Darkshore

by C S Harrop

  “You’re wasting your breath Onyxia and you are mistaken once again if you think you’re the one that’s going to kill me. The sight of you sickens me,” replied Aunt Elora with a look of disgusts in her eyes.

  “Darkshore awaits Elora, maybe I will just pull your soul from your dying body as I did with Ashantia and keep you with me for eternity,” Onyxia said pointing towards the jewel hanging around her neck and pointing her.

  “The light shines brighter in the dark,” Aunt Elora stated just before her palms glowed intensely bright destroying herself and the whole cabin in pulses of violent explosion scattering the debris high over the wood island.

  Onyxia pushed pieces of timber from top of her body as she lay some distance away from the destructive mess that was once the cabin. Lowering her staff disengaged the shield it had produced that protected her from the explosion and picked herself up out of the mass of fallen wood. With the thought of been cheated out the soul of Aunt Elora, she whistled for her flying beast that came to land on the remnants of the cabin. Mounting the beast Onyxia took off to the skies in search for the lost soul.

  Asha felt the energy drain away from her body to the point she had to slow down to a half-hearted trek through the snow. Her arms stretched across her cold face shielding her eyes trying her hardest to see through the endless bombardment of wind and snow falling from the early morning sky. Disoriented and frightened Asha stopped to catch her breath and took a long look around in all directions to get her bearings just to realise all sense of direction was lost, every direction looked like the same blanket of snow the island where the cabin sat had disappeared from sight altogether.

  Asha knew she had left the surface of Lake Erat her knees have not had a bruising from the slippery ice for some time and the snow gradually became deeper which took considerable more energy with every step.

  Travelling on the wind hearing faint peculiar sounds Asha thought at first it was her mind playing tricks. Straining her ears a familiar sound came travelling on the wind the sound of an explosion similar to the sound she created by the lake when she lost control of her power. The explosions became more distinctive as she focused her earing Asha had a sudden realisation that they must becoming from the cabin. She listened in horror as each burst echoed louder and louder until the only remaining sound was that of the cold icy wind.

  Asha dropped to her knees and sobbed knowing in her heart Aunt Elora was unable to keep her promise to see each other again. Slowly rising to her unsteady feet, she set off once again on tired legs across the snow knowing she must keep her word to Aunt Elora and travel to the kingdom of Andoria. Stepping up her pace aware Priestess Onyxia only attention will be spent searching for her and will be hot on her trail every step of the way. It was mid-morning when the screeching sound eventually came from Onyxia’s winged creature as it rang out in the distance. Asha looked up through the thinning snow to the blue morning sky trying to get a glimpse of the evil priestess.

  The screeching became nearer with every couple of steps. Asha gathered the last of her energy for one last burst of speed moving as fast as she could Asha noticed in the distance a faint tree line becoming taller as the distance closed. The enormous trees were upon her just as Onyxia bruised and battered from the explosion flew overhead scouring the blanket of snow on the ground.

  “There she is, get her!” Shouted Onyxia to the winged creature while pointing to the little black dot moving at a hurried pace across the snow. “Quickly you wretched beast before she reaches the forest.”

  Asha looked up over her shoulder her eyes widened as she saw the giant winged creature darting straight for her. The creature’s outstretched talons were pointing directly for Asha preparing to snatch her up in a single swoop like an eagle catching prey. The enormous trees became a barricade between Asha and the winged beast as she managed to dive and hide behind a giant ancient tree of the Great Forest. Onyxia held onto the saddle tightly to the winged creature reared on its hind legs too large to get through the large trunks of Great Forest.

  “You can’t hide for forever, you will not leave this forest alive,” shouted Onyxia scouring the darkened forest for any movement.

  Holding her breath Asha slowly peered from around the tree trying not to make a sound then took her first long look at the woman who has been hunting her throughout Asha’s entire life. Hindered by bronzed leafed branches and dark green and brown bushes irritated Asha by the lack of detail she was unable to see only the outline of the woman who has been hunting her all her life.

  With her back resting against the tree out of view of Onyxia taking some deep breaths and amazed with herself how she kept her power under control such circumstance. A flicker of blue from the marking on her palms now and again but nothing for her to worry about, the belief she can actually control her power had finally dawned on her. With that thought and without been seen Asha silently crawled away through the floor covered leaves going deeper and deeper into the darkness of the forest.

  Chapter 4

  Witherbark

  The Great Forest grew mistier with an element of gloom with every stride Asha took. The trees appeared to be in torment twisting the very bark in pain giving them a menacing appearance. Asha tried her hardest to keep at arm’s length of the gigantic mass of tortured trees with the daunting feeling she will be get entangled within their dark roots and swallowed into the ground.

  With minimal light appearing through the treetops and all directions looked the same time itself seemed none existent. Asha walked further into the forest looking anxious in all directions as strange noises and snapping of twigs echoed through the grim light. The trees became dry and lifeless, Asha had not even realised as she walked precariously along the transition from the last remnants of snow to a carpet of bronze coloured leaves scattered across the hardened dirt of the forest floor.

  “I must find a way out of here. Aunt Elora would have had serious words with me for coming in here, if she was alive that is,” Asha mournfully said to herself holding back the tears knowing in her heart that she was gone.

  Asha kept on moving along the uneven dirt surface of the Great Forest knowing she cannot turn back Onyxia would pounce on her at first sight. She kept on going not stopping for what seemed like hours her legs were tired and her eyes where heavy, Asha found it difficult to concentrate and struggled to pick up her feet resulting in a few trips. She knew she needed to rest but every little sound and shadows played with her imagination stopping now as the forest became darker was not an option.

  Asha gave another hesitant look around rubbing her eyes she noticed something that seemed out of place, she paused straining her eyes to look deep into the rising darkness amongst the trees of the forest. Asha could barely make out an outline of something big moving slowly along with her and disappearing. Putting what she saw down to her tiredness Asha succumbed to her aches and pains, her legs began to wobble then suddenly gave way. Dropping to her knees hard barely able to raise her arms she quickly took a second look back deep within the darkness of the trees just to ease her mind a little.

  “I’m losing my mind,” whispered Asha nervously to herself getting a quick drink from the pouch she was carrying in her bag and a bite of dried bread while still scouring the area with her heavy eyes.

  A moment passed when Asha suddenly found herself holding her breath as two white dots appeared from within the darkness of the forest. The dots became larger as they drew closer towards Asha. Terror struck Asha when the dots transfigured into two huge cat shaped eyes and those eyes were heading straight for her at speed through the rising mist. Forgetting all about the tiredness and aching legs her adrenalin kicked in and Asha quickly rose to her feet and ran as fast as she could. Her bag hit against her hips in rhyme with her steps, her arms spread out in front dodging low branches and risen tree roots but missed a mossy rock buried half deep in the dirt as she fell head first tumbling to the ground.

  Brushing away her wavy hair from her face, she took a quick look ar
ound for the huge cat like animal. Asha noticed to her left a large space in a hollow tree big enough for her to squeeze herself inside. Quickly hearing the cracking of branches nearby she crawled as fast as she could over the fallen leaves and dirt and managed to make it inside the hollow tree, which was bigger inside then she first thought ample space for her whole body.

  “My bag, I have dropped my bag,” Asha thought to herself patting her waist and the surrounding space.

  Before Asha even thought about retrieving her bag, heavy footsteps came from outside the hollow tree. She sat with her knees to her chest holding her breath listening intensely, too scared to move knowing a huge beast of this ancient forest was lurking outside. The sound of snapping twigs became closer and closer to the entrance until the sound of a footstep suddenly stopped nothing could be heard just a deathly silence.

  Uncontrollably Asha’s markings on her palms began to glow. She dug her nails deep into the bark of the tree trying to hide the faint brilliant blue illumination. Asha concentrated as hard as she possibly could to keep the power from erupting and not announcing to the beast and Onyxia and every other nasty creature in this forest where she is located.

  Breaking the silence came a long deep and heavy breathing sound from just outside. Cold breath of the beast passed over the entrance of her hiding place, hoping not lose control her power Asha closed her eyes and held her breath and concentrated as hard as she has never done before. A few seconds felt like a lifetime her glowing palms increased intensity now placed inside her fur coat to hide any sign she was there. The relief came as a loud cry of a creature echoed through the dark forest the beast sped off instantly on what sounded like giant paws to Asha’s ears.

  It took a while until Asha calmed herself and somehow managing to get her power back under control with steady breathing. Tiredness fell upon her once again, Asha waited for as long as she possibly could without hearing the sound of heavy paws or loud breathing she wrapped up warm in her hooded fur coat and drifted off into a deep but troublesome sleep.

  Daybreak came to the Great Forest beams of light broke down through giant ancient trees spreading across the bronze and red coloured leafed floor. Asha cautiously crawled out of the hallow tree looking around for any sign of the beast that chased her. The forest looked different with fresh eyes the trees still looked twisted and dying but not half as menacing.

  It has been over a full day since Asha had last eaten a decent meal her stomach felt empty making her feel quite nauseous, quickly remembering she realising her food was in her bag. Quickly backtracking her movements in her head of the previous night Asha soon realised she must of lost the bag when she tripped up running away from the beast, she was having a quick drink and a snack at the time so she definitely had the bag then.

  The thought of the beast made Asha look over her shoulder thinking it could pounce from the trees at any time. Unable to get those cat like eyes out of her mind she shook her head and walked away from the large hallow tree working out the direction she crawled from to where the spot where she fell. Asha reached the large mossy rock that tripped and the indent in the ground where she fell only to find her bag was missing. After closer inspection Asha noticed huge paw prints embedded in the dirt she put her hand down on top of the paw print realising her hand was considerably smaller like a small child’s hand held up to an adults.

  “I have seen many animals before but never anything this big,” muttered Asha to herself. “Then again I have never seen anything like the creature Onyxia was riding either.

  The Great Forest gave no hint of a direction with the sun hidden by the treetop canopy and no sign of the edge of the forest or even a hint of a path to follow. Asha knew she must try to find a way out of the forest and head for the kingdom of Andoria then into the protection of the Elders. The only direction she could possibly hoping not to go in a circle was keeping in the same direction she was initially going when she entered the forest and she knew this by the direction of the imprint in the dirt were she tripped over the rock.

  Asha kept on walking thinking that every step is a step further away from Onyxia and one-step closer to safety of the Elders. She walked what she thought was half the day without seeing a single living creature, not a deer or rabbit not even a bird which all added to the strangeness of the Great Forest.

  With the light slowly beginning to fade and still no sight of a path or trail to follow. As the forest dimmed as the sun began to set behind the forest, shadows merged together creating a web of darkness throughout creating the nightmarish place Asha witnessed the night before. Many of the elusive creatures of the forest seemed to come alive at night Asha gradually began to have the same feeling which she had the day before the feeling of been watched.

  Moving steadily along through the trees avoiding the protruding roots and random rocks. Asha managed to find a handful of mushrooms growing on a fallen log she knew were edible which helped a little with her hunger and enough water to quench her thirst from a small spring flowing under a tangle of roots. Nourishment gave Asha a much needed boost of energy, still tripping occasionally over roots and fallen branches but her pace quickened all the same.

  Wiping her tired eyes and taking a second glance Asha noticed through the trees a flickering of light ahead. Moving closer Asha’s spirit lightened for just a moment hoping the light was her way out of the miserable forest and maybe help.

  The light became bigger and brighter as Asha picked up speed but out from the corner of her eye she glimpsed something large moving along with her amongst the trees. Asha’s heart sank with shear panic, she had only one choice and that was to run as fast as she possibly could towards the flickering light hoping the huge beast would not follow her into the light, knowing the creature seems to appear only at low light.

  Asha ran as fast as she could avoiding the natural obstacles of the forest listening to the heavy paws running alongside her. Glimpsing towards the noise still she was unable to see the visible form of this creature, only the image of those large cats eyes the night prior etched firmly in her mind. The sound of thumping paws drew closer as did the light ahead. With the loud snapping of branches off to her right the beast was in pouncing distance, with her last bit of energy threw herself towards the light and into a clearing.

  Asha turned to look behind the moment she hit the floor, the huge beast was nowhere to in sight. It took a few seconds for Asha to realise she was holding her breath, relaxing her windpipe with exhaled breath she picked herself up. The flickering lights were actually two burning torches attached to either side of a large stone table perched on a stump of felled tree. The table’s position was in the centre of a clearing surrounded by of dirt and rock with a visible path to the rear leading up and around a steady incline.

  Taking a few steps around the stone table and keeping an ear to the surrounding darkness listening for any sudden noise Asha noticed rusty chains with braces and pieces of bone scattered upon it.

  “Who would use something like this,” Asha thought to herself fixated on a piece of a broken skull.

  Asha was too preoccupied with her surroundings to avoid a weighted roped net that landed over her from above pinning her to the ground. Twisting and turning unable to break free Asha screamed as hard as she could when she noticed the two greasy skinned looking goblins hovering over her. Her helpless screams echoed through the dark forest disappearing into a fading silence.

  The two goblins wearing dirty rags wrapped around their waist and shoulder wielding wooden spears started poking Asha with their rusty spears trying to make her stop screaming.

  “I would keep quiet if I were you – human. We don’t want anybody else trying to claim you do we, your our prise,” advised a nasty looking one-eyed goblin in a croaky voice.

  “We will get a big reward for this human,” stated the other excited but not so clever goblin.

  “Yes the Goblin King will be very pleased with this gift, he could even give us names and positions,” replied the one eyed gob
lin with a look of satisfaction on his face.

  Feeding their wooden spears through the net the goblins took hold of either side then lifted Asha up from the ground and carried her up and around the steady incline to the rear of the table. Following the path of used torches they continued dropping back down deeper into the Great Forest.

  Asha felt bruised and battered after spending what seemed like hours been thrown around in the net stopping occasionally giving the goblins a rest. She noticed the goblins were once again following a path of old distinguished torches. The torches became more and more frequent until they eventually came to a stop by a large gate.

  Asha had never seen a gate so big before and made a mismatch of different types of wood and metals that the goblins have scavenged. Tilting her head as far as the net would allow she noticed the large wooden gate connected to a wall built of thick vertical logs that stretched as far into the dim light as Asha could see and an overturned moss ridden stone sign embedded in the dirt engraved - Witherbark.

  “Open up!” shouted the one eyed goblin whilst hammering on the huge gate with his fist. A door no bigger than the goblins small stature opened from within the huge wooden gate and out limped an old wrinkled goblin holding a spear that he used more for support than a weapon.

  “What have we got here,” the old goblin asked looking curiously at Asha.

  “Inform the king we have a mighty gift,” insisted the one eyed goblin whilst the other goblin took position to the rear of Asha protecting their prise.

  “Why don’t you let me take the human to the king for you, you both must be tired carrying it all this way,” offered the old goblin reaching out to grab hold of the net Asha was caught in.