Restricted Magic - Arc 3

Part 8

"We're running out of time."

Elsinore whispered to herself, crossing her arms across her chest as she shivered with cold. Her fingers dug into her arms, the skin breaking along the tips of her nails. Rivulets of blood ran down, soaking the sleeve of her prison uniform, the pain of the injury dulled by her inner panic. Pacing back and forth around her cell, she stepped in the fluid dripping off her clothes, tracking red footprints on the well-worn floor.

The illusion of Sophia sat on her bed, watching her with a bored expression. "Pretty sure we have nothing but time, living contained in a cell like this."

"SHUT UP!" Elsinore glared at her sister's image. "You heard her! Erin is going to MERION!" She threw up her hands. "Merion! Why would she do this to me? I swore never to return there!"

"Is that what happened?" Sophia tapped a finger to her cheek, "Why do I seem to remember that you were banished?" She grinned, jumping to her feet and walking towards her. Her ghostly image tracked over the pooled blood without disturbing it. "But sure, you can pretend it was your choice to not return. Definitely not your punishment for betraying the country... and selling me to the Devil."

Elsinore clutched her head, trying to ignore the voice of her dead sister, knowing it was her own illusion magic, her own delusion. "Roderick is planning something... why else would he bring her there of all places? No! We have to kill him before its too late!"

"Is that what you told my daughter?"

"She's betrayed me." Elsinore paced faster, her eyes wildly looking around the room. "She's lost focus. So many years. So many sacrifices. And now she's forgotten everything and abandoned me?!"

"You mean she's finally looked to a future beyond killing her father? Wanting to survive, get married, have a life that's about more than just one horrible man?"

"IT'S ABOUT AVENGING HER MOTHER'S MURDER!" Elsinore screamed at the figment of her imagination. "AVENGING YOUR DEATH! THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS!"

"Elsinore..."

"SHUT UP!" She waved a blood stained hand, unsure if the dripping fluid was real or not, her gaze focusing inwards. "I haven't lost sight of the goal. If she won't kill him."

"Sister..."

"Then I will. "

There was a moment of tense silence, broken finally by the screams of the guards outside.

"Fire!"

"The whole building's burning!"

"Here, this way!"

The door to her cell opened, several armed men ran in, their eyes wide, staring at nothing. Elsinore smiled, spreading her hands widely.

"Why thank you, gentlemen. You've served your purpose beautifully."

The men looked at each other with confused expressions, that slowly changed into ones of horror as their minds fell prey to her magic.

"The witch escaped! Don't think you can run away!" Facing off, they drew their weapons, each striking the other accurately, and slumping to the ground. Even as they died, their faces were confused, unsure of what was real and what was not.

"Illusion is so close to reality, isn't it." Elsinore chuckled, stepping over their quickly cooling bodies and walking out the door. "You really shouldn't be fooled by such simple lies."

"You're one to talk!" The image of her dead sister snorted with laughter, but she ignored her.

"Let's go."