I sat there, watching, waiting.
Waiting for the moment when I would finally know that we were safe.
"What are your orders, Emma? A familiar voice asked from my left. Turning my head, I looked into the shocking copper eyes of my most trusted friend. Jasper returned my gaze, his eyes reflecting the icy blue of mine as the light of a torch briefly lit our hiding place.
"You keep the twins here, while I attempt to lead the Trick away." I answered. I studied his snow white hair for a moment, noticing the hesitation in my second-in-command. I touched his cheek, "Please, do this for me. The twins don't have anyone else." He put his hand over mine, anguish in his voice.
"But Emma, we can't lose you. I can't."
I shook my head, memories of the others we had lost filling my thoughts.
Sally. David. Wallace. Lace.
Each had sacrificed themselves, as I now would.
The sounds outside our hiding place grew louder. Time was running out.
For we both knew what tonight would bring.
My Luck be with you." He spoke softly. I smiled sadly as I turned away.
"May she watch over you as well." I whispered as I crawled to the crack in the wall that led outside. I scanned the dark ruins outside, searching for any sign of the Trick.
It wouldn't do to lead the Trick right to where the others were hiding before I had the chance to leave.
Satisfied with the seemingly empty ruins, I crawled outside and stood in a position that would allow me to make a run for it as soon as was necessary. I chose to walk south, towards the torchlight. I kept my movements as quiet as was possible, aware of the noise that the shackle and broken chain around my right ankle made.
But there was nothing I could do about it.
I slowed as I neared the creatures holding the torches. They walked on two legs, like a human, but were completely covered with reflective scales, like some kind of lizard. Their eyes burned a rusty red, and row after row of yellow fangs were visible in their half-opened mouths. About seven feet tall on average, these beasts were called the Trick by my group of escapees because of the unique ability that their mirror-like scales gave them. By catching and reflecting light, the Trick could veil themselves in an illusion.
I hated them, had hated them since the day I was born.
For seventeen long years, I had been nothing more then an experiment living in one of the many prison camps that covered the land of Zal'var. I was experiment 00935 E.M.D. more commonly known as “E.M.M.A.”. I had learned from childhood what my name and classification stood for. E.M.D. stood for Extreme Magical Development, while E.M.M.A. stood for Electrode Magnifier of Maximum Advantage. I wasn't sure what electrode magnifier meant, but I could only assume that it was referring to my ability to absorb electricity from the machines the Trick used. Of course, I had to release all the energy eventually, or else I got sick.
Not the my strange ability would help at the moment, since the Trick were using more traditional torches in their search for me and my companions.
Sneaking as close as I dared, I counted the Trick in this camp. Sixteen, a full pack. There could be a second pack out in the ruins somewhere, but I had to hope that there weren't. Hoping that Luck was with me, I ran right into the camp and out the other side, hearing the angry hiss of the Trick as they attempted to get up and give chase. The Trick were slower at night because of their cold-blood, but once they began a chase, they could continue the hunt for days.
We'd been lucky not to have had the pack catch our scent earlier.
I ran blindly through the ruins, not caring where I led them as long as it was away from Jasper, the twins, and the docks. The Trick were gaining on me, I could hear their taloned feet pounding the ground as the ran.
But I couldn't give up yet.
They depended on me not to give in.
I quickly turned the corner, and jolted to a halt before the wall that blocked my escape. The triumphant screeches from the Trick sounded dully in my ears as I turned to face my death.
Because there was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
Nothing left to do but go down fighting.
I shifted my feet as rain began to fall, soaking my hair as the Trick advanced. Thrusting my left hand out in front of me and my right hand towards the sky, I used my ability to scream for lightning; something I had never tried before.
A bolt shot out of the sky and hit my upraised hand, the untamed chaos burning its way through my veins and out my left hand, taking everything I had with it.
The screeches of triumph changed to shrieks of pain as I fell to the ground, my vision darkening.
Before fading to oblivion, a single thought ran through my mind.
Good bye, Jasper... May Luck lead you always...
"What are your orders, Emma? A familiar voice asked from my left. Turning my head, I looked into the shocking copper eyes of my most trusted friend. Jasper returned my gaze, his eyes reflecting the icy blue of mine as the light of a torch briefly lit our hiding place.
"You keep the twins here, while I attempt to lead the Trick away." I answered. I studied his snow white hair for a moment, noticing the hesitation in my second-in-command. I touched his cheek, "Please, do this for me. The twins don't have anyone else." He put his hand over mine, anguish in his voice.
"But Emma, we can't lose you. I can't."
I shook my head, memories of the others we had lost filling my thoughts.
Sally. David. Wallace. Lace.
Each had sacrificed themselves, as I now would.
The sounds outside our hiding place grew louder. Time was running out.
"Jasper, I'm not asking anymore. As soon as I lead them away, take the twins down to the docks. Look for a ship called the Salt Catcher. Old Jack should be expecting you." I carefully removed an old bronze locket from my neck and handed it to him. "This will buy you passage. Jack knows where to take you." I spoke rapidly, pulling my long black hair off my shoulder.
Jasper nodded once, resigned to the fact that he was now the leader.For we both knew what tonight would bring.
My Luck be with you." He spoke softly. I smiled sadly as I turned away.
"May she watch over you as well." I whispered as I crawled to the crack in the wall that led outside. I scanned the dark ruins outside, searching for any sign of the Trick.
It wouldn't do to lead the Trick right to where the others were hiding before I had the chance to leave.
Satisfied with the seemingly empty ruins, I crawled outside and stood in a position that would allow me to make a run for it as soon as was necessary. I chose to walk south, towards the torchlight. I kept my movements as quiet as was possible, aware of the noise that the shackle and broken chain around my right ankle made.
But there was nothing I could do about it.
I slowed as I neared the creatures holding the torches. They walked on two legs, like a human, but were completely covered with reflective scales, like some kind of lizard. Their eyes burned a rusty red, and row after row of yellow fangs were visible in their half-opened mouths. About seven feet tall on average, these beasts were called the Trick by my group of escapees because of the unique ability that their mirror-like scales gave them. By catching and reflecting light, the Trick could veil themselves in an illusion.
I hated them, had hated them since the day I was born.
For seventeen long years, I had been nothing more then an experiment living in one of the many prison camps that covered the land of Zal'var. I was experiment 00935 E.M.D. more commonly known as “E.M.M.A.”. I had learned from childhood what my name and classification stood for. E.M.D. stood for Extreme Magical Development, while E.M.M.A. stood for Electrode Magnifier of Maximum Advantage. I wasn't sure what electrode magnifier meant, but I could only assume that it was referring to my ability to absorb electricity from the machines the Trick used. Of course, I had to release all the energy eventually, or else I got sick.
Not the my strange ability would help at the moment, since the Trick were using more traditional torches in their search for me and my companions.
Sneaking as close as I dared, I counted the Trick in this camp. Sixteen, a full pack. There could be a second pack out in the ruins somewhere, but I had to hope that there weren't. Hoping that Luck was with me, I ran right into the camp and out the other side, hearing the angry hiss of the Trick as they attempted to get up and give chase. The Trick were slower at night because of their cold-blood, but once they began a chase, they could continue the hunt for days.
We'd been lucky not to have had the pack catch our scent earlier.
I ran blindly through the ruins, not caring where I led them as long as it was away from Jasper, the twins, and the docks. The Trick were gaining on me, I could hear their taloned feet pounding the ground as the ran.
But I couldn't give up yet.
They depended on me not to give in.
I quickly turned the corner, and jolted to a halt before the wall that blocked my escape. The triumphant screeches from the Trick sounded dully in my ears as I turned to face my death.
Because there was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
Nothing left to do but go down fighting.
I shifted my feet as rain began to fall, soaking my hair as the Trick advanced. Thrusting my left hand out in front of me and my right hand towards the sky, I used my ability to scream for lightning; something I had never tried before.
A bolt shot out of the sky and hit my upraised hand, the untamed chaos burning its way through my veins and out my left hand, taking everything I had with it.
The screeches of triumph changed to shrieks of pain as I fell to the ground, my vision darkening.
Before fading to oblivion, a single thought ran through my mind.
Good bye, Jasper... May Luck lead you always...
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