“Fine. Then hand it over,” she stated. Leyance reached into his pocket and handed her the potion.
“Thank you,” she grinned. She began to stroke his hair. “I forgot how good it feels to have you next to me.” Slowly, Gina leaned in. When their lips touched, Leyance gave in and held her close. The kisses she gave were much different now and not as warm as before, but Leyance did not care. He was holding her once again. That was all that mattered. He was so involved with this thought, that he did not notice her take the potion and raise it above his head. With unrelenting force she sent it crashing down on his head. He yelled in pain and Gina, in return, pushed him off of her.
“How stupid do you think I am? Like I’m really going to believe you. A miracle potion, it doesn’t exist, trust me – I would have already found it. No, judging by the smell, I’d say this was a Split Personality Potion. Oh, split me into good girl and bad girl and then kill the one you didn’t like? Fheyrhil’s really loosing his edge wouldn’t you say? Well, too bad, your one chance was just blown.” She glared down at him, about ready to attack when many Nythagién warriors jumped out from cover. This meant nothing to her, and she swiftly attacked them all, but when she turned around to go at Leyance again, she found he was gone. Red caught her attention, and she looked down at her bleeding finger. She put her finger in her mouth and sucked the blood off her skin.
Leyance had escaped Gina, but he knew it would not be the last time they met. He now sat with Fheyrhil who had given up any sign of hope.
“It is all over, and we have no other choice but to prepare for war.” He looked at Leyance’s head which was still bleeding. “I believe that might be a serious injury.”
“I’m fine,” Leyance replied, coldly.
“Please get it looked at.”
Leyance snapped like a twig. “I am fine!!” He leaped out of his chair but as he did so, dizziness immediately took him as hallucinations leapt back into his mind. He saw Gina. She walked. She fell. When she stood again it appeared as if a mirror stood beside her, for she looked at her own reflection. Then all went dark. Fheyrhil was close by his side and helped him up.
Gina stormed into her bedroom. Noquef was wide awake, sitting on the edge of her bed.
“So your dear friend came to visit. What are we going to do about this?” Noquef asked, his eyes never looking up.
“That is none of your concern!” she yelled. “I am going to do as I see fit, and it is no business of yours to know! I will fix it and if you ever, ever ask me what I plan to do or dare to give me your opinion, I will send you back down to that swampy death of yours!”
“Fair enough. As long as I get what I asked for,” he said, looking up at her, “then I need know no more.”
“Just remember that. I’ve given all you asked for and more. Prepare a cell for my victim. I will torture that poor creature as I see fit. I do not see what threat this will cause for they know they cannot win against me, nor will they even try given the situation. The plan will be executed before the killing feast tonight.”
“I will inform your servants.”
“And if any of them even question you,” she ordered, “slice them.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Is there anything else?” Gina asked impatiently.
“No,” Noquef said.
“Then why are you still sitting on my bed?” He chuckled, stood, and left. Gina plopped down on the bed and giggled. “You’re going down, Leyance. The ball is in my court now…”
Gina had dressed and was now walking down the long, dark, chilly corridor. The sound of each footstep seemed to echo for miles. Finally she had arrived at her destination. Before her emerged wooden doors in the stone wall guarded by two Übels.
“How is the prisoner?” she demanded.
“Bloodied up something fierce,” one replied while still staring straight ahead.
“You may do whatever you want to it,” Gina granted. “Bloody it up some more, do whatever, I don’t care - but whatever you do, make sure she doesn’t die.”
“Yes, my Dark Lady,” answered the other. “Do you wish to see her?” After a long pause, Gina presented her answer.
“Not at the present. When was the last time you visited?”
“This morning” was the reply.
“Well, time for another round it seems,” Gina chuckled. She walked back the way she came as one of the Übels went inside. Screams escaped the dark room.
Calypso and Alvina ran through the streets of Nythagié. They were so consumed in their search for Jacinda, that they did not see Leyance running towards them. This resulted in them all colliding.
“Ow,” Leyance moaned, rubbing his shoulder where Calypso’s head had come in contact with. “Why are you two running around like a bat out of hell?”
“Jacinda,” Alvina panted. “We can’t find her.” A shiver ran up Leyance spin.
“When was the last time you saw her?” he questioned.
“Yesterday,” she replied. “She said she had something to do and ran off!”
“What did she say she had to do?” Leyance asked.
“We don’t know,” Calypso responded. “I have a bad feeling, Leyance. We know about Gina, and that is bad enough but I don’t think she’s just after us.”
“What are you talking about?” Leyance demanded.
“Yeah, what are you talking about?” Alvina joined in.
“You mean you can’t feel it?” Calypso asked. “We only lived there for eighteen years and you still can’t feel it?”
“You mean the other world?” Alvina inquired.
“Yes, I think that is what she means,” Leyance pointed out. He was beginning to feel it himself, as was Alvina.
“I think Jacinda knew something was going on and went to the trouble,” Calypso continued. “I just figured it out myself. What if something happened to her? If Gina really has gone to attack the other world then Jacinda might have been captured or something or hurt or…oh, I don’t even want to think about it. We have to find her!”
“I agree,” Leyance stated. “You two continue your search. We’ll find Jacinda. Do not worry. I’ll inform Fheyrhil, and then we will help you as well.” But he was worried himself, and so were they despite his reassurance. They did not feel reassured at all.
“You will inform me of what, Leyance?” It was Fheyrhil’s voice. He had come up behind them.
“Jacinda is missing, sir,” Alvina reported.
“She is…?” he asked in almost a whisper. Strangely, disbelief swept over his face. “But I did not know…”
“Well, you aren’t expected to know everything,” Calypso stated.
“Yes,” he replied. “Yes, I am. I am supposed to know these situations.” He paused, and, when he spoke again, it was in a whisper. “I have not known much these days…”
“Let’s start a search,” Leyance stated, looking worried. “Now.”
Gina ran down the same dark old corridor. It had been two days since her last visit but she now walked with determination. She had done nothing but plan her evil tactics, and restlessness consumed her. She found visiting the prisoner to be her best source of entertainment. Gina saw the two guards and pushed them aside.
“I want to see the prisoner. It is time to mess with her head a little,” she announced. The Übels opened the door and let their leader walk through. Gina chuckled at the woman crushed against the wall. She was cut up, bruised, and bleeding causing her to be barely recognizable. Yet, Gina knew who she was.
“My, my, my, look what the cat dragged in. Such a bloody, mangled mess – and on top of everything else, paralyzed from the waist down.” Gina laughed as the woman shot her an angry glare, all she was able to do. Indeed, she was paralyzed, her legs laying limp on the floor. Gina continued, still chuckling. “But after all, that is what you deserve, isn’t it?” The woman said nothing. The Dark Lady ran over and twisted the prisoner’s chin to look up at her. “I said ‘isn’t it?’” Still, the woman would not speak. Gi
na released her harshly. “Fine, if that’s the way you want to play it, then so be it! No one will save you and you quite obviously cannot save yourself. They all think you’re dead, do you know that? You’re as good as dead.”
The search for Jacinda raged on in Nythagié. Alvina and Calypso had even been sent back to the other world to check things out. Nothing had been found out as of yet. Meanwhile Gina’s storm, her first wicked act as her new self, still raged full throttle.
Night crept over the land. Alvina and Calypso were off in the other world, still searching for their dear friend. Silently, Leyance sat in the council room with Fheyrhil. Instead of thinking of the whereabouts and wellbeing of Jacinda, his thoughts drifted to Gina and what new amazing heroic act he could make to turn her good again. Yet, he knew in his heart that the potion had been his only chance. Fheyrhil also pondered to himself. He wondered why he had no knowledge of what was going on with the world. He simply did not understand the new evilness and that drove him mad.
One thing is for sure, he thought. Gina does not have to attack Nythagié with swords and arrows. She has attacked our minds instead, and that alone could be our undoing in the end. He felt his own mind slowly slipping into despair.
Gina, too, pondered her next move. Why has this happened? She was now questioning every move she made. This made her nervous. She had made a mistake, and she did not know where she had allowed room for such an unfortunate turn. But after awhile she began to laugh. She began to laugh so hard and crazily and the sound of her madness echoed throughout her castle. This is fine, she assured herself. This truly works in my favor. My plans are flawless to be sure and I will capture Nythagié along with all my other targets, but should I need it or choose to use it, I now have a secondary plan. She continued to chuckle but was interrupted by the sound of heavy knocking.
“Come in!” she cried and the door flew open. Many Übels piled in roughly, and, behind them, the prisoner was dragged. She looked at the Dark Lady with hate and horror in her eyes. Her limp legs dragged behind her bruised and battered body. “Everyone sit down, now!” Gina continued to demand. “Get her seated!” She pointed at the prisoner.
When all was settled, Gina began her meeting. “Well, I suppose it is time to let everyone know of at least some of my many plans. First though, I should introduce you to someone. Someone who is foolishly our enemy…” She motioned to the prisoner. “Though I do not care how badly she is treated, she will not, under any circumstances, die!
“Now, we will have no problem destroying Nythagié, but we can’t do it as easily with certain – creatures in the way… So, we’ll need a diversion. One thing Nythagiéns never were too good at recognizing is diversions. I say we attack a place close to their hearts (well at least it was for their queen), that other world – the one of jobs, schools, and dense humans. We’ll attack everyone.” The prisoner sank in her seat, trembling. “Once the Nythagiéns get word, they’ll rush over and out of the way until we are ready for them. It doesn’t matter how many we kill because they seem to kill themselves anyhow. They start wars over idiotic things like money, power, and revenge. After all, they are the only species who kill each other for other reasons than protection. And even if they don’t kill each other with weapons, then they’ll kill each other with the chemicals they feed the sky and their nuclear disasters. It’s interesting you know, they think their enemies are pure evil…” She chuckled. “Well, they’re idiots, only we are pure evil. They don’t even know that they are destroying the lives of people who are just like them. We’ll just help the deconstruction of their world along. We’re doing them a favor.” She smiled at the prisoner. “Oh, and one more thing. From now on, I am to be addressed as Dark Lady only.” She motioned to the limp girl. “She is Gina. That is too pure of a name for me.”
Chapter 12
“Killer’s Playground”
It was late one night when the sound of horses’ hooves clamored on the rocky ground. Fheyrhil and Leyance had not slept soundly in many days, and this sound immediately aroused them. They had been sitting in the council room, slowly slipping into an uncomfortable sleep. With a simple shared glance, the two men ran out the door to see who had arrived. They saw the horses before they could distinguish who the riders were, but one thing they noticed immediately. Three horses stood just inside the borders. Leyance rushed over to them and saw whom he expected.
“Jacinda! You’re alright!” he exclaimed, throwing his arms around his friend.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” she said grinning, a little surprised by his hug. “I’m not the one that you need to worry about. The other world is a mess, totally in chaos. Well, at least parts.”
“What has happened?” Fheyrhil asked, now approaching them. Alvina and Calypso listened from a distance even though they did not need to. They had seen it themselves.
“Gina has obviously been there already,” Jacinda explained. “I felt something wrong occurring there, way before the others it seems, and so I told them I needed to check up on something. My plan was to sneak in unnoticed and come back that same day. I did not want to alarm any of you if there was no need, but my little journey has proved otherwise. There is a need to worry. Mysterious car accidents, stock market crash – all caused by the woman we used to call queen and friend. We need to take action.”
“Gina couldn’t do that,” Leyance began but a sharp glance from Fheyrhil quieted him. He knew what Fheyrhil would say and did not wish to hear it yet again.
“Arrange a meeting,” Fheyrhil ordered, “we will indeed take action. We have no other choice.”
A battered Gina lay badly hurt in her cell. Her legs still showed no sign of movement, and probably never would. A sense of helplessness filled Gina’s heart. She had no chance of escape; how could she? She had once even tried to drag herself to safety but in vain. She had only managed to get halfway to the door when she was overcome with dizziness and fatigue. No one would come to save her either. She knew her evil counter-part had been right in this. No one even knew she existed. Anger, fear, and restlessness filled her as she felt her body squirm. The Dark Lady planned for herself and minions to attack Nythagié, and Gina could do nothing to stop it.
Gina had noticed that she shared thoughts with her evil self, but this added little comfort. She saw the vicious crimes the Dark Lady committed, felt her malice, and heard her cackle. She knew that at the moment, the Dark Lady had no inspiration as to what to do with her, but she dreaded the moment when she learned her purpose in this vile war. The moment would come eventually, she knew, but that wasn’t what killed her inside. It was the waiting. The incessant waiting. That drove her mad. She knew it, and she could feel that the Dark Lady knew it too. Suddenly, Gina felt her counterpart’s presence. She would be coming back soon. Sure enough, the Dark Lady burst through the door, anger in her eyes. Yet, when she spoke, she was calm.
“How did you like the meeting?” she began as if daring her to speak finally. “Everything I said was true as you undoubtedly know.” Gina still did not speak. “There is nothing you can do to save yourself, but I would not worry. You will soon be dead anyway.” Gina stared at an opposite wall as the Dark Lady spoke.
“No I won’t be,” came a small voice. Gina had finally spoken. This surprised the Dark Lady, yet enraged her even the more. Gina knew it would but did not care.
“And why do you think that? I’ve killed many, so it would be nothing to kill you as well.”
“Because that’s not part of your plan yet. You only want to get to the Nythagiéns, especially Leyance. You wanted to serve him the main course so ‘the fun can really begin,’ as you put it.” Anger boiled over in the Lady’s face.
“How did you know I said that?”
“I’m surprised. You have all these plans! You’ve thought out everything so well and yet you still know nothing about me.” This enraged the evil Gina, and she pinned the limp girl to the ground.
“Of course I know about you! I am you!” she snarled. “I have all your
memories, all your thoughts…”
“Then you are afraid of your mistake! Or are plainly too blind to see it!” Gina screamed back. This astonished the Dark Lady, and she backed away, releasing her hold on the prisoner.
“What are you talking about? I have no mistakes.”
“Really? Then you would know that I have all your thoughts as well. I know everything that you’ve done and what you are thinking. Thus I know why I am here and it’s your doing! The potion – you smashed it but it wasn’t ruined. A drop was on your finger! You noticed the blood and put your finger in your mouth to stop the bleeding. Well blood wasn’t the only thing that got in your mouth – the potion did too. So, I’m here. The potion worked.” This speech drained Gina, and she slumped further to the ground. The Dark Lady only smiled.
“Not well though, you’re still paralyzed or have you forgotten? Noquef’s fire encircled your legs for too long before continuing upward. The evil stunned your legs and left you paralyzed. So really it doesn’t matter that you’re here, all the better for me. I’ll use you to get Leyance and then kill you both! You can’t escape, and Leyance can’t save someone that he thinks is dead. It will end in my favor.”
“Right now I could care less what happens to me! Just know, that if I go down, you’re coming with me! Just think about it; I know you have. What will happen to you if your other half dies? You’re scared about it too! So, you’re not all-powerful!” This was the last straw for the Dark Lady and she reached for a concealed knife and pushed Gina hard into the cold, hard floor.
“I’d be more careful about what I say if I were you. You are such an idiot, same as all the rest of you. You know that what I said was true. How could you and the rest of your world be so stupid! You destroy everything around you; you hurt others who are absolutely equal to you; you kill nature and its creatures that were there before you; you start pathetic wars to end up destroying yourselves. You have this great gift of life and an earth to live on and you destroy it! How stupid can you be? You even destroy yourselves with things like nicotine, drugs, and alcohol. Destroy your bodies, destroy your lives, destroy everything! So why look at us as evil? It seems you should admire us!”
Metanoia Page 14