Ch. 3- Secrets and Spells

“Knock, knock.” Said Michael. “Ready yet?”

“Almost…” Replied Ashley.

Michael was leaning against the door to Ashley’s room. Tonight was their last night at the inn. They had spent two nights at the inn after they left Mt. Ravensnest. It was a cozy, little inn, in the far side of town. The inn was constructed in the normal fashion, rooms upstairs, tavern downstairs, interesting conversations floating about the rooms and corridors.

Ashley and Michael were in rooms twenty-one and twenty-two, right across the hall from each other. Every night before bed, Michael and Ashley would meet at the large table in Ashley’s room to discuss where they would go next. Tonight room to discuss where they would going to a small restaurant for supper.

“I can’t find it!” said Ashley.

“Can’t find what?” replied Michael.

“My bracelet.”

“The one your mother gave you?”

“Yes.”

“Oh Ash, let me take a look.”

Michael walked in and looked in the drawer where Ashley had been kept the bracelet. Upon closer investigation, he discovered a hole drilled through the wall and the back of the drawer, from the other room.

“I knew there was something shady about that guy next door.” Said Michael.

“Come on Mike. You said that about everyone here, even the innkeeper!” Replied Ashley, laughing.

“Well I was right about this guy.”

Michael kicked open the door to room twenty-three (the room where the thief was staying) to find that the thief has left earlier that day. The innkeeper was suspicious of the old man and told Michael and Ashley that Simon, the thief, was headed to the black smith’s shop, to get the gem in the bracelet removed.

“If we take the always we can get there before him.” Said Michael.

“But what if we run into thugs?” replied Ashley. “We don’t have time to deal with them.”

“If we run into any, I’ll be sure to give them a warm welcome.” Said Michael, as he sent flames leaping from his fingertips.

They ran through several cris-crossing allies (without any thugs, much to Michael’s disappointment) before they reached the smith’s shop. As soon as they arrived, they climbed up the wall, onto the roof for a good vantage point, and waited for Simon to arrive. The old man arrived about five minutes after Michael and Ashley. The two jumped off the roof, right in front of Simon and pulled out their swords.

“I believe that bracelet you have belongs to my friend here.” Said Michael as he shot fire at the ground.

“Oh really?” said Simon. “Well, I do believe it will be more useful to me. You see, I am going to harness the power inside this gem and use it to take care of a few things. Say, oh I don’t know, killing you for instance, you and many others. In fact, I plan to use this to take over this whole town! And I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way. You two will make a wonderful example.”

“I’d give that back if I were you.” Said Ashley.

“I’m not looking for trouble with you two.”

“Well you found it.”

As soon as Ashley said that, her hands began to glow a deep green color. Then she thrust out her hand and sent Simon fling through a wall.

“Give up the masquerade.” Said Ashley. “I know who you really are.”

“Smart girl,” said Simon. “Maybe a bit too smart to be kept alive much longer.”

Then Simon began to change. He lost the form of man and took on the form of a much younger, taller, and more powerful man, but not a human, something different, and much more evil.

“The power of the gem has freed me of this weak, human form. Now I can use it’s full power.”

Simon’s voice had changed as well; it took on a sinister, dark tone, but filled with devastating power. Now it was his move, he held out his hand as a bolt of lightning shot at Ashley. She simply held out her hand and absorbed the lightning and shot it back. While Simon was busy dodging lightning, Michaael sent streams of fire pouring at him, but it just washed right over him like he was protected by an invisible dome. When he appeared to weaken, both Michael and Ashley sent everything they had at him. The energy was so great that it caused an explosion that covered the entire block. Simon was knocked unconscious from the blast. Ashley walked up and took the bracelet and they walked off. Out of the corner of his eye, Michael saw Simon raise his hand, and before he know it, Michael was jumping in front of a bolt of lightning. He held out his hand, and the lightning went strait into his ring. He held out his hand and lightning flowed back out and hit Simon, and killed him.

“We wear very powerful jewelry, don’t we Ash?”

“We sure do Mike. We shouldn’t have trouble with thieves for quite a while.”

They did not know it yet, but thieves were the least of their problems.