May Bell stops breathing for several moments as her eyes take in the sight before her. The sky is alight with incredible lights and energy swirling around the firmament in a display that would make the aurora borealis ashamed to ever show its face again. And all of it is centered around a small island directly below.
The girl lowers her gaze to take it all in and notes the marble bridge, twisted and dark as everything has been up to this point. It bridges a massive chasm that seems to have no bottom that she can see, separating the mainland from the tiny body of land. This is the scene as it lies and she knows that this will not prove to be a simple confrontation.
She walks forward and stands near to the top of the structure as she fights against the rising fog that obscures the immediate area in front of her. She's still feeling the courage that standing up to the unicorns gave her, but it's fading fast. More and more, she is feeling just a little girl way in over her head. She takes a breath and steps forward to the arch of the structure.
"Stop," a voice commands her from directly to her front.
May Bell looks ahead. A bright spot illuminates before her, revealing Liza who's kneeling with her head bowed. Beside her stands a terrible being swirling with energy. "Who are you?" she asks as she follows the directive, though she's pretty sure of the answer, she's half right.
"I no longer possess a name," the being informs her and places a hand on Liza's shoulder. "Those who know me call me master."
"Why did you kidnap Liza?" May Bell enquires and feels her heart go out to her friend though her feet never leave the spot.
"Liza?" the master returns and turns its head. "Is that the name you gave her?"
"Why, what do you call her?" May Bell demands and squares her fists on her hips.
"Slave," is the single word the master utters and pats the woman in question's head.
Liza shivers from the pronouncement of her former moniker and shakes from the touch.
"Slave?!" May Bell fires back and stamps her foot. "She is not a slave!"
"Is she not?" the master asks with genuine interest, before turning its attentions on the woman in question. "What have you to say?"
There's only silence, until the being nudges Liza with its foot. "I am slave," she rambles half-heartedly with her hung low. "And I serve the master."
"Let her go!" May Bell commands and takes a further step.
"Let her go? Why, am I keeping her?" the master queries, before directing its question to the subservient woman. "Am I keeping you?"
"No master," Liza insists, but with little enthusiasm and her body seems close to collapsing. "I am here because I want to be here."
"You see? She is my plaything," the master points out, before casting an evil eye upon the little girl. "You on the other hand do not belong here."
Slowly, the being steps forward closing in upon the little girl, who's terrified despite her earlier bravado. She knows there's nothing she can do against this thing as she can feel the power radiating from it while it saps her own. What's more, each step forward it takes has her taking three steps to retreat.
"Liza!" May Bell cries out and shifts her focus continually between the two. "Liza you have to help me!"
The woman doesn't stir.
"Please Liza! I need your help!" May Bell pleads with her friend and holds out a hand as though she could reach her. "I can't do anything!"
No movement from the woman while the master is closing in, its hand reaches for the little girl.
"Please Liza," May Bell continues and sidles to the side. "Liza, please Liza! Liza, I love you. You're my best friend!"
These are the words that stir the dormant woman. And with it the situation finally begins to register with a single thought to drive her forward. Her friend is in danger.
May Bell has kept her distance as long as she can, but she's run out of room to retreat to as the door through which she passed is gone. Against the solid wall she cowers and awaits the inevitable as the tears stream from her eyes. She'd even beg the master to let her go, but she knows it would do no good. She has become a symbol of defiance and it can't have that.
The master further closes the distance and holds forth a menacing hand that draws nearer with every tortorous moment that passes. The girl draws away and cowers beneath the towering frame while she stares upon what is coming. She shuts her eyes tightly as she wonders what consequence will arise from its wrath being meted out.
All at once the sinister force screams aloud and the child opens her eyes. "What do you think you're doing?" it demands as it struggles against the pair of phantasmal hands that have hold of it.
"I can't let you harm my friend," Liza shoots back as she holds her arms toward the affected place.
"You dare to raise a hand against me?! Have you learned nothing?!" the master utters as it turns its full focus against its impediment and moves forward even as it's being pushed back, until it stands directly in front of the woman. "I warned you never to raise a hand against me." It throws a fist wide and impacts her, causing her to shatter, reducing her to a white mask that cracks upon impacting the ground.
"Liza!" May Bell screams and nearly goes solid as the stone behind her.
The master turns about. "It's your lucky day, girl," it informs the intimidated girl and she can feel the smile that isn't visible. "I have an opening if you are willing to fill it."
All at once a vortex surrounds the being.
"What is this!" the master demands and becomes solely focused on itself as the whipping wind swirls faster and faster, becoming more violent with each revolution. The being is propelled upward and out of sight. "You think this is over?! It is not, for I am eternal! And I always-" The voice is cut off from the distance.
May Bell hurries to Liza's remains. Only her face is preserved although there are still cracks.
"May Bell," a voice calls from the remains as a swirling spirit comes forth.
"Liza?!" the girl exclaims and reaches out to the ethereal mist.
"Yes, May Bell, it's me, your friend, but I don't have long," the disembodied woman carries on. "My master has only been cast away and one day he will return. So I must prepare you. The smoke eyes are not gone. They are only hiding. I will give you my power and then you will be able to summon them to do your bidding."
"But Liza?!" May Bell breathes as she takes in the information and her arms ache to hold the woman.
"Yes?" her friend returns.
May Bell is brimming over with all the things she wants to say, but she knows she will never be able to get it all out in the slight amount of time she has left. "I love you," she speaks as the tears flow from her.
"And I love you too," Liza returns the sentiment, choked up with emotion.
The two lean forward and share an ethereal kiss, through which she feels the permeation of the woman's power flow into her and it makes the child feel complete inside. A victory for certain, but it is bittersweet.
May bell can feel an energy surge through her, while at the same time her body disintegrates. "I'll never forget you," are her final words before departing.
She startles awake and finds herself in her bed, safe and sound. Her eyes are wide as they take in every detail of the simple, still room and then her eyes fall upon the bell.
The child starts to sob as she remembers the events as they just occurred. She feels as though she has lost part of herself and she will never be able to get it back. Her crying turns to screaming and she finds that she can't stop herself from expelling all of her rage and frustration at not being much help when it mattered most.
The door to her bedroom bursts open. "May Bell?! Her parents cry as one as they rush inside and settle on her bed.
"Mommy… Daddy…" the child blubbers and launches herself into her parent's waiting arms. I couldn't… I couldn't…"
"It's okay honey," her mother assures as she takes the initiative and pats her back. "Whatever you dreamed was just that, a dream, and it can't hurt you."
May Bell listens closely to the wisdom of her mom, but in her ignorance on the matter she only insures that her child feels that much more hurt.
They cuddle her close and don't care how late it is, or early in the morning, so long as they can chase away any fear that might fester within her. For the most part, it works and their little girl is consoled. All the while, a single article beneath the bed goes unnoticed, that of a white mask, with cracks.