ENCHANTED Book 1: Witch's Dawn

PROLOGUE

Beautiful as the rising dawn, her love for Polonia binds them as one.
The chosen one, the hope of all mankind, appearance of a mortal, immortal  inside.
Bound by faith to this suffering land, she shall vanquish the dark forces so none may stand... - THE  PROPHESY.

MORTAL REALM: POLONIA

(Fifty years ago.....)

  "YOU KNOW AS WELL as I that you cannot defeat me as you are now Christaphilophis," he purred maliciously. "You barely have any magic essence left."

  She moved closer to him and flexed her shoulders."Don't be so sure you bastard," she said with a steel glint in her eye. "You'd be surprised to know what tricks I still have up my sleeve."

  "Nevertheless, you cannot deal a killing blow in your current state."

  She grinned evilly. We'll soon find out about that. "It's time you start answering my questions, Delterzard."

Delterzard looked at her curiously. "Why do you do this? Why do you abandon the comforts of your world and involve yourself in a war that does not concern you?"

She glared at him. "It first became my problem when you kidnapped my mother and husband and brought them here."

He hummed dismissively at her answer with a wave of his hand. "My intention had been to retrieve the King. Your mother meddled and was drawn into the portal with him. I am surprised she even survived the journey," he mused.

Her glare intensified at his patronizing tone. "It also became my business when I saw what you did to the innocent people of Polonia."

"I do not know why you waste your time trying to protect those you deem innocent," he sneered. "Do you not know that the evil they brew amongst themselves is the source of my power?"

"Enough! Delterzard," she growled slightly and her weakened core began to glow. "Where is my mother?"

Red eyes glinted at the command in her voice but he gave her a disparaging smirk. "I do not know."

Her emerald gaze began to burn with her fury as her magic restored itself gradually. "I'm afraid your majesty," she mocked with a bow, "that that is not the correct answer."

He frowned and eyed her shrewdly. The magic she had used to pin him on the wall should have worn out by now, considering the measure of her her magic essence and that she was without the medallion of magic. What did she plan to do to him? He grimaced inwardly as he felt his broken core pulse. He was not in a better condition himself. If she had been with the medallion of magic, he would have been finished already. He opened his mouth to continue taunting her, trying to distract her from his state of weakness, when his eyes caught a glint of silver in her hand.

"A dagger?" he asked incredulously. "You think to finish me off with a mere tool?" The very idea was so ridiculous that the only reason he didn't laugh out loud was the pain it would cause him at the moment.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Most of your magic essence is gone as well, so why not?"

He starred at her stunned. She knew! Why not indeed... He began to panic slightly inwardly. He could not be that weak, could he? As if to reassure himself he said out loud, "I am not that weak."

"Then this shouldn't hurt," she taunted and stabbed him in the chest before he could speak, making him groan loudly in painful surprise.

Delterzard felt the difference immediately. It was a magic dagger. All the more dangerous to him. With a magic dagger in his chest he would be dead in minutes; taking to account the level of his weakness. He decided to prey on her weakness when he saw her draw a second dagger.

"Now, now Christaphilophis, no need to act too quickly," he said hating the trace of fear in his voice.

She smiled, pleased with herself. "I'm glad my little persuasion has loosened your tongue my lord." she ribbed with another little mocking bow.

Delterzard grit his teeth in pain and fury. They would all pay. Everyone involved with this witch and his disgrace would pay very dearly. With that comforting thought he spoke, "I will show you your mother. But in return you must release me."

Her eyes narrowed. "This is not a negotiation, demon. You will tell me what I need to know or you will die."

He swallowed his raging fury and, praying she did not call his bluff, stated calmly, "Then I'll be keeping my knowledge to myself it seems."

Christi placed the sharp edge of the knife against the dark lord's throat. She should just kill him and be done with it. It would do everyone a lot of good. Everyone except my mother. She sighed in resignation and removed the knife from his neck. Agreement or not she wasn't going to leave him alive after this.

Delterzard sensed her decision before she voiced it and his heart leaped pathetically in his chest.

"Very well," she said blankly. "Show me."

Delterzard began to chant causing thick fog to fill the room."Look into the fog."

Christi looked dubiously while trying to keep her senses alert to any subterfuge. After a while of nothing, she saw her mother come into view slowly. She was marooned in an icy underwater prison. Strong currents of water continuously thrashed against the walls of the prison gradually thinning out the ice, making her realize that her mother didn't have much time.

"Do you think you can get to her in time?" Delterzard sneered behind her as the magic that held him captive faded with the fog due to her distraction. Grimacing he pulled the dagger out of his chest with a stifled moan.

"No," she whispered agonized. "Take me to her demon."

"I am afraid my dear, the time for negotiation, is over," he stated as he flexed his muscles to ease them.

Her eyes widened as she saw that her was free from her restraints. She immediately took a fighting stance.

"You forget I still have a dagger remaining".

He grinned evilly and flicked his wrist; opening his palm to reveal the dagger. " You were saying?"

Christi tensed, her mind working furiously as she prepared herself to go down fighting if need be. "I'm not leaving without my mother."

Delterzard gave her a grin filled with malice. "Regretfully, I am not strong enough to destroy you now. So you are."

And before she could reply, she was plunged into the dark abyss of the portal he had summoned beneath her...