Friday, September 20, 2013

Friends and Enemies // Chapter Ten // Liberating Liberty // by Willow


Teclemith gently slid the door open again, and the pair tiptoed down the stone stairs back to the courtyard and to the cage. Liberty had surprisingly good hearing, and her good hearing picked up the hurried whispers of the raiders as they tried to figure out how to open the cage without making a ton of noise.
    "Craah?" Liberty squawked.
   "Shhh, Lib! We're trying to get you out, but you have to be quiet or else we can't," Willow whispered frantically at her bird. Liberty cocked her head.
   "Craaawwww!" she agreed, or at least that's what Willow thought she meant.
   "Teclemith, have you got it open?" Willow called back to him softly. She had gone to the front of the cage while Teclemith stayed in the back.
   "Not yet, but can you keep your bird quiet?" Teclemith called back gently. Rolling her eyes, Willow stuck her arm through the cage bars to stroke the kestrel's wing feathers.
 "There, there, Libby. You're going to be okay." What calms her down? Oh, right, elvish. That guy who helped raise her was a half-elf right? Great, I don't know that much elvish!
   "Uh... Im gelir ceni ad lin, Lib," she tried. I'm pretty sure that's "I'm happy to see you again". Liberty cawed softly back.
   "It's unlocked!" Teclemith called as quietly as he could. Willow nodded at him then turned back to Liberty.
   "Okay, Libbylib, *tolo hi sedho," Amazingly, Liberty stood almost silently and trumped out of her cage without complaint. "Good girl!" Willow praised her, taking hold of her "collar" and clambering onto her back to tie off a rope to use as reins.
   A sudden shout and sounds of clattering feet broke the silence of the scene. Up rushed Killian, Kadesh, Shemesh, all of whom were helping limping newly-freed prisoners. Willow took a step towards them to help, when an arrow, black as night, struck the stones next to her feet. She let out a yelp and jumped back. A cry from Teclemith alerted them to the guards lining up on top of the walls. With crossbows. Oh dear.
   Dodging crossbow-arrows, Willow grabbed Liberty's halter to steady her. "Kadesh!" she yelled over the twanging of bowstrings and hissing of arrows. "Kadesh, get on Liberty and help the wounded onto her!" Kadesh nodded and swung himself up, taking care to stay low. Quickly, Killian started helping the wounded up onto Liberty's slick, feathered back.
   Four injured. Only four tops can ride! She's too small for anyone else! That means that I'll have to stay and escape the way that the others were going to. You must understand that the only reason that Willow had been allowed to go with the raiders to the fortress was because she was the only one who could calm Liberty down and keep her quiet, and that she would fly her away once she was free. They hadn't thought that there would be four injured people. They had thought that they would be well enough to escape with Killian and Co, and that if there were a couple injured Willow could still ride along. Now that plan was falling to pieces.
   Killian realized this about a second too late.
   "They'll have to go without me, there's no other way!" Willow insisted. "Liberty! *Noro go hul, bado go Eru!" Liberty apparently understood this, because she flapped her wings twice to test them, then raced towards the wall and soared over the guards, distracting them for a precious few minutes.
   "We're surrounded!" Killian yelled, as they all backed into a tight circle to protect Willow, who whipped out an arrow and waited for a command. Willow surveyed the situation, then put her fingers to her lips and released a piercing whistle. Liberty swooped back over the scene, flapping her wings so hard that all of the torches that had been light on the walls went out. The raiders raced for the exit. By then, both Tajoreth and Kedemeth had appeared.
   "What's going on?" Kedemeth demanded as the torches were rekindled. One of the Shadow goblins stepped forward, wringing his hands.
   "Your Majesty," Zeeb explained. "The bird has been released by a group of rebel raiders." He produced a smooth arrow with a purple feather on the end. Kedemeth plucked it up and turned it over, then glared at Zeeb.
   "Well for Tash's sake, we shall go after them. Send the archers first, take down their horses. We will follow. Come brother," he ordered, motioning Tajoreth to follow him to the stables. Through his teeth, he muttered, "They will not get away with this. We will show them that we cannot be trifled with."
  

*Tolo hi sedho come now quiet

*Noro go hul, bado go Eru run with the wind, go with God!

[Note: Creative Kit has been replaced, so it will take me a while to edit all of the chapter covers.]

Namarie,

Willow

Our Schedule Here on The Call

Hi there to our old and new followers!

This is Willow typing, by the way. I wanted to let you guys know of our new schedule here.

First, we have Watchmen Wednesday by Darrion, where every Wednesday D will post either her new chapter or a sneak peek to the newest chapter.

And then I have Friends and Enemies Friday, where I will basically do the same thing as D.

And then on the other days of the week, one of us may post an inspirational song or poem or some pictures.

Or maybe even some sneak previews for upcoming books {like in the Watchmen Files, which I am impatient to get to, because my character is introduced in the third book {?}} Excited yet?

Anyway, the tenth chapter of Friends and Enemies will be posted shortly.



Namarie,

Willow

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Watchmen Files // Chapter Two

Hello there!

   It's Watchmen Wednesday! And you know what that means (if you don't, click here to read the first chapter)!

Note: this is not my favorite (or best written) chapter. My personal favorite is chapter four, and I also really like chapter three. But of course, we must go through two to get to three, so here we go!


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ak2vyjyWYOg/Ui5K8JJL1xI/AAAAAAAAy6g/HGvQy18PboI/s600/T.W.F.O.%25202%2520The%2520First%2520Encounter%2520chapter%2520cover.jpg


The Watchmen Files
File One
Chapter Two
The First Encounter


   "And now- Mr.- *fuzz fuzz* Mace- *fuzz* Son- Wake up!..."
   Mason was rudely awakened by the small glitchy television across for the couch where he had fallen into a troubled sleep. "Ugh... wha...?" He yawned to the TV, which continued to flip from channel to channel as it pixelated.
   He pulled a pillow over his head to muffle the obnoxious noise as it continued in first a British accent, then an Australian, then back to the late night American talk show hosts.
   " *fuzz* Mace... Listen - carefully..."
   "Ugh!! Shush! Stupid TV..." He moaned and tossed the pillow at it in frustration. He was so tired he couldn't really hear that it was talking to him.
   "Are you- *fuzz fuzz* -even listening?" Then it got to the movie stations. "Please! We're here- *fuzz* to help you."
   He looked at it questionably. "What is wrong with this thing? I've gotta sleep, you know!"
   "No- *fuzz* -time left!... We need *fuzz* you to listen..."
   Mason dragged himself to it and went for the off button.
   "You have to-*fuzz* -what are you doing?!" A British actor and a German one questioned him.
   "There we go," Mason smiled to himself when he turned it off. "Problem solved!"
   Just as he had slumped back down on the couch, someone spoke. "Mace- sun. Listen to us-*fuzz* -it's about-*Fuzz fuzz fuzz* Hans."
   At that name, memories came flooding back before his eyes as if he was about to die. His dad's sharp, cold blue eyes and dark hair, bending over his work none-stop, his absence at Mason's baseball games, his parents fighting, all of it. "D-did you... did you say...?"
   "Yes... *fuzz fuzz* He's in trouble- *fuzz* -and now you are." He stared wide eyed as the screen flipped channels and pixelated as it finished, "-but we're here to- *fuzz* -help."
    "What's going on, who are you? What do you want me to do?" Mason face-palmed. "I can't believe I'm talking to a TV."
    "You aren't- *fuzz* - we need you- to get - out now- *fuzz* Weare outside."
    "How do I know you aren't just a friend playing practical joke? This is too weird to be real."
    "You don't- *fuzz* - but you have to believe." As those words left the speakers, a flash of what looked like a W came over the screen, then was gone. "And- you don't have any friends to play it on you."
    Mason nodded in acknowledgement, still unsure of it all. He hadn't seen his dad since he was fourteen (and it wasn't exactly a happy reunion), and his involvement didn't reassure him. Wherever he was, conflict was soon to follow. But what other choice did he have? Stay in the apartment with whatever dangers lurked inside and go back to bed? "Fine." He made for the door, but on second thought turned back. "I better grab Ava."
    "No!" It shouted, then its volume lessened. "There is- *fuzz* -no time. Go."
    "No way! I'm not leaving her to whatever is gonna hurt her."
    "Don't panic - we'll- *fuzz* -take care of it."
    "No. I'm getting her now."
    And with that, despite the TV's continuing protests, Mason pushed on to Ava's sticker covered door. "Hey Av?"
    The lump under her pink and white polka dot covers shifted ever so slightly, and a little noise came out. "Hmm...?"
    Mason tiptoed over ballet slippers, numerous teddy bears having a tea party, and sheets of paper with pink paint plastered over them to her bedside. "Av, you awake Sweetie?"
   Another groan.
   "We have to go now."
   A tangled haired head peeped out, along with a pair of sleepy little eyes. "Now?"
   "Um hm. Come on," He reached under the covers and as gently as possible, picked her up as she laid her head against his shoulder and wrapped her little arms as well as she could around his neck.
   He was just about to close to door behind him when the window over her bed smashed, scattering shards of glass everywhere as a character dressed fully in black landed gracefully on her floor, pulled something off his back and pointed it at Mason. And that something was a rifle. "Bewegen sich nicht!" The masked man shouted as he flipped a switch and a red light appeared on Mason and more men flew in after him.
    Mason didn't move. Would you if you had a red laser in the middle or your forehead? He felt hands on his shoulders as he was pulled backwards, out of Ava's room and down the hallway, which was now filled with normal looking men with handguns at the ready.
   Mason struggled and pushed the man who had grabbed him away as Ava sobbed into his shirt. "Get away from me!"
   "It's okay, Kruger! I'm on your side," The man wasn't any taller than Mason himself, but he had light brown hair and a black leather jacket on. He smiled and flashed a badge with a W on it, "Don't be afraid of us, we're here to help you. My name is Jason."
   That didn't reassure him much, and as you would expect, he was still a bit shaken up. "W-what.. what was that?"
   Jason checked his phone casually and stated, "I'll explain everything on the plane."
   "Plane? What plane?"
   "You'll see it once we get there." He nodded to the others as they carried the men in black out of Ava's room. "I'm surprised Hydra didn't put up that much of a fight this time, seeing it's your first encounter."
   He was confused. "What do you mean 'first encounter?' "
   "Mason, d'you hear that?" Ava lessened her grip on Mason's shirt and had stopped crying.
   "Not now Av-"
   Jason jerked his fist up, and the room fell silent. No one moved. A small noise, like little computer glitches could barely be heard.
   Mason looked to Ava. "Rice crispies," was all she said.
   Jason's eyes widened, and he hit the floor yelling, "Get down!!"
   An explosion rocked the apartment, throwing Mason, the only one who didn't get down off balance, and into the wall. Seconds later, through the smoke, at least ten more men in black streamed through the fresh hole in the wall and fired darts at them.
    They immediately sprang into action, firing back and reverting to hand-to-hand combat in the tight hallway. Even Jason was matched up against three of them, and he obviously knew his stuff, but so did they.
   "Stay back!" Mason ordered Ava before he tackled one to the ground before getting a good hit on the face.
   An ear piercing screen made him jump into off and gasp with horror. "Ava, no!"
   The young man wasn't much older then himself, and was wearing black like the others, but he had no mask. And his face... those same sharp, cold blue eyes, dark hair, and pasty white skin...
   His voice and appearance was so much like that of Mason's dad's that it made him sick. "Ich werde ihr weh ob ich muß!" He shoved the pistol into her head and shouted again, "Ich werde ihr wehob ich muß!"
    Mason put his hands up slowly, making sure to make no sudden moments. "Dude, I don't know what you're saying. Could we just... talk about this?"
    "I said," he seethed in fluent enough English, "I'm going to hurt her if I must. Did your father teach you nothing?"
    "Just don't touch her-"
    "Then try to take her from me." He interrupted him with had a cruel smile on his face. "I'd like to see you try."
    Now, Mason had been in plenty of school brawls in his time, but that sickly giddy grin on his opponent's face didn't reassure him of an easy victory. But the look on Ava's little face, the look of terror, the fear of death, was too much for him. He couldn't back down now.
    He made his move. Not wanting to hurt Ava, Mason went for his opponent's legs. Not such a good move. Sure, he dropped her, but immediately Mason felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck.
   Suddenly, all sound was muted and time itself was slowed. All he could hear was the pulsing of his heart-beat and his own breathing filling his ears.

   The young man smiled triumphantly, glad that his enemy had fallen so easily for his trap. But there were too many Watchmen about, he could never get away with Kruger. It was time for Plan B (or Zwei, in his native German). He grabbed the girl, who immediately screamed, but he had to handle much more then a wriggling child before. With a gun to her head as he threatened to use it to the remaining Watchmen, he made his exit and called over his earpiece in German, "I have the next best thing. Come get me."

   Once Jason saw Mason fall to the ground and cry out after his cousin, he fought the remaining opponents madly and yelled for his men to help the boy.
   Mason hit the ground, tense and in pain. The sharp sensation was pulsing out from his chest, making him reel on the floor. It was too much for him to handle. He felt like he needed air.
    Three other men held him down as Jason grabbed Mason's face and yelled something he couldn't hear or understand over the beating. But that just made him mad. He angrily shoved him off, but then was tackled and kept down by the others. One of them yelled for a doctor. One appeared above him and tried to give him an injection, but it didn't go through, so he ended up practically stabbing him with the needle.
   Then the world around him got hazy, and the moving doctors and bystanders turned into one big whirl of colors. He couldn't think. The only thing he could do, and he did, was groan out, "Ava..." over and over again. And when he passed out, in his head, he could still hear her terrified scream.

Continues in T.W.F.O. Chapter 3: Men In Black, The Freckled Freak, And The Human Guard Dog



    Well, that's chapter two. Make sure to check back next Watchmen Wednesday for chapter three! Watchmen Wednesday, I like the sound of that... if I'd like, please share your thoughts about the chapter.

Sincerely,
Darrion