“Don’t listen to her, Cora,” Sean shouted through the bars. “She has no plans of releasing us. She cannot take the ring, it must be freely given.”
“You are a strong one, aren’t you Sean? Your father was strong too, until I broke him just like I will you.”
Sean gritted his teeth, “And now you torture him?”
“I don’t like to be disobeyed. Punishment must be inflicted to assure obedience; something you will soon come to learn.”
“I will see you dead before that happens, Morgana.”
“You can try. But what makes you think I would even give you that chance? Foolish boy, you will be the one that lies dead.”
“I am not my father, Morgana. You will not break me as easily as you did him.”
“Perhaps not.” Morgana looked once more at Cora. “But how much would you like to wager that I could make your dear one scream before you broke?” Cora moved to the back of the cell as she trembled with fear.
“Leave her alone,” Sean spat between gritted teeth.
Morgana smiled and walked just in front of Sean’s cell. “I say we play a game.” She turned again towards Cora, “let us see how deep those bonds run.”
Cora did not reply, she narrowed her eyes and looked from Morgana to Sean.
There was such fear in those eyes it cut Sean deep.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SACRIFICES
They were chained and placed on a boat and taken far out to harbor before the order was given to cut the engine.
Morgana stood with her back towards them as she gazed out over the water. “Bruno, hoist Sean above the water.” She turned sneering at Cora and Sean, “And be sure to throw plenty of chum in, I want the sea rolling with sharks.”
The blood in Sean’s veins suddenly turned cold, sharks were the only thing in the sea that was a mer’s natural enemy.
Morgana set her sights on Cora, “This is the way things are going to happen. Soon hundreds of sharks will be infesting these waters, they will be sent into a feeding frenzy from the scent of blood. Your dear mer will be hoisted and dropped over the water each time I give the order.” She took a closer step towards her. “You can make things much more merciful for him, you can save him. All you have to do is give me the ring. Do it now, or watch him suffer. The choice is yours.” She turned towards the front of the boat, “Bruno, release Sean’s father. I think that it would be much more heart wrenching to have him be the one to lower his son to the sharks.”
“You’re sick,” Cora snapped.
Morgana laughed, “Perhaps, but not as sick as you will be when you watch your true love’s body being torn to shreds.”
Sean snarled as he strained against his restraints, “Do not give her the ring, Cora. She would kill me anyways.”
Morgana’s eyes narrowed, “Oh, but she will give me the ring, Sean.” She looked at Sean’s father, “Lower him.”
His father nodded, took hold of the chains and hoisted his son up above the water where sharks had started to gather. Sean jerked hard, the restraints cutting deep into his skin. Trickles of blood dripped from his wrists down into the water. “Father,” he shouted. “Father, don’t do this. Father!”
“Give me the ring,” said Morgana. “Give it to me, Cora. Give it to me or your dear love dies a horrible death.”
“You will never have the ring!” screamed Cora. Her eyes now on Sean’s father, “Don’t do this, he’s your son!” Bruno backhanded her across the face. Hot stinging fire shot through her.
Something deep inside Sean broke; a piece of his soul, ripping him apart. It was so fierce that his body screamed with fire. He looked at Bruno with murder in his eyes.
Bruno smiled, and raised his hand to strike Cora again. Morgana caught it before it met its mark. “Not yet, I want her to watch.” Bruno dropped his hand to his side, nodded and stepped back. “Lower him,” Morgana yelled.
Sean’s father proceeded to lower him towards the water, his face distant and unknowing. “You don’t know what you do father, look deep within yourself and remember, remember!” Sean’s father’s face twitched, confusion showing across his features. He stopped lowering his son and stood still.
“Remember, father. look within yourself, find your strength.” Sean shut his eyes and found the calmness. It was the one place he had found when in the cell. He saw it, grabbed it, and with all the energy that he had, he threw it towards his father.
Sean’s father gasped, his eyes turning a brilliant blue. He turned on foot and grabbed Cora before Morgana could stop him. Jumping up onto the railing, he snapped Sean’s chain as all three fell into the water below with a hard splash. They sunk deep into the encircling sharks, and then something brushed against Cora’s leg. Her hands were still bound, her oxygen almost depleted. Her eyes became wide as she struggled for air. Two more forms brushed on each side of her, dolphins. The water was full of them, ramming each shark that got close to them. Cora stopped moving as the last breath disappeared from her lungs.
Sean’s father managed to remove his son’s restraints just as the dolphins took off with Cora nestled between them. as soon as they were far enough away from the boat, the dolphins shot up through the surface of the water filling Cora’s lungs with the air she desperately needed. Making the transformation, Sean and his father surfaced next to her.
Morgana eyed them from the boat, she aimed the staff. Her mouth opened as all three of them watched knowing her power. They were like ducks in a shooting gallery, helpless.
A dark form passed below them swiftly. Just as Morgana took aim, a whale surfaced with Magnus on its back. Raising his own staff, he shot such a powerful bolt of light that it cracked the boat in two. Morgana and Bruno were knocked from their feet.
“We are sinking,” yelled Morgana. “Do something, Bruno!” the huge man just sat there with a dumbfounded look on his face.
Magnus struck the boat with another blast. Fear was on Morgana’s face as she did one thing that would change Sean’s life forever. Raising her staff, she shot a bolt that struck Sean’s father straight through the chest.
“No,” Sean screamed. His father became quiet as his body went limp.
Magnus turned towards the boat to exact another bolt, but the last of the vessel sunk under the waves. There was no trace of Morgana or Bruno.
Sean’s father looked at him. “You have freed me my son, now you must let me go.”
Sean was horrified, “Let you go? No, I have only just got you back. I won’t let you go. We will get you help, you will be ok.”
Sean’s father choked on the words, blood forming at the edge of his lips. “let me return to the sea, let me feel her embrace.” The words became much harder, “Let me return to her, the sea is a part of who I am. Let me go, Sean.” Raising his hand to touch Sean’s face, “You are and always have been, my son.” The last amount of light dimmed from his eyes.
Tears ran down Sean’s face as his father’s hand slipped back to the water, his eyes closing. And with one last struggled breath, “I love you, Sean.” There was no more.
Magnus placed a hand on his shoulder, “I am sorry, lad.”
Sean jerked away and screamed in anguish. Grabbing his father and pulling him close, he slipped under the sea.
“Sean,” yelled Cora. But he was gone.
“Give him time, Cora. He is hurting.”
Tears ran down her face. In just a matter of moments, Sean had lost so much. She vowed then that Morgana would pay.
…
Cora’s mind was on Sean as she rode on the back of the whale, a rhythmical rising and falling as it glided through the sea. The moon was full in the night sky, stars shining brightly as they twinkled above. The cool night air mixing with the scent of the sea, she breathed it in heartedly. She missed Sean, worried about him as her heart reached out wanting to consul him in his grief. She felt detached from her soul, a pain, an emptiness.
Magnus sat behind her, strong and straight. He had been right in that Sean would need
time; he needed to grieve for what he had lost. All she could do was wait for Sean to return, and she was sure that he would. But what bothered her most was the feeling that somehow, someway, Morgana had survived. This fight was not over, far from it. And something deep down told her that things were about to get much worse.
The island that held the fishing village came into view. Water sprayed from the whales blow hole in front of her taking her by surprise.
“We have arrived,” Magnus said softly.
A few feet from shore they slid off of the whales back and swam the rest of the way in. they reached land quickly but very exhausted. Fighting to their feet, they reached the cottage and were greeted excitedly. On the way inside, Madeline stopped Cora. “Where is Sean?” Cora broke into tears rushing inside.
Magnus gave Madeline a gentle look, “Don’t ask.” Everyone stopped what they were doing. “I will explain later, it has been a long night.”
…
Early the next morning, Sean returned. Cora ran to him when she saw him. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. “I am glad that you are here, Sean. I have been so worried.” She brought her lips up to kiss him, but he pushed her away.
“Even if I was not able to protect you from Morgana? Even though I was not able to stop her from killing my father? I am supposed to be a guardian, Cora. How good of a guardian does that make me when I cannot protect those that I love from harm?”
She brought her hand up and touched the side of his cheek. She looked at him with such sympathy, “Oh, Sean…”
He pushed her hand away and stepped back, “No, Cora.”
“Sean?” she looked at him, hurt in her eyes.
Magnus stepped forward. “Sean, take a walk with me please.”
Cora still stood there with tears rolling down her face. “Sean?”
“Cora, let me talk to him.”
She nodded her head as she watched them walk through the door, closing it behind them.
Magnus and Sean walked along the shore as sea gulls flew overhead. Magnus swallowed had. “Before I came here, I had been locked away for many years. That is when I met Victoria and Percy.”
“Morgana’s doing?”
“Yes, but during the time I was imprisoned, I also lost someone dear to me.”
Sean turned to look at him. “You, Magnus?”
“Yes,” Magnus looked out towards the sea, memories threatening to swallow him up. “I lost my only son, his name was Batel.” He swallowed hard taking in another deep breath. “Me, the great and powerful wizard Merlin, I lost my son. There was no way that I could save him. I felt helpless, powerless, I could not protect him.”
“I’m sorry, Magnus.”
“Yes, so am I. but I took that pain along with my loss, and I grieved.” He placed his hand on Sean’s shoulder. “But I don’t stop remembering. My son will always be with me.”
“So, turn the anger and pain,” said Sean.
“Exactly, use it to help you in your fight against Morgana. And know that the battles we bravely fight are for those that we have lost. We must not allow Morgana to continue taking the best parts of us, from us.”
Sean nodded, “Thank you, Magnus.” he walked back towards the cottage.
Magnus stood by the shore staring out to sea, closed his eyes, and smiled. “It is good to remember, least we not forget.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
AT ARMS
As the days went on, they were too quiet, unnerving. There was something dangerous in the air. Life in the little fishing village went on as it always had, but for the fae, Sean, and Victoria’s family, they knew nothing was as it seemed. And that storm that Magnus could feel, it was now right on top of them.
Magnus took a deep breath as he tore away his gaze. The ominous tone about him was like lightening crackling through the night sky; hot, bright and fiery red. But there was something else that he saw in the distance, and these were not dark ominous clouds. Magnus’s eyes got wide as he turned and ran as fast as his legs would carry him towards the village. Behind him, darkness rolled in across the water.
Sean who stood next to Percy glanced over his shoulder to see Magnus rushing up the path. “What’s gotten into him I wonder?”
Percy turned, but his gaze went past Magnus towards the sea. “That is what’s wrong.”
They both dropped what they were doing and rushed towards the cottage. In unison they yelled, “Everyone inside, now!”
“What is it?” asked Cora.
Victoria stood up from the garden with both hands on her hips. “Really Percy, what has you two all up in a roar?”
“She is here,” was all that Percy had to say. There was a look of sheer terror on both Victoria and Cora’s face.
“Get them inside, now. There is no time to be standing around out here,” Magnus yelled as he came running around the front of the cottage.
“No, mama and Madeline have still not returned. I have to go find them.”
Percy grabbed her by the arm before she could leave. “Victoria, no. It’s too dangerous.”
Victoria shook her head slowly, “That is my family out there, Percy.”
“She is right, we protect all, not just ourselves,” said Sean.
The fae stepped from the forest armed. “We have hid long enough,” replied the fae in front. “And we all fight together,” replied another fae proudly.
Magnus bowed his head, “Spoken like true warriors. But if you are all prepared to fight, then I advise you to arm yourselves and follow me. Here, we are nothing more than a bunch of sitting ducks.”
After what seemed several minutes, they managed to make it to the village. What had seemed like a serene little fishing village soon became a patchwork of chaos. People were screaming and running in all directions as fireballs rained down on them from the sky. Carts were struck as flames quickly spread through the streets. A toddler sat on the ground crying as people rushed past. A fae ran up and grabbed the toddler in his arms just as another fireball struck where it had been. All around, people were trampling one another trying to escape the chaos.
“We need to get these people out of here, Magnus.”
“I agree. Have Victoria and Cora lead them away to safety. Morgana is only using them to get to us.”
Percy turned and found Victoria gone. “Victoria!” he looked out towards the crowed of people, his eyes scanning the vicinity. He could not see her anywhere. He turned looking at Magnus with urgency, “I have to find her!”
“Then go, lad. She has probably gone in search of her family.”
Percy took off running and disappeared into the frightened crowed. Just then, a large shadow covered the ground blotting out the sun. Magnus and the others looked up. Their eyes got wide.
“Shadow dragons,” gasped Magnus.
A black dragon moved across the sky, it circled and then made a downward swoop. They had been spotted.
More dark shapes flew across the sky towards them, all shadow dragons. There was also something else with them, a dark cloaked figure riding on one of their backs. As the hood dropped in folds to reveal the face, Magnus squinted his eyes. Morgana.
The fire breathing beasts swooped down on the fae releasing an inferno of red hot heat. With bows readied, several arrows shot into the air. But as one beast came crashing down to earth, another soon appeared and took its place.
“Take cover, fae. We are nothing more than a sitting target here. We must find a better stronghold,” yelled Magnus.
They began to run, jumping over earth and rubble. All around them buildings lay in ruin and burning. They fell back to what shelter they could find. The streets were almost bare now as Cora was able to lead most of the villagers away from the center of the fighting.
The fae watched in horror as two other fae came running across the charred covered streets. There was nothing anyone could do as they watched razor sharp claws slice into fae flesh. Screams rang out before their bodies fell and lay in pools of blood. Morgana brought her dragon down
as wings beat at the ground causing a swirl of dirt and ash. She eyed them eerily as she slid from the massive beasts back. Fae readied their bows but Magnus ordered their weapons down. Her eyes narrowed in on them, and then on Magnus. “Let’s finish this!”
Magnus smiled, “With pleasure.” He ran from the shelter chanting the magical words, “Transformous, dragonous!” his body transformed as wings sprouted and grew from his back. His body doubled in size until he had taken on the form of a dragon. Fire shot from his massive snout as shadow dragons took to the air in terror. With a fierce roar like thunder, he directed sharp claws at Morgana.
The transformation came over Morgana much quicker, as her body took on strength to match his.
They met in the middle of the village road as claw, fang and breath of fire ignited in battle, one just as deadly as the other. Black oil spilled from containers and ran in pools into the street. As fire shot from both Magnus and Morgana, the black liquid ignited forming a wall of fire that encircled them both.
The earth rumbled all around them. great chunks of earth opened up exposing large gaping holes.
“God have mercy on us!” one of the fae cried.
…
Madeline held tightly to her mother, her face buried in her neck. Hot tears streaked down her cheeks, “It’s the end of the world!” she sobbed.
“Calm yourself, love. I will not let anything happen to you.” Naomi cooed to her daughter, “You are safe, dear one.”
A sound caused them to both look up. Someone or something was moving through the forest, and heading directly in their direction. They sat quietly holding their breath as the sound of snapping twigs and the rustling of bushes got closer. A cluster of birds flew in every direction. They both exhaled in relief as Victoria stepped from the edge of trees.
Running with her arms out, Victoria went to her knees and hugged them both, relief displayed across her face. “I was so worried. When the attacks came, all I could think about was losing the both of you.”
“Well you haven’t lost us yet,” said Naomi with a smile. “So stop worrying about something that hasn’t happened. We are strong woman with a will of determination.”
Blue Moon: The Ring of Mer (Seer's Of The Moon) Page 9
