Nydewin

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

We weren’t too far from the camp when, I heard shouting. I ran faster towards the others. Forgetting about everything else. I stopped only a few feet away from the small clearing, and froze in shock by the creatures that held, Benita, Sachi and Taril. they were trapped, tied together back to back in a circle.

I stayed hidden in the bushes, watching the strange creatures walking around my three companions. I knew exactly what they were, I had read about them, in myths, in fairy tales. Still even now as I watched the three of them, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Centaurs.

They stood at least 19hands tall at the withers. With broad shoulders and long thick arms, a strong torso, covered in well-defined muscles, with matching horse bodies. It was like someone, removed the neck and head of a large Clydesdale and replaced it with the torso of a gladiator. 

Just then out of nowhere, I was grabbed by the throat, and pushed up against a tree. The heat radiating from the creature’s hand was nearly too much to bear. It felt like it was burning my flesh.

“Shift!” He commanded. He spoke in a deep hard voice, matching his large frame. He tightened his grip when I didn’t obey, but I still refused, my inner wolf refused to submit to the dirty creature.

The centaur laughed. “we have a fighter, boys.” He called to the other three

They laughed alongside him. The smallest of the three, grabbed Sachi’s face and made her look at me.

“Is this the witch we seek?” he asked forcefully

Sachi laughed a little “Doesn’t look like a witch to me, must be a stray wolf.”

“then you won’t mind if I crush its throat.” The Centaur holding my throat roared

When no one replied, he smiled at me “Fine.” He started squeezing slowly, I watched him watching me. First, I couldn’t breathe, I could feel my lungs burning, then the blackness started to creep in. Before the blackness complete took a hold over me, he loosened his grip.

That’s when I heard the howl. Echoing around us.

I watched helplessly, as Cormac jumped on to the back of the smallest centaur, and started bitting, ripping chunks of flesh from his back. The young centaur roared in pain, before finally flinging Cormac off his back.

“Get him!” ordered the centaur holding my throat

I tried my hardest to get free of the centaur’s grip, but the more I struggled the tighter his grip became. Distracted by Cormac’s antics, I watched as the others, got free of their binds.

“Behind you, fools!” the large centaur yelled.

I watched helplessly, trapped in the centaur’s grip, as the fight between, the centaurs and my companions, seemed to drag on for what seemed like hours instead of mere minutes. But all too soon, I was watching as one by one, my friends were defeated. First Benita who was kicked in the chest, after pushing Taril out of the way. Then Sachi, who was thrown into the same tree I was held against. Taril continued to fight alongside Cormac, dodging attack after attack, slicing as much as he could at the centaurs, with two small daggers. Taril’s movements where graceful, and quick. If it wasn’t for my wolf’s vision, I would not have been able to see his movements so clearly. Cormac, moved alongside Taril, biting chunks from the centaur’s rumps, shoulders, backs, wherever he could, all the while trying to keep clear of their legs and arms.

But no matter how hard Taril and Cormac fought, the centaurs didn’t seem to tire or notice their injuries. Whereas I could tell by their now sluggish slower movements, Taril and Cormac where beginning to tire. The larger centaur holding my throat could see this too, he was smiling in triumph.

He lent forward and whispered in my ear “Killing you witch, would bring me much pleasure, but our master wants you alive.” He looked towards the others, then back at me “making you watch us destroy your friends, will have to do.”

I felt the anger rising, building in me. I shifted into my human form

“Stop!” It came out in a whisper, as tears streamed down my face.

The centaur, laughed at me “No.” he said bluntly

I watched as Taril’s limp body was tossed at my feet, like it was nothing more than a dirty old rag. A scream caught in my throat, as I watched the three centaurs circling Cormac. Cormac was no longer attacking back; he was using the strength he had left to dodge all the centaur’s attacks.

I could feel the white-hot rage building, growing inside me, filling me up. It wasn’t until I watched as Cormac was thrown to the ground, that I lost control of the anger. Without another thought, I gave into the rage that I feared so much. I screamed, letting out all the pain and anger, like I did when I was transported into this world.

“STOP!”

The scream was ear piercing. The centaurs had to cover their ears, as they fell to their knees, whimpering. I let go of the girl that was always holding back, and let my inner self, the part of me that I tried so hard to keep under control, I let her take over.

I looked down at the large centaur that had been holding my throat, making me watch helplessly from the sideline as my friends were knocked out. I saw the anger in his eyes. As he tried to get up, I smiled at him, and watched as the fear showed now through the anger.

“Sleep.” I said, but my voice was not my own.

I looked around as all four centaurs, fell into sleep. I walked over to the fairy, flipped him on to his back and rested my left hand on his forehead and placed one in the grass. I drew on the strength, on the life force, her healing power that the earth held, and pushed it back into Taril. When the fairy started to glow with life and energy again, and he started to stir. I walked away towards Benita, pleased with my work.

This time I drew energy from the sun, both hands raised over my head, I let the suns warmth, flow into me. Then I pushed it all back into the Elemental. Benita was jolted awake by the sun’s energy. She smiled up at me, before turning her gaze to Sachi who still laid motionless next to her. “She will be just fine.” I said placing a hand on Sachi’s forehead and was surprised to find that her own powers were healing her just fine. She had the magic of a healer. But my instincts told me I needed to help her.

So, I drew on the energy from the forest surrounding us, with one hand and with the other I transferred it into Sachi to enhance her own healing powers. She stirred a bit, from her new-found strength. I looked back over at Benita, who was holding her hand, smiling a thank you at me.

Finally, my full attention was now on Cormac, He was breathing still, but barely. I saw Taril look up at me as he knelt over his body, his face was full of despair.

“Amelia” his voice was soft, like a whisper. He stood in front of, me trying to block my view “You have already used too much of your energy, if you use much more, I’m afraid you won’t survive.”

“Get out of my way.” My voice was cold, and unfeeling. But he still didn’t move “Move! Now!” I ordered. My inner wolf’s patience’s was running thin, she needed to get to Cormac.

Taril, gave in, head bowed in defeat, he stepped aside.

The wolf had taken, full control now, and I didn’t mind a bit. She knew what needed to be done, and I trusted her. I kneeled beside Cormac and traced the outline of his face. His usually tanned skin was so pale, and he felt like ice. I put a hand on each side of Cormac’s face, and lent down and kissed him. I let my own healing energies, flow into him. The effects of our joint healing powers, was so instant. I pulled away, and watched as Cormac, opened his eyes. His blue sapphire eyes were dark, much too dark.

“I will be fine.” He whispered, obviously feeling my concern.

I smiled down at him, with the last of my energy, before I willingly let the welcoming allure of exhaustion take over. Collapsing on to Cormac’s now warm chest, smiling in relief, before darkness ingulfed me.

“Is she okay?”

“Barely.”

“wake her, we have to get out of here, before they wake up.”

“Stop! We can’t force her awake, we could kill her. She needs time to heal” I recognised that voice like it was my own.

‘Cormac’ I said his name. but there was no reply. I tried again, but they continued to argue around me.

“They can’t hear you my dear.” I looked around, but all I could see was darkness.

“who are you?” I asked

“A friend. That is all you need to know, for now.” I couldn’t distinguish who the voice might belong to. It seemed to just belong. It was neither female nor male. It was neither young nor old. It was just a voice.

“I don’t understand.” I was still looking hopelessly for whoever belonged to the voice “who are you, what do you want.”

Then just like that, it was like a light was turned on, like a flame had been lit, and a figure stood in front of me, drape in a black cloak. The figure turned and showed me a beautiful brunette.

“Does this help?” she asked. Before waving her hand in front of her face. I watched as her face shifted from a beautiful young woman, into a hunched over, old man. “Or maybe this form, is more comfortable?” she waved her hand again, this time she resembled my grandmother. There was a sharp pain in my chest at this image.

“Sorry.” She transformed back into the beautiful brunette.

“what are you?” I asked

She smiled mischievously at me “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you. For now, you can just call me Luna.”

I pressed my lips together, holding back the remark that I wanted to reply with. Instead I asked “What is going on? Why can’t they hear me?”

She was silent for a moment “Because you are no longer, present in the realm of the living.” Before I could react, she continued “Neither are you dead my dear, you are just in limbo.”

“Am I dying?” I asked, my voice shaky. I didn’t want to die.

Her face softened “No, your body and spirt are perfectly healthy, I brought you here so we could talk privately.” She answered.

“I don’t understand.”

Luna reached out and grabbed my hand “Amelia,” she paused “You are may not believe this right now, but it is the truth. You are going to become one of the strongest witches in the world. Everyone good and bad is going to want you on their side, but you mustn’t give in and chose a side. You must rise above them; you need to take control. Nydewin is about to be attack by a great evil, of the likes no one alive has seen, Nydewin is going to need you. You are going to face long and hard roads, trust in your friends to guide you. But remember some roads are better off walked alone.”

“you speak like I should know what you are saying. But what you say sounds like riddles. Speak plainly.” I said interrupting her

Luna said something under her breath that sounded like a curse. “I cannot say much else, not without consequences, that neither of us would be willing agree to.” She squeezed my hands tightly “Please trust me child, when I say this.” She looked into my eyes pleadingly.

“The path you are on now is a dangerous one, but if you stay true to yourself, to your friends. You will defeat Cadsavia, but in doing so you will awaken a power within yourself, that will attract unwanted attention.”

“So, what are you saying? That I shouldn’t help my friends?” I asked confused

“No, by all means help your friends, the witch queen must be stopped. I just fear, that defeating her will not be enough to save Nydewin.” Luna’s eyes turned into large black, bottomless pits. “You are needed my dear.” She disappeared then

Before I could protest, I felt my self being slowly pushed back into my body. It was one of the strangest sensations. I shook myself mentally.