Metanoia (19 page)

“
Gina!” he exclaimed and
ran towards her, right into the water, until he stood holding her
under the falls.

“
Hello, Handsome,” she
smiled, giving him a kiss on his cheek. Leyance couldn’t believe
his eyes. It was Gina; she was back.

“
Gina, what are you doing
here?”

“
Waiting for you, silly.
I’ll always wait for you. I love you.”

“
I love you too, so much,
Darling.” With that, he held her close and kissed her tenderly and
passionately. She returned his embrace. They broke for a second,
and Leyance looked lovingly in her eyes.

“
I thought you’d be evil
forever…”

“
So did I, but you saved
me.” She held him and kissed him again. In between kisses she
spoke.

“
You saved me…you saved
me…you saved me…you killed me…” Leyance broke away,
startled.

“
What did you say?” he
questioned.

“
I said, ‘you saved me.’”
He saw her lips make out those words, but he still heard the same
line: you killed me.

“
What?” he asked again,
turning away from her and looking around. He saw nothing. When he
turned back to Gina, a horrible sigh met his gaze. She was still
there, but now she was dressed in black once more with that same
wickedness in her eyes. The gash on her cheek from where Noquef had
cut her now bled freely. She lunged for Leyance and held him
underwater, attempting to drown him. He struggled for his life but
could not get free of Gina’s death grip. Consciousness was slowly
leaving him…

Leyance awoke. He was alive and back in bed.
It had only been a dream, but it had been so real…

Gina slammed open the doors to her throne
room. As she walked, her wet foot prints traced her path. She was
drenched from head to toe. Yet, as she stood, she took a deep
breath and the water started to vanish. Just as she was about to be
completely dry, a flash of light showed her as the good Gina she
had been in Leyance’s dream, but the flash ended and she was evil
Gina again, but dry. An Übel followed her through the doors. He
bowed low to her.

“
My Dark Lady,” he
addressed, “you’re trip was successful I may presume?”

“
Of course, I knew it would
be. I’m going to slowly drive him insane and then break him
myself.” Suddenly, a burst of laughter escaped her lips that would
have frightened the inhabitants of hell.

Leyance burst in on Fheyrhil who sat at the
table, shifting through papers, looking at one in particular.

“
I am glad you have come,”
he said, motioning for Leyance to come sit down. “I have news.” He
produced a small bottle filled with purple potion from his pocket.
“This was just made. It may be our only chance. Beware though, this
can only be made once, so do not waste it. The main ingredient is a
plant that once picked, will never again grow. There was only one
such plant in Nythagié.” Leyance carefully took it as if he were
holding Gina’s life in his hands.

“
Will this turn her good
again?”

“
Not exactly,” Fheyrhil
explained. “It will split her personality into two people. Ideally,
she would be split into her former pure self and her new evil self.
Then, we can destroy the evil one. However, there is a risk. If
Noquef’s spell has worked better than I suspect, then we will be
surrounded by two evil Ginas. Or she could have some problems with
her. Also, if we destroy one, there is no telling what will happen
to the other. This is untested, Leyance.”

“
And it will work. It has
to work.”

“
Be open to the fact that
it might not.”

Gina walked outside, bow, arrows, and sword
at hand. She was punishing the Übels who she had felt had disobeyed
her or Noquef. Just as she raised a sword, Leyance’s face caught
her attention. He was heading over the hill.

“
Leyance,” she hissed.
Again she raced up to him and threw him to the ground, pinning him
down. “Crawling back for more pain, I presume? For, why else would
you be here risking your neck?”

“
Listen to me,” he said
breathlessly. “I’m on your side.”

“
Yeah, sure you are,” she
snapped.

“
I still love you, and,
because of that, I will always be on your side. It does not matter
if I agree with what side you are on because I will follow you. I
will do whatever I can to be with you.”

“
What is it with you and
love? Love is fake! You can’t even prove it.”

“
I can feel it and I can
prove it to you. Listen, I have a potion. It will turn you into the
most powerful person in this world…” he started warily. “With that
power, you can turn me evil too.”

“
And why would you give
such a miracle potion to me?” At her question, Leyance swiftly
rolled and pinned her to the ground, looking down at
her.

“
You won’t get it for
nothing. I want to make a deal.”

“
The price?”

“
Me. Take me as your
husband and love me as you once did.”

“
I already have a husband –
Noquef.”

He couldn’t believe his ears. “What? But he’s
dead!”

“
Oh, I forgot to tell you.
He’s back and now he’s mine,” she laughed.

Leyance took a shaky breath. “Then forget
him. I can be more evil then him if you help me to become so. Take
this potion, become unstoppable and then you can make it so I will
be able to help you.” He looked into her eyes, her distant and yet
familiar eyes, with so much yearning that she smiled.

“
Fine. Then hand it over,”
she stated. Leyance reached into his pocket and handed her the
potion.

“
Thank you,” she grinned.
She began to stroke his hair. “I forgot how good it feels to have
you next to me.” Slowly, Gina leaned in. When their lips touched,
Leyance gave in and held her close. The kisses she gave were much
different now and not as warm as before, but Leyance did not care.
He was holding her once again. That was all that mattered. He was
so involved with this thought, that he did not notice her take the
potion and raise it above his head. With unrelenting force she sent
it crashing down on his head. He yelled in pain and Gina, in
return, pushed him off of her.

“
How stupid do you think I
am? Like I’m really going to believe you. A miracle potion, it
doesn’t exist, trust me – I would have already found it. No,
judging by the smell, I’d say this was a Split Personality Potion.
Oh, split me into good girl and bad girl and then kill the one you
didn’t like? Fheyrhil’s really loosing his edge wouldn’t you say?
Well, too bad, your one chance was just blown.” She glared down at
him, about ready to attack when many Nythagién warriors jumped out
from cover. This meant nothing to her, and she swiftly attacked
them all, but when she turned around to go at Leyance again, she
found he was gone. Red caught her attention, and she looked down at
her bleeding finger. She put her finger in her mouth and sucked the
blood off her skin.

Leyance had escaped Gina, but he knew it
would not be the last time they met. He now sat with Fheyrhil who
had given up any sign of hope.

“
It is all over, and we
have no other choice but to prepare for war.” He looked at
Leyance’s head which was still bleeding. “I believe that might be a
serious injury.”

“
I’m fine,” Leyance
replied, coldly.

“
Please get it looked
at.”

Leyance snapped like a
twig. “
I am fine!!
” He leaped out of his chair but as he did so, dizziness
immediately took him as hallucinations leapt back into his mind. He
saw Gina. She walked. She fell. When she stood again it appeared as
if a mirror stood beside her, for she looked at her own reflection.
Then all went dark. Fheyrhil was close by his side and helped him
up.

Gina stormed into her bedroom. Noquef was
wide awake, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“
So your dear friend came
to visit. What are we going to do about this?” Noquef asked, his
eyes never looking up.

“
That is none of your
concern!” she yelled. “I am going to do as I see fit, and it is no
business of yours to know! I will fix it and if you ever, ever ask
me what I plan to do or dare to give me your opinion, I will send
you back down to that swampy death of yours!”

“
Fair enough. As long as I
get what I asked for,” he said, looking up at her, “then I need
know no more.”

“
Just remember that. I’ve
given all you asked for and more. Prepare a cell for my victim. I
will torture that poor creature as I see fit. I do not see what
threat this will cause for they know they cannot win against me,
nor will they even try given the situation. The plan will be
executed before the killing feast tonight.”

“
I will inform your
servants.”

“
And if any of them even
question you,” she ordered, “slice them.”

“
Yes, I know.”

“
Is there anything else?”
Gina asked impatiently.

“
No,” Noquef
said.

“
Then why are you still
sitting on my bed?” He chuckled, stood, and left. Gina plopped down
on the bed and giggled. “You’re going down, Leyance. The ball is in
my court now…”

Gina had dressed and was now walking down the
long, dark, chilly corridor. The sound of each footstep seemed to
echo for miles. Finally she had arrived at her destination. Before
her emerged wooden doors in the stone wall guarded by two
Übels.

“
How is the prisoner?” she
demanded.

“
Bloodied up something
fierce,” one replied while still staring straight ahead.

“
You may do whatever you
want to it,” Gina granted. “Bloody it up some more, do whatever, I
don’t care - but whatever you do, make sure she doesn’t
die.”

“
Yes, my Dark Lady,”
answered the other. “Do you wish to see her?” After a long pause,
Gina presented her answer.

“
Not at the present. When
was the last time you visited?”

“
This morning” was the
reply.

“
Well, time for another
round it seems,” Gina chuckled. She walked back the way she came as
one of the Übels went inside. Screams escaped the dark
room.

Calypso and Alvina ran through the streets of
Nythagié. They were so consumed in their search for Jacinda, that
they did not see Leyance running towards them. This resulted in
them all colliding.

“
Ow,” Leyance moaned,
rubbing his shoulder where Calypso’s head had come in contact with.
“Why are you two running around like a bat out of hell?”

“
Jacinda,” Alvina panted.
“We can’t find her.” A shiver ran up Leyance spin.

“
When was the last time you
saw her?” he questioned.

“
Yesterday,” she replied.
“She said she had something to do and ran off!”

“
What did she say she had
to do?” Leyance asked.

“
We don’t know,” Calypso
responded. “I have a bad feeling, Leyance. We know about Gina, and
that is bad enough but I don’t think she’s just after
us.”

“
What are you talking
about?” Leyance demanded.

“
Yeah, what are you talking
about?” Alvina joined in.

“
You mean you can’t feel
it?” Calypso asked. “We only lived there for eighteen years and you
still can’t feel it?”

“
You mean the other world?”
Alvina inquired.

“
Yes, I think that is what
she means,” Leyance pointed out. He was beginning to feel it
himself, as was Alvina.

“
I think Jacinda knew
something was going on and went to the trouble,” Calypso continued.
“I just figured it out myself. What if something happened to her?
If Gina really has gone to attack the other world then Jacinda
might have been captured or something or hurt or…oh, I don’t even
want to think about it. We have to find her!”

“
I agree,” Leyance stated.
“You two continue your search. We’ll find Jacinda. Do not worry.
I’ll inform Fheyrhil, and then we will help you as well.” But he
was worried himself, and so were they despite his reassurance. They
did not feel reassured at all.

“
You will inform me of
what, Leyance?” It was Fheyrhil’s voice. He had come up behind
them.

“
Jacinda is missing, sir,”
Alvina reported.

“
She is…?” he asked in
almost a whisper. Strangely, disbelief swept over his face. “But I
did not know…”

“
Well, you aren’t expected
to know everything,” Calypso stated.

“
Yes,” he replied. “Yes, I
am. I am supposed to know these situations.” He paused, and, when
he spoke again, it was in a whisper. “I have not known much these
days…”

“
Let’s start a search,”
Leyance stated, looking worried. “Now.”

Gina ran down the same dark old corridor. It
had been two days since her last visit but she now walked with
determination. She had done nothing but plan her evil tactics, and
restlessness consumed her. She found visiting the prisoner to be
her best source of entertainment. Gina saw the two guards and
pushed them aside.

“
I want to see the
prisoner. It is time to mess with her head a little,” she
announced. The Übels opened the door and let their leader walk
through. Gina chuckled at the woman crushed against the wall. She
was cut up, bruised, and bleeding causing her to be barely
recognizable. Yet, Gina knew who she was.