My 8 E-books written over the years by Alina Udrea - HTML preview

Chapter 12

Lizzy, Mark and Gabriela went in search of the Fountain of Youth. They

entered the Forest of the Lost Souls. Spooky whispers could be heard coming from everywhere. It was eerie. It was as if there was someone behind every tree and every leaf. They were the ghosts of the departed, brave knights who had lost their lives while searching for the same thing they were now in search of: the sacred fountain of eternal youth.

- This is so scary, said Mark. I mean I am not afraid of living thugs because my blade can cut them down, but how am I to fight against ghosts? My blade is useless against spirits. And I hear them everywhere.

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- Don't worry, uttered Gabriela, you've got two powerful witches by your side. We can fight off the ghosts, ain't that right, Lizzy?- Sure mom, I know a spell or two to get rid of them. Just let them try to attack us and they'll be sorry.

- That's my girl, said Gabriela proud of her daughter, her little Lizzy had turned into a young woman, a young sorceress.

- As long as these ghosts are just whispering and not trying to harm us, Mark said thinking of the situation they were in, they can whisper for as much as they like.

- They won't be troubling us for a few more hours until the sun sets, said Gabriela who had already encountered them before, but as soon as the sun sets they will be strong enough to attack. That’s when you can start worrying. But even so, Lizzy and I will fight them off.- Oh, Mark babbled while listening to the whispers around him, so they will eventually attack…

- Of course, what did you think? That they were trying to make friends? And Gabriela laughed. Nope, they will be trying to turn us to ghosts too!! 33

- I don't want to be a ghost, I like myself more the way I am…. And Mark felt for his sword out of habit as he was well aware his sword couldn’t harm something it couldn’t touch.

- Then, Lizzy intervened, we'll make sure these spirits will not bother anyone anymore. Mom, lead the way!

- Follow me, let's hurry a bit, kids, Gabriela said although for an outsider that would have seemed weird as Gabriela herself didn't look older than them. If we hurry, we might get to a small clearing in the middle of the forest. That way, if the spirits attack us, at least they won't be taking us by surprise. Then in the morning we go again and we should find the fountain by tomorrow evening.

- Yeah… Mark said a bit anxious, if we live that long.- Ha-ha, laughed Gabriela, we will live, you are safe with us. They rode on until the sun almost set. They managed to find the clearing just before the sun set.

- Ok, said Gabriela in a firm voice, we camp here. But none will go to sleep. These restless spirits will attack soon. So be ready.- Uh, uttered Mark with fear in his eyes, what should I do? How can I help?- You can't, Gabriela answered swiftly. Unless… I have an idea. You can be the bait. How about it?

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- Mom? Are you serious? We can't use Mark as bait. He and I are a couple… here, I said it, we are a couple. We can't do that!- Silly girl, we witches don’t fall in love! It's against the rules!- Whose rules? Your rules? I don’t care about your rules and it is too late now anyway.

- For us witches to be in our best shape, we can't fall in love! We can have fun but not love. It is said that our powers are diminished if we fall in love until we eventually lose them all.

- Sorry to disappoint you mom, but I think I love him. As for my powers, I feel stronger than ever. You'll see. So has none of our female ancestors ever fallen in love?

- Yes, one. Your great grandma. And from that moment on she became vulnerable, weak. Love is for fools. We are above that shallow feeling. We are sorceresses. We don’t need love.

- You’re wrong. I don’t feel vulnerable or weak. Quite the contrary, I feel stronger than ever. I feel I could do anything to defend him.- Huh, ladies, Mark said as he couldn’t refrain himself anymore, in case you forgot, I am right here beside you and you are talking about me… It’s not like I can't hear you!

- Shut up! Both Gabriela and Lizzy said at the same time.- Oh, sorry darling, Lizzy tried to fix things, but I was having an argument with my mother!

- Ok, whatever, he said a little pissed. But then ghosts started coming from all sides, scary looking ones. They were looking odd, as if they were slowly taking shape and materializing into flesh. Mark drew his sword and with a fast move he sliced one in half. But to his amazement the apparition only laughed in his face and the two halves put themselves back together. Then a large fireball hit it turning it to dust. He looked back to see Lizzy with her arms raised and throwing fireballs everywhere. Then it was Gabriela's turn to show what she was capable of. Her eyes turned red and she looked more dangerous than the ghosts. Then she levitated a few inches from the ground and started mumbling some undecipherable gibberish. She looked majestic! Then a magic shield surrounded them, becoming bigger and bigger until it was large enough to protect them all.- Stay inside the shield, Mark! Said Lizzy and pulled him back as he was almost out of it. While they won't be able to hurt us as long as we stay behind this shield, my mom and I can easily destroy them from here with

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our spells.

- Nice, then get to it as they are closer and closer! Lizzy focused to remember all the spells she had ever learnt, thinking which would be most appropriate to use against such enemies. The ghosts of the fallen knights were coming from everywhere, with swords and shields in their arms and ready to strike them down. She had to think fast as her mother’s shield wouldn’t last long as the whole place was filled with magic.

Then she remembered: the banish evil spell! That was it! But she had

only read that spell once when she was young and wasn't sure if she would remember the words correctly. But then again what was there to lose, right? So she raised her hands and started to pronounce every syllable as she remembered it from the spell book, loud and clear:- OL RAYT SHAKA!

Then one by one the abominable apparitions turned to mist and disappeared forever as Lizzy pointed her hands towards them! It was like a magic show, it was incredible! Lizzy didn’t stop until the last lost soul was sent back to his maker where it should have gone in the first place. When the last soul was banished, Gabriela raised the shield and landed back with her feet on the ground. She was exhausted from the effort of sustaining the shield around them until Lizzy got rid of the ghosts. But they were all safe now. It was all over.

- How about we get some sleep now? Asked Lizzy already yawning as the fight had drained her. She was tired and needed some good night's rest. Mark couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed. Lizzy had singlehandedly destroyed an army of ghosts. He was awe-struck. He was proud and happy and … in love! He put his arms around her waist and covered her lips with his, kissing her until she could hardly breathe anymore. All this time, Gabriela was looking at them wondering if maybe her life long belief that falling in love was totally forbidden if you wanted to be a powerful sorceress was perhaps wrong. It didn’t seem to have affected her daughter. Quite the opposite: she had destroyed the whole bunch of ghosts all by herself while she had only maintained the magic shield for protection. Lizzy had done the job. Now all that remained was to take them, Lizzy and Mark, to the fountain in the morning.

They all went to sleep relieved that they didn’t have to worry about the

constant whispers anymore. Now the forest was finally silent and peaceful.

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They fell asleep on the soft ground, Mark holding Lizzy tightly in his arms and Gabriela a bit further away thinking of long- lost love which she had denied.