by R. G. Porter
Her mind reeled with what he'd imparted. “Where are they at? Can we go there? Perhaps they can give me some helpful information or help me out on my hunt.” For once she felt hopeful after all the turmoil she'd gone through the past few days. Her eyes returned back to Talon only to find his smile had turned to a blank stare and her hopes dwindled. “What aren't you telling me Talon?"
His hand rose to his head to smooth back his wind wild hair as he exhaled a held breath. “The stories only say that the town prospered for a long time till one day a dark cloud surrounded the village for a month and when it was gone nothing remained. The town, the buildings, everything was reduced to charred remains and ash. No one knows what truly happened to those that resided in the town. Listen, we can talk more but I need to scout this area and make sure we are alone. Stay here and I'll be back."
Alayia felt a shudder run down her spine as she envisioned the town in her mind. Could a dragon have destroyed the village? Somehow she felt deep down the answer was no. If they had lived their lives in honor of the dragon she doubted it would have been the cause for their destruction. No, something else had to have been responsible. The woman's words continued to echo through Alayia's mind. She needed to figure out this mystery as well as find the dragon responsible for Robert's death. Could they be part of the same path? She was beginning to wonder. There was so much she wasn't sure of. Her brother was dead, that was a certainty she couldn't change. Elroy was after her, another problem she couldn't dispute. Still, there were many things she wasn't entirely sure of. Who was Gabriel and where was he? Beyond that, her head hurt with all the voices telling her what she needed to do. None of it helped her current situation. Her mind hurt from all the questions she didn't seem to have even one answer for.
A rustle of leaves from behind drew her attention as Talon emerged from the trees. “This should be a good spot to stay for the night. None of the hunters will venture this far. We should be safe.” Safe was a word she held onto tightly. How could it be in such a short period of time her life had changed so drastically? The gods must be enjoying themselves at her expense.
Alayia stretched as her muscles roared out their protest. “Want me to go get some firewood or something? I can be useful you know.” She hated to just sit around and wait. Her nerves were already frayed, doing nothing made it worse.
"No, I know these woods better than anyone else. Stay put, I don't want you to get lost."
"I won't get lost.” Her words fell on deaf ears as he was already gone. Damn, for a man who was blind he sure moved fast. Alayia turned her head toward the sky, watching the moon make its slow progression up into the sky. She loved the nighttime.
[Back to Table of Contents]
CHAPTER: 5
* * * *
He'd killed again. Or so he thought. Unsure if it was a nightmare or not Gabriel could still taste the blood in his mouth. His body felt restless and sore as if he'd flown at a speed faster than anything before. He rose to move to the edge of the cave, the evening breeze light on his face. How many more lives would he take before they finally took him down? He needed to find a way to break the curse before it was too late and more innocents were hurt. He'd thought he could control the dragon but now he wasn't so sure. It was getting worse by the second.
"Why do you say its worse? How do you know this when you don't even know the truth of the past?" The woman's voice from his visions had returned but he was still in the cave he'd called home. Gabriel's eyes searched out the interior of the cave but found nothing.
"Where are you?” Could he be losing his mind along with his soul? He was beginning to wonder. “You don't exist, you can't."
He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. There was energy in the area; power pooling that was not natural. Gabriel moved to the entrance of the cave but stopped short. There was a figure before him, a woman's silhouette floated just before the edge of the exit to the cave. Her aquamarine eyes held his in a stare. She'd found him in his world, which could only mean he'd not dreamt the other visions and more so he wasn't losing his mind. The cavern he was in felt heavy to him, the air thick with the woman's presence. Shadows crept across the walls from the corners toward him, their fingers outstretched to reach out in his direction.
"Why have you come to my world?” Could he be dreaming again? The smell of the burnt embers told him otherwise.
"You must not let them win. What you've seen is real. You will see more but you must not let your fears cloud your judgment. You will be led on a journey. You will find allies to aid you. There are many things you will face and some will not be easy.” Gabriel wanted to laugh as if he'd not been through hell already.
"Look, I have my own problems to deal with. I can't help with your issues. I'm sorry for your village and whatever happened. It's not for me to deal with.” Before he could utter another word the woman's figure shimmered around him in a whirl extinguishing the fire from within.
"You will understand why you will aid. This is your fate, your destiny as well as many others. You have no choice. Soon... soon you will find the truth of the past and how it relates to your present and future.” His mind swam with her words. How could what she said have anything to do with the curse Elroy had placed on him? He didn't even understand what had happened to the people from his vision.
"I still don't know who you are or your people were. For that matter, I still don't know what happened to them. How can any of that have anything to do with me? I'm cursed, cursed by a demon through a man who I am sworn to kill one day.” His chest tightened as the memory of the day he'd watched his beloved die because of Elroy. It was a memory he'd tried to lock away but couldn't. Slowly the day she was taken was coming back but it still felt fuzzy when he tried to recall the events. True Elroy had not wanted that to happen but it didn't change the fact it had. She was dead and he was cursed. His stomach knotted once more.
"You do not realize how much of a connection there is Gabriel, but you will. Rest easy for the night and know that you are not a murderer of innocents. There is no evil inside of you but you must believe this yourself for it to be true.” He turned to say more but found her presence gone from the cave, nothing but the remnants of mist lingering in the air.
"Ok, why do they have to keep coming and going like this? Either they bring me to their world or come to mine. It's not like I don't have enough going on. I don't even understand what they are trying to show me!” His mind hurt with the questions that pounded his brain. The apparitions eluded that there was a connection between his life and their past, yet now they say that there was also a connection with the fall of their village and his past. How could it be possible? Gabriel wanted to just make it all disappear but knew it wouldn't. There was too much riding on finding the end to his curse and he knew that these ghosts wouldn't leave him be. He accepted his fate. He was stuck as part man part dragon. Either he would find the cure or not, but he would not kill another person if he could avoid it. Damned or not he would not become the evil he'd felt he was cursed to. Not if he could do something to avoid it. For now he needed to go out into the woods. He needed to walk, to clear his head of everything that had happened so far, he had to remove every thought of her, of Alayia.
Alayia looked around the camp. Everything they needed was easily found. She was amazed that Talon could be so efficient without his sight. She lifted her gaze to the rising moon, its rays drifting down in ribbons to the ground.
"Beautiful isn't it.” Gabriel's deep voice moved across her skin, rousing her from her thoughts.
"Yes it is.” The moment she realized she'd heard him, Alayia turned to face the sound of his voice. She came face to face with his handsome face. “My God what are you doing here?"
"I might ask the same thing of you.” His smile warmed her heart.
"I had to leave... suddenly. Something unexpected came up.” Her heart fluttered being so close to him. Never in her life had she had such a reaction to a man and it made no sense.
"I see.
Are you alone? I thought I heard you talking to someone."
"You did. Me.” Alayia gasped to find Talon standing behind Gabriel his staff ready to swing if the need should arise.
"Talon don't, he's a friend.” Friend? Since when? The thoughts she'd had about him had definitely been more than friendly.
"Are you sure Alayia? I've never heard of this man around here before, I would remember.” Alayia would give him one thing, he was protective. “Will you be all right if I leave you alone with him?” His finger pointed in Gabriel's direction a snort on his lips.
"I'm positive Talon. He's harmless, I promise.” Was she safe? A part of her screamed she was in more trouble being this close to him than she would ever admit to.
"If you say so. I'll be back soon, just call if you need me.” Alayia watched as Talon disappeared once more into the forest, his footfalls absent on the night air.
A grunt from her side brought Alayia back to the present and Gabriel standing close by. “So, as I said, why are you here?"
"I told you I had to leave quickly. What are you doing this far in? You left so fast last night you never told me much more than your name.” So many questions she'd wanted to ask him, yet now more than anything she was just happy to see him again.
"I live near here.” He was hesitating. Why? What could he be hiding?
"I see. Where about? Perhaps we could go and find a better place to stay than here."
"I fear it's difficult to get to. I wouldn't want you to get hurt trying to get to it."
"You would be surprised how good I am at avoiding some problems.” She continued to push him. “Why don't you show us? Let me decide if I want to chance it."
He was pacing, she could see his hesitation. “No. I'll stay here with you for awhile though; make sure you're ok. By the way, where did you find this guy?” Was that jealousy? Never, she thought, couldn't be. Still the thought was intriguing.
"He helped me when I found myself in a very tight situation. He was kind enough to help me find my way through the forest.” Since you weren't around, her mind screamed. “I might have been in more trouble than I could handle otherwise."
"I'm glad he was able to help you then. I can help you out in the evenings, but during the day my business keeps me very busy.” There was regret in his words; she could feel it as if they were alive. Her hand moved to touch his face, to make sure she wasn't dreaming him again.
The second her fingers brushed his skin, she felt a firestorm race through her body. Never in her life had she felt so connected to someone, yet that connection sent her spiraling back into a vortex of darkness. Visions once more raced before her eyes, scenes she couldn't understand flashed before her eyes. Colors bright and vibrant filled her vision, eyes black as obsidian stared back. She felt herself being pulled back in time to another place, her head spinning as time fluxed around her. Voices she couldn't understand echoed in her mind, chanting words that made no sense. Soon the spinning stopped and she found herself standing on the ground a cracked gravestone in front of her.
"Where am I?” Alayia could barely hear her own voice, her mouth dry as the sand by the sea.
"Where you are isn't of consequence yet, but soon you will understand.” The voice drew her from her thoughts. Turning, she came face to face with a young woman; her fiery red hair glowed in the moonlight's rays.
"Who are you and why do you keep talking to me? It's bad enough that you are talking to me but now I have a second woman as well.” She knew this woman, but how? She'd never seen her before yet there was a familiarity that she couldn't dispute. Her eyes held such sadness, yet there was nothing but tenderness in her voice.
"All will be understood in due time. You are on the right path Alayia; make sure not to detour from it. Trust those you are with, but don't let your fear and sadness muddle the truth in your heart. Sometimes the path can take on multiple locations, do not let this scare you. There are many things you will have to face. Fear not what you will encounter. You have the strength inside to get through it.” She could feel the sincerity in her words, wanted to hold onto them with all she was but she wanted to know more, wanted to know who she was.
"What do you mean? Which path? Where will it lead?” Did she know about her brother?” You mean to kill the dragon?” How could she know?
"Everything is not as it seems. Follow the path your heart leads, it won't steer you wrong."
Alayia shook her head. “I don't understand.” Her head pounded with so many questions yet no answers seemed to come forth.
The woman smiled; her hazel eyes warm. “I know you don't, but soon you will. The days to come will hold much danger and much will be revealed. You must trust in your self and those you hold dear. Don't let the darkness mislead you. Now you must go back. I will see you soon.” Before Alayia could ask another question she felt the air around her swirl and the ground beneath her feet crumble. Space and time wove around her like a cocoon heralding her from the gravestone she was at and back to Gabriel's questioning stare. Her head spinning, she nearly lost her balance, grabbing onto his outstretch arm.
"Where did you just go?” Gabriel's hand held fast to her arm as if he was afraid she might vanish into thin air.
Her head still trying to process all she'd seen, Alayia barely caught his words. Her hands trembling from the fear she'd felt at the visions that had crossed her mind she wondered if she'd ever feel warm again. “What do you mean? I've not left your side."
"You know exactly what I mean. Just now. You were far away. I could feel your spirit pull away from me.” There was concern in his voice. “Your body was here but your soul was not.” How did he know? Was she that transparent?
"What happened?” Talon burst through the underbrush, his breath coming in gasps.
"Something just dragged Alayia from us. I'm trying to get her to explain what exactly happened. So far she isn't wanting to."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. One second she was here, next her body was here but the rest of her wasn't.” She hated being referred to in third person. “Look at her she's shaking. Even her eyes are clouded."
"I'd look at her if I could but sorry, that isn't one of my better tricks.” She could hear Talon move closer to her, his hand reaching to touch her face.
"Please don't.” She didn't need to be inspected by anyone.
His fingers brushed against her chin an upward movement across her brow. “You're perspiring like there's no tomorrow. What happened Alayia and don't lie. Neither of us is that stupid. I may not know this man, but he speaks the truth.” Great, she was being ganged up on.
"Will you both just leave me alone? I don't need to be guarded like a child!” Now she was getting mad. It was bad enough she was in a forest, going after a beast she knew nothing about, but now she had two men trying to coddle her when she didn't need it.
"Alayia, we are concerned about you. Whatever pulled you in wasn't natural."
A snort escaped her lips. “How the hell do you know? What gives you the right to define what's natural in this world?” Fury rushed through her veins. All her life she'd held back her differences, been told that normal was good different was bad. She was sick of it.
"That's not what I mean."
"Isn't it? Just because something might have happened to me you jump to a conclusion that it is bad. Maybe it was a good thing. Maybe I'm just tired. Or, even better, maybe you both are just getting on my nerves."
Both men turned toward the other, a smile crossing the other's face. She was fed up with them both. They could hang out with each other for all she cared. She was tired, hungry and sick of all the chaos that she'd gone through. All she wanted was some peace and quiet for a few moments. If they said one more word, she swore she would throw something at them.
"I think she means to hurt us Talon.” Gabriel's baritone voice eased across her skin like honey.
A chuckle left Talon's throat. “I do believe you are right. Think we should make good our escape till
she cools off?” Both men erupted into a combination of laughter and knee slaps. If Alayia wasn't already frustrated she would have enjoyed the scene. Instead, she chose to pick up the nearest stick and throw it at them both. Unfortunately, her aim was off and it landed in front of Gabriel's feet landing with a soft thud.
"She threw something at you.” Talon's laughter drifted on the wind.
"She missed.” Gabriel's voice rolled across her skin.
"Bad aim if you ask me."
"Well, she's a girl. I've never known one who could throw very well."
"You both are horrid. I could hit you if I tried hard enough, which I didn't.” The moment the words left her lips she wanted to draw them back. The look on both men's faces caused her to pause.
"I think that's a challenge Gabriel."
"I do believe you are right.” Alayia's breath caught in her throat at the look on Gabriel's face. Before Alayia could protest Gabriel was at her feet and lifting her into the air and over his shoulder, a scream lodged securely in her throat. “We'll be back in a few minutes."
"I'll not count the minutes you are gone.” The trees passed by so quickly Alayia couldn't keep her vision straight.
"Put me down."
"I'm sorry did you say something? I can barely catch your words.” He was mocking her. Anger rose in her blood like lava. Damn the man. With a force she didn't realize she possessed Alayia began to kick and push her arms hitting Gabriel's solid back.
"Are you trying to hurt me? If so let me know and I'll make sure to say the right words.” Ignoring him, Alayia continued to try to free herself from his grip. No matter what she did, she couldn't get loose. The man had a strength she'd never encountered before. Fatigue finally won out and she gave up going limp across his shoulders.
A sigh escaped her lips as she conceded defeat. “You're a jerk.” Even though she didn't think he was completely, she hated to feel helpless and right now she felt more vulnerable than ever before. How long he walked she didn't know and at this point she didn't care. Her eyes began to drop down, the day's event finally catching up to her. She barely felt him drop her to the soft ground making sure she landed gently.
