Choice

When Rissa opened her eyes again she felt soothed. The poison seemed to wash out of her, pressed to her lips she felt a hard surface. She opened her eyes and everything was blurry for a moment. Then the room came into focus. A boy was standing over her urging her to drink more. She was home in the castle.

She closed her eyes again and almost slipped into sleep. Until she remembered everything.

Airabella was gone, taken by the beastly wither. Her brothers were imprisoned or turned.

Nearby hoovered Onicent, looking somewhat unsure. Would he be angry at her for returning after her banishment.

"Father," she said quietly.

He didn't move.

"I shouldn't really be offering you aid Rissa," he told her. He was shaking his head slightly.

"Airabella," she burst out.

He stopped short, "Airabella?" He asked confused.

"She was with me," Rissa told him.

Onicent had tensed, "where is she?"

Rissa closed her eyes for a moment then forced them back opened. She made a weak motion for the bottle. The boy raised it to her lips allowing her to drink. Slowly some more of her strength returned. Rissa took a deep breath.

"Airabella was taken by the wither. The same person who wounded me so gravely." She said in a rasping voice.

Onicent seemed to freeze, his face contorted in a horrible grieving way.

He muttered something that sounded like 'no'.

"Theres more." Rissa said, "Amos and Epis have been taken as well."

Onicent looked even more grieved he leant against the wall. Rissa coughed slightly and turned over painfully.

"Fetch her more of the potion," Onicent told the boy. He nodded and ran off.

"It's only me and Feia now," Rissa told him. "Enisia is bound to be caught by Xeo. I lead him off to save her, but now he will be after her again now." Rissa paused, then added, "please release Maiguh. He will help us, I know he will."

Onicent became so stiff he seemed to be a statue. Just then Dio returned with the potion and began to give little sips of it to Rissa. She sighed slightly and added, "please father, help them."

Onicent had a pained look on his face then he turned and walked out of the room.

"Airabella," he whimpered to himself. "Amos, Epis, Enisia. What have I done!" He turned and quite suddenly slammed a fist into the wall. "What have I done."

He walked from it and into the throne room, collapsing onto his throne. He held his head in his hands. Hadn't he swore to protect her, he loved her deep deep down, for all there fighting and all the conflicts. He wanted her by his side and now he was alone. No sons to fight with him, everyone had turned on him.

For the first time he saw the truth.

He had ruined himself trying to push away Maiguh. At once a sob rose in his throat, but he pushed it down again.

He knew what he had to do, thought it was the hardest thing of all. He had would to free Maiguh.

Quietly he summoned his powers and used them to draw in energy. Then at once he let it go, all over the overworld portals sprung back to life.