Chapter XVII

Keesa








    There stood our past savior of Lynara. I never knew that Bondrum's shaman was... Rina's ghost.
   We all bowed down, the Fire Spirit standing next to Rina.
   "You mustn't bow to me, for I am long dead. Once I bring Ally alive again, you must bow to her, for she will defeat evil." Rina said, and we all stood straight.
   "Ah, Rina." The Fire Spirit said. "It has been long before we met again,"
   Rina nodded. "Yes. I was killed as I killed the shadow. But a part of it must've survived, from the looks of it." She turned to us, her dark blue hair wrapping around her yellow sun dress. "It is time to heal Ally."
   Rina took Ally's paw. She paused. "Because she was cursed by fire, healing her would grant her the ability to conjure up fire." We all nodded.
   Rina smiled, then whispered words that I couldn't understand. Then, Ally rose into the air, a red light coming from her, blinding all of us. It dimmed after what felt like an hour, and there lay Ally.

  Will






  Ally looked different somehow. Maybe more royal? I could only watch Ally laying on the ground, wearing a red sweater and maroon shorts. I grinned as Ally's eyes began to flutter open, showing her crystal blue eyes once again. She groaned as she stood up, but her face lit up as she saw all of us... and that she saw her skin again.
   "Hey!" Ally said, beginning to run toward us. But she winced, clutching her stomach, showing the wound she had obtained.
   Rina floated to Ally, and took out a bowl that was kept in her shawl. She picked a fire blossom and mashed it up with a rounded stick, then took out a pouch that was magical. She took out a bottle of boiling water, and added it in the bowl. Then, Rina took dried leaves and sprinkled them on top while saying murmured words. The water began to glow dimly, and Rina fed it to Ally.
   "This... tastes horrible." Ally grimaced. I saw that her wound had faded away.
   "Ah, but you feel better now. And aren't you ready to continue the battle with the greatest evil in Lynara?" The Fire Spirit asked, her eyes shining.
   Ally shrugged. "I guess."
   Rina took out Ally's sword, and laid it out in front of her. Ally took it willingly, then looked around to see where the shadow could pop out at any moment.
   "We'll help you," Keesa said, before the battle began.


  Ally






   I can't help but show off how better I was, now that I could do better blows and such. The shadow--Aku--seemed way more better than when I was a wolf. He fought more faster and agile, while I counterattacked his blows.
   "You make me laugh," Aku said in his creepy, warped voice. "When is your real strike?"
   I gritted my teeth. "Right about..."
   I jumped way up and drove my sword through his head, which had a feeling of stabbing extremely thick jell-o. Then, I lost grip of my sword and flew into the volcano's crater, just barely holding grip at the edge. I looked down and saw bright molten rock, while my feet were dangling. I tried to pull myself up, but I sensed the ground would get too crumbly from applied pressure.
   "Help!"
   The first person I saw was Keesa, followed by Will. Keesa took my left arm while Will took my right. They tried pulling me up, but a part of the seared ground began to shift, and we stayed in the same position.
   "Hang on, Ally!" Keesa told me, using her free hand to remove the ribbon in her hair and tie it around her thigh and around a sturdy rock. She stood up and began to pull with her arm and leg.
   Will turned around. "You better help us!"
   "I'm coming!" Said the boy who had used to be the leader of all Unbornes. But then, I heard a cry coming from him. Keesa finally hauled me up, and we saw the boy being thrown far by the shadow, and tumbling down until he used his hands to slow him down.
   "No!" I yelped.
   Aku only sneered at us, as if he thought that I was foolish. I wasn't.
   I threw myself at Aku, jabbing my sword into his heart. His face went pale. I jumped off, and turned on my heels.
   "Don't think it ends here!" Aku said, breathing heavily. "My blood will go over this land!"
    Then, Aku's eyes turned dull. I knew he was definitely dead, even though his eyes were still open.
   We all took a deep breath, one that was extremely quiet, just as a gentle breeze blew.