Part 4: Whispers of Air

Esmeralda is not happy...

The mage wandered the halls of her home in the Keris Palace, but she lacked any enthusiasm. She had failed a mission… and she had a feeling that Esmeralda would not be pleased. She walked slowly, dreading the moment that she would face the Slayer Queen. 

She entered her room and quietly closed the door behind her. All around her were familiar items; books for different spells and circles, rune books and stones for practice, a mirrored dish filled with water over a magic circle, and finally her bed draped in crimson blankets and shrouded with a burgundy veil. She wished she could fall into that bed and just fall asleep, but if she did that, she was sure a Slayer would be on her Balcony the next night for a full report.

She sat by the mirrored dish and lit two candles beside it. The Circle was a simple one, a six point star with two runes that would translate ‘I speak to you.’ She took a breath before dipping a finger into the water, causing ripples in the mirror-like surface, but a pink light shimmered in the ripples in almost hypnotic swirls. The small sound of splashing opened the channel to the person on the other end, like the ringing of a phone. But since phones were easily bugged, this was a safer way of contact. 

Soon, the face of Esmeralda appeared in the reflection in place of her own. Her dangerously beautiful features were set into a gentle smile, but the mage knew this could change in an instant. Esmeralda blinked her green eyes before finally speaking. “For someone who had captured a child of Lost Magic, you look like someone just kicked your puppy.” 

The mage looked down in shame. “Forgive me, my lady…” She said. “But, they escaped.”

Esmeralda’s face shifted from a smile to what could have been like how a mother would look when her child is about to speak the truth about a lie, but her eyes were already burning with anger. She raised an eyebrow at the mage, silently asking to explain. 

“It was unexpected…” The mage explained. “They had help from an outside source. Someone on a Saharan Sail Wing. They blew up two watch towers and the Shadow Dragon… with the girl, and… and the Royal…. got away….”

“You still have the boy correct?” Esmeralda asked. 

The mage bit her lip and shook her head. “The shadow dragon pulled him out of his cell…”

Esmeralda bit her lower lip, looking away from the mage angrily as she fought the heat or rage from within. She took a breath to calm herself, then another before looking back at the mage. Her face was calm, but her eyes burned like green fires. “No matter,” She said, her eyes boring into the Mages. “If all else fails, I’ll be ready for them in the end. They will not set foot into Shiveryn. But I cannot overlook your failure to keep hold of them.” 

“M.. my Lady?” The mage stammered fearfully. 

Esmeralda looked at the Mage in the eyes, her hands lifting as a gold energy could be seen. Esmeralda spoke some words that the mage couldn’t catch before she was hit with a jagged wave of gold energy. It knocked the wind out of her and she felt her body hit the floor, but she was still standing, leaning over the desk as she tried to catch her breath. But each breath felt hollow and useless. The mage opened her eyes, not realizing she closed them, and first saw her hand. And the desk that the hand covered. Her eyes widened as she lifted her hand and could see Esmeralda in the mirror through it.

“Consider this a time out.” The Slayer Queen stated. “Don’t worry, you’re still alive. Your soul is just not allowed to return to your body until I say so. Until then, you’ll get a taste of what a Lost Soul is. They’re the most well-behaved of my prisoners… seeing as none but the caster of this spell can see them. I’ll let you… linger for a few days. Maybe that will teach you to not fail me.” With that, Esmeralda splashed the water on her end, ending the connection. The mage looked at the vacant mirror, lacking Esmeralda’s face, and her own. She hyperventilated as she turned and saw herself on the floor, her own chest very faintly rising and falling. The Mage approached her body and knelt by it, reaching a ghostly hand toward it before pulling away and releasing a wail. It was loud to herself, but to others, it was merely an echo of life.

Author's Note

And so begins the next part of the journey. I'm hoping that Miss Esmeralda is living up to a villainess well enough. If not, I can edit her in the next editing wave. But what do you guys think so far? My mom is calling this a "Never Ending Story" But I do have a book in my collection thats nearly 100 chapters long XD (Yay Peter and the Star Catchers!) But hope you guys like the story so far! Here's to the Kingdom of Aupurin!

For this next part I'll be needing information about Africa. For example Culture, beliefs, and how the tribes and kingdoms work there :) Just like in Keris, there will be new characters that our crew will be meeting. So anything you guys have I'm up for knowledge!