The great revenge of an untouched princess

Death caller

Ava and Coty face each other to fight. Mean while a dark figure leaps from behind and picks up Coty in its mouth. Coty screams.

Ava notices the yellow eyes staring at her again. 

She shriek's and falls on her back. The dark figure reveals itself. 

A lion stood between the men and Ava. He drops Coty softly on the ground away from the robed men in Ava's direction. The beast’s kingly black mane appeared first. This lion didn't look ordinary. The lions coat was black with no visible marks. If he stood in front of you at night it would look like a shadow. Only his eyes shined bright.                        

The man standing in front of the lion declared, "reveal yourself."

Lustrous, thin wisps curled into metal and  his body shined bright. The lion changed his form to a metal being. With a length of approximately 11.5 feet the monstrous being revealed itself completely. The incredible creature dug his feet into the ground and sunk in more due to his enormous weight.

His fierce face revealed. This came as a complete surprise for everyone in the dungeon. Hundreds of thin metal strands natural flowed on his face in place of fur, while his sharp steel teeth gleamed menacingly.

He roared and a bright light shined again and  an amanous cloud expanded outwards over the lion.

As the light brightens the place, the ground trembles debris starts falling, cracks appear on the walls all the way up to the roof. 

They knew he was strong enough to fight everyone in that dungeon. His massive structure and muscular body intimidated everyone. The men in robes slowly stepped back. 

For the first time in years the robed men saw the place they were living in and then themselves. The fragrance from the lion removed all of them from their trance. They look at each other and themselves in the reflection on the lions body.

"What? "shouts one.

"We have been betrayed. This is not what we were promised." Another yelled. Knocking himself out after hitting a wall he falls on the ground.

The man standing before Ava whispers in an accent, "I don't believe this. we are decaying. How did we not know?"

The lion gazes wide eyed, he recognized the accent "Are you from Elan?" he asked in a shocked shaky voice.

"Oh, yes. I am." he replies 

"What is you name?" He asks curiously.

"My name is..... is." he pauses and look away confused not able to recall his name.

"We have been here for a while. I …." he stammers. Flesh falls from his hands. Ava shriek's and covers her nose the stench was unbearable.

"Please, please. help us get out of here. We are decaying..."He begs. Ava and Coty look at each other. They as well were removed from the trance. Coty runs to Ava and hugs her.

They stand away and watch the men run around frantically looking at the state that they have been living in.

One cries, "We have been eating incest's, rats. We were high priests. No, no this cant be true. This is a bad dream. bad dream." and collapses.

The lion shape shifts to human. "Its Dayton" screams Coty.

Taken aback, Ava could only stare at him. It was unbelievable that he hid such an important fact from her. She though, 'If she had any super power she definitely would have told everyone.' They lived with Dayton for quite sometime now and he had not mentioned anything to her. She felt angry about that. 

Especially when she specifically informed him about the big eyes.

Dayton calms the men. "I am still a little confused. Who are you people and what is that you were promised?" He asked.

"Look all I can remember is that we were given the task to guard this island." He paused. "To make sure no one came in and no one could leave. Beyond that I seem to not remember." he answered.

"Look, I can release you from this hell but I want you to help us back. Tell us how can we leave the island. There might be a way to break the spell." he probed.

" I don't remember" he cries. 

" We are domed to live here forever." he wails.

Sitting in the corner he recites some verses. "Forgive me son... I have failed you. Dai'ton." he muttered.

"Hadir? Is that you"  Stammered Dayton.

The old man looks at him. He could see some human trace left in his eyes. Though they were blood shot, he still could make a connection. Even though the connection lasted for a few seconds.

He loses him again. The man goes back to mumbling.

Dayton tears up. "He was like a father to me." He said looking at Ava tearing up.  "He helped me with everything when I was a boy. I cant see him suffer like this." He closes his eyes, transforming into the lion again he blows an expanding bubble of air. Engulfing the men in it.

They calm down and stand on their feet and look around wide eyed. Slowly one by one each person starts falling to the ground dying a peaceful death. Their souls swam away towards the sky one by one but couldn't leave the dome.

"Why aren't they leaving?" asked Ava.

Dayton shrugged his shoulders, " I don't know."

In a blinding burst of light a star falls from the sky piercing through the roof and lands on a pedestal emanating a vertical beaming of yellow light.

All three run towards the pedestal. "Is this a map?" asks Dayton.

"What else can it be?" hissed Ava rolling her eyes.

" I know its a map, but for what?" he snarled. 

They stare at it for a while, however no one speaks as no one wanted to look like a fool and admit that they didn't understand a thing that the map wanted to show. Moreover, Ava was angry that Dayton hid such an important information from her. She thought they were friends. 

"You all have to have a common place in mind. That's when the map will guide you." said a voice.

"What was that?" Quavered Ava.

"I don't know." he screeched looking around to see if anyone was there in the room.

"Its me Hadir."

"where? Where are you?" asked Ava in a trembling voice.

"Look above you." he replied laughing.

A ghostly figure flew above them. Hadir looked different. A long face with curly mustache combined with a goatee.

 " So this is how you looked when you were young?" asked Coty looking at Hadir as he floats above the three happily.

"This is how I looked when I came to this place. I must have been under a spell to not remember anything but don't I look awesome" He asked in a mischievous tone.

"Why are you here? Why didn't you float away ?" as Coty curiously.

"I don't know. Perhaps I imprinted on one of you. how amazing, right?" he clapped laughing. "No, we must be bound to this island. That's why we are not able to leave.

 There must be something that is securing us here. Maybe someone  wanted us to live here for ever and so created a spell to bound us her. Its seems like a good spell don't you think?" He laughed floating away.

It seemed like Hadir was in a very mischievous mood. 

"Can you stop thinking about your Salmaa." Yelled Dayton.

"Its Salmar." Corrected Ava almost yelling back.

"People, people. You have to work together. Together as a team. Only then will you find a way out of this place." said Hadir, veering through the room trying to learn the art of flying. 

He was rather enjoying his new self, free of all responsibilities.

Coty seemed to like him a lot. Following his flight she clapped every time he went in and out of the wall. He seemed to be doing this a lot to please Coty.

"Come on, lets work as a team. I know you want to leave the island as much as I do." He said positively. Ava agreed and they close their eyes. Ava and Dayton start thinking about a leaving the island. A light flashes through the map. It directs the reader to two locations.

"Did you think about Salmaar?" He asked in an annoyed tone, staring at Ava.

"No, I did not...... I think the clue is in two places that's why it is showing two points." she yelled slapping her forehead and shaking her head.

They look closely, Frowning she reads, "Death caller. Why is the heading of the page a death caller?" 

"Why does it matter?" Dayton asked in an arrogant tone while noting down the main details of the map.

Ava stares at him in dismay without saying a word. 'Oh, how I hate him sometimes. Arrogant ass. Hope I get out of this island and never have to see his face.'

Dayton notices that the map starts to fade and the light beams through it again.

They leave the dungeon through the same well and reach the top.

"Lets split. It will give us a high chance of finding both the places soon and we can be on our way out by morning." commanded Dayton as he tore a piece of the map that he had made for reference.

Handing the paper back to him, "No, we will go together. This place get stranger by the minute. Its easy for you. You will spring up like a big cat and scare every one.

What about us? We cannot compete with that. We are going together." She demanded with a grin on her face.

Dayton was clearly annoyed. Yet he kept his calm. 

Ava and Coty walk behind Dayton while Hadir floats above them singing merrily looking around taking in all that the island had to offer. 

"Wow, I am so pleased that I got to get out of that place. Its amazing that you get to live in such a wonderful place." He said excitedly to Coty. While Coty heard him with her full attention.

They reach a stone wall. The wall was as tall as Dayton. There was nothing around the wall. Just a plane wall made out of rocks.  They examine the place. They look around but nothing. 

"we have to go back and check out the map." Suggested Dayton still looking at the paper in his hand.

"Maybe you wrote it wrong." complained Ava.

"Maybe you have to take responsibility next time." grumbled Dayton.

" Come on now. Relax. You have to start working as a team. This bickering is just so lame. Start acting your age " Hadir scoffed for the very first time, which made Ava and Dayton realize their childish behavior.

Dayton mouths to Ava, 'Sorry.' Ava smiles back.

As they turn back, "Its changed again." Screams Coty.

"This forest is really strange." Ava said carrying Coty.

A rock falls off the wall creating a hole below their feet.  They fall in a free flow. Dayton tries to hold on to something to break the fall but they fall in such force that it was impossible to move that quickly. 

Ava shouts, "How long have we been falling for?" 

"Its been for a while,  its absurd." Replied Dayton

A faint ringing sound breaks their falls and they land on a ground rather slowly as though floating in the air.

First Dayton falls. Then Ava falls over him and then last Coty still floats in the air and Ava pulls her towards them and carries her through the cave.

They walk down the stairs that were quite well built through the cave. Hadir points to the right. They start walking into a corridor with images drawn on the side of the wall. 

The corridor opened to the cave that housed Crystals. These crystals crisscrossed within the cavern. They looked like translucent white trees that have fallen in an alien forest. Smaller ones clustered like mineral bushes on the walls and floor.

The white crystals started to shine when they walked around it. It was so mesmerizing that Ava and Coty lost their way a couple of times. Hadir had to direct them back to the Dayton.

Dayton was surely annoyed but he had the eye on the prize. He just wanted out and didn't want to risk angering Hadir.

 They reach another corridor that housed three identical doors. It looked like an ice house. Completely white and the knobs were golden.

They had to open a door that would lead them to their freedom. That's what the map said.

Dayton was ready, He was ready to just open the door and go back to the real world. The world where there were people other than these three that he had been tolerating.

He couldn't stop smiling.

Hadir floats in, "Ahh, strange right but I know this. Now look, You can only use one door. That door will lead you to Musg-Ravit." He  said enthusiastically.

"Musg-Ravit? Now what is that?" Ava asked in an annoyed tone.

"Its for me to know and for you to find out darling." He said laughing his heart out, stoking Ava's chin he floats away.

"How do we know if its the right door?" Asks Coty curiously looking closely at each door examining every inch of it.

"The question is what happens if we open the wrong door." Ava asks looking at Dayton, hoping to get an answer from him.

"I am thinking something terrible will happen If we open the wrong door." He replied sarcastically.

Ava looks at each door closely and concludes, "Door No.3." in an excited tone.

"Why that door?" enquired Dayton.

"Look at the knob, Day. This is the only door that has been opened numerous times. This must be the door." She Gloated.

Dayton smiles, "This could be the wrong door as well. Where people would have tried to open the door and died. That's why they couldn't touch the other door knobs." He concluded warping his arms around Ava's shoulder.

She shrugs his hand off, of her and before she could say something. The door opens. Panic stricken they look at each other.

They look down, "I am hungry and tired. Lets just get this over with. Please." said Coty walking into the room.

Dayton and Ava follow her. Ava cautions Coty and picks her up.

They walk in and to their shock they see a child laying on the floor. Cooing and laughing as the three approach the baby.

Hadir floats over them again. "Ahem, sorry to interrupt but Musg-Ravit is in the baby's chest." he said hesitantly.

"So?" asks Dayton throwing his hands around looking at Hadir who vanishes into thin air.

The baby's chest glows red. Perhaps because of the stone showing itself. 

"What do we do now?" asked Ava with one hand on her forehead and the other on her hip.

"Why don't we take the baby? That way we will have the stone and maybe the task is to rescue the baby." she muttered hesitantly.

Dayton bends down and picks up the baby. As he turns to walk towards Ava, the baby starts to cry . 

Dayton immediately puts the baby down to cover his ears. The cry was so devilish that it sent shivers down his spine.

Ava and Coty start crying as well. 

Regaining his senses, Dayton hugs Ava, "Shh, Shh. Its ok. Its ok. Are you alright." He comforts her wiping her tears softly.

They sit there for a while trying to come up with solutions. Ava asked curiously, "Where are the baby's parents? shouldn't we look around?" 

They look around and there was no adult in sight. The cave was completely empty.

Ava looks behind Dayton as he stands in front of her. looking at her expression horrified he looks back.

Instructions appear on the wall in red, "NASHT".

"What does it mean?" asked Dayton.

"I don't know" Said Ava shaking her head.

He sits on the ground cross legged. Almost as though giving up on the idea of leaving the island.

Hadir comes back. "What are we up to folks?" He asks in a pleasant tone, looks at their faces and dives down to sit on Dayton's shoulder.

"Why the long faces?" He enquires.

"What are we suppose to do with this baby Hadir? And what does that mean? "He points towards the wall where the words were inscribed.

"You don't know what that means?" asked Hadir.

Dayton looks at him annoyed.

"Ok, ok. Sorry. It means destroy. I think they want you to destroy the stone." he answered while floating over the baby, examining it.

"What?" scream all three.

"What? how can we kill a baby? I am sure you are mistaken you old fool." Said Dayton. His face turned red in anger.

"Yep, This is what you have to do. Destroy the stone and you will be scot free." Said Hadir in a malicious smile.

"You are enjoying this aren't you?" asked Dayton punching through the air hoping to hit Hadir but he misses. Even if he had not missed he would have done no damage to a floating ghost.

Ava just sits on the side hopeless. 

"How can anyone harm a baby? We are stuck here for ever." She signed and then burst out crying.

"Its not a baby." Yelled Hadir. "Its a spell." he continued.

"So, how do we break the spell Hadir?"

"Oh, Yes. I knew that before but now I don't. I cant seem to remember specifics of anything but I can tell you that you can reverse a spell. That's pretty common right?" saying this Hadir trailed off.

"Spell reversal. Oh yes." Dayton snaps his finger and his face lights up.

He continues, "What we have here will help us decide what kind of reversing process to use.

 There are many ways to reverse a spell but we need to consider our options carefully because an ineffective reversing can make things much more difficult going forward." He walks around the room looking for clues, while still continuing his thought.

"For example, Burning spell remnants is a pretty straightforward way to break a spell unless the spell was cast with fire.

If they used fire to cast the spell, more fire will just make it stronger. Any other type of spell, however, will likely be broken by this action." He said combing his fingers through his hair.

" Oh Yes, then we can burn this baby. Right?" scoffed Ava.

He looks at her, still thinking, "I am not saying that that." said Dayton pointing a finger at Ava.

"So?"

"I am thinking." he whispered.

Dayton sprints and hugs Ava from behind over her arms. "I have got it, Counter Casting!" he exclaimed gleaming with joy.

"Counter casting." He repeats.

Ava faces Dayton, "If you know exactly how a spell was cast then you can theoretically cast a spell to cancel out the first one." he gushed, continuing his thought, "For this, detailed notes on the original spell are necessary." he said.

"You might ask me, so Dayton where is the original spell?...  Its in the second map!" he cheered while jumping in joy.

They head out to leave the place when Ava asks hesitantly, "Should we leave the baby alone like this?" 

"Its a spell Ava. Don't worry. Its not a real baby. Trust me. The baby has been here before we came in. It was fine right? Don't worry" he assured her with a comforting tone.

They go out in search of the second location. To their dismay the map directed them to Dayton's house.

"What? The spell was in my house all these years? " He had a puzzled look on his face.

"This house was completely empty when I came here. I have arranged everything by myself. How can the spell be in this house. There must be a mistake." he fumed throwing the map on the ground.

"Wait. I remember seeing a light from the fire place one day. Do you remember I asked about it as well when I stayed here?" she asked hoping to jog his memory.

Dayton shakes his head. "There is no harm in looking." he admits.

They start breaking the fire place. It takes them three hours to break it brick by brick and nothing. Ava sits on the couch and looks ahead at the mantel on the stone fireplace. She looks closely. The same words were inscribed on the Mantle, 'NASHT'

"How did you not notice this for years." She inquired, hitting Dayton on his chest playfully. She pushes the brick and a scroll is revealed.

"Its the spell." She pulls it out. She felt a sense of satisfaction that she was able to contribute a little in their quest and didn't feel completely useless, Though she did a while ago.

As they had listed out every detail about the spell, it was time to cancel each item out. They had used herbs in the spell. Coty found herbs that held the opposite energy. As they used fire in their original spell, Dayton used water in the counter spell.

 As they used incantation, Ava wrote a new incantation with Hadir's help to cancel out the first one.

The important thing was that these elements held a fairly precise opposite energy to the original.

After this, they took all the opposites and constructed a ritual out of them. Simply incorporating all of the elements into a new counter spell. 

They sit in a circle and place all the elements in the middle of the circle.

As they place the last element, cold wind blows through the door. The wind turns to storm. The trees around the house gets swallowed by the dozen. Thousands of birds take off all at once and soar over the house.

Water gushes from the ground making its way to the trio. Ava and Coty close their eyes and hold on to each other tight.

Thankfully they had kept all the elements in an iron vessel. Three soldiers are formed from the water flowing towards them.

They start charging at Ava and Dayton.

One of the soldier throws a dagger at Coty. Dayton catches the dagger and throws it back killing a soldier.

Hadir Chants, ' Nassa thar, Nasaa Thar.'

"Keep them away. I cant stop the chanting!" howled Hadir.

As a soldiers tries to attack Dayton from behind Ava notices this and tumbles acrobatically and kicks the soldier.

Dayton and Ava lock gazes and smile at each other.

Ava fights another guard expertly.

Dayton exclaimed, "I didn't know you could fight this good?"

"I had no idea that I could fight this good."  Winks Ava.

Though she kills the guard he takes his form back and reappears. He grabs her by the throat. She knee's him and punches him on the face." How did you kill the first one?" she asked shouting at the top of her voice.

"I don't know I just threw the dagger as normal." A soldier meanwhile punches' Dayton, who immediately returns a blow.

Ava kicks the soldier hard in the stomach. She elbows and knees him in the face. She even cuts the soldiers throat with a sword but that doesn't help.

Ava looks back and Coty is barely able to stand with the vessel in her arms. Ava hurries towards Dayton and see's the soldier that had fallen down had the dagger stuck  to his chest.

So she assumes that they have to be stabbed in the chest. The water is the room is rising by the minute.

She tries out her theory on the guard but that doesn't help. They come back to life.

"So, I guess these are the death callers. huh?"

Dayton's sword gets stuck in the book shelf as he tries to stab a soldier. He tries to pull the sword out but as he was not able to. He turns and pick up the dagger and stabs a soldier. To his astonishment the soldier collapses.

He whistles to get Ava attention, throws the dagger towards her. She catches it and stabs the other soldier as well.

The water slowly starts to drain away. Ava runs towards Coty who faints into Ava's arms.

"Thanks my darling. You have been the bravest among us. Rest now." She carries Coty in her arms and they sit in a circle while Hadir still chanting away.

Musg-Ravit a transparent grey greenish stone falls on Ava's lap. She pushes the stone away in horror. 

Dayton bends down to pick up the stone, Ava kicks it away. Dayton stares at her fuming at her behavior. Ava runs back picks up the scroll and reads,' A human touching this stone will be addicted to its magic power and turn into a mindless monster.'

He pulls the scroll from her hand and reads it. "Why would they create such a stone if it creates a monster?" he asked.

"I don't know Day, Lets just not fall into the trap. That's all I would like to say."

He turns the scroll over to check if any instruction was provided on destroying the stone. Nothing.  So now they had to figure out a way to destroy it.

Dayton pushes the stone out with a help of a spoon. In their first attempt Ava and Dayton throw a big rock at the stone. The rock breaks but no scratch on Musg-Ravit.

They try to burn the stone. The stone just sits there without any change.

"Can you help us Hadir?" asked Ava.

"No. I am sorry." he murmured looking down.

"What else?" asks Dayton confused. 

"Why don't you use your form to destroy the stone? You can use your weight." suggested Ava.

"But he will have to touch the stone. That's not good." reminded Hadir.

"What then?" they sit on the porch. Trying to come up with an idea. Coty lays on the ground making her soil, she tries to regain strength.

"What if we ...." she stops disappointed not able to come up with any ideas.

"Why would anyone make something like this that cannot be destroyed, is beyond me."  whispered Ava.

"Maybe someone wanted me here forever. They surely did a good job at making sure I never leave." Dayton replies looking away he wipes tears off his face.

Ava looks at Dayton helplessly.

"I would have helped if I could Day." She said touching his shoulder.

Golden rays of sunlight light up the island.

The three stare miserably at the stone hoping that one of them might come up with a solution.

Ava realizes something with a wide smile she runs into the house. 

Hadir floats with her. "What are you doing?"

She picks up the stone with a spoon and runs towards the vertical water curtain and throws the stone against the water.

The stone disintegrates into pieces and falls on the ground and melts away.  As soon as the Musg-Ravit was destroyed the water falls down slowly and the island is at last free of the curse . The sun rays fall directly on the island for the first time in years.

Dayton runs towards Ava and hugs her tightly. Crying and thanking her for giving him a chance at a new life. "So, Mr. Dayton are you ready to leave the island and start a new adventure?" asked Ava.

Dayton smiled and hugged Ava again.

A new marking appears on Ava's forehead. Horns appear on her head curved in a  spiral shape. It almost looked like a crown. "I don't know what this is but it feels like a part of me." she said looking at her reflection.

Ava looked majestic. Dayton and Ava lock gazes as they share a smile.

"Ahem, birdies what about the baby?" asked Coty curiously. They sprint to check on the baby. 

. is in the