Chapter 22 – All Good Things Come to an End
“Mr. Knudlac, do you think it’s okay for me to take part in this event? I think it was more appropriate if Alexander ... I drove him mad and I think I ruined our friendship.”
“My dear, if anyone ever ceases to be your friend, it means you’ve never been a friend of his. In life you’ll meet many people ... but only a few are true friends.”
The girl thought a little of Mr. Knudlac's wise words, then she continued:
“But, my participation ...”
“You were chosen for your magic power that’s amazing even for the oldest wizards. They saw hope in you. So everything is as it should be.”
“Is it true that only the most powerful wizards participated in this contest?”
“No, but it's true that everyone who won this contest became very powerful wizards.”
“For example?”
“For example Vladimir Dragoesti. Before winning this contest he was one of the weakest. Everyone made jokes about him and laughed at him before taking part in this contest. And now…”
“But he’s a bad man. He killed ...”
The girl stopped. That thought even after all this time gave her goosebumps and filled her heart with anger against that man.
“Yeah, he's a bad wizard. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the most powerful wizards. He was misguided. He believes that if he kills other wizards he’ll become stronger, taking their powers.”
“Is that true?”
“Sometimes, under specific conditions, a wizard killing another wizard can learn secrets of one or more of the victim’s spells. That spell can be powerful. More powerful spells on the same wizard means power.”
“Power is ... It's good to have power.”
“It's not bad to be strong. Still, we must consider how we use power and for what purpose. Vladimir chose his path. I chose my path. And you’ll have to choose your path. I just hope you make good choices. And never forget that our choices build the path we chose to follow. They build us.”
The girl looked at the professor and smiled back to him.
“You won this contest too, didn't you?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Was it hard?”
“Yes, especially when I had a test like you in the Ancient Forest.”
Mr. Knudlac's voice was slightly shaky. He probably had his reason. Because the jury and the competitors were now in the most dangerous area in which a man ever set foot ... The Ancient Forest.
Yes, it’s the same forest, called by almost everyone the Black Forest where someone was about to die because of that ogre. The forest where so many wizards were lost.
“Why was this place chosen for the last test?”
“That's how it was meant to be. As always, the location for the event was chosen by those who organize this contest. The Magic Consulate inspired by ... magic.”
Mr. Knudlac turned the magic wand and showed the girl how the locations for the three events were chosen. The first image showed how in a playful top hat magic letters and words were mixed, thrown there by three members of the Magic Consulate. Then each of the three, using their wand, took out some letters and words from that top hat and blew them away.
When everyone finished doing this, the letters and words were ordered by themselves writing the text:
Where there is no heat,
And they hate the sunshine treat,
Water does not flow but flies,
First time in cold winds, blue skies ...
"That's how I came to Nakutsck's land," Knudlac said.
The second text also appeared:
After all the cold and ice,
Fate has pleased us, it was nice.
In the sun and sky so clear,
Barefoot on fine sand, oh dear.
Back again, here’s the team,
From warm sand to ... happy swim.
“Purple oasis ... And the last test will take place in the Ancient Forest.”
“It seems to be the most dangerous location. Given that problem with the ogre,” said Elizabeth fearfully.
“Don’t worry, my dear. I took this into account and asked a few friends to supplement the staff responsible for protecting you.”
Knudlac gestured questioningly at a stone elf, who appeared to be Rujnoiu ... or if it wasn’t him, he had a twin brother, for sure, because he looked like him. He smiled at the professor, sign that everything was ready. The stone elf pointed to several directions where other stone elves could be seen who stayed alert to everything that was going on around them.
Competitors Fahria, Jiao Long and Elizabeth Catherine Edwards were ready for the contest, all of them visibly nervous.
“I know this Forest seems a little scary. But I took care personally to eliminate any danger. And the number of wizards charged with your protection doubled, thanks to the stone elves’ help, Mr. Knudlac’s friends.”
The words spoken belonged to Princess Eowyn, also having the desired effect. The three competitors when they learned about how much their safety was valued, were happy. Nothing can be calmer than realizing that someone watches over you, just as a mother comforts you when you have nightmares. As for the rumours about Ancient Forest, surely many who went through it had nightmares for a long time if they survived.
“The parchment is hidden in the Forest in an area protected by a very strong field,” continued Princess Eowyn. “A magic known only to my peers ...”
The elf princess smiled. She gave power to the competitors, turning their fear into courage.
“The test will be as follows: each of you will spend at most three days, when you have to cross a distance of about twenty miles, until near the top of Arthpati Mountain. And when you get to the top, you have to fight a magic creature. But the fight will not be straight ... physical. It will be rather a fight of attention, insight and wisdom. A swamp prince, which you will easily recognize as he looks like a huge male frog, will have a riddle for you.”
The princess stopped explaining, shook the three children’s hands and smiled.
“Don’t worry, there is no condition to prevent you from crossing this distance together. Still, once at the end of the road you have to solve individually some riddles whose answer is known only by the swamp prince. Also, an army of wizards will be responsible for your protection. They’ll save you from any danger even if you’re eliminated from the competition.
Indeed, more wizards than Johnny could ever count, were behind the three competitors.
The wizard-guardians left gradually, one by one, then three, four or even more at the same time, heading resolutely to the places entrusted to them.
“Everything is ready for the last test to begin!” concluded Princess Eowyn.
In the cheers of the crowd gathered there, but with far fewer spectators compared to the previous tests, Fahria, Jiao Long, and Elizabeth advanced farther into that vastness of trees, called the Ancient Forest.
The competitors finally had to fight for the last parchment. The most valuable, much more valuable than the other two won on the occasion of the first two events, as some called it, the Divine Parchment. A parchment for which many competitors fought each other, as the three now had to do when they were to reach Mount Arthpati.
Jiao Long chose to run to cross that 20-mile distance. By the way he ran, by the strength and the speed that characterized him, he would surely manage to cross that distance in less than two days.
Fahria moved a little slower than the boy who passed among the trees like a wolf chasing his prey, but only because she ... moved not among the trees but on their branches.
The elf girl moved on those branches of the trees as if she walked on a path, so easily she flew from one branch to another. The truth is that the trees were huge in the Ancient Forest. The branches on which Fahria moved were as thick as a path. And the branches of such a huge tree met a branch of another tree and so on, making that path for Fahria uninterrupted.
But even so, it would be impossible for many to run along these wooden paths, as these forest elves did.
Elizabeth also ran among the trees, on the ground, just as Jiao Long did, except for the speed. She could barely keep up with the elf flight among the branches.
Elizabeth was lucky. The elf girl felt pity for Elizabeth. When she saw Elizabeth was a little behind, she slowed down too.
The forest was frightening because of the stories heard about it since they hadn’t seen any terrible creature yet. It was clear that the organizers of this event made sure there was no danger on the way. Moreover, from time to time a professor came to encourage the competitors, because they were still children even if one of them was several hundred years old...
…
It's been evening for more than a few hours. The sky with a great deal of stars looked wonderful through the tree branches in the Ancient Forest. Everything was so brilliant and magic as if they were in fairies’ forest.
But ... even that magic sky trembled at a creepy scream of who knows what creature in this time immemorial forest.
Elizabeth and Fahria sat by a small fire blowing up hot fireflies. The little stars meeting real fireflies in the air went off like long-lost stars.
Jiao Long was near them too. He could be much further than them, but that’s what he wanted, to be close to the girls. Maybe he felt safer near the two girls.
“I think I'll try to sleep. I'm really tired,” Elizabeth told Fahria.
“Yes, it’s better to have a rest,” said the elf girl.
“What about you…?”
"We sleep less than you, humans do," said the girl, smiling.
Elizabeth, who wasn’t used to exerting herself as she did today, fell fast asleep.
Fahria smiled at Jiao Long good night. When he was seen looking at them, he hid like a puppy who made a mistake in front of his master and realized that.
The elf girl continued to admire the stars and the fireflies around her. Both those coming out of the flames and those who flew everywhere, illuminating that forest, like stars that decided to descend from the sky to have a rest near the Earth.
…
A terrible scream suddenly woke Elizabeth from her deep sleep. The girl jumped to her feet as if she were a soldier awakened by the sergeant for instruction, a few hours before the alarm.
“What was that?” asked the girl, scared.
"I don't know," said Fahria, slightly frightened too. I don’t know all the creatures that live on these lands. I also heard some more terrible screams tonight, which scared me too.”
"I didn't hear anything ... I was probably too tired," Miss Edwards said, wiping her eyes.
“We have a keen sense of hearing ... and sight too. We can hear and see things even two, three days apart.”
Jiao Long slowly approached the girls. He gave the clear impression that he looked for something in particular. It was obvious he was scared too and he thought it would be better to have companions on their way to their final destination.
“I think it would be better for us to continue our journey together, at least until we reach that Swamp Prince,” Fahria suggested.
Jiao Long agreed with a brief nod and a smile. As for Elizabeth ... she wanted that from the beginning.
The three started their journey, looking left and right hoping to see one or two wizards appointed to take care of them.
This would probably reassure the children, but it didn’t happen. They couldn’t see any guardian.
…
"Finally," said Elizabeth, looking behind her, wondering how small the things behind them were. I think in a few hours the sun will set and I don’t want to spend the evening on this mountain.
The tallest trees seemed smaller now than just fresh-cut grass. The paths were nowhere to be seen. The long river along which they travelled a great deal of the journey was now a thin blue trickle. The immense meadow they crossed in a few hours yesterday could now be covered reaching out and a hand near it.
“How small everything is.”
“Where's that Prince? I can’t see him anywhere ...”
Jiao Long began to search for the Swamp Prince.
“Prince! Prin ... ce!”
No response from any frog prince. Only a scarier scream than anything a human ever heard, a howl as only a creature from the depths of hell could give out. In fact ... A scream that none of the children ever heard of except Fahria.
“I swear on Sacred Trees. It’s a Lycanthrope!”
“A what?!”
Elizabeth couldn’t finish her sentence because her Hawk came while a shadow was running through the thickets, behind the cliffs...
"A kind of werewolf," Jiao Long said.
“Compared to the Lycanthrope, the werewolf is like a lamb near the wolf. The lycanthrope is much stronger and faster.”
The hawk was very nervous, especially since his wing hurt because he was bitten not long ago.
That Lycanthrope, or rather his shadow, because no matter what that beast was, it seems you couldn't see him, so fast he was, screamed and roared, getting closer and closer to the little wizards.
“What’s this creature? What does it look like?” Elizabeth asked, with the wand ready and the hawk on her shoulder.
“I never saw one. I’ve only heard such beasts screaming. Only adult elves could kill them. I heard they’re so fast that you can't see what they look like. But I read about it. It’s a wolf cursed to be cruel and blood-thirsty. Damned to kill any living thing. But…”
“But what?” Jiao Long asked.
“Only the oldest elf wizards know this curse. Such curse hadn’t been put on anybody for hundreds of years. They’re forbidden.”
Again that blood-curdling howl able to freeze even hell flames…now even closer.
When they heard again the scream, a unicorn came. He was pitch-black, except the horn, the mane and the tail that had the colour of just polished gold. The mane and the tail were so beautiful, that one could say he borrowed the hair from fairies, so long and thick it was.
"He's my Guardian," Fahria told Elizabeth. Lynvith ...”
A snow leopard came too. He was definitely Jiao Long’s protector. But when he heard the loud and grieving howl of that lycanthrope, the feline’s ears got so flabby as if he were a frightened cat forced to face the bloodiest dog.
But even so frightened, the snow leopard sat in front of Jiao Long, ready to give his life for his master and friend at the same time, as this is what a guardian would do.
Fahria's unicorn was a real work of magic... art. As he rose to his feet and shook his golden mane, due to the light arrows of the sun that reached the top of the horn, it almost blinded Jiao Long and Elizabeth from so much glitter.
Even in the midst of the real danger, the two smiled slightly when they saw that imposing creature, which not only amazed them, but also gave them courage.
But ... they gazed enough. They had no time left, because at one point a strange creature stopped near a very thick bush, not far from the three young wizards and their Guardians.
The guardians, though fearful, showed they were prepared for any danger. The snow leopard showed his fangs like sharp daggers, pinched like a saw. He was ready to tear up whatever attacked his master.
The unicorn rose on its hind legs, and when he finally touched the ground, it trembled and everyone felt the ground shuddering beneath their feet, so loud he hoofed. Besides, he waved his sharp horn to the place where the odious creature was supposed to be, showing the monster that he would suffer greatly with that ivory dagger stuck in his flesh.
Even the little hawk flew in small circles around Elizabeth, arching his body from time to time showing his claws as if he wanted to catch a prey. He let Elizabeth know he would use his sharp weapons ready to die for his master.
The three young wizards were also ready with their wands, holding them like fencing swords.
“Come on, creature!”
“Just you have the guts to come!”
The creature's response was to throw something at those waiting for him.
It was a body almost as big as an adult man, but green and looking like a ... fat frog. The body of the unhappy being was full of serious wounds and bites, breathless.
"The prince ..." Jiao Long said, frightened.
Just then the snow leopard jumped to the bush where the monster's heavy breath was heard. They heard a grieving howl of the feline, sign he had no chance in front of that creature.
“San Pei! No!” shouted Jiao Long.
Hikkaido's contestant wanted to run to rescue his Guardian, but fear stopped him. Even better, because the strong feline flew from that bush, thrown like a kitten, more than fifty cubits from the bush. Jiao Long's only comfort was when the cat meowed like a kitten hitting the ground, sign that he was still alive. Though, poor guardian was very close to death. For he seemed more dead than alive. Still his meow showed the boy that his Guardian didn’t die.
He wiped away his tears and shouted:
“Just you have the guts to get closer!”
The lycanthrope no longer waited for another invitation and jumped at unbelievable speed from the bush directly to them. All you could see if you looked at the three wizards’ spot was a huge fur ball that could not be seen very well because of his speed, wobbling for a couple of moments.
After those moments, Fahria lay on the ground, thrown like a leaf blown in the wind. She was banged against a tree and lost consciousness. Jiao Long followed, just as easily slammed to the ground after he covered, in the air, a distance of about twenty cubits. A loud noise was heard when he hit the ground, followed by his grieving scream. He also lay on the ground, motionless.
The big and powerful unicorn disappeared among the large and thick bushes. His golden horn was now between the beast's jaws. The ease, with which the beast managed to snatch that unicorn, as if it were a dog playing with a ball, clearly proved the unusual strength of that creature. Only this dog, as you could see, did not play at all.
This was what Elizabeth could within the few moments of the attack.
Even if the creature left with the unicorn in his mouth, he would surely come back soon after her, she thought. Therefore, she didn't breathe in relief when the monster had left, but was even more scared. Especially since she was alone now ... even her Guardian had left her.
“Professor Knudlac! Miss Harmony!” the girl shouted as loud as she could.
Soon the girl realized it wasn’t the best idea to cry for help.
The Lycanthrope was there in the blink of an eye staring at Elizabeth the way a wolf looked at his prey. The beast approached slowly, slowly, like a lion that did not want to scare his prey. Elizabeth could see his mouth with huge fangs, with blood tricling down, surely not his blood but of its victims.
Fahria's unicorn came too, limping, with wounds at the muzzle, probably scratches caused by the monster. His horn was whole, sign that the Lycanthrope wasn’t used to meet another creature to withstand his destructive power so he gave up attacking the Guardian. At least for now ...
The girl was glad to see the unicorn was alive, as much as a human can enjoy the others’ chance when she faces death. And "death" was getting closer, so Elizabeth managed to see him better.
His front paws were larger than his back legs, covered by a large bear’s muscles. Its shape was wolfish, but he walked like a gorilla.
She stopped studying the monster, for the creature was close to Elizabeth, and his only thought was to smash the girl.
The girl took as many steps back as she could holding a thick branch in her hand to protect herself from that huge, bloody wolf. But she tripped over a tree root and fell on her back.
The creature finally came near the girl. She was more frightened than a man could be in the most terrible nightmare. Standing over her, approaching his huge jaws with enormous teeth to the girl’s face, the creature looked like smiling, foreteling that something brutal would happen that seemed to highlight his pleasure to kill.
The girl struck hard at the creature's jaws, but he grabbed that thick branch and tore it apart as if it were just a stick, leaving only half of that weapon in the girl's hand.
Miss Edwards was lost. Even she believed that, but not her Guardian. The little hawk descended from where he was in the air with speed and clung to the bloody creature’s mouth. He began to snatch with his beak pieces of fur and flesh from the mouth of the Lycanthrope.
She screamed again, but not as before. This time it was a cry of pain. He tried to catch the hawk with his claws, but failed, sign that something was going on. Smoke began to come out from the creature's mouth, his limbs failed to obey him and suddenly something seemed to poison his whole body. Howls and screams of a wolf about to die were now heard from the Lycanthrope.
Elizabeth saw that the wolf-creature was started shrinking.
The hawk stopped attacking and landed on his master's shoulder watching calmly the huge Lycanthrop shrinking more and more until he became an old, skinny wolf.
Scared and confused, physically destroyed and suffering from the curse put on him, the old wolf collapsed exhausted to the ground, barely breathing.
The Divine Parchment fell of the wolf’s ear. It had belonged to the Swamp Prince. The parchment was now there, falling to the ground off the monster's ear when he began shrinking.
The girl took the parchment in her hand and read:
“Antimagic ...”
Then the Parchment disappeared, turned to dust.
The girl felt at once on her neck, under her ear, a tattoo taking shape. Unlike the other tattoos, it was a hollow circle. That’s all the girl could see being drawn on her body..
Unaware, she headed for Fahria in a hurry, looking at that wolf. She was much quieter now, because that Lycanthrope had been killed forever.
Hardly had she taken three steps towards the elf girl, when rumbles were heard everywhere. The area got populated with people wearing capes.
Elizabeth was scared thinking they were the guys who cursed the wolf, as Fahria had said. Yet, when she saw Miss Harmony’s smiling happy face when she found Elizabeth alive, and then Professor Knudlac ... the girl sighed in relief as tears kept streaming down her cheeks.
She ran to Miss Harmony.
"My dear, it's over," said Miss Harmony, relieved as well when she saw that wolf breathless. “I thought that…”
“That's how it was meant to be. As always, the location for the event was chosen by those who organize this contest. The Magic Consulate inspired by ... magic.”
Mr. Knudlac turned the magic wand and showed the girl how the locations for the three events were chosen. The first image showed how in a playful top hat were mixed magic letters and words, thrown there by three members of the Magic Consulate. Then each of the three, using their wand, took out some letters and words from that top hat and blew them away.
When everyone finished doing this, the letters and words were ordered by themselves writing the text:
Where there is no heat,
And they hate the sunshine treat,
Water does not flow but flies,
First time in cold winds, blue skies ...
"That's how I came to Nakutsck's land," Knudlac said.
The second text also appeared:
After all the cold and ice,
Fate has pleased us, it was nice.
In the sun and sky so clear,
Barefoot on fine sand, oh dear.
Back again, here’s the team,
From warm sand to ... happy swim.
“Purple oasis ... And the last test will take place in The Antic Forest.”
“It seems to be the most dangerous location. Given that problem with the ogre,” said Elizabeth fearfully.
“Don’t worry, my dear. I took this into account and asked a few friends to supplement the staff responsible for protecting you.”
Knudlac gestured questioningly at a stone elf, who appeared to be Rujnoiu ... or if it wasn’t him, he had a twin brother, for sure, because he looked like him. He smiled at the professor, a sign that everything was ready. The stone elf pointed to several directions where other stone elves could be seen who stayed alert to everything that was going on around them.
Competitors Fahria, Jiao Long and Elizabeth Catherine Edwards were ready for the contest, all of them visibly nervous.
“I know this Forest seems a little scary. But I took care personally to eliminate any danger. And the number of wizards charged with your protection has been doubled, thanks to the stone elves’ help, Mr. Knudlac’s friends.”
The words spoken belonged to Princess Eowyn, also having the desired effect. The three competitors when they learned about how much their safety vas valued, were happy. Nothing can be calmer than realizing that someone watches over you, just as a mother comforts you when you have nightmares. And for the rumors about Ancient Forest, surely many who went through it had nightmares for a long time if they survived.
“The parchment is hidden in the Forest in an area protected by a very strong field,” continued Princess Eowyn. “A magic known only to my peers ...”
The elf princess smiled. She gave the competitors’ power turning their fear into courage.
“The test will be as follows: Each of you will spend at most three days, when you have to cross a distance of about twenty miles, until near the top of Arthpati Mountain. And when you get to the top, you have to fight a magic creature. But the fight will not be straight ... physical. It will be rather a fight of attention, insight and wisdom. A swamp prince, which you will easily recognize as he looks like a huge male frog, will have a riddle for you.
The princess stopped explaining, shook the three children’s hands and smiled.
“Don’t worry, there is no condition to prevent you from crossing this distance together. Still, once at the end of the road you will have to solve individually some riddles whose answer is known only by the swamp prince. Also, an army of wizards will be responsible for your protection. They will save you from any danger even if you are eliminated from the competition.
Indeed, more wizards than Johnny could ever count, were behind the three competitors.
The wizard-guardians left gradually, one by one, then three, four or even more at the same time, heading resolutely to the places entrusted to them.
“Everything is ready for the last test to begin!” concluded Princess Eowyn.
In the cheers of the crowd gathered there, but with far fewer spectators compared to the previous tests, Fahria, Jiao Long, and Elizabeth advanced farther into that vastness of trees, called the Ancient Forest.
The competitors finally had to fight for the last parchment. The most valuable, much more valuable than the other two won at the first two events, as some called it, the Divine Parchment. A parchment for which many competitors fought each other, as the three now had to do when they were to reach Mount Arthpati.
Jiao Long chose to run to cross that 20-mile distance. By the way he ran, by the strength and the speed that characterized him, he would surely manage to cross that distance in less than two days.
Fahria moved a little slower than the boy who passed among the trees like a wolf chasing his prey, but only because she ... moved not among the trees but on their branches.
The elf girl moved on those branches of the trees as if she were walking on a path, so easily she flew from one branch to another. The truth is that the trees were huge in the Ancient Forest. The branches on which Fahria moved were as thick as a path. And the branches of such a huge tree met a branch of another tree and so on, making that path for Fahria uninterrupted.
But even so, it would have been impossible for many to run along these wooden paths, as these forest elves did.
Elizabeth also ran among the trees, on the ground, just as Jiao Long did, except for the speed. She could barely keep up with the elf flight among the branches.
Elizabeth was lucky. The elf girl felt pity for Elizabeth. When she saw Elizabeth was a little behind, she slowed down too.
The forest was frightening because of the stories heard about it since they hadn’t seen any terrible creature yet. It was clear that the organizers of this event made sure that there was no danger on the way. Moreover, from time to time a professor came to encourage the competitors, because they were still children even if one of them had several hundred years...
…
It's been evening for more than a few hours. The sky with a great deal of stars looked wonderful through the tree branches in the Ancient Forest. Everything was so brilliant and magic asif they were in fairies’ forest.
But ... even that magic sky trembled at a creepy scream of who knows what creature in this time immemorial forest.
Elizabeth and Fahria were sitting by a small fire blowing up hot fireflies. The little stars meeting real fireflies in the air went off like long-lost stars.
Jiao Long was near them too. He could be much further than them, but that’s what he wanted, to be close to the girls. Maybe felt safer near the two girls.
“I think I'll try to sleep. I'm really tired,” Elizabeth told Fahria.
“Yes, it is better to have a rest,” said the elf girl.
“What about you…?”
"We sleep less than you, humans do," said the girl, smiling.
Elizabeth, who wasn’t used to exerting herself as she did today, fell fast asleep.
Fahria smiled at Jiao Long good night. When he was seen looking at them, he hid like a puppy who made a mistake in front of his master and realized that.
The elf girl continued to admire the stars and the fireflies around her. Both those coming out of the flames and those who flew everywhere, illuminating that forest, like stars that decided to descend from the sky to have a rest near the Earth.
…
A terrible scream suddenly woke Elizabeth from her deep sleep. The girl jumped to her feet as if she had been a soldier awakened by the sergeant for instruction, a few hours before the alarm.
“What was that?” asked the girl, scared.
"I don't know," said Fahria, slightly frightened too. I don’t know all the creatures that live on these lands. I also heard some more terrible screams tonight, which scared me too.”
"I didn't hear anything ... I was probably too tired," Miss Edwards said, wiping her eyes.
“We have a keen sense of hearing ... and sight too. We can hear and see things even two, three days apart.”
Jiao Long slowly approached the girls. He gave the clear impression that he was looking for something in particular. It was obvious that he was scared too and he thought it would be better to have companions on their way to their final destination.
“I think it would be better for us to continue our journey together, at least until we reach that Prince of the Marshes,” Fahria suggested.
Jiao Long agreed with a brief nod and a smile. As for Elizabeth ... she wanted that from the beginning.
The three started their journey, looking left and right hoping to see one or two wizards appointed to take care of them.
This would probably reassure the children, but it didn’t hppen. They couldn’t see any guardian.
…
"Finally," said Elizabeth, looking behind her, wondering how small the things behind them were. I think in a few hours the sun will set and I don’t want to spend the evening on this mountain.
The tallest trees seemed smaller now than just fresh-cut grass. The paths were nowhere to be seen. The long river along which they traveled a great deal of the journey was now thin blue tricle. The immense meadow they crossed in a few hours yesterday could now be covered reaching out and a hand near it.
“How small everything is.”
“Where's that Prince? I can’t see him anywhere ...”
Jiao Long began to search for the Swamp Prince.
- Prince! Prin ... ce!”
No response from any frog prince. Only a scarier scream than anything a human had ever heard, a howl as only a creature from the depths of hell could give out. In fact ... A scream that none of the children has ever heard of except Fahria.
“I swear on Sacred Trees. It’s a Lycanthrope!”
“A what?!”
Elizabeth could not finish her sentence because her Hawk came while as a shadow was running through the thickets, behind the cliffs...
"A kind of werewolf," Jiao Long said.
“Compared to the Lycanthrope, the werewolf is like a lamb near the wolf. The lycanthrope is much stronger and faster.”
The hawk was very nervous, especially since his wing hurt bcause he was bitten not long ago.
That Lycanthrope, or rather his shadow, because no matter what that beast was, it seems you couldn't see him, so fast he was, screamed and roared, getting closer and closer to the little wizards.
“What is this creature? What does it look like?” Elizabeth asked, with the wand ready and the hawk on her shoulder.
“I never saw one. I have only heard such beasts screaming. Only adult elves could kill them. I heaard they are so fast that you can't see what they look like. But I read about it. It is a wolf cursed to be cruel and blood-thirsty. Damned to kill any living thing. But…”
“But what?” Jiao Long asked.
“Only the oldest elf wizards know the curse. Such curse hadn’t been put on anybody for hundreds of years. They are forbidden.”
Again that blood-curdling howl able to freeze even hell flames…now even closer.
When they heard again the scream, a unicorn came. He was pitch-black, except the horn, the mane and the tail that had the color of just polished gold. The mane and the tail were so beautiful, that one could say he borrowed the hair from fairies, so long and thick it was.
"He's my Guardian," Fahria told Elizabeth. Lynvith ...”
A snow leopard came too. He was definitely Jiao Long’s protector. But when he heard the loud and grieving howl of that lycanthrope, the feline’s ears got so flabby as if he were a frightened cat forced to face the bloodiest dog.
But even so frightened, the snow leopard sat in front of Jiao Long, ready to give his life for his master and friend at the same time, as this is what a guardian would do.
Fahria's unicorn was a real work of magic... art. As he rose to his feet and shook his golden mane, due to the light arrows of the sun that reached the top of the horn, it almost blinded Jiao Long and Elizabeth from so much glitter.
Even in the midst of the real danger, the two smiled slightly when they saw that imposing creature, which not only amazed them, but also gave them courage.
But ... they gazed enough. They had no time left, because at one point a strange creature stopped near a very thick bush, not far from the three young wizards and their Guardians.
The guardians, though fearful, showed they were prepared for any danger. The snow leopard showed his fangs like sharp daggers, pinched like a saw. He was ready to tear up whatever attacked his master.
The unicorn rose on its hind legs, and when he finally touched the ground, it trembled and everyone felt the ground shuddering beneath their feet, so loud he hoofed. Besides, he waved his sharp horn to the place where the odious creature was supposed to be, showing the monster that he would suffer greatly with that ivory dagger stuck in his flesh.
Even the little hawk flew in small circles around Elizabeth, arching his body from time to time showing his claws as if he wanted to catch a prey. He let Elizabeth know he would use his sharp weapons ready to die for his master.
The three young wizards were also ready with their wands, holding them like fencing swords.
“Come on, creature!”
“Only have the guts to come!”
The creature's response was to throw something at those waiting for him.
It was a body almost as big as an adult man, but green and looking like a ... fat frog. The body of the unhappy being was full of serious wounds and bites, breathless.
"The prince ..." Jiao Long said, frightened.
Just then the snow leopard jumped to the bush where the monster's heavy breath was heard. They heard a grieving howl of the feline, sign he had no chance in front of that creature.
“San Pei! No!” shouted Jiao Long.
Hikkaido's contestant wanted to run to rescue his Guardian, but fear stopped him. Even better, because the strong feline flew from that bush, thrown like a kitten, more than fifty cubits from the bush. Jiao Long's only comfort was when the cat meowed like a kitten hitting the ground, sign that he was still alive. Though, poor guardian was very close to death. For he seemed more dead than alive. Still his meow showed the boy that his Guardian didn’t die.
He wiped away his tears and shouted:
“Just you have the guts to get closer!”
The lycanthrope no longer waited for another invitation and jumped at unbelievable speed from the bush directly to them. All you could notice if you looked at the three wizards’ spot was a huge fur ball that couldn’t be seen very clearly because of his speed, wobbling for a couple of moments.
After those moments, Fahria lay on the ground, thrown like a leaf blown in the wind. She was banged against a tree and lost consciousness. Jiao Long followed, just as easily slammed to the ground after he covered, in the air, a distance of about twenty cubits. A loud noise was heard when he hit the ground, followed by his grieving scream. He also lay on the ground, motionless.
The big and powerful unicorn disappeared among the large and thick bushes. His golden horn was now between the beast's jaws. The ease, with which the beast managed to snatch that unicorn, as if it were a dog playing with a ball, clearly proved the unusual strength of that creature. Only this dog, as you could see, didn’t play at all.
This was what Elizabeth could see within the few moments of the attack.
Even if the creature left with the unicorn in his mouth, he would surely come back soon after her, she thought. Therefore, she didn't breathe in relief when the monster left, but was even more scared. Especially since she was alone now ... even her Guardian left her.
“Professor Knudlac! Miss Harmony!” the girl shouted as loud as she could.
Soon the girl realized it wasn’t the best idea to cry for help.
The Lycanthrope was there in the blink of an eye staring at Elizabeth the way a wolf looked at his prey. The beast approached slowly, slowly, like a lion that didn’t want to scare his prey. Elizabeth could see his mouth with huge fangs, with blood trickling down, surely not his blood but of his victims.
Fahria's unicorn came too, limping, with wounds at the muzzle, probably scratches caused by the monster. His horn was whole, sign that the Lycanthrope wasn’t used to meet another creature to withstand his destructive power so he gave up attacking the Guardian. At least for now ...
The girl was glad to see the unicorn was alive, as much as a human can enjoy the others’ chance when she faces death. And "death" was getting closer, so Elizabeth managed to see him better.
His front paws were larger than his back legs, covered by a large bear’s muscles. Its shape was wolfish, but he walked like a gorilla.
She stopped studying the monster, for the creature was close to Elizabeth, and his only thought was to smash the girl.
The girl took as many steps back as she could holding a thick branch in her hand to protect herself from that huge, bloody wolf. But she tripped over a tree root and fell on her back.
The creature finally came near the girl. She was more frightened than a man could be in the most terrible nightmare. Standing over her, approaching his huge jaws with enormous teeth to the girl’s face, the creature looked like smiling, foretelling that something brutal would happen that seemed to highlight his pleasure to kill.
The girl struck hard at the creature's jaws, but he grabbed that thick branch and tore it apart as if it were just a stick, leaving only half of that weapon in the girl's hand.
Miss Edwards was lost. Even she believed that, but not her Guardian. The little hawk descended from where he was in the air with speed and clung to the bloody creature’s mouth. He began to snatch with his beak pieces of fur and flesh from the mouth of the Lycanthrope.
He screamed again, but not as before. This time it was a cry of pain. He tried to catch the hawk with his claws, but failed, sign that something was going on. Smoke began to come out from the creature's mouth, his limbs failed to obey him and suddenly something seemed to poison his whole body. Howls and screams of a wolf about to die were now heard from the Lycanthrope.
Elizabeth saw the wolf-creature shrinking.
The hawk stopped attacking and landed on his master's shoulder watching calmly the huge Lycanthrope shrinking more and more until he became an old, skinny wolf.
Scared and confused, physically destroyed and suffering from the curse put on him, the old wolf collapsed exhausted to the ground, barely breathing.
The Divine Parchment fell off the wolf’s ear. It belonged to the Swamp Prince. The parchment was now there, falling to the ground off the monster's ear when he began shrinking.
The girl took the parchment in her hand and read:
“Antimagic ...”
Then the Parchment disappeared, turned to dust.
The girl felt at once on her neck, under her ear, a tattoo taking shape. Unlike the other tattoos, it was a hollow circle. That’s all the girl could see being drawn on her body.
Unaware, she headed for Fahria in a hurry, looking at that wolf. She was much peaceful now, because that Lycanthrope had been killed forever.
Hardly had she taken three steps towards the elf girl, when rumbles were heard everywhere. The area got populated with people wearing capes.
Elizabeth was scared thinking they were the guys who cursed the wolf, as Fahria said. Yet, when she saw Miss Harmony’s smiling happy face when she found Elizabeth alive, and then Professor Knudlac ... the girl sighed in relief as tears kept streaming down her cheeks.
She ran to Miss Harmony.
"My dear, it's over," said Miss Harmony, relieved as well when she saw that wolf breathless. “I thought that…”
Professor Knudlac also approached the girl.
"A powerful magic we’ve never seen before, an invisible wall that only Princess Eowyn managed to destroy after many, many attempts, kept us apart," said Professor Knudlac, trying to apologize for the delay. “I just hope that ...”
He was visibly worried thinking it might be too late for some of them, but he was relieved when he heard a stone elf saying:
“Both the elf and the boy are all right. The boy's Guardian too, even if he’s seriously injured, he’ll get well. The hawk is all right. Who’d have imagined that?”
"My hawk killed the Lycanthrope," Elizabeth exclaimed. “He’s a friend and a reliable help.”
“Lycanthrope?” Miss Harmony asked, scared when she heard the name of the creature the three children had to face. “What creature is that?”
Elizabeth showed her that wolf, which was dead, but Miss Harmony could understand nothing.
"Perhaps your hawk is endowed with claws and beak of pure silver," Knudlac said studying the bird. Yes, that's it. That's why he killed him.”
Knudlac approached the wolf.
“Only a dying wolf, with little spark of life left, can be so cursed so badly. Poor thing...”
While Professor Knudlac was investigating the animal and Miss Harmony was hugging the girl, the wizards began to disappear one by one carrying with them the two injured children and their Guardians. They took with them the frog prince’s body too.
Knudlac, Harmony, Elizabeth and four more wizards were still there.
“Let's go,” Knudlac told them.
Even when one of the wizards took a step, he had to stop because of a kind of shield. The hawk popped up at once.
“Be careful!” Knudlac called out to the wizards.
The other wizards’ Guardians came quickly, including the second Knudlac.
A badger came, as big as a veal, a giant gorilla, a huge black bear and an enormous baboon, as well as Miss Harmony’s Guardian ... a cheetah with tiger stripes, a very beautiful creature. Nor could there be a softer and more elegant animal to match Miss Harmony's elegance.
Soon the others came too. Those who set up a trap to the rest of them, keeping them stuck in that place with that magic shield created.
“I thought it was you,” one of the Knudlac guys sighed when he saw Vlad with an army of evil wizards, as Miss Harmony used to call them.
The evil wizards were accompanied by some creatures ... let's say the opposite of the Guardians. But very few, even if there were more than twenty evil wizards.
There was a crocodile so affected by various diseases and wounds that it was a miracle he was still alive. There was also a creature that looked like a human lizard. He could walk like a man, except he was a ... reptile. Then there was a creature, who once, long ago, may have been a beautiful and gentle being, a splendid tiger, but now his teeth very affected by cavities and they were intensely yellow, visible through the portion of cheek missing. As for the fur, in many places it lacked the specific striped tiger hair.
And of course ... the creature that was with Vlad all the time. A creature that unlike the other Anti-Guardians was beautiful, with the skin untouched by the time, but without a bit of colour, as white as lime. The hair, black olive colour was straight, in a ponytail, and his imposing stature denoted power and wisdom.
"They’re monstrous," said Elizabeth, to whom that Lycanthrope now seemed nice beside the creatures she was meant to see.
“Yes ... they are slowly dying because their masters chose black magic. Black magic destroys the Guardians since the first moment the masters decide to use black magic. And eventually they die in terrible torment. Their masters, who are also on the path to perdition, are ultimately left without Guardians. And as I can see, these guardians are dying too…, ” Miss Harmony explained to Elizabeth.
“What about Vlad Dragoesti’s Guardian ...?”
“He's dead for a long time. He’s a vampire who feeds on innocent beings’ blood. I hoped it was just a rumour, but now I can see it's true ...”
Elizabeth looked at that being that used to destroy innocent souls. The creature looked like feeling the girl’s gaze, because he smiled and winked at her, without watching her for he was busy with the wizards’ Guardians.
“I still wonder where you get so much power to do such magic. I didn't even expect you to be so strong,” Knudlac told Vlad.
“I have to admit it's not my credit. It’s someone’s who’s stronger than me ... at least for now. And who decided to be on our side, those who truly understand what magic means and what it can be used for. The power to lead the world. Not only the world of magic ... but also that of sceptics. And why not, in time, other worlds too ...”
“To use magic against ordinary people, to subjugate them is a crime ... it doesn’t mean you know how to use magic.”
“Since the beginning of the world, the powerful subjugated the weak, Eadan. Wizards or sceptics. People subjugated people ... and now it's our turn, wizards, to subjugate people. But let's leave that, because we have no time,” Vlad said, looking at a wizard who turned head to see what happened to the others and used his wand to destroy the magic barrier that surrounded them.
But it was in vain.
As he saw he could do nothing, he disappeared, to look for help, perhaps.
“As I can see we’ll be more in a short time. And as I set out to stay fewer, I don't delay the introduction ... I introduce to you the new Prince of Dark Magic, Lord Tbylisium, whom you had the honour to know for sure.”
As soon as the elf Lord appeared, he cast a curse on one of the wizards who were with Knudlac.
“Pel’Nai Vejyje!”
And that wizard disappeared turning into ash. His guardian, a wolf, also disappeared, to Knudlac and his group’s disappointment, but also of Vlad vampire’s.
“What a pity ... I even felt hot blood boiling in him, calling me to drink it.”
“I didn't have such a great idea for an entry like this! Magnificent!” exclaimed Vlad laughing. “Worthy of a true Prince of the Night ...!”
Only he and the other evil wizards smiled. Everyone in Knudlac's group was sad…for they lost a friend.
“Julien! You will pay for that!” Knudlac shouted. Poena Inquisitionis!
“Ignis!”
“Fortioris!”
“Ostium!”
All the wizards at Elmbridge School of Magic began to attack Lord Tbylisium. The Elf Lord, the newly named Prince of Dark Magic, countered them without much trouble.
It seemed that years of experience ... in fact, thousands of years of experience in the practice of magic take their toll. With the elegance of an experienced swordsman who faces a beginner, the elf Prince avoided the magic blows that attacked him.
“I think there's no need for us here anymore. What are you saying, Eaden?” Vlad laughed again, seeing how Knudlac struggled to counter two spells from the elf's wand, everything seemed a game, but only for the elf, not for the others. And because Miss Harmony tried to hit him, the new Prince of Dark Magic attacked her with magic. Miss Harmony managed to counter the first two, but the third threw her away, banging her against a magic field that formed a barrier, like a rock.
Miss Harmony stood up her whole body aching. For her this wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. She saw one of the witches approaching Elizabeth, the latter being alone and vulnerable as all the others tried to defend themselves against the elf Prince and Vlad's disciples.
The one who approached Elizabeth was none other than old Blackwood, who was now beautiful and young. Only two aspects remained the same ... wickedness and hatred for Elizabeth.
“You’ll die now, little bitch! I’ve waited for years this moment! So many years forcefully living with those kids and Harp ... because of you! I won’t fail anymore as I did when you escaped not eaten by the carticor. I won’t fail as Lord Tbylisium did when he had to drown you in the Purple Oasis. I'll choke you with my hand!”
She stared blankly at Vlad, and as she saw his approval, her joy increased thousands of times. Like her wickedness and the desire for cruelty against the girl.
“I’m not afraid of any premonition ... Those stories are just legends that will disappear in the dust, smiled the wizard Dragoesti,” seeing the difficulty with which Knudlac and the other wizards could barely face them.
Especially since two of Knudlac's close friends were also injured. The two tried desperately to protect themselves for a few moments behind some small trees and bushes trapped under the shell of that magic hemisphere.
Even if outside of that magic shield dozens of wizards from the Elmbridge School of Magic gathered, Vladimir felt safe ... at least for now.
“Look at them! They’re like puppies outside ... They have no chance to destroy this magic shield,” Valdimir Dragoesti laughed when he saw how many magicians kept bombing the impenetrable shield without any result.
The fight inside that magic barrier was so fast, that in the blink of an eye, Miss Blackwood struck Elizabeth’s hand holding her wand.
The hawk who tried to protect her from the cruel witch, also suffered struck with branches and stones, thrown by Miss Blackwood.
Just as the evil witch tried to give the last blow to the girl, Miss Harmony threw at her several broken branches, stones, anything on the ground using her wand. The effect was as expected, not only because Miss Blackwood fell down, slammed. What is more, a twig got stuck into the elf prince's right shoulder and pieces of broken stone carved into his forehead and right arm.
Miss Harmony smiled at the sight of her success, but her smile would soon fade away. Elmbridge School representatives had to suffer ... Because this not only hurt that elf pretty well, but it also angered him.
Without worrying that his leaving in the midst of the battle that took place somehow changed the situation, giving Knudlac and his friends a chance to recover, regain ground and defeat those evil wizards, he got closer to Miss Harmony.
“You're going to die for that, bitch!” the wizard elf shouted.
And reciting some words in the elf language, something like Luricru Necante In Narun Nacum S’rep enit he cast a powerful spell towards Miss Harmony.
Although Miss Harmony defended herself holding the wand in front of her and forming a kind of shield, the powerful magic of the Prince of Dark Magic, Lord Tbylisium, penetrated that shield and left visible traces on both Harmony's body and face.
“Aaahh ...!” the woman screamed, grief-stricken.
The elf Lord spoke the same words again to Knudlac and the others’ horror. They could do nothing for Miss Harmony, as they had to defend themselves from the spells cast by the other wizards, so Miss Harmony was defenceless. The others couldn’t help her with anything. She was lost.
Probably at any time, when the lord elf cast that spell again, he could seriously injure or even kill the poor woman.
“Miss Harmony!” Elizabeth began to cry.
“My dear daughter, don’t cry ...”
And the woman tried to hit the elf prince again with magic, but she was so weak that it didn't even touch him. Maybe someone else could be hurt, but the elf only had to cast again his spell.
Prince Tbylisium spoke the words again, and the magic from this Prince of the Night reached Miss Harmony when something made Elizabeth turn her wand in the form of a spiral and utter a single word, whispered:
“ANTIMAGIC ...”
And everything stopped. Everything was quiet.
Miss Harmony said Praesidium but it wasn’t the case. She suffered when more sharp branches got stuck into her chest. It was the effect of the spell cast by the elf prince for all magic was reversed, as fire is put out by water.
The woman collapsed to her knees, screaming in pain as everyone else looked scared at each other. What else could wizards do if they no longer had spells?
For a few moments they looked at each other, some of them even showing a dumb glance, not just a face full of restlessness or astonishment. Probably many of them even thought, "Well, what are we doing now? Are we fighting?"
“It’s impossible ... You're ... his descendant!”
That's all the elf Prince said.
After that fear was seen even on his face. He was very scared, not just devoid of any defence. However that wand in his hand became a useless stick.
He went to Vlad Dragoesti and the others, because even that enormous magic shield that kept everyone locked up in that area, the glade where they fought began to disappear from top to base.
Now all noise and bustle were heard from outside, sounding like the beginning of every evil wizard's nightmare ... for that army of wizards armed to the teeth, untouched by Elizabeth’s magic, those behind the magic wall, could hardly wait to avenge their lost peers.
There were also stone elves and even the stone dogs of Tzurtzurk’s, ready to tear through the rocky fangs in their mouths the tender flesh of those evil wizards, who were now all powerless.
The dogs hopped, tearing trees from the roots, breaking their trunks between their teeth, doing the same with boulders and large pieces of rocks, more ferocious than ever. They saw the shield decreasing and now they were more aggressive than ever, thinking that at any moment they could enter and use their teeth.
The elf prince and Vlad went behind everything, leaving in front their guard, who was more frightened than ever, because their wands were now mere toothpicks, useless pieces of wood.
Fear was visible on all the evil faces, even though slowly, the wands began to show they were awakened from that deep sleep induced by Elizabeth Edwards. The wands started to recover ... but gradually.
And when anyone thought a fiercer fight than before was about to start, the elf Prince and Vlad Dragoesti disappeared.
Maybe they understood they had no chance, especially since they were outnumbered, or maybe they were scared because of Elizabeth. Because this magic against ... magic, has never been used before. Since the advent of magic on all the lands where spells were cast and used, antimagic hasn’t been mentioned anywhere. Not even the magic founders, those elves heard about it, considering how scared that elf wizard lord was.
Dragoesti's acolytes also began to disappear, one at a time, some of them forever. As soon as the shield completely disappeared, some of those evil wizards died without having the power to counterattack. Some turned into crushed flesh between the teeth of Tzurtzurk's dogs, others turned to dust by magic from the professors’ and the stone elves’ wands from Elmbridge School. Some, more fortunate, became prisoners of the wizards who came to rescue Knudlac and the others.
…
Silence was deeper than it is in a cemetery after the fight with the evil wizards.
Vlad's army of wizards suffered heavy losses. But also a win, which may worth the effort and all sacrifices, because now they had a parent of magic on their side ... that elf Lord, a force that the powerful army of black magic hasn’t had until now.
Elizabeth watched sadly and tearfully Miss Harmony's fiancé crying, holding her breathless body in his arms.
“I'm so sorry ...,” said the girl. At any moment, she expected a miracle to wake up from that nightmare. You know the feeling when you breathe in relief after a bad dream when you’re awake, sweating and terrified.
Still, nothing happened because the girl wasn’t in a dream. Everything was as real as possible ... including the words spoken by Miss Harmony's fiancé:
“YOU HAVE A REASON TO FEEL SORRY! YOU KILLED HER! You didn’t leave to her any chance to defend herself.”
Elizabeth cried for Miss Harmony, as she’d probably cry for her mother. But Jack didn't care.
"Jack, it's not true," Mr. Knudlac said.
“It's true Eaden, it's TRUE!”
He stood up, while two other wizards took Miss Harmony's lifeless body and picked it away.
“If she hadn’t stopped all the spells, her Praesidium may have saved her ...”
“That’s not true. We all saw the power of the Lord. She had no chance.”
“Leave me alone! ALL! No one did anything to save her,” Jack pulled out when he saw that Eaden Knudlac tried to calm him down. You only care about those sceptics. And because of this she died ... my life ... my love.”
And Jack left with the other wizards, crying and sighing for the one who used to be his life, accompanying Miss Harmony’s lifeless body. When he went past Elizabeth he gave her a hateful look.
“She always wanted a daughter like you. And because of you she won't have that chance anymore.”
He left with the other two.
“I didn't want it,” Elizabeth tried to apologize, with tears in her eyes and seeking understanding from Knudlac.
“You have no fault, dear. It's Vlad's fault and those guys’...”
Knudlac hugged the girl trying to comfort her.
At one point, the little girl stopped crying and called to the two people who appeared there:
“MOTHER! FATHER!”
She ran to her parents.
"My dear," the two said in one voice, as they hugged their daughter.
Knudlac and the others were amazed at what they saw. The two, Eliot and Rigantona, were dead for so long. Everyone knew that the Edwards' were dead and yet ... they were there with them.
With tears in her eyes the girl went to her parents and hugged them.
“You don't know how glad I am to have you with me right now. Miss Harmony was killed ...”
Still, when you experience deep pain, life doesn’t care and gives you other challenges. That happened then in little Elizabeth’s life.
"We came to say goodbye, dear," said her father.
“No, you can’t leave. I can't lose so many loved ones in one day. Please ...,” she started to cry even louder.
“Our purpose was fulfilled. You’re ready to take care of yourself, to protect those who need it. You’ve become a better daughter than any parent could ever wish for. You're ready to become a great wizard.”
“But I couldn't save Miss Harmony.”
“There will be more sad moments and people we love and lose. But, you’re ready, for what you were destined. As we said at our first date, there comes a time when we have to separate from our loved ones. And that moment arrived,” her father said. “Our purpose was fulfilled and we can no longer stay with you. We must end our journey ...”
“We gave you many tips and you took them into account. Hence, your success, dear. From now on you are strong and wise and you’ll be able to face any obstacles. You succeeded where we failed. You fought with Vlad and survived him. You escaped the great wizard Vlad ...,” completed her mother.
“I don't know what I'll do without you,” Elizabeth couldn't stop crying.
“You’ll have us all the time near you. Read the diary and you can see and hear us whenever you want. You’ll relive the moments spent with us. You will no longer be able to hug us and we can’t talk to you, as before ... but you can remember the magic moments spent together. Moments we wanted to live in reality, all our life ... a long life.”
“Mom, Dad, I love you. Please don't leave ...”
“My dear, we love you more than anything in this world. Even if you won't see us again, you know we don’t leave. We’ll stay here forever ...”
The mother touched the girl’s chest.
“We'll be here ... And we'll stay here forever and we can talk in your mind. As for death ... death is just a road we all have to go through. To go on the true adventure of our soul ... that eternal journey, when anyone here will meet again at some point.”
The Edwards' became ashes in the wind, under everyone's eyes, scattered throughout the area by the wind blowing heavily, while Elizabeth was crying and sighing sorrowfully.
“Mother! Father! I can't lose you again ... please come back!”
But the only one who could still hug the girl was Professor Knudlac. Elizabeth has forever lost the dearest people in her life.
Knudlac tried to calm her down, but it was in vain. In that sober silence the sad voice of a girl sighing could be heard. The saddest voice that could ever be heard, a girl’s cry for her real parents, who died ... and for the one she loved so much as a second mother, Miss Harmony. Still they’ll be back to her all three…
…
“I think you have no idea what you're dealing with.”
“I’m not scared by story about a little girl.”
“A story? That's what you think it is. Are you blind? Haven't you seen what happened?”
“I did, but it was something ... fleeting.”
“Because she’s only a child. But when she grows ...”
“Yes, yes ... If she grows up, she’ll be our saviour. An old legend ... as I said, a story.”
“In no way a story. A legend as you call it, yes. But you know every legend has some truth in it. And this girl, as young as she is, made us for a few moments powerless. To be just skeptics. And as she grows, those moments that lasted for a short time, can become definitive. Moreover ... I feel like ... I hope it's just my imagination, but I feel like she took something from my powers."
“She won't grow to be a teenager. I'll take care of that.”
The last one who spoke with such indifference was Vlad Dragoesti. Still, his lips kept trembling when he said that. It was visible. Before that, his face expressed slight fear, especially when the other one told him he lost something when the antimagic hit him.
The other one who was scared like a baby, childishly complaining, was the great Prince of Dark Magic, the Almighty Lord Tyblisium who no longer seemed so big, or so powerful, considering what happened.
“Now we have on our side an elf ... or rather a dark elf,” said the wizard Vladimir Dragoesti grinning.
The fact that Vlad tried hard to be brave and hide the terror and horror inside him, didn’t fool Lord Tyblisium as it fooled the other leaders of black magic there.
Vlad didn’t care about this but approached a young man sitting with the others at that round table.
"Jack, I'm glad you finally chose to join us," said Prince Dragoesti, shaking hand with the former Miss Harmony’s fiancé.
"I’ll keep my word ... as long as you do the same," Jack said looking with desire for revenge at the guy who killed his girlfriend.
“All in good time, my dear. That time will come too ... Patience, because it’s the greatest virtue,” smiled Vlad Dragoesti. “First let’s get rid once and forever of the greatest pest in our world of magic. Let's save the world from Eadan Knudlac and his followers. Because of them a great wizard died, the love of your life, Harmony.”
Jack noticed somehow that Vlad seemed to avoid looking at him when he said those words. But he felt it was just an impression that didn’t have to be taken into account. Revenge for his sweetheart’s death now became the goal of his life.
So he sat at that round table with the other evil leaders, probably to complete their plans to lead the world, using their means ... dark magic. All their plans had to be the best, the best organized, because now a simple, orphaned girl, insignificant at first for most of the wizards, became one of the most well-known and famous wizards in the world. A wizard who would surely boost the fear of the black magic wizards gathered there, through her future actions, in an attempt to save the world of the wizards and the world of the sceptics from the new threat on the world.
A girl, who’d never been considered an important enemy to anyone, has now become their greatest fear. She became ... the possessor of a spell capable of nullifying any magic. Yes, we all know now that Elizabeth Catherine Edwards is the possessor of the most powerful magic in the wizards’ world ... A spell that can nullify any spells and can turn the wizards’ world into a world of sceptics. A magic simply called: Antimagic.
THE END