I stumble back, sure I must be mishearing. "What?" I whisper.
"Halie, what happened to you?" Max asks, looking seriously concerned.
"I don't know you," I repeat blankly.
"We met a year and a half ago when I came to live in your village. Your sister introduced us. We've been married for four months, now, but we're in trouble. Someone is chasing us, and we can't work out why. We were running through the forest and fell into the hole. I thought they would kill us for sure, but Erele chased them off. I hope they didn't hurt her..."
I am shaking my head, not understanding what he is saying. How can I be married to a man I don't know? This just isn't possible...
"Ok, tell me what you remember," Max says, making a visible effort to stay calm.
"I... I was at my sister's house. She was getting me tea. Then... I don't know, everything is blurred. I have flashes - bright colours, images, but that's all... What's wrong with me?" I whisper.
Max leans forward cautiously, putting a hand on my arm. "It's ok, we'll work this out. Someone has taken your memories, but we'll get them back, don't worry."
I'm still not sure I believe him, but what other explanation is there? Why else would my memory have such significant gaps in it? Besides, I can see just from looking at the trees that it is high summer; the last memory I have was in the middle of winter. I look surreptitiously at Max. He is tall and handsome, but as much as I try, I can't remember meeting him, let alone falling in love with and marrying him.
"Come on, we need to get back," Max says.
"Get back where?"
"To town. We woke up in the middle of the night and someone was in the house. We ran and were chased into the forest. We should get back and check that everyone is ok."
I nod, still trying to wrap my head around all this. I ran off to get help for Max. I obviously got a rope before I lost my memories, but somewhere on the way back, I was attacked or something.
"I don't suppose you know where our horses are, do you?" Max asks hopefully.
I shake my head.
"Ok, I guess we'll be walking, then. You'll have to splint my leg."
I take a deep breath. Yes, I can do that. Back home, I am a healer. I run a shop selling herbs and such to the other people in our town. I also deliver babies, splint bones, or whatever else is required of me. At first, people were suspicious that someone so young could be a healer, but I have won them all over through the years.
"Hold on," I mutter. I wander off, casting around for a branch. When I find one, I hurry back to Max.
"This is going to hurt," I warn.
"You've splinted me before, Halie," he says patiently, though I see he grits his teeth in anticipation of the pain.
In one swift motion, I pull his leg straight. Max makes an effort to muffle his yell of pain, and I work as fast as I can. By the time I have used some of the rope to tie the branch to his leg, he is covered in a sheen of sweat, but he smiles at me.
"Ok, let's get moving."
Before I can help him up, something huge drops down through the trees. I scream and skitter backwards, but Max grabs my arm. "It's ok, it's just Erele."
"Erele? Max, that's a dragon!"
"Yes, she's a dragon," Max says patiently. "Erele, we have a problem," he calls to her. Her green scales glisten in the light as she turns to us.
"Yes, we certainly do. Get up, we need to move. There are people not far away. I couldn't kill them all, so I came to take you to safety."
To my surprise, Max doesn't argue, and I am forced to grab him so that he doesn't fall over as he struggles to his feet.
"You climb up here," he says to me, pointing at some protruding scales. Though it is the last thing I want to do, I scramble up onto the dragon's back.
"What happened?" Erele asks. "Halie? Did you get help?"
"We have a problem, Erele," Max repeats. "Someone must have ambushed Halie on her way back. They took her memories."
"They took her memories?"
"Well, she can't remember anything from the past eighteen months, so yes, I'm going with memory thief."
Something in Max's voice makes me tense up. For the first time, he reveals how much pain he is in, and not physically. I wonder how I would feel if someone I love suddenly couldn't remember me... It's not pleasant, even in m head.
Before I can ask anything, Erele jumps into the air. My hands snatch at Max's waist, and he turns slightly. "It's ok, Erele won't let us fall," he says, and despite myself, I find that I am reassured.
Normally, I would be elated to be riding a dragon, but now I am too disturbed to notice much. Erele doesn't fly for long, but puts down in a cave on the edge of a cliff that I have seen from our village before.
"First, your leg," Erele says. I watch silently as a green glow covers Max's leg. He grimaces, but in seconds, the glow has dissipated and he is taking off the splint. I stare. His leg is as good as new.
Erele gets straight to business. "When you sent me the distress signal, I came immediately. I chased them away from you, and hunted them down, but there were too many for me to get all of them. When I got back, you and Halie were out of the hole. I don't know who attacked her, or why."
"I think I do," Max says softly. He looks at me. "The night we were attacked, you told me something. You said you'd seen something. You were freaked out, but you didn't want to say what it was. I told you we'd talk about it in the morning, that you should rest. Now, they have taken the memory of whatever you saw."
Erele looks grim.
"Who are these people?" I ask.
"We don't know," Max says. "I had no idea there was anyone who would want to hurt us until last night."
"Well, you do now," Erele says. "And you can bet that if they are willing to go so far as to erase Halie's memories, they won't stop until they have you, too, to see how much you know."
Despite the fact that I have only known Max for a few hours, I don't want him to get hurt.
"How do we stop them?" I ask.
Erele stares out at the forest below. "Without those memories, we can't know what they want. Without knowing what they want, they will just keep coming, and there's nothing any of us can do."
To be continued
Saturday 29 June 2013
Wednesday 26 June 2013
Taken - part 1
"Hello?"
I peer down into the dark cavern, but nobody answers. I guess I must have been imagining it. I turn to walk away.
"Hello? Is anyone up there?"
The voice is faint, but I am sure I am not imagining it. Slowly, I turn back to the deep hole in the ground. I lie down on my stomach and call down.
"Yes, I'm here!"
"Halie? Oh Halie, you have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice! I thought you were lost..."
I frown. I don't recognise the voice from inside the cavern. "Who are you?" I ask.
"It's me - Max. Halie? Feel free to get me out of here anytime."
Max? I don't know any Max. Still, whoever he is, he's stuck in a hole, and I can't very well just leave him here.
"Ok, hold on," I say. I look around, wondering how to get him out. It is a deep hole, and I don't see any easy way to climb down. As I turn around, something brushes my back. With a start, I realise I have a long coil of rope over my shoulder. Why do I have rope over my shoulder?
I close my eyes, trying to think. The harder I try to think, the more alarmed I get. I can't remember how I got here. I was with my sister... then something happened. I don't remember what. I look around. How did I get into this large forest, all alone except for the man stuck in the hole?
Deciding my panic can wait until I have rescued Max, I go to tie the rope around the nearest tree.
"If I lower the rope down, can you climb up?"
There is a pause. "Halie, my leg is broken. That's why you went to get help in the first place, remember? You could climb out, but I couldn't."
Ok, now I am definitely unnerved. I don't know this man. It would make things a lot easier if I had a solid memory to cling to, but everything seems to be shifting. I don't know where I have been or what I have been doing for... well, I'm not sure how long.
"I'm going to lower the rope, and you tie it to your waist," I say, trying to hide the anxiety in my voice. We can deal with everything else once Max is out of the hole. I don't think now is a good time to tell him I actually don't know him. "I'll pull you up."
"Great," he calls back. I toss the rope into the hole and hear it splash as it reaches the bottom. Evidently, the hole is wet. I wonder Max had been in a dark, wet hole before I happened to find him.
"I'm ready," Max says. Without further ado, I grab the rope and start pulling. Max is heavy, but I manage. Finally, he appears over the ledge and flops onto the ground, holding his left leg at an awkward angle. I go over to him, concerned.
"Come on, we should get you to a healer," I say, making to help him up.
"Why didn't you bring Erele?" he asks. "She could have easily healed me."
"Who's Erele?" I ask, but Max is not listening.
He leans up and pulls me towards him. I am so shocked that I don't move, and before I can form a single coherent thought, he is kissing me.
"HEY!" I shout, jerking back. "I'm sorry, but I don't know you."
Max looks perplexed, as though expecting me to suddenly announce that I am joking.
"I'm really sorry, but I've never seen you before in my life," I say, slowly and clearly.
Now Max looks worried. "Halie, this is no time for jokes. We're in a hurry, remember? We need to get moving. Where are our horses? Where is Erele?"
I subtly move a few paces back from Max. Did he hit his head when he fell? I know that a knock to the head can sometimes confuse people. Could he be dangerous? I could probably outrun him, with his broken leg, but if he lunges forward to catche me, I'll be in trouble if I'm standing too close
Max has gone from looking worried to looking scared. Really scared. "Don't you know me?" he whispers.
I shake my head. "Who are you?"
He stares at me for a moment. His brown eyes seem to bore into mine, not allowing me to look away.
"Halie, I'm your husband."
To be continued
I peer down into the dark cavern, but nobody answers. I guess I must have been imagining it. I turn to walk away.
"Hello? Is anyone up there?"
The voice is faint, but I am sure I am not imagining it. Slowly, I turn back to the deep hole in the ground. I lie down on my stomach and call down.
"Yes, I'm here!"
"Halie? Oh Halie, you have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice! I thought you were lost..."
I frown. I don't recognise the voice from inside the cavern. "Who are you?" I ask.
"It's me - Max. Halie? Feel free to get me out of here anytime."
Max? I don't know any Max. Still, whoever he is, he's stuck in a hole, and I can't very well just leave him here.
"Ok, hold on," I say. I look around, wondering how to get him out. It is a deep hole, and I don't see any easy way to climb down. As I turn around, something brushes my back. With a start, I realise I have a long coil of rope over my shoulder. Why do I have rope over my shoulder?
I close my eyes, trying to think. The harder I try to think, the more alarmed I get. I can't remember how I got here. I was with my sister... then something happened. I don't remember what. I look around. How did I get into this large forest, all alone except for the man stuck in the hole?
Deciding my panic can wait until I have rescued Max, I go to tie the rope around the nearest tree.
"If I lower the rope down, can you climb up?"
There is a pause. "Halie, my leg is broken. That's why you went to get help in the first place, remember? You could climb out, but I couldn't."
Ok, now I am definitely unnerved. I don't know this man. It would make things a lot easier if I had a solid memory to cling to, but everything seems to be shifting. I don't know where I have been or what I have been doing for... well, I'm not sure how long.
"I'm going to lower the rope, and you tie it to your waist," I say, trying to hide the anxiety in my voice. We can deal with everything else once Max is out of the hole. I don't think now is a good time to tell him I actually don't know him. "I'll pull you up."
"Great," he calls back. I toss the rope into the hole and hear it splash as it reaches the bottom. Evidently, the hole is wet. I wonder Max had been in a dark, wet hole before I happened to find him.
"I'm ready," Max says. Without further ado, I grab the rope and start pulling. Max is heavy, but I manage. Finally, he appears over the ledge and flops onto the ground, holding his left leg at an awkward angle. I go over to him, concerned.
"Come on, we should get you to a healer," I say, making to help him up.
"Why didn't you bring Erele?" he asks. "She could have easily healed me."
"Who's Erele?" I ask, but Max is not listening.
He leans up and pulls me towards him. I am so shocked that I don't move, and before I can form a single coherent thought, he is kissing me.
"HEY!" I shout, jerking back. "I'm sorry, but I don't know you."
Max looks perplexed, as though expecting me to suddenly announce that I am joking.
"I'm really sorry, but I've never seen you before in my life," I say, slowly and clearly.
Now Max looks worried. "Halie, this is no time for jokes. We're in a hurry, remember? We need to get moving. Where are our horses? Where is Erele?"
I subtly move a few paces back from Max. Did he hit his head when he fell? I know that a knock to the head can sometimes confuse people. Could he be dangerous? I could probably outrun him, with his broken leg, but if he lunges forward to catche me, I'll be in trouble if I'm standing too close
Max has gone from looking worried to looking scared. Really scared. "Don't you know me?" he whispers.
I shake my head. "Who are you?"
He stares at me for a moment. His brown eyes seem to bore into mine, not allowing me to look away.
"Halie, I'm your husband."
To be continued
Sunday 23 June 2013
Unveiled - part 7 - final part
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part seven (the final part) of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
The world exists in two pieces: the angry yells of the villagers behind us, and the open maw of the cave in front. If we can just get to Hertal in time, we may have a chance, but Cole is staggering, bleeding heavily.
Together, we are dragging Fregi's unconscious body along with us, but Cole stumbles and falls.
"Go!" he shouts. "If they get Fregi, we're done for."
I hesitate. I need to get Fregi to Hertal, but I can't leave Cole behind. Yet if I stay, the villagers will just arrest both of us, and I'll have no way to help Cole.
"GO!" he yells.
I take off running, dragging Fregi behind me. The cave is steps away, Hertal waiting at the entrance. She leans forward, reaching out, but she can't leave the cave, not with the spell Fregi set trapping her there.
I stumble over the threshold and throw Fregi's body at her. I don't wait to hear what she says. I am already sprinting back to Cole. The villagers have reached him. In ordinary circumstances, he would be held for a trial. These aren't ordinary circumstances. The villagers look ready for blood. I see one of the men raise his sword.
I don't wait. With more force than I intended, I blast everyone away from Cole. In my panic, I sent them further than I had wanted to; they are thrown through trees in a wide circle.
I rush to Cole. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," he says, though I can see he isn't fine.
"Come on," I say, helping him up. The villagers are still getting up, getting their bearings. Cole and I stagger to Hertal's cave.
I can hear them shouting as we get in. Ignoring them, I immediately lower Cole to the ground and start healing him. I close my eyes, feeling for his injuries, correcting them one by one. I am so engrossed in the task that I don't see Tom until he is feet from me, wielding an axe.
I barely have time to gasp before he makes a vicious swing.
Against all expectations, he stops. No, that's not right. His axe seems to hit an invisible wall in mid-air. Enraged, Tom pounds his hand on the wall, but it doesn't give. I don't have time to ponder the mysteries of invisible walls; I need to heal Cole.
I don't know how long it takes. I only know that by the time I am done, most everyone in our village is crowded around the cave, pressed up against the invisible wall. They don't look happy.
"Stay down," I whisper to Cole, putting my hand on his shoulder. I stand up, facing the villagers.
"We should have gotten rid of you years ago, witch!" Tom spits. Other villagers chorus agreement. I am shocked at the hatred I see on their faces.
Edren, one of the village elders, speaks angrily to me. "What you have done is beyond forgiveness, Lexie. We have tolerated your strangeness for years, but you have started attacking innocent members of our community - you must pay the ultimate price for this."
"Listen to me," I say, "this is not what you think. The man Cole and I attacked has been stealing magic from people. That's how Hertal lost her powers, and he was planning to do it to me. Haven't you heard about the strange deaths in other villages? He's responsible. Fregi has been killing for fun and profit, and nobody knew about it! Tom, Sarah and Alex were working for him - that's why we attacked them - they tried to kill us."
Some of the villagers look disturbed, some look doubtful, but many others looks simply angry.
"A criminal always has a story," Edren says. "Yours is no more believable than any others."
I glance at Cole, my heart sinking. They aren't going to believe us. They are too distrustful of magic, of me. We could run, escape execution, but then our families would just pay our price instead.
Cole sees the conclusion forming in my eyes. "No!" he shouts.
I look sadly at him. It's the only way. If I let them kill me, no one else will get hurt. "No, Lexie, you can't -"
I look at his face, trying to memorise every detail. At least Cole will be safe. I can die happily with that knowledge.
"They are telling the truth."
Hertal comes to the front of the cave, emerging from the shadows.
Edren dismisses Hertal with a wave of his hand. "A crazy old woman? That's who will back up your story?"
"Every word is true. I have Fregi here. They speak truly."
"Why should we believe you any more than we believe them? It's impossible to steal magic. Your story is absurd. You lost your powers because you were old and senile."
Hertal's brow draws down, and she looks positively dangerous. "Is that so? Then it would be impossible for me to get my powers back from Fregi, would it?"
"Of course, you crazy old woman!"
Edren suddenly staggers back. Hertal advances on him like an angry predator. He stumbles again, pushed by an invisible force. Right next to his foot, a bush suddenly catches fire.
"Impossible, is it?" Hertal growls.
Then Edren is lifted into the air. He yells, but as hands reach out to help him, a ring of fire erupts around him. "You all owe these two young people your lives," Hertal says in a terrifying voice. "Fregi would have killed you all, in the end. Yet instead of thank them, you try to kill them! Here's what I think of you."
For a second, I think I am going mad. Surely, the ground can't be opening up like the jaws of some giant beast, waiting to swallow the villagers, who are even now skittering away? Yet it is...
As suddenly as it starts, it ends. The forest is silent but for the ragged breathing of the villagers. Edren is staring at Hertal like he has never seen her before. I see something else in his eyes, apart from naked fear: belief. There is no way Hertal could have gotten her magic back unless she was telling the truth. And she has just proved beyond a doubt that she has gotten her magic back.
"This... this Fregi - you have him disabled? So he can't hurt anyone?" Edren asks in a very faint voice.
"Oh, take my word, Fregi won't be hurting anyone anytime soon. Now, I think you have something to say to Lexie and Cole."
Edren glances around. The expressions of the other villagers range from shame to fear. None of them believes that Cole and are lying anymore.
"Lexie, Cole..." Edren glances around, and people nod encouragingly. "We're sorry. Please, forgive us."
Simple words, but they are enough.
Cole and I step forward, and hands are patting us on the backs, people are thanking us for removing the threat they didn't even know was there. Others are seizing Tom, Sarah and Alex.
"Where are our families?" Cole asks.
"They are being held in the village," Edren says. "They will be released at once, of course."
I reach for Cole's hand, and together, we sigh in relief. The threat is over, and we are all alive. We can go on living our lives, free from fear.
"I told you it would be ok," Cole whispers.
"Yes, you did." I smile and kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Come on. Let's go home."
The End
The world exists in two pieces: the angry yells of the villagers behind us, and the open maw of the cave in front. If we can just get to Hertal in time, we may have a chance, but Cole is staggering, bleeding heavily.
Together, we are dragging Fregi's unconscious body along with us, but Cole stumbles and falls.
"Go!" he shouts. "If they get Fregi, we're done for."
I hesitate. I need to get Fregi to Hertal, but I can't leave Cole behind. Yet if I stay, the villagers will just arrest both of us, and I'll have no way to help Cole.
"GO!" he yells.
I take off running, dragging Fregi behind me. The cave is steps away, Hertal waiting at the entrance. She leans forward, reaching out, but she can't leave the cave, not with the spell Fregi set trapping her there.
I stumble over the threshold and throw Fregi's body at her. I don't wait to hear what she says. I am already sprinting back to Cole. The villagers have reached him. In ordinary circumstances, he would be held for a trial. These aren't ordinary circumstances. The villagers look ready for blood. I see one of the men raise his sword.
I don't wait. With more force than I intended, I blast everyone away from Cole. In my panic, I sent them further than I had wanted to; they are thrown through trees in a wide circle.
I rush to Cole. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," he says, though I can see he isn't fine.
"Come on," I say, helping him up. The villagers are still getting up, getting their bearings. Cole and I stagger to Hertal's cave.
I can hear them shouting as we get in. Ignoring them, I immediately lower Cole to the ground and start healing him. I close my eyes, feeling for his injuries, correcting them one by one. I am so engrossed in the task that I don't see Tom until he is feet from me, wielding an axe.
I barely have time to gasp before he makes a vicious swing.
Against all expectations, he stops. No, that's not right. His axe seems to hit an invisible wall in mid-air. Enraged, Tom pounds his hand on the wall, but it doesn't give. I don't have time to ponder the mysteries of invisible walls; I need to heal Cole.
I don't know how long it takes. I only know that by the time I am done, most everyone in our village is crowded around the cave, pressed up against the invisible wall. They don't look happy.
"Stay down," I whisper to Cole, putting my hand on his shoulder. I stand up, facing the villagers.
"We should have gotten rid of you years ago, witch!" Tom spits. Other villagers chorus agreement. I am shocked at the hatred I see on their faces.
Edren, one of the village elders, speaks angrily to me. "What you have done is beyond forgiveness, Lexie. We have tolerated your strangeness for years, but you have started attacking innocent members of our community - you must pay the ultimate price for this."
"Listen to me," I say, "this is not what you think. The man Cole and I attacked has been stealing magic from people. That's how Hertal lost her powers, and he was planning to do it to me. Haven't you heard about the strange deaths in other villages? He's responsible. Fregi has been killing for fun and profit, and nobody knew about it! Tom, Sarah and Alex were working for him - that's why we attacked them - they tried to kill us."
Some of the villagers look disturbed, some look doubtful, but many others looks simply angry.
"A criminal always has a story," Edren says. "Yours is no more believable than any others."
I glance at Cole, my heart sinking. They aren't going to believe us. They are too distrustful of magic, of me. We could run, escape execution, but then our families would just pay our price instead.
Cole sees the conclusion forming in my eyes. "No!" he shouts.
I look sadly at him. It's the only way. If I let them kill me, no one else will get hurt. "No, Lexie, you can't -"
I look at his face, trying to memorise every detail. At least Cole will be safe. I can die happily with that knowledge.
"They are telling the truth."
Hertal comes to the front of the cave, emerging from the shadows.
Edren dismisses Hertal with a wave of his hand. "A crazy old woman? That's who will back up your story?"
"Every word is true. I have Fregi here. They speak truly."
"Why should we believe you any more than we believe them? It's impossible to steal magic. Your story is absurd. You lost your powers because you were old and senile."
Hertal's brow draws down, and she looks positively dangerous. "Is that so? Then it would be impossible for me to get my powers back from Fregi, would it?"
"Of course, you crazy old woman!"
Edren suddenly staggers back. Hertal advances on him like an angry predator. He stumbles again, pushed by an invisible force. Right next to his foot, a bush suddenly catches fire.
"Impossible, is it?" Hertal growls.
Then Edren is lifted into the air. He yells, but as hands reach out to help him, a ring of fire erupts around him. "You all owe these two young people your lives," Hertal says in a terrifying voice. "Fregi would have killed you all, in the end. Yet instead of thank them, you try to kill them! Here's what I think of you."
For a second, I think I am going mad. Surely, the ground can't be opening up like the jaws of some giant beast, waiting to swallow the villagers, who are even now skittering away? Yet it is...
As suddenly as it starts, it ends. The forest is silent but for the ragged breathing of the villagers. Edren is staring at Hertal like he has never seen her before. I see something else in his eyes, apart from naked fear: belief. There is no way Hertal could have gotten her magic back unless she was telling the truth. And she has just proved beyond a doubt that she has gotten her magic back.
"This... this Fregi - you have him disabled? So he can't hurt anyone?" Edren asks in a very faint voice.
"Oh, take my word, Fregi won't be hurting anyone anytime soon. Now, I think you have something to say to Lexie and Cole."
Edren glances around. The expressions of the other villagers range from shame to fear. None of them believes that Cole and are lying anymore.
"Lexie, Cole..." Edren glances around, and people nod encouragingly. "We're sorry. Please, forgive us."
Simple words, but they are enough.
Cole and I step forward, and hands are patting us on the backs, people are thanking us for removing the threat they didn't even know was there. Others are seizing Tom, Sarah and Alex.
"Where are our families?" Cole asks.
"They are being held in the village," Edren says. "They will be released at once, of course."
I reach for Cole's hand, and together, we sigh in relief. The threat is over, and we are all alive. We can go on living our lives, free from fear.
"I told you it would be ok," Cole whispers.
"Yes, you did." I smile and kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Come on. Let's go home."
The End
Thursday 20 June 2013
Unveiled - part 6
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part six of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
I wring my hands, glancing around, looking for anything that will help me put off the moment, even for a little while.
"Stop stalling, Lexie," Cole says patiently.
"You'll watch out, right? If they come, you must leave me and run. I can find my own way."
Cole nods, though he doesn't fool me. He would never leave me all alone to find my own way back to myself.
I close my eyes, contemplating the danger of what we are about to do. If we are to have any chance of subduing Fregi and bringing him to Hertal, I need to take him by surprise. In broad daylight, this is nigh impossible. The only answer is to become invisible.
Cole and I tried it once before, and it almost killed him. It is not truly possible to become invisible, so we did the next best thing: I sent my spirit out of my body. The spirit can't be seen, so I was able to slip past people without them ever knowing I was there. Once I was in the place I wanted to be, I pulled. My body came back to my spirit, and I also pulled at Cole's spirit. Since it was still attached to his body, he came as one, spirit and body. It was perfect.
There was just one problem.
We never knew that there are lost spirits roaming the land. Spirits without bodies, vengeful, angry with the living. They could sense when my body was empty, while I was gone from it. They violently attacked Cole while he tried to keep my body safe, as they tried to take it for themselves. They took him by surprise, and it very nearly killed him. I was only just able to heal him in time.
Cole seems to see something of my thoughts on my face, for he gently puts his hand on my arm and speaks softly. "Lexie, I know it's coming this time. You know how good I am with a sword, and since you enchanted this one to work on spirits, I'll have no problem. Ok?""
"Ok," I mumble, not meeting his eyes.
"We'll be alright."
I look up at him, and Cole smiles so calmly, so confidently, that for a moment, I can believe him.
Before I can lose my moment of courage, I do it. Cole sees what I am about to do in my eyes, and grabs me. As I step outside my body, it falls limply, and Cole gently lowers it down to the ground.
I take one last look at him, then stride determinedly into the village.
While I can't see myself, I can sense a sort of glowing around my spirit where my body should be. It's a strange feeling. I can see, though I have no eyes. I can hear, though no one can hear me. Thinking of Cole alone back there, I quicken my pace.
Fregi isn't hard to find. I enter Tom's house first, and I am not disappointed. Fregi lies spread out on the couch, eating grapes from a glass bowl. I can hear Tom in the other room, clearly trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to disturb his master.
I don't hesitate. Cole is surely fighting for both of our lives right now. With a snap, I pull him here. As he materialises, I pop back into my own body. I don't wait for Fregi to get his bearings. I throw a ball of magic at him, so powerful that it knocks the couch three feet backwards. Fregi gasps for breath, winded.
He doesn't take long to recover. Sooner than I thought possible, he is throwing magic right back at me. I dodge, and the powerful spell blasts a hole in the wall with an almighty crash. So much for being unobtrusive.
Cole swings his sword around and hits Fregi on the head with the flat of the blade. Fregi crumples, but with his last strength, he casts another spell. With a thrill of fear, I recognise it. I thought that nobody has been able to cast that spell - the one that binds a servant to a master, willing or not - in hundreds of years. Evidently, Fregi has brought back old knowledge to go with his awesome power.
I throw another ball of magic at Cole, pushing him out of the way. He hits the floor hard, but the spell misses him. Turning back to Fregi, I deliver another blow to his head with magic. This time, he is knocked out completely.
People are shouting and rushing to Tom's house. We don't have a second to waste, but I can't risk Fregi waking up while we take him to Hertal's. I weave a quick spell around him, and hope it will be enough to keep him unconscious.
"Go," Cole gasps, pushing himself up from the floor.
I don't wait. I am vaguely aware of my body crashing down as I leave it. I fly rather than walk. As a spirit, movement is not restricted in the same way it is with a body. In a matter of seconds, I am back in the forest. I hope it has not been too long. Could Cole fight off the villagers and other spirits at the same time?
With no time to worry about it, I pull. Cole and Fregi pop into existence beside me as I go back into my body.
"Come on, run," I say, grabbing one of Fregi's arms while Cole takes the other. I can hear angry sounds of pursuit behind us. Cole is bleeding, whether from wounds inflicted by spirits or mortals, I can't tell. He staggers slightly as we start to run, but gains his balance.
We have to make it to Hertal before we are caught, or all of this will have been for nothing. If she can prove who Fregi is, Cole and I will not be punished by the villages; they will see that we acted as we had to. First, we need to get to Hertal.
I try to run faster, but Cole is struggling, his wounds slowing him down. I don't have time to heal him now.
The sounds of running get closer with each step we take. It is surely only a matter of seconds before they catch us.
To be continued
I wring my hands, glancing around, looking for anything that will help me put off the moment, even for a little while.
"Stop stalling, Lexie," Cole says patiently.
"You'll watch out, right? If they come, you must leave me and run. I can find my own way."
Cole nods, though he doesn't fool me. He would never leave me all alone to find my own way back to myself.
I close my eyes, contemplating the danger of what we are about to do. If we are to have any chance of subduing Fregi and bringing him to Hertal, I need to take him by surprise. In broad daylight, this is nigh impossible. The only answer is to become invisible.
Cole and I tried it once before, and it almost killed him. It is not truly possible to become invisible, so we did the next best thing: I sent my spirit out of my body. The spirit can't be seen, so I was able to slip past people without them ever knowing I was there. Once I was in the place I wanted to be, I pulled. My body came back to my spirit, and I also pulled at Cole's spirit. Since it was still attached to his body, he came as one, spirit and body. It was perfect.
There was just one problem.
We never knew that there are lost spirits roaming the land. Spirits without bodies, vengeful, angry with the living. They could sense when my body was empty, while I was gone from it. They violently attacked Cole while he tried to keep my body safe, as they tried to take it for themselves. They took him by surprise, and it very nearly killed him. I was only just able to heal him in time.
Cole seems to see something of my thoughts on my face, for he gently puts his hand on my arm and speaks softly. "Lexie, I know it's coming this time. You know how good I am with a sword, and since you enchanted this one to work on spirits, I'll have no problem. Ok?""
"Ok," I mumble, not meeting his eyes.
"We'll be alright."
I look up at him, and Cole smiles so calmly, so confidently, that for a moment, I can believe him.
Before I can lose my moment of courage, I do it. Cole sees what I am about to do in my eyes, and grabs me. As I step outside my body, it falls limply, and Cole gently lowers it down to the ground.
I take one last look at him, then stride determinedly into the village.
While I can't see myself, I can sense a sort of glowing around my spirit where my body should be. It's a strange feeling. I can see, though I have no eyes. I can hear, though no one can hear me. Thinking of Cole alone back there, I quicken my pace.
Fregi isn't hard to find. I enter Tom's house first, and I am not disappointed. Fregi lies spread out on the couch, eating grapes from a glass bowl. I can hear Tom in the other room, clearly trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to disturb his master.
I don't hesitate. Cole is surely fighting for both of our lives right now. With a snap, I pull him here. As he materialises, I pop back into my own body. I don't wait for Fregi to get his bearings. I throw a ball of magic at him, so powerful that it knocks the couch three feet backwards. Fregi gasps for breath, winded.
He doesn't take long to recover. Sooner than I thought possible, he is throwing magic right back at me. I dodge, and the powerful spell blasts a hole in the wall with an almighty crash. So much for being unobtrusive.
Cole swings his sword around and hits Fregi on the head with the flat of the blade. Fregi crumples, but with his last strength, he casts another spell. With a thrill of fear, I recognise it. I thought that nobody has been able to cast that spell - the one that binds a servant to a master, willing or not - in hundreds of years. Evidently, Fregi has brought back old knowledge to go with his awesome power.
I throw another ball of magic at Cole, pushing him out of the way. He hits the floor hard, but the spell misses him. Turning back to Fregi, I deliver another blow to his head with magic. This time, he is knocked out completely.
People are shouting and rushing to Tom's house. We don't have a second to waste, but I can't risk Fregi waking up while we take him to Hertal's. I weave a quick spell around him, and hope it will be enough to keep him unconscious.
"Go," Cole gasps, pushing himself up from the floor.
I don't wait. I am vaguely aware of my body crashing down as I leave it. I fly rather than walk. As a spirit, movement is not restricted in the same way it is with a body. In a matter of seconds, I am back in the forest. I hope it has not been too long. Could Cole fight off the villagers and other spirits at the same time?
With no time to worry about it, I pull. Cole and Fregi pop into existence beside me as I go back into my body.
"Come on, run," I say, grabbing one of Fregi's arms while Cole takes the other. I can hear angry sounds of pursuit behind us. Cole is bleeding, whether from wounds inflicted by spirits or mortals, I can't tell. He staggers slightly as we start to run, but gains his balance.
We have to make it to Hertal before we are caught, or all of this will have been for nothing. If she can prove who Fregi is, Cole and I will not be punished by the villages; they will see that we acted as we had to. First, we need to get to Hertal.
I try to run faster, but Cole is struggling, his wounds slowing him down. I don't have time to heal him now.
The sounds of running get closer with each step we take. It is surely only a matter of seconds before they catch us.
To be continued
Monday 17 June 2013
Unveiled - part 5
Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part five of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
"Fregi operates in secrecy, but he has a weakness," Hertal begins. "He covets power. He is not stupid - he will not give himself away by a feeble attempt to seize the magic of a sorceress or sorcerer. He watches them, sometimes for weeks before he makes his move. Now that he has some followers, they can do some of his spying for him, but he likes to keep a hand in it himself, to keep control."
"Do you know where he is?" I ask.
"He will be nearby," Hertal says. "If you are his next target, which it seems you are, he will have his minions do the hard work, but he will want to be near in case they decide to try to steal your power for themselves. Fregi trusts no one - with good reason. The kind of people he works with would betray him in a heartbeat if they didn't fear the consequences.
"Fregi is not one to forgo the comforts of life. He will be staying with Tom, Sarah or Alex, you can be sure of it. They will be waiting on him, begging for the scraps from their own tables."
Hertal spits, disgusted. "Of all the creatures in this land, thieves are the worst. They take what is not theirs and profit from it while others suffer. While I had many faults when I still had my magic, I never sank to that level. Bring Fregi here, and I will deal him the punishment he deserves."
"That's it?" Cole sounds doubtful. "Just bring Fregi to you?"
"Don't let the seeming simplicity of the task make you over-confident. Fregi is a sorcerer with not only the power he was born with, but the power of many others. Taking him will be near-impossible... I won't blame you if you back out now. Go into hiding while you still can."
"'They'll kill our families!" I protest.
"If you don't succeed, you will just die along with your families."
"We will succeed," I say, trying to instil confidence in my voice.
"I hope so. Now, Fregi is vigilant, so it will be hard to take him by surprise. Your best bet is to sneak in by day when Tom, Sarah and Alex are out. He won't be expecting a day attack. As to how you are to subdue him, I can only say to try your best, and be creative. He is formidable, and you will need to use your instincts to defeat him. If it seems you will lose, do not let yourselves be taken alive."
Cole and I wait with baited breath, but Hertal seems to be done speaking.
"Thank you," I finally say. "We will bring him back to you."
"I hope so," Hertal says, so softly that I'm not sure we're supposed to here. "I hope so..."
Cole and I squint as we walk out into the bright sunlight. We don't speak for several minutes as we walk away from Hertal's cave.
"Are you sure, Lex?" Cole asks eventually. "We could still try to get our families out..."
"And spend our lives running from Fregi? That's not a life, Cole, and you know it."
He nods reluctantly. "Then maybe I should go in alone while you wait -"
"Forget it," I say briskly. "You can wait - I'm the sorceress, remember?"
Cole purses his lips, but doesn't say anything. I touch his arm, gently letting him know that I would never leave him behind. We do things together; always have, always will.
The sun is high in the sky by the time we get back to town. The market is full of people bustling around their daily tasks.
"We'll never get in without being seen," I murmur. The whole town must know that we are wanted by now. If even one person sees us, an alarm will be raised, and all will be lost.
Cole is looking at me with a strange intensity that I don't like. "Lexie..."
I glance at him, and realise what he is thinking. "No."
"Do you have another suggestion?"
"Cole, it's too dangerous!"
He looks at the market, not saying anything. Against my will, I start to think, trying to come up with a better solution. I frown, but nothing comes to me. Yet the last time we did as he is suggesting, Cole almost died. We swore never again.
"They could take our families at any moment," Cole says tensely, as though I need a reminder that time is short.
My mind spins, but I can't think of an alternative. I shoot an anguished glance at Cole, but his face is calm. He knows it is the only way.
"Fine," I say, hating myself. "Fine, we'll do it. Get ready."
To be continued
"Fregi operates in secrecy, but he has a weakness," Hertal begins. "He covets power. He is not stupid - he will not give himself away by a feeble attempt to seize the magic of a sorceress or sorcerer. He watches them, sometimes for weeks before he makes his move. Now that he has some followers, they can do some of his spying for him, but he likes to keep a hand in it himself, to keep control."
"Do you know where he is?" I ask.
"He will be nearby," Hertal says. "If you are his next target, which it seems you are, he will have his minions do the hard work, but he will want to be near in case they decide to try to steal your power for themselves. Fregi trusts no one - with good reason. The kind of people he works with would betray him in a heartbeat if they didn't fear the consequences.
"Fregi is not one to forgo the comforts of life. He will be staying with Tom, Sarah or Alex, you can be sure of it. They will be waiting on him, begging for the scraps from their own tables."
Hertal spits, disgusted. "Of all the creatures in this land, thieves are the worst. They take what is not theirs and profit from it while others suffer. While I had many faults when I still had my magic, I never sank to that level. Bring Fregi here, and I will deal him the punishment he deserves."
"That's it?" Cole sounds doubtful. "Just bring Fregi to you?"
"Don't let the seeming simplicity of the task make you over-confident. Fregi is a sorcerer with not only the power he was born with, but the power of many others. Taking him will be near-impossible... I won't blame you if you back out now. Go into hiding while you still can."
"'They'll kill our families!" I protest.
"If you don't succeed, you will just die along with your families."
"We will succeed," I say, trying to instil confidence in my voice.
"I hope so. Now, Fregi is vigilant, so it will be hard to take him by surprise. Your best bet is to sneak in by day when Tom, Sarah and Alex are out. He won't be expecting a day attack. As to how you are to subdue him, I can only say to try your best, and be creative. He is formidable, and you will need to use your instincts to defeat him. If it seems you will lose, do not let yourselves be taken alive."
Cole and I wait with baited breath, but Hertal seems to be done speaking.
"Thank you," I finally say. "We will bring him back to you."
"I hope so," Hertal says, so softly that I'm not sure we're supposed to here. "I hope so..."
Cole and I squint as we walk out into the bright sunlight. We don't speak for several minutes as we walk away from Hertal's cave.
"Are you sure, Lex?" Cole asks eventually. "We could still try to get our families out..."
"And spend our lives running from Fregi? That's not a life, Cole, and you know it."
He nods reluctantly. "Then maybe I should go in alone while you wait -"
"Forget it," I say briskly. "You can wait - I'm the sorceress, remember?"
Cole purses his lips, but doesn't say anything. I touch his arm, gently letting him know that I would never leave him behind. We do things together; always have, always will.
The sun is high in the sky by the time we get back to town. The market is full of people bustling around their daily tasks.
"We'll never get in without being seen," I murmur. The whole town must know that we are wanted by now. If even one person sees us, an alarm will be raised, and all will be lost.
Cole is looking at me with a strange intensity that I don't like. "Lexie..."
I glance at him, and realise what he is thinking. "No."
"Do you have another suggestion?"
"Cole, it's too dangerous!"
He looks at the market, not saying anything. Against my will, I start to think, trying to come up with a better solution. I frown, but nothing comes to me. Yet the last time we did as he is suggesting, Cole almost died. We swore never again.
"They could take our families at any moment," Cole says tensely, as though I need a reminder that time is short.
My mind spins, but I can't think of an alternative. I shoot an anguished glance at Cole, but his face is calm. He knows it is the only way.
"Fine," I say, hating myself. "Fine, we'll do it. Get ready."
To be continued
Thursday 13 June 2013
Unveiled - part 4
I wake squinting at the bright sunlight. I quickly stop worrying about the brightness when I see Cole - he is still asleep, leaning awkwardly over the tree branch. He looks as if he could fall any moment.
"Cole," I hiss, grabbing his arm and pulling him forcefully back into the small fork we are squashed into.
"Lexie?" He sits up, looking confused. I don't blame him. Yesterday morning, we were waking in our own beds with breakfast ready for us on the tables. Now, we are hidden in a tree in the middle of the forest close to town, stiff, sore and scared.
"Did you hear anything?" I ask.
Cole looks guilty. "I think I fell asleep during my watch."
"That's alright, I did too," I lie, hoping to make him feel better. "I mean before that - I heard the three of them wandering around, but they didn't come close to finding us. They were near our tree, but they never thought to look up."
"They never did have any imagination, those three," Cole comments.
I glance down between the branches, but Tom, Sarah and Alex are long gone. No doubt they will continue to hunt us, but this time it is our families who are in danger; they are to be the bait.
Cole seems to be thinking along the same lines. "Shall we go, then?"
I nod and carefully shinny down the tree. Cole comes after me, and after looking carefully around, we set off for Hertal's cave at a brisk pace.
"You don't think they'll foresee us going here?" I ask.
"I doubt it. Tom seemed pretty confident that we'd stay to protect our families. Direct confrontation is his style - our way isn't as direct, so I doubt he'll see it coming."
We walk in companionable silence for a while. It strikes me that even when the whole world has been turned upside down, even when I'm not sure I'll ever go back to my old life, being with Cole makes everything feel almost normal. As the sun rises, we hurry through the forest. Hertal's cave is near the middle, isolated from our town.
The entrance looms up before us, looking somehow much darker than the surrounding forest. We pause, but not for long. I take Cole's hand and the two of us walk into the dark entrance.
"Hertal? Are you here?" My voice echoes horribly, and the cave has a cold, damp feel to it.
"What is your business with me, sorceress?" says a voice, seeming to come from the walls itself.
"My name is Lexie, and this is Cole. We came from the village. We're in trouble, and we're hoping you can help us..."
Hertal doesn't reveal herself, so I content myself with speaking to the walls as I tell our story. Only after I have finished does the old woman come out from the shadows. Her skin is pale and wrinkly, but there is no evidence of frailty about her. Lost powers or not, I wouldn't want to cross her.
"And how do you think I can help you, child?" she asks.
"You taught Tom, Sarah and Alex. You must know something of what they are up to. Do you know who Fregi is?"
"Aye, I know who Fregi is. The question is why I should tell you? What can you offer me in return?"
"What do you want?" Cole asks. "We can get gold -"
"I don't want a sorceress's gold, boy," she snaps. "I want my powers back."
"What?" I look blankly at Cole, then back to Hertal. "You lost your powers."
"No, they were stolen from me. Stolen by Fregi."
She looks almost amused at the flabbergasted expressions on our faces. "Sit. Listen."
Cole and I silently sink to the floor, and Hertal begins to speak. "I was a powerful mage, but I used my powers wrongly. You know the kinds of things I taught. Well, Fregi took my powers for his own so that I could not abuse them anymore. Now, though, it is him who is abusing powerful magic. He has had a taste of the power that comes with taking someone else's magic, and he likes it too much.
"I have been trapped in this cave for years - ever since he used my own magic to place the spell that keeps me here. Tom, Sarah and Alex abandoned me when I could do nothing more for them. Fregi left a spell on this place so that I will never be without food and water, but I am trapped here. He is using his disciples to steal more magic for himself. If you have been targeted, Lexie, then I am sure he must covet your magic.
"If you want my help - and I can help you - you must agree to bring Fregi to me, alive. It would be easier, safer for you to kill him, but if you want my help, you must bring him to me, so that I may regain my powers."
I glance at Cole, and see my own thoughts mirrored on his face. We don't have much of a choice. If we want her help, we'll have to go along with Hertal's terms.
"Ok," I say. "We can do that."
"This will be dangerous," Hertal warns. "It may be easier to let him take your power. You could easily die, along with your whole families, if you resist him. Taking on Fregi is not something one does lightly."
I open my mouth, but it is Cole who speaks first. "No one is taking Lexie's magic! We'll do whatever we need to stop him. Tell us how."
So Hertal begins.
To be continued
"Cole," I hiss, grabbing his arm and pulling him forcefully back into the small fork we are squashed into.
"Lexie?" He sits up, looking confused. I don't blame him. Yesterday morning, we were waking in our own beds with breakfast ready for us on the tables. Now, we are hidden in a tree in the middle of the forest close to town, stiff, sore and scared.
"Did you hear anything?" I ask.
Cole looks guilty. "I think I fell asleep during my watch."
"That's alright, I did too," I lie, hoping to make him feel better. "I mean before that - I heard the three of them wandering around, but they didn't come close to finding us. They were near our tree, but they never thought to look up."
"They never did have any imagination, those three," Cole comments.
I glance down between the branches, but Tom, Sarah and Alex are long gone. No doubt they will continue to hunt us, but this time it is our families who are in danger; they are to be the bait.
Cole seems to be thinking along the same lines. "Shall we go, then?"
I nod and carefully shinny down the tree. Cole comes after me, and after looking carefully around, we set off for Hertal's cave at a brisk pace.
"You don't think they'll foresee us going here?" I ask.
"I doubt it. Tom seemed pretty confident that we'd stay to protect our families. Direct confrontation is his style - our way isn't as direct, so I doubt he'll see it coming."
We walk in companionable silence for a while. It strikes me that even when the whole world has been turned upside down, even when I'm not sure I'll ever go back to my old life, being with Cole makes everything feel almost normal. As the sun rises, we hurry through the forest. Hertal's cave is near the middle, isolated from our town.
The entrance looms up before us, looking somehow much darker than the surrounding forest. We pause, but not for long. I take Cole's hand and the two of us walk into the dark entrance.
"Hertal? Are you here?" My voice echoes horribly, and the cave has a cold, damp feel to it.
"What is your business with me, sorceress?" says a voice, seeming to come from the walls itself.
"My name is Lexie, and this is Cole. We came from the village. We're in trouble, and we're hoping you can help us..."
Hertal doesn't reveal herself, so I content myself with speaking to the walls as I tell our story. Only after I have finished does the old woman come out from the shadows. Her skin is pale and wrinkly, but there is no evidence of frailty about her. Lost powers or not, I wouldn't want to cross her.
"And how do you think I can help you, child?" she asks.
"You taught Tom, Sarah and Alex. You must know something of what they are up to. Do you know who Fregi is?"
"Aye, I know who Fregi is. The question is why I should tell you? What can you offer me in return?"
"What do you want?" Cole asks. "We can get gold -"
"I don't want a sorceress's gold, boy," she snaps. "I want my powers back."
"What?" I look blankly at Cole, then back to Hertal. "You lost your powers."
"No, they were stolen from me. Stolen by Fregi."
She looks almost amused at the flabbergasted expressions on our faces. "Sit. Listen."
Cole and I silently sink to the floor, and Hertal begins to speak. "I was a powerful mage, but I used my powers wrongly. You know the kinds of things I taught. Well, Fregi took my powers for his own so that I could not abuse them anymore. Now, though, it is him who is abusing powerful magic. He has had a taste of the power that comes with taking someone else's magic, and he likes it too much.
"I have been trapped in this cave for years - ever since he used my own magic to place the spell that keeps me here. Tom, Sarah and Alex abandoned me when I could do nothing more for them. Fregi left a spell on this place so that I will never be without food and water, but I am trapped here. He is using his disciples to steal more magic for himself. If you have been targeted, Lexie, then I am sure he must covet your magic.
"If you want my help - and I can help you - you must agree to bring Fregi to me, alive. It would be easier, safer for you to kill him, but if you want my help, you must bring him to me, so that I may regain my powers."
I glance at Cole, and see my own thoughts mirrored on his face. We don't have much of a choice. If we want her help, we'll have to go along with Hertal's terms.
"Ok," I say. "We can do that."
"This will be dangerous," Hertal warns. "It may be easier to let him take your power. You could easily die, along with your whole families, if you resist him. Taking on Fregi is not something one does lightly."
I open my mouth, but it is Cole who speaks first. "No one is taking Lexie's magic! We'll do whatever we need to stop him. Tell us how."
So Hertal begins.
To be continued
Tuesday 11 June 2013
Unveiled - part 3
Cole and I listen in rapt silence. The voices get louder, then softer, then louder again. They are searching the forest for us. I close my eyes, trying not to think what will happen if they find us. As they get closer and closer, we hardly dare to breathe. A small group breaks off and comes our way.
"They can't have gone far," Tom says. I recognise his voice with a shock of fear. Only a few hours ago, Tom tried to kill Cole. Now, he's come back to finish the job.
Sarah and Alex are with him - I can hear them beating through the bush after Tom. Finally, they stop and sit down among a bunch of trees not far from the tree in which Cole and I are hiding. I can see the flickering light of their torches, and hear their voices clearly.
"Ok, so here's what we'll do," Tom says quietly, but not so quietly so that Cole and I can't hear him. "We wait for the others to leave, then search the forest ourselves. When we find them, we don't waste any time - finish it immediately."
"What if we can't find them?" Sarah asks.
"Then we draw them out," says Alex. "Lexie is essential to our plan, but she goes where Cole goes. Take anyone from either of their families, and they will come."
"How do we let them know that we've got their family, though?"
"They're not stupid, those two. Cole knew something was up. They'll suspect it's not over, even with them gone. I'll bet they'll hang around. Then, when they come to rescue their families, we'll have them. Fregi will be pleased."
They keep talking, but move off, back towards town, and Cole and I can't hear anything more.
I look at him, and his eyes are shining brightly in the moonlight. "Who's Fregi?" I whisper.
Cole shakes his head. "No idea... but it sounds like we need to find him if we want to find out what's going on."
"We need to warn our families, first," I say. "It sounds like they'll only contact Fregi once they have us. We need to stop that from happening."
"They will know we're still in the area if we get our families out," Cole points out. "Then we'll really be in trouble. I reckon we should find this Fregi first, find out what we're up against."
"But we don't know how to find him! We have no idea who he is."
Cole's hand comes up to my mouth, and I realise that I have spoken too loudly. We are silent for a moment, but no sounds of pursuit reach our ears. I sigh in relief, while Cole speaks quickly and quietly.
"We know that he has something to do with Tom, Sarah and Alex. We also know who they learned everything they know from."
I frown at Cole. "Hertal lost her powers. She doesn't teach anyone anymore."
"Yet she may be able to tell us what she told them."
I nod, thinking. Nobody has seen Hertal for years. She was greatly feared once, but when she lost her powers, she became nothing more than a crazy old woman living in a cave. Before, though, Tom, Sarah and Alex would go to her every day - that was when they started building up such a bad reputation.
Neither of us sleeps that night. We discuss in whispers the best way to go about this. Eventually, we decide to simply walk up to her cave in the morning. Nobody has been to her in years, so we should be safe from running into anyone. Now, we just need to survive the night.
It starts to rain. With no cloaks, Cole and I are soon chilled to the bone, but we dare not seek better shelter, not with Tom, Sarah and Alex roaming the woods, intent on killing us. We huddle closer together, trying to share our warmth as best we can.
I close my eyes, thinking about tomorrow. Cole's lips graze my cheek, and I smile vaguely, but my mind is elsewhere. My mind is on Hertal, and what she will say. Maybe whatever we have unveiled will have some light shed on it at last. Tomorrow, we will know, one way or the other.
To be continued
"They can't have gone far," Tom says. I recognise his voice with a shock of fear. Only a few hours ago, Tom tried to kill Cole. Now, he's come back to finish the job.
Sarah and Alex are with him - I can hear them beating through the bush after Tom. Finally, they stop and sit down among a bunch of trees not far from the tree in which Cole and I are hiding. I can see the flickering light of their torches, and hear their voices clearly.
"Ok, so here's what we'll do," Tom says quietly, but not so quietly so that Cole and I can't hear him. "We wait for the others to leave, then search the forest ourselves. When we find them, we don't waste any time - finish it immediately."
"What if we can't find them?" Sarah asks.
"Then we draw them out," says Alex. "Lexie is essential to our plan, but she goes where Cole goes. Take anyone from either of their families, and they will come."
"How do we let them know that we've got their family, though?"
"They're not stupid, those two. Cole knew something was up. They'll suspect it's not over, even with them gone. I'll bet they'll hang around. Then, when they come to rescue their families, we'll have them. Fregi will be pleased."
They keep talking, but move off, back towards town, and Cole and I can't hear anything more.
I look at him, and his eyes are shining brightly in the moonlight. "Who's Fregi?" I whisper.
Cole shakes his head. "No idea... but it sounds like we need to find him if we want to find out what's going on."
"We need to warn our families, first," I say. "It sounds like they'll only contact Fregi once they have us. We need to stop that from happening."
"They will know we're still in the area if we get our families out," Cole points out. "Then we'll really be in trouble. I reckon we should find this Fregi first, find out what we're up against."
"But we don't know how to find him! We have no idea who he is."
Cole's hand comes up to my mouth, and I realise that I have spoken too loudly. We are silent for a moment, but no sounds of pursuit reach our ears. I sigh in relief, while Cole speaks quickly and quietly.
"We know that he has something to do with Tom, Sarah and Alex. We also know who they learned everything they know from."
I frown at Cole. "Hertal lost her powers. She doesn't teach anyone anymore."
"Yet she may be able to tell us what she told them."
I nod, thinking. Nobody has seen Hertal for years. She was greatly feared once, but when she lost her powers, she became nothing more than a crazy old woman living in a cave. Before, though, Tom, Sarah and Alex would go to her every day - that was when they started building up such a bad reputation.
Neither of us sleeps that night. We discuss in whispers the best way to go about this. Eventually, we decide to simply walk up to her cave in the morning. Nobody has been to her in years, so we should be safe from running into anyone. Now, we just need to survive the night.
It starts to rain. With no cloaks, Cole and I are soon chilled to the bone, but we dare not seek better shelter, not with Tom, Sarah and Alex roaming the woods, intent on killing us. We huddle closer together, trying to share our warmth as best we can.
I close my eyes, thinking about tomorrow. Cole's lips graze my cheek, and I smile vaguely, but my mind is elsewhere. My mind is on Hertal, and what she will say. Maybe whatever we have unveiled will have some light shed on it at last. Tomorrow, we will know, one way or the other.
To be continued
Saturday 8 June 2013
Unveiled - part 2
Rainy day, in my warmest clothes with a mug of steaming hot chocolate - the best time to write! :) Then I must find my cat, who is probably hibernating in the warmest part of the house, hiding from the cold. Coward.
My mind whirls, trying to figure the best way out of this. I could easily use magic to blast Tom, Sarah and Alex away from us, but that could lead to more trouble than it's worth. Most people appreciate having a sorceress in their town - I have helped all of them at some point - but others are suspicious, tending to blame any little accident on me. The last time I used magic, there was almost very serious trouble. Cole just managed to talk them out of banishing me, but if I do it again, he'll have a much harder time.
"Sorry," I say, trying for an embarrassed smile. Maybe we can talk our way out of this. "We didn't mean anything by it," I say.
"Yeah, don't worry about us," Cole says, catching on. "We'll just go, now."
"Why were you spying on us?" Tom demands.
I glance at Cole, but his face is as blank as mine. Admitting our real motivation is unlikely to help us much.
Alex sneers at us. "Finish it, Tom."
I realise what Tom is about to do a split second before he does it. The knife has barely broken the skin of Cole's neck when the three of them are thrown violently away from us. Then land a couple of yards away, looking dazed.
"Lexie, let's go," Cole says, grabbing my hand. I let him pull me along, glancing behind me to see the three stirring feebly on the ground. Cole and I run through the forest, stopping only once we are in a thick glade of trees which nobody has any hope of seeing through. I can feel him shaking through my grip on his hand.
"We have to leave," he says.
The thought was hardly far from my mind, but I try to reason it out aloud, as though that will change the facts. "If we just tried to explain ourselves..."
"Lex, you know what will happen," Cole says. "We think those three have a bad reputation, but that's nothing compared to ours. We know that theirs is deserved and our isn't, but nobody else does. Remember, Sarah's father is on the council, and you know how easily the art of persuasion comes to him. Sarah will run straight to him, telling him how you attacked her. Even if those who think we are ok protest, it's only a matter of time before they are beaten down. Forget banishment, this time you'll be lucky to escape execution."
I don't say anything, for I know he is right. "So we run," I say softly.
"We run."
There is nothing more to be said. Cole and I turn east, away from our village, and set into a steady jog. I try to let my mind dwell on the exertion rather than the monumental decision we have just made. That we had no choice hardly makes it easier. Neither of us has ever left our home town. True, with my ability as a sorceress, our lives have hardly been peaceful, but everyone and everything we love is now being left behind.
We don't have time to get supplies, and I worry about what will happen at night. Cole and I know the basics of collecting and killing food, but with no weapons, not so much as a knife, it will be difficult, to say the least.
Finally, I can't jog any more, and slow to a walk. Cole, looking relieved, imitates me. Glancing back, I quickly use magic to erase our tracks. That will slow them, if not stop them.
"There's something we haven't thought of," I say as soon as I have my breath back. "You were right. We're out of range now, but Sarah, Tom and Alex have plenty more victims back home. They will surely go for them."
Neither of us speaks for a moment, but I am sure we are thinking the same thing. We both have parents. Cole has a sister. We have friends back home. What if Tom, Sarah and Alex retaliate by targeting them?
"We'll have to stay close, hidden," Cole says, thinking aloud. "It'll be more dangerous, but we can at least keep an eye on everyone and try to warn them if it looks like they are in danger."
We walk for a bit more, listening carefully to the sounds of the forest. "Why, though?" I wonder eventually. "Why would they do that? What is it we have unveiled? It's some kind of plot, to be sure, but I don't understand what they would have to gain from it."
"Well, we can be sure of one thing: now that we have found it, they will move more quickly," Cole says grimly. "We'll need to move fast, too, if we are to protect the people we love. First, though, we must protect ourselves. They'll have gotten back to the village by now. People will be looking soon. We need to hide."
As night begins to fall, Cole and I search in vain for some kind of natural shelter: a cave, a convenient overhang, but there is nothing. I don't know if I'm imagining the sound of voices in the distance, but the urge to hide becomes stronger every second.
"There," I murmur, pointing. The tree is large with thick bundles of leaves and low branches. It's far from the perfect hiding place, but it's all we've got. Cole nods, and I reach for the lowest branches, pulling myself up. The tree isn't hard to climb, and soon, we are situated as comfortably as we are likely to get in a fork between branches, thoroughly hidden from anyone looking up from below.
"We'll take turns staying up, taking watch," Cole says.
I agree, but neither of us seems near to sleep. We half sit, half lie in the tree, waiting, for surely they will come. Cole's hand gently brushes my face. My hair flutters slightly in the wind, and I lean into him.
"We'll be ok," he says softly.
"I know we will." As I say it, I realise it is true. We may have been thrust into a nightmare, but Cole and I are together, at least. So long as we have each other, I am sure we can face anything.
Cole stiffens behind me, and I immediately know the reason. This time, I am not imagining the voices. Through the trees, I think I can see torchlight and hear angry shouts.
Now, we will see if our hiding place is good enough. They are coming.
To be continued
My mind whirls, trying to figure the best way out of this. I could easily use magic to blast Tom, Sarah and Alex away from us, but that could lead to more trouble than it's worth. Most people appreciate having a sorceress in their town - I have helped all of them at some point - but others are suspicious, tending to blame any little accident on me. The last time I used magic, there was almost very serious trouble. Cole just managed to talk them out of banishing me, but if I do it again, he'll have a much harder time.
"Sorry," I say, trying for an embarrassed smile. Maybe we can talk our way out of this. "We didn't mean anything by it," I say.
"Yeah, don't worry about us," Cole says, catching on. "We'll just go, now."
"Why were you spying on us?" Tom demands.
I glance at Cole, but his face is as blank as mine. Admitting our real motivation is unlikely to help us much.
Alex sneers at us. "Finish it, Tom."
I realise what Tom is about to do a split second before he does it. The knife has barely broken the skin of Cole's neck when the three of them are thrown violently away from us. Then land a couple of yards away, looking dazed.
"Lexie, let's go," Cole says, grabbing my hand. I let him pull me along, glancing behind me to see the three stirring feebly on the ground. Cole and I run through the forest, stopping only once we are in a thick glade of trees which nobody has any hope of seeing through. I can feel him shaking through my grip on his hand.
"We have to leave," he says.
The thought was hardly far from my mind, but I try to reason it out aloud, as though that will change the facts. "If we just tried to explain ourselves..."
"Lex, you know what will happen," Cole says. "We think those three have a bad reputation, but that's nothing compared to ours. We know that theirs is deserved and our isn't, but nobody else does. Remember, Sarah's father is on the council, and you know how easily the art of persuasion comes to him. Sarah will run straight to him, telling him how you attacked her. Even if those who think we are ok protest, it's only a matter of time before they are beaten down. Forget banishment, this time you'll be lucky to escape execution."
I don't say anything, for I know he is right. "So we run," I say softly.
"We run."
There is nothing more to be said. Cole and I turn east, away from our village, and set into a steady jog. I try to let my mind dwell on the exertion rather than the monumental decision we have just made. That we had no choice hardly makes it easier. Neither of us has ever left our home town. True, with my ability as a sorceress, our lives have hardly been peaceful, but everyone and everything we love is now being left behind.
We don't have time to get supplies, and I worry about what will happen at night. Cole and I know the basics of collecting and killing food, but with no weapons, not so much as a knife, it will be difficult, to say the least.
Finally, I can't jog any more, and slow to a walk. Cole, looking relieved, imitates me. Glancing back, I quickly use magic to erase our tracks. That will slow them, if not stop them.
"There's something we haven't thought of," I say as soon as I have my breath back. "You were right. We're out of range now, but Sarah, Tom and Alex have plenty more victims back home. They will surely go for them."
Neither of us speaks for a moment, but I am sure we are thinking the same thing. We both have parents. Cole has a sister. We have friends back home. What if Tom, Sarah and Alex retaliate by targeting them?
"We'll have to stay close, hidden," Cole says, thinking aloud. "It'll be more dangerous, but we can at least keep an eye on everyone and try to warn them if it looks like they are in danger."
We walk for a bit more, listening carefully to the sounds of the forest. "Why, though?" I wonder eventually. "Why would they do that? What is it we have unveiled? It's some kind of plot, to be sure, but I don't understand what they would have to gain from it."
"Well, we can be sure of one thing: now that we have found it, they will move more quickly," Cole says grimly. "We'll need to move fast, too, if we are to protect the people we love. First, though, we must protect ourselves. They'll have gotten back to the village by now. People will be looking soon. We need to hide."
As night begins to fall, Cole and I search in vain for some kind of natural shelter: a cave, a convenient overhang, but there is nothing. I don't know if I'm imagining the sound of voices in the distance, but the urge to hide becomes stronger every second.
"There," I murmur, pointing. The tree is large with thick bundles of leaves and low branches. It's far from the perfect hiding place, but it's all we've got. Cole nods, and I reach for the lowest branches, pulling myself up. The tree isn't hard to climb, and soon, we are situated as comfortably as we are likely to get in a fork between branches, thoroughly hidden from anyone looking up from below.
"We'll take turns staying up, taking watch," Cole says.
I agree, but neither of us seems near to sleep. We half sit, half lie in the tree, waiting, for surely they will come. Cole's hand gently brushes my face. My hair flutters slightly in the wind, and I lean into him.
"We'll be ok," he says softly.
"I know we will." As I say it, I realise it is true. We may have been thrust into a nightmare, but Cole and I are together, at least. So long as we have each other, I am sure we can face anything.
Cole stiffens behind me, and I immediately know the reason. This time, I am not imagining the voices. Through the trees, I think I can see torchlight and hear angry shouts.
Now, we will see if our hiding place is good enough. They are coming.
To be continued
Wednesday 5 June 2013
Unveiled - part 1
I've been thinking about what to write on my blog. I started it to help promote my book - as a first time author, I want to give my book the best chance possible when it comes out. I've already written about myself in my previous post. What to write now? Thinking back on the past week, nothing life-changing has happened - you know, same old, same old. Why would anyone want to read about my relatively normal life? Yet surely, there must be something I can write about? Of course, I know what I can write about - I already know what I write about. Magic, love, struggle, the triumph of good over evil. I am a fantasy writer. How I ever thought I could write about something as mundane as my day-to-day life, I am not quite sure. So it's goodbye to staring at a blank page, and hello magical worlds. Let's see how this goes. Hope you like it! :)
"We shouldn't be doing this."
Cole rolls his eyes. "How else are we going to find out what's going on?"
"They'll kill us if they find out."
"Tell me something I don't know," he mutters, clearly not really listening.
Sighing, I give up and turn my eyes back towards the scene before us. Cole shifts slightly, bored. My feet have gone numb, we have been standing here so long. Cole isn't ready to give up yet.
We watch in silence for what must be another ten minutes. Nothing out of the ordinary happens. Tom, Sarah and Alex chat, eat and drink, like the old friends they are. I glance at Cole, who is still watching them intently.
Finally, I can't hold it in any longer. "'Look, I'm sure there's nothing going on," I say. "What would they be planning? I'm sorry, Cole, but I think you're just imagining it."
He shakes his head, frustrated. Pulling his face from the small crack in the rock through which we are spying, he turns to face me. "You didn't hear them. You didn't see them. You know what a terrible reputation those three had a few years back. They say they've changed their ways, but I for one don't believe that half of the horrible accidents that have happened in the last year were really accidents."
Cole falls silent when there is a rise in the volume of the voices, but once it has quieted again, he relaxes and continues. "The other day when I walked in on them, they were all in a huddle, talking. They broke off as soon as they saw me, but that's not it. The looks they gave me, Lexie - I swear they would have killed me right then and there if you hadn't walked in. You weren't watching them, they're planning something, and it has to do with us. They had these hungry looks about them. We're not safe, we need to know what's going on!"
I bite my tongue. Yes, I think Cole is being paranoid, but the least I can do is indulge him. Besides, as a sorceress, I am hardly helpless. Cole tends to forget it at times, but I can deal with just about any threat for both of us.
Resigning myself to another cold, wet day hidden in the dark cave spying on our quarry as they picnic on the grass, I turn back to the crack.
I can't see them. Tom, Sarah and Alex are gone. I crane my neck, trying to see them, but they seem to have left very quickly. Not a trace of their picnic remains.
"They've left," I say in relief, turning to Cole. Now we can go home - finally!
The relief shrivels in my throat as I turn. Cole is white and still. Tom is holding a knife to his throat.
Sarah and Alex are to either side of him. Before I can react, they grab me roughly.
"About done spying on us, are you?" Alex sneers.
I glance at Cole, too afraid to move in case it makes them decide to slit his throat. His eyes are wide, and I can tell his heart is beating just as fast as mine. I also know that Cole feels no pleasure in being right.
As Tom presses the knife threateningly against Cole's neck, it breaks the skin, and a small trickle of blood runs down onto his chest.
To be continued
"We shouldn't be doing this."
Cole rolls his eyes. "How else are we going to find out what's going on?"
"They'll kill us if they find out."
"Tell me something I don't know," he mutters, clearly not really listening.
Sighing, I give up and turn my eyes back towards the scene before us. Cole shifts slightly, bored. My feet have gone numb, we have been standing here so long. Cole isn't ready to give up yet.
We watch in silence for what must be another ten minutes. Nothing out of the ordinary happens. Tom, Sarah and Alex chat, eat and drink, like the old friends they are. I glance at Cole, who is still watching them intently.
Finally, I can't hold it in any longer. "'Look, I'm sure there's nothing going on," I say. "What would they be planning? I'm sorry, Cole, but I think you're just imagining it."
He shakes his head, frustrated. Pulling his face from the small crack in the rock through which we are spying, he turns to face me. "You didn't hear them. You didn't see them. You know what a terrible reputation those three had a few years back. They say they've changed their ways, but I for one don't believe that half of the horrible accidents that have happened in the last year were really accidents."
Cole falls silent when there is a rise in the volume of the voices, but once it has quieted again, he relaxes and continues. "The other day when I walked in on them, they were all in a huddle, talking. They broke off as soon as they saw me, but that's not it. The looks they gave me, Lexie - I swear they would have killed me right then and there if you hadn't walked in. You weren't watching them, they're planning something, and it has to do with us. They had these hungry looks about them. We're not safe, we need to know what's going on!"
I bite my tongue. Yes, I think Cole is being paranoid, but the least I can do is indulge him. Besides, as a sorceress, I am hardly helpless. Cole tends to forget it at times, but I can deal with just about any threat for both of us.
Resigning myself to another cold, wet day hidden in the dark cave spying on our quarry as they picnic on the grass, I turn back to the crack.
I can't see them. Tom, Sarah and Alex are gone. I crane my neck, trying to see them, but they seem to have left very quickly. Not a trace of their picnic remains.
"They've left," I say in relief, turning to Cole. Now we can go home - finally!
The relief shrivels in my throat as I turn. Cole is white and still. Tom is holding a knife to his throat.
Sarah and Alex are to either side of him. Before I can react, they grab me roughly.
"About done spying on us, are you?" Alex sneers.
I glance at Cole, too afraid to move in case it makes them decide to slit his throat. His eyes are wide, and I can tell his heart is beating just as fast as mine. I also know that Cole feels no pleasure in being right.
As Tom presses the knife threateningly against Cole's neck, it breaks the skin, and a small trickle of blood runs down onto his chest.
To be continued
Saturday 1 June 2013
Hello...
I'm completely new at this, so here goes! This is just a little piece about myself :)
Know Me
Know Me
You say you want to
know me. You ask me where I went to school, where I grew up and who my parents
are. You don’t know me. You will never know me.
If you want to know
me, you must read Harry Potter. Read The Sword of Truth, Twilight, and The
Hunger Games. See the magic, cast the spells, soar over the ground on a
dragon's back. If you want to know me, do not ask what my favourite food is.
Ask if I have dined
with the fairies, ask if I have drank from the Fountain of Youth. Ask if I have
sailed past the sun on the wings of a phoenix. Ask if I have ridden unicorns
through the forest. Ask if I have broken bread with kings and peasants alike.
If you want to know
me, watch Avatar and Star Trek. Fly into strange and alien worlds, see them
shimmer before your eyes. If you want to know me, grasp things that you can
barely comprehend. If you want to know me, do not look at this dull, lifeless
thing we call reality. Breathe fresh air in a place of your choosing. Climb the
highest mountain in the kingdom. Fight back invading armies, lead free people
to fight for liberty.
If you want to know
me, do not write textbooks or documentaries. See stories in your mind and let
them flow onto paper. Let magic swirl from your fingertips, creating new worlds
with no more than a stroke of keys. If you want to know me, write of magic and
true love, and the triumph of good versus evil, of heroes and their happy
endings.
Until you have cried
yourself to sleep in anguish over Harry’s death, or laughed in joy at Richard’s
triumph, you have never known me. Until you have created a world of your
choosing, lived there and loved there, through both joy and suffering, you will
never know me. Until you have entered the worlds in which I dwell, you have
never known me, and you never will.
You say you want to
know me, but in truth, you cannot, for I am not here. If you want to know me,
you need to fly. You need to meet me in worlds of magic and wonder, for that is
where I really am. I live fairy tales, my life is the stuff of magic. Sorcerers
cast spells in my dreams, and new fantastical worlds awaken when I do.
You say you want to
know me, but first you need to find me.
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