Nairi (Part 3)

My eyes slowly fluttered open at the sound of snoring. W-what happened? The last thing I remember was the giant two headed snake thing and- I realized immediately what had happened. I lay there for awhile to assess my situation, and I kept coming back to the same conclusion. I was weak, useless. I had become a burden for everyone.
I decided to take a walk. I needed to clear my mind. I sat up and looked around me. Where am I? I looked all around the interior of the building I was in. It had low ceilings, stone walls, a lot of beds, and was more or less just a really big room.
I started to get up when I realized someone was laying on my bedside. I looked down at the sleeping figure, and with a shock I realized, it’s Adonis!? W-why is he sleeping here?  I looked at his sleeping face. It was filled with worry. Was he really that worried about me? I thought for a moment then shook my head. There is no way. He must have been worried about something else. I stared at his sleeping figure. His hair was in his face and his back was moving up and down from his breathing. The way he slept reminded me of the way Nuvole had.
I slid my leg out from under him. The movements made him stir, but he didn't awake. I stepped out of bed and made my way to the door. I took one last look at Adonis before leaving, and shut the door quietly behind me.
It was late out. The moon was high above me, but a few people were still out. I kept walking, passing crumbling stone buildings, and some that still stood strong. I happened upon this huge building, with a big gate. The roof had almost completely fallen in. I walked up to the gate. To my surprise it was ajar. I slipped through the small crack and made my way to the center of the large structure and what I found there seemed out of place. There in front of me was a small pond. Its water was so clear you could see to the bottom, were little tadpoles swam in the mud. It was probably fed by a spring somewhere.
I sat down on a small rock at the edge and looked at my reflection in the still waters. Why are you so weak? You couldn't do anything to help your friends. You ended up having to be carried the whole way here most likely. You, You can't do anything, I smacked the top of the water with my hand, rippling my reflection, so I wouldn't have to look at myself.
I sighed There is no way I can be helpful to them...I can hardly hold a sword. The one I have is almost as tall as me. Plus swords kill, and bring blood. I never liked blood it always made me squeamish, but I thought I would probably be able to handle it when the king died...maybe because of all the blood he has spilled over the course of his rein...my brother’s included. Then it dawned on me, What if I learn to control my powers! If I learned how, I would be able to help, and maybe be able to do so without spilling any blood!  This was great. All I had to do was find out which of the Ceridwen powers I was best at. Like Nuvole was good at Ice. Maybe I will try water. I concentrated hard. I imagined some of the water coming out of the pool into a spherical shape. I looked up but nothing was there. I will have to try harder. I concentrated again, and this time I felt a tugging in my gut. I looked up and in front of me a ball of water was floating in the air. "I did it." I mumbled to myself. "Ha-ha, I really did it. All right then...next up is ice."
I stared at the ball of water and thought of the coldest place I had ever been. I imagined the ice crystals that hung from some of the houses back home. I focused on what they looked like. I willed the ball to freeze.
I opened my eyes. The water was still floating there, but no ice. I thought hard. Something about this situation was familiar. Then I remembered, and seem to be transported back to the memory... 'Nuvole,' I ran up to my older brother a huge grin on my face.
'What is it?' He bent down so he would be level with me.
'I have decided.' I said matter-o-factly. He laughed.
'And what exactly have you decided.' He stared down at me and smiled.
'My specialty is going to be ice.' I looked up at him, trying to make my eyes look as pleading as possible. 'Can you teach me Nuvole...Please?'
He sighed, and then smiled at me. 'Of course I can.'
'Yeah! So, how do I do it, Nuvole...Tell me?!
'Calm down, Nairi. Give me a chance to speak.' He smiled and pulled together some water making a sphere. 'Ok, First you have to have water.' he gestured to the sphere.
I sighed. 'I know that, Nuvole...I just don't know how to turn it to ice!'
'Hold you horses, Nairi. Next think of what you want it to become." He closed his eyes in concentration. 'Imagine it becoming ice from the outside in. See it spreading on the surface to the next layer of water and inward.' I watched in amazement as the ball of water turned into a ball of ice. Nuvole opened his eyes. 'See? Easy.'
'Nuvole,' I stood there wide eyed staring at the sphere. 'YOU ARE SO COOL!'
He laughed, and smiled down at me. 'I know.' He poked me in the forehead. 'Now come on if we aren't home soon mom will get mad.' He walked off and I followed.
The memory ended and I realized I was crying No crying, Nairi. I scolded myself and wiped my eyes.
I looked at the floating ball of water, then closed my eyes and did exactly what Nuvole had instructed me to do that day. I concentrated so hard until my head felt like it might explode. Just as I was about to give up, I felt again that tug in my gut. I opened my eyes and there, floating in front of me was a ball of ice.
I jumped up allowing the ball to fall back into the water "I did it!" I yelled.  I jumped up and down a few times, and then I tripped and fell. I let out a small startled, cry. Suddenly, right before I hit the water, I felt someone grab my wrist and pull me back onto my feet.
As soon as I was upright the person let go of my hand. I looked up and met the gaze of a pair of golden eyes. At first I thought it was Adonis, but I realized pretty quick it wasn't. This man had black hair.
I backed up from him. "Thank you." I said
"No problem," He waved his hand. "But what is a Ceridwen doing nearly falling in a pond?"
I backed up "H-how did you kno-"
"How did I know? Well you were just performing a bit of a demonstration over there." He smiled at me."Isn't that right Morte?"
"Yup." A slim yet muscular man stepped out from behind a tree.
"W-well you shouldn't spy on people...It is rude."
The other man, Morte, laughed. "I guess your right. I’m sorry." He smiled at me and nudged the other guy in the side. "Uccidere, say sorry."
The man ,Uccidere, bowed. "Please forgive me."
I sighed "I guess."
Morte looked thoughtful."You know," He looked at me."Can I show you a place...I think you will like it."
I was suspicious of these people...something didn't seem right, but they could just want to show me something. "How far is it?"
"Not to far," Uccidere smiled. "Just into the forest a ways."
"I don't think I should." I smiled politly, "Sorry."
Morte, walked up to me, and he frowned. "Come on. It is only a little ways into the forest."
"But I really think I should-"
"Please." Uccidere, looked at me with such pleading eyes. I couldn't say no.
I sighed. "Fine...If it is only a little ways."
Morte smiled. "Thank you."
He abruptly turned and walked into the forest. I ran to catch up."So, where are you taking me?"
"It is a secret." Morte said. He looked at me with piercing green eyes.
We walked on and on...I saw nothing but trees in every direction. I definitely couldn't find my way back if necessary.
"How much farther I asked." Not much farther...in fact," Uccidere smiled at me. "We are here."
I looked around, and realized we were at a little area were no trees were.
"Yup," Morte flipped a lock of brown hair from his face. And looked me dead in the eyes and smiled a cold smile. "This is the last place you will see, Well besides dungeon walls."
What he said hit me like a weight. "What?"
"You heard him."Uccidere laughed. "Oh, and don’t even think about trying to escape. It is nearly impossible to escape a dragon."
Dragons? They are dragons? And they are working for the king. How could I be so stupid!? I followed two strangers deep into the forest and look what happened...I am about to be dragged off. I’m such on idiot. I would have continued scolding myself mentally but Morte and Uccidere suddenly grabbed me by both wrists. What should I do? I thought about using water or ice...but both were so hard to use for me...Then it dawned on me.  Wind! My specialty must be wind.There is only one way to find out.
I invisioned a forceful wind smashing into both of my attackers. I felt a warmth starting from my stomach spredding through my body, and suddenly, both my attackers were knocked back by a huge gust. "Ha, Take that." I turned to run but stopped at the vast expanse of forest in front of me. I didn't know which way to go. Morte jumped up and hit me. I soared through the air, trees flying by me until I hit one with such force all the air left my body.
"Hey, Uccidere," He said his eyes full of hatred. "The boss said we could break her didn't he."
Uccidere, smiled evily. "Yup, He said use any means necessary. Just don't kill the brat."
"Great," Morte walked up to me. "I am going to enjoy breaking you." He had a murderous look in his eyes.
I was terrified. I felt my heart rate quicken, and my breath was coming in short gasps
Morte picked me up, spun around, and threw me towards Uccidere.
Time seemed to slow down. In that moment I knew the only thing I could do was scream. And I did.That is when Uccidere spun around and kicked me cutting off my scream and sending me flying back the way I had come.
The force of being thrown one way and the force of the leg coming from another sent a searing pain in my side. I hit a tree with great force and felt something pierce into my left shoulder. I screamed again, the pain was so great.
The pair of dragons started to run towards me again. I tried to move, but the pain in my right side burned like I was hit with fire. And my shoulder seemed to scream out through my body in pain.
I couldn't even manage a scream. It came out as a sort of whimper.
Suddenly someone passed in front of me. "How dare you!" He said. "How dare you, how dare you." My first thought was that Nuvole had come to save me. I focused on the figure infront of me, and shocked, I realized who it was.
"How dare you hurt her!" Adonis, yelled and burst into flames.Because of the air the flames had created his hair was blowng around like he was in the middle of a storm, and his face, it was so full of rage and hatred. He lunged at my attakers and burst a piller of flames at them that hit them with such forse they flew through a pair of trees.
I tried to move again and managed to move my right hand to touch my left shoulder. I felt something hard sticking into me. I looked at my hand and what I saw made my stomach roll. My hand was covered in blood.
I looked up at the battle again. Uccidere and Morte had gotten back up and were trying there best to hit Adonis back "Come back here Half breed." Morte yelled as swung at Adonis.  Adonis moved effortlessly out of the way.Then I saw Uccidere creeping up behind Adonis.
 I tried to call to him but again pain shot through my body and everything went out of focus. I could tell I had lost a lot of blood, and if that didn't kill me, the two broken ribs piercing my lungs would.
Through my blurred vision, I saw Uccidere and Morte turn into massive dragons.
Xander, Nithron, and Prid came running into the clearing with everyone else in tow.
Good. Adonis won't be alone against those two.It was my last thought before everything went completly black.