Trinity Awakening (15 page)

             
"Wow, we are very traditional aren't we? Is that why you're giving me the cold shoulder, you don't like the girl to take the lead?" Trinny wasn't laughing anymore but she was feeling extremely confident, she had never imagined she could have talked to a guy like this. Aarion turned and continued walking. "Is this a touchy subject for you?" Trinny asked as she came up beside him.

             
"No, but it doesn't seem important in the scheme of things, it's only a kiss, let's forget it." He hadn't looked at her. Trinny stopped, her heart felt like an anchor had been attached to it and it was keeping her from moving.

             
"A first kiss, it was my first kiss." She said softly. "It may not have meant anything to you, but it's something I will always remember. My mother told me my first kiss will be the one I never forget, I wish she was wrong." Aarion had stopped but had not looked back at Trinny, he knew if he turned now he would not be able to stop himself from taking hold of her and leaving her with a moment she could remember forever. His heart ached for her, but his duty was to save his father, to save the Ora, he had always been taught as a warrior to follow his head, until now he never realized that doing that would cause someone pain, until now he had never known his heart had a voice too. It took every inch of strength to force
himself
to walk on. Trinny felt a pain she never knew someone could feel. She was so sure he felt something for her; she thought if she brought it up, he would face his feelings.
How could I have been so wrong, it felt so right?
She wiped the tear that was rolling down her cheek. She
heard a tweet behind her, it was the Milty bird, and she smiled.

             
"At least you don't hate me little friend." She whispered, and was very surprised when the lovely blue bird with the red-feathered head landed on her shoulder. "Oh, you are friendly, where are your family? Are you lost?" Trinny's heart lifted slightly, she suddenly didn't feel so alone anymore as the Milty bird tilted it's head from side to side; it was as if it understood her. "I think I'm going to call you Radish, it suits you." Trinny grinned at the bird, it tweeted at her, still clinging to her shoulder. Aarion had only glanced back once to notice Trinny's little visitor, he wasn't surprised anymore at the pull Trinny seemed to have with the things of nature, it only made him want her more.

Trinny was trying to put her bad afternoon with Aarion to the back of her mind, she had taken acting classes since she was seven, and was now putting them into good use by pretending that nothing he said had affected her. She happily chatted to Radish, who had been flitting from tree branch to twig, then back onto her shoulder. They came to a wide rocky stream, Aarion started to cross from rock to rock, making it look easy. Trinny took her first step and slipped off the wet rock into the shallow water, Aarion turned and smirked, but quickly covered his amusement when he saw the glare Trinny was giving him; he jumped a few rocks back and held out his hand to Trinny. Rejecting his help she pushed herself up and moved on leaving him behind.

             
"The Sanctuary is just through the Willow Grove." Aarion pointed up ahead then moved quickly passed her by jumping on some smaller stones. Trinny rolled her eyes, but
as she turned her head slightly, she noticed a dark shape crouching amongst some bushes down the stream a little.

             
"Aarion, I think those Shadow things are in the forest there." She motioned toward the shape. Trinny moved quicker now, she felt vulnerable perched on slippery rocks in the stream. Aarion got to the other side and urged Trinny to hurry.

             
"We'll have to make a run for it, I don't know how much strength I have left to shield us from another attack." He said to her as she reached the bank. 

             
"I can help, I did it before." Trinny offered.

             
"I can't risk losing you Trinny, you're to important, please, just do as I ask." Trinny could see real concern in Aarion’s eyes.

             
"Alright." He took her hand and ran. Aarion could see the dark figure more closely now as it moved in on them. 

             
"It's a Gray Annis, a witch from the North Mountains, they never come this far south. The Dark Empress must be gathering all the dark ones to her." Trinny glimpsed back and saw a vile looking old woman, its feet were moving along the ground like she was barely touching it. She wore a dark gray cloak that dragged along the dirt after her, her face was old and haggard, it had been stitched up in so many places it was hard to see the true color of her skin. Her eyes were white with no pupils or iris, like she had rolled them into the back of her head. She had long tatty gray hair and Trinny could see that where her fingers should have been were really long claws. 

             
"It's gaining on us." Trinny cried. Aarion turned and threw a bright orb toward the witch, the Annis sliced through it with her iron claws. 

             
"The Ora is to weak to protect us." He moved faster, Trinny was finding it difficult to keep on her feet with the speed Aarion was pulling her. She could tell he could move so much faster than this, but had to slow down for her. The witch was at their back, her claws reached out for Trinny, Aarion threw Trinny out of the way, she hit the ground landing on her back, the wind knocked out of her for the second time in a couple of days. She looked up breathless, and saw Aarion receiving a deep cut to his stomach, his face winced in pain and blood quickly seeped through his shirt. He held his wound with his left hand while reaching for his sword with the other; Trinny could see that he said something under his breath as he realized he had given it to Garus. "Run Trinny!" He yelled out to her. The witch knocked Aarion to the ground and turned toward Trinny.

             
"Defend!" Trinny cried out. The earth around her shot up into a funnel as it had when the Stealth had attacked. But the witch’s huge, sharp claws swiped at the wall of earth over and over again until it fell flat around Trinny. As Trinny backed away she fell back over a rock, landing on the hard earth again. She looked up in terror at the vile creature in front of her; it was now so close she could smell its putrid breath. Trinny heard a loud tweet above her, Radish swooped down and started pecking at the Annis's head, the witch lashed out at the small bird, but the Milty was too swift for the witches clumsy hands, and each time she missed she would cut her own head with her claws, Trinny now realized why the Annis had stitches all over it's face. The witch gave up on the bird and with blood streaming down her hideous dark expression, hit out at Trinny who was still on the ground in front of her. Trinny swiftly moved to a lying position, the witch missed her target by inches. It went to swipe at her
again, Trinny had no where else to go and her body tensed ready for the blow, but to her surprise, the Annis's hand stopped in mid air as the Milty bird came in between the witch and it's prey. Trinny watched in amazement as the air around the bird shimmered like a vibration, Radish had gone, and in its place was a glistening fine silver and gold dust. As it grew, each tiny piece of dust joined the next until it formed the image of a person. The Annis hissed at the silver being as it descended to the ground and took the form of a woman. Trinny could only see her back, but long vibrant red hair from the woman’s head was wrapping around her body, each strand merging together forming a beautiful fabric, embracing her slim form like a dress.
The Nixie Queen,
she thought to herself. The Nixie breathed on the hissing witch, a silvery substance came from her lips and covered the ugly creature. Right before Trinny's eyes, she watched the Annis become imprisoned in a thick coat of ice, her body frozen to its core. Trinny didn't wait to thank the Nixie, she got up and ran to Aarion, he had managed to lean himself against a tree and was sitting in agony, blood pooling next to him. Trinny could see he was going in and out of consciousness.

             
"Aarion!" Trinny fell to the ground next to him.

             
"Please... leave me, go to the Sanctuary... you have to get to my father...." Aarion’s breathing was shallow, his heart was racing, and Trinny knew he was struggling.

             
"I can't leave you here to die." She could not control the hot tears she felt streaming down her cheeks.

             
"Go Trinny..." Aarion slumped to the side as unconsciousness won him over.

             
"Aarion!" Trinny screamed, she held his head and tried to wake him. 

             
"You can help him Trinny." Trinny could see that the Nixie was next to her now but she couldn't take her eyes off Aarion, she knew she was losing him.

             
"How can I help?" She asked in desperation.

             
"You have the gift of healing, just believe Trinny. Believe."  Trinny knew in her heart what the Nixie was saying was true; she had healed herself without trying, so all she had to do for Aarion was try. She closed her eyes, she held the pendant in one hand and placed her other hand over Aarion’s deep wound. 

             
"Please." She whispered. "Please heal him." It was more of a prayer than anything else, but her whole heart was in every word. The ground beneath Aarion rippled and the dark mire crept up over his form like it was taking hold of him and burying him under its surface. The mass of earth continually moved over his body in swirls. Trinny could feel the life of the mire moving around her hand that rested on Aarion’s stomach, and then slowly the soil moved back to the ground from where it came. Trinny opened her eyes and could see Aarion breathing normally; she lifted her hand to see the deep cuts were gone. His eyes opened and he slowly sat up looking down at his body, he turned to Trinny.

             
"You saved me!"

             
"Nothing you wouldn't have done for me." She smiled, relief showing on her face. He could see her eyes were red and her cheeks were tear stained.

             
"Thank you." Aarion's eyes were locked on Trinny, she saw clearly he was grateful, but there was something else there, she wasn't sure what it was. He touched her cheek gently. "Your eyes Trinny, they're golden."

             
"She's growing more powerful, it's a sign that her elemental abilities are evolving." Aarion looked up to see the
Nixie standing over the two of them, his mouth dropped open. Seeing the surprise on Aarion’s face, Trinny turned to look at her.

             
"Mum?"

             
"Did you hear that?" Emma said to Morthos, who was in deep conversation with the Elves. 

             
"What?" He asked looking back at her. 

             
"I was sure I heard Trinny's voice yelling out Aarion’s name."  Morthos and Garus ran through the old wooden doors of the Sanctuary, Emma followed behind as they went into the Willow Grove. After only a minute they stopped frozen where they stood, Emma came up along side Garus. She looked to where they stared, there was Trinny, kneeling next to a huge swirling mass of what looked like dirt, and her hand was in the middle of it. The Nixie Queen from the pond was standing along side Trinny. After only a moment the dark earth crept back into the ground and Emma could see Aarion,
was he okay?
She thought. Relief flooded her as she watched him sit up. She gazed as Aarion touched Trinny’s face so tenderly.

             
"Oh, I see what you mean now." Garus said softly to Emma, referring to the affectionate moment. As Trinny turned to the tall red headed woman behind her, Emma saw that it wasn't the Nixie Queen; it was Lucille Gaia, Trinny’s mum. Emma couldn't contain herself any longer and ran toward Trinny, throwing herself at her friend and wrapping her arms around her. 

             
"I was so worried about you, I'm so happy you're safe." Trinny’s shock turned to relief at the sight of her friend and she hugged back as hard as she could. Emma looked up
at Lucille. "Mrs. Gaia, what are you doing here, and why are you all silvery?" Trinny looked at her mum.

             
"I was just about to ask her the same question."  

             
"Girls, lets get you all safely into the Sanctuary, then I can explain myself." Lucille held out her hand to Trinny, she took her mothers hand and pulled herself up, then threw her arms around her mum and began to sob. She had longed for her mother so many times over the past few days, she had even wondered if she would ever see her again, the fear, pain and joy all came together. Trinny had tried so hard to be brave in the times of terror, and strong in moments of uncertainty through this journey, but now she couldn't hold her emotions back. Lucille held her daughter for a long moment, and then led her past the dumbstruck Garus and Morthos, and on to the old stone building that was nestled along side a huge river.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

'If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.'- Thich Nhat Hanh