True Sisters: Part Three

     Help...

     ***

      I awoke to see two deep red eyes staring me down. I screamed from fright and pain. Suddenly, a bad smelling (and tasting) potion was pushed down my throat. I gagged but swallowed. A rush of relief spread over me, and I pushed myself up on the bed, my eyes sweeping the room looking for danger. The large red eyes belonged to Aaron, who was with Tid and Morbid.

      "Oh Fan!" cried Morbid, throwing her arms around me. "You're awake! Oh thank goodness, we were so worried."

      I blinked and looked over at Tid who was doing a little jig. She danced around the room, ending with the midair splits. Slowpoke tottered after her, looking unsure, and I giggled a little. Lyra, at my side, gave a little coo of happiness, and I stroked her lovingly. Aaron smiled and looked over at me.

      "I'm glad that you're okay. I have to admit I was a little worried."

      I broke into a smile, but quickly replaced it with a frown. What had happened to me? Aaron must have understood, for he kept speaking.

      "When I finished my story, you stood up and looked at me, and just collapsed onto the ground. You were shaking and shaking, you wouldn't stop."

      "What? Collapsed? But why would I..." I gasped as a flood of memories over took me. I leaned and vomited into a bin on the side of my bed. Aaron stroked my back until I was finished, and then laid me back down on the pillows.

      "Shh, it's ok. You don't need to tell us just yet..."

      "No," I interrupted, "I do. You see, I knew Fanteni. I met her last summer, just before we moved into our new house." I took a few sips from the glass of water Tid handed to me. "Thanks. She and I hit it off really quickly, I mean, at the time we were both Blue Pteris with big dreams. I didn't even make the name connection until now. We had a whole day together and I showed her everything there was to see. We went to the Tombola, the Snowager, the Deserted Tomb, everything. She thought it was amazing! She was so happy. Then, at the end of the day, I asked her if I could come over and she explained that she didn't have a home yet. So I told her she could stay over at our new house, even though we didn't live there yet. When she got there, we flew up to the attic, and, and..." I broke into tears, sobbing uncontrollably into the pillow. Lyra flowed up to me and snuggled close, her warmth reassuring me.

      I took a deep breath and continued, stuttering through my tears. "We fle... flew into the attic an... and I showed her where the washroom was, so she could wash up. While she was in there, I went to find a blanket for her to sleep on, when this black Skeith flew in the window. I hid behind a box so that he wouldn't see me, and then I saw him put some bright purple liquid over her food. Then he flew away. I was so scared I dropped the blanket and ran away, forgetting about Fanteni. I just sort of made myself forget it, until just now. It's all because of me that Fanteni died, disappeared. What have I done?"

      I collapsed into a fit of tears, utterly overwhelmed by my senselessness. When I looked up at Aaron, his red eyes were dim from shock. He stepped back from my bed.

      "Aaron, I..."

      Tid interrupted. "You just let her die? You let her eat that? Why?!"

      Aaron spoke up. "Come on, Tid, Morbid, let's give Fan some alone time." He turned away from me and walked away, my sisters following him. Just before she left, Morbid looked back and gave me a weak smile.

      "I'm sorry," she mouthed, and closed the door gently behind her.

      The second that the door closed, I got up from my bed, my legs literally shaking with the effort. Lyra bit me gently on the nose, and strength flowed through me. I walked over to the dressers, where I found and took a few things I thought I might need, including two scarves, a few healing potions, some bread, and the flute. I tied all of these into a bandanna, and took off into the darkening sky.

      Three seconds later, Morbid caught up with me. She grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me back towards the ground, scolding me all the way.

      "What do you think you're doing? Trying to make this harder than it already is? You should have seen the look on Aaron's face when he saw you were gone. I thought he was going to faint on the spot. Thankfully, you aren't a very fast flyer when you're sick, and we could still see your profile against the sun. Geez, we just needed to calm down. It's not every day that you learn your sister witnessed a murder. I mean, what did you expect us to do? Jump up and down and squeal with pride? Hah! You wish!"

     We hit the ground and she pulled me roughly inside, depositing me on the den floor.

     "Wait there," she commanded sternly, and left the room.

     Tid ran in a second later with another one of those vile tasting potions and some Achyfi. She placed the potion in front of me and held the Achyfi away.

     "You drink the potion, you drink the soda. It's that easy, sis."

     I stuck out my tongue, but downed the potion. Tid handed over the soda and I swished it through my mouth, trying to get rid of the bad taste. Aaron walked in and I swallowed apprehensively.

     When he walked in he looked calm and in control, but he looked over at me and his eyes flashed with worry.

     "Are you okay? Morbid said you were fine, at least, fine enough to kick and scream when she pulled you down, but I'm still worried."

     He padded softly over and gave me a look over. He smiled a huge smile and nuzzled me gently, like a long lost friend. My heart rejoiced, I was forgiven. Aaron pulled back and questioned me softly.

     "The Skeith, what was he like?"

     "Um, well, he was black, painted shadow I guess. He had uh, white eyes and really sharp teeth. When he was pouring the... the poison, he smiled and they flashed in the sun. Oh, and he was missing the tip of his left wing."

     "Okay. Now, the poison, tell me about it. I need to know everything. What color was it? Was it thick or thin? Could you see it once it was on the food? I need all the info."

     "The poison was bright purple, like I said. It flowed really easy, just like water. Once it hit the food, it kinda, disappeared. There was a little puff of smoke or steam or something like that, and then it was gone."

     "Good, this is really helping. Anything else you think I should know?"

     I racked my brain for ideas, but none came. "No, I think that's it."

     "Think or know?"

     "Know."

     Aaron sighed and sat down on his haunches. "That's good news; from what I can gather, this wasn't poison. More like a controller type of thing. Recite your orders over it on a full moon and the next person to drink it will have to carry them out." My heart skipped a beat with joy, but Aaron sighed again. "Well, we need to get going. No questions, just go upstairs and get packed. You'll need clothes, armor, and weapons. Everything you need is upstairs in the closets in the left wing of the house. Just go take a look."

     I flapped my wings and glided softly up the stairs. The potions had helped a lot, but I was still feeling queasy. Tid, in her excitement about the weapons, had run up ahead of us, and returned wearing Full Ixi Armor, an Ixi Indestructible Helmet, a Mystical Ixi Hooded Cape, and Studded Ixi Battle Boots as well as carrying an Ixi Indestructible Shield and Ixi Indestructible Blade. I have to admit that she looked very threatening.

     She smiled and called down to us. "Hey guys! These closets really do have everything! You should see them!"

     We rushed up after her and looked in. I gasped at the sight. Though it looked as if the closet was small, it went back and back and back. Shelves lined the walls, filled with every type of armor and every weapon imaginable. Where had Aaron found all this? Morbid and I tiptoed in and looked around. I picked out a set of Full Pteri Armor, a Pteri Precision Helmet, a Feathered Pteri Cloak, and a Pteri Sword. At my belt I carried a lightweight yet sharp as steel Pteri Dagger. All this put together weighed less than a pound and allowed me to move just as easily as without it.

     I looked over at Morbid and nearly ran away. Morbid has always been the fiercest of us, but clothed as she was and with Laborite by her side, well, it was good enough to make me let out a yelp. She had on a pair of Flaming Scorchio Battle Boots, a Flaming Scorchio Battle Helm, a set of Full Scorchio Armour, a Scorchio Horn Guard, and Scorchio Wing Shields. She clutched a Scorchio Tail Sword in her tail and held a Curved Scorchio Wing Blade in her hands. The Flaming armor was, well, flaming, and her wing shield flashed in the flickering light. I cowered behind a large set of Skeith armor.

     "What? What is it?" cried Morbid in alarm.

     "No, no, don't worry. It's just, uh, you look very... intimidating with that armor on."

     "Oh really? I like it."

     "Yeah, I can see that."

     I gulped and stepped out from behind the chain mail. Morbid's eyes glittered with admiration as I tightened my armor.

     "You look great. Now, let's go find Aaron."

     We headed down the stairs and into the kitchen, where we found Tid, de-armored.

     "Hey, what happened to your..." I started, but Aaron interrupted.

     "Pack it. Do you think we can go prancing through Meridell like that? Put it in your bag and set it in the pile."

     I looked over in the corner and saw two other bulging bags, presumably Tid's and Aaron's. I shrugged and took off my armor, though without it I felt strangely vulnerable. I heard Morbid groan and shuddered at the thought of carrying that heavy armor; mine was lightweight and made for flying. We helped Aaron pack a bag for food, then locked up the house and set off. Everyone was carrying their bags, except for Aaron, who carried two. I stretched my wings to fly, but Aaron held me back.

     "Sorry, Fan, but Tid can't fly. We'll have to walk."

     Morbid groaned yet again, but Tid looked embarrassed. "Sorry, guys, you know how much I want to fly, but, you know, money's a little tight right now and I can't afford a Halloween..."

     "Say no more, say no more," interrupted Aaron. "We understand. Besides, I think Fan here could use the leg exercise." They laughed at the sight of me struggling to keep up. I was used to flying and almost never used my legs. I blushed and looked at the floor, then looked up again to ask a question, but Tid beat me to it.

     "So, Aaron, where exactly are we going?"

     "To visit Cinpate. He's a very wise old man, and he can tell us what to do, as well as who the Skeith is. However, we have to pass his test first."

     "Test? What test?" I wasn't very good at tests, and I presumed this wouldn't be any different.

     "It's a test that judges your character. Don't worry; you don't have to do anything; he just judges you and decides whether or not you are fit to gain his knowledge. If not, you have to go to training for 10 miserable years in order to improve your 'makeup'." Tid snorted but Aaron shushed her with a glare. "It's not funny, it's brutal, but Cinpate trained warriors are the best around." At this point, Aaron grew silent, and I knew that that was the end of that.

To be continued...