The Magic Shell

Prologue-2

Fear spiked inside Gem as she ran up the path leading to the towering cliffs of the Isle of the Elementals. Her cries of warning remained mostly unheard. Whatever spell her parents had released was closing in from three sides of the Isle.

The creature’s shrieks grew louder and more frustrated, but Gem couldn’t stop to turn around and see what was happening. Using the power of the wind, she created a tunnel ahead of her and let it sweep her along just before the mist cascaded over her former position.

All she could hear now was the wind whipping past her ears, her hair swirling so wildly that she could hardly see. The magic required a lot of her energy. She wouldn’t be able to keep it up for long.

The tunnel was barely wide enough for her to pass through, but it created a vortex that would open a portal and send her from one side of the Isle to the other. At one point, her elbow brushed along the mist. Her arm tingled and began to fade. She tucked her arms close to her side and away from the mist.

One by one, the people around her disappeared as if they had never existed. The black shadow tried to capture the residents, but its long tentacles passed through empty air. The rolling cloud of the ancient spell was erasing everyone that she had ever known, loved, and fought beside, but Gem was not afraid of the spell sweeping over her home. Her father knew what he was doing – and whatever the consequences of this powerful magic, they were far better than the alternative.

A part of the creature slipped into the vortex, she could sense it, a hungry dark force concentrated in a black tentacle. Gem ran faster, refusing to be overwhelmed by her terror. She needed to be smart if she was to save her people. Her muscles were protesting, and her lungs were straining painfully. She couldn’t run forever.

Ahead of the mist now, she released the power of the wind, huffing a ragged breath of relief as the spell stopped draining her energy. A giant fallen tree blocked her path up ahead and she raised a trembling arm, palm facing outward, and focused.

The tree dissolved into millions of particles. Gem ran through the glittering pieces. Once she was past the spot, she closed her fist and the particles reformed.

Breathing heavily, she glanced over her shoulder when she heard the sound of shattering wood. The dark talons of the creature cut through the dead tree, ripping it in two. Gem turned around and continued toward her destination.

Up ahead, she could see an opening in the trees and the unmistakable shape of etched stone. Hope blossomed inside her – just a few more yards and she could escape. The sound of her breathing echoed in her ears, and she could see her breath in the suddenly chilled air. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw the mist of magic closing in on her. Time was quickly running out.

Once she reached the edge of the cliffs, she would transform. It was too dangerous to do so yet. If the ancient magic caught her, she might never be able to reform again.

“Mine. Come to me,” the icy form behind her demanded.

Gem ignored the command and pushed herself harder – running as fast as she could. Around her, the trees bent to give her passage before straightening in an attempt to slow the malevolent creature chasing her. The black tentacles greedily grasped for her, but she stayed a few steps ahead.

Several yards ahead, she could see the stone gazebo standing like a silent sentinel above the cliffs. The stones of the Elders would give her some protection from the creature. She cried in relief when her foot touched the first intricately carved stepping stone.

The stones glowed under her feet. She was almost free. She grasped the stone pillar and stepped into the safe haven of the gazebo, gasping for air. Her heart thundered in her chest as she turned and took several steps back from the black tentacles that curled around the outside of the gazebo.

“You cannot touch me here, creature! Nothing is powerful enough to break the spells of the Elders,” Gem declared, hoping that what she was saying was true.

“Your magic cannot stop us. It will give us power. With the power of your kind and the magic of the Sea Witch, we can take over many worlds,” the entity said in a hypnotic tone.

Gem turned around as the black shape encircled the gazebo, cutting off her only means of escape. A wave of intense sorrow washed over her. There was no one to help her. Her father had hidden the Isle of the Elementals from the world long ago to keep the other kingdoms safe, but it had also isolated them. If she couldn’t get off this Isle, no one would ever come to save them.

“You will never use me,” Gem proclaimed with growing determination.

The creature continued to encircle the gazebo before forming into a shape that was heart-wrenchingly familiar: her mother. Overwhelming grief filled her, but so did another emotion – rage. She pulled the short sword at her waist free of its sheath and took a step forward.

“So much power. You can undo what the others have done. I can sense the power inside you. Power you do not even know you possess,” the entity that looked so like her mother said in a whispery voice.

“Power that you will never control,” Gem passionately vowed.

“But I will,” the creature replied.

Gem watched with growing horror and fear as the creature slowly advanced. The stones under the alien’s feet began to glow. Streams of color rose up to wind around its body. The outer skin of the alien bubbled and sizzled as if it were being cooked until a thin crust formed. The crust turned to ash and fell away, but the alien appeared unfazed by the damage being wrought and continued moving closer to her. Raising the short sword, she sliced through a tentacle when it reached for her. The creature screeched in outrage but didn’t back away from her.

One tentacle after another greedily shot forward trying to capture her within its evil grasp. Behind the creature, Gem could see the magical mist her parents had invoked rolling ever closer to them. She stumbled backwards when the magic reached the gazebo.

Gem knew it was too late for her to escape from her Isle. She and her people were doomed. Her only hope was that the battle against the Sea Witch was successful. If it was, there was a chance that Drago, Orion, and the others would know how to defeat the entity that Nali had seen in her mirror.

Please, Goddess, if you hear my plea, send someone to help save my people and the Seven Kingdoms, she silently begged – and miraculously, a voice responded.

“You cannot disappear, Elemental, you are needed,” the Sea Witch vowed.

Gem’s eyes widened in shock, and she stared at Magna’s ethereal form as it suddenly appeared behind the black shadow. Then she watched in horror as the Sea Witch opened her hand and directed her magic toward Gem. Over the thunderous pounding in her head, Gem heard the alien’s howl of rage as Magna’s spell rapidly spread through her body, turning her flesh to stone.

All is lost, she thought in despair before the world faded around her.