"Nor can I," admitted Thystorm. "But once I give it to her, I'll have the funds for my education. We can go to school in Village Central together, Ammay!"
The girl looked at him like he was insane. "Thystorm!" she growled.
"The scroll is what he's been after since the very beginning," inserted Iydren with a reproachful glance at the young man.
There they stood. Ammay, 16 and firm. Thystorm, 19 and desperate. Iydren, 10 and quietly strong.
The young man instantly looked remorseful, turning an apologetic eye on Iydren. "I'm sorry, I really am. Haven't I tried to make up for it?"
"For what?" asked Ammay.
Iydren crossed his arms. "The scroll would never have been unlocked from the vault in the first place if Thystorm hadn't practically handed me over to the duke."
With a groan of frustration, he clenched the scroll tighter. "I'm sorry! I said I was sorry. I wish I'd taken it away from our enemies sooner, before they managed to wreck such havoc."
No one said the unspoken sentence... but Ammay and Iydren both said it with their eyes. Aren't you sorry you betrayed Iydren and let them take the scroll from the vault in the first place?
"I need the scroll!" he said defensively. We'll lock the magic back in the vault, but not the scroll. Honestly. What good is the scroll's instructions if one has not the magic to use it on? It can do no further harm."
"No," said Ammay, "It can't get much worse than that. Look!"
They looked. Several miles away, they saw... that the sea was rising. A great tidal wave such as the four corners of the continent had never before seen. It would wipe out entire cities and villages. The nation of Niluin would soon be in ruin.
"There goes your home country, Thystorm." said Ammay. She barely resisted adding, "Good job."
The young man's eyes were wide, seeing that all his efforts were now vain.
Iydren had tears in his eyes. "The rebellion of Shryuin... the epidemic of Trenkuin... the army's march on Malthire... and now this. At this rate, it won't be long before Algoth has all four nations under his sway!"
The girl looked at him like he was insane. "Thystorm!" she growled.
"The scroll is what he's been after since the very beginning," inserted Iydren with a reproachful glance at the young man.
There they stood. Ammay, 16 and firm. Thystorm, 19 and desperate. Iydren, 10 and quietly strong.
The young man instantly looked remorseful, turning an apologetic eye on Iydren. "I'm sorry, I really am. Haven't I tried to make up for it?"
"For what?" asked Ammay.
Iydren crossed his arms. "The scroll would never have been unlocked from the vault in the first place if Thystorm hadn't practically handed me over to the duke."
With a groan of frustration, he clenched the scroll tighter. "I'm sorry! I said I was sorry. I wish I'd taken it away from our enemies sooner, before they managed to wreck such havoc."
No one said the unspoken sentence... but Ammay and Iydren both said it with their eyes. Aren't you sorry you betrayed Iydren and let them take the scroll from the vault in the first place?
"I need the scroll!" he said defensively. We'll lock the magic back in the vault, but not the scroll. Honestly. What good is the scroll's instructions if one has not the magic to use it on? It can do no further harm."
"No," said Ammay, "It can't get much worse than that. Look!"
They looked. Several miles away, they saw... that the sea was rising. A great tidal wave such as the four corners of the continent had never before seen. It would wipe out entire cities and villages. The nation of Niluin would soon be in ruin.
"There goes your home country, Thystorm." said Ammay. She barely resisted adding, "Good job."
The young man's eyes were wide, seeing that all his efforts were now vain.
Iydren had tears in his eyes. "The rebellion of Shryuin... the epidemic of Trenkuin... the army's march on Malthire... and now this. At this rate, it won't be long before Algoth has all four nations under his sway!"
Loved how you started this one!! Thystorm is so happy yet SO oblivious to his foolishness. You put the characters' moods in very nicely- Thystorm, headstrong in his hopes, not thinking of the consequences, inadvertently causing more damage than he thinks. Lydren somewhat inwardly shaking his head at the foolishness. Ammay, not knowing the full extent of the damage, but still obviously almost as hurt as Lydren. 'Tis awesome! ^_^
ReplyDeleteThanks! ^_^
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