The Ring Of Fire
by Dorathy Dotson

It was a beautiful night, and all was still in Zheralin, capital city of Churebim. Milo and Ally sat together, under the moon. 

One may think this was nothing more than a romantic setting, but Milo and Ally
held an important secret they kept:  They were the chief sorcerer and sorceress of Plydon, a world of magic kept
concealed from the rest of civilization. As a result of the work of the evil  Emperor Xtyrran, Churebim was in danger. 

Their two friends, Otis and Erin, were out on a secret mission in Plydon, trying to find out Xtyrran's weakness, and they would be back tonight at midnight.  That was now only 5 minutes away, and Milo and Ally were eagerly awaiting their return of their companions.

"What do you think, Ally?"  Milo was asking anxiously, his well-cut blond hair erect with concern and fear. "If he has no weaknesses, what should we do?"

"I say we just do the best we can, strike when he least expects it, and go with the original plan!" She smacked a fist down, hard, on the grass, her short auburn hair tossed about by the wind.  Ally always was the forceful one.

"Shhh, here they come," said Milo, a finger to his lips.  He could sense when Otis was transporting, and Erin was with him.

Crack, bang!

And there they were, Erin and Otis, Otis' ginger Mohawk ruffled and Erin's long black hair messy. 

"We found out he's got a weakness- a bad one." Otis gasped for air.

"On the day of the eclipse, Xtyrran will be powerless," Erin added.

There was silence.

"The ring of fire eclipse?" questioned Ally.

"Yup." Otis nodded. "The ring of fire is when we strike."

LATER...

"Here we are," said Ally.

"Gulp," said Erin.

"Here goes," said Otis.

Milo said nothing, but had a rather determined look on his face.

They snuck into the castle of Emperor Xtyrran. 

"Why, again, is he powerless in 2 minutes?" Ally asked breathlessly as they
ran up the Emperor's many flights of stairs.

"He uses Dark Magic, powered by the sun," Otis began, but Ally cut him off.
"Why not strike at night, then?" she said.

"Because," said Otis, "The sun is still out for another part of the world at night.
"The eclipse, however, is for the whole world.   When even one part of the sun, one
fragment of his power, is gone, all his power is gone.  That is one of the drawbacks of Dark Magic!  Full power, or no power.  Such a risk he took!"

The eclipse had begun.

"Hurry!" hissed Milo. They ran.

They arrived at Xtyrran's room.  Erin bravely opened the door.

Xtyrran was...
lounged on a chair, eating grapes.

Ally cleared her throat,"Ahem!"

Xtyrran dropped his grapes, got to his feet, put out his hands, and shouted a killing spell.

Nothing happened.

He tried again.

Still nothing happened.

The Emperor reached for 4 of his daggers.  He threw one at Milo and pinned him down by his hair.  He threw one at Otis and pinned him down by his sleeve.  Xtyrran looked at Ally and Erin, trying to decide who was a bigger threat.

He made a mistake by pinning Ally down by her shirt.

Erin ran behind the Emperor, where in his concentration, he couldn't reach her.
Using a Freezing Enchantment, Erin paralyzed him.

She then grabbed his last dagger, slit his throat, and then freed her
friends.

They then transported home, the Emperor dead and Churebim, and Plydon, safe.
 
THE END!