COF 6: The Last Oracle

18 | Stop (I)

Pain speared through her brain. She reached her limit. Her magic was close to none right now. More time. She needed more time...

Xanthy screamed as she sent her magic forward towards her original goal. The Virtakios surged, sparked, and ate at everything it came across. Outside Xanthy's spell, screams of rage and surprise rocked the battlefield. It took Xanthy a few minutes to realize it was coming from everyone around her apart from her targets.

Fool. She cursed.

It's too late to turn back now. Xanthy pushed forward, breaking through more barricades of magic as she got closer and closer to the glowing heart at the middle of it all. Go. Faster.

Then, pain exploded from her gut. A hitched cry escaped from Xanthy's throat as her form's knees buckled. She fell to the ground. The crack of her joints hitting the soil was a loud beat in her head. What happened? Fool. The taunting voices bore upon her head until she believed them. She was a fool.

Xanthy turned too late. A blast of pure magic shattered Xanthy's magic down to the last shards. All at once, the Virtakios sped back to Xanthy's veins in a rush of nausea and vomit.

She retched. The sudden absence of sharpened senses left her disoriented. The sunlight blinded her. The battle still raged up ahead. Xanthy pushed herself up from the ground and touched a sore spot in her stomach. What was that about?

June's form was hurtling to the ground.

April screamed as she charged at the doors of her cell. The Virtakios's leash on her magic suddenly snapped earlier. It's time. She spread her wings, the cramped, clay cell impeding her from spreading it fully. It would have to do. Grunting, she summoned her magic and flapped her wings, once.

A blast of wind slammed into the flimsy wooden grates. The poor barricade popped out of its sockets and flew a few distance from the cells. Immediately, guards were on their feet to try to apprehend her. She grinned. These simpletons were no match for her and all the ones who could were out on the battlefield. It's time.

April flapped her wings and rose to the ground. Traps designed by those infernal ice sprites sped towards her. She tucked her wings and twirled out of the traps' grip. She sailed higher, eyes searching for her sole target.

There. Watching from the battlements. Too exposed for April's convenience.

April dived low towards a pile of swords she spied. Her eye caught a sleek sword made of dwarven metal. Good. Better.

She was on the air again. The sword never once felt heavy on her grasp. This was it. She was fulfilling her goal. After she was done, she would marshal the Seelie Court, put a stop to this idiotic war, and reign as the High Queen over all the island. She would demolish every royal family that dared challenge her authority on the throne. She would be the final authority.

She angled her legs forward and tucked her wings, landing on the battlements behind her brother. "Hello, June," April rasped before ramming her sword straight into her brother's gut.

A dagger clattered to the ground from his hand. He hissed. His body betrayed him and he slumped against April. The air sprite laughed. She did it.

She did it.

"April..." her brother rasped. Go on. Die faster, you idiot.

"I'm...sorry," June found the last of his strength to push himself off April and look into her eyes. They're wretched. Dark, fluid pools which reminded April of rancid writing ink. "I'm so sorry..."

Rage filled April's veins. She screamed as she drove the sword deeper into her brother, the other end coming out of his body. Blood splattered into her clothes, her wings, her hair. She didn't care. Another shriek tore off her throat as she drove her brother to the edge of the wall, pulling the sword clean. She watched his body fall. The world slowed.

April's chest heaved from the rush of emotions she couldn't quite understand. She did it so why...why was she feeling guilt?

The earth shook as if in anger. It's time to get out of here.