The Battle For The Sadow Grounds

A sharp tear of lightning lit up the sky and I woke from my serene slumber. I sighed in content when I realized it was almost time to pick up little Lullaby. I smoothed out the creases in my robe and patted down my hair. I walked out the door, and closed it softly careful not to wake anyone in the other chambers. I put the lock spell upon it and walked swiftly to the gardens.

All was quiet and still, the rain had settle down now. I looked for the old dry leaves that would guide me to my destination. The only thing I could see were bright luscious green leaves, no sign of any old ones. I walked passed an old oak tree. I looked up at the deep green leaves, still nothing. Suddenly, I was falling forward. I landed with a thump, and hissed when I moved my foot that was stuck under a root, from the tree. I held my leg tightly grunting in pain. My fingers trembled as I tried to produce a spell. A light blue bubble, fell from my fingers and spread through my leg softening the pain till it was gone. I carefully maneuvered my foot out and dusted off my mud covered hands. I sat on the floor not worried about the water around me looking at my surroundings from a different view. Then I saw it, a little patch of old leaves, cut in almost a perfect square on the hedge. I crawled over to it my knees sticking lightly, and picked up the edge. It came easily, and I could see through to the next side. I went inside and at a little pond Keith stood drinking.

“Hey Amelia,” he said as I approached him slowly, he didn’t turn. I sighed, what good was going quietly if he knew I was coming? “Had some trouble getting here,” he laughed. I pursed my lips and he turned around.
“Can we just go, please.”
“Something wrong?”
“I lost the first ingredient, trying to contact someone,” I sighed. He nodded.
“We will just get some more when the rain clears.” I smiled warily, and hopped on his back. He quickly took off running, slipping occasionally on the wet grass. We finally got in the air, water collected on my face, I wiped it off and licked my chapped lips. The air was damp and tasted salty like it was tears from someone’s eyes. My eyes narrowed suspiciously but I decide not to ponder the unknown work of Mother Nature. As we flew threw the dark sky I wondered how Keith could fly, he had no wings.
“A penny for your thought’s?” The black stallion asked. I smiled.
“I was just wondering how it is you can fly?” He grumbled with laughter, as I brushed his drenched main.
“I was hexed, along time ago it seems,” he thought out loud, “My previous owner thought I was getting to old to do work, so he put an old enchantment on me, I can do anything really, I just choose to fly.”
“So you have magic,” I asked surprised.
“Yes, how else do you think I could do all the amazing things I do,” he gloated. I rolled my eyes. “Hang on,” he said as he positioned himself, heading downwards. The wind ran through my hair, as we speed towards the land, the castle came into view, when another flash shined upon the sky. Keith landed and skid slightly before coming to a full stop. I hopped off and my feet landed in a giant puddle. I angrily shook my foot, as Keith laughed at me.

I knocked on the big black-wood doors, and in the distance could hear the sound of someone approaching quickly. The doors opened concurrently, I smiled as the old mentor and Lullaby walked out. I quietly thanked the older lady and took the little girl away from the castle. I held her hand protectively and Keith looked out behind us. I looked down at the blond haired girl. I felt adrenaline in my veins, and I snapped my fingers together.

Lullaby let out a small screech as we fell into a swirl of colors, I laughed loudly as inanimate objects of a child’s desire floated around us. Every different color, surged in Lullaby’s eyes, she smiled widely for the first time since I met her. I held her hand still careful not to let the mirage go, or else I could loose her forever in her own thoughts. A pillow followed a small bag of toffee caramel candies, but exploded when a lolli-pop ran through it, feathers flew everywhere. Lullaby giggled softly as one landed on her nose. She blew it off with her mouth. We heard a very aggravated grumbled and both turned to face it. Keith was there covered in feathers, while candies of all sorts poked him. A laugh took its way up my throat, and I was soon laughing hysterically. My hand shook friskily, I looked down in shock. Lullaby’s eyes crinkled in enjoyment and her body shook from laughter. This was it!

I took my free hand, balling it up in a fist.
“Stop!” Everything suddenly froze around me, I quickly brought a labeled bottle to the little girls mouth and a small string of pink light filed into it. I took it away and hastily closed it, capturing the small element. I blinked heavily, and everything sped up to normal. I slipped the bottle into the loop in my belt, where it hung safely.
Before I knew what was happening, Lullaby was out of my grasp chasing after a small butterfly. I tried to grab after her with no success. I had no time left, Keith and I swirled back into reality, the colorful hole spit us out.
“No, we are in so much trouble!” I exclaimed trying to remember where the portal was, to find a way back in.
“Amelia, it’s hopeless there is no way back in.” I bit my lip, tears clouded my vision. As soon as Lullaby realized we were gone she would disappear forever unless she found a way out, but no even a trained Amacan could do such a thing. My sob filled the air, and I wheezed for something to fill my lungs. Tears ran down my cheeks and stopped at my chin falling down to the earth beneath me.
“It isn’t fair,” I whispered, “It’s just not.”
“How about you just zap up another little girl, so we don’t get in any more trouble?” Keith asked trying to lighten the mood. I wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand, nodding.
I put my hands out and focused on the mental image, of the little girl. The air around me moved swiftly with the magic. The blue light danced, gracefully. I angrily twisted my hands, sticking my tongue out in concentration. The light surged powerfully pushing me backwards into Keith, he caught me, by biting my robes, before I hit the ground. He pushed me back up.

“Where did it go?” I asked. Keith pointed to a tree, with his large head. I cleared my throat.
“Hello,” I called out, “It’s okay, we aren’t going to hurt you.”
“Stay away from me, I am going to the castle by myself, just go away first,” a small voice said. Keith and I exchanged wary glances.
“Let’s just go,” He said, “She’ll be fine, I can see it.”

I took one last look at the tree’s before I hoped onto his back. The sky was clearing now, and become brighter as the sun begun to come out. I kept reassuring myself that everything would be fine, nothing would go wrong and as soon as we lifted from the ground, my thoughts were gone replaced with light-headedness as we flew higher.

“You might want to get some water while we are hear,” he said, reminding me of my lost component for the staff. I nodded stiffly and grabbed the extra container from my pouch. The clouds were dimming so we had to do this quickly. I put out the bottle and it filled quickly with the familiar rainbow colored water. I smiled at the sight and quickly put it away, so it would be safe. It felt good to know that almost everything was going back to normal. Though everyone knows nothing good lasts forever.

When we arrived back at the gardens, Keith ran until we made it to the doors.
“Go to bed, you look terrible.”
“Thanks,” I replied sarcastically. As I walked up to the door, I felt like someone was watching me. Inconspicuously I looked around. No one. I closed the door tightly behind me and made my way through the now familiar halls. Still the oozing thought of something watching me made it’s presence. I saw a shadow move from behind me.
“Who is there?” I raised my hands defensively.
“Hi,” someone replied from behind me, I spun quickly to find the culprit. I inwardly snarled, as I saw Scott.
“Hey, I thought someone was there,” I replied acting cheerfully, to disguise the pure hatred I felt toward this obnoxious person. No. that’s wrong. We shouldn’t hate anyone.
“Yes, it was only me,” I narrowed my eyes at him, there was something very suspicious about him. Something I couldn’t quite figure out, but I would I always do. “So where did you just come back from?”