!' My finger lay on the picture of the pearl.
James sat back down, and looked at me severely. 'I-I...' he stammered nervously.
'What?' I asked. 'What's wrong?'
James whispered in my ear. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. 'I-I have the piece of pearl.' James pulled a milky-white shard of speckled pearl from his pocket, and pressed it into my hand.
'But James,' I stared at the pearl, gob smacked, 'where did you get this?'
James bit his lip, and the words came out of his mouth so fast I could barely understand. 'I-I-I got it from the whore who lives in the Dead Man's Bar. But I swear, I never did anything with her. I just traded it for an old coin.'
My eyes grew larger. James stared at me, worriedly. 'James, that thing's cursed!' I dropped the pearl, and it fell, crash bang, onto the hard, glistening marble floor, where it smashed into hundreds of tiny pieces, some of which slid underneath the tables.
James shook his head and rested it in his arms. 'You do realise, that with the pearl broken, we will have to go all the way to the South Side to find the woman? I was going to tell you. The Pearl is the easy way out.'
I gave James a defiant look and smirked to myself. 'If that's the way it goes, then so be it.'
'You're-you're going to DO THE QUEST? It'll kill you!'
'Anything to kill the Lord.'
A few days later, and many an hour trying to convince Jenny to stay in the care of man in the library, and James and I were on our way. We were on the quest. Of course, we'd had to trade with some whores for money for food and stuff but I felt like I was actually getting somewhere on my mission.
The day we set off was murky, and the clouds were shrouding the sky in a cloak of black. The only possessions James and I carried was a brown sack filled with food, money and some strange smelling clothes. The road lay ahead of us, clear as a summer's day, winding around the seemingly tiny hills that cleared the path to the South Side.
For days without end, we walked, all the way from the borders of the Liralite City (the name of the city on the border with the tunnel) to the unusually black countryside. Infact, the weather in the Underworld was always black. Eventually, even James' knees buckled, and we stopped at a small, yet bustling, inn on a side road nearby.
The inn smelt very strongly of rum. Fiddlers and cornet players played a highland air which could be vaguely heard in the background.
A sultry-looking girl entered the scene. She had skin as white as the purest snow, and eyes that bore deep into any soul. She wore a pearl pendant which hung down into the low neckline of her dress. I could see several men staring at her, their mouths growing wide with lust.
The girl stood up, and her piercing voice, echoing around the bar like a hawk calling to warn her prey, sung something in the language that Melissa spoke. The girl then walked up to James and me, and, seeing a piece of the pearl around James' neck, told us to meet her behind the inn later.
After the song, James and I walked round to the back of the inn, and into a damp-walled bedroom. Sitting on the bed, twirling her dark-brown hair around her fingers, was the singer, the pearl still hanging from her neck. She stood up, and walked over to James, her boots clunking against the wooden floor. She fiddled with the pearl around James' neck, her red lipstick glittering in the somewhat dim light.
'The pearl,' she said. 'I believe it's mine.'
I could see James, shivering nervously in her presence. 'Who are you, and why have you asked about it?'
The girl pointed to me. 'I believe your girl has the answer to that.'
She took my hand, and placed it on her temple. I felt something rise up and burn inside me, and I had the first seizure I'd had in ages.
'Maria!' cried a man, dressed in 18th century nobleman's clothes. 'Wait!' he ran after a girl who looked like the one from the Inn. The girl ran away from him, holding a bundle of white cloth close to her chest.
'Charlie!' the girl said, turning to the man. Her eyes welled up with tears. 'Don't I mean anything to you?'
The man stopped running. So did the girl. The girl collapsed onto the floor. 'What am I to do? I have a baby, and no money, and no family either.' The girl carried on crying. 'And it's all your fault.'
The man stood in the doorway where the girl sat. 'You know I can't marry you!' he shouted firmly. 'I'm promised.'
'To whom?' Maria replied. 'You have certainly not told her you have a bastard son?'
'To Melusine.' Charlie said, shaking his head. 'Next May, we will be married, and you had better keep your mouth shut!'
Charlie grabbed Maria by the hair. She gestured for him to let go. He gave way, and let go. She sat back down again.
'There is only one thing left to say to you.'
'What? Maria, I have to go, Father.. ..and Melusine, are waiting for me.'
'What to call the child?'
Charlie had already started running away from Maria. 'Name him after me.'
Charlie fled, and I returned back to the inn, breathing heavily and pulling away from the girl. 'You,' I said. 'You're Charlie's mother.'
‘Way to go, genius.’ Maria replied, playing with the pearl around her neck. ‘I know what you two are doing here.’ She continued, eyeing up James. I could see him getting uncomfortable and he slowly shuffled my way, grasping my hand.
‘I think I’ll just go and stand…’ he let go of my hand backed away a few metres. ‘…right here so you guys can talk for a bit.’ He crossed his arms and smiled in a scared way. Maria and I both looked at him like he had just done some kind of weird dance on the bed naked with y-fronts on his head. I looked at her from out of the corner of my eye.
‘She won’t bite, you know.’ I said.
‘I won’t bite, unless you want me to,’ she added, while biting seductively in the air. ‘You’re on the quest, aren’t you?’ She said, changing the subject dramatically.
‘How do you know?’ I asked her, confused.
‘I have my sources…’ she replied mysteriously.
‘You cursed the pearl, and the sword, didn’t you?’ I suddenly blurted out, without really thinking of the consequences. It was too obvious that she had done it.
‘Well, of course I did. I didn’t want the love of my life getting killed by some kind of stupid, childish slayer.' She looked at me from head to toe, and I could tell that she didn't like what she saw. 'And here we have, a stupid, childish slayer.' She eyed James again. James put his head on my shoulder.
'Why did you abandon Charlie if you loved his father so much? Surely, if he was the only thing you had left of your beloved, you'd look after him?' I asked, turning to James, who closed his eyes.
Maria put her head in her hands. A silky brown curtain of hair masked her face. When she looked up at me, her eyes were teary and streaks of black fell down her white cheeks. Her voice turned into a cross between anger, and despair. 'What would you have done, if you were 19, had a 4 year old son who keeps seeing things, and lived under the threat of someone coming to hunt you down and kill you?' She ripped the pearl off her neck and thrust it to the floor. Her eyes were a picture of torment, and of desperate longing. 'When Charlie found out that his son was seeing things, he told that Melusine girl of his, and she wanted to kill me and have Charlie as her son. I should have listened to my grandmother, and not run away to work in the city. Then, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't even be here now.' She sniffed, but regained her composure.
'I will be willing to help with your quest, if only you promise me one thing.'
James stared at me suspiciously. I elbowed him in the ribs.
'We'd be glad to have your help.'
'Promise me, you will not kill my son. If you do, things will happen.'
'What things?' I asked.
'I cannot tell you, for knowing from me may kill you both.' she said. 'But I can show you the way to Ail'eminor, and you can find out for yourself.'
With her emotions mastering her powers, she picked the necklace up and off the floor, and put it around my neck. ‘I wish you the best of luck.’ She weakly smiled. ‘You can sleep here over night.’ She continued and pointed towards the bed.
‘Thanks,’ I smiled back at her. Maria left the room, closing the door behind her.
‘Good job,’ came a squealing voice from out of the corner of the room.
‘Chicken.’ I said, knowing James hated it when I said that.
‘You saw the way she was looking at me! And besides, half of the Underworld lives in fear because of her. I had a bloody reason to be scared!’
I raised an eyebrow and burst out laughing. ‘Come here… …chicken.’ James walked up to me and hugged me. We were like two kids having just gone into a haunted house.
'I don't know what we've got ourselves into.'
The next morning, Maria was nowhere to be seen. She had, however, left a small piece of parchment by my head. I unrolled it, carefully handling the ribbon.
It was a map. A crude drawing of the inn was marked with a blood-red cross, meaning that that was where we were currently. I followed the gilt silver line through the middle of the map, which was the main road, and my finger halted. North west from the Inn were the words 'Ail'eminor, City of Silver'. I whispered those words to myself.
Underneath the map, there was a poem written in gold leaf. I read it out to myself, trying not to wake James.
'Heed these words and you shall find
The sword of truth, and virtue's kind
Beware before you lose your head
One step out of line and you'll be dead.'
Apart from the poem, there was also some instructions written in handwriting very similar to Charlie's. I read them and sensed that someone was looking over my shoulder.
'Go to Ail'eminor via the next road on your left, near to the old willow tree. When you arrive, take a path right from the city wall, marked 'Forbidden'. Go into the forest. Keep to the road, and you will come to a clearing, and a pond of silver. Place a piece of the pearl into the pond, and it will tell you were to go next. Do not tell anyone where you are going, and move with haste. If you are stuck for directions, look for a silver amulet. It points in the direction of the pond. Good luck, and I shall see you soon.'
'Hey darling,' a voice whispered, touching the pearl around my neck.
'Well morning to you too, James.' I handed the parchment to him.
I heard a cracking sound, and James shouting at me, and thereafter, nothing but black could be seen or heard.
I opened my eyes and spluttered violently. A shooting pain in my arm made me cry out. I looked across at my arm, and it was lying under a wooden beam. The large gash that was spurting blood suddenly got busted open, and I could see the bone. I almost fainted, until I heard a voice and saw a face hanging over me. 'Elly? We've got to run, now!'
I was slipping in and out of consciousness. Slipping between the face, and black. I gathered just about enough strength to cough out all the dust from inside me, and to speak to the face. 'What happened?'
'The inn's being attacked,' I heard, between screams of desperate mothers trying to find their children; men shouting tirelessly, and the incessant clashing of swords from opposite sides. 'I think they're coming for us.'
I heard somebody shuffling my arms around for a bit, and screamed every time the person moved it. I then heard a 'Oh heck' being said, under the person's breath. I sniffed the air, and almost choked on it. It smelt like smoke. I glared out of the window, and I could see flames. The person next to me coughed, and suddenly, I felt a great weight being let off my arm. He threw me over his shoulders, and the last thing I remember, he carried me out of the building.
My eyelids flickered. I stared down at my body; my clothes were ripped and stained with blood; my feet were worn and covered in shoes of dust; the cut on my arm now appeared to be a scar.
I got up, but fell flat on my face straight away. The surface below me appeared to be not the cold, wet, stale wooden floor of the Inn, or the sandy road. I wiped my face with my hand. It was wet.
I stood up on the grass, holding my arms out to steady myself. Ahead of me was a pond, but not a pond of water. The pond appeared to be solid silver. I dipped my foot in it, and it came out silver.
'I wouldn't do that if I were you. The pond doesn't last forever.'
My head swirled from side to side, looking for a face to match the voice. I saw a little girl, with strangely blue skin, and daisy chains around her neck, sitting on a rock by the pond.
'Who are you? How did I get here? If you're here to kill me-'
'Calm down miss!' The blue-skinned girl giggled. 'I ain't here to kill you, miss. Only to help you.'
'Who brought me here? Where am I?' I blabbered. The girl nodded her head to show that she understood what I was saying.
'That boy brought you here. Blond hair... ...blue eyes... ...do you know him?'
'Yes. He's my boyfriend.'
'Aha. Thought so. My telepathy must be returning.'
'Who are you? And why are you blue, pardon me for being a bit blunt?' I inquired.
'I am the nymph of Ail'eminor.' the girl replied. 'Why I am blue, I do not know... ...it must have been some extraordinary feat of genetics, I can tell you,' the nymph scratched her head. 'And you have come here... ...because you are on a quest?'
'Yes.' I shoved the map in her face. 'Do you know the sword of Ail'eminor?' I pulled the pearl from my neck and threw it at the nymph's tiny, stunted feet.
The nymph picked up the pearl and inspected it closely. 'I do know the sword... ...I know it well. But I must be sure that I will not lose it again.' She giggled annoyingly.
'How do you know it? Please, don't lead me on, I need this information or I will be killed!'
The nymph hummed a song for a moment, put her finger on her chin, and carried on. 'Long ago, a girl came to my side... ...a-a-a dark haired girl, fairly pretty, dressed like a hooker. She left a sword by the pond. I unfortunately had just awoken from a deep sleep, and was not really awake, so I knocked the sword into the pond. The next thing I know, all these town folk are bugging me about it.' She shrugged, her scruffy blue hair blowing up and growing static. ‘But, seeing as you have the pearl, and it would get me out of this God forsaken hell pit, go ahead and place the pearl into the pond.’ The nymph gave the pearl back to me. ‘Watch your step, it is pretty slippery down there,’ she warned, and watched me letting the pure, white pearl roll out of my hands and into the pond.
The wind blew about violently, causing my hair to stick to my face; tiny specks of silver rose up in the air, to disappear a second later into nothing. Ahead of me was a round trench, with the sword sticking out of the mound of sand in the middle. Cautiously, and carefully, I walked towards the sword, the sand underneath me tickling my feet. I struggled to pull it out of the sand with all my strength, and held it above my head.
‘God, that thing is heavy.’ I muttered to myself and let it sink down onto the sand, dragging it behind me while walking back onto the grass.
‘Whoa!’ The nymph yelped from behind me.
‘I know, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?’ I said while admiring the sword and stroking the smooth blade softly.
‘I meant the cute lad walking out of the bushes!’ she screamed.
I turned around and saw James coming towards me, while doing up his zipper. The nymph blushed and turned away, refusing to meet James' gaze.
‘Where the hell were you?’ I screeched, and hugged him tight. He looked a tad taken aback, but hugged me tighter, running his hands up and down my back. The nymph's eyes grew larger, and she curled up on her rock, her delicate silver wings standing on end.
He whispered into my ear, ‘Just taking a leak, love.’ He let go of me and picked up the sword. ‘I see you found it?’ I nodded with a broad grin spread upon my face.
‘Let’s go and kill some Lords.’
We were on our way to the castle, and, having had the more than usually heavy sword tied to my back, I almost fainted when we arrived.
‘You know that the Underworld will disappear along with all it's inhabitants when you kill the Lord, don’t you?’ James softly said, a tone of sadness in his voice.
I cupped his chin in my hand and lifted it up so he was facing me. 'You won't go, I won't let that happen.' James closed his eyes and sighed deeply. I continued. 'Melissa told me that those who will return are those that are remembered. And you are. So is everyone else.' I sat for a moment, deep in thought, and remembered something Melissa told me. 'Wherever you go, and wherever you are in the normal world, someone will have lost someone to the ITHE race.' James kissed me, but suddenly let go.
‘I fear that is not the case.’
I stopped walking and grabbed his hand.
‘But James, you’re in my heart and you will always be! I've remembered you forever and for always. Every time I see Jenny, I think of you!’
He let go of my hand and backed away a few metres.
‘I’m not James,’ he whispered, under his breath. He grew a few inches, his blue eyes turning dark pools filled with fear and his hair turning almost black. He wiped his mouth.
‘I’m sorry I squealed to Duke about your quest, but I want to help you, Elly, honestly, now I do. I don’t want you to die. I've loved you ever since I met you, and yet you can't be mine.’ Matt looked at me with those dark eyes, a tear trickling down his cheek. ‘James is captured in the castle and Duke’s men are interrogating him at the moment. We have to hurry if you want him back alive!’ I blinked, slowly taking it all in.
I felt my legs taking off, and Matt taking my hand. The silhouette of the castle grew larger and larger, until we could see every little entrance, window and stone imaginable.
‘This way,’ Matt gestured at me and led me round the back of the castle, by some holly bushes. It was dark in the small and wet tunnel. Matt grabbed an extinguished torch from out of the wall and lit it with his fingers. I could see a spiral staircase a few metres in the air, and shouts coming from the room it led to. I shivered, whilst the chilling wind blew right through the stones the tunnel was made of.
‘Come on, you want him back alive, don’t you?’ He grabbed my wrist and dragged me up the stairs. I could hear a crowd yelling and screaming from outside.
‘What is that?’ I asked Matt.
‘They’re about to crown Charlie, and you're going to stop them!’ He explained, still dragging me with him.
A dimly-lit room was ahead of us. ITHEs were striding around in the room, shouting at each other and a tied up boy who was chained into a chair with a sword at his head. Matt and I hid behind a knocked over table for the moment.
‘Speak, you human! Where is she?’ One of the ITHEs demanded, followed by a bashing sound.
‘I’d rather die than tell you where she is!’
I recognised the voice, it was James. I was about to jump up, when Matt held me back.
‘Just wait a few more seconds.’ He whispered and pushed me down by my shoulder.
‘You imbecile! Fine, have it your way.'
I could hear a sword being drawn along bare skin, and a painful shout. I closed my eyes tight, trying to tell myself that this wasn't real.
‘Go!’ Matt yelled and pushed me from out of behind the table. All six of the ITHEs turned around to see what idiot was interrupting their little game. I pulled the sword out of the sack I had on my back, and drew it along the first ITHE neck I saw. From out of the corner of my eye, I could see Matt fighting his way to James and releasing him from the ropes which was tied up with.
‘What on earth are you doing here?’ James yelled at Matt, while throwing the ropes to the other side of the room.
‘One, we’re not on earth at the moment, and two; I don’t want to see your little girlfriend die at the hands of you.’
I slaughtered the ITHEs one by one. If two were on my back, I just turned over, kicked one in the stomach and stabbed the other one, before killing the other one once and for all.
The floor was smeared with blood, body parts spread over the place. The castle had been turned into a mass grave by the very people who ran the place. The irony gave me a sense of glory.
‘You're looking better than the last time I saw you.’ Matt whispered, looking through the room to see the ITHEs lying lifeless on the floor. I looked up at him for a moment, and then scampered out of the room, looking for the place where Charlie would get crowned Lord of The Underworld. Where his great-grandmother's wish would come true. When the Revolution would begin.
‘Over here,’ Matt said, and held a red, blood-stained curtain aside. Duke and Charlie were stood on the balcony, Duke holding a crown in his hands. Charlie was constantly sighing and his shoulders were hanging lower than usual. The crown was only a few inches above Charlie’s head, I knew I head to do something, or else it would be too late.
‘No!’ I screamed, and ripped the crown out of Duke’s hands. I flung it over the balcony. A peasant girl picked it up, and carried it away. 'You royals should really stop dumping your junk on us common folk!' she shouted. Duke glared at me with anger rising in his already boiling face.
‘I thought you’d never come!’ He said, while pushing Duke aside and storming away from the balcony.
‘You!’ Duke yelled and came towards me, loudly breathing through his nose and his hands stretched out to catch me. 'You meddlesome girl! What can you do now?'
He surrended and his arms fell to his sides. 'I'd watch your back, because someday, somewhere, I will be back!'
I smiled sweetly, and it was over in one move. One swipe of a sword, and a vicious tyrant's reign of terror had ended.
‘I’d suggest to get your own children first and not steal them from your brother, Duke.’ I concluded for myself and thrust the sword right into his heart. He turned to dust, the sky blackened and it started to rain. It was as if the rain washed away the city, the castle was breaking down.
It was beautiful day; the sky was blue, the sun was shining, and every single leaf on every tree was green. The apples clung to the tree like I would to Jenny, and a slight breeze calmed the heat a little.
My hand was in my father's. He smiled at me, and whispered in my ear. 'I can't believe this is my little Princess.'
Jenny bounced along behind me, smiling from ear to ear, and spraying rose petals in a neat trail behind the train of my gown. I looked ahead. James was looking at the floor nervously. He raised his head, and gazed straight into my eyes, making my heart melt.
I scanned the crowd. Charlie and Maria were hurriedly ushered to their seats; Melissa sat at the front, grinning like a withered Halloween pumpkin; and Luke, now only 7 years old because he had returned to a mortal life, stood at the back. I could see his father just by looking at him. But I didn't want to.
Everything was perfect. Life was back to normal. I had lost my job for good, although I would never miss it.
I wasn't really paying attention during the ceremony, everyone could see that James and I were just making eyes at each other and muttering 'Yes' to every sentence, but there was one sentence that made me snap back into the world I had come from.
'If anyone has a reason why this couple should not be married, please say so now.'
I waited for a second, anticipating a response. I had a habit of expecting the worst, because of my time as a slayer. James looked at me, but then he gave me an eye-smile.
Just as the priest was about to go on, however, I heard someone rustling the bushes behind the crowds. I turned round, and my heart sank. James walked towards the ghostly figure angrily. 'What the hell are you doing here?'
The figure shrugged lazily and looked at me. I smiled weakly.
'If it takes me my whole life, then I will do so,' he muttered.
'Speak to me!' shouted James, shaking the figure. 'Why are you here?' I could here some gasps from the back seats. I stared at my feet.
'I am here to stop you from getting married.'
Suddenly, a higher voice shouted above all the hysteria in the crowd. 'Stop stop stop!' it shouted. I turned round, and, inbetween James and Matt, stood Jenny, with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.
'Now if you'll excuse me,' said Jenny, clearing her throat. 'I have something to say.'
Luke nodded in agreement, and stood next to his half-sister. Jenny continued, without caring who heard.
'In all my six years I have never seen someone go through so much for my dad as my mum,' she said, pointing to me. I felt myself go red. She then talked to Matt. 'I know you love my mum very, very much sir, but wouldn't it hurt you more if you broke her heart?'
James stared at me. I was half laughing and half crying. Matt glared at Jenny, and then crouched down so he was at her level. 'You know what? You're right,' he said, touching Jenny's cheek.
'I know. I always am.'
'Look after your sister for me, will you?' Matt asked Luke, who nodded and then hugged his dad.
Matt put my hand on James'. 'Have a nice life,' he said, before walking away, not stopping to look back.