#THE_RED_CRYSTER
©Sir Zach
EPISODE 49
Diana was thrown to the ground, irrespective of who she was. Once again she was belittled at it infuriated her. She cast a resentful look at Vasco, but quickly realized how her body was merely half of the brute’s size. She was left only to grit on her teeth at her circu-mstance.
As Diana struggled to recover, she coughed her way, crawling towards her nearest Plethoran soldier for help.
On the other hand, Amanda awaited for Vasco to set the soldiers of Aeros free. Behind her, Khalil called her back.
“Miss, Amanda. What are you doing?” Asked Khalil, He tried to grab Amanda, but she refused, turning away.
“Khalil, look at everyone! Look at how many of your colleagues have died,” Amanda said to him with her brows furrowed. Then, barely a whisper, she added, “I will find a way to get freed. Trust me. We – we have to help them be free.”
Everything was uncertain at that point, but Amanda knew that the men of Aeros needed to recover. The hero inside her could not help but manifest, despite not having enough power to fight off all their adversaries at the same time.
When Amanda, Khalil, and Razul arrived at the puzzle wood forest, they slowly snak-ed in between rock formations. She overheard Vasco, forcing Christopher to give up a force. She also marveled at what force he was referring to and speculated; it was the same reason they have always wanted Christopher for peace.
Regardless of what it was, Christopher was using it to let his men be free. She concluded it must be an important matter with the Oscorians that they kept him alive till now.
“Free them now… and I will walk over to you,” said Amanda. She could hear Christopher contesting every word she said, but two more Oscorians held him down.
They began to remove his armor and tied his body with a rope. Christopher slowly allowed his wings to hide inside his back, hoping his body could heal it quickly.
One by one, the group of Oscorian and Plethoran let the soldiers of Aeros go. Those who were too injured to fly walked away from their enemies and fled away with another one who was capable to take off.
Kyle instructed a group to fly back with their injured men with a directive to fly back with help. In the end, only he, Khalil, and Razul remained to observe everything from the sky.
From forty of their group, the soldiers of Aeros were down to twenty-eight. Sadly, twelve of their own had lost their lives while ten among their troop were badly injured, requiring rest and time to heal.
Diana remained to observe what was going to happen, but she shot an angry glare at the fleeing men of Aeros. She silently said, ‘Nonetheless, you will meet your end, for Aeros is currently being attacked.’
Amanda was already in the hands of the Oscorians, tied behind her back. She was forced to kneel down next to Vasco.
She studied closely, counting the number of foes they needed to defeat. Many of the Plethoran’s have fallen. There were rou-ghly thirty-three of them, plus Diana. The Plethorans were the easier targets for the Aeros, more than the Oscorian’s giant bodies.
There were about thirty-five left of the Oscorians, including Vasco.
Amanda looked up to the sky and saw Kyle, Khalil, and Razul. She sighed and recognized they would still be defeated, given the numbers of their opponents.
Meanwhile, Vasco put a sword against Amanda’s neck. He looked up to the sky and said, “If you try anything, the woman dies!”
When Christopher was forced to sit up, he finally saw Amanda in front of him. He spat out blood and cleared his airway to say, “Don’t – don’t ever think of hurting her or else!”
“Or else what?!!!!” Vasco said in anger. They had been after the force inside Christopher for three long years. “You have to say in this, now!”
They had long discovered that magic inside of him could produce water, and water was what their world needed.
It was three years ago when the Oscorians captured Basalt from the mount Devias, the powerful healer. They used him and abused his strength until Basalt grew tired and revealed the magic that he discovered in Christopher’s body.
To the Oscorians he warned that the magic may be evil, but they cared not for the source of its power. Everyone needed water and Christopher was the key.
Vasco turned to Basalt and directed, “Begin opening the seal.”
“What? – What open the seal?!” Christopher protested, wiggling his body in protest. “Basalt! You can’t do this? I sought to free you so you can seal it back properly! Please, Basalt!”
The old healer went down on his knees facing Christopher. He said, “I’m – I’m very sorry, young master of Aeros, but I am tired. I want to live the rest of my life having proper rest.”
Basalt knew that it was impossible to get out of the magic living inside of Christopher. They have tried it so many times in the past, but he could not tell the Oscorians this. Whatever was inside Christopher’s body was Basalt’s ticket to freedom.
The Oscorians held down Christopher in both his feet and arms. It disabled him to move around as Basalt performed his ritual to undo the seal.
From the above, the tree remaining flying men were trying to figure out how to help. Christopher was completely surrounded, and a sword was held to Amanda’s neck. They could only wait for the right time or for when their enemies would get distracted.
Aside from this, they were left to express concern about Basalt’s attempt to remove the seal on Christopher’s body. Not many knew about the seal on his stomach. Khalil and Razul heard about it, but only Kyle knew the full details of what happened five years ago.
Meanwhile, Amanda watched, utterly puzzled with what they were asking of Christopher. At the same time, her curiosity grew. It was a few days back that she suspected Christopher to be master of water. She asked silently, ‘What are the chances that they are after the same power?’
Whatever it was, it was painful for Amanda to watch. Christopher fought against the ritual like it was the most fearful force in the world. She closed her eyes and began pleading, pleading that all four of them would find the strength to fight all of their enemies.
Even if she would take out her sword, there were just too many rivals. The golden sword may not be enough. Moreover, she thought, the Oscorians will definitely take an interest in the blade she had in her hands.
Sighed and called for the one person who was the only person who could save her, “Trisha.”
‘Trisha. Trisha, can you hear me? I need you, my friend,’ Amanda called in silence, but her pleading was cut off by the sound of Christopher’s cries.
“Urrghhhh! Stop! Stop!” Christopher repeated to a-ssert for Basalt to undo what he was doing. He could feel the seal in his stomach opening up and little by little, he recognized his body become colder and colder.
Amanda kept staring at Christopher, worried about what was happening. From where she was kneeling down, she could see the movement on his stomach. The mark on his abdomen was moving in a spiral motion.
It dawned on her that Christopher lied about the mark and after seeing how it suddenly reappeared in the presence of Basalt; she understood that the mark; the seal was created by this old healer.
“Ahhhhhhh!!! Ahhhh!” When Christopher roared the loudest, everyone’s eyes were on him. Blue light began to emit from Christopher’s mouth, eyes, and palms.
From the skies, Kyle was conflicted about what to do. His brows were drawn together, and he was hissing, feeling the pain of his friend. He, Khalil, and Razul attempted to descend, but Vasco further lifted the sword against Amanda’s neck while holding her hair to keep her steady.
Amanda could literally feel the blade cutting thinly against her skin. Fortunately, not de-ep enough to cause worry, but her gasping gave it away.
Kyle quickly raised his hands at his two colleagues, seeing Amanda held her breath.
From another corner, Diana’s mouth was covered in her hand. Her eyes had never beamed the same way, seeing what was happening to Christopher. She kept asking, “What – what is going on with Christopher?”
Turning to Vasco, she asked, “What is happening?”
The Plethoran men had the same questions, but Vasco only said, “It’s none of your business – ”
“But what about our arrangement, Vasco?! You said you would help us bring down Aeros!” Diana reported again. She could not help but question him again, not understanding what was happening and disliking Vasco’s answers.
“We are already attacking Aeros together with your arms! What more do you want?! If you like? You can head there right now and aid your father, instead! You are such a nuisance!” Revealed Vasco.
The discovery made Kyle and the other two concerned. So apparently, there were other troops attacking their nation. They were left to contemplate, whether to remain or go to Aeros.
“My father is there along with the rest of our forces! Aeros will not fall that easily!” a-ssured Kyle. He flew closer to Khalil and Razul before softly saying, “If Diana and the Plethorans leaves, we will have a better chance of getting Christopher free.”
They all nodded in agreement.
Unfortunately, Diana wanted to remain. She wanted to see what will happen to Christopher. Moreover, she swore to take Amanda’s life. She only asked ten of her men to return to Plethora. Other than that, the remaining twenty-three of her soldiers lingered with her.
While Amanda heard what Vasco said, she was left stunned at the sight of Christopher glowing in blue. Something inside of her thought, whatever it was inside Christopher, was far more important for her to learn about.
“It’s done,” said Basalt. “The magic is no longer sealed.”
Basalt turned to Vasco and said, “You can try to take it from him.”
“Aaahhh! fu-ck!” Amanda screamed in pain after Vasco dragged her closer to Christopher.
Vasco pointed the sword to Christopher and ordered, “Give me the magic. Show it to me and give it to me.”
The glow in Christopher’s body had calmed, but the mark on his abdomen disappeared. It signified that Basat’s ritual was over. The ropes to his arms and legs were still there, but Oscorians loosened their grip for him to use his hands and take out the power.
Gasping, Christopher gr-unted before saying, “I – don’t even know what this is – how it works!”
“Well! Try har-der or your woman dies!” Revealed Vasco before punching on Amanda’s face.
Amanda ended up howling in pain after Vasco’s gigantic fist hit against her face. Her nose quickly bled, and she had no way to stop it from flowing.
“No! No! Don’t you fu-cking hurt her!” Cried, Christopher.
“Then focus! Give me what I want! Now!” Vasco ordered again, and only then did Christopher attempt to push out whatever is inside of him.
Christopher screamed repeatedly as he tried to drive out, order, or even imagine the power coming out of him. Once again, he illuminated in blue, most especially his eyes and hands.
Everything at that point silenced Amanda, but as soon as Vasco approached Christopher to study him, the power, the light died down.
“What is this? Are you tricking me?! Hand me the power or your woman will die!” threatened Vasco. He held up a sword against Amanda’s neck once again, further worrying Christopher.
Again and again, she witnessed him forcefully letting out the force that the enemies sought for, but no matter what, the force faded whenever Vasco would approach.
Christopher hurled his hands on the ground, saying, “I don’t even know this power! I can’t take it out and simply hand it over! Take me! Take me instead! You can take me back to Oscoria while we figure this out! Please, let her go. Please!”
Vasco and the Orscorian brutes turned their attention back to Amanda, with an intent to kill. They concluded that Christopher was being difficult.
‘No. No. Was it really the blue crystal?’ Amanda repeatedly asked herself. It was because the blue crystal in it’s superficial form did not appear in his hands that she wasn’t sure.
Amanda had never begged her entire life, but that day she pleaded to the master of heart to return the power she once surrendered, ‘Please! Please, I beg you! Give me my strength back! Give me the power to fight! Even for just for this time!’
‘Trisha, please hear me – ‘
“Master of fire. This is Mahli, the spirit of water. The Master of water does not know how to use me, but you can… you can use me.” The spirit of water called upon Amanda and his voice was only audible to both Christopher and her.
“Yes, that is right. I could use the blue crystal, but can I? Can I Mahli?” She asked back in her head.
“Of course, you are the master of fire,” responded Mahli.
Christopher was also silenced. He looked around looking for who the voice inside his head was speaking to, but there was only one person who was studying intensely at him with only an unfolding expression.
Seconds pa-ssed and Amanda began to laugh. “Haha! Haha!” She minded not about the sword on her neck and just laughed at her situation.
She left the earth to be with Christopher. She gave up her crystal to be with Christopher, thinking he was not her destiny, but as it turned out, he was the master of water.
“What is wrong with this woman?!” Vasco asked.
Everyone, including Diana, thought Amanda had gone mad, but soon enough they heard her say, “It doesn’t work like that!”
Amanda kept laughing and gasping at the situation. Only after seeing Vasco’s angry glare did she explain, “Let me show you… how it’s done.”
“The spirit of water, Mahli, lend me your strength.”
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 50