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‘'Crap!'’ Larz said as the ogres began charging into a different direction after Kimena. He had no choice; he jumped into the middle of the charging pack. He stole a heavy axe from the ogre and went cutting away. Despite the size being meant for the larger ogres Larz handed it like they would with ease. He killed about ten when their attention turned back at him. However, Larz was soaked in their blood and had a deadly look in his eye. He lost himself in the fight and until everyone was dead he wouldn't come back.
Lunelle came into view a few moments later, ready to fight. She had grown, she was about as tall as Francesca, now. However, she was unable to kill more than one ogre before she fell to the ground. The injuries Francesca had given her earlier must have kicked in.
"We must leave this area. The scent of Ogre blood travels fast. I was leading them away from here and let them fall off a bluff just a few hundred feet from here!" Kimena shouted to him.
Larz ignored Kimena's words. It was best to kill all of the ogres instead of leaving them to continue coming. He turned around and chopped in half the ogres getting ready to attack Lunelle’s fallen body. She had shrunk down to her normal size, now.
"You're injured, it would be best if you leave the area," he said heading for the rest of the ogres that still remained. He was surprised that he killed many of them off with just a primitive weapon. Francesca ran into the clearing a few moments later. She transmuted the ground below her, killing two ogres that had been coming toward her. "Larz!" Francesca whirled around and barely missed the side of a giant metal sword swinging at her head. She cursed under her breath and transmuted a weapon from the stone in the Earth, ready for battle.
Francesca gave a quick glance to Lunelle, who had healed herself fully and escaped from Sam’s grip who was obviously trying his best to help her. "Lunelle! Remember that truce you brought up a while ago?" she asked in a haste, fighting off another ogre as she did so.
Lunelle whizzed around and came up to Francesca’s face. "Be nice or I'll turn your nose purple."
Larz cornered one ogre and slowly walked toward it. Its face grew tangled in fear and its body was frozen. Out of blind rage it simply jumped at him with everything it had. Larz severed an arm making it drop his weapon. As the ogre grabbed the stump that is what’s left its arm it tried again to attack Larz. This time it lost its leg and fell on its back. It crawled for a tree and put its back to the trunk staring down what was about to finish it. Just as Larz swung at him Francesca's voice made him stop he turned around to see her looking at him. The ogre, being foolish, tried stealing the axe from Larz only to have it's head smashed against the tree. Larz had a lot of room and moved forward a little towards Francesca and Lunelle.
"Francesca, do you have a plan?" he asked his voice returning but his eyes remained as fierce as before not dulling even a little bit.
Pain and fear obviously entered her expression as she looked to him, but she seemed to brush it away as best as she could.
Turning to the Fae, she said, "Lunelle, I need you to provide a distraction. Think you can do that?"
She turned back to Larz. "Remember how I lifted the earth when we were fighting before? I need you to help me. We're gonna make somewhat of an ogre-sandwich. But first, everyone else has to get out of here."
Francesca spun back around to fight off another ogre and saw Kimena. The centauress was fighting three Ogres near Lunelle, Francesca and Larz with her short sword. All over her equestrian body were gashes, cuts and bits of what looked like arrow shafts sticking out of her hide. She reared up on her hind legs to double her size. While she did catch one in the eye with her sharp hooves, another tackled her and they both went crashing to the ground, writhing and fighting each other mercilessly. The other two Ogres joined in, continuing to cut, bite and beat her as she slowly became overpowered.
Francesca quickly took care of her attacker and then transmuted the ogres to implode. It wasn't a pretty sight.
"Alright," Larz said loosening up. His eyes tuned down a little. Talking to Francesca helped him calm down. He was becoming bored killing off easy targets that just kept coming. When Kimena was ganged upon once again Larz strafed over to her to prevent any more assault on his already injured ally.
"Kimena, I need you to get everyone but Larz and I out of the area, 100 yards at least," Francesca said. She looked around at the dozens of ogres there still were left. "Who was the genius who got these guys’ attention, again?" she said, directing her sarcastic tone at Larz.
"Okay, where do you want them miss bossy? Well never mind I don't care. It'll be done.” Snapping her fingers, Lunelle seemed to be waiting for something. It obviously hadn’t come. Nothing happened. Angry, she snapped them again. Nothing. Screaming in frustration, she snapped them again and finally Lunelle turned a bright purple glow. However, it was no longer needed. Her screamed had sounded something like a mix of a dog howling, an off tune person singing, a violin squeaking, and car squealing. The scream had brought the ogres to their knees.
"Okay, I guess? You have until the ogres get up," she said.
"Thanks, miss snotty," Francesca replied to Lunelle. "Larz, you ready?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm ready," Larz said carving out a transmutation circle on the axe handle. He had grown accustomed to the large but it he was definitely going to get rid of this hunk of wood and iron. "You ready?"
She nodded her head and smiled at him. She then looked back to the ogres.
Almost simultaneously Larz focused as much as he could unto his transmutation circle. He slammed the hilt into the ground and a huge slab of earth rose from the earth, slamming together with the one Francesca had risen and crushing the ogres between them.
Watching the earth-ogre sandwich fall to the ground he looked over Francesca with a rare smile.
"Good work," he said. His attention however quickly changed to scanning the area for any more ogres. There were fortunately no more.
She smiled back. "Thank you," she said. She let out a breath and took a look around. "I'm hungry," she stated randomly.
"I guess we can leave this mess," Larz said. He too was hungry because he hasn't eaten since before he left for this place. He looked up at the sun to see it was noon. They had been fighting for a long time.
Before leaving, Larz smashed the large axe's handle picking up the blade that was left. He needed a weapon and with this huge amount of metal he could definitely make something out of it.
"Race ya there," Francesca teased, turning and running as quickly as she could toward the cafeteria.
"What?" Larz said surprised at her head start.
'She's fast,' he thought to himself running after her. He caught up quickly but trailed behind by a foot. He wanted to see what she would do after he caught up.
Francesca laughed. Then suddenly, she stopped and waited for him to stop, too.
Larz stopped and skidded a little passed her.
"What’s wrong?" he asked curious as to why she stopped.
She didn’t say anything, but instead took a few steps forward, gently placed both of her hands of the sides of his arms and pressed her lips against his.
Larz at first was surprised he never felt this before but then again he accepted it from what he knew. He knew a kiss was an expression of love another thing he has never been exposed to. He had no words to say or actions to do. He just wanted to enjoy this feeling and hope he can return them in a greater or equal way.
Larz could hear Lunelle playing ‘Here Comes The Bride’ with an enchanted orchestra as a taunt in the background, and he noticed that their noses were purple, but Francesca said nothing. She moved her hands lightly from his arms to his shoulders and smiled through her occupied lips. Larz for the first time swore revenge. He would definitely flick the Fae to a new dimension the next time she got close. As Francesca moved her hands Larz put both of his on her waist. He could feel her smile and he returned it he never felt so happy in his life and he didn't know if he would be this happy in the future. So, he would enjoy this moment while it lasted.
Pulling her lips apart from his, Francesca held him in an embrace as she whispered in his ear, "I love you."
Lunelle landed on Francesca's shoulder, seemingly making sure to be ready to avoid a flick, but Francesca didn’t do anything.
Larz hugged Francesca and in the ear opposite of Lunelle replied, "And I you."
Grabbing onto Francesca's ear, the tiny Lunelle yelled into it, "Can we get a move on, you stupid love bird!" She hovered in the air in front of Francesca and Larz. Looking at Larz, she scowled. "The ogres are dead and made into a sandwich so can we please go back to the place. I promise, you two love birds can catch up just as well there.”
Larz grabbed Lunelle out of the air by the wings. He merely gave her the meanest look he could give. It was pretty mean too. If a young pup would to see, it would run away and die in a corner.
He looked at Francesca and asked, "What shall we do with her?"
Francesca thought a moment. "Just flick it," she decided. "It's evil, and it gets her far away."
Lunelle dug her teeth deeply into Larz's finger and squeezed out of his grasp. "Do you really think I can’t get hurt or something? And I am not an it!” Taking up her wand she chanted something and flicked her wand.
Francesca clutched her back in pain as they decreased in size. Larz was surprised when he shrank, however his situation was a bit different from Francesca. He indeed shrank but the wings almost refused to grow. This wasn't surprising he knew the runes on his back would prevent physical harm to him through the magical arts.
Francesca was in pain, he didn't like that, her expression sold that out.
"Lunelle this is taking it a little bit too far," he said trying to use his guile in order to get out of this situation.
Lunelle peered at Larz. "Too far, eh? Well should I become as big as I did before and flick both off you into high heaven? Maybe I'll save you from getting eaten-but wait! You’re not growing wings." Frowning, she caught a bird’s feather as it drifted down. Stitching a pair of wings she used sap to glue them to his back and put a small enchantment on them. "Now, I leave you." Changing into some jeans and a camisole with a flick of her wand, Lunelle smiled and zipped away trough the air back to the school.
"Don’t even try to undo it. You’ll waste your time," she shouted over her shoulder.
Francesca gripped her back harder. Obviously the pain was getting worse for her. She took up a stick and thrust it toward her chest.
“I don’t think so,” said Lunelle, taking the stick from her.
Clearly annoyed at the delay, Francesca cringed at another burst of pain. Larz could tell she had used a form of alchemy to kill herself that time-for she was dead.
7
“Do something!” screamed Lunelle, obviously unaware of the fact that elves resurrect. A strange mist swirled around Francesca, and probably reminded Lunelle, because she then calmed down. She tapped her foot impatiently for Francesca to wake up.
“Francesca, I don’t care if you’re dead, hurry up!”
Francesca opened her eyes and sat up. Glaring at Lunelle, she said, “What do you want?”
"You have to learn how to fly-Or I can fly away and leave you for the birds," said Lunelle.
Francesca glared deeply and crossed her arms. "Or you could change us back to normal." It was more of an order than a suggestion.
Lunelle pretended to think before reaching her conclusion of, “No.”
"You still owe me!" Francesca said, reminding her of something that must have happened when Larz wasn’t there.
Suddenly, Kimena’s giant hoof appeared from the sky.
“Woah!” exclaimed Francesca, cursing aloud. "Lunelle turn us back, now!" she yelled.
"Lunelle?" said Kimena. "You did this to them? You should know that they shouldn't be that size unless that is their species," she frowned.
"Kimena, right? Thank you," she said. She seemed unusually grateful to Kimena for taking her side on this one.
Kimena nodded. "I recognize that spell that she used. I think I know how to counter it but it's really tricky." She put a forefinger to her chin in thought.
At those words, Francesca perked up immediately. "Please do! Test it on me, first, I won't die so there's no risk!"
Kimena kept thinking. "Let's see. It's one of those Imitation Transfiguration spells, so since Lunelle was a fae then she turned you into one too," she looked at Larz. "Larz must not be fully organic or otherwise he would've grown wings by now. The counter spell is similar to the offending spell, but how do I turn you back without changing you into a Centaur...? Oh I know!"
She pulled out one of her arrow heads and pricked her finger, letting a drop of blood form on the tip of her finger. Crouching low, she said a few words similar to what Lunelle said and held her finger to Francesca.
"Close your eyes and drink it. But don't touch it with your hands."
Francesca looked at the blood with an expression of utter disgust. She drank the blood as she had been told, but visibly didn’t enjoy it.
“Ew,” she said when she had finished.
Kimena lifted her hand again and pressed on her finger with her thumb to stop the bleeding. "Yeah, I don't know what Vampires see in it," she smiled. "I don't know if it'll be painful or not, but I'm sure I said the right words so you wouldn't turn into a Centaur."
"Oh no you don't!" Lunelle said. "The rule with fairy spells is only the castor can undo it unless the person gives up something like the color of your hair or maybe all your memories before you were 12."
Swiftly she flew up to the centaur and bopped her on the nose with her wand chanting something. "That should teach you." She smiled. "Ooh what fun this game,” Francesca’s teeth clenched, “will be with four people!"
Kimena, however, didn't change at all. "And if you've ever banged two brain cells together, then you would know that we Centaurs are impervious to all magics but our own, so there's nothing you can do to me." She blew Lunelle away. "And I did give something up to Francesca to change her back. She has a fragment of my soul, which is much more potent than any memory or color of hair."
"That’s it!” Lunelle screamed in a tantrum that a three-year-old would have trouble matching. “I hate you all! You’d give up your soul for someone who I was gonna change back anyway if you hadn’t intervened when I'm going to probably die when they flick me to my death. You hate me and I hate you right back. I can't believe this. She was just small! But no! When I'm going to break a few bones and maybe get eaten, you don’t even care! They were planning on how to torture me so I turn them small, so you give up your soul?! I'm leaving."
Popping a full suitcase into her hands, Lunelle left without looking back. Accidentally pricking her wing on a tree branch and falling head first into the lake.
Francesca laughed hysterically at this.
“Loser,” she said, flying up to Kimena. "Now what?"
A wall of magic came up between her and Kimena. Francesca turned just in time to see Lunelle cast some sort of spell directly at her. Francesca stopped flapping her wings and just hardly missed the spell Lunelle had cast. She dropped down and hit the ground. She had probably broken some bones on her rib cage on her left and maybe her arm, too. She groaned in pain and stood up.
Larz was definitely getting angry and the fact that Francesca was getting hurt. He looked up at Lunelle and frowned to think that she would cause all this trouble and then run away. He needed to think hard about how to get out of this but before he bowed towards Kimena and said," Thank you for your help," then ran toward Francesca. He knew she was hurt so he simply tried helping her up.
"Sorry I was too slow to react for some reason," he said with a worried face he knew Francesca can handle injuries but he did not like her hurt.
Francesca nodded and forced a smile. "Thanks, I should be fine."
"I was thinking on turning you back, but I think not now. And unless Little-Miss-Perfect wants to give up the other half of her soul to yours truly then you come find me and you know after that I’m thinking it'll take a lot of convincing.”
She then grew about to the size Francesca was normally and picked Larz and Francesca up.
Larz had a basic clue on how to become normal. But at his size it would be a while before he could actually make the plan work. He cannot change the rules of reality but he new of a creature that could and was fairly easy to access.
"I may have a way to get out of this mess."
"You do?" Francesca looked over at him. "Thank goodness, I have no clue," she said, gratefully. "How?"
"I will have to do something...forbidden." he said with a solemn look.
He bit his finger and watched the blood drip. With a simple transmutation circle Larz disappeared.
8
Larz opened his eyes to be in a white void. It was familiar. He turned to see a white outline of a person his height.
"I haven't had visitors in a long time," it stated.
"I would like your assistance," Larz stated turning around to it.
"You should know the deal," the white creature stated with malice. Larz smiled as nothing happened. He could not be ruled by what his people called God. He moved toward it grabbing it by the throat.
"I want you to turn us back to normal."
"I cannot but I can give you the ability to." he said shifting out of his grip.
"I accept your offer." He said as in a flash he had returned to his original world.
9
He was back to normal size. Just in time to catch the unconscious Francesca from Lunelle’s flick. He turned and gave Lunelle a dirty look.
As he turned all he said was, “You disgust me.”
He was going to enjoy his revenge.
"Good," said Lunelle. She then viciously ripped Francesca from his grip and threw her the opposite direction.
Larz reacted quickly and grabbed Francesca carefully in midair. Larz held her securely. Her wounds looked bad.
'Sorry Francesca but I will have you back to normal soon.’
He put her in his jacket. But braced for whatever Lunelle would send her way.
Lunelle glared at Larz. "But I'm afraid no matter how much I may disgust you, you disgust me ten fold more. The fact that you flicking me and I almost got eaten by a bird wasn't enough but the fact that you didn't even care! That makes me furious! You’re small! Who cares? Obviously I have to live like that but you go to extreme levels to make yourself big! You all suck!”
When she was finished with her tantrum, Lunelle grabbed his jacket and instantly chanted a few words. Larz’s feet were wrapped with roots.
He was stuck.
Taking Francesca out of the jacket, she looked down at the limp bruised body.
"You know that you deserve it. I felt the same you do now. Except no one stuck up for me."
Shrugging, Lunelle threw her as far as she possibly could. Turning back to Larz, she smiled and popped the roots off.
"Being human, I would take to your legs and go pick her up wherever she is." She then turned herself back to normal size.
Larz had been tried before but never on an emotional level. His ability to keep his composure surprised even him. He walked over to Francesca. And gave a sorrowful look then picked her up. Lunelle couldn't do anything now. He was headed for the grounds and to his cozy home in the bell tower. He would return Francesca back to normal and eliminate this stressful event from the day.
Francesca was breathing, that was good. She tried to take a deep breath, but in the end only choked back a scream of agony as her broken ribs had probably almost exploded in pain. The cough that had come up instead of the scream caused her body to shake, most likely causing every nerve in her body to feel as painful as a bullet.
Tears slid down her face as well as blood as she mouthed, ‘‘It hurts.’’
Larz watched as Francesca started reacting to pain done to her. He was a good distance away from everyone else so he decided to change her back here. Larz set her down on the ground and made a transmutation circle surrounding her. He made another on his hand and transmuted the first circle right before finishing he transmuted the one on his hand. In an instant it seemed as though reality itself had just sputtered this happened for less than a second but the real marvel was the fact that Francesca had returned to normal size.
To deal with her wounds Larz let a drop of his blood fall on one of the open wounds. After a few moments the cut began to shrink and close.
"I'm sorry I can't do more," he whispered, stroking her hair.
She opened her eyes and looked up to him. "Thanks," she managed.
A new girl that Larz did not recognize came up to them.
"D-Do you need help?" she asked.
Kimena came after her and held out a small handful of blue powder. "Sprinkle this over your wounds and eat some. It'll taste a little bitter, but it'll take the pain away and heal your wounds in about a minute," she explained.
Doing as she was told, Francesca ate the bitter powder. She then, slowly and wobbly, climbed out of Larz's arms and tried to stand on her legs. She held onto his shoulders for support and smiled at him as Lunelle began to throw another tantrum at the poor innocent new girl.
'Good,' Larz thought as Francesca struggled to her feet. He acted as a guide as she stood.
"Francesca you may want to rest a bit you've been through a lot." he said as concerned as he could ever be. It was his fault she got hurt so badly. When Kimena offered the blue medicine he had no choice but to take it. She was right, it was bitter but not too the extent he couldn’t swallow it. He bruises and sores healed at a faster rate than Larz was use to. He couldn't help but be amazed.
"I'm good," she said. She still looked tired, though. She yawned and sat, anyways. She smiled at him and invited him over.
However, before Larz had a chance to join her, Lunelle came running up to them.
She stopped, took a deep breath in, and looked them both straight in the eyes.
"Okay, listen, we need to do something with the...ugh...new group of ogres, and we need to do it fast."
Francesca raised an eyebrow. "What ogres?" she asked.
Rolling her eyes, Lunelle obviously thought that was the dumbest question in the world. "Um, those ogres?" she pointed behind them.
"Huh?" Francesca looked in the direction she was pointing. She shrieked in surprise at what she saw. "But they were dead!" she complained.
"Don't hurt yourself, okay?” Lunelle said.
Larz was becoming irritated by his enemies return. He himself could not see the tattoo on each of the ogres' hand.
He picked up the black metal he scavenged from them and transmuted it into his people's greatest marvels: a gun. This would make a little easier to deal with the reborn army. Using some of the spare metal around he transmuted about 9 clips of ammo.
"I hope you guys have a plan," he said clicking the first clip in.
Francesca flinched at the sound of the gun. "Why are they here? You can't bring anything besides elves back to life--that's a fact. How the heck are they standing there?"
Larz searched his memory for an answer but then a memory of the runes on his back came to mind. Larz knew only two people who knew what they were and he wondered if one of these two people could be responsible.
He muttered to himself in almost a barely noticeable volume, "It couldn't be him could it?"
Understanding immediately, Lunelle's eyes popped open. "No, not him not him! Oh please don't let it be him." She paused and turned to Francesca. "Francesca get your science head out of your butt and believe it, things can resurrect, as can you stupid you know dying than living again!"
Francesca looked to Larz, completely ignoring Lunelle, and gave him a confused look.
"Who?" she asked.
"It's highly unlikely but I think it may be my brother who is behind this." Larz replied. His half twin brother who he met when he lived with the mage of his people.
Francesca nodded. "Bad or good thing?" she asked.
"Bad. Out of anyone I've ever met he was the most sadistic person. That includes the people here," he said, glancing over at Lunelle, then back to Francesca. He feared for her safety but then again an army of ogres couldn't stop her.
Francesca glared to the side at nobody in particular. "Life sucks. Okay, well, maybe not,'' she gave a cute smile to Larz, "but it'd be nice if life could just calm down for a bit, wouldn't it?"
The fae glared. "By the way, anyone smart knows that if you’re unkind to a fae more than twice you get cursed, it's unavoidable, no charms armor or special race/class things to get out of it. Also it's irreversible, even black magic can't get you outta this one. And by the way I’m not sadistic."
Larz didn’t respond to Lunelle, but instead sighed and agreed with Francesca, "Indeed it would. So, why don't we try and make it a little more peaceful?" Larz aimed his gun at the army and with a flare of fire and sound shot at the back of the neck of one of the ogres. He looked over to Francesca then back at his targets.
'At least for you,' he thought to himself.
Lunelle screamed at the sound of the shot. "I hate humans!” she shouted. "Put that thing away, now!"
"Calm yourself, Lunelle," Kimena warned. She turned her head and saw one of the Ogres throw a rock straight for the Fae and pulled her towards her to avoid it. Letting go of Lunelle afterwards, Kimena swiftly pulled out her bow and arrows and shot back, hitting the Ogre square between the eyes.
Transmuting the ground beneath the monsters before her, Francesca watched as the blood trickled down the sides of the stalagmites that she had risen.
Lunelle cast a blizzard spell she watched as a huge storm wiped out some of them.
For a few moments Kimena just stood there, her arms folded and watching the three try to fight the trolls. She only sighed in annoyance and lowered her head. "Are you finished playing yet?" she only asked quietly.
Francesca turned and glared at Kimena. "Sarcasm is my thing," she said coolly.
"Heh, she’s right. She’s the most sarcastic brat I know," Lunelle said. "Now though I really would like to stay and chat we got a bunch of dead ogres that are going to be resurrected soon on our hands ."
"Oh, yes, and you're not a brat at all, Lunelle, you're a perfect angel," Francesca said, proving Lunelle right.
"If you two are finished bickering," Kimena sighed. "There is a way to negate the resurrection spell they're under. Unless you wish to sharpen your accuracy skills and continue fighting them?"
Francesca glared at Kimena again. "What do you have in mind?" she asked, leaving out the sarcasm thing.
 Carnivorous Bytes · Fri Nov 23, 2007 @ 02:07am · 0 Comments |
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