Ruin Explorers Fan Fiction ❯ Mystique ❯ Incantation Four ( Chapter 4 )

Mystique

By Devon Masterson

Incantation Four

"What's going to happen, Ihrie?" Fam asked as she rode along side her best friend.

"We're going to find the ultimate treasures and kick L'Xanna's ass," Ihrie answered.

"Stop it, Ihrie," Fam said annoyed. "How can you be so calm? She has a curse on you that will kill you in a week. And we don't know how it works, when it will work exactly, if we can stop it or anything. And you joke around like you don't care and I'm so worried about you…"

"I'm sorry," Ihrie interrupted softly. "I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Oh, Ihrie," Fam sighed.

"Ihrie, how did you meet L'Xanna?" Lyle asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, Ihrie, you've been holding out on us for long enough," Aaron added.

"I guess I should tell you," she replied, "it might help in defeating her. Where do I begin…"

"How the beginning," Fam suggested.

Ihrie rolled her eyes. She had really missed Fam including the naïveté that she was famous for. "Thank you so much, Fam."

"You're welcome," she smiled.

Ihrie sighed. "I first had the misfortune of meeting her when I was found by my master…"

"What in the devil is that noise?" a middle aged man asked as he focused his light toward the bushes. A shadow shot out of the bushes and knocked him to the ground. The shadow then grabbed the bulky purse that hung around his waist and ran.

The man struggled to his feet. "A thief, eh? I will teach you not to still from me." He grinned as his shape began to change into that of a beast.

The thief looked around after running some distance and saw nothing. "Whew, I made it," she sighed. She opened the pouch and wrinkled her nose in disgust. Inside was nothing but sand. "Worthless."

"I wouldn't say that," a beast growled as he raised his paw and struck her across the cheek. He pinned her to the ground and stared down at her. "Are you prepared to meet your fate thief?"

Her eyes widened in terror as she saw his raise his paw again. She then did the only thing she could do…she bit the paw that was holding her down. She quickly got to her feet while he yelped in pain. She had to find away out of this, there had to be a way to safe herself. Her heart sank she came face to face with a sheer mountain wall. Laughter sounded behind her as her assailant realized her predicament as well. She locked eyes with the beast and picked up a large stick. "Come on," the tiny girl commanded.

"You must be joking," he laughed. "A little mousy girl like you defeat me. I am a sorcerer my dear, you have no chance." He knocked the stick away from her then watched as she backed up against the wall.

"Get back," she yelled. A blast knocked him against a tree. Her eyes widened slightly but she did not have time to contemplate what happened, she had to get out of there while that thing was knocked out. She darted the way she came when she felt pain then darkness.

"That little stunt saved your life," the man said as he stood over the unconscious girl and picked her up by her shirt then carried her off. "Perhaps I can find a use for you."

The next morning deep purple eyes opened only to find themselves in a strange environment. She quickly sat up. She was warm and her wound had been bandaged. Where was she? "You're awake," a female voice commented.

Ihrie looked towards a chair in the corner of the room. "Were you captured too?"

The young girl looked at the child and laughed. "Stupid little girl. I am a sorcerer's apprentice like you except I have more talent and taste."

"But I'm not…"

"I don't know what it was about you that impressed the Master, but you're in," she interrupted. "Not too swift."

Ihrie grit her teeth. "Why are you being mean to me when you hardly know me?" she asked trying to keep a sense of control.

"I don't need to you know you, you're a street rat and I'm a lady of privilege."

"Why you…"

"That's enough," a voice thundered, "L'Xanna and girl, it's time for you to start today's lesson."

"My name's Ihrie," she corrected.

"Ihrie, I brought you here because I see the potential in you, however; if you do not wish to cooperate then I will carry about my previous plans."

Ihrie's eyes narrowed. She did not like to be threatened, but she knew she had no choice. Perhaps she would get something out of this in the end. If she was a sorceress then she would not have to steal anymore, she could hire out her talents and explore the land like she always wanted. "Yes, Master," she replied as she stood to her feet.

"Good," he nodded then looked around the small hovel that was his home. There were quite a few things disarrayed. "I want you two to clean and organize this place. It is important as my apprentices to learn the tools that I use. Start with the library and I will give you further instructions from there."

Both girls nodded and started to work. "Apprentices? More like slaves," Ihrie mumbled as she started to work.

L'Xanna narrowed her eyes at the girl. "This is far as you probably get in your studies." She was not found of domestic work either but she quickly found that anything that made Ihrie upset she enjoyed.

"I'll become more powerful than you ever will."

"Is that a fact?" L'Xanna asked sarcastically. She closed her eyes and held out her hands. "Hear me, Spirits, to my will bend send this unruly girl back with a gust of wind." A gust of wind blasted from her hands and knocked Ihrie back. The younger girl shook the off the fuzziness in her head and looked fearful at first then angry. L'Xanna merely looked smug. "You'll never be in the same class as me."

"One day I'll make you eat those words witch!" she vowed as she stood to her feet and quietly went back to her work.

===============

"It's time for your exam," Master announced as he looked at his apprentices. "It's been a year, surely you have something to show me. I want you to battle each other."

"Up here?" Ihrie asked. She looked around the clearing that he brought them to. She thought that he was going to give them a demonstration like he normally did. If she knew there was going to be an exam, she would have studied harder. Learning spells was cool, but learning all the theory and history behind it was dull. Who cared what school her magic was from as long as she could work the spells she needed?

"This is the perfect place," L'Xanna commented.

Ihrie made a face at L'Xanna then smiled. This would be the chance to dish out the payback that she had coming to her. "Oh, yeah, I can take her," Ihrie thought as she slammed her fist in her hand.

"This is a duel of magic only. I prefer you not kill each other on the basis apprentices are hard to come by for our style of magic, however; if you are killed Ihrie then you last thought will be about how you wish you studied harder."

Ihrie looked toward her master. "Hey! Who says I'm…"

"Begin," he interrupted.

L'Xanna's eyes narrowed. "Spirits of the earth, heed my call, trap her within your walls."

A green light started to surround the ground where Ihrie was standing. "Oh, shit," she sighed and dove herself on to the ground just as the ground opened up and enclosed the area that she was previously standing. She cut her eyes toward her redheaded rival. "Hear me oh spirits, hear my discord trap my enemy with an invisible cord," she called as rope like mist enclosed L'Xanna. "Now get out of that."

"Spirits, heed my inflection, turn power against power and insurrection, using this girl's reflection."

Ihrie looked at L'Xanna and smirked when she saw that her spell did not work. "I told you that spell was too hard for you," she commented smugly. She pulled on the cord triumphantly. This all ended much sooner than she thought and L'Xanna would be eating crow.

"I always knew you were out of your league," L'Xanna replied.

"What are you…" Ihrie began when she felt someone behind her grab her and start to squeeze.

"What's the phrase about counting your chickens?" a gruff voice asked.

Ihrie's eyes widened and she dropped the cord. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her reflection practically squeezing the life out of her. "Damn it all," she sighed as she fought against the reflection. She started to kick and yell it. This was not turning out too well and she knew her master only tolerated her because he wanted to see just what she was capable of.

"Finish her, reflection," L'Xanna commanded. She looked towards her teacher and saw the stoic expression on his face. She would have thought he'd be pleased by her magical prowess, but he seemed generally unimpressed. She would just have to try harder in her studies.

The reflection laughed triumphantly and continued to squeeze. Ihrie screamed out in pain as she started to feel her ribs crack. L'Xanna was really going to kill her and her Master was going to watch. There was no way she was going to go out like that. She bit her lip in pain, drawing blood, as she tried to concentrate on her spell. It hurt too much and she felt like she was going to black out. "I won't let you win," she gasped out, her breath becoming ragged and wheezy. "You have no power over me." A bright light surrounded her.

L'Xanna covered her eyes then looked around once it dissipated. Ihrie was gone. She balled her fist in anger. "She used magic without uttering a spell. How can her power be that strong? There's no way she can be only the level with the master. I will kill her." She turned around as she heard a noise behind her. L'Xanna turned and saw Ihrie rushing towards her holding her side. "You're going to pay for that," she yelled as she rushed toward the dark haired girl.

The two girls barreled toward each other with intent kill when Master teleported in front of them. He held his hands up and they each froze in their position. "The exam is over. I have learned what I needed to know. That will be all," he commented lowering his hands. Both girls fell to their knees at being released from the spell. They each exchanged a look; it was far from over between them.

=============

Ihrie looked around carefully as she gathered her materials for her spell. She was surely going get L'Xanna this time. She had been practicing diligently since the last exam a year ago. This time she would be prepared for whatever L'Xanna dished out plus a little extra. She was not sure what kind of luck got her out L'Xanna's clutches last time, but she had been grateful. It was probably her master. If she hadn't blacked out, maybe she could have seen how he did it. All she knew was once she was free that she was rushing at L'Xanna ready to rip her wine-colored locks out of her head.

The spell she was practicing on from the upper level books. L'Xanna's reflection spell came from one of the upper level books as well, but she would step it up a notch and work from the master's spell book. The incantations were difficult but she was sure she could handle it. She would have to learn them anyway so she might as well get started early.

"Everything's ready," she said happily. She would test it the spell on a few objects first then it would be ready for L'Xanna. Ihrie took a deep breath and held her hands so that the bottoms of her palms were touching and her fingers pointing outward. "I summon you spirits take heed of my power make time like molasses, a minute and hour, take energy expended and add to my hex, spirit's vortex."

Nothing happened. Ihrie's eyes lowered. "What did I do wrong?" she wondered scratching her head. She started to leave the room when she heard a noise causing her to turn around. "Oh damn," she sighed as she saw a circle of light forming on the floor in the center of the room. "Some how I know I should have done this outside." The circle of light brightened.

"What's going on in here?" Master thundered as he walked into the room. His eyes widened as he saw the circle of light become a cylinder of light and then blew out the ceiling.

"I gotta go," Ihrie said as she started to run out of the room.

"Oh no you don't," he coughed as he grabbed her and tied her up. He looked around the room, everything was a mess. He paced the floor in anger at what to do. He did not want to kill her, she would become very powerful someday, but he had to find a way to control her. "You rotten little brat. You're going to repent for what you did this day." A smile came across his face as he thought of the perfect punishment.

Ihrie looked towards her master fearfully. "I'm sorry, master, please don't be angry."

"Prepare for you punishment."

"No!" she called out.

A light surrounded his finger as he pointed at her. "This is poetic justice for a rat like you," he replied as he cast his judgement on her.

Ihrie doubled over in pain as she felt her world become smaller and her bones contort. The robes fell from her and she was free. "I feel funny," she remarked then looked up her master standing over her. He was so big now. She looked down at herself and saw claws where her hands should have been. She touched her face then scurried to a piece of glass. Her eyes widened as she saw her new form. "The old fart! He didn't have to do this me," she thought as she jumped up and down.

Master stood over the distraught girl and picked her up by the tail. "You will learn to be respect me and be responsible with magic. It is not for playing. From now on you will only do magic when authorized or you will change into this form…"

"So that's how it happened," Fam commented.

"That was an intriguing story," Lyle replied. "I see what you mean by you have a history."

Ihrie nodded. "About a year after I was cursed, I ran away from my master. I heard he died after I left. I wouldn't be surprised if L'Xanna did it. Served him right for making her his pet."

"I just have one question," Lyle began, "when did she put a curse on you? She looked surprised when she saw you at the masquerade."

"Who knows with her, she might have been saving it," Ihrie replied. "I'm not worried about the curse so much anyway, but what her plans are."

"You're not taking her entirely too seriously. From what you've told us, she's very malicious."

"Don't worry so much, Lyle," Ihrie assured him. "We've been up against worse things. I fought against L'Xanna, she's powerful, but I know we can handle her."

"Oh really," a voice replied.

©2002 Devon Masterson

Another Bond Girl Blue Production

We all know who belongs to who…I own people who do not appear in the anime and everybody else belongs to someone who has money and will sue. I just do this for fun.