Next Mage
50.Elvira

~Narrator

The Ragnarok paused mid-chew.

That blonde mage, Elvira, was up to something once again. Ever since the Ragnarok had taken over her body, it had noticed something strange about her. Like she wasn't fully under control. Like she still had a mind of her own. The thought infuriated the Ragnarok.

Growling, it clamped it's knife-like teeth firmly on the antelope's flesh and ripped it out, blood dripping onto the dry ground. Savoring the tender, juicy flesh, the Ragnarok swallowed and finished it's meal, rising and leaving the carcass behind, which was just beginning to rot.

Settling it's mind back on the Elvira mage, the Ragnarok pondered on whether to kill her or investigate further.

It chose to investigate.

The young mage was a much too powerful and skilled asset to waste, after all. Digging into the mage's mind, the Ragnarok searched for any threads individual thoughts left wandering in the girl's mind.

Okay, the plan's good to go. It's ready, she was thinking.

Aha. Got you. The Ragnarok hissed quietly in her mind, and it felt the girl's conscious jump slightly in shock. Sssso, little girl, what are you planning, hmm?

You, she said, her thoughts shaking with rage.

Yes, it's me. The Ragnarok said mockingly. Now, fess up, little Spirit mage. it dug through the girl's thoughts, sifted through her memories, her secrets, searching for her 'plan'.

It discovered her about the oh-so-tragic death of her little sister, about how she was an orphan all because the terrible, hideous Ragnarok had made them it's servants and then mauled them to death because it was just way too hungry. The Ragnarok scoffed as it revealed the girl's jealousy, the girl's anger, all the petty and worthless little moments she had treasured in her insignificant life.

Yet she resisted, burying her thoughts about the 'plan' and hiding them away. The Ragnarok snarled in frustration, clawing at her mind. Still, she refused to let it discover her secret. The Ragnarok finally gave up, muttering irritably and growling. Ha, too powerful for you, Ragnarok? You can't even see the thoughts of a lowly spirit mage? Elvira jeered, and the Ragnarok bristled. Swiftly, it clawed at her thoughts and escaped from her mind so forcefully it made her conscious wince in pain.

The Ragnarok opened it's glowing red eyes and gazed at it's surroundings, snarling and digging it's sharp claws into the dry ground. Startled ants scattered as their nest was destroyed and raked away with an aggravated swish of the

Ragnarok's scaly tail. They began to swarm irritably all over the Ragnarok's pristine, tough scales, attempting to find the soft flesh that was hidden beneath.

"Soon, my little Spirit mage," the Ragnarok muttered, flicking away the ants one by one. "Soon, I'll find out all of your secrets, and you wouldn't be able to stop me."

~ Oliver's POV

Elvira was there, standing before us, her eyes as red as the blood moon that soared in the bright blue sky overhead. Her usually neat, wavy, white-blonde hair was now wild and messy, and I was sure I saw a few twigs and leaves caught in her tousled, curly locks.

"E-Elvira..." I murmured, knowing that she wouldn't hear me, but trying anyway. "Elvira, snap out of it..." I said helplessly. She stayed still, expression like stone. Then winced slightly.

Marilla and I took a step towards her at the same time.

We exchanged worried looks, and she inclined her head towards me in a slight nod, retracting back into the small crowd of our companions. I walked closer to Elvira, my hands out to show that I meant no harm, as if I were attempting to tame a skittish animal.

Elvira didn't even flinch. I began to sweat. Elvira stood dead still as I moved even closer, lamp-like eyes wide, like she was a deer caught in headlights.

I sized her up.

Her arms were scratched and marred with tiny cuts, some of them bleeding, and they were stuck to her side, as if she were a military recruit waiting for orders from a stern general. Her skin was now slightly tanned from the African sun, and her whole body was rigid and motionless, eerily motionless. Too motionless.

Something was off.

I stared at her muddy shoes, not daring to look at her face, but suddenly I noticed something flashing out of my peripheral vision.

And as my head jerked up in shock, Elvira charged. I cried out in surprise as I put my arms up to shield myself, glancing at the large crowd of Ragnarok mages and relieved to find them stationary. Emma and Carissa screamed, and I felt a thudding vibration in the ground and realized that mom was trying to get to me, and a few others were holding her back.

"We can't hurt them, Aria! They're innocent!" One of the mages cried. I closed my eyes and braced myself for Elvira's fists, but nothing came. I opened my eyes tentatively, swiveling and scanning the area for any sign of Elvira. Then someone screamed.

I turned in the direction of the sound, and saw that Elvira had now turned and was heading in the direction of Marilla, hands balled into fists.

~Marilla's POV

I watched as Elvira dashed towards Oliver. Emma and Carissa cried out in shock.

I took a step forward, but someone had already beat me to it. Oliver's mom was being held back by a few mages.

"We can't hurt them, Aria!" One of them grunted as he pulled on her arm. "They're innocent!" I gritted my teeth, frustrated, clenched my fists, and forced myself to stay put, my legs turning to lead and weighing me down. Then I blinked.

In a split second, Elvira was throwing a fist at my cheek, and it was too late to dodge it. I waited for the fist to come into contact with my face, cracking my jaw, causing my teeth to clamp on the inside of my cheek, drawing blood... Nothing was happening.

I opened my eyes, and came straight into contact with Elvira's shimmering red orbs. I gasped, checking my hands, my face, my mind, for any signs of the Ragnarok curse.

Still, nothing happened.

I wasn't screaming, I wasn't shouting, I wasn't running around like a crazed madwoman, either. I wasn't bursting into tears, fear consuming my mind, my body, my soul. I wasn't even breaking out in a cold sweat.

Elvira's fist was still right in front of my cheek, poised to strike the moment I moved, like a praying mantis waiting patiently for its kill. I stayed dead still. The whole area was silent, and my throat was dry from the arid climate. How long are we going to stay like this? I thought warily.

Then something glimmered.

My gaze jerked upwards once more, and I noticed something.

Something impossible.

Elvira's eyes were flickering from green to red and then green again. They kept on doing this for a few moments, like a broken traffic light that didn't know whether to tell the cars to stop or go.

No one said a word. No one moved. Everyone just stared in shock.

Then Elvira opened her mouth.

"I've...g-ot...s-s-omething to t-t-t-ell...you," she choked at the end of her sentence, like something was strangling her. Then she collapsed to the ground, her eyes still flickering, and her fist still in the air.

"Yes," I said anxiously, putting my arms tentatively one her wrists and bringing her fist down. I was relieved to find that she didn't resist. "Yes, what do you need to tell us?" I asked. People were beginning to mutter. Elvira's now-tanned skin was starting to blanch.

"Elvira!" I heard Oliver shout as he hurried over, and Elvira's eyes flickered into their usual shining spring green as she gazed at him weakly. Then she turned back to me.

"Marilla...I..c-can help you...all of...y-ou...I have something..that you w-will...need." She stuttered, then paused to take in a sharp breath of air, like she was running a marathon and was just about to collapse in exhaustion.

"Elvira, don't strain yourself," Oliver bent down next to me, but Elvira shook her head determinedly, a bit of her usual fire seeping back into her now-green eyes as she exhaled shakily. "Wh-what do you guys know...a-about... Ultimates?"