Starlight, Starbright

Chapter 13

I awoke in the lake. I brought a hand up to my neck and felt my gills working in place of my nose. I kicked out my legs and flapped my wings until I reached the surface, afraid of what I might see.

But the glade was the same as ever. But the way things had been looking, I had thought that the glade would be gone. But no, it was fine. Maybe I had been correct when I had named the tree.

“Here’s to another near death experience,” I muttered sarcastically and shook my head in an attempt to get my hair out of my eyes. “I really need to find a way to stop passing out when I do something like that.” I flapped my wings until I was hovering over the lake. “I should probably see what sort of mass disaster I caused now.” I made my way above the canopy of the trees once more and found that there was a disaster zone all around, for miles. It looked as if God had wanted the world to burn, and this place was a sanctuary as the Garden of Eden.

“Holy guacamole,” I breathed, spotting a couple of embers still glowing. “Did I just end the world?” I zipped back to Irene’s house, worried. She and Lucy were the only ones I truly cared about at the moment, and if they were dead. . . no, I mustn't think of that. Not now.

 

I landed in the midst of the rubble. That was all that was left of their little farmhouse. “Oh. . . oh no,” I felt my heart fall as I tossed aside a piece of debris, in search for their bodies, though how I would handle it would most likely end up as another catastrophe.

“Are you looking for something, sister?” A malicious voice I hadn’t heard for a very long time reached my ears and I spun, my swords appearing in an instant.

Erebos stood before me, with two of his Firscath henchmen holding dark daggers to both Irene’s and Lucy’s throats. “I swear if you hurt them, I will kill you.” I seethed, rage boiling in a pit in my stomach.

“Oh, come now,” Erebos’ robes swirled around him, and he looked like he hadn’t changed since that fateful night in Jierdarven. “You didn’t really think I was willing to die there, did you? No, I created a portal of my own to escape.”

“But that much power. . .” I trailed off upon seeing the look in his eyes.

“Yes, that’s right. I killed my brother mages so their power would fall to me. Like you, I am also the last of my kind.” Erebos let loose a maniacal laugh.

“Maybe, but unlike you, I never had another like me,” I raised my bright wings as a proof to my statement.

“Zora!” Lucy cried, tears making a path down her dirt streaked cheeks.

“It’s all right, Lucy. Everything’s going to be. . . just fine.” I looked again at my brother and felt rage boil in my stomach again. “So, you did start the war back home.”

“Ding, ding, ding. Gentlemen, give this woman a prize!” Erebos clapped, his enthusiasm melding with his sarcasm.

“I don’t appreciate your tone,” I muttered sternly.

“What, you’re my mother now? You know, I was going to let your friends go, but now. . . well, the boys know what to do.” Erebos snapped his fingers and my anger snapped with it.

I teleported the short distance in front of him and swung my sword so it split his wrist.

“Gah!!!! What in the universe is wrong with you!!” Erebos shied away from my blade as I brought it close to wipe away his blood.

“Let me teach you what it means to be trapped in your destiny and promises you made to the only family you ever had. Let me show you what it means to be something you’re not. Let me show you who I am,” I growled, my voice gurgling in my throat until it became a dragon’s song.

“Boys, let them go!” Erebos began to back away from me in fear. “We seem to have upset the delicate balance of my sister.” They disappeared and I was left alone with Irene and Lucy, both of whom were terrified beyond their capabilities.