Elinora

Were we already too late? I knew time wasn’t on our side and Jenna waiting for us wasn’t much of a surprise either, still I had hoped we would get a few more hours before this. Mom and Mr. Sirus also looked pretty much spent now. I couldn’t imagine how draining transporting all of us over such a long distance must have been. However the battle was on now, and it would take a while for them both to regenerate.

Having the same realisation I had, we all prepared ourselves. Our chances were looking rather dry now, but if we could keep them occupied for long enough this might change. As my friends started racking up their spells, I stayed behind with mom and Mr. Sirus.

One thing, however, didn’t want to get out of my head. How? How was Jenna able to release the seal? She did go to so much trouble with Arine and in the end, she didn’t need her at all? Somehow this couldn’t be. And especially with the arrogance she showed walking towards us, alone, calm impersonate.

Ignoring everyone that put themself in her path, it felt almost like she was focusing on me. And before she was in range for Riley and Lyn to attack her, I saw that smile. Then I knew, she was looking directly at me.

“You know little Eli, I have to thank you. This all wouldn’t be possible without your help.” er It grew even wider as she looked all around herself, “Those spirits are really something else.”

I couldn’t. It couldn’t. Never. Speechless, I could only look towards Arine. Was it really possible? But Ari didn’t look back at me. No, the moment she heard Jenna say it, I felt it. This incredible, all overpowering rage. 

Jenna noticed too and I doubt the others didn’t feel it either. The sudden surge of destructiveness, “Oh, have you never asked yourself why I took her magic in the first place?” The rage grew stronger, “Now, now, you didn't think I only did it because I wanted her to suffer?”

Small droplets of blood fell down from Ari’s hand as she clenched her first harder and harder, “Well, I won’t deny that I enjoyed it though.” Even Lyn and Riley got out of Arines way, it might have been just my imagination, but the air was swelling.

All this time, Jenna never let her eyes off of me but she wasn’t finished yet. That, however, didn’t seem to phase Arine in the slightest as a dense purple ball of energy formed in front of her. It’s attraction force strong enough it distorted the air around it and without warning, she shot it right towards Jenna’s face.

“Don’t you want to know how I used your friends' magic to dispel the seal? Fine, have it your way.” She spoke as if Arine’s attack was nothing and although she dodge in time, it’s power was enough to momentarily stun her.

“You.” Arine took a step forward, “Have.” Everyone stronger than the last, “Talked.” The earth around her was vibrating, “Enough!” A massive black bolt of lightning came crashing down, leaving nothing where it struck but a deep crater where a hill was mere moments ago.

“My precious little Arine, you should know that the seal will be broken soon and nothing you do can stop this now but go ahead,” she stopped moving, taunting her hands at Arine,  ”leave all your frustration out on me. As long as I have this, ” she showed a small transparent orb with a greenish substance flowing inside, “There is nothing that can stop me…. us now!”

The orb, this orb… it was calling me. 

Arine didn’t have any of it thought, blindlessly throwing one destructive orb after another. It got so bad she was close to hitting Riley and Lyn a couple of times. It made me wonder, was Zeres presence affecting her as she usually was able to control herself far better?

“I have to admit, this was quite fun but now, let me show you something.” Jenna then used the orb again and around her four small portals opened that continuously grew in size. They grew until they were large enough  for whatever was on the other side to pass though.

This time, it wasn't any of Jenna's failed (or where they failed really?) experiments, no. Those things looked far too different from anything Jenna had produced to be her doing. Instead of the usual magical mutation growth associated with her monsters, those things looked like shadows. Black foggy creatures, whose every move felt like they were glitching towards us.

“And this is only the beginning. Once Zeres is free, the world will finally be united again.” Seeing her bathing in glee, as hordes of shadows stormed from the portals and keeping us all in check, I wasn’t so sure who the manic one here was anymore.

“Lyn, Riley , Kat NOW!” It shouted from my right. Apparently in the time Arine and I were distracted by Jenna, our friends came up with a plan. With Lyn casting a wind barrier in front of Kat and Riley creating a spiky earth wall behind the shadows, Kat ran straight into them using Lyn’s barrier to bash them right into Riley wall with a large fire explosion.

The maneuver took its toll and our victory was only temporary, as the shadows started to rise soon again after with even more new creatures crawling form the still open portals.

It was looking rather grim but mom and Mr. Sirus then joined our side. They were still in no condition to fight but as if they listened to me anyway…

Mom prepared the same spell she used on Jenna and Jared before and Mr. Sirus also had a surprise up his sleeve, casting a large rune circle mid air, summoning the beginnings of something that looked truly heavenly. None of them could finish their spell however, as many small magic circles appeared below all of us, hindering not only every move but also the flow of magic though our bodies.

“Of course it’s you.” Mom spitted. There was no need for me to turn around as I knew of only one person in this world she holds that much disdain for.

“Did you miss me Mara? I sure enjoyed our- ohhh?” He stopped mid sentence as something seemed to have grabbed his attention. His presence shifted and before I knew it, he was behind me. “Now if that isn’t our son.” 

I never liked him in the first place and after all that he put me through… It was hard to hold my composure but this time would be different, this time I wouldn’t let him take away who I am, “I am not your son. And I am also not your child.” Was this the same rage mom felt when she saw him? Because with every passing second he just stood there and looked down upon me I… wanted to tear off his head more and more.

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you want to play girl now, as it is too late for you anyway,” he stopped to think for a bit, “Although, I’m curious, how did you do it?”

I didn’t answer, choosing to rather spit at him. And my friends found no kind words either,  starting to cuss him out.

Our attention was then quickly brought over to a lightning flash in the sky, following the appearance of an old bearded man, with a few other people in tow. Ten other people to be precise and if the sky wouldn’t have already been terrorized by a raging storm, I was sure their presence alone would have summoned a new one.

The immense power radiation from the group above was hard to put into words. Every move they did created small vibrations in my body. But as some of our friends, specifically the ones that wanted to banish Arine, were amongst them I didn't know how to feel about this.

For now, however, I was glad that we could move again and while Janne and Jarde still had the upper hand, our odds rose significantly.

Still, we had to think of a plan fast. Jenna didn’t lie when she said she was unstoppable, as none of Olaf's spells seemed to phase her. The same was true for anyone else who tried to attack her. The only positive thing, for now, was that she was distracted by them and we had some time to think.

The very first thing we had to do was find a way to close the portals. As they seemed to be an endless amount of monsters crawling through, this was our largest thread for now. But that bagged the question, how did Jenna open them in the first place? And was she the one who controlled them? While my friends were busy trying different spells on the portals, seeing if any of them had an effect, I thought about anything else that might be of help here.

Thinking while one explosion after another striked sadly wasn’t my strong suit but I swear I was close to putting every piece together, when a shriek from beside me broke my train of thought abruptly.

“Arine!” I saw her kneeling next to me, with her hands pressed against her face again. I wanted to rush towards her but an invisible force pushed me back.

“It’s.... okay… I’m… argh... alright.”

Looking at the sky above I shivered. It looked like a broken mirror. We had at best a few more minutes until Zere was free. A thought I did not need in this situation.

Obviously I wasn't the only one to notice, Jenna and Jared were basking with glee and delight as our doom got closer, already celebrating their victory. Edwin, on the other hand, was up to something else. I watched him prepare a spell for a few seconds before it hit me. He wasn’t aiming at Jenna. That bastard!

“Arine, watch out.” I called to her, as I pushed her out of the way and only barely managed to evade Edwin projectile myself. “What are you doing?! Arine’s not our enemy!” 

He did not pay me any mind, only choosing to belittle me, “Stop getting into the way girl.” 

Another flash erupted and this time it hit Arine point blank in the chest, trapping her in a circular prison. I wanted to run towards her but someone held me by my arm. Turning my head to see who it was, “Mom? Really?” She did not look at me in response, she did not say anything either. Rather her grip on me loosened and I was able to free myself.

Banging against the prison Arine was in, I pushed all my weight against the prismatic sphere and was able to slowly push myself inwards. It hurt. It felt like every part of me that entered the sphere was being burned but I couldn't stop. I promised her, I would not let her be alone again. Never. Tears were forming on my face from the pure agony I was feeling. But if they had to banish her, they had to banish me.

And when I finally felt her hand squeezing against mine I saw a single tear falling down her unresponsive body. From within the sphere time seems to slow down. I saw mom and Olf and Mr. Sirus, my friends in all kinds of emotions. Some were enraged, others were screaming and some looked defeated but as I saw Edwin finilaising his spell, there was only one thing on my mind; If this was the only way for us to be together, so be it.