Chapter Four: Second Metamorphosis
Timat walked down the corridor looking at her hands briefly. "Ugh." Then she sighed, putting them out of her mind for the moment. Her stomach growled. "I'm hungry, wonder how long I've been in that book." She grinned to herself at a sudden thought. "Derra? Cooking? I wonder if there is anything left of the kitchen, or Aurous for that matter!"
Looking back down the corridor, she realized she had gotten some distance in front of the others. She then stopped, waiting for them and thinking to herself. What was it that made this seem odd? Was it the fact that this time it wasn't Simon that had saved her, but that is was someone else? About this time the others were walking alongside her, and she stepped into their cadence, smiling.
The cavern they entered was large, and Timat found it cozy. Smiling slightly, she momentarily forgot her troubles, and looked around. There was a table near the center of the room; it was set up for three people. Spotting Derra at the center of the table, she frowned briefly and turned to see Aurous, who was standing next to Derra. Timat brushed a few strands of her long, bluish hair out of her eyes, crossed her arms, and turned toward Simon and Ariana.
At last Derra looked up. “Hey you three! Simon told me to take from his stores of human-type food for this, so it should be edible.”
Timat looked across at Ariana, remembering how hungry she seemed. Then she gestured to Derra and the table. “Well shall we?” The three of them approach, and examine what is set out before them.
Simon groans as he looks at the plates. “Eggs, ham, bacon . . . fresh bread . . . what's this? Wine? Derra, That was the last bottle! I was saving that.”
Trying not to laugh, Timat glanced over at Ariana and grinned, before going back to her bemused watching of Simon and Derra.
“Aww, Simon. I brought it for the visitors, not you.”
Ariana pulled out a chair and looked at Derra, “It was a nice gesture.”
Derra smiled at Ariana’s compliment, “Oh and don’t break the chair.” The little dragoness laughed, launching herself into the air. “I have to get going. Dreamspinner wanted me for some reason.” Then she blinked out of sight, leaving Timat wondering why she seemed more polite than usual.
Aurous looked from Timat to Ariana, then to Simon. “Do you mind if I go practice?”
Simon looked over. “No go ahead. Remember that it’s all in how you say it.” Aurous nodded and left the room, leaving the three of them alone. It seemed quieter to Timat, and she grinned as she pulled out a chair.
“Oh no” Timat glanced up as Ariana mumbled to herself. She seemed to be having trouble sitting in the chair, and Timat smirked slightly. Simon appeared to be unaware of Ariana’s distress, or politely ignoring it.
Timat began to sit but found her wings were getting in the way. As she was caught up in her own dilemma, she forgot about Ariana and hers. Eventually she found herself sitting with unfolded wings hanging loosely to the side, and tail wrapped around her feet and legs several times under the table.
Ariana started to eat as soon as she was also settled. She’s sitting a little odd, Timat thought, but that figures. She isn’t exactly your ordinary human either.
Simon looked at them once they were settled, apparently waiting for something. As it seemed Ariana wasn’t going to talk, he cleared his throat and spoke. “Well, you two might want to introduce yourselves better now, before Derra returns."
Timat nodded “Oh. Yeah, Kereminde.” She turned to talk to Ariana, but Ariana beat her to talking.
“Let me start by saying I am sorry about what I said earlier. It was rude and I did not mean it. Please dear lady forgive me.” Ariana said this in almost one breath, then continued. “I am Ariana. A friend of Simon’s, and I released you from the book.”
Timat chuckled to herself. “It’s okay, I’ve had much worse said about me.”
“’Sword Eater’?” Simon asked lightly.
Timat shot Simon a mock glare. “Watch it Kereminde.” As if she needed him messing with what she was saying! She turned back to Ariana. “I’m Timat Dragoner,” She starts to offer her hand, but seeing her clawed forearm quickly made her decide not to shake hands. “Nice to meet you.”
“I am afraid of these changes. I do not know where they take me. I am sorry again about what I said.” Ariana paused, then went on. “How did you come by the book, Timat? Did the book speak to you?” Simon looked up at that.
Now why is he so alert? It’s like he was surprised, Timat mused to herself. “Well, I started reading it, but I didn’t finish. Yes, it spoke to me. I drew in the book’s power, but stopped before I was finished . . . I think Kereminde wanted it back.” She looked at her arms almost reflexively. “Then I started to change forms. Later, when I tried to finish reading, I was drawn into the book.”
“It occurred to me that if both of you were able to read the book, unlike many others, that there must be a connection,” Simon paused. “Perhaps it's the Gift, Timat.”
"Well I drew in the Book's power, but stoped before I was finished." She paused. "I think Kereminde wanted it back. Then I started to change, later when I tried to finish I was drawn into the book." She took a mouthful of food and chewed thoughtfully. Almost exactly after she finished speaking, Derra reappeared in midair, looking upset "SIMON!" She spiraled down to land onto the table. "They exiled him! They exiled Dreamspinner!" "What?!" Both women exploded at once. "Who would and why would they do such a thing?" Ariana asked, dropping her fork. Derra looked at Timat, then at Ariana. "This can't wait . . . Gevillan started his usual tirade about the Academy and how Dreamspinner controls everything on the Island . . . then he called for a vote. Before he could, Dreamspinner gave him the Crystal." Simon nodded, then stopped suddenly. "Er, what?" Timat spoke up. "But I thought he controled this Island?" Derra looked at Timat, frowning "He could, but he refuses to, choosing instead to leave it to the Clans Council. With all the young ones leaving old clans and forming new . . .it was never a chance with a vote. "Crystal...?" Ariana still was confused, looking from Simon to Derra. Derra shifted from foot to foot. "So instead, he let Gevillan test his intentions with the Crystal. THE source of his power . . . he took a gamble and lost. Gevillan developed the Gift, and drew as much as he could from the Crystal. Then the Gatekeeper appeared . . .Something removed Tilithanth, sending her away!" Ariana looked at Simon, uneasy. "What does this mean? What's going to happen now?" Simon shook his head "Nothing good, Ari. Nothing good." Timat nodded and spoke to Ariana distractedly. "That crystal . . . it has to deal with Gifted people. It's what gives then their power." She turned to Derra. "I don't see why he would give it to someone trying to exile him." Simon looked at Timat. "The Crystal destroys those who try to abuse it, by destroying their minds and bodies. A slow destruction, but there nonetheless. Without an honorable cause, they are destroyed." Derra nodded to Simon, apparently not hearing Timat. "He's as powerful as Dreamspinner, and nearly twice as large right now. He's also embedded the Crystal in his head."Derra laughed shortly. "Gevillan has an honorable cause, but he.s using all the wrong methods. The Crystal, though. . it doesn't differentiate between them!" Timat stood in shock. "Twice as large?" "What's going to happen if he isn't stopped? Dreamspinner is powerless now isn't he? I don't like the way this is going. How is Dreamspinner going to get the Crystal back?" Ariana was beginning to look worried and scared. "What about us?" Derra shook her head violently. "He isn't, until Gevillan's gone, but there's another complication. Gevillan has the support of something powerful enough to subvert the Crystal. Whatever it is, it's at least as powerful as the Gatekeeper to draw HER away." Derra looked up, and sighed. "Dream wants me to go to him, so he can remove something from his storehouse. Be careful, Kereminde. Gevillan's going to 'purge' the Island." Simon looked at Timat. "You'd best go tell Toumas about this, or at least warn Maiya." Ariana frowned. "That does not sound good at all""I'll go" Timat spoke to Simon straiten up a little from her slouch before turning to Ariana. "Us. . . Why would something happen to us? I'm not of the Sethan clan, and neither are you. And you Blackie" She shot at Derra. "Purge of what?"
Simon looked up as Derra blinked out and scowling slightly Timat pushed a loose strand of hair out of face tucking it behind he ears.
"Timat, Ariana . . . it's not just the Sethan clan. The roots go into other clans, and Ilth is included in that. If Maiya was with him, that also includes you, Timat" He pushed his plate away and looked up. "We'd best figure out what the last thing you need to do is, shouldn't' we?" He sighed looking at Ariana.
"I suppose I should do what I need to. You think I am strong enough to help Simon?" Ariana hinted a frown then turned to Timat "US," she sighed and shifted a bit uncomfortably in her chair "Simon, you, and I. This Gevillan is sounding like other's I have heard. He most likely won't stop with who he is after." She paused chewing on her lip and flicked her glance to Simon, "I could be wrong."
Timat nodded thinking silently and slouched back in her chair frowning absently as she ran a claw down her freshly scaled forearms. "Kereminde...You said Dream lost the 'Gift' right?"
"That's what Derra said, yes." Simon said as he closed his eyes with a tired sigh.
Looking confused Ariana chimed in "Can he get it back?" She turned from Timat to Simon. "Dreamspinner I mean...Can he get his gift back?"
"Not without the Crystal. But you still have your magic don't you Ti?"
Timat nodded to Simon as she stood. "Yeah...but how come I lost it before? I mean I could use that book"
Simon looked up pondering. "It's farfetched, I know, but what if you didn't lose it because of the book?" Ariana retrieved the book and began to searching for a solution to their current problem as he continued "That book...I bet power from it, is almost like that of the crystal."
"But I didn't even finish drawing in all the power Simon…" Timat shook her head glanced and Ariana and the book. Pulling her wings close and arching them slightly over her shoulders she stood looking back across the cavern to the exit. "But I should go warn Maiya, we can figure the rest out later. I'll meet you both back here when I'm through." She nodding as a departing gesture, Ti started towards the large archway leading into the hall.
Ariana looked up from the book belatedly "Be well I hope you are safe" "Are you kidding?" She threw back over her shoulder, "I live for stuff like this, my life's never boring at least" Simon just shook his head as Timat's footsteps faded down the corridor.Walking out of the door, she looked around trying to remember where the exit was. She walked back down the long corridor. She thought to herself as she was leaving.
"If that book is what lets me keep my power, perhaps it is why I am only," she paused to search for words, "half, since I only drew in half of its power."
She peered in a door, saw it was filled with books, then continued to walk down the corridor. "Well if I'm going to get back to normal, I think that book is the key." Looking at her scaled arms and wings she frowned. "I'm going to have to find a way to get it back and draw the remainder of the power." She paused, to clear her mind. "That power, it seemed so, well, familiar."
She peeked into another room; she was back at the guest room. "The exit has to be around here somewhere." Walking back into the hall, she began to think aloud to herself again. "From the way it sounded, I doubt they would hand over that book voluntarily, but maybe if I just borrowed it." She sighed, then smiled. "For now I'll leave it alone. Ah! There it is!" Timat left her thoughts momentarily pushed aside as she noticed the door with the familiar glyph that marked it as a portal room. She walked in and rushed through a portal, smiling.
Still at the table, Ariana took the book in one hand and opened it, reading the next page. 'The last thing that must be done to attune the power to you entirely is that you must use it in a manner
that reflects your true heart. If the power is used falsely, then you will become the lie that you chose to use the power for.'After reading the page, she looked up to see Simon leaning forward with questions in his eyes. “It says I need to use it in a manner that reveals my true self.” After he nodded wordlessly, she continued. “My heart is still good . . . I feel it as so. If I use it to do something, and my heart isn't
true . . . then I am in trouble for sure.”“I see . . . so what does your heart say to do with this power? What shall we set out to use it for?”
She pondered the question, wondering. "My heart tells me to use it in a good and helping way." She looked at Simon, who was smiling.
"Shall we find a cause, then, to support with your powers and mine?"
She rose and moved toward Simon with a smile of her own. "Ready when you are."
He nodded. "Aurous should be safe here, and he can take care of himself these days . . . I hope he understands when he finds us gone." He started to speak, but was interrupted by a loud roar from the entrance cavern above.
Ariana held her stomach and grimaced. There was something familiar about it, something that stirred the power that she didn't trust herself to control.
"Gevillan." Simon said quietly, as a voice boomed down the passage. Ariana felt the power stirring still . . . why was this happening?
"WHOMEVER YOU ARE, COME HERE AND FACE GELLIVAN, LORD OF THE ISLE!"
Simon winced, not just from the noise, she thought. "A little bit of ego, don't you think?"
Ariana wondered, meanwhile, how this Gevillan found them so quickly. She looked at him and smiled. "I guess this is my opportunity. May the gods help us."
"Well, let's go then." He started up the passage, and she noticed a rod that glowing with blue and white light was now in his hand. When had it appeared? She searched her memory and couldn't recall him having it at all.
"I hope we know what we're doing." She followed Simon, gathering her thoughts. They entered a large cavern, which she recognized as the entrance. Inside the entrance was the head and neck of an enormous white dragon, far larger than any she had ever seen . . . larger than Dreamspinner.
The dragon smiled, and a purple crystal set between it's eyes flashed once. "Ah, trespassers . . . didn't you read the signs?" The dragon's eyes glittered. "Trespassers will be killed without delay." The dragon chuckled and began to take a deep breath.
Ariana stood in front of Simon and started to focus, glowing like before. Her eyes and hands emitted a white light, and she threw them in front of her. "Give us protection form his breath and shield us from harm."
The firey breath roared out, and the shield seemed to flash for a long moment, then the inferno passed. Gevillan looked confused, but didn't stop glaring at them.
"Who are you, human? You dare to challenge me?" The dragon glares, and the crystal in it's head begins to glow harshly. "You don't know whom you challenge, then."
Simon stood up, holding up the rod. The white light formed a circle around Ariana and him, and she felt it with her own power. It was a barrier against other magics, but she saw it as paper-thin. "Have something, Ariana?"
Ariana nodded and looked at the dragon, who was letting out a low rumble of protest. "I am not challenging anyone. I am protecting my friend and myself. On who's authority have you disrupted these inhabitants' homes? I think it is you who are trespassing. Please leave in peace. I wish no harm to anyone." She flexed her hands, and the glow moved to surround Simon as well. "I will hurt you if I must."
Then she murmured to Simon, "Where would be a good place to strike, when I have to?" She knew that she'd have to strike, because this dragon was clearly mad.
"Mortal fools . . . I have the authority given to me by the laws set down when the Isle was founded here." The dragon laughed. "The inhabitants here were ones who sought to play the protector for their own gain, and they have paid for it dearly." Then it looked at her carefully. "And YOU have no wish to harm ME?! Who do you think you are?"
As the dragon spoke, Simon murmured back to her. "I don't know. He's got the Spectrum Crystal there in his head. I don't know if anything will work . . . try whatever seems right, is what I suggest."
Ariana nodded slightly, and looked back at the dragon, who had just finished. Visibly, she made a ball of magic, pouring some of the power she had gathered into it. That laughter made her angry; did this dragon think her just another human, just a nobody?
With a warning to Simon, she turned the ball loose at the dragon's head, aiming at the crystal between his eyes. The dragon stopped laughing as the ball of energy began to fly, then let out a shriek as the ball of energy hit the crystal. An explosion of magic threw the ball aside at the last moment, before it struck.
"How dare you!" A blast of magic rocked the ground underneath them, and she was hard pressed to keep the magical shields intact. Power flowed in one hand and out the other, it seemed. "Hold on, Simon!" She moved a small amount of her energy to shield him as well, and worked to deflect the magical force away.
She stopped to look around afterwards, and she saw Simon sprawled nearby, rod clutched tightly. He wasn't moving. She turned back to face Gevillan, almost shouting. "Stop this at once! He is hurt; if you wish to fight we shall, but let me get Simon safe."
"My my, do you care for that one? Then you can watch him die." There was another intense blast of magic that crumpled the shared shield, and it threw Simon away. She noticed that the light around him was fading slowly. The energy used to shield Simon returned, adding to her shields..
The dragon watched him land hard on the ground and turned it's attention to Ariana with a superior smile. "Now, yield and I may show you mercy."
Ariana looked at Simon's unconscious body and felt a cold rage enter her mind and body. "No!"
The dragon laughed and pressed on further into the cavern, barely fitting through the entrance. "Who are you to defy me, little human?"
"I am Ariana." She felt herself grow warm as magic flooded her senses, coming easily to her hands.
"What does that mean to me?" The dragon said lazily.
Ariana raised her head, her eyes glowing a bright blue, fading into a reddish glow. "It is the name of the one that will destroy you." Her
voice became otherworldly and she felt herself buoyed with the power as she drew it out. She threw her hands out and a bolt of magic flew from her hands, a white-hot bolt of firey vengance that slammed into the dragon's chest, knocking it backwards out of the cavern.The dragon let out a gasp of astonishment. "You will pay, human, for this! A hundred times you will pay!"
"Try it, then," Ariana said coldly, "and see how weak you are to me."
She drew the magic out again and formed a spear out of it, burning brightly. "I can destroy you."
"No mortal human can destroy me! I am more powerful than you can concieve, 'Ariana'. I have power beyond what you know."
"You think so?" Ariana laughed, and fed the magic into the spear, causing it to pulse with the power within. "Would you care to see just
how powerful I am?" With a sarcastic smirk she threw the spear at a wall, watching as it shattered stone and caused a large crater in it.Gevillan glared at her, the crystal pulsing with light slowly. He felt fearful of this one, realizing she could indeed destroy him. "You're
lucky I have engagements elsewhere. I will return and destroy you."Ariana threw her hands out and chains of magic wrapped the dragon tightly, holding it down. "NO! You will listen to me."
"How dare you bind me. . . "
"Because I can!" Ariana smoothed her skirts and stepped forward, letting the magic make her voice louder. "Now listen!" The voice boomed as much as the dragon's had earlier. "You will leave this place and never, NEVER, return. Is that clear?"
"You . . . "
She waved a hand and the bonds tightened, cutting off the dragon's breath. "IS that clear?"
"Yes," the dragon gasped, "release me. And hope you we do not meet again."
"You had best hope that," Ariana said, stepping closer and pointing a finger at the dragon. "I do not want to waste myself on you. Now leave."
Gevillan thought to protest, in his pride, but thought better of it, remembering those magic shackles. He turned and left without another
word, launching himself into the air. Ariana let out a breath and turned around, stepping down from the rock the had been standing on. Then she saw Simon, sitting up and looking at her with a touch of fear and awe in his eyes. "Ari . . . you're changing," he whispered.She felt the changes coming and realized they felt different. Not as painful and horrible as before, but somehow better . . . it felt good.
She raised her face to the ceiling and smiled, embracing the changes and letting them tell her what her heart showed.Simon watched Ariana's change in awe, realizing that the choice had been made. He had seen her fight off Gevillan with what seemed a minimum of effort. "You're changing," he said again. Then he fell silent, watching the change. She began to grow taller, her clothes changing from crimson to a light blue. Her hair became a brighter red, and lengthened to fall just below her waist. He watched as she seemed to tower over him, then he watched as her arms and legs seemed to widen, or swell. He realized after a moment he was seeing muscles firming.
He then watched her open her eyes and look down and over at him, smiling. At that moment, he realized in a flash that she may never be the same again, but she also was in control of herself and the powers she had recieved. There was a certain serenity about her face that made him think of statues and stones. He at last found his voice, "You've gained control over that power?"
"I think I have. Things came easy for me; the changes were not painful like before." She looked down, apparently pleased with herself, or at least able to live with it.
"You look . . . marvelous." He meant it sincerely.
She unconciously looked down again. "I feel good. A bit big, but I feel the strength and power of my body. I never had that before."
He smiled. "I can understand why."
She smiled a little smile, an attempt at humor. "Anymore changes and I might not be able to go anywhere."
"I think you might have to channel much more power than you did now in order to influence a change." He thought for a moment, and made calculations. In fact, she might have to draw in nearly twice as much in one shot.
She said, still smiling, "But I did it . . . I made him back off. My heart wants to still protect and care for others. I do still do that." She smiled and tightened her hand into a fist. "That is good" She looked at herself a third time, smiling. "I'm a giant . . . but I suppose i need to be to house this power. I wonder if I still can move quick, or am I as slow as one." It was idle wondering, Simon figured.
He nodded, looking at last at he book that was laying at her feet. "I also think, with the right procedure, you can find where Dreamspinner went, and perhaps help him . . . " He remembered that there were spells that could locate people. "Is it in the book, maybe?"
She picked the book up, trying to be careful not to damage it. "Location spells . . . this might help. Yes, I believe it will." Then she scanned the page, and looked up. "It seems simple enough. Do you have something of his . . . Dreamspinner's?"
He reached into his tunic front for the necklace he wore. It was a blue dragon scale on a leather cord, with the Crescent Island symbol stamped on it magically. "Will this do?"
"Let's give it a try." She took the dragonscale from Simon, holding it and focusing her will. He felt a force gathering in the air, and looked around. There was a wavering in the air around Ariana, a gathering of forces that began to twist space. Then she exclaimed,"I see him! He's with another dragon . . . with gold and blue scales." She had her eyes closed, and seemed to be focusing hard on the scene. "It's almost as if I was there . . want me to see if I can bring them here?"
"Dreamer or Spinner . . ." Simon frowned. He hadn't thought those two would be around. "No, try to go there . . . wait, take my hand!" He shouted as he saw her concentrate. She grabbed his hand in a bone-crushing grip and he bit his lip to keep from letting out a cry of pain. There was a gust of wind, darkness, nad then he was standing on rock again. He shook his hand as she released it and mumbled something to himself. He looked around and took note of everyone there.
Dreamer and Dreamspinner were standing near Ariana, and Ariana was on eye level with Dreamer. Off to one side behind them, stood a large box or crate that was almost as large as the dragon himself. Dreamer shook her head and backed up, eyes locked on Ariana. "I didn't think humans came in that size." Dreamspinner chuckled, and his eyes glittered thoughtfully.
Then the blue dragon smiled at Ariana. "Are you the same human I talked with not three days ago?" He held his foreclaw off the ground a little, but Ariana must have missed that small motion, as she was looking at Dreamer.
"I am." Then she looked at Dreamer and smiled. "I didn't use to be this big."
"Consider yourself lucky then." The dragoness turned away, trying to salvage a little bit of pride. Simon walked past Ariana and sat on a rock next to Dreamspinner.
The blue dragon looked down at him. "Simon, Derra told you about the situation, right?"
"Right. We saw it first-hand too." He nodded to Ariana. She spoke just a half second before he finished, "We met the problem." Then she smiled at Simon apologetically, with a small shrug.
The dragon turned his head to look at her. "Really?" He sounded interested. "Are you injured?"
"No. I'm not sure about Simon, though. He was thrown rather badly. I had him . . ." She stopped, getting control of her anger.
Simon turned away, and poked Dreamer lightly, trying to get her attention."Tell me, what's with the box?" He pointed at the bulky container next to Dreamspinner.
"Things we couldn't live without, or we couldn't let Gevillan or anyone else have." The dragoness looked briefly at Ariana, still talking with Dreamspinner. "She doesn't seem like your usual . . . acquisitions."
He frowned. "What a odd way to put things, Dreamer. I prefer to call them 'friends'."
"Then how come they're all female?" She smiled at him.
Simon turned and glared at her. "You have too much time to think."
"You don't think enough." The dragoness looked back at Ariana, who was chuckling. "You also seem to shy away from making male friends."
"I don't enjoy their company as much," Simon glared at Dreamer, "or they don't enjoy mine."
"If this is indictative of what happens normally around you, I don't blame them. But never once have I met a friend of yours that wasn't a woman."
"There's Aurous and Ilth, not to mention your brother." Simon pointed out defensively.
"That's right." Dreamer looked over at a passage. "Speaking of Ilth, he's been here for a while."
"Here?"
"Yes they were with us at the meeting." The dragoness moved over to a passage. "They got more than they bargained for, those two."
Then Dreamspinner called out to Simon. "This incredible story is as she tells it, right?"
"More or less, yes." Simon called back. Then he turned back to Dreamer."And Maiya," he quietly asked.
About a few seconds later, a small dragoness came out of the passage behind Dreamer. "Did I hear someone say my name?" The dragoness was about a hundred feet long, light reflecting off her scales at all angles. She was followed by a dragon with deep red scales, about the same size.
The red dragon then noticed him. "Kereminde!" He turned and nudged the dragoness. "Maiya, it's Simon."
"Ilth, Maiya, it's good to see you two again!" Simon smiled and waved to them. "Have you seen your mother lately?" The two dragons seemed about to reply, when they looked to a side passage as a flash of light told them another portal had opened up.
Ariana looked up as another dragoness walked into the room, and changed into the strange woman she had freed from the book. She watched as Timat looked at herself and scowled. "I can't seem to become fully human anymore. This isn't good."
Simon shook his head, and saw Ariana's face. Ariana was pondering the situation, and she knew Simon was trying to guess her own thoughts. She looked down to see the book tucked under an arm to get it out of her hands, and put it in her hands with a thoughtful look.Looking at Timat, she wondered if she could help her. Absently, Ariana touched the page she had been reading. The book seemed to pulse at her touch, and after she felt that, she felt knowledge there that would help. She smiled and knew that she must help Timat, because she could. She let her eyes skim over Timat’s form and decided that she would at least try, at most succeed. After all, what could go wrong? She had helped Timat before, and it just felt right to help again.
“I think we could do it.” She finally spoke.
Timat gave her a puzzled look. Simon looked up from what he was doing and smiled to himself.
“What are you talking about Ariana?” Timat finally asked.
“I mean I can use my power to try and help you, Timat. I am willing and feel that I can bring you closer if not all the way back to normal for you. That is if you let me.” After giving her explanation she smiled to herself, and looked at Simon. He nodded imperceptibly, adding a small shrug.
"If you think you can." That was what he was most obviously saying.
"Do you think you could Ariana?" Timat asked, sounding hopeful that maybe she could.
"Well at least I could try. I did get you out of the book. I mean, what else could happen if I tried? You would not be any worse off than you are right now.” She said, taking a deep breath in preparation.
Simon gave a chuckle at her comment. Timat looked at Simon for any kind of support, and he smiled at her. “Timat go ahead, but she is right in a way. I see no harm in the attempt itself.”
Walking over to Timat, Ariana smiled and spoke to her. “May I? I won’t hurt you.”
Timat nodded and looked straight at Ariana. “Be my guest, friend.”
Ariana closed her eyes, focusing her power slowly. Her hands touched Timat’s stomach and back gently, as she remebered her strength now. As the power was focused, a white light glowed encompassing them both. The power flowed from her to Timat and both seem to disappear into a blue, almost white, colored glow.
When Ariana opened her eyes, all she could see was Timat standing in front of her. Everything seemed not important for her to worry about it not being there. She kept her hands on Timat and felt her peeling away layers of herself to find Timat's problem. With each strip uncovered, Timat seemed to move slightly as if in a little pain. Ariana tried to adjust the power stream so as not to hurt Timat.
A flash of red suddenly came out of the stream indicating a hit to the spot she was looking for. Ariana then shifted her focus to that one spot and probed it with her entire mind. She saw an inage of Timat struggling and stopped.
"It is alright Timat. I am there and can reach it. Just give me a bit more time and trust me."
Reaching the exact spot in Timat's body where the blockage seemed to be, Ariana cleared her mind letting the power flow from deep within her. She started to shake and could not control the stream any longer. The power of light and energy flowed recklessly into Timat stirring her body into fits of movement. A coldness drifted through Timat into Ariana.
Just as suddenly as they began, they seem to have stopped. Both women laying on the floor not moving. Timat seemed to wake up first and no one was able to tell exactly what transpired between them. Timat was shaken as she got up and stood lightly on her feet. Ariana only saw darkness.