Folk Lore (26 page)

“Where are you going?” he asked her.

“To help.”

“No, you need to stay here with me.”

“I can’t stand by and watch this happen, my powers can help.”  Seeing her determined expression he conceded.

“OK but we go together.”

He took her to the end of the path and stopped.
“You can do it from here.”

She let the anger and anxiety inside consume her and projected it outwards. Vampires fell clasping their throats as she directed the heat from her hands at the enemy hazers. One by one they began to fall as the mystic army and protectors joined forces. The other princesses arrived to stand in a line next to Sera, each using their unique powers to destroy their foe.

Mecaldorf’s army started to dissipate and it seemed victory was at hand. As the crowd thinned, a figure emerged and Sera recognised Mecaldorf immediately. A bright light surrounded him,
which looked like some type a shield and in his hand was a swirling bubble like ball.

“Stand down,” he told his army and they lined up beside him. His warlocks emerged beside him and were chanting something she didn’t understand.
“There, she’s the one,” Mecaldorf told them before he chanted the same words.

The ball rose and grew as they repeated the incantation over and over.

The last thing she heard before her face hit the dirt, “No!”

33

Victory or Defeat

Sera rolled over, to discover Keelor within a bubble, his eyes closed. In an instant, she stood up and immediately knew how she came to be on the ground. Keelor protected her from Mecaldorf’s spell by pushing her aside and taking the brunt of the magic. She was the reason he was incarcerated. With her heart in her throat, she raced to the bubble floating slightly above the ground, and touched it. Her effort was rewarded with a scorched hand. Her skin healed quickly while her heart became heavy with dismay.

“I want the book and control of the lands,” Mecaldorf demanded.

“You don’t actually think we are going to hand it to you?” Kalar stepped forward.

“You will if you want your precious elfin
released
and you value the safety of the human princess.”

“It’s time,” Kalar told the princesses.

Although Sera stood helplessly next to Keelor she began to chant with the girls. Their large bubble swirled and swiftly grew to full size. The girls directed it towards their target. A large guffaw rang out as the bubble bounced off Mecaldorf’s shield.

“You do not think you were going to defeat me with your inadequate spells? I am more powerful than I have ever been before, thanks to your little river. I have been lowering the shield and entering your land as I please these past weeks. I have rejuvenated my youth and increased my power. Along with my warlocks here, there will be nothing you can do to stop us.
Now, the book.”

Grief, rage and angst swirled and built up inside Sera. For Keelor, who may have given his life for hers, for the loss of Sam, the ridiculous laws which dictated her life and lastly for the evil wizard standing before them. The heat filled every part of her body so she closed her eyes and let it take control. She could hear the elders discussing what they should do as her anger rose. They talked and
debated too much, action was needed. She began to recite the words for the incarceration chant as she projected every emotion through her body into her hands. She opened her eyes and directed the force directly at Mecaldorf.

At first glance Sera thought the shield would counteract her attack until a blinding, blue explosion filled the sky which left Mecaldorf standing unprotected. Everyone stood for endless moments mesmerised by her accomplishment, her power in this instant outdid anything they’d all witnessed from her before. Kalar was the first to break the silence.

“Princesses, the incantation.”

They all stepped forward and linked arms. Together they recited the words which would imprison the wizard for eternity. The bubble rose, this time encircled their target and as Mecaldorf tried in vain to fight off the magic it enclosed him. Mecaldorf plummeted into an instant trance sleep.

A cheer broke through their concentration as the army and protectors seized the remainder of the wizard’s army, now no more than twenty. They were forcefully escorted first from the village and then the lands.

“When the remainder have been removed from the lands we must lift the shield. It appears we will be required to ensure it is far stronger now,” Kalar said.
“We should convene in the gardens in an hour to amend this but first we need to attend to the injured. The army must protect the perimeter until the shield is restored.”

“What about Keelor?” Sera demanded.

“We will discuss what is to be done when we convene.”

As the others dispersed, Sera dropped to her knees beside the sleeping Keelor. Tears streamed down her face as the tension of the fight left her body and the despair for losing her loved ones intensified. Sam was lost to her and
Keelor
...

“
Seraphina?”
Nermo broke through her heartache.
“Are you hurt?”

“Stupid question, Nermo, my boys are lost to me
...
and I can heal myself. Not from this.”

“I am sorry for my foolishness however I find myself somewhat tongue tied in your presence.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to snap. It has been a difficult
...
few weeks.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“There isn’t anything to say.”

“If you need a friend, I would be more than happy to listen.”

“Is this what your vision saw?”

“Yes.”

“So you know it would be me to defeat Mecaldorf and Keelor would end up like this?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell m
e?”
She stood up, angry now. The heat began to radiate in her hands.

“Seraphina, please calm down so I can explain.”

She allowed the glow and anger to fade.
“Let’s hear it.”

“First off, I did tell you how powerful you are.”

“Yes I remember you saying something about that. What about Keelor?”

“This is why I said we would be together. I knew Keelor would protect you, I saw it happen.”

“Why didn’t you warn anyone?”

“I told the elders however they did not believe me. They said it was a trick which Mecaldorf placed in my mind to give us a false sense of hope for victory. The elders believed it would not happen this way. How wrong they were? If they had listened to me then all these innocent lives would have been saved.”

“My mother knew about this?”

“They all did. They all consulted their visions, which completely contradicted mine and they trusted their intuition.”

“How could their visions all be wrong?”

“Their visions change as the present changes. When they first consulted their psyche Nermina was still missing. After Nermina was retrieved, perhaps Mecaldorf changed his plans and thus changing
any future visions. They obviously have not consulted their visions again.”

“You still could have told me.”

“Would you have believed me? I told you numerous times we will be together.”

“They are going to leave Keelor like this?”

“Yes, he broke the law by being here after being banished. Incarceration is the punishment and the task is already completed for them.”

“They didn’t incarcerate the other banished folk.”

“They are probably not deemed important enough. Keelor breaking the law, particularly to Kalar, was like a personal betrayal. He has always been held in the highest esteem, him letting them down this way has
...
shamed Kalar. Although everything goes to a vote, she has a strong influence on the council.”

Sera’s heart broke, shattering into a thousand tiny pieces at her feet. Would they really leave him like this? Would she ever be with him again?

“I have to talk to my mother,” Sera decided.
“Maybe she can help.”

Nermo shrugged.

“You really don’t care what happens to him do you?’

“He was always the first to turn in a lawbreaker and then became one himself. I will not miss him, there is no love lost between us.”

“He is a decent and noble man, warrior, surely he deserves better than this.”

“It would depend who you asked.”

“He may have been stringent on the law and done things he wasn’t proud of but he changed.”

“More reason for this to be perceived as a personal betrayal to the council. He has always been an advocate for justice. To break the law the way he did, twice, will not be accepted by the council or Kalar in particular.”

“I’m going to find Mum.”

She turned to lovingly stare at the man she loved in the prison he, in a way, created.

“I love you, Keelor,” she whispered.
“I will never stop fighting for you.”

Without further words, she turned and left Nermo, who in her opinion was delusional.

34

Anna and her Vampire

Searching in all the obvious places for Anna, her hut, the gardens and even the council chambers proved fruitless and Sera began to wonder exactly where he mother could be. Her next stop was the forest and as she entered she heard quiet voices and laughter. One voice definitely sounded like her mother’s but Sera had never heard her sound quite so
...
she didn’t know what that was in the tone. The other voice sounded melodic yet raspy. She quietly edged closer to listen. She knew it wasn’t polite to eavesdrop but her interested was far to piqued to back out now.

“I have missed that wonderfully seductive laugh,
mon
cheri
, the last twenty years passed much slower than the three hundred before it.” 
Three hundred?
Sebastian?

“They were slow for me too, Seb. I thought I would never see you again.”

“When I heard the Mystic Lands were in danger, I wanted to help and it became an excuse to be allowed back again to see you.” 

Sera heard the unmistakable sounds of an exchanged kiss and she frowned. As much as she wouldn’t begrudge her mother some happiness, this was not the time!  How could Anna not realise how much Sera needed her right now? It was selfish to feel this way and Sera could understand how happy Anna would be to see her love again nevertheless, her annoyance surfaced. She stepped out from the shadows and cleared her throat.

“Seraphina,” Anna said as she stepped back startled.
“This is Sebastian.”

“Pleasure,” Sebastian said as he kissed her hand.

“Should I be l
etting you get so close to me?”
Sera asked astonished he dared to touch his lips to her skin.

“
Darling, I have limitless self-control.”
He laughed a deep throaty laugh.

Sera studied him for a moment. He was truly beautiful in the way she’d come to associate all vampires. His eyes a bright green held
a twinkling tease
and his black long wavy hair was tinged with red. His features although angular and sharp, were softened by his boyish smile and pale smooth skin. Sera could see the attraction. Shaking herself out of her scrutiny, Sera’s irritation at Anna resurfaced.

“I completely understand you’re need for this reunion but I really need to talk to you, Mum. I haven’t seen you for days and with Sam
...
Keelor
...”
Fresh tears spilled over again.

“Sera, honey, I’m sorry. I’m so used to you being so independent and when I saw Seb
...
there are no excuses.”

“I’ll leave you girls to it,” Sebastian told them before he disappeared.

“I’m sorry, Mum. I know how long you have waited to see him again.”

“It can wait longer.”

“Nermo told me he saw what was going to happen today, to Keelor.”

“Yes, he told the elders the day he was freed from his incarceration.”

“Why didn’t you believe him?”

“I did. I was one of few who did.”

“How could you let this happen, all those innocent folk?
Keelor?
Why didn’t you tell me? We could have done something. I would have told him to leave for real. We could have gone together.”

“That is probably why it wasn’t revealed because deep down the council knew you were the key in defeating Mecaldorf.”

“So what was Keelor, collateral damage?”

“Unfortunately yes, for the greater good, he was. You know he would be happy it helped to keep the lands safe.”

“Will they allow him to be freed?”