Tobbin_OHF

As Falon regained his senses after the gut-wrenching travel through the portal, he asked Pfil, “OK, we’re here. Now what do we do?”

Pfil replied, “Now, we need to find a lock of my hair or anything else that could be used to create a clone. Once the spell begins, you will need to fight it in order to kill it. Then I can cast a blood bridge spell in order to transfer my essence to it. Once that happens, I will be weak and will need to be protected. Do not allow anything to harm me. Once I gain enough strength back, I will be able to cast a spell of healing. If things go well, I should have enough time to cast the reversal spell needed to stop the clone from becoming something else. Then we can look for Julia.”

Falon, “And why again is it that we need to find her?”

Phil, “I thought I told you already, she is the key to defeating the overseers. They knew that. It’s why they ordered the Lemures to attack. Look, the wolf told you that we were getting ready to meet up with a Paladin, right? I know who he is. Sir Trent is the Arch-Angel Gabriel’s right hand man. He doesn’t want the fight anymore than we do. He will be more likely to help us if we have Julia with us. You see, both Julia and I have the blood of the angel coursing through our bodies. Right now, you do too, because I am a part of you. The overseers want to capture us both in order to create a spell that can enslave the angel. I haven’t heard back from him in so long, that I almost had given him up for dead. Since the overseers are still trying to find me, that must mean that the angel still lives. They already have Julia’s body. I don’t think they realize that her blood doesn’t contain her essence though. We have to protect both her and ourselves and somehow find the Paladin.”

Falon, “And what makes you think I believe any of this anyways?”

Phil, “You would condemn both us and the angel? I thought I knew you better. I already apologized for treating you as bad as I did and for acting the way I did. I just didn’t know whom I could trust. I’m so sorry. Look, I’ll beg if it will help. I can use my magic to help you. Please Falon.”

Falon looking apologetically said, “I’m sorry, it’s just that I’ve been through so much too. Just a few days ago, I was living in a world where my main concern was keeping a roof over my head and food in my stomach. Now you are telling me that if I don’t help you, an angel will be killed or worse? It’s just a bit to take is all.”

Off in the distance, Dangal sees Falon and calls out, “What witchery is this?” You were a statue just a moment ago.

Falon walks over to Dangal and tells him the statue is nothing more than a carving of stone.

Dangal states, “That be impossible boy. T’were that true, then why does the statue breathe? Why is it warm even at coldest hour? How is it that the eyes blink, even if it is an hour at the time?”

Falon replies, “The statue was created by magic. I guess that’s why it acts as it does. The magister who created it was also a prankster.”

Dangal, “And why did you run from the Rhina? Why did you not defend the honor of me daughter?”

Falon, “It’s a long story. You remember that I told you that a magister created the statue, correct, well, she also cast a spell on me to love your daughter. I’m sorry, but it was a prank I was forced to follow along with. She’s dead now, so the joke is on her. Please tell your daughter that I never meant to hurt her. I think it would be best if your daughter never saw me again. If she fell in love with me, then it would only hurt more to know that it was all just a cruel, twisted, sadistic joke of an evil creature whose only existence is the pain of others.”

Dangal replies, “Well, I guess I can understand that.” He looks deep into Falon’s eyes and sees true regret there. “I tell you what boy, I be telling Poxia that you met up with a sorceroress who claimed to be after her, and that during the battle, she turned you into the statue. I think that will work for the best. Tisn’t a lie totally anyways,” satisfied, Dangal shrugs and starts to walk off, “I wish you the best of luck boy.”

Pfil, “That was rather noble of you, but did you really have to make me out to be such a monster?”

Falon, “It was the only explanation that I could come up with that would keep the hurting to a minimum. I really don’t mean all those things that I said about you. You seemed kind of like that when we first met, but now, it seems that the real you is worth knowing.” Falon cracks a smile and begins to blush a little.

Pfil breaks his train of thought when she says; “There’s something we can use over there. I forgot that I brushed up on the statue as I was going outside to meet up with you. Hmmm. Looks like a small piece of flesh, but it will have to do. Are you ready Falon?”

Falon, “Do I have a choice?”

Pfil, “Of course you have a choice. I won’t do this unless you want to as well.”

Falon, “OK, do it then.”

Pfil begins casting her ‘clone’ spell. She cast forth light across the statue, aiming at the piece of skin. As the magic entered the skin, it began to bubble and twist until it stretched. It took a little over a half an hour, but standing before Pfil was an exact duplicate of the woman who merged with Falon. At the completion of the spell, Pfil lost consciousness.

Falon pulled out his hammer in preparation for the battle he knew was coming up.

The beautiful blonde woman with blue eyes stood in front of Falon in complete terror. As the skin was a part of Pfil before she had grown to know Falon, she automatically took him as an overseer. “No, you won’t get me. I will kill you first.” With tears forming in her eyes, this likeness of Pfil began casting a spell.

Falon attacked. He caught Pfil in the midsection and disrupted her spell. Before she had a chance to cast another spell, he arced around for another swing. This time, he caught her across her left shoulder. Her blood began spurting forth. All he could see was Pfil in pain, and it brought him pain as well, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” With that, he arced around again and caught her in her kneecaps, bringing her down as a tumble of bricks.

Pfil’s clone was getting scared. This one man had hurt her far worse than the overseers had ever done before. She reached out to Falon and cast forth the one spell she knew would work on him, HELLFIRE.

Falon never knew what hit him. He felt pain all throughout his body even though there was nothing that appeared to be causing it physically. He stumbled and fell to his knees. Even as the hellfire coursed through his body, he raised his hammer once more. With his last ounce of strength, he flung it at Pfil and fell to the ground.

Pfil’s body could not stand the many beatings this hammer had caused her, and she fell to the ground dead. With a couple of twitches, it was over. She lie still.

After a couple of moments of being free from the hellfire spell, Falon recovered. Faintly, he could feel that the real Pfil was gaining strength as well. Off in the distance he heard a wolf howling. Somehow, he knew this wolf. He also knew that was where they needed to go next. He waited until Pfil was ready, and allowed her to take control of his body once more.

Pfil quickly began to prepare the corpse. She bound up as much of the wounds as she could and then cast her blood bridge spell. “With blood spilled, I enter to add my strength. Nor abutum Tae Ral ET Sesha. Oy Esta De Ecosta. Tu son mia horenda.” With the completion of the spell, Pfil’s spirit left Falon’s body. He doubled over in pain. Pfil felt the expected cold wave before the pain hit her. She almost clawed her way back out because the pain was so unbearable, but she forced herself in. She quickly cast the reversal spell and then she was unconscious again.

Falon stood watch over Pfil. As time went on, he would dress the bandages and make sure the wounds stayed clean. Sometime around nightfall, Pfil opened her eyes once more. At first, she was totally incoherent. It took awhile, but Falon understood that she was asking for water. He went into the cabin and found the bladder that he had lost and filled it up once more. Gently, he helped Pfil to drink the water. He stood watch over her throughout the night.

Pfil announced at daybreak that she was ready. She quickly cast healing on herself and she thanked Falon for being ever so vigilant and helpful. She told him that he was free of her and if he wanted to go his own way, she would understand. She did ask that he continue with her though.

Falon was watching Pfil’s eyes the whole time she was talking to him. Her blue eyes seemed so full of warmth and love, that he once more knew that he could not refuse her. Falon said, “OK, but I think I know where we should begin.” As if to emphasize his point, the wolf he heard the day before began howling once more. With that, he began to head towards it.

Pfil seemed taken aback a little, but as she was not really sure where to begin, she trusted that Falon’s luck would take them where they needed to go.