orb. I cried out in distress and met Nadia’s burning, glowing eyes. The evil smoke that surrounded me waged another massive attack on my skin, as her smiling face dripped with victory and revenge. Finally overpowering my mental barriers, it roared in my ears and singed my insides. Waging a counterattack fueled by determination, my essence forced the evil out, leaving it to only destroy my already-tender skin.
I managed to open my eyes again, only to see the first of the souls being sucked dry of its magical essence. A stream of glistening fog separated from the floating soul, flowed toward Keto and disappeared into her soul with a brilliant flash of light. Two, three, four more souls were shed of their essence, strengthening Keto’s soul to epic proportions. Each second that passed ensured her victory over me. Each soul that was lost ensured that she would remain the leader of the Tydes. Each flash of light was a reminder that I had failed my Order and everyone I loved. As the last flash of light lit up the night sky, I knew I had lost. And my entire Order would pay the price.
Chapter 24
In the midst of my self-loathing, I registered the return of Finn’s warm darkness only seconds before the world exploded around me. A deafening thunder rolled in from the ocean, blowing anyone standing off of their feet and causing my hearing to falter. In a haze of silence and pain, I noticed that I had fallen to the sand; released from my glowing prison of affliction. Nadia and Selene were already beginning to stir several yards away, and the vial that contained my essence had been dispatched in the opposite direction. It was nestled into a secure pocket of sand that I prayed they wouldn’t find.
Keto’s emerald eyes snapped open with surprise, as her soul reconnected with her body lying below.
Commanding my body to take action I awkwardly leaned onto my shoulder, while the excruciating pain I had become accustomed to radiated from my shoulder. It was so profound, it muted the agonizing fire that emanated from every bare piece of my skin. I gasped in horror when I saw why. My ravaged skin was torn and swollen, burned from the evil smoke and scorched several layers deep. I would have fared better if I’d been dipped in a river of lava.
Out of the corner of my eye, three figures emerged from the waves; stealing the attention of Nadia, Keto, and Selene. Unfortunately my body would not listen to my commands to move, so I lay there helpless once again, watching the events unfold before me. Taking a hint from the sea earlier, I began to pull from the sand in order to recharge my energy - and hopefully begin to heal myself.
One of the new arrivals ran up the beach in my direction and I tried to call out a warning to her, but my voice betrayed me - coming out as a useless whisper. She was only a few yards away when a glowing red ball of light struck her from the side and she slumped to the ground. The dark spray of blood across the untainted white sand was an image I would never forget. Somehow I was able to drag myself across the blood-splattered sand with one arm to reach her.
“Stasia…” she tried weakly. I knew by the severity of the wound in her side that she only had moments to live, so I swallowed my despair and forced a weak smile.
“Tina!” I managed to pull myself up so I could see her eyes. “It’s okay, you’ll be okay…”
“I know you’re lying, but - ” She attempted a grin, but it morphed into a grimace as bloody coughs racked her dying body. “I believe in you….” she managed. “We all do…” Her eyes widened in pain before settling on my gaze once more.
“No!” I pleaded with her, “You’re going to be okay! Stay with me!” As I spoke, her green eyes focused on something behind me before losing their light altogether. Her body went limp beside me, and I felt an intense loneliness as I felt her soul disappear.
“Tina!” I yelled, but my voice was barely audible as I was overcome with grief.
“Murderers!” A deep voice boomed with accusation. Finn’s eyes never left them as he flicked a finger toward the three women and a net of blackness fell over them, muting their voices and incapacitating them. “Get Stasia!” he instructed Natasha.
She closed her eyes in preparation and her lips moved ever so slightly as my body lifted from Tina’s side on the sand. I memorized the tranquility of her still expression and grieved the loss of such a wise, talented Tyde and friend. Her body faded into gray as I was drawn farther and farther away into the safe arms of Natasha. Another form lying on the beach demanded my attention, and I struggled against Natasha’s magic to go to him. The old man’s body lay limp and motionless on the sand; discarded to the side. I didn’t know if he was still alive, but I did know that I wouldn’t leave him.
“Natasha, wait!” I cried. “You have to get him too! I can’t leave him! And Tina’s body…!”
Now in her arms, Natasha carried me toward the waves, “We don’t have time dear-“
“I can’t hold them much longer! She’s too strong!” Finn yelled back to us, visibly struggling to contain the two goddesses and one evil princess.
“I’m not leaving him!” I protested against Natasha. All of my emotions converged within my heart and I drew as much energy as I could from the waves that now crashed around us. I attempted the only thing I could think of, and prayed that it would work in time.
“Hurry!” Finn yelled back to us, as Natasha carried me farther and farther out into the waves.
The dark blanket he had cast around the women fizzled and disappeared completely; leaving us vulnerable to their power. A streaking motion to my left caught my attention and I sighed with relief, as a mass of seaweed shot out from the ocean, wrapped around the old man’s body and dragged him toward the waves.
We dropped beneath the surface as I saw Finn hold out his arms and blow the three women backwards one last time. The shockwave flowed over us along the surface of the water, and I fought to free myself of Natasha’s arms as my energy returned to me. The pain in my shoulder and along my skin was now simply an annoying pressure, numbed by sheer will and strength of determination.
“Stasia, stop!” Natasha called after me as I swam toward the length of seaweed as it retreated back into the ocean. As I caught site of the old man’s white hair floating in the current, someone seized me from behind.
“You have to go!” Finn clutched my shoulders, sending a new shot of pain all the way up to my neck. “We don’t have time!”
“I’m not leaving him,” I protested with indestructible determination. Finn searched my eyes and nodded his head respectfully.
“I’ll promise you I won’t leave him. You must go back to your body,” he instructed; not leaving room for argument. He darted off toward the old man’s unconscious body, and I closed my eyes in order to concentrate on my body still asleep at the villa. I perceived something powerful and evil moving in my direction beneath the water, but I was faster. In a split second everything became a blur, and I felt my soul crash back into my body with lightning speed. I shot upright and gasped for air; adrenaline still coursing through my veins.
“Stasia!” I heard Phoebe shout, right before she vaulted out of a chair and onto the bed I was lying in.
“Phoebe, no!” Willow warned, but she was too late. Phoebe threw her arms around me, quickly reminding me of how wounded I was.
“Hey…” I whimpered while Ricker wrenched her off of me. Willow quickly took her place, concern masking her features and her hands promptly working to heal me. They swept over my skin in a flutter of warmth and I looked up to see Elina’s calm eyes peering down at me. She lifted a steady finger and leaned in.
“No…!” I tried. She quickly shushed me and tapped my forehead with a magical finger. Her voice was the last thing I heard before falling into a deep sleep.
“Time to rest, dear.”
In a mystical haze of safety and bliss an endearing melody drifted into my soul, blanketing my heart and numbing my grief. I held on to the soft blackness supporting my tired soul, as I listened to the sweet song echoing through my mind.
“
Her voice was like a symphony of colors that beamed into my life and submerged me into a net of security, soft and true. The lyrics of the lullaby tickled a memory that I couldn’t quite reach, but as the angelic voice continued, I didn’t fight it as I drifted into a world of limitless enchantment and youthful wonder.
