Chapter 29

Byron gave Declan a piece of cloth, "here..." He was getting a little freaked out peering into declans skull.
Declan accepted the cloth slowly, then gave Byron a weird look, "what's this for?" As if he had no idea of the current state he was in.
Byron started unblinkingly at the knight for another moment, "um... Can I get your autograph?" Now he was too embarrassed to tell Declan that he meant it as an eyepatch.
They hurried up the stairs, Terra was having difficulty with the steps which slowed them down.
Thena wasted no time with questions, "so... Are you alive? Or what happened to you?" She seemed curious about Declan's current state. "Are you free from the Drezir?" Byron wasn't sure why but she was particularly interested about the curse.
Declan seemed like a new man at heart, but his body told a different story. Parts of skin were so badly frostbitten, they would surely be unrecoverable soon. He responded like he didn't even feel the pain, "Terra's magic has healed me and brought me back from the brink of death... By the way, how did you guys figure out terra was the true heir?"
Thena answered quickly, "Fireheart." She gave him a look that seemed to say a thousand words.
Declan's one eye looked surprised, "and she didn't eat you immediately? Oh right, Agnir!"
Byron intervened, "look I'm beyond intrigued, but this is a long story. Instead we should focus on saving Torin. How do you know Claire is actually trying to steal Agnir?"
Declan focused as they approached the final door, "the Drezir are commanded by her. Her voice echoes in their mind stealing their will and making them submit... The Drezir are in constant pain, so much pain that they will do anything to be free. Those cackles you here from them. Those are actually cries for relief." Declan looked pained.
They all got silent after that last comment. Except Declan kept pushing the plan forward, "unfortunately before I got here, Arthur was stabbed by my blade... I don't know if he is still alive..." He looked down at his now broken blade. The metal was rusted.
Thena made a tight fist in anger, "well let's make sure we save Torin then. By the way, how can terra use magic while she is in that state? They used the wrong stone on her..."
Declan shrugged, "I'm sure Tristan accounted for many things without telling me." He looked forward, "Let's get ready to fight."
They left the dungeon.
***********
The flaming heart was gone, swallowed by the blue and silver dragon, "mmmmm delicious!"
Tears ran down my face, "NOOOOOOOOO!" anger erupted from me like none other. "How could you! She was my friend! How could you take her!?" Tears streamed down my face and I couldn't do anything to even avenge her.
Agnir was gone. What was left were the few strands of magic that had already sown my chest back together. They were gone now as my chest magically healed.
I felt hot with rage.
Theatrice laughed with glee, "oh ho hahaha what beautiful cries you make Torin! It's by far the most delicious part." She towered over me menacingly.
I stared at her defiantly as I swallowed my cries, "you won't get away with this Claire, she chose me, and there's no way I'm letting go of her!" I tried to tear off the ice stuck to my foot. It wouldn't budge. I tried to break it with my fist but still nothing.
Theatrice chuckled, "your weak little body couldn't even withstand the power of Agnir, yet you still think you can escape my ice? My ice is from a fairy too, Torin! My own sister in fact. What makes you think a mere mortal could possibly break it." Her face got closer to mine.
I felt hopeless and utterly useless. Why had Agnir even picked me? I couldn't do anything. I couldn't fight, use magic, or even come up with a good plan. I was just a normal kid... Without Agnir, I'm just a nobody... I stopped fighting. Agnir was a person and now she was just gone? I remembered losing my father and losing my sister. Now Agnir too. It was too much to bear.
Theatrice reveled in my despair. "How long should I keep you alive Torin? Should I let you starve? Should I torture you?" She put a claw on her chin as she thought of other ways to bring me more pain.
"Why?" I gave up and laid down, "why do all of this? What do you gain from killing all these people? Why... why Agnir?" I felt like I just got to know her.... I started to get choked up again.
Theatrice roared, "Why?! Hahaha Torin, what other reason do I need? Because I could. Power and strength are what define your place in the world. My father knew that. He raised me to scheme and to betray. I found that it was actually a lot of fun. When I finally stabbed my own father in the back, the face of betrayal he had was the greatest bliss I had ever felt! Its still stuck on his face to this day! He thought that with my sister's magic he was invincible. Its beautiful watching the proud fall." She admired her father's ice statue.
"You're disgusting." I said. If this was the end for me then I can at least speak my mind. "You are alone. The friends you made are gone, the family you had, you killed. The people of this country hate you and your tyranny. You might be strong, but you own nothing. You are nothing but a disgusting blight on the world." I stared defiantly into her eyes.
She growled with anger, "I don't need such silly things as trust and friendship. I don't need love! I don't need any of those things that you think are important. None of those things make me stronger!" She roared loudly making the room tremble.
I got angry back, "Agnir and I were strong because we had each other. Hearing her thoughts, feeling what she felt! If you think taking her away could stop her, then you severely underestimated her!" I could feel my body getting hot with rage. "She is far stronger than you could possibly imagine, everything you've seen me do with her power? That was only a drop." The ice attached to my foot melted. "And you thought you could eat her? There is no way she would let that happen. There is one thing you forgot about Agnir...."
Theatrice growled, "and what is that, Torin?"
"She's a dragon slayer!" The flame that had been building up inside me, I knew it was Agnir. I could still feel her connection inside of Theatrice. I cried out to her, "AGNIRRRRR!" All the of the magic that was building up inside of me shot towards Theatrice.
Theatrice jumped back in surprise, but the magic entered her chest anyway. "What have you done? What is this?" Her chest started to glow a bright orange. "No!"
Suddenly a burst of fire shot through Theatrice's chest ejecting a flaming figure. A beautiful blonde girl my age wearing a blue dress.
I stared in awe, "Agnir?"
She didn't take her eyes off of Theatrice, "Oh Torin, what would you do without me?" She gave me a wink. My heart fluttered.
Theatrice's chest started to heal itself, "But how? How are you here?! How do you have a body!?"
Agnir stood proud, "This is why I chose Torin. Someone who just wanted me to be set free. Now, I am free..." She cracked her knuckles and cracked her neck. "Now I can go all out!"
In an instant Agnir was surrounded in pure white flame, "prepare yourself Claire! I have a lot of payback to hand out to you!"
She licked her lips like she was looking at a meal, "and all that power you accumulated will be quite delicious!"