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Lottie:
Washing my hands in the pond, birds chirped cheerfully around me. Depression hung over me like a cloud, my emotional limit having been met. A letter had shown up from Mina detailing the death of one of my friends Swallowia, a sickness having claimed her life. Tears shattered the surface, her bright smile flashing in my mind. A black portal swirled in front of me, the twins popping up next to me. Clearly, the portal was calling them to come with me. The four of them scratched their heads, concern flashing in their eyes. Wiping my tears away, I shook off the depression. Stepping in the front, Boran assured me that he had control over Helios and our sons. Untying Dackworth from my back, a warmth surrounded his aura.
“Are you okay?” He asked mentally, Tommy hopping onto my shoulder. “You look like hell.” Ignoring his question, I had a job to do. Stepping through, my breath hitched at the dancing field of colorful flowers. It was my old home, tears welling up in my eyes. Swallowia bounced up to me, horror widening my eyes. She was dead, my heart shattering. Leaning forward, her chocolate brown eyes twinkled with joy. Her sleek bob framed her feathery skin, her striped Earth tone wings fluttering in the gentle breeze.
“I missed you.” She chirped cheerfully, her feathered hands cupping mine. “You finally came home. I got sick because of you. I hate you with all of my guts.” Her jovial tone threw me off, my fear deepening. Clammy sweat drenched my skin, her long silver blade sliding through my stomach. The feathers of her hilt danced in the breeze, a copper taste poisoned my taste buds. Coughing up an unnatural amount of blood, it painted her feathers. Punching her chest, she yanked out her black heart. Crying out brokenly, my body trembled with sadness.
“Stop it!” I pleaded, my companions froze with fear. “I didn’t kill you. You got sick. You have always been a little sick. I was going to send you a flower to cure you. I am so sorry I didn’t get it to you in time. I was trying so hard. It just disintegrated before it could go through. Stop it! Please, I am begging you.” Hyperventilating myself into a further panic, she dropped the heart into my palm. Blue flames devoured the heart, her body decaying it a pile of ash. Sinking to my knees, her weapon dissolved to nothing. All that remained of her was my grave wound bleeding profusely upon the sunny field, my trembling arms cupping the large gash. Pressing my forehead to the grass, the color drained from the dimension. Storm clouds brewed out over my head, heavy rain soaking my freezing body. Death felt so close, my desperate hand reaching for it.
“Wake up!” Mary shouted out, rushing to my side. “You can’t die. No matter how hard life gets or how much it takes from you, you can’t quit. Heal!” Her emotions soaked my back, her hands hovering my body. A bright light blinded me, my wound sealing shut. Hatred burned in my eyes, my hands knocking her to the ground. Shock rounded her eyes, my teardrops matching the rain.
“Why can’t you let me die?” I sobbed brokenly, clutching my knees to my chest. "I just want to die. I couldn’t even save my friend.” Clutching me close to her chest, her hand patted the back of my head. Rocking me back and forth, my panic attack grew worse. The heartbeat of her twins snapped me out of it, the responsibility of my job shutting down my emotions. Struggling to my feet, I wiped away my tears.
“That never happened. I will deal with this on my own.” I asserted sternly, watching her robes tickle her boots. “Stay out of danger for me. I can’t handle it if you guys lose your babies. I need to figure out what to do next. Boys, you need to protect your girls. Adjusting their simple onyx suits, their eyes gazed upon me with an unfamiliar warmth. A slow clap stole our attention, Wrathia laughed maniacally, cracking her joints into place. Her blades spun in her palms, her feet pounding towards my companions. Leaping in front of them, her blades hit my dragon arm. Sparks flew into the air, my foot slammed into her chest. Flying back, dread bubbled in my gut. Wrathia’s lips were moving a mile a minute, the dimension cracking around us. Sprinting over to Mary, my body covered hers. Tommy wagged his tail once, a dome formed over the rest of my companions. Harsh winds whipped my hair around, tiny blades slicing up my skin.
“Tommy!” I shouted over the wind, his eyes falling on me. “Get in that other dome now! That is an order! '' Hesitancy flashed in his eyes, his paws pounding into his dome. Bracing myself for a world of hurt, the future had to be protected. Small lines of blood soaked my emerald dress, Mary sobbing in my arms. A whole new level of hurt was about to be released on us, the real war set to begin. Cracks and groans echoed around me, an empty black space remained where the field once was. The wind died down, a worn Wrathia huffed and puffed. Mouthing a silent spell, portals opened up underneath my friends. Falling through, their protests were barely heard. Sealing shut, it was just the two of us or so I thought. A heavily armored knight stepped out in front of her, his blood red armor hugging his muscular body. Brandishing a twenty foot blade, the steel glinted in the light of the snow white flames devouring his blade. Rising to my feet, cold inky eyes bore into my soul. Wrathia clapped her hands, disappearing in a tornado of midnight black ribbons. Something was off, fear paralyzing me in my place. Charging at me, Dackworth’s voice woke me up.
“Unless you want to be chopped liver, I suggest you move.” He snapped hotly, blasting us out of the way. “His name is Lord Bloodlust. He won’t stop until he is dead. Wrathia will go into hiding until her five lords are dead. How much blood did you lose?” Glancing down at my hand, it was rather pale. Crouching down to my initial puddle of blood, he laid the tip of his blade into the shimmering liquid. Soaking it up, a steady stream of curse words flooded from my lips. Blood magic was his powers, the dark magic really seeming to be a legend until now. Glancing up at the sky, the water turned to blood. Ruby painted my face, the visibility worsening. Unfamiliar with this type of magic, my only option was to take this guy down. Glancing where he once was, a strained shit left my lips. Popping up behind me, a pair of fangs tore into my neck. The wet slushy noise sickened me, my vision blurring. This isn't how my life was going to end. Jamming my elbow into his throat, he stumbled back. A swift kick sent me face first into the rising level of blood, my breakfast threatening to visit me. A metal boot stepped on my head, my lungs begging for air. Bubbles floated to the surface, my elbow slamming into his leg. Taking a deep breath, I leapt to my feet. Vines crept up my arm, my body shivered with disgust at the ruby coating every inch of me. Why was my job so messy? Raising my scythe into the attack position, flames burned my glove off. An uncontrollable flame roared in the palm of my hand, Scarlet’s chaotic thoughts clouding up my thoughts.
“Shut up!” I screamed with frustration, the lord’s body smashing into mine. “I need to think and I can’t deal with you yelling in my mind.” Sighing with relief at the silence, that proved to be short-lived. Raising my arm, a blast of flames knocked him back. Gathering myself, I slammed my palm against the wall, vines climbing onto the surface. Balls of flame kept the lord at bay, my scythe speeding up the takeover of the walls. Blue roses bloomed along the wall, a silver water mixing with the blood. Spinning my scythe over my head, everyone had a weakness.
“Blooms from my goddess Mina, seek out the achilles heels!” I commanded boldly, his body smashing tackling me to the ground. Rolling around in the rising levels of silvery blood, we took turns attempting to drown each other. A rose petal landed on the joints of his armor, a swift kick tossing him in the air. Flipping a couple of times, Scarlet granted me his dragon eye. Time slowed down, his next move played out in my mind. Dodging his attack, my scythe stabbed his shoulder. Using the moment, my feet pushed off his back.
“You missed.” A deep voice thundered, sudden realization dawned on his body language. Vines shot out to give me a place to land, blood pouring from my nose. Leaping into the air, blood spurted from his wound. Aiming for his other shoulder, his blade swung towards me. Blocking it with my dragon arm, the force smashed me into the wall. A couple of my organs burst, the copper taste poisoning my taste buds. Coughing up a glob of blood, it felt like a train had hit me. The rose quartz necklace glowed, my organs becoming one again. Pretending to be busted up, his boots splashed through the bloody water. Waiting until the last second, surprise rounded his eyes at me leaping into the air. Bouncing off the wall, the breeze of his attack blew my hair back. Flipping my scythe underneath my arm, it slammed into his other shoulder. The armor dropped into the water, muscles pulsing away. Gross, the lack of skin was alarming. Clapping his hands, ashy skin groaned into place.
“You are such a pain in the ass.” He vented irritably, spinning his blade over his head. “You are the worthiest opponent that I have played with. Now the real game begins.” Doubling in size, my brow twitched in response. The eight foot height wasn’t enough, so why not become a giant? Taking a deep breath, one touch decayed my vines. Crashing into the water, panic gripped my mind. Already at my waist, this couldn’t be great.
“Cut his ankles.” Scarlet suggested calmly through our mental connection. “That would mean that you have to flood the place. Can you manage?” Chewing on my lips, it would take all the magic I had left. No pain without the gain, I told myself shakily. Swallowing the lump in my throat, the only thing I would have would be my strength and wits.
“Silver moonlight, flood this realm!" I barked vehemently, my power draining faster than expected as water poured in from all sides. Struggling to stay above the surface, a current shattered the quartz necklace. Swimming under the water, his fist shattered the water’s surface. My lungs begged for air, my chest tightening. A fist burst through the bottom of the dimension, Boran pulling himself up. Punching his ankles, the raw power shattered the bones. Dackworth floated away from me, my vision blurred. The water tossed me around, every current bruising my skin. Swimming to the surface, a deep breath relieved my burning lungs. Scurrying up his back, my arms curled around his neck. Gathering all of my strength, a sharp crack shattered the peaceful air. Spinning his head round and round, more tendons gave way. Snapping from the tension, inky sludge painted my face. Just enough of my powers remained for the last step, blue flames mixed with my dragon flames. Digging my fingers into the wet tissues of his neck, flames devoured his body.
“Say these words and I will give you enough power.” Scarlet promised sincerely, slight distrust flashing in my eyes. “Eternal flames of the dragons, burn thy enemies to a crispy husk.” Cocking my brow at the spell, the words were quite fancy in my opinion. Shaking off my bemusement, this was my ticket out. Boran burst to the surface with a wet Tommy shivering on his shoulders.
“Eternal flames of the dragons! Burn thy enemy to a crispy husk!” I cried out desperately, the flames intensified to the point of the water evaporating. A marbled ash covered his skin, one poke sent me crashing towards the floor. My wings were too wet to unfold, an annoyed Boran catching me. Pressing my lips into a thin line, his fuming face frightened me more than my enemies.
“Tommy told me that you sent everyone away and I found you in a situation where you would have died. Yet, I am not surprised.” He chastised sharply, his expression softening at the sight of my tears. A single black pearl shined on the top, Boran protesting as I jumped out of his arms. A bright light glowed around my hands, one touch melting it. Curiosity glinted in my eyes, a train whistle sang out in the distance. Emmie waved me onto the train as it pulled up, Boran choosing to place me onto his back. Hopping onto the train, he slid down the wall. Emmie skipped off, Zora coming in with fresh clothes for us. Happiness radiated from her smile, the uniform looking adorable on her.
“I am so happy I found this train. Get ready and I will have dinner ready for you in the dining car.” She sang gleefully, spinning out of the car. Hopping off of my husband’s back, I peeled off my clothes. Getting dressed in heavy silence, Boran seemed ready to spout off a load of bullshit. Smoothing out the dusty rose gown, the hem brushed against my knees. The ruffles around my neck annoyed me, my tail twitching with irritation. Boran clutched me close to his chest, his white wool shirt and black pant ensemble matched his usual outfit. Kissing the top of my head, he chose not to argue with me.
“I am sorry for your loss but it doesn’t make it okay for you to want to die.” He whispered sweetly, lifting up my chin with his finger. “I understand we lost a close friend but you did all you could. Stop beating yourself up. How about some dinner before we come up with a plan to take the four other lords down. You can’t do it alone. You nearly died how many times. We love you too much to lose you. Please stop being reckless for your sons’ sake.” Nodding silently, he guided me to the dining car. A steaming bowl rested in front of me, Zora setting down a pile of paper and ink. Fishing around her pocket, an owl feather quill spun in between her fingers.
“In a couple of hours, I will have a fleet of mail ravens deliver your warning letters.” She uttered simply, fear showing in her eyes. “Will we be safe?” Her question stabbed me in the heart, my worst fears coming true. Clearing my throat, I slid the ink back towards her.
“Would you mind fetching me magical ink?” I asked politely, her palms pressing together before taking the ink away. “I need to write a series of magical barriers or she will destroy everything in her path.” A teacup clinked, a concerned Antler popped up across from us. Taking half of the papers, his fur needed a good brushing. Rubbing his antlers on the wooden post, he twirled a turkey quill in his fingers.
“You will need some help with writing those barrier spells. We all felt her wake up. After this, you really should get that blood off of you.” He said simply, Zora coming out with two large jars of magical ink. “Let’s get to work.” Smiling warmly in his direction, our quills scribbling away. Boran took over the task of folding them and sealing them with the royal wax seal. Ravens fluttered in, scooping up the letters in their beaks. Flying out, exhaustion weighed heavily on my eyelids. Resting my head on the table, Antler cleared his throat.
“I am so fucking tired.” I yawned, Dackworth’s eye shutting. “What did I just unleash?” My ears flattened at Antler stirring his teacup, simply knowing he showed up for another reason.
“I came to tell you the good news. I am expecting a child with Clary.” He bragged gleefully, my mentally drained mind barely registering it. “She has been making a killing selling her medicine. Another thing, I was wondering if when this was all over we could hold an official coronation for you once this is all over. Watching the different dimensions pass by, Emmie squeezed his way into the booth.
“I am compiling a book of the five lords' weaknesses so you have a fighting chance. I happened to grow up with them in the village.” He babbled excitedly, standing on the golden cushion. “You are in the last part of bringing peace to the land.” Tommy hopped onto my shoulder, his tail curling around my neck. Flipping into the air, he landed in my lap. Tucking his hands behind his head, his eyes glittered with adventure.
“Thanks for the help, kid.” I chimed with my real grin, his grin growing wider. “After this is all over, would you like to be the official train for my tour of my kingdom. I am in search of a train conductor and I can’t seem to find one.” Sitting up, his arms wrapped around my shoulders.
“I love you, Lottie.” He whispered sweetly, a tender blush coloring my cheeks. “You are the best.” Jumping into the air, he landed gracefully inches from the table. Bowing in my direction, he danced away with Zora in his arms. Boran hovered his hands over me, the word sleep leaving his lips. Sweet slumber stole me away into dreamland, his voice was the last thing I heard.
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