At first I didn’t thought it possible, but everything had proved me wrong ever since the day I met her. I now knew why Carlaylin was so different. It all made sense now. Well… most of it. In due time all would be revealed… if only I could find the willpower to check out all those books stashed away on my bookshelves.
Time for more sketches!
CHAPTER 18
GUESS IT’S MY TURN THEN
TERROWIN
THIS IS IT. END OF THE LINE.
I knew it as soon as he pressed the tip of his blade to my throat.
He threateningly stared at me with not a single sign of pity or mercy.
“Go ahead,” I coughed.
“Do your worst.”
The assassin’s baleful eyes narrowed and hardened his grip on the sword. I could feel as the sharp end of the blade stung at my throat.
I couldn’t swallow. I was frozen.
As he looked at me, I noticed something familiar about him, but I didn’t quite know what.
Suddenly, to my suprrise, he shut his eyes, apparently having second thoughts. It looked as though he couldn’t kill me. More like he didn’t want to.
His shoulders slumped and he gave in. He sheathed his sword and unbuckled a steel dagger. He stabbed it in the cloth of my shoulder, making sure I was pinned down for good.
He stood, his eyes glinting with a sense of almost melancholy. The next thing I knew, he walked away, not even glancing back.
The first thing I felt was heat, immense heat. I studied my surroundings and saw how fast the fire had spread. My heart lurched. I was in the middle of a forest fire that so closed in on me without even a mere shred of hesitance. A forest fire I had caused. I was a fool…
I had been so focused on not being killed, that my burning surroundings had been little more than a thing of background significance.
I needed to get out of there. If I ddidn’t suffocate from the thick clouds of smoke, the scorching heat would surely catch me then. This was no longer my fire. It had grown into something much more. It had grown into something far worse, something more monstrous than I could ever have anticipated.
I reached for the dagger with my one free hand, the arm that wasn’t broken. I tried pulling out, but it wouldn’t come loose. An agonizing pain shooting through my entire arm made me realize that the assassin didn’t just stab a piece of my clothing, but also managed to pierce my shoulder along with it. My body had numbed the pain to lessen the shock, making it the only reason why I couldn’t feel it at first, but now, the anguish was pretty much back and kicking.
I groaned with pain, biting down on my teeth. I needed to get out of here and find Carlaylin so that we could leave this hazard or else we would both be roasted.
I tried pulling on the dagger once again, but it was stuck firmly and I winced.
One more time. Third time’s the charm, right?
I gathered my breath. I gave it my all and finally got it loose. I held the dagger in front of my face, quite clearly beholding the sight of its blade being covered in the dark crimson of my own blood.
“That’s my blood,” I said breathlessly.
I equipped the dagger to my belt and stood with one hand clutching my broken arm.
“That’s a lot of my blood.”
I looked around in search for a way out, but I saw nothing but giant flames enclosing me, devouring the foresty, seering the foliage and eating away at the bark. The sky had turned into little more than a dark mask of dark grey smoke. Everything burned down. I was forced to listen to the awful crackling of my own doing.
All of nature in the area was busy being driven into ruin, taken from this world to leave behind only silhouttes of what they once were, burning down to black piles of ash.
I couldn’t believe that I was the cause of such a disaster just because I wanted to use magic instead of a dreaded weapon.
“Okay, next time I’m going with a weapon.”
A fragment of memory flashed in my head, playing Brendon’s death in my head, returning the sensation of how it felt when my sword pierced his figure…
I doubted myself.
“Okay, I’m sticking with magic.”
I looked up at the slope. There was no way that I could make it up the slope with my arm in this condition. It was a bit too steep, anyway. Even for me.
There was but not a single sign of daylight as thick smoke writhed and twirled in the sky, hanging above the forest like a vulture keeping an eye on its dying prey.
It became all the harder to breathe as the smoke, like a thief, sneaked into my lungs and cut off most of my oxegyn.
An idea suddenly hit me.
Wait, wait! You’re still a wizard of fire, Terrowin. Well, technically an apprentice of fire, but anyway – the fire might have gotten out of ahnd and far out of your control, but you can still manipulate. Fire is still your element. Use it.
I absentmindedly nodded at my idea with a slight smile of satisfaction.
From my previous travels through these parts, I could remember a path that lead up the hill without any trouble at all. But by the looks of it, the fire was blocking that path. I moved crippled towards the pathway. I knew for certain that it would lead me to Carlaylin.
I remembered that both my arms were needed for this certain spell to clear the way, to split the fire, but I only had one available at the time.
It won’t hurt if I only do the spell partly, will it?
I took a deep breath and focused on my target. I raised my one none-broken arm, focused on the link between the fire’s heat and my hand, imagined them interlocking. I swiped it to the left and the flames obeyed. Half of the fire blocking my way gave way and formed a giant wave of flames that tumbled to the left. It created a narrow path for me to pass by.
I tried to squeeze my way through, trying not to come into too much contact with the scorching flames. The heat was almost unbearable, but being a fire elemental gave me the advantage of not burning, no matter how hard I tried, but I there was a phrase that I repeated in my head like a mantra:
It’s not your fire anymore. The possibility of it harming you is much greater. It’s a monster. It’s not your fire anymore…
If anyone were to find out that I was the one responsible for all this, I’d surely hang for my crimes – my treacherous deeds. Better keep it quiet then for the time being...
I finally escaped the flames’ intense grasp, my whole body covered with soot, but I still moved onwards to Carlaylin, not even thinking twice.
If there’s one thing I knew, was that if I didn’t reach her soon enough, then she would die by the hands of the ever-creeping fires or possible asphyxia. I ran towards her, but unfortunately the new, alternative path wasn’t the shortest. It was quite a long way to go, even if I was running as fast as I could. I jumped on rocks to avoid some spots of burning grass and leaped across the fires.
A large thick branch broken from its tree and collapsed right in front of me and sent sparks of flames bursting out in all directions. I stumbled backwards, instinctively using my abled arm to shield my face. Once again I clutched my arm and continued running. At some point, I had to veer and go around a blazing log blocking most of the trail. As the heat seered my lungs, I couldn’t help but cough. My cough only worsened as I ran out of air to breathe. My exertion wasn’t exactly the best idea as I was left breathless.
Out of nowhere, from the side, there was a fiery explosion of bark and flame. I stumbled sideward, trying my best not to get entombed within the infernos.
At last I reached Carlaylin, wiping the sweat from my forehead, wheezing from the exertion and lack of breathable air.
At least she looked okay, still laying unconsciously at the foot of a bolder. I mustered all the strength I had left and forced the pain of my broken arm to the very back of my mind as I reached down to pick her up. I faltered, struggling with my failing arm, but I forced against it and tried harder.
I winced as s
oon as I cradled her in my arms, but that didn’t stop me. I knew that I would need to carry her all the way to the Village of Water if I had any hope of us both recovering.
Guess it’s my turn then…
I fought across the burning plains as I tried to carry my companion to safety. I felt as my body weakened and my energy drained. The heat was penetrating and I couldn’t even see what lay ahead of me anymore as my vision started to blur, unable to handle the extent of the sweltering heat.
I moved on until I couldn’t take any more of it. As I carried Carlalylin, I tried to manipulate my hand, drawing in mid air, focusing my head on the fires and the smoke they set free. I shot my gaze upwards and witnessed as the flames bowed to my whim. The fires came together to form the sign I drew with my hand, S.O.S., a call sent reaching above the trees to attract someone’s attention, aynone’s. I had no clue whether it would work or if it were nothing more than a waste of time and vigour.
I don’t care who sees it, anyone, just anyone! I can’t… I… I just…
I rooted to the spot at the sudden sound of a loud and threatening creak behind me. My eyebrows knitted into dire apprehension. I foresaw something was about to happen, something I couldn’t run from, not with the state I was in. There was little I could do…
I acted fast and heaved Carlaylin forward, out of the way, sending her comatose body rolling forward.
Next thing I knew, an entire colossal sized tree came crashing down on me.
CHAPTER 19
SKULL ROCK CAVE… IT’S ALIVE!
CARLAYLIN
I SLOWLY OPENED MY EYES and waited for my vision to slowly focus and adjust. My head was throbbing for some reason I couldn’t quite decipher. Groaning, I tried easing myself up with my elbow, rubbing my head. Gradually, I got to my feet. I looked around me to try and get my bearings. I still felt a little light-headed.
Was it… nightfall? My surroundings were coated in the darkness of the night, tinted with a black and dark blue tinge lingering in its wake.
I looked above me and saw only one single moon shining above all the trees, leaving spears of white light to pierce through the dark branches of the silhouetted trees. It was strange that there was only one moon. There was supposed to be three. That one lone moon shone with a ghostly glow, white. It made me shiver. It wasn’t normal. It was unnatural to only have one...
Little glowing specks dotted the dark and sinister sky. Stars I presume? I looked around me and noted mist meandering close to the earthin one thing layer.
The ground I stood upon wasn’t the regular smooth touch of the lush green forest floor, but either something of grey ashes. None of the trees bore leaves. They were nothing but black outlines of trees and their remaining branches, those that didn’t snap and gather dust on the ground.
“Where am I?” I asked, my voice echoing through this plain of forgotten dreams. I started wandering through the barren, ruined, desolate wasteland. Confused, I looked around at my surroundings with widened eyes.
“This can’t be the forest, can it?” There was a lonely, yet ghostly, cold-hearted breeze blowing through the (perhaps burnt) trees, sounding as though it was whispering my name. It slipped pass me and I swear I could hear it…
Carlaylin...
I felt an involuntary tremble at my being and hugged myself in hope that it would subside. It was a little chilly out here too, as though all life had gone, dead, leaving nothing but a cold track of nothingness behind. I kept on wandering.
Then something really out of the ordinary happened.
It looked like white shades of ghostly figures, a few of them, pass me by. I gasped and froze in my tracks, watching them as they continued their path forward, right past me, one even passing through me, leaving me with a shiver snaking down my spine.
They didn’t seem to notice me, but I noticed them, shocked at only the sight of those things. Even though they looked like little more than ghosts to me, they had a strong human quality to them… All the figures seemed to be moving toward a certain point. Despite their ghostly appearances, I tried to ignore my gnawing fears and followed them. They led me to a spot only a few paces further than the place I woke up at. Not far by, I noticed another ghostly figure to be laying on the ground, half curled up… a girl.
She lay on the ground, completely still. Not even moving a muscle. She lay among a scatter of wooden shrapnel, near a large tree, its roots torn straight from the ground, collapsed, looking almost like it was sinking into the ground.
The figures stood around her in a circle and began to talk, discussing a matter, but I could not understand a word they were saying since it came forth to me as no more than hushed whispers of a language I was unable to identify with.
I cocked my head and curiously stared at them as I hid myself behind the trunk of a close by tree, careful not to go too close. It looked like they were trying to decide on something dire to the case.
It took a long while of whispered words, but they finally came to a decision. I don’t know why, but all of a sudden, they hopped about in panic, immediately picking the girl up. I must’ve missed a part, distracted by a close by bird. I silently moved closer and took a good look at the girl. I narrowed my eyes as I tried to make out who it was.
“Is that... Is that me?” The ghostly girl had a similar form. I absentmindedly took a few steps back in awe.
“No, it can’t be. I’m right here, aren’t I?” I looked down at myself, probing around myself with my fingers to see if I really was real and then shot my gaze back to that ghostly girl, gaping.
The other figures acted fast and quickly carried the girl to... somewhere. No idea where though.
I shook my head, trying to get the idea out of my head. I veered and hurriedly ran into the opposite direction. I kept on running, my feet carrying me through the burnt forest. It wasn’t long that when I realized the forest to almost look different. The foliage and lush green trees had returned, though only regaining the darkened green color by order of the night.
I saw as I approached the foot of a rocky mountain. It was a mountain I had never seen in these parts before. It was like a dream. One moment you’re in one scene and then the next you’re in another.
The grey rocky mountain led up high into the dark cloudy sky, the storm clouds enclosing on the mountain peak like hungry vultures.
I didn’t know why, but I had a sudden urge to climb. It almost felt like I needed to climb it. Like it was an obligation…
And so I did.
I quickly tried to climb it, trying to keep my balance on the unstable edges and cautiously shift my feet along the narrow ledges. I kept on going, making use of the mountain’s natural coarse visage. Sometimes I would lose my grip or my footing and slip, but I’m still okay.
I tried my efforts in attempt to reach the top. Maybe it would be a good place to take a look around… Using the higher advantage point in order to get my bearings.
Yet, my path started getting steep later on so I needed to be extra careful.
After a long while, I started growing exhausted and it was definitely essential for me to rest. I pulled myself onto a thick outcrop that turned out to be a hollow part in the mountain that gave a shallow cave-like effect. I was almost at the top, but there was still quite a way to go.
I was wheezing from the exertion.
The skies still remained dark and it didn’t seem keen on becoming lighter any time soon. There was no sun, only the moon, still hanging in its previous position. I might have spent an entire hour trying to get where I was, but everything still seemed pretty much the same. It was but only the wind that increased in its speed.
Did time freeze? Who knows, perhaps it has. In what sort of place am I then?
I slumped down on a rather large rock that was as long as some sort of giant snake, reuniting with the rest of the cave at the end of it, forming one in unity. It was fairly jagged too. Try to imagine looking at a landscape with lots of mountains from
up above in the sky. That’s exactly how this rock’s texture was like. It was almost like scales.
I sat there, looking out at the sad view. Everything I saw was... dead. Even if I saw trees faintly dancing to the wind, it all still seemed pretty much dead. It’s something I just can’t explain.
As my eyes scanned over the darkened lands, I felt a faint, almost unrecognizable, agitation beneath me.
At first I considered it to be no more than my wild imagination, my body still stunned from the exertion of the last hour’s climbing.
Another faint movement changed my opinion and assumption on the matter.
I looked down at the rock I sat upon. Crumbles of gravel rolled off its surface.
Startled, I quickly stood and backed away from the giant rock.
It wasn’t long before a horrific realization settled over me.
It was no rock to begin with…
I noted strange shapes to be engraved into the hollowed cave wall. It took a somewhat oval shape, jutting out of the rest of the wall. Titling my head, I neared it.
Just as I reached out to touch it, it abruptly opened and revealed a giant eye whose grey iris tensed at sensing the threat.
I yelped and stumbled back. The earth rumbled and shook. I considered it to be an earthquake, but I highly doubted it. The eye was enough to prove my theory wrong.
The earth shook brutally. I lost my balance and fell. I hit the ground hard and watched as that boulder I was sitting on lifted into the air, breaking loose from the rest of the rock.
My mouth fell open and I panicked, suddenly very scared of what awaited me in my near future.
It looked more like a tail than anything. It rose up high into the sky and the crescent cave next to me also started moving, causing more pieces of gravel to fall to the uneven cave floor. Almost like something finally succeeded in breaking loose from its prison.
The pattern of how it broke loose quite literally snaked all the way across the shallow cave walls. I staggered to my feet. The enormous tail came swinging at me. I screamed and dove out of the way just in time. It missed my head by inches and I could feel the force of wind it brought alongside with it.
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