|Note| At this point, I feel I need to make major changes to previous chapters, going as far as to even remove some completely. This chapter is no longer an active part of the story, or to be considered a part of it until further notice |Note|
I awoke slowly. My chest was on fire and pain shot through my whole body. I tried to cry out in pain but nothing came out. I couldn't move and my eye sight was blurred.
"Riley, hold on let me heal you! Vulnus Vigoratus" Vlora said holding her hands over me. A strange calm came about. My pain began to dissipate and a small amount of pressed in my stomach. Within a few seconds I felt completely healed.
"Are you all right?" Vlora said nervously.
"Yea, I think I'm okay." I stood up and looked around. "What happened?"
"I don't know. You just...stopped and stabbed yourself in the stomach. Why did you do that?"
"I heard a voice. He told me to kill myself. He said I should end it now and told me that I couldn't go on any longer. It was hard to resist."
"I've never heard of anything like that before. Are you sure you're not just going crazy?"
"I just stabbed myself and your making jokes?" I glared at Vlora.
"What can I say? I'm an optimist." She smiled.
"It's very annoying. That was some amazing healing magic Vlora. I thought you said you were a beginner?"
"Magic isn't a basis of whether you can use certain spells at certain ability levels. This isn't the time or place to be explain the fundamentals of magic too you. How far are we from the Ultamite room? We have wasted too much time here."
"Right." I bent down and picked up Alora's dagger, wiping the blood of it. "Let's go."
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Soon we arrived at where the Ultamite once was. As we entered the room memories began to flood back. Before I could dwell on them we noticed a woman standing with her back to us near the hole in the cave wall, where the Ultamite once was. We slowly approached her, being quiet and cautious. Vlora walked behind me, I could feel her heart rate increasing.
"Who are you?" I said demanding.
"I see, you have finally arrived." The woman spoke with a soft voice.
"Turn around, let me see your face."
"All right." She turned around. Her long black hair swept across her face revealing the face of a beautiful woman.
"Is that better?"
"I ask again, who are you? Why did you act as if you were expecting us?"
"Because I was. He told me you would return. He was correct."
"Who are you talking about? Who knew we would be here?"
"Tsk tsk, so many questions. Roark is his name. He sent me to fetch you." She looked around the room, paying no attention to us.
"To 'fetch' me? I am not a dog."
"I didn't mean to insult you. I simply mean to take you back to see Roark." Again she scanned the room.
"I'm not going anywhere with you." I stood my ground. It was time for some answers. "What do you know about what happened here?" Vlora's heart speed up even more. Why was she so scared?
"This is why." She bent down next to her and pointed to a small piece of left over Ultamite near her.
"Ultamite."
"We must have dropped some..." Vlora spoke for the first time.
"This stone is more then just mere weapon crafting material. Though you probably already know that." She reached over to pick up the stone.
"No wait don't!" I tried to stop her but it was too late. The moment she touched the stone something strange happened. It was is an electric shock went threw her body. The room instantly became ominous. The woman stood up with her eyes closed tight, the Ultamite tight in her left hand.
"Hello, Riley." She opened her eyes, and a strange blue glow emitted from them. Her voice changed. As if someone else was speaking along with her. Her voice was still dominant but a strange echo of a deeper voice followed hers.
"What is going on?" Vlora tucked even farther behind me. It was odd to see her so terrified.
"It seems as if my other two attempts on your life have failed."
"Attempts on my life? Is was you earlier who tried to get me to kill myself?"
"Correct. It was also I who sent the beast after you the last time you were here."
"You are responsible for that as well? You almost killed Alora!" I stepped forward putting my hand on my bow.
"So ready to kill someone you don't even know. You are as evil as they say."
"Me? Evil? Tell me what is going on here!" I raised my voice and it echoed throughout the cave.
"You are going to die here so I suppose it does not matter. My name is Uriel. I am a Caretaker." When he said this Vlora came out from behind me. She stood in front of me pushing me back with one hand and unsheathing her sword with the other. It was shinning bright blue. Ultamite.
"Vlora, what's going on? Do you know him?"
"I know of him. Uriel, Captain of the Caretakers."
"You know your C.O.R.E ranks girl? Impressive. Who do you know that's a Caretaker?"
"None of your business. Now, stop possessing this girl now or I will have to kill her."
"I will take your life as well as his." He used the girl as a puppet, unsheathing her dual swords, ready to strike. Vlora took the first shot.
"Incendia Appareo."
"Crap, a mage." The woman stood her ground, but intensified her defense. Fire appeared in Vlora's hand and began to grow into a flame surrounding it.
"Stand back Riley, this battle is mine." She thrust her hand toward her foe, fire steadily flowing forward. She reacted quick, doing a sideflip to her right. Vlora continued to follow her with the flames, chasing her around the cave. The fire caught her again, this time she jumped into the air and threw a knife toward Vlora's head. Vlora guarded herself with her sword, the knife bouncing off her sword and hitting the ground.
"Not bad. Let's see how you do close range." She quickly ran up to Vlora who had stopped casting fire in order to protect herself.
"Permoveo Silicis!" Vlora shouted. Small rocks from the cave floor began to hurl at the woman as she ran at Vlora. Dodging every one of them she had made it close quarters with Vlora. I took a few steps back to insure I wouldn't get caught up in the battle. It was hard to watch and not be able to help. I was sure Vlora would not allow me too.
"Now, let's end this." The woman thrust her left sword toward Vlora's stomach. Vlora, using her Ultamite sword, came from under the sword and swept it to the side. A second sword came around, catching Vlora off guard.
"Contego." She said just before the sword hit. A shield appeared out of nowhere, protecting her but throwing her backwards.
"You are using a lot of magic girl. Expecting a short life?"
"Whatever it takes to defeat you, and help Riley." She used her sword to pull herself off the ground.
"You are helping a fugitive. Someone who threatens the truth. The penalty for that is death." She ran at Vlora again. Her speed was incredible.
"Incendia Flatus!" Fire erupted from Vlora's hand. There was no way she could dodge this attack at such close range. Just as she was about to be hit, with an amazing amount of force, she jumped into the air barley dodging the fire. Before Vlora could react, she was already behind her. The woman twisted around, her sword aimed right at Vlora's side. There was no time to think, I had to act fast.
"Incendia!" I screamed while running toward both of them. What happened next is a blur. I remember fire, and a lot of it. I remember pain, and screaming. Magic. It was a mistake to try it. How could I even use it? Magic is a bloodline power. None of my family were magician, and none of my ancestors. These are the things I thought about while I was unconscious.
I awoke back in the cabin. A familiar voice greeted me.
"Hey, are you awake?" It was Vlora, I could see her standing over me.
"I really need to stop waking up this way. What happened?"
"You are an idiot. That's what happened."
"What do you mean?" I sat up in the bed and Vlora sat down in a chair in the corner.
"You used magic, I don't know how but you did. You used the Incendia spell."
"When you said it fire came out of your hand. Why did it go so wrong for me?"
"The language of magic, we call it Magus. Originally it's the Latin language, but Cleof turned it into the magical language, Magus."
"Cleof? You mean Goddess of Ice, Cleof? The god."
"Yes, Cleof created magic. When she created it, she made it so that it could be powerful, yet come at a cost."
"A cost? What kind of cost?" I said, while Vlora looked away from me.
"Every time you use magic your lifespan is decreased."
"Wait, so every time you use it your life becomes shorter?"
"Correct. Don't confuse that with it killing you faster. You will die sooner, but in a different way. You see, everyone has a lifespan, a destiny. Using magic alters that. It's a curse."
"You used a lot of magic back there. How much have you used?"
"Almost none. until today."
"Why?"
"I need your help with something. I couldn't let you die." Vlora looked back at me.
"What do you need from me? What could I possibly do for you?"
"You'll see." She smiled.
Coming Soon
Chapter 8
Questions Answered
[I didn't really like how this chapter ended, I will probably change this pretty drastically in the future...for now I'm waiting to see what is going to happen next. Though, I'm 75% sure this ending will be different during the final product...okay 100% sure.]
