Witch Crystal (Witches of Zrotaz Book 1) Page 16

  “Well, someone could have woken me up,” he huffed. “Did I miss any fun?”

  “Larissa, Jake, and Canopus are leaving for the Dark Mountains,” said the Great Bear.

  “The Dark Mountains?” Luille shivered at the thought. “Well, I’m glad it’s not me! I must say, you are brave, Larissa. You know, my late wife ‘lives’ – I will use the word loosely – around that realm. You call her if you need her and tell her you know me, won’t you? She is very friendly and a little annoying too. But don’t tell her I said that!”

  Larissa let herself a smile in spite of what lay ahead, “Thank you, Luille, I wish you could come with me.” She turned to her mother and hugged her tight.

  “Don’t worry, darling. I know you can do this,” Marcaria said with tears in her eyes. “I will always be with you.”

  Larissa understood that she meant that they could always communicate using telepathy, and she felt much better for it.

  “And remember your guardians, Larissa. They will always be there if help is needed.” Canopus reminded her of her father, and the other four spirits that she had come to know of, only a few hours ago.

  Larissa took a deep breath. “Thank you everyone.” She turned to her two companions. “Let’s begin this adventure.”

  26

  ZROTAZ

  Zleus woke up to bright sunlight, as he lay under a strange tree. The tree bark was long and spindly, with extended, wide foliage leaning towards the sand.

  However, he didn’t care, for he was enjoying its protection from the flaming sun. It was midday; he knew that by looking at the shadows, which were very short.

  He stood up and stretched, and then remembered the giant rock people he had been speaking to, was that only last night? He was extremely thirsty and looked for the box that contained the water and food. He didn’t need to search far, for the box was sitting just a few feet away.

  While he ate and drank his fill, Zleus watched the gentle lapping of the pink sea and felt quite alone. Where were his rock friends? Shouldn’t they be with him, making sure he was safe? How did he come to be sleeping under a tree? He was sure when he fell asleep that it was under the security of the rock people.

  Zleus came out of his reverie when he heard beautiful music, his thoughts forgotten for a moment. A stunning sea animal swam towards him from the far depths of the sea. It was a kelpie – a water horse – he was sure of it.

  Zleus knew it was a female for she wore her white mane in braids, and a crown that established her as The Queen. As she came to the edge of the shore, she turned into the form of a woman, dressed in a flowing dress made of flowers and leaves. Zleus wanted to talk to her, but something inside him told him to be careful; these creatures could not be trusted. Nevertheless, he was drawn to her and he couldn’t resist this pull.

  “I have not seen you in these parts,” her voice was of silk and sounded of bells.

  “I am new to this area,” he said.

  She smiled, disarming all negative preconceptions he may have had about her. She held her hand out, and he took it.

  “I want you to come with me,” she whispered.

  Zleus nodded in mute agreement. He walked behind her, still holding her hand, truly mesmerized by her exquisite face and melodious voice. He felt the delicious coolness of the sea between his toes as they reached the water. He carried on walking until he was waist deep, when he heard loud shouting. The water around him swelled in huge waves. The kelpie gasped, and turned back into the sea horse. The rock people came crashing through the sea, as if it was a small pond.

  The kelpie disappeared under the sea.

  “No, wait! Please don’t go!” Zleus shouted after the Kelpie.

  One of the rock people picked Zleus out of the sea, and put him on his shoulder, and carried him back to the beach with the other rock people following close behind.

  The rock man put Zleus down on the sand as gently as a rock person could, considering his height and strength.

  “Why on Zrotaz’s moon, did ya do tha’?” the rock said in frustration. “Dun’ ya know tha’ kelpie’ s ar’ dangerous, and nat ta be trusted?”

  “Sorry, I just got side tracked,” said Zleus, feeling embarrassed.

  “Dun’ ya know dey ooz theys beau’y ta ge’ ya?” said rock man number two. “’orrible, jus’ orrible creatures.”

  “Well, where were you anyway?” Zleus challenged. “I thought you were supposed to be guarding me, making sure I don’t get kidnapped again!”

  “We ‘ad business ta do,” said rock number one.

  “Such as?” asked Zleus.

  “Ar’ we ‘llowed ta tell ‘im ‘bout ‘er?” rock number two asked rock number one.

  “Who is ‘she,’ and what are you talking about?” demanded Zleus.

  “Ah, ‘ere dey come!” rock number one looked relieved, and he clapped his hands. Zleus covered his ears to what sounded like a huge stone piece breaking off a rock face.

  He directed his eyes to where the rock people were pointing and saw a small group walking towards them. As they came near, he recognised them to be the Sacred Witch, Charm – the unisus, and Sanfa the centaur, who was walking beside a male centaur.

  Zleus guessed he was the Tribe Head that Sanfa was referring to before his capture by the Merpeople. There was also an elf, who wore a rather long hat adorned with beads. Zleus guessed that he, too, was important.

  The group of mismatched creatures and witch came to an abrupt stop, before the rock people and Zleus.

  “Good afternoon, Zleus. Did you sleep well?” asked the Sacred Witch.

  “Yes, thank you,” said Zleus. He wondered why they were exchanging pleasantries; it was rather odd.

  “I am glad, and also relieved you are safe and with us now. Thank you, rock people, for helping us,” said the Sacred Witch. “You’re welcome, ma lady,” rock number one and two said together.

  “Zleus, let me introduce you to the friends who all helped in bringing you to safety. The Tribe Head, Numpha, and the Chief Elf, Nanomyn. You have already met Sanfa,” the Sacred Witch smiled.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” said Zleus.

  “Likewise,” said Numpha.

  Nanomyn greeted Zleus, who he didn’t hear at first, however a few moments later, his words boomed in his ear.

  “I’m sorry about that,” said the Chief Elf. “We have different sound levels for different creatures, and I haven’t perfected it for witches. I’m sorry, Sacred Witch.”

  The Sacred Witch took her hands away from her ears. “That’s quite alright, Nanomyn. Now, Zleus, we don’t have any time to lose. Abyliss has been in contact with me, and has told me that Larissa, Xyth, and Canopus – the Crystal – are going to journey to the Dark Mountains, to retrieve the stolen magic in order to repair the Aurora Borealis. We don’t know how long that will take, but we need to be ready with our own plan of attack against the Empire Witches, when the time comes.”

  As the Sacred Witch was speaking, all Zleus could think of, was that Xyth, his brother, was going into the Dark Mountains, and who was Canopus?

  “Zleus, are you there?” asked the Sacred Witch. Zleus snapped out of his thoughts.

  “Sacred Witch, I don’t understand. Who is Canopus, and what are the Dark Mountains? I have heard of them, and I know they are dangerous, but why is my brother going? Did they force him?”

  “He volunteered, Zleus, and I believe that to be very brave of him. I understand your worry for your brother, but he is a skilled witch and he will be able to help the girl. Canopus is the Witch Crystal and Earth Spirit, who was trapped in a form of a crystal for many decades. He has finally been released from his prison, and as per the prophecy, he will be aiding Larissa in obtaining the stolen magic. You should be very proud to have such a brother,” the Witch Crystal smiled.

  “I am very proud of him, Sacred Witch, but also scared for him,” replied Zleus.

  “And that is very natural,” she said. “It is time to meet the Sacred Witches of the No
rth and South, and we must do so with haste. We will not travel to Eve’s Drop as planned, but we shall will meet them on Zrotaz’s sister planet, Saturn. Sanfa, Numpha, Nanomyn, and Cyle will accompany us to Saturn’s entrance sphere. But we must be careful and aware of the Empire Witches.” The Sacred Witch turned to the group. “Nanomyn, is the shuttle ready?”

  “It is, Sacred Witch,” he replied.

  “Then, we leave.”

  27

  Zleus and the small group of assorted creatures and witches, walked to the end of the beach and stopped. The Sacred Witch raised her arms and chanted a spell, then calmly waited.

  Zleus, puzzled, also waited but for what, he didn’t quite know. Seconds later, the air began to ripple. Sparks flew from the movement in random spurts. It spread wide and tall, finally stopping to reveal a shuttle.

  Whistling, Zleus walked around this shiny machine. It was white with silver, with windows at the top. Zleus assumed one could see for miles through them. He imagined comfort and luxury seating inside and couldn’t wait to board.

  “The shuttle will take us to the sphere entrance that will lead us to Saturn. However, when we reach the entrance, we will board another shuttle, for the purpose to travel through the Space porthole,” the Sacred Witch explained. “Our friends will return here by this shuttle.”

  “I will fly beside the shuttle,” Charm volunteered. “I will be able to foresee any dangers coming our way, thus informing you.”

  “Very well, thank you, Charm.” The Sacred Witch nodded.

  The door of the shuttle opened and everyone boarded, with Zleus being the first to enter. Charm waited until the shuttle rose into the air, then she flew ahead. The sun shone bright, and Zleus gazed out of the windows, feeling anxious, yet somewhat content. He felt he was lucky to be alive and thanked his good companions who had helped him.

  “How was I rescued from the Merpeople?” he asked the group seated in front of him.

  They sat in a circle, the Sacred Witch, Zleus, the Chief Elf, Sanfa, and the Tribe Head.

  The interior was as fabulous as Zleus had imagined, airy and lavish. White, comfortable seats lined the sides and some were arranged in a circle. It was the loop they had all occupied, with the centaurs on soft foliage, which they preferred.

  The Tribe Head spoke, “Sanfa came to me as soon as you were taken, Zleus. We wasted no time in calling the Chief Elf. It was vastly important that we got you out and away from the Chief Merman’s clutches quickly. I dread to think that they would have handed you over to the High Witch!”

  “Why are the merpeople so evil?” Zleus asked, trying to understand. “When I was trapped in the bubble, I saw a community of them and a city. It was quite marvellous! They had normal lives; I saw children going to school, some even waved at me. They looked so friendly.”

  “The city of merpeople is controlled hugely by the High Witch. She bought their trust and services a long time ago, when her influence over Zrotaz was low. She gave them a city that they always wanted, and it is the finest in the underwater world,” said the Chief Elf. “However, the High Witch had given them conditions that they were expected to adhere to. One mistake, the High Witch would overlook it, but the second mistake would not be forgiven.”

  “When the bubble dispersed, the Chief Elf arrived in time to drag you out of the water,” said Sanfa. “He is able to breathe under water, a gift bestowed upon him by his ancestors. He is one of a kind. He put a charm upon you, so that when you went to sleep and so you could still breathe. There was a fight of course. The mer-guards didn’t take too kindly at this intrusion but the Chief Elf was stronger and much more nimble than they had expected. The guards used arrows and spears to fight with but elf magic is far more effective. No harm came to our friend.”

  “What is elf magic?” asked Zleus, intrigued.

  “It is something we witches can never obtain,” said the Sacred Witch. “It is ancient magic that dwells on the mind, and to defeat the mer-guards is quite something.”

  The Chief Elf laughed, brushing her compliments away, “Please, Chrysies, you are being too kind.”

  “Don’t be modest, Nanomyn, we value your help very much,” The Sacred Witch said.

  “Then what happened?” Zleus’ curiosity was getting the better of him.

  “Well, with the guards down, Nanomyn had to contend with the Chief Merman, the most powerful creature underwater. His influence reaches far and wide in the water world, very much like the High Witch,” the Sacred Witch said drily. “I must say the duel was magnificent, and yet deadly. The centaurs cannot breathe underwater, even with the use of magic, but they can see through the surface clearly, even in cloudy waters. The centaurs rained arrows into the sea, disarming the Chief Merman and the other guards he had summoned. They were all taken down. The Chief Merman was alone, and outnumbered. Unfortunately, he managed to swim away before Nanomyn was able to catch him.

  “With you safely on land, the centaurs brought you to Golden Island where the rock people reside. Time was limited, and we needed transport. The Tribe Head was very helpful and handled matters by securing this shuttle.”

  Zleus sat back in his seat, deep in thought, when the shuttle suddenly shuddered. He saw Charm fly up to his window, flustered. Strangely, he could hear her speak.

  “Merpeople! They are attacking - ” Before Charm could finish her sentence, an arrow struck her.

  “Charm! No!” Zleus flew out of his seat, throwing himself against the window. He saw her fall, red liquid spreading over her torso. His scream never left him. He stood there until she was just a red speck falling, falling...

  “Zleus!” Sanfa was shaking him. “She is gone. I’m sorry, but we need your help!” The shuttle was shaking, and shuddering, and Zleus was frightened.

  “What can I do?” he asked, desperately. The Sacred Witch opened the door of the shuttle, and high velocity air rushed into the cabin. Zleus managed to hold to grab hold of a seat and steadied himself.

  The Sacred Witch had her eyes closed, her fingers cradling a crystal ball. She was chanting spells and as she did, the passengers of the shuttle were able to stand, without being pulled by the swift currents of air. The Sacred Witch used another spell to throw Zleus a bow and a quiver filled with arrows.

  “Shoot!” she shouted.

  Zleus stood at the open door and prepared his bow. He noticed everyone was holding some kind of weapon; the centaurs with bows and sharp-tipped arrows, and the Chief Elf with a satchel of stones that sparked every now and then. They began their attack on the Merpeople down below.

  The shuttle gave another shudder as arrows and powerful spells from below hit, causing smoke and destruction. The shuttle began to drift its nose down, but then the aircraft lifted a second later. The Sacred Witch was controlling the shuttle, keeping it steady and still while it was flying!

  Zleus jumped back as a table flew towards him, but his arm was gouged by its sharp metal edge as it landed on its side, ripping Zleus’ skin. Clear liquid washed down his arm. Zleus swayed, but managed to clamp his other hand over the wound. He staggered, feeling his arm weaken and go limp.

  “Zleus!” Sanfa cried. “You’re bleeding! Your magic is draining!”

  The Sacred Witch looked up in horror; her concentration was broken. The shuttle began to lean on its side. An invasion of spells smashed the windows, shattering glass everywhere.

  The Chiefs ducked, as shards flew in their direction, momentarily causing them to stop their attack down below. Arrows flew into the cabin, then another spell blew the back section of the shuttle away, leaving a large gaping hole.

  For dear life, everyone held onto something that was nailed down. The air rushed towards them, whipping around them in a frenzy. The shuttle tilted even further, and the crystal ball began to roll towards the hole. The Chief Elf yelled obscenities as the ball rolled away from his reach. Everyone watched in silent horror.

  Amongst the blur, Zleus saw a huge bird fly into his vision, something very powerful and surre
al. It was the Great Hawk, only heard of and never seen, yet, it was here. In its fierce claws, was the crystal ball! It cocked its head, and then released the ball, throwing it in the direction of the Sacred Witch. She caught it and grasped it tightly.

  “Thank you,” she breathed.

  The bird bowed and flew away. The shuttle began to plummet. The Sacred Witch threw all of her energy and magic into the crystal ball, shouting spells one right after another. They were levitation spells and more, to keep the shuttle from diving into the sea, but it didn’t seem to be working. The shuttle fell...they all were going to die!

  Zleus’ thoughts travelled to Xyth. He needed to see him, to warn him! Suddenly, he was there.

  A window opened, and he saw Xyth somewhere dark. He was walking with a girl and a boy. Then Xyth looked straight at him!

  “Xyth!” Zleus yelled.

  Xyth came close to the window. “Zleus?”

  Xyth put his hand on the window, trying to find a way in, but it was not possible.

  “Are you in trouble? Brother, you are bleeding!”

  “I will be fine. Listen, I need you to look after mother,” said Zleus.

  The girl saw the wound, and without thinking if she could do it, she put her hands on Xyth’s arm, exactly where Zleus was injured. Zleus looked down at his arm, it was healing! His strength had returned and his magic too. How was that possible?

  “Thank you,” he said to the girl. She smiled and the window of communication began to close. “Wait, how can I reach you again?”

  “Think of Xyth and in times of need, the window will open,” the girl echoed.

  Zleus watched as the window closed.

  Everyone looked at him and back at the space where the window had been, shocked. Zleus shrugged.

  He noticed the shuttle wasn’t falling anymore but was now rising higher and moving forwards. They had left the merpeople at last!

  “Was that the girl, Larissa, whom we are protecting and helping to reach Zrotaz safely?” he asked the Sacred Witch.