Metanoia (13 page)

“
It was ripped from her
neck when he used the spell,” Fheyrhil shared.

“
She was never herself
without it.” He turned to Fheyrhil. “We’re going to get her back.
We need to start planning right now.”

Gina woke arms tied to a
metal rod against a cold stone wall. Her whole body felt weak.
Glancing at herself, she saw someone had changed her clothes. Now,
Gina wore a black satin dress with a sheer black robe which red
ribbon swirled all the way up on. Sudden panic swept over her. She
struggled to free herself, but even the littlest movement wore her
out. She couldn’t remember how she had become so weak but knew it
put her in great danger now. The more she thought of it, the more
the word
spell
entered her head. The thought terrified her. She tried once
again to untie herself.

“
You won’t be able to untie
it,” a harsh voice suddenly said. Gina snapped up to see the Übel
who had spoken the spell. “Beshrar!” he said causing him to
magically transform himself from an Übel into a stunningly handsome
man. Truly, he was one of the most stunning men she had ever seen,
but the sight repulsed her. With one glance she had remembered who
this was.

“
Noquef.”

“
Good to see you too,
darling. You are looking more beautiful than ever,” he replied,
smiling.

“
Don’t even
start.”

“
A little harsh are we? My
love, gone so long and no hello kiss?”

“
Like I would ever kiss
you! You don’t know what love is – only hate, suffering, and evil,”
she snapped.

“
Evil
!? The world is full of
evilness. Everyone has hatred in them. How do you expect to win a
fight if you don’t hate your opponent? Hatred is an ally – give
into it, and you are undefeatable,” he replied.

“
That’s not
true!”

“
Oh, it’s not, is it? You
hated the Vice didn’t you?” An image of a man sneaking away from
the Übel fight in the Vice’s castle came to Gina’s mind.

“
You! It was you in the
castle!” Noquef ignored her.

“
Hated him for taking you
away from your life, hated him for tearing you away from that joke
of a fiancé. You hated jumping from house to house, family to
family. And me – you hated me.” Gina couldn’t bear to look in his
eyes. How could Noquef make sense of something as sadistic as this?
He continued, seeing her defeat. “And I hated you for not loving
me. I hated myself for not winning your love. There’s only one I
hate more than the two of us – Leyance.”

“
Why, because he’s not a
killer like you?!” she yelled. This enraged him, and he leaped at
her, pinning her head against the wall. She struggled against him,
but his rough hands grasped her wrists tightly, pushing her
back.

“
You’d do well to remember
to watch your attitude. It’ll be easier for you to go along with
what is requested of you.”

“
And why should I?” she
replied angrily.

“
Have you forgotten
already? Your one weakness? You sway just a little, and I will use
it again.” Evil shimmered from his eyes as a slight grin formed on
his face.

“
If you ‘love’ me so much,
then why do you want to hurt me?”

“
Oh, I alone am not the
only one who causes pain. You are a warrior. Your sword has ended
the lives of countless individuals. They all had family and friends
no doubt. What makes the pain you caused them any different from
the pain I’m causing you?”

“
I’m nothing like you, and
I’d die before I would stoop to your level.”

He chuckled at this comment. “Now that’s
quite a coincidence. For, I have quite an offer for you.” He leaned
in causing Gina to feel his breath as he spoke. Ultimate disgust
sweep through her.

“
You were
supposed to be mine until that
boy
came and ‘captured your heart.’ Well who’s
‘captured’ you now? You’re all alone here, my little princess. You
can’t fight me. All I have to do is say a simple spell, and you’re
out cold. Quite an advantage for me, isn’t it?” Gina squirmed. “So
here’s the proposition – become mine, my wife, and nothing will
happen to you. The spell? – I’ll forget I ever knew it. The Übels
will give you no more problems. They’ve accepted me as their new
leader, and, if they lose their manners, they’ll simply lose their
head as well. On the other hand, reject my offer, and I’m afraid
that there will be some major punishments. Now, you know me. You
know I don’t give up easily. I’m insanely persistent: I was when
finding your weakness just as I am at making you my wife. So, your
punishment I’m afraid – will be a little torture. I do believe that
a more mutilated, harmed, spoiled, mangled little shadow of your
former self will open up to her hatred side a little easier. And,
once you have, there will be no stopping my plans for
us.”

“
You’re
sick. I’m not yours, I’m no one’s! I’m not an object to be
obtained. And I’d never, ever – not in a million years
ever
consent to be your
wife! Why would anyone want to spend a life with
you
?! If women married
you, the suicide rate would be off the charts!” Noquef’s rage was
quick and violent causing him to grab his knife from its sheath.
This he held up in front of her face so close that her heavy
breathing fogged up its perfect shine.

“
I thought I told you to
mind your manners,” he said through gritted teeth.

“
Go ahead! Use the spell!
But you won’t because you are a coward!” With that he took the
knife and sliced her flawless cheek. Her scream pierced the night
as the excruciating pain kissed her cheek.

“
You will become mine or
die. There is no escaping your fate,” he stated, grinning. He
lowered his lips to her cheek and kissed her bleeding cut. “Coward
am I? No, I don’t think so. You see I was simply debating whether
to use the spell or slash through that beautiful flesh.”

Jacinda, Calypso, and Alvina ran through the
streets of Nythagié in search of Leyance. After awhile they saw him
hurrying down the main steps towards the gate.

“
Leyance!” they shouted in
unison. He swung around to see them run up to him dressed ready for
battle. He immediately guessed their purpose.

“
No,” he declared, “you
three are not coming with me.”

“
There is no way we aren’t
going to go help our friend in her time of need!” Alvina argued.
“We love Gina, and we are going to do all we can to help
her.”

“
You aren’t trained for
something like this,” Leyance stated.

“
Try us. We’re going
whether you like it or not,” Jacinda stated.

“
And there is no way we are
leaving her with that monster, so we’re coming - end of story,”
Calypso finished.

“
No, and that is my final
word.” Leyance turned, starting to walk away, but the girls knew
what to do. With one swift leap, Calypso grabbed his arm, twisted
it and pushed him down, hooking his leg. Leyance went down quickly
as Alvina leaped forward, drawing her sword. This she held to his
chin. Jacinda came up in between the two.

“
We’re going, even if we
have to force you to let us,” she stated flatly.

“
I won’t win this one then,
huh?” Leyance asked, seeing their stubbornness. “Fine, we’re
leaving in ten minutes. I’m not waiting for you.” With that, he got
to his feet. “And that hurt, Calypso.”

“
Sorry, but you needed
it.”

“
Yeah, yeah.” Leyance
turned and quickly disappeared down the path.

“
Alright, ladies,” Calypso
said turning to address the girls. “We’re getting Gina out, no
matter the cost.”

Gina still lay attached to the wall when
Noquef walked in with food on a shard of metal. Gina glanced at him
and then looked away, turning her cut and still bleeding cheek away
from him.

“
Get out,” she
snarled.

“
You know, I thought I
taught you a lesson about your attitude. Do you need another one?
Besides, I brought food.” He held the plate in front of her face,
but she refused to look at it.

“
I don’t want anything you
have to give. Besides, you probably put a spell on it or poisoned
it.”

“
And what do you plan to
do? Starve yourself? Nonsense, you must be healthy and reasonably
strong before you’re broken.”

“
I’ll never be broken. It
doesn’t matter how long you torture me. The power of love in my
people keeps me strong and with that I can…”

“
And what happens when your
love – the love that your city feeds on, survives on, is gone?
Seems to me that whatever happens to you will eventually happen to
your city and vice-versa, wouldn’t you say? And the glory of it all
– you will be the one to destroy your own city. I love
it.”

“
It won’t happen,” she
stated.

“
Oh, I see, still waiting
for Prince Charming to come rescue you?”

“
I’m plenty capable of
rescuing myself!”

“
Except when there is the
smallest of spells against you. It’s quite an entertaining thought,
isn’t it? You can defeat one of the greatest powers in the world,
but one little spell can destroy you. So, looks like you won’t be
getting yourself out, and, even if your little friends try to come,
they’ll be too late. Tomorrow night, all will assemble to watch you
writhing in pain. Sweet dreams.” He smiled and walked out leaving
the plate of food next to Gina. “That’s raw meat, by the way.
Enjoy.” The second the heavy metal door closed and locked, Gina
swung her legs up and over, grabbing the shard of metal serving as
a plate with her foot and swung her foot to her tied hand. She cut
the rope carefully and freed her hands. She jumped up and went to
the door. It was locked and Gina could find no way to open it. She
ran to the window but only to find that there were bars on it. She
spun around the room in search of another way out. When no chance
of escape presented itself, she sunk to the floor defeated, tears
streaming down her face.

The next morning Noquef emerged in Gina’s
wretched cell only to find her still slumped on the ground beneath
the window. He smiled a menacing grin as he approached her.

“
There is no way out,” he
said. “Hoping and dreaming won’t get you anywhere.”

“
Drop dead,” was her
reply.

“
Still a little hostile,
are we?” Grinning, he reached out to stroke the cut on her cheek.
She quickly jerked away.

“
Let me
get one thing straight – no matter how much you hurt me, no matter
how many locks you put on me, I will
never
care for you. And I will get
out – mark my words, I will.”

“
You’re right – you will.
I’m taking you out at just before sunset,” he told her. “Out to
that beautiful cliff where all my people will be entertained by
your end. This evening the Gina we know now will die, and a more
powerful Gina will be born.” She turned to face him, rebellion on
her face.

“
And what makes you so sure
that it will work? What makes you so sure that I will become evil
because of torture?”

“
Many before you
experienced the same fate. There was never one that left who was
pure and good. Only pure evil –that is what is really good. What
you people call evil is what controls us, rules us, even you and
your kind. Besides, I discovered the one true spell to use against
you; why are you so assured that I do not know others just as
powerful? I’ll be back before sunset.” With that, he walked out.
The sound of the door closing echoed in Gina’s empty
heart.

Leyance, the girls, and many other Nythagién
warriors tracked the path plowed out by the Übels days before. They
had been doing so for a day now. Leyance had hoped that Jacinda,
Alvina, and Calypso wouldn’t have come, yet here they were, riding
alongside him, armed for battle. He listened to their
conversation.

“
We’re running out of time.
I can feel it; she’s getting weaker and weaker,” Calypso pointed
out.

“
I feel it too,” Alvina
agreed. “Her fire seems to be burning out.” Leyance’s heart sunk.
He had hoped that he was the only one sensing that, perhaps then it
wasn’t true. Yet, it was. He turned to the girls.

“
It’s not over yet,” he
stated. “We’ll get her out or die trying. I, at least, am prepared
for that.”

“
We are too,” Jacinda said.
Leyance rode his horse a little further and turned back to face the
company.

“
We must
hurry, time is against us,” he yelled for all of them to hear. “We
will have to break into groups, approaching from all sides – we
must get Regina back. Listen up! Here’s the plan.” With that, he
delivered his preparations to get Gina back, the plan he
hoped
would get Gina
back.

The wait for sunset drove Gina crazy. The
loneliness, the starvation, the cold – none of it fazed her a bit.
But the waiting - that she could not take. Finally the moment she
waited for in apprehension came. Noquef entered. Without a word, he
walked straight towards her, grabbed hold of her, and dragged her
out of the cell. Three guards waited for her outside. She knew it
was now or never. Swiftly, she swung herself out of Noquef’s grasp
and hit him as hard as she could across the face and ran. The
guards were close on her tail as she ran down the cold stone
corridor.