Chapter 10
2072 Words
Lyrah's eyes snapped open to the dimly lit room. She felt a very familiar presence and it was comforting. It was great crawling into this comforting warmth after feeling cold for such a long time. She tried to recollect her thoughts and figure out where she was when suddenly a large palm appeared before her and caressed the silver locks away from her face. The palm bathed her face with warmth and when the owner was about to pull it away, her hands snapped up and held the hand in place.
“Lyrah?” A familiar voice called.
Lyrah's eyes strayed towards the stranger and her heart almost jumped out of her chest when she saw who it was.
“Lord Mage!” She jerked up.
Tyran's hands went around her small shoulders as a wave of dizziness swept over her and almost sent her tumbling back onto the pillows. He let her slip back into the sheets softly and touched her forehead.
“You still have a fever.” He sighed tiredly and that was when Lyrah noticed that the pain around her thigh had reduced. Lord Mage must have used his energy to heal her. “Rest some more.”
Lyrah bit her lower lip. “Tyran--”
“I don't want to hear it.” Lyrah could very well pick the fury that Lord Mage was trying his best to keep in check. “What matters right now is that you get strong enough to get back home.”
“I'm not going back with you.” Lyrah said lightly, avoiding the intense eyes of her brother.
“What?” Tyran turned to her.
“I came here for a reason and I will not leave until I have achieved it.”
There was a moment of silence then Tyran asked in a thick voice. “I was hoping the reason you were here was because you were captured by the Dark King.”
Lyrah shook her head lightly. “I came here out of my own free-will.”
“And why would you do such a stupid and careless thing, Lyrah?” Tyran growled.
“Because King Rhol is the last hope the enchanted world has.”
Tyran got up and paced away from his sister. Lyrah could hear the rapid breathing. Yep, he was madder than she expected. “You risked your life to come here because you believe king Rhol can save the enchanted world? Have you taken the time to look around you lately? The male can hardly protect his people from the Ghouls, how can he protect everyone else?”
“You and King Rhol are ancient royal bloods. You are the strongest males in the enchanted world. You can--”
“Don't delude yourself with such fantasies, Lyrah!” Tyran roared. “You don't defy me, Lyrah. When I make a command you follow it. This world has become more dangerous than ever and the last thing I need right now is the last royal blood Mage female running around risking her life for beliefs that don't even make sense!”
Lyrah felt her heart twist painfully in her ribs. The words Tyran said offended her greatly and hurt her deeply. She wasn't some errant child that everyone took turns in reprimanding. She was a fully grown female who had a clear head and made sound decisions for herself. “If you couldn't control your mate, don't you dare thinking of ranting your anger at me, Tyran! I'm not your slave or one of you warriors where you can go and command whenever you feel like! I'm the Mage of Life for crying out loud! I can take care of myself and I will stand up for my beliefs. For once, why don't you look around you? What exactly are you doing for the enchanted world? People are dying in every corner of this heavens-forsaken world. You are the first suspect on everyone's list. While the Dragon Queen has aligned with you, its the same dragons that are setting our villages on fire and hunting down royal convoys. And then there are the Fae and the Sorcerers! What is one male like you doing to do against all these forces?”
“It doesn't concern you!”
“It does because I happen to be one of the many people living in this world.” Lyrah shot back. “Just accept it, you need the Realm of the Dark on your side.”
Tyran raked his hands through his hair and turned to his sister. “Do you know the reason why the Realm of the Dark is not trusted by other Realms? Have you ever asked Rhol why this is so?”
“I know many stories have been said about this Realm and most of them are not true.”
Tyran chuckled bitterly. “You don't even have the slightest clue, do you?”
Lyrah frowned lightly. Tyran was ruthless but he was never a liar. “What are you talking about?”
“You are still oblivious to everything around you that you have no idea how much danger you've put yourself in at this moment.” Tyran turned to Lyrah.
Lyrah shook her head. “I can never be harmed in this place.”
“You are so sure of yourself, aren't you? What guarantee to you have?” Tyran quirked his eyebrow at her.
Lyrah gulped hard. Because King Rhol is my mate. Oh, how she wanted to say those words to her brother but she wasn't ready for the fury that would erupt from him especially when he was already angry. “Because I am still alive until this moment.”
“You were barely alive, Lyrah!” Tyran growled.
“I know I over-used my energy but--”
“When you disregard your own health, you as the Mage of Life, then what am I supposed to do? Do you really expect me to stand aside while you destroy yourself?”
“I didn't say that....” suddenly the dark balmy feeling crawled up Lyrah's skin.
Her eyes widened as suddenly, white veins pulsed up and down Tyran's hands and his eyes glow in white energy.
“You feel it too?” She whispered lightly.
“You need to leave this place immediately!” Tyran turned to the door. There were distinct slow footsteps coming from the other side of the door. As the footsteps came closer to the door, Tyran had already fashioned his signature double energy blades.
Lyrah felt as if the evil was caressing her skin with its crude claws. Her gut tightened to the point she thought she was going to retch. A cold sweat broke on her forehead as the footsteps stopped in front of the door. There was silence for a moment and it felt like years. Pure evil pulsed from the other side of the door. Tyran watched in intently, ready to attack at any moment.
Suddenly the evil abruptly disappeared and both Lyrah and Tyran were given but a nano second to react as large black puffs and swirls of smoke engulfed the room.
Lyrah choked and her eyes teared as the entire room was filled with the evil-reeking smoke.
“Tyran!” Lyrah screamed trying to make out where her brother was in all that dark smoke but all she could see was the fast moving energy blades slicing through the unseen enemy. The dark smoke swelled even more, robbing the room of all the oxygen.
Lyrah gagged as she felt the dark smoke enter her throat and down into her lungs, burning its way in while at it! Tears sprang out of her eyes as she tried to fight it off. An eerie and evil chuckle rang through the room.
Lyrah closed her eyes and concentrated on the little energy that she was able to attain from Tyran during the healing session and let it radiate out of her. Beams of yellow energy like sun rays after the storm passed burst out of her. The black smoke screeched and retreated.
Suddenly the door burst open and all Lyrah could see was large spider-like claws hacking into the air. Her eyes widened in fear as they made their way towards her. The fear increased the flow of energy within her. The dark smoke retreated from her with haunting howls of pain and anger.
The swirls began to coalesce into the menace. Suddenly Tyran came into severing the tentacles making their way to him. At every slice, the energy sizzled the dark magic and a nauseating and pungent smell rose.
The Jinn screeched in retaliation and attacked viciously at Tyran. His eyes were crazed and black spittle ran down his mouth. His body twitched as if it was not his own and his skin had taken on a pale sickening color. The black evil had finally found a host! Lyrah jerked up and her movement caught the Jinn's attention. He turned to her and a cruel smile appeared on his face as he sent tentacles racing towards her. Lyrah's body was laden yet again because she had used so much of her energy. She watched helplessly as the poisonous blade-like tentacles raced towards her and before they touched her something large appeared in front of her, blocking her from the assault. The slurping sound of the tentacles slicing into flesh made bile boil up into Lyrah's mouth but she didn't have time to act as suddenly large arms scooped her from the bed and took her away from the danger.
Lyrah was able to catch a quick glimpse of her brother striking the killing blow of the momentarily-distracted Jinn by beheading him. The Jinn shrieked and dropped on his knees. Black blood oozed from his body as if it were alive.
“Destroy the blood!” Lyrah was able to scream to her brother as her savior dropped to his knees.
Lyrah turned to see Rhol fighting for breath. His face had contorted into that of utter pain. “Rhol!” Lyrah cried helplessly but Rhol was already lost in the world of the unconscious. His heavy body collapsed and Lyrah was surprised that he was still thinking of her well-being as he pushed her away from him to prevent her from being crushed by his body.
More of that poisonous smell rose from the black blood as Tyran let out a burst of white energy on it. The Jinn body disintegrated into ashes right in front of them but Lyrah wasn't worried about all that. With shaky hands, she touched the male in front of her. So much blood was gushing from his back where he was attacked.
“Get up, Lyrah!” Tyran's voice rang into the room as he ran to her.
Zafrina and several other Jinns appeared in the room. Zafrina sipped a breath when she saw Rhol on the floor.
“What the f**k happened here?” She demanded.
“We were attacked by one of your own.” Tyran rasped picking up Lyrah as if she weighed nothing.
“That's impossible!” Zafrina objected as several Jinn males carried Rhol and flashed to the infirmary.
“He wasn't in his right mind.” Lyrah quickly added.
“A Jinn tried to kill my sister!” Tyran roared then turned to Lyrah. “You still think you are safe here?”
“Zafrina!” Lyrah turned desperately towards the commander. “The dark evil was here again. Remember what happened yesterday? Did happened again.”
“He was possessed?” Zafrina frowned lightly.
Tyran gritted his teeth. “It seems the Jinns have sided with the sorcerers. And you want me to trust them? Are you in your right mind?”
“It's not like that, Tyran. Please listen to me.”
“I think I have listened enough foolishness from you for one day and it almost you your life. I'm not negotiating with you anymore.” Tyran turned to the two commanders standing at the door. “Carry her out if you have to.”
“No!” Lyrah screamed catching everyone's attention.
They all turned to her, stunned into silence.
“I am not going anywhere because...” she stuttered looking hysterically at Zafrina then her brother. She gulped hard and continued. “Because King Rhol is my mate!”
- Writer
