The Void: Azalea's Purpose

The Void

Raf 

Where is she? She had never left our home alone. I panicked at the thought of her alone and outside of my protection. Please, be okay! My chest tightened as my mind imagined the worst. ‘You must never let her leave alone, the moment she does it will begin.’ The witch’s words ran through my head as I frantically got myself together. I thought of all the things she could be going through at that moment, the terror she would be feeling. The witch had given me a spell that protected her as long as she was near me, but she warned that the day she went too far The Anue would return. She also warned it was inevitable, the best we could do is try to give her enough time to be ready for it. I just hoped that she was.  

As I walked out the door to find Aza, a man appeared through my barrier spell. How did he get through? I had the strongest spell cloaking and guarding our little home from any outsiders. I couldn’t let anyone get to her, she had to be protected.  

The man approached me cautiously as my eyes narrowed. “Why are you here?” I icily asked. He looked uncomfortable as he prepared to respond, “Azalea sent me to bring you back to the Coven.” A Coven Witch! No. “Why did she send you and not come herself?” “My father kept her with him, we need you to come now.” I looked at him confused. He shifted his feet as though there was something he was holding back. “What aren’t you telling me?” He sighed as he readied himself for the explanation, “Something happened to her in the village. I need you to come with me so we can give her some answers. She needs her father right now.” I watched him as he visibly became visibly frustrated. I decided to get the answers I needed to avoid any more conversation. ‘How do I tell her father we are mates?’ NO! “You’re her mate?” I said as though I were about to rip his throat out. He looked shocked until he realized what my gift must be. “We just found each other.” He responded. I felt the world spin as I realized everything, I had protected her from for so long was about to come to fruition. “Take me to her.” I said as I readied myself for the worst day of my life.  

Azalea 

As I waited alone in the Elders' room for my father to arrive, I thought of my mate. I had only been near him for a few moments but it was as if I had known him my whole life. This was a foreign feeling for me, to care deeply for any person besides my father, and I had only just met him. I wanted to know everything I could about him, but I was scared by how powerful this feeling already was. I would actually die to protect this man. I would do anything to ensure his safety.  

I looked around to distract myself as I waited and noticed a series of pictures on the walls. The first picture showed a dark figure in a group of trees. I looked closer and realized it was the same one I had seen in the village. It looked menacing as its claws wrapped around the tree bark, the tree bearing scars from the scratches it produced.  

The second picture showed a darkness from the top to bottom of the world, just outside an ancient looking village. I saw supernatural creatures in the picture, looking like they were prepared to fight. A witch was seen casting a spell as a werewolf stood beside her baring it’s teeth.  

The third picture haunted me as I stared at them with their bodies halfway through the darkness, their bodies had black goo running down them. The longer I stared the more the goo dripped over their bodies until it covered them. I continued to stared at the picture until I saw the monster suddenly move towards me, pulling from the darkness. My heart beat faster the closer it got until the creature was at the front of the picture. Move! I told myself, but I again I felt the creature pulling me towards it.  

I blinked and I was once again in the darkness, the faceless woman standing before me. “RUN, RUN, RUN!” She screamed at me. “I can’t!” I yelled back. I looked down and saw the goo dripping up my legs, containing me within it. I tried to pull myself away, but the more I struggled the more it pulled me in. I was petrified in my place as the goo reached up to my neck, about to consume my face. I looked up at the woman and gasped as she was now right next to my face. “Then there is no hope.” She said as the  5monster rose from the goo around me.