The Land: Autumn

A naughty stranger

I instantly pull myself up, trying to get away from the unusual feeling his grips sends to me. We arrive in an unfamiliar cave in the forest, we're standing in the near entrance.

I use all my strength to claim my hands again. But his grips is strong like metal that even me, the strongest lady chieftain of the guardians is weak.

"Shhh.. It will see us" He whispers.

He hold both my wrist with his left hand, my wrist felt so small compare to his hands that he can easily pin both of my arms into the wall cave above my head. His right hand is covering my whole mouth hushing me from any sound that I can make.

In this position I felt so vulnerable, I can't chant a spell nor draw an arrow to defend myself. His body is press so close to me that I can feel his warmth. Making my heart beat wild and loud.

'Anima nostra celare'

He chanted a spell! My eyes fell close forcely, I tried to open it but failed each time. Who is this guy? And whats does he want from me? Feeling desperate for my freedom, I'm about to use my legs and try to kick him when I hears a loud squeak in a distance. Even my eyes are close I know what is it.

They call it the grilms, a forest creature who is very vicious and territorial. It lives mostly along spring forests but they sleep during spring season and hunt every... Autumn. It can never be tamed even how powerful you are, I've only seen one from books never in person. As the books describes, it is 6 feet tall, with 3 pairs of arms, sharp teeth, claws and long slender legs.

The sound get closer and closer, I stiffen and doesn't move a bit even the stranger who abduct me don't dare to move. There is no way we can kill that thing, it is spell proof, many magician tries but inexplicably fail before.

One way to be safe is to close your eyes, they cant see anything only the eyes so when its hidden you're invisible to them.

I heard loud footsteps, and squeaks beside us, there is three of them thats for certain. The other one is beside us good thing they can't sniff us, thats one of their weaknesses.

I tried to relax a bit, gathering all my senses. His warmth that envelops me kind a make me safe, I don't know why. He is a stranger but his embrace feels familiar, that thought drive me so crazy.

In one long squeak I hears the creature run. Their squeaks fades away as they run away to the other side of the forest away from where we are.

A minute pass my eyes snaps open. A pair of hazel brown eyes met my gaze, our face is inches away. His eyes make me stare for a while, its glint is full of mysteries, like sunset that hold extreme beauty I was mesmerized by it.

I feel him loosen his grip from my wrist, slaps me into reality. This man is stranger who abducted me, Im such a fool!

I widraw my hands from him and using my both palm I gave him a strong push in the chest, making him move backward. Not yet satisfied I kick him strong in between his legs.

He cussed as he limp in pain. A smirk grows in my lips.

"Ahh, now thats another way to say thank you... Damn!" He said between each groan. "You're...welcome"

My eyebrows shots up, not liking how sarcastic his tone is.

I draw an arrow and pointed at him.

"Who are you?" I started asking question. "What do you want from me?"

Seems like he recovers from the pain, he stands and face me. Straight in the eye, he looks at me full of amazement.

"For your first question, I'm your hero. Second, A genuine thank you is much appreciated."

"Hero? Are you mad?" I said in as a matter of fact tone. Holding my bow more stronger.

He chuckled mockingly, making my blood boils with irritation.

"You're surely dead by now, if... I didn't help" He emphasizes the word help.

If he is talking about the grilms earlier. Oh well, he kinda help me but it does not justify his action. Forcing me to close my eyes and pinning me against the caves wall.

"If abducting me, forcing my eyes to close. Nah, you didn't help at all. anyway, I can protect myself." I said nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow to him.

"You look like a Sprinian by clothing, but your eyes says something different. Are you a hunter?" He said changing the topic. Ignoring all I have said. " For autumni hunter you look like a begginer."

I didn't answer, instead, I shot an arrow right across his right ear, but making sure I didn't hit him.

"The next arrow won't miss, I suggest stop messing with me" I ended my statement with a deadly glare.

Not affected by my warnings, he just shrug and start walking pass me. I follow his every movement with a pointing arrow.

He spun towards me again, before speaking he sighed. "Be careful, next time your in trouble, im not saving your sexy ass again"

His lips are covered with mask but I know he was smiling like an i***t right now.

Before I could react, he was gone in a blink of an eye. Vanishing spell! Damn it! Only one kind of magician who can do that. He is an autumni!

I decided to stay in the cave for a while. Still thinking about that annoying stranger. He keeps bugging my mind, my nerves are restless I have to relax for a while. Sighing I sat and rested my head on a large rock, thinking the things I should do. I need to find the prince. Sleepiness envelopes me, tired of the happenings of today. Out of plan, I fell into a deep sleep.

******

The coldness of the night woke me up. The darkness, encase the whole forest, a deafening silence create the creeps. The light of the twin moon from above shines, thousands of stars glitters like precious stones.

I get up and swing my magical bag in one arm. Putting down the hood of my cloak, I left the cave.

The night is silent, as I walk through the lines of trees which branches sway with the sweet melody of the air.

In a distance I saw flickers of light, tiptoeing I quietly came near to it. Hiding in a huge tree, i saw women and childrens from distance, tied and imprisoned to different bubbles floating from the ground. That magic is from Sprinians I knew for sure for they're the only one who can use that kind of spell.

They we're screaming for help, Childrens are shivering, tears are flowing from their eyes, wounded and bruised.

My teeth clenched and my hands turns into fist from the sight. Helping them is not part of my mission but as a guardian it's my duty to help Alvians in need.

I sneek into their cells, I gesture my hand and chanted a spell, the bubbles instantly popped creating a loud sound.

"The prisoners are escaping, code blue" A man in black uniform holding a long sword shouted. The captors runs towards us.

The freed ones looks at me with fear.

"Go, run and never look back" I whisper to them. Without delay, they oblige.

I draw my arrow and shot straight to the heart of the captor.

His mate approach me with blaming eyes. Its twenty men against one, with my experience and expertise well, I know I had a chance. But when one of them cast a spell the whole place was covered with smoke, so thick that I don't see a thing. What the heck!

I close my eyes, to sharpen more of my other senses. Holding my bow and arrows tightly in hand.

With my eyes shut close, I heard sounds of footprints from a distance aiming at me and in a split second an arrow was shot, I dodged it successfully.

Three men then battled with me they're expertise in sword is stupendous. They battle like scavengers, thirsty for blood like a predator in a forest.

Clangs of metals ang grunts filled the cold air of the night. The spell is fading, the smoke becomes thinner from time to time. I use both of my hand and feet to get up when one of the captors knocked me down with a hammer, it came from so fast that I didn't notice it. I instantly gather my strength again, bad news for them Im not an ordinary magician, Im lady chieftain of the royal guardian.

I gesture my hand for a spell, A tornado crashes four of my enemies with one shot. Leaving them, bleeding and lifeless. Half is down, ten more to go, this is gonna be fun.

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