Now, since this is looking quite empty, and I hate empty-looking pages... some fragments of stories I pulled out from my various notebooks:
--

"I am the Silverstone." She smiled sadly at him. "For all my life I've been running away from what I am. I've travelled all over the world... but no matter where I went, there always was somebody with a wish for the Silverstone. I do not know why I decided to follow you. Perhaps it was the fact that unlike all the others, you deserved to be granted your wish. Or perhaps I already knew what would happen. I already knew... I would fall in love with you."
He simply stared at her, speechless, as she continued: "To have your wish granted, you have to kill me."
He gripped his sword tightly in his hand. "No. I can't kill you."
"Do it. I'm tired of living. I'm tired of people chasing me to have their stupid wish granted. I've lived too long already, and you deserve to be happy."

--

The Archmage stood and brought her hands forward, a staff appearing in them. Alielle took three steps forward and knelt, putting a hand on the staff. "Alielle Estarria Thylith, Otherseer and friend of the Elements, I give you this staff as a symbol of your power. What is your promise?"
"I promise I will do all I can to help those who need it. I promise I will never use my power to hurt, except in self defense. I promise I will protect this world, and everybody who lives in it." She took the staff from the hands of the Archmage and stood. "And now" she continued "it is best that you forget..." she concentrated, pouring a little of her power in each word she spoke "forget you ever knew I'm an Otherseer." Her staff flared, and when the light subsided, she was gone.

--

Alielle pulled out a small vial from the satchel on her belt and stared grimly at it. The translucent golden liquid shone in the morning light. She uncorked the vial and drank from it, shutting her eyes tightly and grimacing at the sour taste. The lyrinth would probably kill her, she knew it, but she had no choice...

...

Air paced nervously back and forth, looking at Alielle's prone form every now and then. "She's been unconscious for five days now" it murmured. "This is not good... we should help her."
"Will you give it a rest, Air?" Water snapped. "What happens to her is no longer anything of our concern."
"You're quick to forget a friend" Earth calmly noted. "I'm worried for her... Air is right, we should help her."
"She is no longer our friend, not after what she did to us" Fire snarled. "Now give it a rest, or I swear I'll kill her myself, right here and now!"
Air growled. "You would never have the courage--"
/Don't argue.../
"What?"
/Don't argue because of me.../
As the elements watched, Alielle slowly stood, shakily, supporting herself with her staff. Her pitch-black eyes never left the elements.
"So the lyrinth worked..." Fire said quietly.

[A little bit of info. The lyrinth is a magic potion, which increases the drinker's power temporarily. It can kill a person, if said person drinks too much of it or drinks it when they are at their power peak (as their body can't withstand the power). The latter is what is happening to Alielle.]

/Don't argue because of me... I knew what the risk was when I cast the spell... but it was the only thing I could do. I know you'll never forgive me... I just wanted to--" She groaned in pain and doubled over, coughing hard.
Water's eyes widened in understanding. "You took the lyrinth... just to speak with us one last time..."
Alielle looked up, pain in her eyes, blood staining her lips and trickling from a corner of her mouth. /Yes... I just wanted to say... I'm sorry for betraying you. You're the first and only real friends I've ever had... I'm sorry.../ Her eyes closed, and her staff slipped from her grasp and clattered away as she fell down in a heap.
Air and Earth were by her side in a second. "Oh, Ali..." Water, after some hesitation, followed, and Fire was left alone to stare as the other three elements tried in vain to revive Alielle.

           "You'll never leave me, right?"
           "I won't."
           "You promise?"

Fire gritted its teeth and tried to push back the memory. Alielle had betrayed it... all of them... why should a promise count anymore?

           "Come on, Fire. Promise?"
           "I promise."

...

Alielle was dimly aware of somebody nudging her, trying to give her strength. With the last remaining shreds of her power, she felt around her. 'Air, Earth and Water...' she smiled inwardly. It was good to know they still cared about her, after all...
She no longer had the strength to fight the darkness that was claiming her. /Goodbye, friends... it was good to see you for one last time.../
Suddenly, bright light everywhere. /No! Ali, no! Don't die... please, don't die!/
Alielle felt the strength slowly returning to her.
"Don't die..."
Alielle slowly opened her eyes.
Fire was there, staring worriedly at her. "Ali..."
Alielle felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Fire..." she sat up and hugged it tightly.
Fire sighed. "I'm sorry I was so stubborn, Ali... I nearly killed you. All because I didn't want to admit to myself that I missed you..."

[ 7/27/2001 08:28:41 PM | ]