The Seventh Kingdom
Shrieks of fear and pain rang throughout the small village of Placid. Several barbaric soldiers rampaged through the town in search of a small child with magical powers. The dark night sky was lit up by the large bursts of flames that rose from rooftops of many homes. From inside the homes women and children gave off horrific cries of pain and agony as the hot, searing flames burned their flesh. Outside of the torn down, burnt houses were untrained men with swords, fighting for their families. Many of them were slain at the hand of King Moto’s men.
King Moto, the king of the Seventh Kingdom, is known for his brutality, and hatred toward people who have magical powers. He has always feared they would rise up and take over his throne.
When he heard of a child with great potential, he sent a small army of soldiers to the village to kidnap the child. If the village put up a fight, like the town of Placid did, they would destroy everything including the women and children.
One of the soldiers gave a whistle. He had found the young child. The little girl, who was only eight years old, was cowering in a small barn, sobbing. She had her head buried in her knees, trying not to be seen. When the other soldiers arrived in the barn, they pointed their swords at her. Too scared to move, she sat there shaking like a leaf.
“Tie her up.” The general ordered, handing one of them some rope. “King Moto wants her alive, and in good shape.”
“Yes sir.” The soldier walked over to the little girl, holding out the rope.
The little girl put her hands up to her forehead and closed her eyes. As soon as her eyes closed, a large wave of energy was released from her body, creating a powerful shockwave large enough to knock the soldiers to the ground. Not wanting to see if they were all right, she ran away from the city where she had grown up in. She headed into the forest west of Placid where she would grow and develop her powers. She would become one of the most powerful witches known to mankind.
Lord Nakaryu Once ruled over a large territory. When he grew older, he could not handle the stress of ruling such a vase area so he appointed six of his most trusted men and made them kings of seven different regions called the Seven Kingdoms.
His best friend Snikerie ruled the First Kingdom. He was a docile man, and didn’t have an army. He didn’t believe in war; He believed that all problems could be resolved by talking it out. The Seventh Kingdom, who was ruled by a young man by the name of Moto, quickly overthrew his kingdom. He was a trusted knight of King Nakaryu, but little did Nakaryu know, he was plotting to take over all the Kingdoms for himself. Mikoban ruled the Second Kingdom. He was the Kings younger brother. He was a spirited young man that knew how to rule a kingdom. High-ranking soldiers ruled the Third through the Sixth Kingdom.
As time wore on, King Moto began to plot against the Magical people of the Kingdoms because he had a bad experience with one. They tried to use their powers to get into the castle and kill him. Ever since, he was developing his own magical powers that he had buried deep within. He soon sent out for all Magical children from the other kingdoms so he could build an army of his own.
A small longhaired, black cat with chestnut colored eyes, sat up underneath a tall, shady oak tree that was about one hundred feet away from the town of Corona, the Third Kingdom. The cat looked around the perimeter to see if anyone was around. When the coast was clear, the cat stood up on its four paws. Slowly the cat took the form of a teenage girl about eighteen years old.
She stood about five feet six inches long; she has long wavy brown hair that comes down to her mid back, and eyes to match. She was wearing a short, formfitting shirt that stopped at her belly button, loose black pants, and a boots. Over her clothes she wore a forest green cloak that clasps in the front by two strings. The hood of the cloak was draped over her head, covering her eyes.
She walked out from behind the tree and walked toward the gate to Corona where two guards stood on watch. She didn’t know what to expect to find behind the city walls, but it couldn’t be all that great. She could smell a strong odor that was hard on her nose. She wrinkled her nose in disgust as she neared the guards.
The guards drew their swords and blocked the way into the city. “What is your business in Corona?” One of them asked.
Without saying anything she pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment from inside her cloak and handed it to him. The guard took it from her and read the message. “You may enter.”
She took the parchment from him and walked into the city. The smell overwhelmed her. The air smelled of mold and body odor. She glanced around at the villagers to see that they wore earth colored clothes that looked ancient. Many of them were walking around without shoes on their feet.
On the side of the dirt roads there were a few stands that were selling homemade jewelry, home grown fruits and vegetables. As she walked through the village, she had to constantly move from side to side, dodging children who were covered in dirt and grime, and gave of an unpleasant odor. She fought the urge to grab every one of them and give them a nice scrubbing with lime soap. Every so often she would hear a mother holler for her child to come inside to eat, or to get away from the stranger that was in town. She got this often because of the way she dressed.
How can people live like this? She thought to herself.
She stopped in front of an old log house at the other end of town. Before she had a chance to knock on the door, it swung open.
“Welcome to Corona!” A short, balding old man appeared in the doorway, “It’s been a long time since I have seen you last, and how have you grown. You were only eight years old when I saw you last. Now you’re a grown woman.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her inside. Mikoban, the old man, was once the ruler of the Second Kingdom, her old home.
Ten years ago
It was a warm, sunny, spring afternoon when the ruler of Second Kingdom announced a town meeting. That night, after all of the villagers arrived at the meeting place, Mikoban showed up with a beautiful young woman.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of Placid; I have good, yet bad news to tell you tonight.”
The villagers murmured among themselves quietly. “I will be giving up my position of ruler of the Second Kingdom. I am getting married to this lovely lady here. I will be moving to Corona, the Third Kingdom so I can live with her.”
The news hit the villagers like a tornado. His wife had died a few years ago, leaving him with his only son Gabe. The villagers were surprised by this sudden proposal. They all complained in protest of Mikoban’s decision. “I will be handing over my position to my best friend Torack.”
After the meeting, Mikoban walked over to Torack and his daughter. “I’ll be back after the wedding to visit. Don’t’ worry; I won’t be gone long. I’ll be back before you know it.” He sat down on one knee so he was at eye level with the little girl. “Take care of your father for me Kiya. Don’t worry. You’ll see Gabe again.”
Kiya followed Mikoban to the kitchen where there was a cauldron of soup over the fire. He pulled out a chair for her to sit it. “Have a seat. You look exhausted.”
Kiya sat down in the chair politely as the short old man pulled the kettle off of the fire and sat it on the table. He then pulled out two bowls and a brashly baked loaf of bread. He placed the loaf of bread on a plate and sliced it up into small slices. When he finished, he poured tow bowls of soup.
“Thank you Mikoban.” She smiled.
“The reason I have sent for you is my son, Cainen, was kidnapped by the king of the Seventh Kingdom.” He explained. “I know you have a history with him, and I was hoping you could rescue my son before Moto has the chance to brain wash him. His older brother, Gabe, has gone missing also. I believe he has gone off in search of his brother. You remember Gabe, don’t you?”
She smiled. She and Gabe used to be best friends before he moved.
“Both Cainen and Gabe have magical powers like you, but Gabe’s powers are not as powerful as his brothers.” He looked down at the table with teary eyes. “I don’t want and harm to come to my boys.”
She had heard of kidnapping during her travels, but she did not know it was by King Moto, the person who murdered her family, and had her village destroyed. Ever since he destroyed her village, she swore she would be the one to stop him. She couldn’t help but relive the night when King Moto’s barbaric soldiers came to her village in search of her. The screams of the women and children rang within her ears and the images of the men who fought gallantly to save their wives and children. Knowing who had done the kidnapping, Kiya nodded her head slightly. “I will help you rescue you son.” She stood up and headed toward the door.
“Before you go, I have something for you.” He pulled out a piece of parchment that was tied with a yellow ribbon. “This is a map that will show you how to get to the Seventh Kingdom. You see the two X’s? The green one is you, and the red one is where you need to go.
She glanced at the map and realized she could get there by sun set. She took the map from Mikoban, and opened the door. “Thank you.”
A few hours after leaving Corona, she was walking through a grassy plain with scattered trees. She glanced down at her map. She should be nearing the Seventh Kingdom. She looked ahead and saw no signs of life. Maybe Mikoban had given me the wrong map. When she reached the red mark on the map she grew frustrated. Where is this place?
She noticed an area of air that looked to be moving. She walked over to it and placed her right hand on it. Her hand felt numb, and then it disappeared in the current. She withdrew her arm back to her body and her hand reappeared.
“What in the hell is that?” She looked back down at her map. It still said she were she needed to be. She stamped her foot on the ground in frustration.
To the left of her, from behind a cluster of trees she heard a rustling noise. She turned around to see if anyone was there. “Is anyone out there?”
The noise came again, this time a young man stumbled out of the trees. His clothed her tattered in to shreds, and he had blood everywhere. From the looks of it he was in a fight and lost. He looked at her with pleading eyes, and fell to the ground.
She ran over to him and knelt down. She placed her fingers against his neck to check his pulse. She felt a faint beat. He’s not going to make it if I don’t do something. She placed her hands over the young man so they were six inches from his body. She closed her eyes and concentrated on his body. A yellow aurora surrounded his body, mending his clothes, and closing his wounds. When he was completely healed, she stood up.
The young man sat up, unaware of what happened. He looked down at his clothes and looked up at Kiya. He was about seventeen years old. He was wearing brown pants and a baggy white shirt that he had tucked in. He had short black hair that he had spiked upwards, and deep green eyes. There was something about him that attracted her to him. What it was, she was uncertain. Could she have met him before?
“Are you all right? You looked pretty beat up.” She said, breaking the silence.
“Who are you? Are you with the guards that attacked me on the other side of the Teleport?” He stuttered slightly. He did not want to be taken by surprise a second time.
“What guards?” She asked. She looked at the spot where the air looked wavy and realized that had been the teleport. She needed to go through that to get to the Seventh Kingdom.
“There were four guards that were on the other side. They attacked me when I came out on the other side. You see the teleport will drop you off at different points of King Moto’s land. Sometimes in his castle, in town, or anywhere out in the country side.”
“But why did they attack you?”
“I was headed toward the Seventh Kingdom to get my brother back. I guess I look like him. The realized what my plans were.” He said with a touch of anger.
She was right! This is Gabe, her long lost childhood friend. She felt a lump creep up in the back of her throat. It was strange how much he had changed. He was no longer the little boy that she wrestled with; He was a grown man. “Ga…Gabe…?” She choked. The words weren’t coming as they were before.
“How do you know my name?” He asked curiously.
“Don’t you remember me? We used to play all the time when we were kids. Then you moved…” She looked to the ground. She felt her face flush. Why is this so difficult to say?
He looked at her with his head tilted. “You do look familiar.” He ran his fingers through his hair and thought some more. His eye sparkled. “Kiya!?”
She looked up from the ground and looked him in the eyes. He does remember me! She smiled happily. She stood there stupidly, not knowing whether to hug him, or stand there like an idiot. She was taken by surprise when he came up to her and wrapped his arm around her. She ignored the questions and thought that were fluttering around inside her head and hugged him back.
“I’ve missed you so much!” He let go and held her at arms length, getting a good look at her. “You’ve changed a lot! You’re no longer the little girl that I used to wrestle with. You’ve grown up!” He sounded like a lovesick puppy, and it made Kiya feel warm inside. “I thought you died in the destruction of Placid! I cried for days when I heard about that!” His voice shifted. He knew was moving into rough territory.
Kiya shuddered at the thought of that terrible night. She looked at his bright green eyes and found comfort. “The people who attacked my village were looking for me…” Her voice trailed off, not really wanting to talk about it. “They killed everyone…including the women, and their children. The men didn’t stand a chance against the warriors. They destroyed a whole village in search of a helpless little girl who had no idea who had no idea what was happening.” Her voice choked. Tears were building up in her eyes, even though she fought them back. “They found me in one of the barns, scared out of my mind. I don’t really remember what happened after that. The only thing I remember is running away from the burning village crying.”
Gabe stood there dumbfounded. He had never heard the story like that. He looked at Kiya. He saw her shaking; tears were now flowing from her chestnut eyes, leaving a wet trail down her cheeks. He pulled her close to him and held her. She sniffled, and wrapped her arms around his waist and cried into his shirt. He no longer thought of her as a little sister. It was different. He felt like he needed to protect her from her inside pain, even though he couldn’t.
She cried for a few minutes until she pulled back and wiped away the tears. He looked at her with serene eyes. “Why are you clear out here anyways?” He asked.
She looked up at him and said, “I was sent here by your father to help save your brother.” She paused. “He knew I was alive, and that my magical powers I had as a kid had developed. He thought I would be able to get him back.”
His jaw dropped open in shock. His father had sent her! He didn’t trust him enough to save his little brother. He eyes grew angry. “You mean he doesn’t think I can do it?” He asked. His voice was tainted in anger. “He can’t trust me, but he can trust a person he hasn’t seen in years?”
Kiya was abashed. He was so sweet and gentle a minute ago. Now he’s almost scaring her. She didn’t know what to say or do. She turned away, unable to look into his eyes. “He doesn’t think your powers are as developed as mine are. He doesn’t want you to get hurt.” She tried to explain, but she didn’t think she was doing a very good job of it.
“But why would he send you into danger? It doesn’t make sense.”
“I can handle myself just as well as any man, if not better.” She grew irritated. How can he think I’m helpless? “You can come with me if you wish. It’s not like I’m telling you you’re no good. I’m just telling you that your father sent me. There isn’t a reason for you to get angry at me.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I was just a bit shocked that my father knew you were alive and didn’t tell me.” He apologized. He looked away form her in shame. How could he yell at her after he was so gentle?
“Why don’t you come with me? We could catch up on things, and work together to save your little brother.” She asked him. She didn’t know what made her say it. Maybe she liked him more than she thought she did.
They agreed that they would work together to save Cainen. After catching up on old times they walked toward the teleport. Kiya was nervous about going into the teleport. The last time she touched it her hand disappeared and went numb. Being the curious person she was, she walked behind Gabe to the teleport.
Gabe stopped and turned towards her. “Don’t be nervous. Your body will feel funny when you enter it, then the next thing you know you will be in a different place. You’ll be fine.” He tried to ease her nerves. She still looked scared. “Take my hand.”
He held his hand out for her to take a hold of. She reached out and took his hand. The warmth radiating off his hands was an instant comfort. She felt more relaxed than she was before. They both took a deep breath and walked through the teleport. When they went through, her body started to go numb. Soon she was no longer able to feel any part of her body. When they reached the other side, Kiya looked at her hands and realized that she had made it.
Gabe looked down at her and smiled. “I told you it would be alright.”
Kiya looked around at the new surroundings. The sun was starting to set in the west and was dying the sky multiple shades of lavender and red. The little clouds that were in the sky reflected the bright colors across the landscape. Here there were large bundles of trees that lead to a condense forest that was about a mile south. The gentle breeze flipped through her hair, creating a sense of peace. For a moment she forgot her mission.
She was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She turned and looked at Gabe. The setting sun glistened on his face, bringing out the golden specks in his green eyes.
“Do you have a map?” He asked, interrupted her calm state of mind.
She starred blankly at him for a few moments until she came to realize he had asked her a question. She pulled out the map from inside her cloak. She unrolled it and glanced down. To her surprise, the map had changed. The red X had moved across the page, and the green X was on the other side. This would mean a long, two day walk.
“This could be a long walk.” He said.
“Yeah, I know. I’d say a few days walk, nothing we can’t handle.”
They headed towards Seventh Kingdom as the sun bent down over the horizon. They walked quietly towards the forest. Gabe walked besides her quietly, without a care in the world. From behind them, Kiya heard footsteps. At first she thought she was hearing things, but they continued.
She nudged Gabe in the side gently. “Gabe, do you hear that?” She whispered.
He shook his head. “No, I don’t hear a thing.” He acted like he wasn’t worried, but he slowed his pace.
The footsteps grew louder, and faster. Kiya’s heart pounded against her rib cage, like a bird trying to escape. Gabe sensed her anxiety and stopped. He turned around to confront the oncoming stranger. Kiya was afraid to turn around. Something told her it wasn’t a welcoming committee. She gathered the courage to turn around. There she saw a large man, twice the size of Gabe, hovering over Gabe with a sword.
“Kiya, get out of here.” Gabe unsheathed his sword and held it up. “Head for Seventh Kingdom. I’ll take care of this creep.”
Kiya stood dumbfounded. He was going to take on a guy who hasn’t said a word, and was twice his size.
“Just…” His voice was stopped short. The man moved so quick he was a blur. He had hit Gabe over the head with the blunt end of his sword. Gabe lay unconscious with his sword lying next to him.
“Gabe!” She shrieked. She stood in a fighting stance. “You’re going to regret that you bastard.”
The stranger looked at her and without hesitation, hit her with the blunt end of his sword, like he did Gabe. Before she could hit the ground he caught her. She carried her off into the depth of the forest.
When she finally came to, she was in a small clearing. She looked around to see the man bending over the fire with his back turned so she couldn’t see what he was doing. She slowly crept up to her feet. Without making a sound she darted towards the cover of the trees. She stopped behind a large, thick tree. She peeked around the tree and saw him still hunched over the fire. She turned and ran deeper into the trees. While she ran, she thought she heard a whizzing sound from behind her. She stopped to see what it was. She winced in pain as she was hit in the shoulder by a dart. She pulled it out and put it up to her nose to see if the dart was poisoned; most poisons had a strong odor to them. She crinkled her nose at the smell. Shit. The stupid thing is poisoned!
“King Moto will be pleased to know that I have rid him of you, Kiya.” A deep voice came from behind her.
She turned around to see the man that had captured her. He had his arms crossed comfortably against his chest. He seemed almost proud. “What do you want with me?” She asked, her voice starting to become shaky. The poison was taking effect.
“I want the reward money King Moto is going to give me when I tell him you’re dead.” He boomed.
She fell to one knee. She was no longer able to hold herself upright. Her vision became blurry and her arms and legs felt like noodles. She thought she was going to die when she heard footsteps from somewhere in the forest. Soon the sound of clashing swords filled her ears. She looked up and saw Gabe in a deadly battle with the person who wanted her dead. She heard one of them cry out in pain. Unsure of whom it was, and afraid that it may not be Gabe, she fell to the ground and was soon shrouded in darkness.
Gabe dropped his sword and ran towards Kiya, who was unconscious. He knelt down besides her and held her in his arms. His eyes welled up with tears. He tried to shake her gently, kiss her, and anything he thought would work. When she didn’t wake up, he held her close and started to cry.
Her body soon started to glow with a mysterious aurora. He looked down at her with shock. The aurora seemed to be coming from his hands. The next thing he knew, Kiya’s eyes were opening.
“What the…?” He asked himself.
She looked at her hands and saw that she was alive. In disbelief she stood up and looked down at Gabe, who looked as shocked as she was. “How am I alive? The dart was poisoned.” She looked at him with curiosity.
He stood up with her and went to open his mouth to say something; nothing came out. He looked at his hands in wonder. Did he have healing powers? He knew he had a few special traits that nobody else had, but could he heal too? He glanced back up at Kiya.
“You have healing powers don’t you?” She asked. Her face no longer had the look of curiosity; instead it was light and joyful.
“I…I guess I do.” He stuttered.
They both turned towards the dead man, lying on the ground covered in his own blood. With mixed emotions, they decided they should bury him. After giving him a short ceremony, they headed towards their destination, Seventh Kingdom. At day break they reached an enormous hill that overlooked the large town of Seventh Kingdom. With high spirits, they walked merrily down the hill, soon to reach Gabe’s little brother.
When they reached the gates of the city, the guards asked them what their purpose for being there was. They glanced at each other and Gabe got an idea. He was going to act like he had caught Kiya, and was bringing her to the King for the reward money. She nodded her head in agreement. Gabe told the guard of his plan to get the money, and he let them pass through.
When the city gates opened up, a large bustling city appeared; it was nothing like the city of Corona. The women wore elegant dresses, while the men wore newly sowed pants, and unwrinkled shirt. She felt sorry for Gabe who was wearing a pair of beat up pants and a ruffled up shirt. She looked around for playing children and did not see any. Her only guess was, they were either at school, or were not able to play in the streets. In Corona you could smell meals being cooked, and then there was the smell of dirt and grime. Here the smell of freshly baked pastries and bread filled the air. All of the houses looked fairly new, and there was only one building that really stood out. At the far edge of town was a large castle.
When they reached the castle, He stopped and faced her, “Are you sure you want to go through with this? I mean I’ll do it. He is my brother and everything.” She could tell he was afraid for her.
“Don’t worry Gabe, I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about. I know you have some magical powers, but they are not as developed as my own.” She smiled, than she got serious. “Anyways, I need to pay him back for what he did to my family.”
“Be careful.” He whispered as he bent down and kissed her on the cheek. Hand in hand, they walked into the castle where his brother was waiting.
As they entered the castle, everything was shrouded in darkness. The only light that entered the room was the light peering in through the door. She looked down at her feet and saw a soft, red, velvety carpet under their feet. We must be near the throne room. As they continued to walk into the darkness the temperature dropped dramatically. She shivered lightly.
“So we meet again.” A deep voice beckoned from the shadows.
At once she knew who it was. Her heart fluttered against her rib cage, and her stomach felt like was in her throat. Something about his voice, made her want to run. She knew she had to stay strong in order to defeat him, and save Cainen. She regained self-control and stepped forward. “I believe you have something I want.”
“No Kiya, You have something I want.” He said. His voice was high pitched with anxiousness.
She thought for a moment, unsure of what she had that he would want. It soon dawned on her that he wanted her in exchanged for Cainen. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to trade herself for him. She looked up at Gabe and about cried. She didn’t want to leave him. She’s been separated from him for over ten years. She didn’t want to loose him again. Her eyes narrowed her eyes and came to an agreement with herself.
“The only way you’re getting what you want is over my dead body.” She said with sternness.
“That can be arranged, my dear.” He snapped his fingers and a group of warriors appeared out of nowhere. They encircled Kiya and Gabe.
The warriors charged all at once. Kiya formed a small fireball into the palm of her hands. She was going to have to use her magical powers to get herself out of this mess. She threw it at one of the warriors, causing him to fall backwards, along with catching his clothes on fire. Gabe unsheathed his sword and started swinging it at the warriors. Soon there was an all out brawl. Everywhere, warriors were running around in circles, trying to put out the flames that engulfed their clothes.
From in the shadows, King Moto grew angry. He soon called off his warriors. “Not bad, Kiya, better than I thought.” His voice was deep in anger. “I guess I’ll have to take care of you myself.” He stepped out from the shadows. The dim light revealed a middle aged man, about thirty five or so. He had coal black hair that was spiked upwards His clothing was that of a wealthy man, He wore a white buttoned up shirt that was loosely tucked into his black pants. Around his neck clasped two gold chains that held his purple cape about his shoulders. Around his waist he wore a brown leather sword case. His eyes were those of a mad man. He starred into Kiya’s soul with his piecing blue eyes. He finally had the chance to destroy the one child who got away from his grasp. She came to him all because of her love for Gabe, and his father. Would she really give herself for Cainen? He pulled out his sword that was kept in its case. He held it up in a fighting position
She looked over at Gabe, who also had his sword out. This would be the time for him to sneak upstairs and find Cainen. “Gabe, go find Cainen. I’ll take care of Moto.” She spoke quietly. He nodded his head in agreement and ran up the stairs that were behind him.
She studied his sword carefully. At the base of the sword, nearest the handle, was an engravement of a sycamore tree that was covered in moss and vines. The symbol was a sort of protection, but from what. She thought back to when she lived with her family. They taught her about these things. She strained to remember what it was. She remembered; it protected the user from damage that was dealt by magic.
“Lets see you attack me.” He snickered. He knew that she would recognize the engravement.
Her anger deepened. “I should kill you know, you filthy bastard. You had your soldiers murder my family in cold blood. Why didn’t you just take me and be done with it? You could have spared my baby sister, my mother and my father!” Her eyes were now streaming with tears. She thought back to when she lived at home, watching her little sister explore the world around her, learning new things everyday. A blue aurora surrounded her body. She could feel all the magical powers she contained surface. The aurora was the extra energy that her body could not contain. A gust of wind whipped around the room, throwing her hair around her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gabe run out of the building with Cainen running next to him.
Moto starred at her in shock. He could feel the powers that were emitting from her body. He never believed that anyone could become this strong, in only eighteen years.
Once Kiya felt Gabe and Cainen were far enough away from the building, her body released a large jet of flame. He jumped out of the way, barely dodging the searing flames. He looked down at his cape, which was now on fire. He wasn’t as fast as he thought he was. He unclasped his cape and threw it to the ground where it burnt to ashes. Stood upright and held his sword in front of him.
She stood there not knowing if what she learned in school was correct, or if it was just a myth. Should I attack, or should I wait? I don’t stand a chance if the myth is true! She created a small, weak fireball in her right hand. With precise accuracy, she threw it at him. Just as it neared him she put his sword out to block it. The fireball was reflected back at her. She moved her head slightly to the left as it whizzed by. This could be difficult.
“What’s the matter, Kiya, can’t hit me?” He chuckled evilly from behind his sword.
He flipped up and over Kiya’s head. When he landed, he turned around to hit her with the handle of the sword. While his arms were raised, she reached back with her hand and launched a large bolt of electricity from the palm of her hand. The electricity surged through him like a metal conductor. She turned around to face King Moto. She held out her hand, with the palm up. She released an extremely large wave of energy at him, slamming him into the main pillar. The pillar collapsed in millions of pieces. When the pillar fell, the building began to shake and tremble. It was going to collapse as well. Before the building came crashing down, she quickly took the shape of a cat and ran towards the exit, dodging debris left and right.
* * *
Gabe stood out in the road across from the collapsing building. He watched in horror as the one girl he cared about was trapped inside. He looked own at his little brother, who was in tears. A small child such as himself shouldn’t watch this… “Hey kid. It’s going to be ok. Kiya will get out alive. He looked at the building; there was no way Kiya could survive that. He found his eyes tearing up. He wiped away the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. He needed to be strong for his little brother. The building finally gave in completely. All that remained was a large pile ruble. Gabe fell to his knees and started to cry. She’s gone, she’s really gone…
Cainen looked out into the ruble once more and saw a small cat crawling out of the ruble. The cat was covered in dust and dirt, but seemed alright.
“Gabe look! A cat crawled out of the building.” Cainen poked at his crying brother.
Gabe looked up and saw the cat approach them. He looked at the cat closely. The eyes of the cat seemed to peer right through him, the same way Kiya’s did.
Slowly, the cat took the shape of Kiya. Gabe jumped to his feet. He was in utter shock. He had never seen a cat transform into a human before. “Kiya!” She smiled and nodded. Without warning, Gabe wrapped his arms around her and gave her a big hug. She wrapped his arms around his waist, and laid her head against his chest.
The peaceful moment was destroyed when something white began to appear in the ruble. They separated and watched closely at the collapsed building. A white orb started to hover above the ruble. Inside of the orb was King Moto. Kiya starred in disbelief. How could he have survived that? His once perfect clothes were tattered and ready to fall off.
He glared down angrily at Kiya. He pointed his finger at the unexpected Kiya. From his finger, shot a thin, hair like beam at her. She let out a scream as the beam hit her in the stomach. She fell to the ground. Gabe stood there mortified. I thought he was dead! Gabe’s eyes narrowed in anger. He felt his own power raising. He placed his pointer and his middle finger up to his temples and shot a burst of energy at Moto. The attack bounced off the orb.
“Oh that tickles Gabe. Please stop. Your making me laugh!” Moto chuckled.
Kiya lay on the ground still unable to move. She knew she had to do something before Gabe and Cainen were both killed. She closed her eyes and ignored the pain in her back. She pulled all of her life force from the depths of her soul, and concentrated it all into a small, purple and black ball that was starting to form in the palm of her hand. She sat up with some difficulty. She watched Gabe, and Cainen give it their all.
“Gabe…I want to let you know something…before I use this attack.” She spoke with difficulty. Tears were building up in her eyes. “Gabe…I…love you. You are the only person who ever showed me compassion. I want you to tell your father goodbye for me, and take care of Cainen.” She spoke gently.
He looked at her in shock. He tried to say something, but no words came out. He turned back around, unable to watch her unleash her attack. He knew what she was doing. She was going to use the most powerful attack known the witch; Self Sacrifice. Tears streamed form his eyes. Finally he spoke, “Kiya, you don’t’ have to do this… You can’t do this. I…I…love you.” His voice cracked.
“I have to Gabe. It’s the only way to defeat him. And, if it does kill me, I’ll be with my family again.” Tears flowed down her cheeks. She did not want to do this. If she didn’t, Gabe, Cainen, and herself would be killed.
She slowly stood up. She could feel the pain shoot up her back. She stumbled to keep her footing. Once she was stable, she launched the small ball that was only the size of two grapes. Because of its size, it was hard to see, and damn near hard to dodge. The ball hit Moto in the abdomen. On contact, the ball exploded, blowing Moto into tiny pieces. It was the last anyone would ever hear or see him again.
Kiya fell to the ground. She could feel her life leaving her. She struggled to keep consciousness. Gabe sat next to her, holding her in his arms. He knew there was nothing he could do for her. Kiya’s world was then shrouded in mist as she slipped away from world she knew. Her body went limp in Gabe’s arms, and he knew she was gone.
* * * *
The bright sunlight reflected off the sparkling water of the nearby lake. The chirping of birds filled the air. Kiya was standing in the middle of forest clearing. Next to her were a small pond, and a log cabin. Inside the cabin came noises of a small child at play, and the smell of cooking stew was in the air. She walked up to the door of the cabin and knocked lightly. The door opened.
“Welcome home, Kiya.”
