Protector of the Enchanted

Reappearing in the dragon training grounds, I don’t waste a second before rushing into the house. The locked door is easy to unlock with my magic. I almost trip over a potted plant as I rush inside. It doesn’t take too long to locate them.

I can hear murmured voices coming from the Livingroom. As I stride in, I see them facing away from me, looking at a painting on the wall. The last time I was here, it was of a beach on a summer’s day. Now, I don’t need to look to know what’s in it. Not when I walked past a charred totem pole on my way inside.

My stride doesn’t break as I walk carelessly into the room, making a lot of noise in the process. My arms are around them before they even fully turn around.

“I’m home.”

Tears prick in my eyes, falling when a warm hand runs through my hair. A sob escapes my mouth when I feel two sets of arms wrap around me, squeezing me close. I feel the top of my head growing wet as I engulfed in their embrace, and it makes me cry just that much harder.

Soon, I’m full out bawling my eyes out in their arms. The room is filled with sobs as decades worth of hurt is released from its entrapment. Large heaving sobs as the pain ebbs out with it. It’s cathartic for all of us.

I sniffle as I pull back when their hold loosens, only to have my head grabbed by a pair of gentle hands. Then a cascade of kisses washes over my face. She pulls back for a moment before pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“You’re really here…” There’s a look of wonder on her face when she says it, as if she can’t quite believe this is real. She still hasn’t let go of my face.

A watery smile comes onto my face at that. “Didn’t I already say I was home?” A sniffle. “Gods mum, weren’t you listening?” I yelp when a large hand starts to mess up my hair.

“Brat.” The fondness in his tone completely undermines the effect.

“Is that really the first thing you’re going to say to me?” No, I’m not whining. Absolutely not.

However, if someone were to see me right now, they may be under the incorrect impression that I am.

Instead of answering, his expression softens, and he pulls me back into a tight embrace. A gentle kiss is placed on my head soon after. He draws me back for a second before grabbing my face and placing another kiss to my forehead.

“Welcome home.”

The night is dark except for the moon shining through the clouds. A piercing scream interrupts the quiet, jolting grazing animals in the surrounding forest. There is a rush of air as a blast of black rushes past. The screams grow louder.

Helplessness threatens to bring her to her knees as she’s powerless and unable to do something, anything, to stop the carnage playing out before her very eyes. The town square is a flurry of movement. Men and women rushing to escape, haunted by the tendrils of darkness haunting their very step.

Every clang of a sword, every fallen body, every drop of blood falling to the pool beneath her is a jab to her heart. No amount of light magic can fight against the overwhelming number of them. Her spiritual form wouldn’t be able to withstand the power it would take.

She felt frozen in place as she watched. The pit of despair in her chest growing. She could hear every sob echoing in her ears yet was numb to it. It had been going on for days. She’d never thought it was a sight she would ever have to see. Had thought that her magic would mean she could prevent it.

It felt like a naïve delusion now. A sob of her own threatened to burst out at the sheer powerless she felt watching her people die and being unable to do much to stop it. Her power drained from continuous use, now only able to prevent them from being possessed.

A small mercy considering all she was now unable to do. If she’d had a physical body she may not have been able to continue to use magic for such long periods of time continuously. However, she’d instead be able to replenish it enough to fight with the same power the next day. It was a double-edged sword.

Frustration rang through her head like a bell tower at noon. Still, she let the magic seep out and attack the tendrils of darkness reaching for the survivors. It cut through them, dispelling them entirely and gave the children time to make it far away. Nearby soldiers fought against the things to protect more.

Her mouth pressed into a grim line as she took a quick glance around the square. It wasn’t enough. She had to fight back a frustrated sob. Her magic was spread too thin, trying to protect everyone all at once. Her eyes twitched, arms feeling unbelievably shaky considering she no longer had a physical body. They were reforming.

Throwing a fireball at the cloaked beings hiding in the perimeter of the city only singed their cloaks now. And it made no difference when more of them appeared the second one died. She couldn’t waste time on them. Not when her people needed her more.

But it was not going to be enough. Even without precognition, it was obvious she wouldn’t be able to save them. She couldn’t make it so none of them died. All she could do, all any of them could do now, was try and stall so more of them could flee.

And that killed her more than any dagger to the heart ever could have. It made her feel like a failure. She’d sworn she’d protect them, and she’d failed. She couldn’t do anything. She couldn’t save them when they needed her. Another sob fought back. What was the use of so much power if it wasn’t enough when she needed it?

“No!” The scream had her head snapping to its direction immediately.

Her eyes widened, a burst of magic escaping her, encompassing the entirety of the city centre. It dispelled the tendrils of darkness, casting a protective barrier over the square. She felt her hands trembling. Cold shivers running over down her spine as she floated over to the bleeding body on the ground.

The sob broke free. Then another. And another after that. She couldn’t hold them back. It didn’t matter that her hand was flickering between visibility and invisibility. Or that her powers were seeping away from her. They’d refill eventually. What mattered was…

“Mira!” He was clutching her body close to him, tears streaming down his face. His hand moved her hair out of her eyes. The other was pressing gauze to the bleeding would in her chest.

She felt sick. The woman lying in his arm was nowhere near the cousin she remembered. It was a version of her that Celeste had never wanted to see. One who’s voice was below a whisper and had sunken eyes even as she sobbed.

“No!” He pulled her closer. “Don’t say that! You’re not dying.” A sob. “You’re not…”

“I…Can’t…Hold…On.” Celeste heard her whisper as her armoured hand went up to cup his face. “Try to…” Mira froze and blinked slowly, gasping for breath as another would opened, leaking blood through the broken armour. “Tell…Tell them…I…Love…”

Celeste could barely see through the tears clouding her vision. Nausea building along with the sob. She couldn’t…Gods. A hand went up to cover her mouth as she saw Mira gather her strength and whisper into Cylen’s ear. Even if she weren’t in hearing distance, she would know exactly what they were.”

“I love you.” A cough and blood dripped from her mouth. Gods. Why hadn’t she noticed how many cuts were on her body? Aside from the open chest wound, there were multiple cracks in the armour. “I’m sorry I didn’t…”

“I love you too.” Cylen bent down and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I should have said it before but I was…” A broken sob left his mouth even as he tried to stop the bleeding. “I was afraid it wouldn’t be enough…That I wouldn’t…Am not enough.”

Ow. Those words were jabs to her heart as well as Mira’s. Her eyes closing in a pained inhale as she felt them hit their mark. Another sob left her as they opened and registered the sight in front of her again.

“Stupid…” Mira whispered around a bloody cough. “You’d…Always…Be enough… for me.”

“Bang!” Wiping her tears, Celeste turned around to reinforce the shield. The soldiers were on alert again, weapons drawn as they charged to where the monsters were coming from. It wasn’t enough.

Before her horror-filled eye, the barrier she had made vanished. No number of desperate attempts would make it reappear. Celeste felt like she was going to be sick. This could not be happening.

“Come on!” She flung her hand out, only to create sparks. “Fire!” Only fizzles followed her command. No. No, no, no. “Light!” Much the same. She flung her hand out in desperation only to have the same result. “No,” she whispered.

Horror mixed with sorrow and grief as she was left truly powerless. A scream stuck in her throat as she saw a dagger wedged in Cylen’s heart. Another followed when a hailstorm of arrows followed. She felt like everything was going in slow motion as each struck the back of his armour until there was nothing left.

Dents made which turned into cracks. He didn’t move. He stayed clutching Mira in his arms as the armour fell, leaving him exposed to the five arrows that followed. Her mouth quivered in shock amidst the horror as he let them hit, covering Mira’s body with his own, not a care for the bleeding wound left behind by the dagger.

Fool! “Why would you pull out the fucking dagger!? Do you want to bleed to death?” Her hand went to reach for a weapon, only for it to phase right through. The screams burst free as she saw soldier after soldier fall to the ground.

Where the hells did they get these arrows from? Her hands trembled. Why would they- No. She knew exactly why that hag would use arrows. And it would normally have her anger bursting free but…

A sob left her as she bent down to the now two bleeding bodies. Mira’s eyes were barely open. He was losing blood too fast. They were losing blood too fast! No. Her hand fell. No! Another sob left her as she saw a glassy shine overtake Cylen’s as well. He bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead before his body slackened and fell forwards in a slump.

She fell to her knees. Body shaking with heart wrenching sobs as she tried to breathe through the tears running down her face. Wiping them away was useless. She couldn’t hear anything over the sounds coming out of her own mouth. The cacophony of screams and curses a blur.

Through the blur, she saw a black tentacle reaching past her and her mind blanked.

“No!”

“Ow!” I rub at the back of my head, turning towards my father with a glare. “What was that for?”

“You know exactly what it was for.” He gives me a meaningful glance. “What were you thinking when you did something that dangerous?”

I purse my lips as I roll my eyes at that, stretching my legs out on the carpet. “You’ll have to be more specific dad.” And isn’t that such a nice thing to be able to say. Dad. The word is both familiar and not at the same time.

“What do you mean?” I feel a pinch at my side and turn my head to give my mother a sheepish smile. Neither one of them has let go of my hand. Getting them to move away from the hug was already difficult.

“For rushing into that quest?”

He raises an eyebrow at that. “Celeste.”

“Toppling that mountain?”

“Toppling a what?” Her voice sounds very high-pitched.

“So that’s a no then. Hmm…Let me think.” I tap my chin, trying to avoid their gaze. “Is it because I started a fight and then rushed into a magic mirror? Wait no. That’s a mix of things…so.”

“You seem to have done a lot of dangerous things, my dear daughter.” The warning in her tone as me freezing.

“I agree.” Uh oh. I know that tone. “It seems our troublesome little daughter just can’t stay out of trouble.”

“What were you talking about papa?” I smile at him, hoping we’ll move on to another topic. I pointedly do not look at my mother. I’m just glad she’s still in too much shock to swat my ears.

He gives me a deadpan look, but the way his eyes soften a little give him away. “I was talking about the dragons, but it seems my little warrior is prone to trouble even now.”

“I didn’t say that.” His eyes narrow. “Alright! So maybe there were some…Ok…A lot of times where we were in dangerous situations, but it wasnotmy fault!”

“It never is.”

I pout as I look between them. “It wasn’t.” The words sound like a whine to my ears too. But these are my parents, so I think I’m allowed to be a little whiny. Chuckling they just shake their heads, fond exasperation colouring their expressions.

Despite the absolutely unfair accusations, it makes me smile as well. And then a thought strikes as I remember something I’d almost forgotten. The smile turns into a grin.

“Speaking of dragons, where’s Blaze? I-”

“You are not running after that dragon.” Mum cuts me off.

“But-”

“Absolutely not.”

“It’s not like he’d hurt me!”

“That’s besides the point!” They both turn to look at me this time, moving so they’re now sitting in front of me on the carpet.

“I refuse to lose you so soon.” Mum cups my face. “Never again.”

“I don’t care how well you get along with that dragon, I’m not sure my heart can take seeing it.” His hand brushes a lock of my hair behind my ear. “It was already heart-attack inducing without the memories. It’s a lot more with them.” He leans forward and presses a kiss to my forehead. “I can’t lose you again.”

I want to protest. I want to tell them that Blaze would never hurt me. They know he wouldn’t. But a glimpse of the grief underlying their expressions and the words die on my tongue. I simply nod. If I say something I have a feeling, I’ll cry.

When a calloused thumb brushes a tear of my face, I realise I already am. Sniffling, I wipe at my face and fight back the tears. The attempts are rendered useless when I’m pulled into a comforting embrace. My hands go up to grip at his shirt as sobs escape the silent trickling of tears.

A hand rubs comforting circles over my back as the sobs subside. A soft cooing sound accompanying it as I inhale deeply, tears dried out. When I pull back, I wipe the tears from my face, sniffling as I move. Only to hit the cool metal of the diadem.

My eyes widen as they snap towards them. I see the moment they register it’s there as well because suddenly their eyes are boring into me. Ah. A nervous laugh leaves my mouth as I smile. I can’t believe I forgot I was wearing it.

“I can explain?”

The only response I receive is a raised eyebrow and a motion to continue. My lips suddenly feel dry. I know it had to be done but I also know how much they were looking forward to putting it on my head themselves.

“It was to break the curse. I needed to be crowned for the spell to work. And Mira figured we could always have a more official one later.”

“Alright.” They don’t sound very convinced, but evidently don’t want to pursue the topic much further than that.

I breathe a sigh of relief, only to freeze when a pair of hands comes up to cup my face. My mother looks me over and smiles. “You look just as beautiful as I knew you would.”

“I still think these robes are hideous.” The words leave my mouth like a protest, but a smile still forces its way onto my face.

Dad snorts, shaking his head. “They really are aren’t they?” He yelps when mum smacks his arm lightly. “What? Delia, you know the things haven’t been changed in decades. Who knows why they picked that horrid colour?”

“Be that as it may,” she fixes both of us with a meaningful stare, “they are the traditional robes.” She smiles and shakes her head, coming up and running her hand through my hair. I wince when her grip becomes just slightly too tight. “But we will be having a more official ceremony.”

“Of course, mum.” I nod along, “I-”

A loud bang from outside stops my words short. I blink. Head turning instinctively towards the door. My parents follow suit, as we make our way to the window. It’s loud. There’s a lot of noise and as I walk closer, I can hear the distinct sound of protests.

I can’t quite make out what they’re saying. My eyebrows furrow as I try to make it out, ears straining to pick out one voice amidst the crowd. I frown when it doesn’t do much, turning to share a glance with my parents only to freeze.

“What the hell are you doing here!”

“You monster!”

“Hey!” A familiar voice interrupts, “What do you think you’re saying?

“Why are you protecting him? He’s the reason we’ve lost so much of our time!” An enraged voice counters.

“Yeah!” A chorus of agreement breaks out.

“Step back!” I hear Mira command as I walk out of the door to see the commotion, barely registering the footsteps behind me.

The sight that greets me has my mouth thinning as I join Mira and Cylen in standing between the gathered crowd and Theo. With the enraged expressions and pitchforks they’re the very picture of a mob. Men and women of all ages pointing weapons and trying to barge past Cylen to attack the man behind me.

“Down with the King!”

“We want you gone!”

An uproar of protests and angry yells breaks out, people fighting to try and jab at him. I feel a pit growing in my stomach as I create a barrier of light magic around us to shield us from stray punches. This is not good. It’s not good at all.

Cylen can’t hold them off. I know he’ll try regardless, but there’s too many of them. A quick glance at my parents shows that they’re not happy about the mob’s actions either. They always saw Theo as a surrogate son, so I doubt they’ll be able to handle this without emotions getting in the way.

Not that I’m much better. But it’s not the same. They haven’t had time to process it all yet, while I’ve suspected for weeks and haven’t felt the full brunt of the resentment these people clearly have towards.

It’s worse that it’s not unfounded, isn’t it?I grimace. That thought doesn’t help at all. No matter how true it may be.

“I need you all to calm down.” I command and for a moment they listen.

The mob freezes in place, eyes widening as they take in the diadem on my head and the robes I’m wearing. I internally wince. There’s no hiding who I am. Yet still, I would have preferred not to have this conversation with them yet.

“Why are you defending him?” A protestor yells as he points his pitchfork up.

“Yeah!” Another shouts his agreement, “Don’t you know what he’s done?”

“He cursed us!”

“We don’t need him here!”

“Kill him.”

Once again, I have to stop myself from flinching at the words. I can sense the effect they might have on Theo. I have to-

“Hey! That’s unnecessary.” A dagger flies past me and I have to stifle the sigh that wants to escape. I throw Mira a meaningful look.

“Who said that!” The look turns to Cylen as he holds the spear out towards the mob. And they call me reckless.

Still, a small part of me wonders why Theo isn’t reacting to them. The larger part knows it’s better if he doesn’t. The protests become louder after the interruptions, and I decide it’s time to put an end to it.

“Enough!” The command makes them go silent. I clear my throat as multiple pairs of eyes turn to me, and not just the mob’s. “If you have complaints, we’ll listen to them in the official hearing room.” I meet their stares. “And no.” I hold a finger up. “No. I will not hear anything to the contrary.”

“Why should we listen to you!”

I try not to react to the anger in that tone, but it has the pit in my stomach growing larger. Dread mixing with sparks of panic. I meet their stares evenly, straightening and tilting my head up ever so slightly. “I am your princess. If I say this will not be happening today, it willnotbe happening today.”

Hopefully my tone sounds more confident than I feel. I really wish my parents could interrupt for me, but it wouldn’t work. Not for this.

“Not a very good one!” I freeze.

“Yeah!” A woman calls out, “You just left us to our fates!”

It seems to have even stumped Cylen. “Hey now, that’s not-”

“You abandoned us!”

“What use is a princess that can’t even do what she says!?”

“That’s quite enough.” Mira’s tone doesn’t hide her anger at all, but I feel numb to it. Like I’m frozen in place.

“She couldn’t even be here when we needed her!”

“It’s true! Why should she be heir if-”

A sword is placed under his chin. My eyes widen. Theo’s body is practically vibrating in anger, magic enveloping him in rapidly growing waves. The blue of his eyes resembles ice as they cut through the crowd, lips set in an angry line.

“What did you say?” He tilts his head threateningly, “I should have your head for that treasonous comment.”

“Theo!” I call out to stop him, but he doesn’t listen. I turn my head to seek help but my parents and friends are vibrating with the same rage.

“Do it!” This man either does not value his life or doesn’t realise the danger he’s in. “Show us the monster you are!”

A sadistic smile plays on Theo’s lips, and I immediately move to grab his arm as he presses closer. “Gladly.”

My hand wraps around his wrist before he can draw more blood, a word of protest on my tongue. Only to be interrupted by the unexpected sound of thunder rumbling closer. It makes the mob freeze as well, everyone looking up just in time to see the downpour.

Oh no. I flinch as my own words come racing through my head.The best time to attack an enemy is when they think they’ve won.Oh no, no, no. Lightning hits the ground accompanied by a roll of thunder. The rain is red.

Amidst the downpour yet another bolt of lightning strikes over the hill overlooking the manor. My eyes focus on it and widen when a stream of red seems to start building. I can hear a surprised gasp around me as it continues to grow.

Panicked screams start as the mob registers who they are, their faces growing ashen. I barely register it as my eyes stay focused on the army of red advancing towards. The hood of the leader goes up to reveal sharp gleaming teeth just as another bolt strikes behind them.

Shit. Words brush past my ear as if whispered in the wind, making my hands curl into fists.

You didn’t think it was over, did you? A maniacal cackle follows.