Jewellery

October 2011
Jewellery

I gripped the edges of the door frame stubbornly and tightly as I felt my leg being pulled by my adversary. My nails dug onto the wood but I could feel it slowly scraping the frame and almost to the edge. Letting out a grunt, I felt a small bead of sweat roll from my brow and down to my chin. It seemed I wasn't going to win this battle.

"But I don't wanna go!" I groaned as I felt Astor try to pull me off the door frame. "Igeagis might wake up any minute!"

[And yet it's already been one week Rham,] Astor thought to me as he gave a strong tug. Finally he managed to pull me off the scarred frame and dragged my dazed body towards the stairs. [You need some fresh air and exercise my friend. And besides, a small trek to the market with John won't hurt.]

I gave my head a quick shake as I knocked myself out from my stunned state. Quickly, I tried to scramble for a hold on something again, but I didn't want to break anything in the hallway. The stair rails seemed to escape my grasp at each step.

Seeing no point to resist my partner I crossed my arms and pouted at the large white spotted wolf dragging me across the carpet by my foot. Even if I wasn't paying attention, I could feel Damon watching us from the lounge. Probably trying to stop himself from laughing at the current scene.

"But what if he wakes up?" I groaned as he hauled me towards the front door. "Wait if he gets kidnapped? What if he tries to burn the house down?"

[Then I'll break the emergency teleportation arrow,] he responded with a grin as we reached the bottom of the stairs. He swiftly flung me through the door and onto John's strong arms.

"But—" I started before Astor interrupted me with a loud growl.

[No more "buts"!] He straightening his posture making him look serious and final, [Do you trust me?]

"With my life," I muttered quietly avoiding his amber eyes as I said it but quickly stared back into him again. My contained anger was rising quickly. "But I swear, if something bad happens—"

[Nothing bad will happen to him Rhami,] Astor said standing up, [I can assure that. Now go on, scat!]

And with that he slammed the door on us with his pink padded hind legs. John let me down from his arms and onto the ground carefully. I straightened myself up; dusting my clothes a bit. I gave a quick glance to the garage behind my clan mate. Arcene's car wasn't there yet it seems.

"So I take it we walk?" I asked looking up at John. He scratched the back of his head, grinning in an apologetic manner. "Well it can't be helped I guess. So, where are we going again?"

"We're just going to get some stuff in the grocery store," he grinned as he started to lead the way. "There's a new one down town."

As I started to follow John, I could feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. I looked back at the house for a moment. Uncertainty was starting to replace my subsiding anger. Suddenly I felt a soft nudge on my right arm.

"Come on Rhami," John smiled. "It's not like the house is going to disappear the moment you take your eyes off it."

His optimistic aura was contagious and before I knew it I was smiling as well. I gave him a simple chuckle. "Yeah, you're right."

And with that we went our way towards the market. As we talked I could feel my insecurity about Igeagis and Astor lift. With the sun shining and a few clumps of gray clouds here and there it was a decent day. When we arrived to the grocery store a lot of people were bustling in and out of the different aisles and counters. Most of them looked quite pleased at their bags of goods as they trudged outside.

Following John's lead, we moved our way through the different aisles of the store, looking for the items on the shopping list in his hand. It was a simple list; cooking oil, cereal, milk, sliced bread, eggs, bacon and a few others that's I've never seen in my home world. I think one of them is called Coca-cola. Odd name but it has a nice taste, or so John told me.

After we waited for our turn to pay for our groceries and placed them into bags, we left the store and headed back home. All of the sudden I felt the cold air around me change and I felt myself sweat. I looked around me. Everyone was wearing thick clothing but none of them even looked as warm as me. Even John, who was the closest, didn't look he was feeling as hot as I am. Weird.

My vision was suddenly filled with blazing green tongues fire followed by a burning pain on my left arm. Panic surged through my veins as I stood in the emerald green inferno, but as quickly as it came I was back in the cold street with John. I swallowed nervously. Something was wrong.

"John we need to get back home," I said anxiously with a sense of urgency in my voice.

John just stopped next to me with a concerned look on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked slightly unsure. "What's wrong?

"I don't know," I replied. "But we need to get back there now!"

He looked hesitant for a moment before he nodded with a grin in his face. But before the two of us could take a stride I felt the familiar sensation overcome my senses; I was about teleport. I quickly hugged John before we were teleported in front of Arcene's house with the smell of sulphur thick in the air and small pillars of smoke rising from the back. That is not good. We quickly opened the front door, carefully placed our bags somewhere safe and bolted through the house and to the back door.

The backyard looked like a battlefield as patches of green fire littered the ground and some ornaments were toppled over and broken. I wondered briefly what caused it and noticed that there were large burn marks on the ground that led into the forest. A trail?

John and I looked at each other briefly before we followed the burning path. Our weapons ready and our bodies alert. A loud unearthly roar throbbed in the air. We quickened our pace.

I caught a glimpse of Astor as he sailed in the air in his gryphon form using our evasive manoeuvres. He was fighting something, and unfortunately I recognized that roar even before I saw it. It was a hellhound. It made my stomach twist as I remembered my last encounter with one. All I could say that it did not end well.

Finally we came to a clearing where Damon and Astor were battling the monster. The hellhound was as frightening as I remembered it. It had a pure black obsidian coat with long and sharp spikes going a long it's spine and covered the whole tail. Its limbs were engulfed with emerald green fire just like the one in my vision and its six eyes blazing in the same colour. If I knew better, I would say it even looked like the same one that I fought a while ago.

Suddenly I noticed Damon running towards us as he dodged the legs of the large monster while it tried to swat Astor from the sky with its flaming paws.

"What happened?" John asked glancing constantly at the hellhound.

"I don't know," Damon replied looking a bit tired but still alert. "All I heard that there was something burning outside and this thing appeared. I saw Astor battling against it so I decided to help."

"Igeagis?" I asked feeling worried. "Where is he?"

"You mean the guy you brought home? I don't know," Damon frowned. "He's still probably back in your room sleeping, but that's not the problem. We need to stop that dog." He pointed at the hellhound. "It's indestructible and it might try to destroy the city!"

"Not a big surprise there," I heard John mutter.

I sighed. This was going to be a long day it seems. I looked at Astor escaping the clutches of the hellhound once more. He probably knows what really happened and where Igeagis is.

{Astor why is there a freakin' hell hound rampaging in the forest?!} I thought crossing my arms.

[Not a good time Rham,] he replied barrel-rolling underneath the hound's underbelly and tried to slice its skin but no avail. [I'm busy.]

{I can see that but Astor, where's Igeagis?}

[I don't know! I just went to get a drink and when I came back he was gone. My guess is, that this hellhound ate h— look behind you!]

Automatically, I turned around to see Igeagis' blank gaze as he was about to send a large green fireball at us. I could feel something was wrong about him. I was about to notch an arrow when I felt John's arm around my waist and yell "fire". Suddenly we shot up the ground and landed on a high and strong tree branch. I looked back and watched as the ball of fire almost obliterated where we once stood. Well, that was close.

"Thanks," I said with a smirk along with Damon who stood at next to John.

"You're welcome," he smiled. "Anyway do you guys have any ideas what that is?"

"No," Damon frowned. "I've never seen anything like it in my life."

"I have," I said nonchalantly. I could feel their eyes on me as I said it. "That my friends, is a hellhound. And all I can say is that's it's a miracle that you only managed to get some burns Damon. Last time I fought of 'em, most of my skin was charred and numb, all my bones were broken and I think it ripped one of my limbs off. Luckily my friend was able to heal me after I dispelled it."

"So you know how to defeat it I take it?" John asked curiously eyeing me.

"Of course!" I exclaimed. "It's tricky business though."

"Tricky?" Damon inquired, "How so?"

Another blazing fireball was headed straight towards us. I pouted. Using the notched arrow in my hand I aimed at the incoming projectile. Right in the middle.

"Disperse," I muttered as I shot the arrow and followed it up with four ordinary ones.

The arrow suddenly blew the ball of fire into a shower of embers and made way for the other arrows to fly to their target: Igeagis. Just as I predicted, the hellhound sensed my volley and destroyed them with a single swipe of its bony tail.

"You see gentlemen," I said keeping my composure as I kept my eyes levelled with the hellhound's. "That hellhound is a summon, and is Igeagis' no doubt. It has two main purposes: wreak havoc and protect its master."

"So how do you defeat it?"

"Easy, knock Igeagis out or cut off his energy source," I said adding the last part uncertainly. It's odd though. Igeagis' energy should be a bit unstable and his body shouldn't be able to call a summon that strong at his current state. Unless he's getting some support...

Suddenly I felt nausea overcome my senses causing me to lean on the trunk of the tree for support. It was the same feeling I felt in the storm tower where I found the high wizard. Wait a minute... Is it another crystal? Then with my acute eyesight I saw it. It was a necklace with a large black crystal shining dimly around his neck. How the heck did I NOT notice that for a week?!

I shook my head rapidly. I'm guessing that that necklace is my target. Great...

"I'll take care of Igeagis," I said turning to face my friends, along with Astor who was perched next to Damon. Wait, when did he landed? "You guys take care of the hellhound. Try to immobilize it as long as you can. I need to get a decent shot at the wizard."

They nodded vigorously, acknowledging my statement. They kind of reminded me of the young knights back at home; ready to slay the dragon. I chuckled at that thought as they took off with Astor carrying John and Damon. I watched as Astor flew close to the ground. My clan mates quickly jumped off and rolled onto the ground while Astor continued his flight path towards the demon dog. He started to glow like the colour of his scarf and tucked his beak back to his neck as the dog did likewise. They were going to head butt each other!

The two collided with each other and a smoke engulfed them both. Astor quickly shot out of the cloud in trail of smoke and skidded to a stop next to John and Damon. I noticed that there was a stream of blood rolling down freely from his head. Idiot...

Finally the cloud settled revealing the hellhound unfazed by Astor's energy attack. It let out a loud roar as the flames on its legs started to burn brighter and hotter. Then it charged.

Suddenly a fireball hit the tree's trunk and set the wood ablaze. That was way too close for comfort. I glanced downwards at Igeagis who was sending more fireballs heading my way with two already forming in his hands. And with that I started to run. I can't attack Igeagis just yet. And even if I do just simply deflect his flames, the hound would probably notice and attack me instead, along with its master. I need its total attention to my friends until they find a way to stop its movements.

"But why is fighting a wizard so hard?" I muttered out loud feeling the intense heat of Igeagis' fiery projectiles at my heels.

Quickly I jumped down onto another branch. I nearly lost my balance as I landed but steadied myself just in time to dodge more of the wizard's attacks. Astor was right, I really need to exercise. I sighed as I glanced back at my friends. It seems they were faring better than me with John and Astor was taunting the hound into running into the trees, probably distracting it no doubt. But where was Epsilon? Suddenly I saw him positioning himself stealthily behind the hellhound. I wondered briefly what they were planning before I saw him raise his hands. Suddenly the legs and tail of the hound stopped moving as if it had frozen.

"RHAMI, NOW!" I heard Damon yell as he kept the hound in place, which I guessed wasn't easy.

With sweat already forming on my brow, I ran towards Igeagis using the thick tree branches as shield as I continued my path. Luckily I noticed a branch hanging right above him. That might just give me a good platform to shoot him from.

Suddenly I watched as the green tongues of fire from the branches licked greedily at the others near it until finally it was jumping from one branch to the other. It was even faster than me!

I was already near the branch above the wizard before I heard something crack loudly. I looked up just in time to see a large blazing branch about to fall right between me and the branch ahead. Not on my watch! Notching an arrow, I aimed it right at the middle of the burning branch.

"Metal," I whispered and let it fly while I grabbed another arrow from my quiver.

The metal arrow sliced its target in half and made way for me to run through and onto the branch. I gave a fleeting look at my allies. It seems that Damon was about to reach his limit as he tried to keep his hands up and his legs straight.

Jumping off the limbs of the burning tree, I somersaulted in the air, barely dodging an incoming fireball as it burned my skin on my right arm. I bit my tongue, aimed at the dark necklace and shot it. Igeagis tried to protect himself but the arrow already struck the crystal right in the middle and made it crack and break. Pieces of jewellery dropped onto the floor as I landed back on the ground with a brief stumble.   

I watched Igeagis intently thinking he would attack again but instead his eyes rolled back as he fell to the floor, fast asleep. Again. Wincing in pain, I looked back at my friends. It seemed that the hellhound had Damon pinned to the ground before it disappeared in a puff of smoke. That was a relief.  

John quickly helped Damon up and Astor came to my side with concern glittering in his eyes.

[You're hurt!] Astor exclaimed in my mind as I walked towards the fallen wizard and slung his arm across the back of my neck.

{I know,} I simply replied. {But can we get back home before you fret over me? I can here sirens coming.}

Astor nodded and helped me carry Igeagis towards the house with John carrying the seemingly unconscious Damon. But before we left I looked back at the burning wreckage, more particularly the place where pieces of the necklace fell.

{Where did that come from?} I thought to myself before we finally left.