Derina: The Frozen City

The Stranger in the Forest

Lora ran blindly through the woods, not knowing where she was going, or what she was going to do. Thorns snagged her clothes, tearing them. Once in awhile she would trip and fall, dirt smearing her face and clothes, but she just stumbled back to her feet and kept running. Her hair was a mess and she was sure she was all cut up.

Once she could no longer hear the blood chilling screams of Derek, she slowed, but she didn't stop until she was too exhausted to continue. She stopped in a cluster of fallen trees and scrub and found a little dry niche under one of fallen tree to rest. She curled up, shivering in the bitter cold, scared and alone. It didn't take long for her to drift into a dream filled sleep.

The town burned before my eyes. Houses and people engulfed in blue flame. What happened? I couldn't remember. Where was the flame coming from? I searched the town frantically, trying to find the source to stop it. I could not let all these people die.

Suddenly I found myself in the town square staring at a horrid picture. Lora stood in the middle of the square, a devilish grin on her face. She had her hands raised with a ball of blue fire in each. Her once kind eyes ablaze with an evil presence. Safield stood behind her, a smile of wicked pride on his smooth evil face.

“Lora! Lora please!" I yelled at her trying to get her back. "Please! Come back to me! I need you! Don’t do this, these people are innocent!"

She looked at me with her empty eyes, her dark black hair flying around her head forming a dark halo. She was gone, and I knew it. "I’m sorry Nerel, this is me, and these people took everything from me, now I’m going to do the same to them."

"SAFIELD! How could you do this! Why do you insist on destroying everything? You won't win!" I scream, wishing more than ever that I could reach him, and rid this world of his presence for good, but my magic was nothing compared to his, and with Lora protecting him it would be pointless to try.

Safield looked at me and his grin flickered, but only for a moment. "One thing you may never learn, Nerel, no matter how hard I try to teach you, is that somethings are worth fighting for. Your beloved Lora here, she's the perfect puppet, but if you really loved her you would do everything possible to try and get her back, even if it means giving your life."

Suddenly Lora stepped towards me. "Please Nerel, we can still be together! Join me. If you still love me you would help me put these people in their place."

I stared at the girl I once loved, believed in, who is now a monster, fighting for the force she once swore to stop. "I do not love you." I sneer, "I love the Lora who cared about others. Who did everything in her power to protect the innocent! This is not her. You’re a demon, a puppet. You’re an evil wretch, I want nothing to do with you, I would rather die than fight for him." tears ran down my face as she screamed in anger and gathered one big ball of fire, flinging it towards me. It hit me in the chest and I fell back, pain searing through my body. I stare up at a broken mirror and there i see a cut up, broken version of me. The same dark black hair but slightly singed from the fire and unkempt, my face was covered in cuts and bruises, and my Icey blue eyes told me I was going to die, and by the hands of my first and last love.

"I'm sorry it had to end like this Nerel." I heard her say right before everything went black.

Lora woke up with a start. She sighed and rubbed her temples. She vaguely remembered her disturbing dream. She remembered the destruction she had caused that town, it was horrifying. That couldn't have been her, she wasn't like that, she would never do something so terrible. And that elf, Nerel, who was he and why did he...love her? Then there was that man who stood behind her, Safield. That must have been who Derek had mentioned. She had no idea who he was, but she felt sick thinking about him. She had no idea what to do or even why she was here. Everything was so confusing, and happened so fast, she hasn't even had the time to wrap her head around it all yet. She was in this strange world that Derek called Derina. That much she knows, also, elves and daemons exist. Amanda and James are elves, her father was an elf, which means….she must also be an elf. 

Lora shook her head. This was all too much. She shivered, it was so cold. She let out a sigh, then heard a screech. She froze, terrified of what might be out there. She crawled to the opening of the niche and almost screamed in surprise. An elf stood a small distance away in the woods, fighting a small dark black creature. He whirled around as the thing came up behind him and swung his sword. The flat of his blade hit it knocking it to the side. It got up as he ran at it and Lora squeaked, giving herself away. The creature, hearing the sound, came scurrying towards her. She fell back letting out a yell, expecting to be torn up by razor sharp teeth, but the pain never came. She heard another screech and a grunt. She crawled back and looked out. The elf stood over the creature, blade stuck in its chest.

He walked over to Lora and studied her for a second before offering her his hand. She hesitated for a moment, but his piercing eyes made her accept.  The elf helped pull her out of the ditch, half dragging her to her feet. She bent over and brushed the dirt from her jeans, though it made no difference. Suddenly she was very self-conscious. She was a mess, compared to this gorgeous elf. He looked at her carefully, studying her but not saying anything. She took this moment to study the stranger. He had dark black hair, similar to hers, but his only reached his shoulders, unlike the other elves she's seen. He had piercing blue eyes, and clear sharp feature as she assumed all elves do. He also had long pointed ears like Amanda's and james. He was beautiful, flawless, except for a small silver scar on the right side of his jaw. Lora caught her breath when she realized who he was.

 “Your Nerel aren't you.” she said quietly. 

He looked at her confused, “how do you know my name?” he said, clearly alarmed. 

“Oh ah, sorry, it's a long story. see, I'm not from here, but I got dragged here by a demon. I have no idea who you are I just know your name…” she replied nervously.

His eyes widened in surprise. He stared at her for a moment, clearly pondering something. Then suddenly he abruptly said.  "You need to come with me, quickly." her grabbed her hand and started running, dragging her behind him.

They didn’t get very far before she tore away from his grip. "Hey! What do you think you’re doing! I don't know you, and all of a sudden you try to kidnap me! What’s wrong with you! This is the second time today some strange person tried taking me somewhere against my will! Gosh! Who are you?" she yelled, glaring at him.

"I’m sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. As you already know, name is Nerel, and you must be Lanora. Am I right?" he said bowing slightly as she stared at him in surprise. 

“No actually, my name is Lora, I think you have mistaken me for someone else.” Nerel chuckled “there is no mistake, the great nymph must have just shortened your name to Lora, but I assure you, your birth name was Lanora. Now I know that it must frighten you that I know who you are, but truth be told, everyone in Derina does. You are well known as the queen’s mage, Marthel’s, daughter. Many things are expected of you but at the moment I have to get you to safety and into a less...noticeable...color. Purple isn't good here." he looked her up and down as he said this, and her face flushed. "also, that thing you called a demon is called a 'daemon' ill have to tell you about them later."

"Well I’m glad everyone in a world I never knew existed knows who I am before I, myself know who I Am." she said lifting her chin a little higher. 

"Well you're kind of famous here, and you wouldn't remember Derina since you left only shortly after your birth. Now if you will, follow me please and I’ll take you somewhere safe." he said with a smile.

"How do I know I can trust you?" she asked suspiciously, she had no idea who he was, or what his intentions were.

“You can’t. But as far as I can tell, you have no one else to trust."

Lora sighed. “Fine, but can I at least go somewhere to clean up?”

Nerel smiled, “of course, there is a river not far from here, and we will go there first. And then I shall take you to Paxton.” Lora looked at him oddly but followed him nonetheless.

                                                    * * *

James appeared in the clearing with a whirl shortly followed by Amanda. They looked around closely, looking for any sign of Lora and Derek. Not a moment later did James noticed the dark figure lying in the middle of the clearing surrounded by a puddle of a dark black mush, where blood had soaked the pure white snow around him. Weird gurgling noises came from his throat as he struggled to breath. Both his arms were limp and broken.

James and Amanda approached cautiously, bows pulled taut and ready at the slightest sign of danger. Derek turned his head to them and smiled a nasty bloody smile. "Fancy seeing you here. What brings you to these parts? It’s obviously not the view." He said with a laugh that was interrupted by a fit of coughs that caused blood to splatter from his mouth. Amanda had to grab James arm as he tensed up ready to kill.

"Don't play dumb. You know damn well why we are here. Now where is she?" James said in anger.

 Derek laughed again. "And why would I tell you? I’m going to die anyways."

James smiled. “But if you help us maybe we could help you." He said in a quiet voice.

 "And why would you help me?" Derek sneered.

James forced a smile. "Because, Derek, every person deserves a second chance. So if you tell us where she is, I’ll let you live." Derek looked confused and was silent for a moment. His breathing was ragged and he was still bleeding.

"Here to prove that we are serious..." Amanda kneeled down next to Derek, tore off a piece of his shirt, pulled out the  dagger and pressed down on the wound with the cloth with a little more force than necessary. Her hand glowed for a second before she backed off.  Derek screamed a blood chilling scream and then stopped.

"What the hell?!" He yelled.

 "Be happy, I stopped the bleeding. Now will you help us?" Amanda asked.

Derek looked at James and then Amanda and back to James. "Fine, when she left me she was heading south towards Las Narith. But let me say this, you'd be lucky to find her alive, seeing as Nerel is out hunting in that direction." Derek said tiredly. Amanda and James exchanged looks. Amanda quickly stood up and slung her bow over her back. "You ready?" she asked James. "Yah let's go." He said as they turned and headed in the direction Derek implied. “Wait what about me?" Derek asked as they walked away. James turned around and looked at him. "Last time I checked I said every PERSON deserves another chance, you’re not a person. And besides I kept my promise, I’m letting you live." Then he smiled and turned away from Derek's angry sobs.