Adele Awakens

"Talk to me Matthias! Say something!" Matthias shook his head sadly and gestured at his throat.

"Elaine has stolen his voice." Fred said from across the room. "She has also taken Belboz's ring."

"My father's ring? My father..." her eyes scanned the dimly lit room and soon fell on Belboz's body. "No!" she shrieked. She dashed over to her father'slifeless corpse and collapsed on the ground beside it. "We hadn't had any time...oh father..." Adele whispered in between her tears. Matthias came to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. She was wracked by sobs that seemed as if they would tear her apart.

Fred and the two princesses had kept their distance up to this point. When finally Adele overcame her grief and found the strength to stand, Astra bravely stepped forward. She knew Adele would want answers and felt she should face Adele's wrath alone, if any of them must, over Belboz's death. Fred made a move as if to stop her, but she gave him a stern glance. "Fred, if Adele tries anything, you take Exotica and get out of these caves. That is your first duty as a knight, is it not?" Fred nodded in understanding.

Adele was taken aback as Astra stepped forward. In the heat of battle, things had moved so fast that she had not seen the real effects of her father's spells until this point. The image of it was even more unsettling due to Astra's nudity.

"Adele, please listen. It was my attack which took Belboz's life, though it was not my intent to kill. Afterwards, Elaine thought she could restore my arms, and Sigin's mind and proper body, using Belboz's ring. But she was consumed by its dark power as soon as she put it on."

"Princess Astra..."

Although we all opposed Belboz at first, please consider me alone responsible for his demise. Fred and Exotica don't deserve your anger."

Adele exhaled deeply. "I'm not angry." she said, to everyone's surprise. "I knew my father was in the wrong, though I wished it otherwise. I was a fool to stand with him. If we had all faced him together, we could have subdued him without killing him, and the ring would never have passed to Elaine. I betrayed your trust, all of you, and I am sorry for it. I wish to make amends."

1. "Unfortunately I cannot restore your arms, nor Matthias' voice, nor Sigin, with my powers alone."
2. "I may be able to restore you all. My father trained me in his arts when I was a girl, so I know a few of his spells of release."
3. The entire mountain shook violenty. Earthquake? Cave-in? Or the beginnings of magical combat between Elaine and Minestus? "We can worry about it later," Fred said. "For now, let's get out of here!"

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