Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 77

The mages ran for their lives and threw all the magic they could at the Lord of War chased them. Their breathing grew more and more labored as their magic depleted faster and faster.

"Excuse me?" A voice sounded behind them. The girl they had capture and was currently hanging upside down by a giant vine called out to them, the vine swung tree to tree as they moved.

Cybelline looked down at the mages running below her and tried again, "When do we get there? It's just that while this is all really exciting, I'm getting a bit hungry. Maybe we can stop for a snack?"

They looked up at the girl again, surprised at her nonchalance. This woman had been unusually quiet during the process, why wasn't she screaming her head off?

The mages looked at each other, one of them shrugged, "Perhaps she is an idiot?"

"No need to be rude." Cybelline muttered, she pulled out a handfull of nuts and began to eat them while upside down, "I was just asking." 

They continued running until they came to a giant waterfall. Turning around, the mage cried a spell and a dozen trees moved to obscure the road.

The mages stopped, the vine loosened and threw Cybelline to the ground. Gently, she twisted and landed on her feet. The mages, tired from their exertions, did not notice.

Instead they spoke a few words and made complex signs with their hands. The waterfall parted down the middle. Water drew to the side like two great curtains. Below the great mossy rocks was a dark tunnel.

"I love secret entrances like these, I mean, the waterfall things is impressive, but the location is a bit trite." Cybelline criticized, the mages glared at her. 

Seeing their expression Cybelline went on to explain, "You know, I've never been on this side of a kidnapping before. I've volunteered for it but never got the chance, this is really exciting."

"Get in there before I cut you in half, girl." One of them snarled, he held a long and cruel looking blade in his hand.

"Say please." Cybelline said with a smile. The mage snarled, "I said ---"

But Cybelline did not give him the chance to finish the sentence. With a gentle flip of her fingers, she touched his wrist. His grip on the knife loosened and she caught the handle of the knife.

"You're much slower than I thought you would be." Cybelline said after an awkward moment. She held the knife out to him once more "Okay, try again. I promise I won't interfere this time."

They looked at her as if they were insane. The mage looked at the knife that had been in and out of his hand, if not for the pain radiating from his wrist, he thought he had imagined it.

Finally, Cybelline got tired of waiting for them to respond, "Through there?" She pointed and walked through the waterfall. They stared after the girl.

"Are you sure we were right to kidnap her? She is too strange." One of the men muttered.

"We have no choice." The leader said, "Go. He will be here soon. We have to be ready."

The mages wordlessly ran into the tunnel beneath the waterfall. Water roared back into its regular pattern as the tunnel disappeared. 

Cybelline looked at the green valley in wonder. For it was truly a beautiful little paradise. The river here flowed lazily towards the mouth of the tunnel. A collection of little houses hung on giant and ancient trees, these little homes were made of vines and clay. Cybelline was reminded of the glass teardrop terrariums that people hung on trees.