Spellbound
Chapter 21

Nathaniel and Penelope stood behind Azadarin and watched him with great care. It was as if he was elsewhere in his mind, his facial features without any content, little to no movement, fixed to the spot he was standing in. Inside Azadarin’s mind he was travelling back in time, to a time that he had tried to forget but his heart wouldn’t let him. There were undeniable traits of feelings that still lingered deep in my mind. He was ready to fight and fight in a magical war all over again as he had done with his brothers in the Guardian years previous....but there was something about this fight that was pulling at his heart strings.

His mind was talking to him....

“I can hear your voice even though I haven’t seen you in centuries. I can remember the stupid things you used to say, all those catch-phrases, what did they all mean anyway? I found you annoying so often and you hurt me on purpose with that refined look of innocence you have. You pulled the wool over my eyes for years, telling tales of trauma and victimhood that never happened. I was the leading man of all of your dramas until I glimpsed the curtains and the stage lights. I spotted the repetition of your themes, of your script. Really, you should have diversified more. But still you haunt me in ways I can never explain, never shake. I gave you my heart for free, but that shouldn’t have made it worthless. It was priceless. There’s a difference, surely we can try to mend this in some way or has too much damage impaired our emotions?”

“Are you ok Azadarin?” asked Nathaniel quietly reaching out and touching his arm gently and at once Azadarin was bought back to the present in an instant.

“Yes I’m fine Nathaniel and look...Nibbles is back to help us...this is a good sign” said Azadariin changing the subject quickly and allowing Nibbles to land on his arm and catch her breath.

“Aza it is only the two of them coming, no armies or death creatures...just them and they are still some distance from the river and our log cabin...I followed them for a while but thought it best to get back to you as soon as I could...Nat and Pen all of your parents are safe and well protected so best you concentrate on what is coming this way my dearest friends” added Nibbles breathing rather heavily and resting as best she could and as quickly as she could.

“Thank you Nibb’s...go and have something to eat you need to rest now” said Azadarin as he turned his gaze from his well travelled, panting furry talking bat back to the matters at hand and the forest to watch for any movement that needed attending to.

“Nathaniel and Penelope I can feel something in the air can you two as well?”

Both Nat and Pen stood very still and felt the air around them and they to felt a shift like an impending sense of something hurtling its way towards them.

“YES AZADARIN WE FEEL IT” said Nathaniel loudly back to his teacher and he went to shield Penelope and began hearing this thing coming before he saw it. There was a crackling hiss that got louder in the air high above the pine trees so all three of them got off the porch and down to where the path started back into the forest looking up into the sky for any signs of what was making the horrendous noise.

“NIBBLES!!!” yelled Penelope and she turned then ran back into the log cabin to get her friend. She darted through the front door while outside the hissing got louder scooping up her friend who was half way through some Nutmeg Sundae then she bolted for the front door and back to the side of Nathaniel and Azadarin just as a huge flaming meteorite hit the protective spell Azadarin had cast over his log cabin sending splinters of flaming iron around the log cabin and setting the pine needles on the ground a light.

With a wave of his hand Azadarin extinguished the flames on all sides of the log cabin and recommenced the protection spell over his home again that had taken such a destructive first attack. It was as he finished the spell the flaming rocks that had disintegrated around the forest began to grow in size and take shape. This was no ordinary meteorite it was a living breathing flaming egg full of creatures born of fire that now grew in size ready to attack the log cabin and Azadarin, Nathaniel and Penelope.

“Remember what I have taught you and defend yourselves, we can win this battle, use your heads like you did in the dome...don’t be afraid...we can beat this Witch and her son...SO LET US FIGHT BACK NOW!!!” screamed Azadarin as his two students who disappeared from sight and in no time flat were defending the log cabin and Azadarin from all that was propelled at them.

The hideous howling rock creatures attempted to gain entry to the log cabin by any means at their disposal but at each turn they were driven back and destroyed by Nat and Pen who diligently out performed each creature that advanced on their home. Nat would attack, Pen would defend, Pen would attack, Nat would defend they took turns in obliterating each creature and sending it back to the hell it was summoned from. Azadarin could deliver stronger spells to get rid of more than just one at a time so eventually there were none left with all of the magic that Azadarin, Nathaniel and Penelope could use so well against the heard of creatures hurled at them.

Azadarin looked around from where he was standing to check on his students, they reappeared before him and he was glad they were ok. Nathaniel did have a cut above his right eye that was bleeding badly so Azadarin waved his hand over his students right eye and it was healed.

“You must teach me how to do that Azadarin” said Penelope just they heard ear piercing screams from beasts that were impaling themselves in the swords from the branches on the pine trees. The tree’s were fighting back also.

“Yes of course I will....now stand ready...the next wave of creatures willing to die is coming at us” said Azadarin and Nat and Pen disappeared again and Azadarin saw their invisible foots steps on the pine needles in front of him as his students ran directly into the oncoming creatures.

Nat and Pen knew where the holes with spikes were and lured the creatures to them by reappearing and yelling abuse the disappearing just as fast. This worked in there favour until all of the holes were full of dead or dying creatures from the underworld.

While being invisible both Nat and Pen ventured deep into the forest to see if they could replace Daria and Zell, but all they saw was the remnants of the evil army that was now dead and sliced into a million pieces thanks to the holes in the ground and the forest that so convincingly fought back. Penelope looked up into the sky and saw Nibbles for a fleeting second scouring the air for signs of life then she looked into the forest again.

Everything had gone quiet.

There was no wind, sound or movement. Now Nat and Pen had to be careful. The slightest sound they made could give away their position and make it easy for Daria to hurl a spell at them both if she heard them move. Penelope couldn’t see Nathaniel and he couldn’t see her so communication was going to be difficult. Penelope looked up again into the sky and this time she didn’t see Nibbles. The sky was dark and full of thunder clouds. When she returned her gaze to the forest a voice behind her said....“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again”

Penelope turned and tried to defend herself.

Her world went black and she lay unconscious on the forest floor.

“Now..I just have to replace your boyfriend and I’ll have a matching set” said Zell Calarook as he levitated Pen’s body into the air with him and away from the forest to the secret place where his mother was.

Again in his rush to prove to his mother that he was a dutiful son with far greater magic powers than hers he didn’t realise he was being followed by one furry talking Fembat who ducked in and around the pine trees with ease following his every move with her unconscious friend floating next to him. Nibbles was scared for her friend and this time she followed them both till he landed at his mothers side. She took note of where that was and flew directly back to Azadarin and Nathaniel to tell them what had happened and where Penelope was.

Nibbles wasn’t happy about leaving her friend considering that Penelope had saved her from being in the log cabin when the meteorite fell on it but she knew Aza and Nat would come to her rescue. Nibbles flew harder and faster than she ever had to get home. Once there she told Aza and Nat the bad news. At once Azadarin hurled another protective spell over the log cabin then he grabbed Nathaniel by the arm and floated into the air with him. Nathaniel spoke to Nibbles....

“Nibb’s show me where Penelope is dear lady”

Nibbles smiled, turned and flew as hard as she could back to where she saw Zell land with her friend and then she took to a pine tree branch and rested very quietly. Azadarin landed some distance from the spot where Daria and Zell were gloating over their replace and both he and Nathaniel turned invisible at once.

It was time to end this magical pretence that now was about to endanger Penelope once and for all and in doing so save their friends life...for it was hanging in the balance as they landed.