Mostly Normal: Magic Cannot Cure Sickness

Chapter Fifteen: Devastation

Nia lifted herself out of bed, her eyesight was blurry but she knew where she was going. "What are you doing out of bed?" Stardust asked as she placed a firm hand in the middle of the sickly girl's chest.

"Natalie," Nia whispered as she tried to move around the other girl. Her vision began to clear as she walked further out of the infirmary.

"Nia! Get back to your bed!" Stardust cried, "You're sick enough already."

"I need to go to her," the girl said hoarsely. The daughter of Apollo simply shook her head and tried to get the girl to lie back down. Nia pushed past her, walking out of the infirmary despite all of the people that were trying to stop her from doing so.

Two girls were sitting together just outside. One of them, who had mottled orange, white and black hair, looked up in alarm. She jumped up.

"Nia!" she cried, "You're out of bed? What's up?"

The other girl, who had mousy brown hair, rolled her mismatched eyes. "Sara, stop worrying. Nia can take care of herself."

"But Nora, she needs to know. Nia, are you looking for Natalie?"

"Sis......ter," she strained, talking with what was left of her vocal cords. The girl's eyes widened and she stared at the child of Hecate.

"Her magic is so strong," the girl said, her eyes turning into small slits as she communicated with someone only she could hear. "Nora, can you please get one of the Apollo campers to go with Nia to the Roman camp, with as much magic that she has collected and a little push from me I'm sure she can make it all the way to the Roman camp with magic."

"I'll get Stardust," Nora said, standing up. She was almost as tall as Nia.

"Sit down for a moment alright," Sara said, placing her hands on the older girl's shoulders. Nia nodded and sat, breathing harshly as she tried to get enough oxygen into her lungs.

In a flash, Nora was back, followed by Stardust, who was looking rather worried. She helped Nia to her feet and clasped her hand. Sara readied herself.

"Ready, Nia?" the Egyptian magician asked, "I'll need your cooperation on this."

Nia managed a nod, already beginning to focus the majority of her magic into a tunnel that led across North America, all the way to California.

In a moment, they were gone, no longer remaining in that field of existence. They fell for a moment, finally in the Roman Camp. "N-al-ie," Nia said, her voice straining to speak.

Reyna sat on the step just outside of the infirmary, her head lay in her hands and a mask covered her mouth and nose. She looked up, her dark eyes widening as she saw the two girls. "What are you doing here?" she asked accusingly.

"Sis," Natalie's voice cut off into a hacking fit and she staggered before Sara caught the weaker female.

Reyna's face fell and a tear streaked down her face. "I can take you to her," she whispered, "But you won't like it."

Suddenly Nia could hear the unmistakeable sound of crying from inside and her courage wavered. A billion horrible scenarios ran through her head. She gulped but squared her shoulders as much as she could, then nodded. Sara looked fearful. "Take us in," she said, speaking for the both of them.

They walked into the small infirmary, several preserved bodies lay in there with clothes covering their foreheads. Nia collapsed down to the ground, orange tinted tears streaming down her face. On one of the beds lay her sister. She stood up shakily and walked over to the bed that contained her sister. A small figure lay next to her, she was deathly small, her cheeks and eyes were sunken into her skull. "Bea, what are you doing here?" Reyna asked as she lifted the small girl up and dragged her back to another room.

Nia, still in shock over her sister's bed, took the now cold and stiff hand in her own. "I failed you," she whispered, "I cared about you and I tried so hard but I have failed you."