Tales Of Lola The Black (2 page)

“I am running out of patience. Tell us which way is Master Perim’s mansion?” She demanded an answer for the last time.

“As you wish
. I will tell you.” The white fiend said and moaned in pain at his leg that had been pierced by Lola’s fire spell. “Find the stream east of here then follow it north. You should find his mansion and once you get there you will die by Perim’s apprentices.”

“Is there anything else that we need to know?” Lola asked politely making sure nothing is left unsaid by the creature and she would successfully find her old master’s mansion.

“Oh yes. I will see you in Necrovania.” Were the fiends final words and Lola yelled “Pikan Fahiah!” The fiend’s body was set on fire. Lola and Dougal watched it burned. Its stench was viler than a dead rat or rotten rations. They watched the rest of the fiends burning in the misty woods. Dougal had killed most of them with his blue flames.

“See you in Necrovania.” Lola paraphrased. “Where do fiends go after you kill them?”

“They don’t die so to speak. Their bodies may vanish but their souls return to Necrovania.” Dougal lectured. “There is a possibility that these fiends may haunt us however I highly doubt that. I don’t think they have any authority in the world of the dead if they were following Perim.”

Lola stared up at the night sky over the naked autumn branches. She no
ticed the white and blue moon were behind her.
The moons and sun rise from the east
, she thought and turned in that direction. Dougal walked by her side. She was not sure if the white fiend had told her the truth. If it had given them the right directions but Lola was willing to try. Anything to finally see Master Perim. They walked east as instructed. The woods were silent with only the hoot of owls and crickets. Despite the silence Lola understood that there could be more fiends lurking in the shadows of the woods. “The vibe of these woods has changed.” Dougal said as they walked to their destination.

“In deed.” Lola agreed. “I always thought Perim was a strange man however what
caused him to work with fiends.” Lola waved her rod and the ruby stone at the end lit up, illuminating the way. Soon they reached the stream. It was a beautiful stream. Lola ran towards it as soon as she saw it. She kneeled down by the edge of the stream, lifted her skirt and dipped her hands in the water. At the bottom of the stream, the rocks glow of turquoise, vivid greens, blues and yellow colors. Tiny fishes jumped from the water catching flies. Lola washed her face with the water. It was cold but refreshing. She sat there on her knees gazing at the stream and lovely aquatic creatures below. It brought back sweet memories.

Dougal joined her and brushed his ram horns on the side of her left arm. “Do you remember this stream Dougal?”
She asked him.

“Yes I do.” He said in
a low tone. “I am no longer human but I still remember this stream. We use to sneak out during the night and sat by this stream under a tree.”

“It was the only escape we had from that prison.” Lola muttered.

“Sorry my dear but this is not the time.” Dougal said, intending to disrupt Lola’s moment. “We will have time for sweet memories later. Let’s focus on finding Perim’s mansion.” Dougal then walked away from Lola as she sat there by the stream. She gazed at the black wolf walking away.
That form has changed you, Dougal
, she thought with a heavy heart.
I understand your pain. I promise you I will find a way to turn you back into a human again.
Lola then stood up and followed Dougal.

The white fiend said to follow the stream north. As Lola walked behind Dougal alongside the stream, she thought of the old days. She thought of her friends at the mansion and wondered if they would be glad to see her again.
It has been three long years since I have seen them. I wonder.

The time passed and the moons moved over the night sky. Lola gazed up at
the two moons,
an hour or so has passed
, she thought.
Although she remembers the stream going into the direction of the mansion, she does not remember it being such a lengthy walk. Then finally.

“I see it!” Dougal growled. Lola ran to him
with excitement. They stood side by side staring up at the mansion that dwelled behind large gates and stone walls about thirty feet high. It was at the top of a plateau and below it, the stream turned into a river. Across the river was the area where Lola and her friends trained in the arts of fire, she can still see and smell the burned lumber from afar. The mansion had three floors. The third floor was all for master Perim. No one but his servants was allowed up there. The second floor was where all of Lola’s friends’ bedrooms were located. The mansion had not changed since Lola and Dougal left. It had statues of Dragons everywhere outside and on the rooftops. Goth belfries with dragon statues snaking around it. Statues of knights of North Alexandria stood by the entrance, after the gates.

“So what do we do? Just walk up and knock on the door.
” Lola said sarcastically. She squinted and noticed the lights of the third floor.
He must be up there by himself as usual
, she thought.

“Lola look! By the gate.” Dougal alarmed. Lola gazed in the same direction and by the gate of the mansion she saw them. It was her old friends. Five of them chatting by the gate
. Two boys and three girls. Two blonde girls, both were slim wearing long skirts and corsets. One wore a blue long skirt with floral patterns and the other a long red skirt of pointy leaf ends. A brunette girl wearing a black gown sat on a boulder that protruded from the grass. The two boys were clad in red and brown tunics. They were all the same age as Lola. Nineteen or perhaps a few years older. They laughed by the gates, conversing and they all wore a headband on their forehead with a gemstone that looked like black onyx.

Lola was
somewhat nervous to approach them but she had not come this far from the capital city just to flee out of fear. She was going to confront them whether they still accepted her or not. “What are they doing outside this time off night?” Dougal asked the abyss as he crouched.

“They are probably
just killing the time in this boring place. It’s what we used to do, remember.” Lola snarled. “Come on then. Let’s say hello to our old friends.”

They walked up the sloping path. Lola was nervous and Dougal seemed to have his senses all together. He never showed signs of fears even when he was a human or at least that Lola
remembers. Up the slope path they went until they reached the mansion’s gate. The five people that chattered by the gate jerked their heads to Lola and Dougal at the sound of their steps. Immediately they raised their guards. They all raised their rods. They were all mages like Lola. They gave her a vile stare. “Who are you?” Shouted the blonde girl in red. “Don’t come any closer.”

Lola paced towards them with her arms raised, holding her red rod with her right hand. “I come in peace.” She declared.
“Don’t you remember me Lynn? It’s me Lola.”

The blonde girl raised her eye b
rows and her eyes bloomed as memories of Lola returned. The rest of them lowered their rods. They all stared at Lola, not surprised but with realization. None of them spoke on regards to Lola’s return to the mansion. They remained silent staring at each other. It was awkward for Lola. In times like these Dougal would take charge and respond but this was different. “Well. Say something.”

“
It’s been such a long time.” The blonde girl finally answered. “We didn’t think you would ever return.”

“It’s nice to see you again too Lynn.” Lola responded sarcastically. She could sense that she was not truly welcome
here. However she only hopes that she could at least speak to Master Perim with no hard feelings.

“Weren’t you the one that escaped?” Asked one of the boys
whom had chestnut hair. “And what is that beast by your side?” Asked the other boy of light brown hair rudely pointing at Dougal.

“I don’t blame you for not remembering Dougal.” Lola answered. “Last time you saw him he was human. We were both students of Master Perim training under the arts of fire. We came to visit the mansion to speak to Perim.”

“By the moons” Said the brunette girl with a gentle voice. She stood up from the boulder she had been sitting on and slowly walked towards Lola. “Lola you have grown beautifully.”

“Jazelle is that you. Great Omegus you are a beauty yourself.” The two girls ran towards each other with open arms and embraced each other tightly. Jazelle was Lola’s most trusted friend in the mansion above everyone else.
While everyone was unfair with Lola, Jazelle was always there to light a candle in Lola’s darkness. Jazelle filled that lonely spot in Lola’s heart when she first became part of Perim’s agency of fire mages.
Why did you return
, Jazelle whispered in Lola’s ear remembering that horrible night when Lola escaped with Dougal.  Lola did not answer her instead she gently pulled away from the embrace. “At least someone is happy to see me. What is wrong with the rest of you?” Lola challenged them.

“You dare ask us what is wrong.” Said the boy of chestnut hair, moving towards Lola. He stood
three inches taller than her, looking down at her. Lola stared at his green eyes fearlessly. “I still remember the night when you escaped from our home.” He said and Lola giggled.

“The past is behind us, Daniel.” Lola told him.

“Tell that to Master Perim and remind him how you tried to steal one of his artifacts that was trusted to him by King Alexander himself.” Then Daniel looked down at Dougal. “That is why Master Perim cursed Dougal with that ugly form that he is in.”

Dougal then growled and barked fiercely. Blue smoke left his nostril. Suddenly he felt the
malevolence to bite on Daniel’s neck. He remembers the boy. Daniel was a tattle tale. A snitch and a liar as well. He would get away with many things and got Dougal in trouble so many times. “Daniel.” Dougal growled as if he chewed on gravel. “You ass kissing tattle tale son of a wanton. As much as I want revenge now that I am free, that is not what I came here to do. Let us in to the mansion. All we want to do is speak with Master Perim.”

“Follow me.” Said Lynn. “I will take you to Master Perim.”

“What makes you think that Perim will want to see their faces again?” Daniel snarled.

“How about if you let
master decide on that?”

“He instructed us to…Ouch!” Daniel could not finish his sentence with Lynn’s elbow in his ribs. Lola noticed Lynn’s left eye blinking. At that very moment Lola understood who was still on her side.
She glanced down at Dougal and he nodded his head.
Things had not changed. They are still the same bastards as they have always been. Especially you Lynn.
You naughty little harlot. I will keep my eyes on you.

Lynn walked towards the gate and stood before it. She stretched out her rod and placed it just before the lock that began to flicker a feeble light. Lynn twisted her rod as if to turn a key inside a keyhole
and with a thumping sound the gate opened. “Follow me. Master Perim waits.”

Lola could only grin and follow behind the five of them. Jazelle looked over her shoulder at Lola. Her eyes were wet as if she were to cry. Lola understood and did not want to endanger her only friend. Lola then felt Dougal’s rough horns brushing against her lower left leg. “What is it?” She asked.

“It seems like Jazelle is the only one on your side.” He stated.

“Yes. If she wants I will take her with me
and get her out of this prison.” Lola whispered. She remembers hating the insides of the mansion. As luxurious as it was, it felt like more of a prison for the four years that she had reside here. She walked into the mansion. The gates closed behind her. That same feeling came back and memories began to slithering in her mind. Memories of the first day she walked into the gardens of Perim’s mansion when she first joined the fire mages agency.

She was only twelve years of ag
e. Her father who worked for the chancellor of North Alexandria was unable to pay off his dept. The chancellor took her father’s piece of land. The small farm they had and the hut in which they lived was taken marked as a property of the chancellor. Her father rebelled against the chancellor but the knights of the north came and forced him out of the lands. His daughters would become servants in the castle of the chancellor. Lola and her sister Leishla ran away. Leishla was captured first and Lola ran into the wilderness till the knights of the north found her weak nearly dying. Lola was separated from her sister. Thrown in the back of a caravan she was taken to the chancellor in the large city of Draken Dess. On the road, the knights who had seized Lola tried to take advantage of her before taking her to the harem in Draken Dess. Twelve year old Lola ran out of the caravan. The sinful knights chased her and caught her. Lola had no one to protect her. Back then she was still not trained in the arts of fire. She only carried a rod that her father gave her but did not know how to use it. Lola did not know how to use the rod. She had a knight on top of her, forcing her against her will in the wilderness of the north.

Then someone saved her. Somehow Omegus had heard her prayers and sent a hero. It was Perim and his apprentices. They had found the caravan heading south. They saw the perverted knight on top of the innocent farm girl. Perim punished the two knights who tried to abuse her and set Lola free. “You can come with me and learn the arts of fire or do as y
ou wish?” Perim gave her two choices and of course she followed him. She did not want to be alone walking through the wilderness, woods and forest of Alexandria alone and risk of being attacked by opportunist. She went with Perim to his mansion and Lola had never felt safer ever since. However things were not always as well as Lola imagine they would be.