Fall of the Rightful King

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I was shaken awake by Paper Back. I sat up and saw Melissa, who was still crying, but now she was lying on top of a woman. Like, a human woman.

"Cassie?" I said in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"Nick, she'll be fine," Paper Back said. "Look, she's changing again. She'll be ok."

It was true. I could see feathers already sprouting on her face, and her lips were yellow and starting to bulge out.

"We can't help her anymore," Paper Back said, "Please, Nick, we have to go. Derek will be coming."

I stumbled to my feet, but walked over to Melissa. I bent down next to her.

"Do you have a way out of here?" I asked.

She turned to me and immediately hugged me.

"Thank you for bringing her back to me," she said. "And yeah, can't you hear them?"

I heard hoofsteps in the hallway and voices talking. The Order of St. Augustine had finally gotten here. A few unicorns got into the room and immediately started treating our cuts and bruises. I tried to ask them questions, but they said they were trying to focus on treating people as quickly as possible. We left when they had finished, which was only a few minutes. None of the Order members bothered us on the way out, but we didn't relax until we'd gotten back on the highway.

"Wow," Paper Back and Alan said, looking over at me. I glanced at her and smiled, but returned my eyes to the road. There really weren't a lot of cars out, but with how fast we were going, that was a danger all on its own.

"Are you guys ok?" I asked.

"You're asking us?" Alan said. "Of course we're fine, just fucking sore and tired. Are you ok?"

I had to think about it.

"Yeah," I said. "I really am. Thank you for com-"

Magic pressed against my mouth. Paper Back's horn was glowing and she smiled.

"Don't. Of course we came to save you. You'd come to save us, right?"

"Of course," I said.

"We're in this together," she said. "I'm just glad-"

A gold wave flashed across us and she collapsed mid-sentence.

"Paper Back!" I yelled, looking at them and pulling over. "Alan!" They were breathing but clearly unconscious. Ok, think, Nick, think. What do you do? You've got some kind of magic that Alexander taught you. Anything there that's useful?

Shields, moving power, basic circles, nope, nothing useful. Damn it.

They started to stir. When they opened their eyes, only one eye was looking at me. The other was staring in some random direction.

"Alan," I said, "Are you ok?"

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck," she groaned, "that hurt."

"Are you-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm ok. Paper Back's... oh, thank Christ. She's still here. Nick... that spell almost killed her. It was another mind-control spell."

"I'm taking you to a hospital," I said.

"For what?" Alan said. "They can't fix this shit."

"We have got to fucking hurry, then," I said.

"Going after Alexander?" Alan asked, sitting up and wincing. I let out a big breath.

"Yeah. I just don't see any other options right now. I mean, obviously he's interested in me because I've apparently got some kind of magic."

"And your plan is what?"

"I don't know. Pull you two into your own bodies and stop Paper Back from dying. Fix Erin's eyes. Keep me from dying in a few months."

"And he's just going to give this to you?"

"What else can we do?" I asked. We looked at each other for a moment.

"All right, it's fucking crazy, but I'm in. Let's do it," he said. Suddenly he looked at me in alarm.

"Dude, what about Erin and Brittney?"

"They can't come," I started to say, "it's too dange-"

"No, the fucking mind control spell! You're immune and Paper Back's taking the hits for me, which I can't stop. What about them?"

"Shit," I said, and floored the gas pedal.

We were a few hours away. When we arrived, I shot out of the car and barged into the house. Alan limped after me.

"Erin! Brittney!" I yelled when I opened the door. I was instantly blinded by this huge light. I heard a girl yelling at me, so loud I had to cover my ears.

"Do you dare enter my domain, mortal?" the voice yelled. "I will destroy you where you stand!"

I braced myself and tried to bring up a magic shield. I couldn't quite see past the light, but the voice...

"God damn it, Brittney!" I yelled when I recognized it. "You scared me!"

"Oh, Nick!" she said and the light turned off. She hopped off a chair and ran up to me. I saw she'd set up a spotlight and speakers, for some reason. She ran up and threw her front legs around me.

"I'm so glad you're ok," she said.

"Yeah, so what's all this?" I said.

She let me go and pointed at the setup. "Well, I wanted to be sure that nopony would break in or try to ponynap us, so I used your speakers and got a spotlight to scare ponies away!"

I just shook my head. "So you're not under Alexander's mind control?"

She sat back on her haunches. "I don't think so.” She gasped dramatically and grabbed her head with both hooves. Her eyes were huge. “Unless I am and he mind controlled me so I wouldn't know!" she said.

"Yeah, you're fine," I said, standing up. "How's Erin?"

"She's not acting normal," she said. "She's really quiet. I made her lunch but she just kinda sat there until I told her to eat."

I went upstairs and opened the door to my room. Erin was sitting in there, her eyes glazed over.

"Erin?" I asked, kneeling down next to her.

"Yes," she said in a monotone. She didn't shift her eyes.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"I'm not injured," she said. She still was barely responding to me being there. I took her hoof in one hand and a wing in the other. She didn't react.

"Erin, please, talk to me. Are you there?"

"I'm here." she said.

Paper Back and Alan stepped in behind me.

"Dude, is she ok?" Alan asked.

"No," I said. "It's like it's not her."

"Fucking mind control," he said. "Let me see if I can help."

"You?" I said before I could stop myself. "Wait, I mean, you're new to being a unicorn and-"

"Uh, first of all, fuck you," Alan said. "Second of all, I remember what Paper Back did to help last time, and I can remember how magic works from what she's told me. I can do this," he said.