Chapter XIX

                                    

                                          
Omsya stood across from Leon, around the fire.
	The fire lit up both of their faces. Omsya watched Leon's face light up then darken in a never ending cycle. Fire and light were interesting in that aspect. Fire flickered and light dimmed. But even when Leon's face darkened, Omsya could still see it as clear as she saw the light of day. 
	Leon, however, wasn't so much as worried about Omsya's face. He watched her eyes. It was as if the blue sky was calling him. 
	Out of nowhere the others appeared. Jordyn and Chase sat down on a log, it was a distance away so that they could be given warmth from the fire but far enough away so that they could talk in private. Omsya understood that they were the leaders even if Chase would deny it.
	Rodalya and Nadine walked over. Laughing. Omsya noticed how Silus was nowhere in sight.
	"Where's Silus?" Omsya asked the two girls.
	Jordyn appeared next to her. "Yes, where is Silus?"
	"I have no idea. I saw him a few mawn ago," Rodalya said, "Nadine?"
	"Umm. He left."
	"What do you mean he left?" Leon asked, walking over to the four girls. Chase also got up and walked over. It was almost as if the six were huddled in a circle.
"He betrayed us." Nadine whispered. If Silus wasn't far enough away, her brother was dead. 
	"What do you mean he betrayed us?" Chase asked.
	"Shhh," Nadine hushed, "Don't say it too loud or he could hear you."
	Jordyn and Chase looked at each other, a silent conversation was passing between them. 
	He threatened her. 
	I can tell, but how?
Nadine has a brother, does she not?
Ask about her brother.
"Nadine, you have a brother right?" Chase asked.
"Yes, but he is against us."	
The silent conversation continued.
Silus must have access to killing soldiers, but why?
I think that is something we must figure out on our own. 
"Nadine, would you mind telling us why Silus has betrayed us?" Jordyn asked, curiosity had filled her head and so she was working to solve this mystery before they took any serious blows.
Nadine nodded her head, "He said something about Nix Morte owning him."
"That explains it," Rodalya whispered.
"Explains what?" Leon asked, he was the only one who heard her.
"When I first met Silus, he said that not everyone was bad and that even people in the Land of Outcasts could be good. I didn't understand what he meant then but now I do," Rodalya said, she seemed to trail off. 
Omsya and Jordyn saw the spark in Rodalya's eyes go out before the boys did. The two girls rushed forward. Rodalya had only started to fall before the two girls caught her.
"Leon, Chase, come help us!"
	Both Chase and Leon walked over to the girls, but no help was needed. Rodalya was levitating.
	Jordyn and Omsya were dumbstruck. 
	"How is that possible?" Leon asked.
	"I have no idea," Jordyn said.
	Rodalya levitated to her tent. 
	After a moment of watching, Omsya realized something.
	"It's the dragon! The dragon is here to protect her right? So, the dragon must be levitating Rodalya!"
	The others acknowledged Omsya's explanation of why Rodalya was levitating but they didn't take their eyes off of Rodalya. Who knew what could happen to her when in this state?
	After making sure Rodalya was safe in her bed, the other five walked back out to the campfire.
	"I say we help him," Nadine said, breaking the eerie silence.
	"I agree. If Nix Morte owns him can't we just free him?" Leon said. Silus had been Leon's first true friend (Rodalya didn't count) so he would do anything to help his friend.
	"Hold on. Leon, I love you, but we can't just go running into this blind," Omsya countered.
	"I agree with Omsya. Silus betrayed us. We are meant to save magic, not Silus," Chase said. Everyone was giving him a look, like he was doing something wrong, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Jordyn, so he kept going, "So, I say, we stick to the plan. We save magic and hopefully by doing so we save Silus."
	"I agree with Chase, but we have to work quickly. Magic is dying and we must save it before it's too late."
	"No," Leon said.
	"What do you mean no?" Jordyn asked.
	"No," Nadine said.
	"What's happened to them?" Omsya asked.
	"I don't know," Jordyn said.
	"You cannot force us to leave him behind." Nadine said. She had her bow in hand and was aiming at Jordyn.
	"Nadine, don't please," Jordyn pleaded.
	Before everyone's eyes, Nadine released the arrow. Time slowed. The arrow all but stopped. Nadine and Leon were staring at the three. Omsya stood frozen holding her hand out yelling at Nadine and Leon to stop.
Chase looked around. No one was moving, no one was even breathing. He had checked. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw her.
	"Jordyn!" He cried. He tried to run to her, she looked in pain.
	"Don't come near." Her voice was full of pain, "It hurts too much."
	"What hurts too much? Why are we here?" He kept running but he never seemed to get anywhere.
	Suddenly Jordyn appeared to get closer. "I never told you about what I am. Why I have to hide who I am."
	"Then tell me now."
	"When I was young, a spirit cursed me. I lost both of my parents because of my magic. My brother took me in. And now I've lost him too. Magic takes. Especially dark magic. Dark magic is what is controlling our friends but it's because of me."
	"Why?"
	"Because I'm cursed."
	"No, you aren't. That spirit could have given you magic as a gift. It might have been seen as a curse but you've used it for good, have you not?"
	Jordyn held up her hand in front of her face, as if she was watching something, "You could be right. Or you could be wrong. But I have hope that you are right. Let's go save our friends."
	Time appeared to begin moving correctly again. The arrow split the air with ease, as if it was a boat sailing on the ocean, moving through the water.
	Chase's and Omsya's eyes tracked the arrow. It was flying straight and true. 
	Chase looked at Jordyn. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving. 
	This time Time wasn't stopping. This time Jordyn only had a single tear stain on her face. This time the world held its breath.