Chapter 6

A few hours later Xandria roused enough to actually sit up and make conversation. She had been lucid for a few moments in between but she could never get her eyes to open long enough to actually make sense of what they were saying to her before exhaustion pulled her under once again. She blearily pulled her eyes open but of course was faced with darkness. As she pulled her feet around to touch the floor she felt the chair dip beside her before she felt a hand caressing her head.

“Oh my little girl, I was so worried.” Xenia murmured to her daughter as she pulled her into a hug. “Some don’t make it through their first time and you haven’t even ascended yet, maybe that’s why your hair turned the way it has.” Her voice was crooning but full of wonder at the same time. Xandria face scrunched up in confusion.

“What happened to my hair?” She asked tentatively her hand reaching up to pat her hair only to find that it felt exactly the same to her, she thought for a second that it had fallen out to cause such wonder.

“Here baby girl,” She touched her daughter’s cheek softly. Xandria recoiled back when she realised what she saw, her head shaking from side to side as she gripped the cushions of the chairs  “I know, it certainly is different, who would have thought that in battling the darkness my baby girl would end up with hair as dark as night. It must be your mark to show that you’ve past your first solo rite, you don’t even want to know what mine is.” He mother laughed at the last part before pushing up from the sofa.

Not even a minute later there was the sound of footsteps in the hall and several people piled into the room. Xandria could hear them talking about her under their breaths but she chose to ignore it as she twirled the ends of her hair around her finger before letting go when she remembered what she had seem. Her beautiful white blonde hair was now black as charcoal except for a streak of blue at the front. Magpie, noting the girl’s nervousness, strolled across the room and took the seat that Xenia had vacated a moment before. She pulled her into a side hug before releasing her as the others took seats around the room, a lot of them shooting wary glances their way.

“Well done kiddo, you should be proud of yourself I don’t think I could have done that.” Magpie’s voice was soothing but Xandria still shifted uncomfortably, feeling awkward under the stares.

“Thanks, do you think I can change in a minute, I want to get out of this and into something more comfortable, I feel all tied up at the moment.” She tugged at the fabric covering her body several times before slouching back into the seat.

The only reply she got was a pat on the back so she contented herself with being uncomfortable until she could get home. The other’s in the room just stared at the three outsiders with wide eyed curiosity and something else that was beyond comprehension, all except Simon and Lila’s mother. Her eyes were trained on the three strangers who had somehow saved the life of her son with intent. As her fingers tapped the arm, her eyes suddenly widened and she looked back and forth between the three of us with rapid jerky movements.

“Excalibur.” She murmured shaking her head back and forth incredulously.

Startled Xenia’s mum moved forwards so that she was stood protectively before her daughter and magpie. She stared directly at Simon’s mother Hatty. “Amicus vel hostilis?” She questioned with ferocity, just daring Hatty to say the wrong answer. Xandria took a moment to translate the words, Latin wasn’t really her strong suit but after a moment she figured it out. Friend or enemy.

Hatty smiled as she went and stood behind her children. “Friend, you saved my son’s life do you even have to ask.” She shook her head back and forth as she stared at the people she had long thought myths. “The protectors of Excalibur, I never thought I’d see the day. Do you know my family used to have dealings with the Excalibur? Though my mum told me that they always emerged more prominently every 200 years, at a time when grave peril was upon us and the descendants of Morgan Le Fey rose once more. The outcome determining the years between the next battles, until one day, the chosen one would be strong enough to defeat the evil and the Excalibur would no longer be needed.”

The three keepers of Excalibur shifted uncomfortably as the others in the room stared at them with growing awe before Magpie and Xenia stood and ushered Hatty out of the room asking questions about her family’s heritage to distract her from saying any more.

Simon, Lila and Colton remained on the sofa staring wide eyed at Xandria who shifted uncomfortably on the chair opposite them. They had watched as over the hours of her unconsciousness her hair had turned from beautiful white blonde to black and they had just sat there open mouthed not knowing what else to do. Xandria stayed there for a moment longer before deciding that she couldn’t bear the weight of their stares any longer even if she couldn’t see them. Pushing up from the sofa on shaky legs so that she could escape, she made it exactly one step before her head swam and her limbs gave out beneath her. She careened forwards and would have hit the ground if it wasn’t for a pair of warm soft arms catching her an inch away from the ground and pulling her towards them so that she was cradled on their laps.

“thank you.” She whispered refusing to look up into his face.

She already knew it was Colton because she had learnt the difference in the sight his touch gave her to everyone else.  He removes his hands from around her and pulls her face up to meet his and he is again hit with how her eyes actually focus on him this time. He removes his touch and it is like the soul has been pulled from them and they become unfocused.

“Your eyes, they change.” He brushed his hand across her cheek and pulled it back before repeating it several times. Xandria snapped her hand up and caught his hand before he could do it again.

“Do not do it again, you are making me dizzy which is not good in my already weakened state. I think I shall prefer being blind sighted for a while.” Her lips curved up slightly but she felt drained at the small action.

The sound of the doorbell drew their attention so  Lila who felt as if she was intruding on something, pushed up from the chair and headed towards the front door her feet kicking the carpet as she went before disappearing around the corner towards the front door. Xandria was just relaxing into Colton’s hold when she felt it. She cursed at herself for being too slow as she struggled to get away from Colton.

“Lila NO, Don’t open the-“ Her voice bellowed throughout the house but it was too late and Lila’s scream reverberated off of the walls so that the hairs stood up on Xandria’s arms. The two boys tried getting up from the chair but she pushed them down whilst turning her head to Colton, placing a hand on either side of his face so that she could stare directly into his eyes. “I am sorry to do this but it is the only way to keep everyone safe.” Xandria’s eyes fluttered shut as one of her hands positioned itself over his heart and the other hand touched his forehead from the tips of two fingers.

“I Xandria Calibre, keeper of the Excalibur do name thee Colton the temporary guardian of the Excalibur, protect it, honour it and trust it.” Without thinking she leant forwards and pressed her lips to his as the power urged her too and she could feel the effects instantly. She could feel the warmth that surrounded her heart and soul leaving her body until she was a shivering mess on his lap and it was only when she felt empty that she pulled away allowing her eyes to draw open.

Simon who had been itching to go after his sister, stared at his friend in awe as Xandria climbed off of his lap before whispering to him with the last vestiges of her depleted energy. “Save them Colton.” She fainted as his friend got to his feet, his entire body glowing with the borrowed energy, the borrowed magic so that the powers that he already had were amplified and strengthened. He looked towards Simon for a moment and then down at Xandria.

“Protect her.” He commanded before walking away and letting his feet guide him towards the feeling of wrongness.

Simon sat for a moment, staring at his friend’s back as he left him behind before he scooped Xandria up into his arms and ran for the other door. Colton needed help but first he had to get the new recruit to safety just like his friend wanted.

Sorry it's a bit rushed but I'm trying to meet the deadline for this so I'm writing whenever I can. Please vote as I would love to make it past teh first round of the contest.