The Last Mage

Chapter 16: An Argument

Brielle pushed the clouds from her eyes looking around at the familiar surroundings. She blinked and squinted in the bright sun. A quiet snuffle at her shoulder alerted her to the presence of the little horse. Misty tossed her head and stuck her nose in Brielle's face. She pushed the nose away, sat up and stroked the little horse for a while. She felt numb all over. Misty shook her mane and blew out her nose. Then she shoved at Brielle's shoulder. She seemed quite insistent. Was there somewhere I'm supposed to be? Why else would I wake up here? Brielle climbed on Misty's back and urged her into a trot. This didn't seem good enough for Misty as she started galloping faster and faster. The wind blew through Brielle's longer hair as the grey mist folded in about them. Brielle wondered briefly where the horse was taking her.

As if in answer the mist unfolded and Misty stopped abruptly nearly throwing Brielle to the ground. She looked around catching her breath and found them home. Amber was sitting beside her body and the sound of voices came from the commons. Misty looked at her impatiently and tossed her head. She slipped off the horses back and gave her a pat. Obviously the little horse thought she should be in her body, not worrying her friend to death. Though Amber didn't look worried at the moment. She was engrossed in a history.

Brielle walked over to her body and touched it expecting to suddenly open her eyes and surprise Amber. But nothing happened. At first she was confused and tried to shake herself. Then she remembered what Morvin had told her. The longer she stayed away the harder it was to get back in. Her hands slid off coated with a waxy substance. She looked fearfully over her shoulder at the little horse. It stepped nervously from side to side watching her. Fear grew in her. How long had she been lying in that cool grass unknowingly? She had to get back in! She started rubbing franticly, the waxy substance dripping from her hands.

"I don't want to die!" Her scream echoed in the little room and Amber jerked up and looked around. She went to the door and yelled for them to keep it down out there. There was nothing Brielle could do but keep rubbing it away. She couldn't feel her hands but she imagined the dripping liquid to be like the moss on the side of the buildings. It was too hard to get off so was never removed.

Her arm began to burn and she stopped to look at it quickly realizing that she was getting close. She had to be with feeling coming back. She rubbed faster, flicking the juices from her hands. It was like a dream, a never ending fight in the ponds whirlpool, the only end to be drowning. She tried to block out Nathan and Thomas as they started a loud argument about who knew what.

Actually it was a rather stupid argument started over the placement of the scant furniture. That's how it started anyway. Then they started a match on who could find the most annoying things about the other. Requel, Russel, Skyler, and Eryn watched with frayed nerves the two combatants. They mostly blamed Thomas for this scene. He wouldn't let it drop that Brielle's mother had snuck out right under Nathan's nose. Nathan was worried about her. She'd been gone for almost an hour with no clues as to where she might have gone. Just how she had wanted it.

Nathan had tried to follow of course but however Laura had left it hadn't left a trail to follow. That frustrated him to no end. He'd learned tracking from the very best but there was no beating magic. Finally he decided to just ignore Thomas. He knew this would drive Thomas crazy. He hated to be ignored especially during an argument but Nathan did it anyway, picking up a book on horsemanship and pretending to read. But instead of him yelling and trying to snatch the book he went silent. Surprised Nathan looked up but Thomas wasn't focused on him. The sound drifted in like the sizzling of water dripping on a fire. They all stood uncertainly eyeing the passageway. Russel finally opened the Way and they all stared down the hall. The sound was louder now the door was open and they could see the Way was lit with a red glow.

The girls drew back fearfully. Just over the sizzling they could hear the shrieks and grunts of demons and they all knew what came next. Russel let the Way close and they all stood silently, staring at one another. Nathan had disappeared down the hall and the girls clung to each other trying to look unconcerned and failing miserably. Thomas stood still, staring at the wall, and tapping his chin thoughtfully. Skyler scuttled from the room and they could hear him rustling through things in the back. Russel disappeared toward the kitchen. Soon Thomas followed Skyler and the girls were left alone.

"So what do we do?" Eryn sounded braver than she looked. Requel couldn't help smiling at her friend. Eryn had woke up only a couple hours ago and seemed her old self except for her hair. Right now it was dark brown almost black. Earlier it had been green. Whatever Brielle had done it was amusing. Except that she was still unconscious in the other room.

"I know what you're going to do. Yer gonna tell me what's going on!" Both girls turned and leapt toward Brielle screaming. And in that second the room was filled with all four men, blades drawn and ready to fight. For Brielle it was almost too much, setting her heart racing.

"Don't do that!" Thomas looked furious as he turned and stalked out of the room again. The relief on the others faces was short lived however as a loud crack resounded through the room and the ground started shaking. Nathan took them back down the hall, Russel joining Skyler going to storage.

"Here, take one of these. Horses are faster than feet and especially these." Nathan opened his hand revealing four small metallic horses. Brielle recognized Misty right away and picked her up. The others followed. The girls gasped as the little horses came alive in their palms gazing up at them with small metallic eyes. Then they went still as before. "Good. You've all been accepted. Once we get out on the street we may need them. I want you to get back into-"Right then a crash thundered through their sanctuary, the walls all about them turned red, tinting everyone in a bloody light. Skyler appeared in the doorway his eyes betraying his fear. They had gotten through. Nathan raced down the hall crashing into a group of black writhing forms and sending them flying. They all followed in his wake yet when they saw the commons they knew there was no escaping.