Misunderstood Destinies

Layla kept struggling to form the sphere in her hands again. "I've gone over my limit. It's... It's becoming almost too much to handle right now." She said to herself, "Channel it... I've got to channel every bit of energy into this last strike if I can get it to work."

It was obvious that it was strain on her. She hadn't used that same power since Jargos had last been possessed by the Mages, but she'd have to train herself in one night to use it if she was to use it against Ramona.

Jargos had an idea when he heard her speak to herself. He got up and sat down in front of her.


"Can thou take energy from me to keep practicing?"

"The energy that I'm speaking of..." she said as she struggled to speak, trying to keep the sphere contained, "... is natural body energy. It doesn't necessarily work the way transferring powers do."

"I understand, but can thou take my body energy? I am full of it, and thou art in need"

"There's no possible way that I've ever been taught. My mother would know, but I never finished my medical research." Layla finally was able to keep the sphere under some control. "Jargos, you have to move." She was already panting from the struggle. "I've got to finish this off while I've got it under control."

Before she finished telling him to move, he had vanished and reappeared several feet away

Layla instantly dashed off to a tree on the other side of the field. "This is it...!" She pulled her hand forward. "Release!" The sphere exploded as it collided with the tree and forced it to collapse under the high pressure. Layla was immediately thrown backwards even with the struggle to stay on the ground.

Jargos walked over to her and offered a hand to help her up. He was more than impressed with her power

Layla accepted Jargos' hand, though she felt she was on the verge to fainting. Standing up, she summoned her staff to her side for support. "That takes so much raw power that it's ridiculous. And that took every bit I had." Her skin had turned a tad pale in the blast, but she was still standing in the end.

Jargos nodded, then led her back to the tree she was sleeping against. It was close to the fire and the food

"We should get back to Balthazar. It's crucial we stay together while on the mountain."

"Aye, but thou art in need of rest. I'll move him here" He told her. He nodded to the wolf to keep her safe, then went back to get Balthozar

Layla watched Jargos walk off, then sat back against the tree. She soon fell asleep from her exhaustion. Her skin color soon returned to normal.

Balthozar saw Jargos coming and said nothing, but he looked nervous. Jargos could smell more Warriors and Guards. He knew they were about to strike. He whistled a specific tune at high frequncy, then made his way over to Balthozar. He said nothing and packed his things. He simply pointed in the direction of Layla and made him start walking. It was dark out now, and Jargos watched the fire begin to fade as his ears picked up rustling in the trees and bushes

Layla continued to sleep with ease. Her power was slowly returning.

Jargos let himself be surrounded, he was in no way intimidated by them. Finally, they all came out from their hiding places. He grinned


"Thou has no fear darkness, Aye?"

He used his fire magic to put out the fire, and as they re-illuminated the area with their magic, he was gone. They looked around frantically for him, but to no avail . . . until they heard a scream from one of their own and saw streaks of white flash past them. After a moment, a body dropped from the trees, and another scream and more streaks. He was toying with them

Layla faintly heard the sound of a scream but was too tired to pay much mind to it. She started dreaming of the visit to Zeiza they'd make the next day.

This toying continued until there were only three left. Jargos decided to do something risky, but did it any way. He dropped down in between the three, then jumped back up as their magic attacks crashed into one another. He grinned as he began to shift back, then head to the second camp

Layla continued to dream.

--

"Ramona, I know your identity. Face it. You're nothing but a liar and a coward."

"Child, I have more power than you do. Why don't you just go run and hide?"

"Because I have no reason to be afraid."

In rage, the two began combat that seemed to last forever in the dream.

Jargos arrived and saw that Balthozar had arrived safely, and his call was heard. There were bears and wolf everywhere around the camp. Jargos saw Layla was dreaming but didn't wake her. She needed rest

Layla's dream had started turning into a nightmare as the fight continued.

She was briefly caught off guard as Ramona made a swift kick, knocking her out the door. Ramona followed outside. Layla proceeded to hit Ramona until a red glow surrounded her hands. Every hit Layla planned to make was anticipated and reflected against her. Thrown back into a tree, vines suddenly wrapped around her.

"I'll get that power out of you one way or another. Forcibly or not."

Jargos wanted to wake her, but knew she had to save herself from her nightmare

Layla suddenly tried to find some way to escape from the prison she was trapped in at the moment. Looking around, she tried every way possible to find herself a way out. Then she had an idea. Glancing up at the sky, it was as if the sky was blue with no sun.

She knew it.

"--And once you take this, your power is mine."

"Sorry to ruin your day, Ramona, but this isn't real. None of this. Meaning? I can do this." At the moment of the thought, she phased through the vines. "This is my dream. And now? I choose to wake up from it. I control it. And now, I bid you farewell." Upon her final words, everything faded to black.

Jargos grinned a bit, then relaxed against a tree and ate some more

When the nightmare had ended, Layla rested peacefully throughout the rest of the evening.