A loud thud sounded as the end of Crowsbane's sword hit Lady Calypso on the head, knocking her to the ground in a heap of black cloth and blackish hair. With an evil laugh, Crowsbane dissapeared, calling out, "I'll be back for you later, Eric."
Poldara knelt down near Lady Calypso, putting her hand over her forehead, trying to heal her wounds, "Damn him," she muttered softly, her eyes a fiery green, "I'm not very good with internal wounds."
"Can you heal her?" Eric The Crow asked, kneeling down on the other side of Lady Calypso.
Poldara shook her head, "Her external wound, but she has a concussion, that was a hard blow she took," she paused, "I'm not sure about it. But Aly's strong. She'll survive."
Running her hand over the wound on Lady Calypso's head Poldara managed to heal it externally, and partially internally. The bloody gash slowly closed until it was only a small pink scar, "All we can do now is wait and see if it works."
They set about the task of making Aly as comfortable as possible. Pillows appeared under her head, and Eric spread a blanket over her. He then sat and watched her, sorting out his feelings. Is it true? He thought. Can this really happen again? Eric sat there thinking, all the while checking on her, making sure she was still alive, while Poldara left to unsuccessfully search for one of her sisters.
Arriving back in Iezu she looked around for a minute. It was covered in all kinds of trees and bushes, most of which Dara was too short to see over, and had to spread her pure white wings and fly above. She thought of the beauty it was, and the sadness of the battle that had just taken place there, upset that the beauty was disturbed. Sighing she walked back to where Eric was watching Aly, "I couldn't find anyone." Despite the situation she laughed softly, "Probably the first time that Aly and I haven't been able to find one of our many sisters."
Trying to make light conversation, Eric answered, "How many are there anyway?"
"Tell you the truth, I have no clue. But for me none of them are blood, they're all adopted. I think about four are blood for Aly, but i'm positive i'm wrong."
Eric The Crow nodded and looked back to Lady Calypso, who had just recently gotten pale, "She's getting worse."
"What can we do to help her?" Suddenly a phrase came to Poldara, and she silently thanked her telepathic sister who lay passed out on the ground, "The blood of an angel and a devil." She thought about it for a moment.
"That's it!" Eric said, and before Dara could stop him, he had taken a knife out and made a slit across his wrist, squirting blood everywhere. He then, on his pant leg, wiped the blood off the knife, and handed it to Poldara, "Find an angel, and bring her back here. Hurry!"
Taking the knife, she looked at it for a moment, then, without hesitation, slit her own wrist, the blood splashing over her white dress, "If you can be considered a devil, then I an angel."
Eric The Crow looked at her with serious blue eyes for a minute, then took the knife from her and slit Lady Calypso's wrist. Then, taking his own wrist, he set it up against hers, letting the blood mix with hers, then motioned for Dara to do the same. Carefully after she had obeyed, Poldara healed both Eric's and Aly's wounds. But Eric looked at her strangely when she didn't heal her own, "Why do you heal our wounds, yet you don't heal your own?"
Dara smiled, "Because I cannot heal myself. I have the powers of a healer, but only my brother can heal me, and only I can heal my brother."
When the healing was done, they sat, one on each side of her, and watched, "What happens now?" asked Poldara timidly.
Eric shrugged and ran his fingers through his black hair nervously, "I have no clue. You should know, it was your idea."
"It wasn't my idea, it was Aly's. Anyway, you figured out the phrase, not me."
"But it came to you."
As if an answer to their question, a small mist formed a few feet in front of them, and two figures, a soberly dressed man, and an elegantly dressed pretty young woman, emerged from the thick fog, "I am Hades, King of the Underworld, and this is my wife Persephone." He paused, surveying the area, "You called me to ask for the life of this one?" Hades motioned to Aly lying on the ground.
Both Poldara and Eric scrambled to their feet and did a bow or a curtsey to the royalty, and with modestly lowered eyes Dara responded, "Yes, m'lord. She was injured during a fight and we beg you to let her live."
Hades looked to Eric, who nodded quickly as in confirmation to what Poldara said. He then looked at the unconscious Lady Calypso, then said firmly, "Her time is up. She dies." The couple then turned to walk away.
"Wait!" Dara called after them.
Hades stopped and turned around, "Yes?"
"W-why must she die?"
"I told you, because it is her time."
"No it's not." Dara contradicted him, "She is a new mother, and a long time sister, she does not deserve to die now, not like this."
The king of the underworld eyed her carefully then spoke, "Why should I let her live?"
"Because, she deserves it."
"Well, I don't agree with you. She dies."
Again he turned to leave, but Dara's voice stopped him again, "What if we made a deal? An agreement? A trade of some sorts?"
"What could you possibly have that I would want?" he answered with his back to her.
Poldara made no hesitation, "My own life."
Hades stopped and considered for a moment. At this point Eric stepped into the conversation, "No Dara, you have everything to live for, think of your twin brother." He looked to Hades, "No, take me. You've been trying to get me into Hadies for a long time now, and if you let Lady Calypso live, you'll have won."
Dara shook her head and looked at Eric, then back to the King, "No, my brother no longer cares for me, you've seen that and it would be much more interesting to have someone who's been a proven angel in Hadies. Take me, and let Aly live."
Hades thought for a moment longer, "No." he said quickly, "It is not your time to leave. I will call on you soon enough, but it is Calypso that I want now."
Eric was trapped, he thought it was over for a moment, but he quickly thought of something, another reason. So, stepping forward he said quickly, "Lord Hades, I beg of you not to take her."
Getting rather annoyed Hades answered, "What is it now Crow?"
"You cannot take her."
"Now what is your reasoning?"
"You can't."
"Why?"
"Because I love her."
"You do not, you're just saying it so she will live."
"No sir. It's truth."
Dara looked at Eric in wonder, never knowing that he felt that way about Aly, "Do you really Eric?"
Eric nodded, "Aye. I do."
But Hades still shook his head, "No. Nothing will change my mind, my decision is made. She comes with me."
Seeing that he wouldn't take souls for a trade, and that love was useless, Poldara quickly chose another path, "Queen Persephone," she started, "Are you going to let him do this? Are you going to let him do this to a new mother?"
The Queen turned and looked at Dara, "My dear, it is not up to me. My husband's decision is my husband's decision."
Poldara quickly responded, "But my lady, think of your own mother, think of yourself in this exact position."
Persephone narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean?"
"Why, your own mother! You yourself, in this same situation." Dara said, recalling the story of Persephone and her mother, Demeter. "You were kidnapped by m'lord Hades correct? Well your own mother was frantic looking for you and to get you back. And am I not correct that you missed her too?"
The Queen said nothing, but Dara continued, "Now, m'lady, what would have happened had you not struck the deal that you spend half the year with your mother, and the other half with your husband? How would you, and your mother have felt. This will be the position that Lady Calypso will be in. She won't be able to see her children, nor will her children be able to see her."
There were a few moments of awkward silence, then Persephone spoke, "Hades, we really should let her live. Being a new mother and all."
Hades sighed, "But it is her time to go. She must die."
"But you've done it before."
He sighed again, seeing that he was trapped he looked around at them all, "I don't see any way out of this, but why should I give in to the likes of you? I don't have to, I am the King of the Underworld. I don't need reason."
Persephone narrowed her eyes and Hades softened, "Alright, I'll let her live. And to make it fair to you who have tried to save her life by risking your own, I give you, Poldara, the healing of your wound. " And with a slight growl, he turned away and the royal pair disappeared.
Poldara's left hand flew to her right wrist, removing the white gauze bandage. Amazed she saw the little slash scar that ran along her right wrist, "No one's ever healed me but my brother," she said, amazed.
And before either of them could say anything Lady Calypso moaned and shifted slightly. They dropped to her side, "Aly?"
She opened her dark brown eyes and looked about, "What happened?"
Poldara laughed, "Well, it's a long story, but I'll let 'Devil' here tell it to you." Dara laughed and motioned to Eric next to her.
Eric laughed at the nickname, "Alright then 'Angel'. I'll tell her what happened."
Aly looked to each of them in turn, "So you two have earned nicknames, they shall be well used." She smiled, then looked confused again. "What's with the scars?" she said looking at their wrists, and her own.
Poldara laughed and stood up, "I've to be going. The O'Connor is to visit my castle tomorrow and I need to supervise some much-needed house cleaning, despite all that has happened, I do still plan on hosting that."
Eric looked at Aly, then up to Poldara and whispered something to her, "Please don't tell Aly, about what I said."
She looked confused, "Said about what?"
He rolled his eyes, "About my love for her, please don't tell her."
Poldara looked at him oddly and hissed quietly, "You were serious when you said that!? I thought you were just saying that to keep Aly alive." She then smiled, "I promise."
Lady Calypso looked at each of them again, then sighed, wondering what was going on, "Will someone please tell me what happened? Angel? Devil?" she again looked at them, very confused.
Poldara laughed again and tossed her thick curly, red-blonde hair over her shoulder, "I told you! Ask Devil." She then spread her white wings and flew away, leaving Devil behind to explain it all.
Satisfied, Angel got out of the chat room and closed down her computer. Then stood up, shook the wrinkles out of her green sweat pants and white T-shirt, and silently padded, with bunny rabbit slippers on her feet, to her room, where she brushed her long, curly red-blonde hair, and took out her contacts, leaving her eyes a fiery green. Turning out her light, she hopped into bed to dream about fantasy times, imaginary places, and an angel, waiting to help anyone who needed her.