Master Maker

Chapter 22 - Voices

Everyone ate like they hadn’t eaten in years, Lucis kept asking all kinds of questions about the sprites. He was oddly fascinated by them. Even Amanda started to talk to the old man more freely. The old man kept sneaking glances to the back of him. After everyone had eaten their fill, the old man invited us to sit in a lounge kind of a room. His mood seemed to have dropped slightly he smiled but this time it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I do have an Altera -motive,” he said looking down at the glass that was in his hand.

“could have figured that,” I said under my breath, but loud enough for him to have heard it

“Lilith” Amanda scolded and frowned at me

“no, no,” the old man said looking up at her and then at me, “your dragon brought you here for a reason” he carried on he took a sip from his glass. “ I lost something very special a few days back,” he said looking at nothing in particular.

“and you want us to find it?” I asked crossing my legs and arms

“yes and no,” he said looking up at me “only elf eyes will see it, besides myself as the owner, it is an elven made ring, one that can only be seen by the elves themselves or the owner o such a ring.  It would be much too dangerous for the others to go along”

“so I need to go alone” I sat up straight watching his reaction. His mouth opened but closed again, he lifted his hands in defeat/

“No!” Lucis said louder than he might have meant to “there is no way in hell she is going out there alone”

“she had a dragon dear boy, she will most probably be the scariest thing in that forest”

“what?” Amanda asked, “how does she having a dragoon mean anything?”

“only the fiercest of hearts are able to handle dragon, my dear girl,” the old man said taking the last sip of his drink.

“regardless she is not going out alone, there is no telling what is in that forest

“very well, but I must warn you, the forest does things to the mind” I looked at Lucis his face was set in a frown. I bit my lip as stood up and walked up to him,

“I’ll be okay” I whispered to him, he shook his head and then stood up and walked towards the door

“I’m going with you”

The door shrunk back to the tiny size it was originally as the two of us stood in front of the huge tree, I heard Lucis swallow as I started my way into the forest, the night had been completely drained out and all that lit up the forest was the lightning above the sound of the rolling thunder boomed as we walked deeper.

“how do ii eve know what the f**k I am looking for” I snapped as I looked over at Lucis

“he said it was a ring so start with that?” we walked for a few minutes in silence. I looked over at Lucis and took his hand in mine before I looked ahead, watching the ground as we walked and noticed small glowing orbs on the ground

“what are those?” I asked as I let go of his hand and pointed at the soft glowing ball. he frowned and looked at me with a weird expression on his face.

“Little demon, there is nothing there”

“yes there is, it’s a small ball of light” he looked u for a second, and then his face relaxed

“a wisp?” he asked

“what the f**k is wisp?” I said staring at the small ball. I reached down and ran my finger along the edge of it and it turned to smoke. “how come you can't see them?”

“it might be something else can't be sure, I think it will depend on the forest. If it's good, then they are wisps, if it is evil in this forest they are wraiths”

“ what are they for?” I asked looking at the next one that was a few feet away

“well they are supposed to help find things, so I guess if you can see them. It should lead us to the ring?” he didn't sound so sure of himself which made me look up at him, he had a deep frown on his face again. I stood up and touched my fingers to his jaw

“come on,” I said taking his hand and following the small balls of light

Lucis

They walked in silence for a while. Lilith was walking in a zigzag way. Lucis assumed that she was literally following the glowing orbs. He was getting slightly irritated with not being able to see the small orbs that she could, a few times she would stop and cup her hands as though she was picking up something. Each time she would frown and drop her hands again.

“Something wrong?” he asked when she did it again

“they keep turning into smoke” Lucis smailed at her but she kept the frown on her face, she looked in the other direction again, probably looking at the glowing balls

“you know, you are pathetic right” it had been Liliths voice

“Sorry?” Lucis said, she looked back at him looking surprised

“what are you sorry about,” she asked walking to him and touching her chest. Lucis felt confused for a second but he smiled at her and shook his head.

“I must have miss heard you,” he said. She frowned at him

“I didn’t say anything Lucis” he nodded and she made her way back to her task

“stupid i***t” he heard, he looked at her but she was already way too far for it to have been her at that moment in time. he watched as she smiled looking down at what must have been the orbs.

“Hurry up” she shouted over her shoulder “f*****g i***t is slowing me down”

“what did you say?” Lucis snapped, Lilith looked back at him, she looked confused at his sudden outburst

“I said Hurry up,” she said as she jumped over a fallen log

“after that” Lucis said stepping over the log

“I didn’t say anything else Lucis,” she said stopping and crossing her arms over her chest. She bit her lip and carried on following the orbs of small lights.

“she doesn’t love you”

“pathetic”

“only in it for the s*x” whispers being said one after the other as he followed Lilith. Lucis placed his hands on his ears turning this way and that

“shut up” he whispered to himself

Pathetic…

You mean nothing to her…

She loves the other one…

“SHUT UP!” he shouted loudly “Shut the f**k up!”

“I didn’t say anything else Lucis,” I said, I felt so confused, I walked on and followed the orbs that seemed to be getting bigger and bigger as I kept going, this time taking longer to disappear, I made another attempt at picking one up, this time the ball of light stayed in my hands for a few seconds be it turned to smoke. I looked up from the smoke that left my hands, a beam of light was shining through the trees. there was a hollowed-out stump with a few small items in it, the items were shimmering in the light. I looked at the different jewels and pieces of jewelry that laid in the stump. There were necklaces and a few small bracelets and one ring that sat on the top pile of the stump

“choose wisely” a whisper came, I looked around, trying to find where it came from, I saw Lucis in the distance but it couldn’t have been him. I looked back at the stump

“you can choose only one: the whisper came again, I looked up drawing the small knife that I had hidden in my boot.

“don’t be scared” a small voice sounded and I then a giggle, I looked around getting up and turning in a half-circle. I turned back to the stump to see a small orb of light bouncing from one side to the other. Another giggle sounded and I realized it came from the small ball. I got down on my knees looking closely at the ball, it was the smallest little creature I had ever seen in my life. She fluttered her wings as she bounced from side to side again

“be quick before he comes back” she giggled and disappeared I reached down into the stump and touched the ring quickly grabbing it and placing it on my finger as I stood up.

“SHUT UP! Shut the f**k up” I looked back at Lucis, his hands clamed down on is ears as he turned, shouting at something. I ran towards him grabbing his arm. He grabbed my hands and pushed me down on the ground

“don’t f*****g touch me w***e” he said, shutting his eyes and trying to block out something

“Lucis,” I said standing up and grabbing his hands in my face, as soon as my hands touched his skin he started screaming out in pain, trying to jerk away from me. I held on to face

“look at me” I shouted at him. He continued to struggle out out my hold

“Lucis” I shouted his eyes opened and met mine

“that’s it” I whispered “focus on me, you are okay. I’m here” he started to settle down keeping his eyes on my face

“I’m here,” I said again, and again his hands touched mine and he leaned into my touch.

“let's get out of here baby,” I said softly as I rubbed my nose against his

We arrived back at the huge tree. Justin and Amanda were sitting a few feet from it. I looked at the tree, the door was gone.

“where is the door”

“it's gone,” Amanda said looking up

“I can see that” I snapped, how am I meant to give this back to the old guy?” I held up my hand pointing at the finger that had the ring resting. They looked at me confused

“the ring,” I said annoyed

“oh,” Justin said

“the old man said that it might bring you luck, Christa escorted us out and the door was gone when looked back “

“luck?” I said looking at my hand and then looking at Lucis