The Turquoise Queen by Pedro Urvi (animal farm read TXT) 📕

to death: all of them. Perhaps she would have pity on them, because there was no real reason for her to kill them. Unfortunately, the Turquoise Queen did not need any reason to put her will into practice.

“You have entered my realm without my permission. A mage and six warriors. You represent a danger to my people. I can’t let you leave this place.”

Lasgol knew that they were finished, and the worst of all was that they were unable to defend themselves, imprisoned as they were within the barrier of water. The Queen could put an end to their existence in a moment.

Suddenly something totally unexpected happened. The barriers of water which surrounded them dissolved, and the water fell back to the ground. Lasgol thought that the Turquoise Queen was setting them free, but that made no sense, not after what she had just said. He saw her eyes widening and her face twisting in surprise and annoyance. This was not something she had done herself. She waved her arms and murmured something once again, repeating the spell which had imprisoned them. There was a blue flash around the six of them, which vanished in a single moment.

The Queen threw her head back in astonishment and stood up in the water beneath her throne. Her eyes glinted.

“Who has stopped my spell?”

Then Lasgol understood what was happening. It was Camu! He had neutralized the Queen’s spells!

He glanced at Astrid to see whether she was all right, and she nodded. Luckily none of the rest of the team had touched the water. Gerd gave a loud snort of relief, letting out all the air of his lungs. Nilsa’s expression was furious, and her fists were clenched. Ingrid and Viggo exchanged a look and a tense gesture.

“Now!” Ingrid ordered, and with a lightning move she nocked Punisher.

Viggo and Astrid reached for their long knives and prepared to attack the guards who were racing toward them. Nilsa and Gerd reached for their own bows with rapid movements and aimed at the Queen and the Shamans behind them.

Camu, Ona, alert! Lasgol called as he too nocked his bow.

I protect from Queen magic.

Good. Stay close, so you can keep us within your area of influence.

I with you, Camu transmitted, and Lasgol felt him brush against his leg.

Good! Cover us.

The Shamans of the Sea of the Turquoise Queen now cast a spell, and from the water around the Queen emerged six threatening-looking creatures. They were sea serpents with enormous jaws, formed of turquoise water, the size of two Norghanians, each looking more ferocious than the other. They reared up to protect the Queen and attack the team.

The guards hurled themselves on Viggo, and Astrid rushed to help him with an impressive summersault. Ingrid launched an arrow at the Queen, aiming at her heart. In response Uragh moved her hand, and a bubble of turquoise water surrounded her completely. The arrow disintegrated on contact with it. Gerd and Nilsa launched arrows against the horrifying serpents, but the arrows too disintegrated as they touched their bodies.

“The arrows don’t have any effect on them!” Gerd shouted as he reached for his knife and axe to fight a serpent which was nearly on him.

Lasgol aimed at Arrain, who at that moment was finishing casting a spell. A colossal crab made of turquoise water reared up in front of him. Lasgol’s arrow hit the crab, but like the others it fell to the ground, shattered. The crab opened and closed a pair of huge bloodcurdling pincers and made for Lasgol.

Eicewald sent an icy wave against the guards, who were left with half their bodies frozen, unable to move forward or attack.

“Withdraw!” Lasgol shouted. He took two steps back, with Ona at his side.

Ingrid took her cue. “We move back!” she ordered, and the six of them quickly went to stand beside Lasgol.

“Eicewald, you too!” Lasgol shouted.

The Mage cast a spell against Arrain, who protected himself from the frozen bolt with a bubble of water. Eicewald then stepped back to join the others.

The sea serpents hurled themselves at them, and though they fought back, it had no effect.

“We’re lost!” Gerd shouted.

One of the serpents tried to bite his head, but there came a blue flash and it disintegrated, leaving Gerd staring in disbelief. The remaining serpents hurled themselves at them, but one after the other, as soon as they reached them, they disintegrated as the first one had done.

“What on earth is happening?” Ingrid yelled.

“It’s Camu,” Lasgol explained. “He’s nullifying the magic and protecting us. All of you, stay close to me, because his area of influence isn’t very wide.”

Arrain and the Shamans began to conjure once again, but Uragh raised her right hand. “Stop, all of you,” she ordered. “Don’t attack them.”

The Shamans stopped their spell, and the guards stepped back. Meanwhile the team watched them alertly, ready for whatever might happen next.

“Who is this who is negating my magic?” Uragh asked, her eyes half-closed. “I know it’s not you, Eicewald, you don’t have that kind of power. Is there another mage among you?”

Nobody said anything.

“You’d better tell me. You might be able to protect yourselves from our magic, but I doubt whether it would be for long. And in any case, I can call another hundred warriors, and then that protection would be no use to you.”

Ingrid looked at Lasgol, and he knew that she was leaving things to him. He thought about it, and knew the Queen was right. Camu would not be able to keep his protection active forever, and if those hundred warriors appeared … there was no way they could fend off so many. The best thing would be to try to negotiate.

“I can explain it,” he said to the Queen.

Uragh was staring fixedly at him. “What is your name?”