Majasteik

Chapter 8

All I can ask is please don't forget to vote...;)
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Liam's mother ran forward as she heard a noise on the open balcony.
"Liam, you're back! Oh--who's this?" The white Drawolf stepped back as Liam helped a scraggly looking girl onto the balcony.
"Mom, this is Megan...I found her in a temple in the woods...with Judy." Liam looked down guiltily. His mother blinked, and a thought flashed across Liam's mind, I thought that temple had been gone for years! Confused, Liam tipped his head, Did I just read my mother's mind?!
"Oh, well she looks hungry, would you like some dinner dear?" Shaking the thought off, Liam smiled at his mother and nodded enthusiastically to Megan, who had a look of nervousness on. Liam followed the two female Drawolves into the kitchen and offered a seat to Megan. I wonder where Judy went...I hope I didn't offend her, Liam bit his lip. Megan shifted in the chair and Liam snapped out of his thoughts and plopped down painfully in chair. His mother turned from the large stove top and smiled at Megan,
"So, what brought you to the temple of Elements?" She set a bowl of steaming soup in front of the guest. Megan flicked her cat-like ears back in embarrassment,
"W-well...I r-ran away from home to start fresh..." She said after awhile. Liam's mother looked taken aback.
"O-oh my...but you're so young! You haven't been evolved yet!" Liam's mother frowned, worry etching into her pretty face. Megan tasted the soup in front of her uncertainly,
"Well, I went to the temple to seek guidance because I wanted to live somewhere near the Palace of Light, so that I could evolve and be trained in an area close to it...Does that make sense?" Megan's misty eyes shown confusion. Liam glanced at his mother as she touched her chest in sadness,
"Oh, dear, you are certainly welcome here. The Palace of
Light is only a days trip from Wildclan." She reassured the young Dracat. Megan smiled down at the table.
"Thank you Mrs.--um...What is your name?" She twitched her thin tail in embarrassment. Liam's mother smiled warmly at the girl, still uncertain to why she would not look at her, and responded,
"I'm Elizabeth Tuso, but do call me Elizabeth." Megan nodded and went back to eating. Elizabeth pulled Liam aside,
"She looks awful, how long was she put there?" She whispered. Liam shrugged in exhaustion,
"She just said too long." He fluttered his dark silver wings in worry. Elizabeth wrung her hands,
"I'll speak to your father and see what we can do." She determined and stepped over to Megan once again.
"Are you finished? Alright then, come with me, we'll get you all cleaned up." She cooed and helped the young girl to her feet.
"Mom, wait!" Liam winced as Megan put her injured foot down. She gasped in pain and stumbled, almost falling down the steps into the living room, but Liam stepped up just in time and caught her in his arms. Flustered and surprised, he helped her steady on her good leg until his mother came out of shock and had Megan lean on her shoulder. Once they were safely out of the room Liam let out the breath he had been holding. He looked down at his shaking fingers and shook his head to clear all thoughts. Megan hardly weighed anything at all, but it made sense because she had been living alone in the woods for so long. Heat still remained in his cheeks as time ticked by. Once it had finally subdued, his mother came back out with Megan...or at least it looked somewhat like Megan, but not the same way she had looked when they had found her. A blush once again formed when he looked at her. Her stature made her look ten, but her face and hair made her look too mature for her size. Her long silver hair had been released from it's ponytail and it cascaded beautifully down in between her wings, which had also been tended to and looked perfect with no feather out of place. Elizabeth had cut Megan's hair so that she now had bangs that fell sideways and covered her mask almost completely. Her light blue ears had also been groomed to perfection and her tail was cleaned to match. Now that all the dirt, grime, and sweat had been washed off, her fair, light skin shown beautifully against the contrast of her dark blue wings. Using her healing semblance Elizabeth had rid Megan of her ankle injury. Her black mask was still unmoved, however. Liam blinked, unable to believe this was the same girl he and Judy had found in the woods not long ago.
"So? What do you think?" His mother held up her hands as if she was displaying a model. Liam shook his head wildly,
"Wow, mom...you've out done yourself!" He flattened his ears in amazement, glued to his seat on the couch.
"Do I look okay?" Megan twitched her left ear, the notch in it almost hidden completely. Elizabeth tilted her head,
"You looked in the mirror Megan dear, did you not see for yourself?" She knelt down to look in her eyes...errr eye. Liam winced inwardly,
"She's...she's blind mom." He filled in before Megan had to explain her predicament. Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh..." Was all she managed to say. Megan shifted uncomfortably under the heat of her gaze. Inhaling, Elizabeth straightened and guided Megan to Liam,
"Well then, why don't you two...talk for a bit and I will go...speak to your father, Liam." She nodded after a moments hesitation and left the room. Liam still felt heat in his cheeks as he gazed at Megan, Good thing she can't see me...that would be so embarrassing...
"So, Liam...where is your room?" Megan asked. Liam tipped his head, what a strange question for a sightless person to ask. Standing after a moment of awkward silence, he pulled her up also,
"Come on, it's this way." He smiled and led her down the long hall and into his room.
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Elizabeth sighed as the door to her husband's office thumped shut behind her. Justin looked up with a smile and rose to stand next to her.
"What is bothering you, my dear?" He kissed her on the head with a smile. Elizabeth looked up at him with a worried expression, unsettling the black winged Drawolf slightly.
"It's Liam...He found a girl in the old temple of worship. She's blind...I don't know how she managed to survive alone but she says she wants to live in this area for the Full Moon Ceremony and train here as well. Is that...doable?" Elizabeth looked away, chewing her thumbnail in worry. Justin looked taken aback by the simple explanation of the story,
"She can stay in the guest room as long as she likes dear, why do you look so stricken?" He hugged his wife to comfort her,
"I'm just concerned for Liam, I don't want Megan to distract him from what he needs to be doing." She whispered sadly, vividly remembering the way her son had gazed at Megan. Justin chuckled,
"You heard Liam, he went exploring today...which I'll talk to him about later...he didn't go to any classes at all. Besides, he was out with another girl in the first place." Justin laughed as he looked at Elizabeth's angered face,
"And that's another thing." She huffed. Justin fluttered his pitch black wings in amusement.
"Liz, he's seventeen. He may not be evolved but he is of that age...he's not a baby anymore." His eyes clouded with remembrance, as did Elizabeth's. They hugged again, this time in sadness,
"He'll always be my baby..." She swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling tears form. Justin just nodded in agreement as the two continued their silent embrace. A knock on the door spooked Elizabeth, making Justin chuckle again,
"Who is it?" He called.
"Liam!" Came the simple reply. Opening the heavy oaken doors, he hugged his son enthusiastically.
"Dad, this is Megan." Liam pointed to a girl with long, silver hair. She stared blankly in his direction, reminding him she was sightless.
"Oh yes, your mother told me all about her." He leaned to Elizabeth and whispered jokingly, "I understand why Liam was staring." He grinned mischievously, laughing as Elizabeth elbowed him in the stomach. He turned back to Megan looking thoughtful, Hm, she's no Drawolf...I might've read something about another species of-- His thoughts were cut of as Megan cleared her throat and spoke softly.
"Thank you for having me...but may I ask for a map of the land?" Justin blinked at her strange and sudden question but, non the less, reached for a scroll of old parchment on a shelf. Spreading out the map, he guided Megan over to the desk. At first he was not sure why she would need a map if she could not see, but then she said,
"Can you place my hand over Wildclan?" Liam nodded to his father when Justin gave him a curious look. Shrugging, he moved Megan's hand over and set it down on top of the forest section labeled "Wildclan".
"Please move it in the direction of the temple of the Elements." Megan blinked slowly, her misty blue eyes unmoving. Justin did so without hesitation, drawing her hand across the map and leaving it over the ruins of a temple draw on the large map. Megan nodded in silence for a bit and then finally said,
"Now to the Palace of Light?" Justin slid her hand to the large, white temple marked as the Palace of Light. After more silence Megan pulled her hand back and closed her eyes. At last she moved again and smiled at no one in particular.
"Thank you, I might need to do this often...its how I find my way around." She dipped her head in Justin's direction. He nodded back,
"No problem, feel free to ask anytime." He told her warmly. She turned back to Liam.
"I can't wait to evolve and train at the Palace!" She smiled happily. Liam looked confused
"But...only those who are to be Elementals train at the Palace." Megan tipped her head in confusion for a moment and then laughed.
"Oh yes! I forgot to tell you and Judy why I really wanted to live close to the Palace! I'm going to train as the Element of Water!" She smiled directly at Liam, sending shivers up his spine.
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Aight peeps! Chapter 8 is out! The offer still stands for those who want to draw my characters. Just send them to me through my email, potatoepony3(at)gmail.com! I'd love see your work! Don't forget to vote and comment and, if you wish, follow me! Bye bye! <3