by J N Moon
Conor now rose up from his feet and roared at the demon, the macabre werewolf. Catching my breath, my body loosened a little, help was here now. As dragon and demon faced off, Pete and Coral morphed into werewolf’s and attacked.
Everything in black and white and in slow motion as my brain battled violently to process this. I scratched and clawed out of the way, those red eyed creatures now came into view and charged upon us-where was everyone else that Conor and Sabian had called? Where was Sabian? Shit, using a slim chance, I leapt-God knows how, onto its horse like back behind the figure who wailed and writhed to grab me and messily, clumsily hacked at its neck. Violently rearing, bucking, with me squeezing my caustic burning legs around it to cling on, I severed its head until it hung from a sinew, then I fell in a slump on the floor.
Rolling out of the way of its trampling hooves, it moved like a headless chicken, with those shadowed creatures now tearing at me, my mouth fell open. It was growing another head, looking up seeing Conor the werewolf, I gasped relief, then shouted, he-Conor made for my heart!
Ripping and tearing like the creature I’d seen dream walking, he was crazed, long razor claws about to force through my ribs as I struggled to break free. His talons shredded my skin, tearing away my flesh, pushing hard down to break my ribs, to rip out my heart. He’d killed Ethan, I knew it in that instant!
Screaming in the horror of the realisation, trembling the power surging through me like a dangerous voltage, my hands went up, wrapped around his, and a
blinding golden orb shot from my hands, straight through him sending him backwards like recoil from a shotgun. I had no time to get up, but I saw the dark, wry creatures’ edge away now, and I felt the tearing, the ripping in my body. In a fit of anger and pain, my inner monster rose, I stood facing the Nuckelavee head on as my werewolf-self.
Luke still blasted it with fire, but that seemed only to slow it, only annoyed it. Confused, half-human, half-beast faced with death, I grabbed its new head between my glowing hands and again a sphere of red gold speckled light radiated from my hands into its skull.
Slow now, movements became almost motionless as the light travelled through its head, glowing out through its red and black bloody sinews, travelling down into its gut, then brighter before exploded out. It let out one final yell as it met its maker, and we wore its bloody pieces in the explosion.
Falling on my knees, aware my body had decided to change back, I rode the pain, the cracking, the change.
Looking up, Luke stood there, human again, innocent in his naked form-Coral rushed in the house and grabbed a shaw, coming back placed it over it me. Red like the blood that covered me.
But Conor, he had transformed back into a wolf and sat there timid, looking with those red eyes.
“Can’t he change back?” I gasped.
As Luke looked for his jeans, he said, “It was the fire sphere, or whatever that came from you, he’d obviously been possessed-that’s why he attacked you and now?” Taking a deep breath and looking at the wolf that was the human Conor, “Now, who knows? Maybe you can turn him back with that energy, but then again, it might kill him.”
I’d worry about that later, “What happened to the others? Where is Sabian, why didn’t they arrive?” I said trying to sound commanding but my voice was strangled in fear.
Where the hell are they? Dread churned around my stomach like a storm, a deathly chill shivered through my body.
Exhausted but determined, I stood up, legs like jelly.
“Stop!” Pete gulped. “Let’s take five minutes before rushing headlong into God knows what... Emma, you’re bleeding, bad!”
Staggering into the house, Luke rushed towards me, wrapped his arm around me and marched me to the kitchen. Helping me take off my robe, my arms and chest throbbing with sharp pain, “Here, we need to clean that... shit... Emma that’s bad.”
As he placed a surgical swab from a first aid kit on the rips on my chest, my flesh stung deeply, I couldn’t help but yell out. Sitting down, the room spun around me and I let him do this, I couldn’t. Quickly, attentively he cleaned it and put a bandage dressed with some cream on it.
“What power you have saved you, anyone else, this would be lethal. Fudge... I knew there was something about Conor, I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Keep him as a wolf I say,” Luke whispered.
“When I was dream walking I was attacked by a werewolf, in that cabin. Shuck warned me, I’d felt it was Conor, but I didn’t want to believe it,” I muttered.
Looking over at the wolf who sat watching, so submissive it was hard to believe.
Drinking water, lots of water and slowed my breathing I began to feel better.
“Whatever that was that I controlled, that energy must’ve broken the spell of his possession,” I added.
“It’s awful and yes, no doubt the same type of spirits that have taken Lou, they must’ve followed Conor,” Coral added.
His tone serious, Pete replied, “I think it happened before that... Ethan? I mean did anyone see... no never mind. The spell or possession is broken now, thanks to you Em, we definitely need to put stronger wards up in future and sigils, I’d suggest tattoos, a bind rune or the like.”
Who knew, as long as he wasn’t possessed now. The demon was dead, we were alive, that was a fudging miracle, but I still had a cringing feeling about Sabian and the others.
Wandering out in the forest the silence was shattering, no bird or creature stirred, uneasiness hung in the air. My head throbbed from pain, and coppery blood filled my mouth, my ribs aching and sore.
Everyone had changed back into human form except Conor, and I admitted to no one, that after his attack on me as a werewolf, I felt safer with him as a wolf. Humans it seems are unpredictable.
Shaken, we crept slowly trying not to make a noise, shivering as a chill ran over me, my stomach constricted with dread. Pete and Luke had tried calling the others on their cell phones, but they got no response and no ringing in the forest.
I saw everything in detail now, my vision focusing in on minuscule details, even in the darkness, patterns of leaves, twisting of light through the leaves splattering through the bows, and the rich earthly scent filled my senses.
But I knew they were here, instinct, it must be. Coral had gone to drive to Sabian’s to see if there were any clues, but I knew in my heart he was here.
It was sinister being in this place without the sound of creatures, birds rustling and as before a rumble of power started to surge through me as I felt protective of the forest, like a mother to her children. I’d killed that Nuckelavee, I could still hardly believe that except for the fact I stank of its rotten flesh that was trapped, tangled in my hair.
Killing it obviously wasn’t enough to stop the rest of the evil, it was too invested.
None of us talked, I saw Luke and Pete waiver, shaking their heads to me to signal that we wouldn’t find them here.
Then I realised why I couldn’t see them, stopping for a moment I crouched down to remember the scent of Sabian and Lauren’s cottage. Deep breaths, like imagining the scent of a rose, when there is no rose, I caught that memory of scent. And I looked up, they would be found in the trees.
Retracing my steps back, sniffing the air I caught it, their scent. Slowly I moved my head backwards, but nothing. They were there, somewhere. Edging round trees, tension building in me, I placed a hand on a tree, its energy surging softly through me. Thick foliage in its branches blocked my view, throwing my shaw back over my shoulders I climbed up like a monkey, like it was normal for me to move up there, but every step, every reach pain flooded my body.
The horror stared right at me, there they were, like cocoons spun into some thick white web, hanging by their feet, dead to the world. Knot of dread, every breath was strenuous as I fixated on their rescue, listening. Sighing, I called down softly, “They’re here, they’re alive.”
Luke and Pete ran back to Conor’s house, Conor sat obediently at the foot of the tree. I didn’t want
to wake Sabian right now, he might fall, I’d wait for Luke and Pete to bring a ladder.
From my vantage point I looked around, smelled something dead in the air. The night pressed in around me, weariness was starting to wash over me, but I didn’t have time to think about it, taking deep breathes to conserve my energy, I spied those tiny red dots in the distance. Spirits... a thought leapt forward in my mind. Maybe they want control of Sabian and his friends’ bodies? Though they were able to harm, to move and move objects, those ethereal beings weren’t wholly solid, so possibly by making my friends here unconscious, they were waiting to take control of their bodies, as they’d done with Lou... with Conor?
Though I’d no idea why they hung them upside down and weaved a web around them.
Balancing my footing on the branch beneath me, I reached out to touch the web, a spark of current jolted my hand back. Christ knows, where the hell are those two!
Noisily, Pete and Luke arrived with Coral, between them carrying two ladders. Makes sense, placing the ladders side by side they climbed up agilely and on seeing Sabian, the mouths fell open like marionettes. “What in the Gods...” Pete gasped.
“How are we going to get him down?”
Luke pulled out a large bowie knife from a sheath in his belt and balanced Sabian between him and Pete. As Pete reached for the thick ropey thread that bound the cocoon to the branch, as Sabian was in fact hanging upside down like a moth. Cutting the web seemed to take ages, the knife no doubt sharp cut, and hacked and eventually the web gave up its host.
Their faces rigid, pulled Sabian’s limp body over, so Luke could hoist him on his shoulder.
With one arm wrapped around his massive friend, leaning over so as not to drop him, Sabian was really too big for any man’s shoulder, Luke cautiously stepped down the ladder with Coral and I holding it in place at the bottom.
Once Sabian was to the ground, Luke wiped his brow with his sleeve, looking up, frowning, mouth downturned as he registered another half a dozen of his friends.
“Shit, isn’t there another way?” he moaned. But we didn’t have a crane, so together, slowly they lumbered more slowly this time up the trees, and carefully, watching each step down, ensuring they had firm footing and one hand holding the ladder rail, while the other was wrapped around their encased friends, they finally got them all to the ground.
Coral had gone back to grab Luke’s pick up, and between me and her we loaded them into the back. They weren’t dead but seemed in some kind of coma induced sleep. A chill of fear crept over me, I didn’t feel safe out here, so once they were all in the back of the truck, I signalled to Conor and we all left to go to Pete’s home. Though I wanted to detour to Conor’s first, which was met with firm protests.
“Are you crazy? Whatever cocooned our friends is still out there, this isn’t the work of the demon.”
“I have to, I have to make sure the Asrai are alright! Please, just drop me off, I’ll drive over later, but I’m not leaving them.”
“Emma, you can’t help them, I’m not stopping we can’t lose you, too!” Pete was firm.
“Ok,” I mumbled and as he drove nearer to Conor’s house to go past it, I opened the truck door and flung myself out.
“Ow! Fuck!” as I landed in a twist.
Luke was fast beside me, his eyes as wide as the sun, to match his mouth, “You crazy... woman. I knew you’d do that.” He laughed, his voice raised in shock. “Please tell me you haven’t sprained your ankle, or your foot, you’ll have to fight regardless.”
“Help me up,” I sniggered back.
Coral and Conor watched us as Pete drove off with them. He was right to do so, they needed to get Sabian and his friends out of here but I wouldn’t leave Robin and his people. I hadn’t seen them for days, Conor was the only one who oversaw them, that’s what Robin had wanted.
Walking up to the house, I glanced at a shadow out of the corner of my eye but soon forgot it as the smell of death permeated my senses, the demon may have been gone but its stench remained like a heavy fog. Both of us crept silently, turning the handle, that chill again quivered down my spine, I gulped, my mouth dry and fear heavy in my stomach. Resolve overtook dread as I thought of Robin and his kin, I stepped back and grabbed up the sword, I had no time for bullies. My face had no expression, from a few moments ago with Luke, when for a few minutes we had laughed at our impulsive act, now I was resolute.
Calling softly as I opened the cellar door, “Robin, Robin are you there? It’s Emma, I’m coming down.” Switching on the light, no electricity, I went to the kitchen and rummaged around looking for a torch. Luke produced one from under the sink, that heavy silence, stillness-the feeling you get once a loved one has passed away but you haven’t had time to adjust, but it hangs, waiting... and you know that sooner or later the realisation will catch up with you and you have to face life without them.
Ethan.
Everything seemed slower, no sound from Robin, using the torch on every step, these creatures were so tiny, looking around my heart skipped into my throat, breathing ceased, gulping as tiny, fragile bodies lay everywhere. Dead.
Where was Robin! How had this happened.
“Spirits!” Luke whispered, his face as hard as stone, small piercing eyes, he looked evil. “I swear those spirits will wish they’d stayed dead,” he mumbled.
“Hello, is anyone here?” I called softly.
In the corner, climbing out of hiding a few of these tiny folks appeared, ragged, beaten, tired.
Checking around myself I sat on the floor, “Where’s Robin?”
Taking a big gasp, one of them, a child I think mustered all his courage and spoke, “I think he must be dead. If he were alive, he’d be talking to you now.”
“How did this happen?”
“Something came down, we heard the demon, we heard the fight and we hid. But as we did, shadows appeared... red eyes... they...” he choked trying to force out the information while his body was still in shock, tight.
“Ok, just breathe... How many of you are left? Can we see, I’m going to take you somewhere else, somewhere safer.”
“What about Conor? He was meant to protect us,” the boy screeched.
Frowning, I thought truth was best in this situation.
“Conor had been possessed, he attacked me when the Nuckelavee fell, but he is alright now, though he seems to be stuck in wolf form.”
I looked at Luke and then back to the smattering of Asrai who had now gathered. “I’m not just a shifter, I have an energy, like light, I can wield it-though it’s new to me. As Conor attacked me, instinctively I put up my hands, that golden light shot through him... it did kill the Nuckelavee, but Conor shifted from a werewolf, back to a wolf and has remained a wolf since. I haven’t used the power again, because to be honest I’m afraid it could kill him.
Lou, one of his friends has also been taken, and we think she is also possessed. But I need to find you somewhere safer, this is terrible.”
My heart fell into the ground, what would do such a thing to such innocent, fragile creatures. Cowardly and cruel for the sake of it, but a nagging feeling hovered over me, where to take them? Staying wasn’t an option, looking at Luke it was as if he could read my mind, “I know, I’m not sure taking them to Pete and Coral’s is such a good idea, I mean they’ve now got Sabian there and God knows what’s happened to them,” he sighed.
“There has to be somewhere? Surely you know of somewhere?”
Drawing his brows together as he thought, “The only place I know of, though I’ve never used it, is quite far from here, it’d take an hour to drive at least. There’s a place, Three Groves Wood. There’s a place near the waterfall that in legend is said to be enchanted, safe. I guess it’s possible, after all we’re possible, that’s the only place I can think of.”
“I’ve heard of that, Three Groves Wood, it’s said to be a heaven for woodland creatures, some of our kin have searched for it, but never returned. It is a long journey for us on our
own and too far for our whole community to move to without help,” the little Asrai said, his voice rising in sudden hope as he looked about him at the battered and weary faces of his kin, who nodded in agreement.
“Then let’s do it now,” I agreed. “I want to get you out of here, it doesn’t feel safe.”
The poor folk gathered their few belongings, as Luke bent down to carry them to his truck they flinched in fear, “A dragon man!”
“Hey, I’m on your side, remember,” he smiled.
There was only a dozen of them left, we placed them in a box, not dignified but safe as Luke drove towards the new woodland.
“Jesus Emma, I’ll be glad when this is over,” Luke puffed.
The further we got away, the more relaxed my muscles felt, I looked out of the window at the scenery, the rising of the sun as dawn broke slowly, closing my eyes for a moment.
“Hey, sleepy head, wake up,” Luke’s grin, as wide as his face, his eyes flashing as I realised I’d fallen asleep.
The place was serene and a few people wandered about the entrance, making their way in. Dogs it seems can sniff Asrai out, and Luke laughed and joked with the people, making sure no one saw inside the box, that their animals were after our picnic.
Muffled groans came from the cardboard box, once the humans were out of earshot, I whispered to them, “We have to have a reason for carrying a cardboard box into the forests. Stop panicking.” Rolling my eyes to Luke, bless the Asrai, no we won’t eat you.
At the waterfall, the trees formed tall and stately around it like a wild cathedral, soaring towards the sky, the water catching the morning sun, shone like silver shards in glass and tiny flowers, forget-me-nots, bluebells and wild garlic surrounded it turning the area into a natural shrine. Scent was heady and soothing, placing down the box, we sat alongside it to make sure these people felt safe.
