Cheno (part 3)

10.
         The rest of the week followed the same routine. School than magic than bed.  Papa Bear did not speak to Chenoa for almost two weeks.  Even during the weekends, Chenoa dedicated herself to her magic.  She was a Spellbinder and it was her duty to master it as best as she could. 
         Yet her new dedication started to cause rifts.  Gabby started to get angry with Chenoa, thinking that Chenoa was not telling her something.          
         “Do you have a secret boyfriend or something?  Maybe a new friend?” Gabby snapped one Tuesday night over the phone, a week later.
         “No, Gabs.  I just have been busy. Family stuff,” she tried to pacify her friend.
         “What stuff exactly?”
         “I can’t tell you.
         “Why not?”          
         “It’s personal stuff.”
         “So now you can’t tell me personal stuff!  I thought we were best friends!”
         “We are! It’s just complicated.  I promise I’ll explain it to you soon.  Please don’t be mad.”
         “Fine…well, we are still on for Saturday, right?”
         “Oh jeez, Gab, I don’t know if I can make it.”          
         “Great. Fine. Whatever.  I’ll talk to you later.”
         Gabby slammed the phone down and Chenoa waited for a second feeling guilty.  Usually she told Gabby everything, but Star had told her not to tell anyone. 
         “Why can’t I just tell Gabby?” Chenoa begged Star.
         “Because Spellbinders don’t tell people that they are spellbinders.  It causes all sorts of problems.  People want favors or they want to see magic done first hand, which can cause news to spread, etc.  It just isn’t safe or an option.” 
         Star was so stubborn and stuck on his rules.  Rules were everything to Star, while Galaxy was more into the feel and moods.
         “Sometimes what is written is not what is right,” she told Chenoa.  “Sometimes by just listening to the silence you can tell what is coming.”
         Chenoa tried doing as Galaxy said, but she found silence to be deafening as if it was trying to encase her in a cocoon.  Chenoa did not like it.
         “What does the silence tell you, Gal?” Chenoa asked one day as she watched Galaxy’s face crease with concern.
         “I do not know, but something is stirring. It is calling out to the silence for someone.  It is searching but the silence dares not answer.  It is afraid.  I think it would be best if we keep a low profile for awhile.  Not many things scare the silence.”
Chenoa had nodded gravely though she had decided she was going to tell Gabby a little of what was going on. When Chenoa went to school two days after Gabby’s angry phone call, she hoped Gabby had forgiven her a little.  It wouldn’t hurt Gabby to know just a little.  It wouldn’t blow her cover. Would it?

         

         “Gabby,” she said as they rushed down the hallway to their English class. “Can I talk to you?”
         “What?” Gabby said trying to hide the hurt in her voice.
         “Gabby, I need to talk to you about what’s going on.  I want to tell you, but you have to understand that I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”          
         Gabby stopped walking and glared at Chenoa. 
         “I am your best friend.  You’re supposed to be able to tell me everything.”
         “I know but I think by not telling you I’m also kind of protecting you.”
         “Hmmm.”
         “Fine.  Here’s a deal.  I tell you a brief outline of what’s going at lunch.  That’s right after English with Ms. Spat.”
         “Okay.  Fine.”
         Gabby smiled brightly, knowing she had won.
         “It will almost make Ms. Spat’s class bearable.  God, I hate that woman.”
         
         “Mr. Downy, Ms. Rose, Mr. Lasso, Ms. Garcia,” Ms. Spat coughed twenty minutes later. “I would ask that you all stop gossiping about each other and pay attention.  You may actually learn how to speak proper English!”
         Chenoa and Gabby blushed as Nick and Chris glanced over at the two girls laughing.  They had in fact been discussing completely different subjects than each other.  Chris winked at Chenoa and said out loud, “We’ll try, Ms. Spat, but gosh, Chenoa is just sooo pretty.”
         The whole class laughed and Chenoa turned crimson.  Ms. Spat was not amused.          
         “Mr. Downy, I do not appreciate your sarcastic humor!” she huffed straightening her back and walking over to Chris.  “If I hear one more comment like that I’ll…”
         But they never found out what she would do for there was a loud bang.  Everyone screamed in surprise and Ms. Spat turned her attention to the door.  Walking briskly over to it, Ms. Spat was about to reach for the handle when the door flew off its hinges.
         People, again, screamed as five large men walked into their class room.
         “Get down,” the man in front said, “and shut up.”
         He was tall and well built dressed head to toe in white with a white ski mask covering his face.  Only his cold blue eyes could be seen and his full red lips.  In his hand was a large machine gun and he held it as if he was ready to fire. Behind him all the med were dressed the same with similar intimidating guns though some of their heads looked too large or misshapen under the masks.
         “Holy Mother Mary,” Ms. Spat gasped backing away.
         “I said get down!” the man repeated his voice causing the desks to shake.          
         Everyone dropped to the floor including Ms. Spat.
         “Good.  Now this is a very painless procedure.  We are just looking for a couple of students and the less trouble you give us, the less likely anyone will be hurt,” he growled scanning the terrified kids. “Now stay quiet or else.”
         No one moved.  Chenoa watched them walk around the room looking at all the kids’ faces.  Grabbing Gabby’s hand, Chenoa snuck a glance at her friend.  This was so bizarre that Chenoa thought it must be a one in a million chance that these men would attack her school.  Stuff like this just didn’t happen to most kids.
         Chenoa’s thoughts stopped.  She wasn’t most kids.  Maybe they were after her. Yes, they were after her.  She was sure of it.
         Slowly standing Chenoa felt herself shaking as Gabby gasped and told her to sit down.
         “I told you to sit,” the man snarled walking over to her and grabbing her by the shirt front.
         “I volunteer to go with you,” she stammered meeting his eyes. “If you promise to let everyone go unharmed.”          
         “Aren’t you a little heroine?” he smirked looking her over. “Your offer is mighty fine, but I don’t know if you’re what we are looking for.”
         “I’m sure I am.”
         “Hmmm.”
         The man looked over his shoulder at his friends, his grip never loosening on her.  They all exchanged looks and he nodded slowly as if they had just agreed on something.
         “You’ll do,” he said flatly tossing her to one of his friends.
         “No!” Gabby yelled standing up without thinking.
         “You can go too than,” the man laughed grabbing Gabby.
         “No!” Chenoa cried fighting her holder. “I said if you let them go!”
         “I never said you were the only one we needed,” he laughed holding Gabby by the arm.
         Chenoa went pale thinking that she may have made a huge mistake.
         “Come on,” the man barked pulling Chenoa and Gabby out of the room to many distressed cries.  “Grab two boys, too!”
         
         The man dragged the two friends down the hallway to a large classroom that no one used.  Once there he threw them inside along with the two boys that had been grabbed and locked the door.
         “Be good,” he said patronizingly through the door before he walked away.
         One of the boys threw himself against the door and started beating it.  He yelled in frustration when it refused to budge.  Soon tired, the boy collapsed to the floor.  It was then that Chenoa realized the boy was Chris and the one next to him was Nick.
         “Oh my god,” Gab gasped in tears. “What are they going to do to us?  What do they want with us?”
         “I don’t know,” Nick frowned his soft features unnaturally rough.
         Chenoa said nothing.  She had thought that this was about her and her magic, but maybe she was wrong.  If it had been her they were after why would they have taken Gabby and Nick and Chris?  Who knew who else they had grabbed.  Maybe this was the one in a million attacks on her school.  Maybe they were terrorists or something.
         “Chenoa,” a gentle voice spoke to her.
         “What?” she said out loud.
         “You say something, Chenoa?” Gab said looking at her friend worried.
         “One of you said my name,” she said looking at the three others.
         “No, we didn’t,” Chris said shaking his head.
         “Chenoa,” the voice whispered again.
         This time Chenoa realized that it was in her mind and she swallowed hard.
         “Never mind,” she muttered looking away from them.
         “Chenoa,” it repeated louder this time.
         “Yes?” she thought.
         “Chenoa,” the voice said. “I have sensed a great danger in our realm.”
         “Galaxy?”
         “Yes.”          
         “You’re too late to warn me.  There are already men here holding my friends and me hostage at my school.  I thought they were here because of my magic, but now I think it is just some random hold up.  Maybe they are terrorists or something…”
         “No, Chenoa.  They are magical.  I can feel their presence from the Willow.  You must get out of there.  They are dangerous.  The scent of the No Man’s Castle is on them.”
         “You can smell them from here?”
         “Magic has a very strong smell especially if it is powerful magic.”
         “I don’t know what to do.  I don’t see an escape possible.”
         “You must! If you don’t I shudder to think what they will do with you if they know who you are!  I will try to come and get you.  I will be there soon.  Get out of the school!”
         “But Gal!”
         There was no response.  Silence filled her mind.
         “Chenoa?” Gab’s voice whispered.
         “Huh?” Chenoa started.
         “Are you okay?  You seemed to be dazed or something.”
         “I’m fine.  I was just thinking.  Uh…Gab, remember how I had to tell you something about what was going on?”
         “Yah…?”
         “I think that this might have something to do with it.”
         “What?”
         “It’s really hard to explain but it’s important that we escape.”
         “Well, duh!”
         “I just don’t know how we are…”
         The door swung open. A thin man with a wiry body and sharp features stood before them.  He pointed his long index finger at Chenoa and Chris than walked away.  Two men came and grabbed them.  Screaming and kicking Chenoa fought the man who held her.
         “Tomiodi,” her holder hissed and she felt her voice catch and her strength leave her.
         With greater ease the man carried her swiftly behind the strange, thin man.
         “Here is good enough place to talk,” the man said his voice sounding like snapping chalk.
         The man turned sharply and looked at Chris and Chenoa. His eyes were large and round like an owls.  They were a stone gray color and had a chiseled look to them.  His features were sharp.  He possessed high cheek bones, a defined jaw line and chin.  His nose was slightly hooked, reminding Chenoa of her father’s Native American features.  The shade of his skin was a rusty brown and his hair was the color of black clay.  The stare that he fixed on Chenoa was so powerful that she found herself unable to hold his gaze.
         “What are your names?” he asked briskly looking directly at Chris.
         “Chris Downy,” Chris mumbled as if entranced.
         “And you?”
         “I am Chenoa Rose,” Chenoa said proudly holding his gaze for a little while.
         She felt a sharp pain in her mind as if his gaze was probing it and she felt herself put mental blocks up. The pain eased and dissipated.  His frown turned into a slight smile as if he had found out all he wanted to find.
         “Chenoa,” he smiled. “What a charming name.  Native American, no?  I do believe it means white dove.”
         “That is true,” she nodded wearily.
         “I never particularly liked white doves,” he sneered his eyes narrowing.  “I always liked morning doves much better.”
         Chenoa was taken aback by this statement and was unsure whether to be insulted or not.  She frowned and narrowed her eyes anyways.  Biting her lower lip, Chenoa fought the words that had suddenly sprung to her mouth.  She could not use magic, especially if the bad guys were magic themselves.
         A tiny voice spoke in her mind. 
         “Go ahead,” it hissed.  “Use your magic.  Give it your best shot.  Don’t you want to?  Don’t you feel you desire to? Weren’t you just insulted?”
         Shaking her head Chenoa tried to ignore the nagging voice.  She could not use magic.  Chenoa knew that.  Yet…
11.
         Frowning even more the sharp faced man smirked and waved his hand.  Chenoa and Chris were carried away roughly.  They were barely a hall away from the man when the teenagers were thrown into a new closet. 
         Yelping Chenoa landed on Chris with a thud. 
         “Oh, I’m sorry!” Chenoa squeaked scrambling off of him.
         “Its okay,” he gasped rubbing his ribs.
         Chenoa nodded apologetically and then rushed to the door.  It was locked.  Grumbling Chenoa tried pushing and pulling as hard as she could.  It was no use.  Frustrated Chenoa slumped to the floor. She had tried to will the door to open, yet she couldn’t.  Either she was not trained enough or someone more powerful than her had placed a magic lock on the door.
         Suddenly there was a crash and shards of glass fell on Chenoa.  Looking up Chenoa saw Chris standing above her, his elbow threw the glass window pane, a look of discomfort on his face. 
         “Chris!” she gasped standing up and pulling his arm out of the glass.
         He was bleeding a little and at the very least he was going to have one hell of a bruise.
         “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” he muttered out of pain and embarrassment as Chenoa fawned over him.
         “You are ridiculous!”
         Chenoa threw her arms around him in a grateful hug and gave him a quick kiss.  They both froze and blushed scarlet.  Breaking away quickly Chenoa cleared her throat and put her hand threw the broken glass.  Twisting the knob Chenoa gritted her teeth as she mentally pictured the lock.  She willed the locked to open; Chenoa made her mind bend the locks springs and pop open.
         This time it worked.
         The door swung open and Chenoa and Chris bolted out. Looking around, they sprinted down the hallway.
         “Chris, find a phone and call the cops!” Chenoa ordered as they looked around a corner for any thugs.  “I’m going to see if I can find Gabby and Nick.”
         Chris nodded and ran down the hallway.  Chenoa started her tedious job of checking all rooms and closets.  She hid herself in the shadows working her way down each hall, holding her breath as a brute passed. Soon she had opened ten doors, six of which had other kids locked inside.
         Annoyed at the delay, Chenoa helped each student find a safe place before she moved on.  Finally she came to a door where she could hear Gabby yelling and banging on the door. 
         “Gabby?” she whispered through the door’s crack.
         Silence.
         “Gabby?”
         “Yeah?”
         “It’s me, Chenoa. Chris and I escaped.  He is calling the cops. I’m going to help get you out of here.”
         “Oh, thank god!”
         “Give me a minute.”
         Chenoa focused on the lock and was just imaging it when there was the sound of voices and sirens.
         “By the Ancients,” someone yelled.  “Those human cops are coming.”
         “Shit,” another person shouted.  “What should we do?”
         “Get the hell out of here.  You know he doesn’t want us to attract too much attention.”
         “Yah…but do we have want he wants?  I mean what about the kids? Ark is supposed to examine them all.”
         “I don’t know.”
         “Fools,” a new voice spat.  It sounded like the sharp faced man. “What is going on?”
         “Someone has called the cops.  They are almost here,” the first voice said with a hint of a tremor. “What would you like for us to do, Master Ark?”
         “Get the prisoners and let’s leave.”
         “Sir!” a fourth voiced called.
         “What?” the man called Ark snapped.
         “The prisoners!”
         “What about them?”
         “They have all escaped!”
         “What?”
         “We just went to check on them and all but two rooms are empty.”
         “Which rooms?”
         “The one holding the twelve year olds and we think the one holding that Native girl’s friend.”
         “Was the Native girl’s room empty?”
         “Yes, Master Ark.  They broke the glass window.”
         “And the other rooms?”
         “It seems as if someone picked the locks.”
         “Chenoa.”
         “What, sir?”
         “Nothing.  Forget about the twelve year olds.  Grab the girl and boy from the last closet.  Now! Everyone else, get out to the roof; we must leave a.s.a.p.”
          There was the sound of people scrambling and Chenoa heard them coming her way.
         “Crap,” Chenoa yelped. “Gabby, hold on.  They are coming! I’ll find you; don’t worry.  I promise I’ll find you!”
         “Chenoa, please don’t leave me!”
         “I’m sorry, Gabby!  I’ll find you!”
         Chenoa slunk into the shadows just in time.  Three large men appeared and busted the door open.  Two of the men grabbed Gabby and Nick while the third kept watch. 
         “We have them, sir,” the one holding Gabby spoke as Ark appeared.
         “Good,” Ark nodded looking around the hallway. “Take them to the roof.”
         The three men nodded and dashed away.  Ark stood there surveying the dark hallways.
         “Chenoa, my dear,” he said almost sweetly. “I know you are near.  I know you see that we have your friends.  Do not worry.  We will treat them royally.  Yet they will only last so long before my lord becomes bored and impatient.”
         He paused seeming to be looking right at Chenoa.  Her heart stopped and her breath caught in her throat.
         “You have been warned, dove.”
         Turning Ark walked briskly away. 
         Chenoa was stuck, frozen, for a few minutes before feeling returned to her limbs.  Stumbling Chenoa ran to the roof.  Chris saw her and called to Chenoa but she did not respond.
         “Chenoa!” he screamed as she disappeared up the roof stairs.
         Reaching the roof Chenoa looked around wildly.  Up in the sky and far away were many large shadows.  Immediately she knew it was them.
         “I have to save Gabby and Nick,” Chenoa thought desperately.
         Raising her arms to the sky, Chenoa reached inside her mind and screamed for Galaxy.
         “Galaxy!” she cried out loud. “Galaxy, come! I beg! Hear my cry and come!”
         The wind whipped around her and pebbles from the roof lashed against her skin.  She closed her eyes in deep concentration and then she could feel Galaxy.  Galaxy was coming.  She was very close.



12.
“Chenoa!” two voices cried together. 
Looking ahead of her Chenoa saw Galaxy fly straight at her and land gracefully on the roof.  Her eyes were a bright swirl of colors and her teeth were bared.  Behind her Chris was standing in awe and fear at the sight of the large dragon.
“What the hell?” he gasped and froze perfectly still.
Star sat on Galaxy’s back and he looked at Chris with disgust.
“Men,” he snorted then turned his attention to Chenoa. “Chenoa, come.  We already know.  We must hurry.”
Nodding Chenoa did not ask any questions.  She climbed onto Galaxy’s back and was bracing herself for flight when she felt someone grabbing her shoulders. Turning to look Chenoa gapped at Chris, who though looked petrified, was sitting sternly on Galaxy’s back too.
“Chris…” Chenoa started but Galaxy took off without a second’s pause.
Chenoa was thrown a bit but Chris grabbed her shirt and kept her aboard Galaxy.  They sped after the dark shadows as Chenoa cursed herself for not warning Gabby.  If anything happened to either Gabby or Nick, she would never forgive herself.
Blinking back tears of anger, Chenoa scolded herself as she thought how stupid she had been not to see the trouble.  How could she have ever let her friends come into such a dangerous life?  Of course people would be after her!  She was a Spellbinder!
“Chenoa?” a quiet voice whispered next to her.
Jolting back to the present, Chenoa saw Chris looking at her, his face white as an ash tree.  His eyes were large and he just stared at Chenoa, begging for an explanation.
“Chris, I’m sorry about this,” she whispered. “I didn’t want to involve you or Gabby or Nick.”
“But involve us in what?  What is going on?”
“It’s complicated.”
“I have a feeling we are going to be…uh…flying for a long time so you might as well tell me.”
“I am and those were Spellbinders.”
“Spellbinders?”
“Someone as primitive as you would call them witches,” snorted Star from Galaxy’s lower back where he lay glaring at Chris.
“You’re a witch! Oh my god!  Seriously!”
“Yes…I mean I am a Spellbinder. Witch is an offensive term from what I understand.”
“Don’t you know?”
“Not really.  I just found out on my last birthday.  It caused a big drift between my dad and me.  He doesn’t like it because my mother died because of it or something…I don’t really know, but it’s a big mess and basically I have magic abilities and it’s proper to call me a Spellbinder.”
“Is that why weird things would happen if someone did something to you?”
“I think so but if it did happen…uh ‘magically’ it was not on purpose, since I didn’t know and stuff.”
“I always knew there was something cool about you.  You always seemed to have a strong aura.”
“Aura?”
Chris blushed as Chenoa laughed.
“My grandma is into fortune telling.  She would always tell me how to read people’s auras.  It’s not something I general talk about.  It’s a bit embarrassing to tell people that you’re reading their aura.”
“I think it’s cool.”
Start snorted again but said nothing.
“And so what is happening right now?”
“I’m not sure.  See Galaxy, the dragon we are riding on, has been sensing a disturbance in this world coming from the other world.  Rumors have been floating that some person moved into some sacred castle, etc.  Those men, I think, came for me and when the police started showing up, they just took Gab and Nick as bait.”
“Ok so now…”
“We are flying with Galaxy and Moon Star to catch them.”
“Oh ok.  And Galaxy and Moon Star are…”
“Obviously Galaxy is a dragon and she is a close family friend.  I think she is a family guardian.  Moon Star is a unicorn and again a close family friend.  They are both my teachers and guides.”
“I get the feeling that Moon Star doesn’t like me much.”
“Moon Star doesn’t like men.  It’s a unicorn thing.”
“Unicorn thing my hoof,” Star huffed. “I just don’t like unnecessary weight.”
“What are you complaining about?” Galaxy growled. “I am the one carrying everyone.”
Star glared at Galaxy as she turned her head around and looked at the stubborn unicorn.  He could think of no retaliation so Star lowered his head and stayed quiet.
         “So where exactly are we headed?” Chris asked timidly after a few moments of awkward silence.
         “To the World of True Color,” Galaxy said her voice full of longing. “It is the sister world to this one, the World of True Being.”
         “What?”
“It’s quite simple once you grasp the concept.  The World of True Color gets its name for it is a place where every color radiates at its brightest or darkest.  Everything you see is its true shade and emotions, imagination, etc are real.  Your world, the World of True Being, is the world of hard life and reality.  A place where rules and physics always and must apply.  That is not saying that my world does not have rules or laws of nature they are just different.  They are more moral than mental.”
“It sounds so complicated.”
“It is and yet isn’t. The worlds, as you will see, are very different and yet similar.  The only ways to each place is through portals, or as your scientists believe, time tears.  Of course each portal leads to the Land of Mist, which is the land between worlds, and from the Land of Mist you must find another portal to cross into the other world.”
“Why do you have to go through the Land of Dust?”
“Mist.  Because if people didn’t then hundreds of unwelcome guests would be entering the two worlds and confusion would spread. Could you image a Groge in your world?”
“A what?”
“A Groge…uh, you call them ogres.”
“Oh. That would be a bit confusing.”
“Exactly. As confusing as a lawyer in a Fairiville.”
Chenoa laughed as she listened, imaging a tight suited lawyer surrounded by tiny flying fairies.
“We have our own worlds for a reason.  We once lived together, but it did not work out. Sometimes separation is best for peace.”


13.
Galaxy, Chenoa and Chris talked for a long time with an occasionally input from Star.  The sky slowly darkened and Chenoa found herself drifting asleep.
“Chenoa,” Galaxy chuckled as Chenoa caught herself just in time to stop herself from falling over. “Just lie down and sleep for a bit.  They are still a ways ahead of us and the portal will be near soon.  You will need your rest.  You too, Chris.  You have had the most mind numbing day.”
Chenoa did not need to be told twice. She stretched out on Galaxy’s enormous back and soon fell asleep.  Chris slid beside her and was also quickly asleep.
As she slept, Chenoa had a strange dream.  Voices were swirling around her.  Echoing and calling for her.  She couldn’t move or see.  There was just mist…tons and tons of mist.


Chenoa bolted awake to a high pitch screech.
“Where did they come from?” Star yelled in surprise as Chenoa saw a flock of monsters descend on them.
“We must have been following holospheres!” Galaxy snarled in anger at her own neglect.
“What are they?” Chris gasped in horror as he stood next to Chenoa and gripped her arm tightly.
“Griffins,” Star barked in disgust as the winged horrors flew at them.
The Griffins had the head and front feet of eagles.  Their sharp beaks and large claws flashed in the dying sun’s rays.  They had small red eyes that blazed like the fires of Hell. The rest of their body was that of a lions.  It was rippled with muscle and deadly hind claws.
“Not regular Griffins,” Galaxy corrected.  “They are Hindracorns. They are the lowly section of Griffins! You can tell by their eyes!  Real griffins have gold eyes!”
“Whatever they are,” Chenoa cried. “They don’t seem to want to play nice!”
The one in front of the pack let out a loud cry as its rider held a ball of blue fire in his hands.
“Chenoa, child of two worlds,” the familiarly chilling voice called. “We have come to take you!  You are mine!”
Ark soared above her and with those words he kicked his stead.  The hindracorn bolted towards Chenoa.  Screaming Chenoa wanted to duck out of the way but felt herself frozen to the spot.  She couldn’t look away from the fire in Ark’s hands.  It was as if it had a face in it, as if someone was looking back at her.
“Chenoa!” a voice called and a split second later Chris’s body slammed into her waist, knocking Chenoa over.
“Umpf,” Chenoa gasped as she and Chris rolled on Galaxy’s back, Ark’s hindracorn grazing Chenoa’s cheek.
“I shall not be denied my task!” Ark hollered as he moved to attack again.
Star and Galaxy were trying to fight off the other hindracorns, who were tearing and slashing at them.  Star neighed loudly as he tried to pierce their feathery bodies with his horn.  Galaxy let out a blaze of fire at the enemies that got too close.  Both were trying to protect Chenoa.
“Come to me,” a voice whispered to Chenoa.
Chenoa looked up and saw Ark floating in front of her, but he had not been the one who had spoken.
“Come to me, Chenoa,” the voice repeated.
The blue flames seem to pulsate in Ark’s hand.  It seemed alive and Chenoa thought, once again, that she could see a face in it.
“Come to me,” the voice called hypnotizing Chenoa.  “Come to me and I shall set you free. You will feel no more pain…no more suffering…come to me.”
“Chenoa!” Star bellowed hoarsely.  “Chenoa, look away!  Look away!”
Yet Chenoa could not hear him.  The fire was all around her, enclosing her body warmly.  It felt so nice, so safe.
“Come to me.”
“No!” a new voice shrieked and Chenoa felt her body jolt as someone tried grabbing her.
Ark muttered some dark words and Chris was thrown away from Chenoa.  Chenoa did not move.  Her eyes were still glazed over.
“Chenoa!” Galaxy roared. “Chenoa, you must fight him!  Chenoa!  Don’t listen!”
Chenoa felt herself stir within the warm blanket.  Someone else was calling to her.  Who was it?
“Forget them,” the fire swooned. “Come to me.”
Galaxy?
“Come to me, child.  I shall protect you.”
“Chenoa!”
A great pain filled Chenoa as Galaxy, seeing no other choice, blew a flame onto Chenoa.  Chenoa let out a scream that tore the very air that they all breathed.
“No, Chenoa!” the voice hissed losing its sweetness as she struggled in its blanket. “Stop!”
“Let me go!” she mumbled turning this way and that as the blankets constricted tighter and tighter. “Let me go!”
Closing her eyes tight, Chenoa let out a bolt of lightning that struck Ark rocking him backwards. Shaking Chenoa felt pain sear her body as she saw she had been burned.
“You cannot escape!” Ark moaned as he sat up and glared at her.
The hindracorn flew at Chenoa and terrified Chenoa turned and tried to run.  Chris and Star both turned in horror as Chenoa ran toward Galaxy’s head. Ark raised his hand and in replacement of the blue flames, which had been squelched by Chenoa lightning, black ones appeared. He pitched them at Chenoa and caught her in mid-stride.  A startled expression covered Chenoa’s face as she tripped and fell sideways off of Galaxy into the bottomless air.



14.
Time passed Chenoa and she did not know how long she had been unconscious.  She came to when she felt something poking her hard in the stomach and arms. Moaning Chenoa swatted at the thing, not wanting to open her eyes.  Every part of her body ached.
Poke.  Poke.  Poke. Groaning she tried to swat at the annoying phantom again. Yet this time her hand met something hard and there came a loud yelp.
“Ouch!” Chenoa yipped sitting up and holding her hand.
“My poor nosie, ork,” a high voice whined.
Looking up Chenoa saw a strange looking bird.  It was about the size of an ostrich with a large purplish feathered body and long strong looking legs.  It had a gray beak and tiny gray eyes.  The face and part of its tiny wings were covered in an olive green skin that was similar to the reptilian skin that covered its legs.
“What are you?” Chenoa stammered with unease looking at the odd creature.
“I’m a mava and what are you strange creature, ork?” the timid bird asked squinting at Chenoa.
“I’m a person.”
“People aren’t real, ork.  Everyone knows that, ork.”
Chenoa frowned at this idea and almost laughed.
“Of course we are real.  What else would I be?”
“I dunno know, ork. Maybe an imp…a very large imp, ork.”
“Why do have to say ork at the end of each sentence?”
“I don’t, ork.  You are a crazy person, ork.”
“Yes, you do!  It’s annoying.”
“Crazy imp, ork.  Me thinks I should leave you alone, ork.  Kork doesn’t want to get hurt by crazy imp, ork.”
“I am not crazy and I am not an imp!  I am a person!”
The mava scared by her anger yelped and ran way into the mist.
“Oh no, I’m sorry! Please don’t leave me!”
Chenoa stood up and had to wait a moment as she felt herself become light headed.  All around Chenoa was mist, thick never ending mist.  The ground was a dull gray and no sign of life was visible.  It seemed as if she was in the Land of Mist which Galaxy had told her about.  The atmosphere was depressing and boring.  She felt as if she was in a slump.
“Oh, come on,” she shouted unsure of what direction the mava had run off in. 
Sighing Chenoa started off in what she thought was the right direction.  She slowly made her way through the mist, which, the more she paid attention to the more it, seemed alive.  It seemed as if it was tugging at her clothes as she walked, trying to push her in certain directions.  Chenoa at first fought it then shrugged.  The mist knew the land better than she did, so she might at well follow it.
It seemed like hours passed Chenoa as she walked.  If she had thought about it, Chenoa would have considered the idea she was walking in circles.  This idea would have driven her crazy as it was known to do to foreigners of the Mist.  Yet Chenoa was tired and just wanted to find a place to rest or a way out of the depressing mist. 
There was no sign of life but Chenoa could have sworn that she saw a forest flickering in the distance.  The mist seemed to be pulling her towards it.  Soon enough Chenoa was sure that there was indeed a forest in the mist.  Its trees of gold and silver shimmered and faded in the mist but were always truly there. 
“It must be one of the mist’s tricks,” Chenoa thought as she touched one of the silver bows and watched her hand and the tree disappear than reappear.
Walking into the woods, Chenoa noticed the mist no longer tugged at her clothes but rather coiled around her legs placidly like a harmless snake. Pleasantly Chenoa strolled through the woods absorbing all of its mystery and simplicity.  She felt as if she had been there before.  It was as if somehow Chenoa knew these Houdini trees and their playful pet mist. She could almost swear a soft voice hissed in her ear at one point, “You made us.”  Though everything was depressing and apparently dead, Chenoa found herself realizing that it as quite the opposite.  Everything was alive, from the earth to the trees to the mist. 
Suddenly a loud screech rented the air.  Chenoa stopped in her tracks.  Silence.  Then again the ear piercing cry of a bird reached her ears. Running Chenoa started looking for the poor suffering creature.  What could cause it to wail in such a way?
After a few minutes the cries became more audible. Slowing to a walk Chenoa approached the voices carefully.
“No, please, ork,” a familiar voice wobbled pitifully.
“Awe, shud up,” a thick gravely voice grumbled.
“Please sirz, ya don’t want to eat poor ol’ Kork, ork. Me meat is not so good, ork.  We mava’s are all gristle, ork.”
“I said shud up, dum bird.  Can’t ya see we gents are tryin to think of how to cuk ya?”
Chenoa peeked from behind a gold oak and saw a horrible sight.  Two large monstrosities were holding the mava, who had woken her, upside down.  They were large and tan colored like old linoleum.  Bumps and wart like things covered their entire bodies.  Both were at least double Chenoa’s height and four times her width.  Their beady blood-shot eyes watched the mava struggle cruelly.  When the first one spoke it sounded as if someone had broke his nose.
“Bruder Kent, vhat do you vant to do mit da bird,” the second one hissed in a weird tongue.
“Well, broder Nent, I das thinkin dat we’d doil him,” the first replied.
“Doil me, ork?” the mava balked. “I don’t want to be doiled, ork!”
“Doil! Doil!  Ya know in oil!” Bruder Kent snapped.
“Doil…oh boil…oh no, ork!”
“Bruder Kent, I muss disagree.  I vant to let him varinate in snake benom,” Bruder Nent disagreed.
“Varinate in what, ork?” the mava squaked.
The brothers ignored his question.
“No, broder.  Doil.
“Varinate.”
“Doil.”
“Varinate.”
“Let me go, ork.”
Both brothers looked at the mava and snarled.  The mava stayed quiet. Chenoa waved slowly to the mava.  His head picked up and looked directly at her with a mix of relief and fear.  Then to Chenoa’s horror, he waved back openly.
“Vho are you vaving to?” Bruder Nent growled.
“To my imaginary friend, ork,” the mava said honestly. “She’s a person, ork.”
The two creatures looked at mava then in Chenoa’s direction.
“There’s dno one dere,” Bruder Kent mumbled staring hard in Chenoa’s direction.
“Sure there is, but ya can’t see her, ork.  She’s my imaginary friend, ork.”
Looking at the mava, it was apparent the two brothers were deciding if it was safe to eat the bird. Chenoa chose to use this time to mess with the two monsters.  She whistled silently to a lying branch and called it to her.  It stood up and hovered close to the ground. Slowly it moved towards her till it reached one of the brothers.  Rising slowly it stopped level with what Chenoa thought was it’s ear.
“Come to life and play your little tricks,” she hissed to the branch. 
Tiny eyes popped open on the branch and a small crack opened into a mouth.  Cackling gently it ran to the brothers and perched itself onto Bruder Kent’s shoulder.
“Bruder Kent, Bruder Kent,” it giggled. “Bruder Nent is laughing at you behind your back.  He thinks you are less evil than him.  He thinks your mother was fairy.”
Bruder Kent froze his eyes training on his brother.  At the same time with amazing speed the twig raced to Bruder Nent’s shoulder.
“Bruder Nent, Bruder Nent,” it snickered. “Bruder Kent has no respect for you.  He thinks you are disgusting as the snake mother you come from.  He thinks you are filth.”
It was Bruder Nent’s turn to glare at his brother.
“Bruder Kent, Bruder Kent,” it hissed. “He thinks your mother was a whore and fed you mud as a baby child.”
Bruder Kent’s fists balled.
“Bruder Nent, Bruder Nent, he thinks you were born from a chicken egg and that your mother was so ugly even darkness ran from her.”
Both brothers let go of the mava as the twig jumped off and ran into the woods.  Damn.  Chenoa hadn’t wanted to let the twig creature go.  She had wanted to change it back.
“Call my mother a whore!” Bruder Kent roared raising his fists.
“Born from a chicken egg vas I?” Bruder Nent yelled going puce.
“So that is what puce looks like,” Chenoa thought comically watching the scene unfold.
The mava coward in fear as the two brothers’ voice raised louder, shouting accusations at each other, some of which the twig had never said.
“Mava,” Chenoa whispered. “Come to me.”
At first the mava refused to come, but as the first blows started to fall between the brothers, he quickly scampered out of the clearing. Neither brother noticed.