• CHAPTER ONE HERE!

    Chapter 3
    Fight of Flight


    It’s always said that in near death situations, it’s when one’s life flashes before their eyes. I do believe I know now what they speak of. My earliest memories of my grandmother, my parents, all of it filled my head. Who knows why emotions do things like that. Perhaps it was a distraction? A distraction from the inevitable? Some sort of defense mechanism to keep me from going insane before my death?

    I didn’t know.

    What I did know was that I wanted one of the sentries to spot me and my kidnapper as he dragged me out of the city, away from my home.

    But it didn’t happen. Not that I could tell. No alarm was raised, no shouts, no running to my rescue. As the minutes ticked by and I got further away from my home the anticipation of what lay ahead for me grew more and more intolerable.

    I nearly jumped when my kidnapper finally spoke.

    “Such a shame, you would have made a beautiful wife for some lucky man out there.” he said with a sigh. Nothing about his tone sounded very sincere and even though we were out of earshot of anyone he still spoke in a half whisper.

    “So you are going to kill me…”

    “Don’t worry. If you don’t give me any trouble I promise I’ll make it quick.” he said in an oddly reassuring tone. “Wouldn’t want to make something so beautiful suffer.”

    “But why?” I questioned, my voice nearly giving out on me. “Why kill me? What am I even supposed to be dying for?”

    “I didn’t ask questions. I‘m getting paid a decent price, that‘s all I needed to know.”

    So this was it?! I would die and never know any of the reasons why? I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. It took all my will power just to get my muddled thoughts in order. I was terrified of that blade that he would drag across my neck if I put up a fight, but he would probably use the same knife to kill me in the end anyway!

    No one was going to save me, I had to save myself.

    I swallowed back the lump of fear that had formed in my throat and concentrated. I had to know something that could help… anything. I had never fought a day in my life! I knew a few defensive spells but I’d never had to use them before, they certainly weren’t my specialty but I‘d have to remember them.

    Then it hit me. A plan, one not very well thought out, but I didn't have the time! If I didn't do something now I'd surely be dead in the next few minutes!

    “Were there supposed to be other people with you?” I questioned the stranger suddenly.

    He looked at me with a puzzled expression. “No, why? What are you talking about?”

    Now’s the time! I told myself when he turned his head away from me to look behind him. A sudden flash of purple light caught his attention but not quick enough to stop my spell. He let out an “oomph” as the spell erupted in every direction and the shock hit him, stunning him for a moment. It all happened so quickly! The next thing I knew I was falling! Both of us were falling but I was free!

    I summoned my wings, pounding at the air with them as fast as I possibly could. I had to get away! Far away, as far as I could before he could shake off that spell. I headed back toward the city. “Help!” I shouted at the top of my lungs now that nothing kept me from it. “Someone! Please!”

    We were so far away from the town but I still hoped someone would hear me that could help.

    A sudden sharp pain ripped through my right wing and I couldn’t help but scream. I’d been hit by an arrow, which meant that he was no longer stunned. Not stunned and angry.

    Another spell! Think! I commanded myself. I had to do something before he fired another shot! My defensive spell began to take effect just as another arrow streaked toward me. This one didn’t touch me, deflected by a swirling mass of feathers.

    I did it! It worked! But it was exhausting…

    I sank down below the tree line, unable to stay up any higher. I was running out of steam and my wing, it hurt! Where the arrow had struck me it made it to where my wing could barely move! I made another rough landing, once again scraping up my hands and knees.

    I only paused for a mere second to pull myself together and push the pain and fatigue to the back of my mind but that second was all he needed. The rustling of nearby leaves caught my attention and when I looked up, there he was, silhouetted against the moon like some form of demon in front of me. My heart nearly stopped.

    I immediately tried to scramble to my feet but it was useless. My eyes went wide as he seized me by the neck, roughly pulling me to my feet.

    “I didn’t want you to suffer.” he growled at me, his voice still a half-whisper. He slammed my back hard against a tree, so hard that it almost knocked the wind from me. “You should have been grateful and given me no problems like I wanted you to!” Even with his face only inches from mine I could barely make it out… no color could I see except for his hair, short and silvery white. The most I had seen of him since he had taken me away.

    I clawed at his arm, tried in vain to pull it away from my neck. I could barely breathe! I began to kick, I would have screamed if I could! I had gotten so far, I wouldn't give up now.

    “Hold still!” he shouted at me, but I refused. My every thought and instinct screamed at me to do whatever I could to get away. I couldn’t get it together enough for another spell! I had no energy left, no control left even. Even though I knew it was helpless now, I still wouldn't just give in.

    Perhaps I could last long enough.

    I let out a strangled yelp as he pinned my one good wing to the tree behind me with the nose of his crossbow.

    “I know what’ll keep you still.” he said in a dangerous tone.

    He wouldn’t! I shook my head. “No! Please!” I managed to force out but he didn’t listen. He released the arrow and the crossbow slammed it through my wing and pinned it to the tree behind me. I screamed, or tried to. It wasn’t very loud but I did just as he said. I froze up, didn’t move anymore except for my trembling in fear.

    Black spots began to plague my line of vision and I could hear my own heart beating loudly in my ears. Was he going to strangle me to death? Was this how I would go?

    No, it didn’t look that way…

    He once again put away his weapon and drew out the knife. He let go of my neck and I gasped for air, but any kind of relief was short lived. With a hand over my mouth to keep me from screaming he did as he had threatened. He dragged the blade hard across my neck, I could feel my own warm blood begin to trickle from the wound. It was the worst feeling I'd ever felt in my life.

    He finally let go of me and I slid down to the ground to rest at the base of the tree. I would have fallen completely over had it not been for my wing still pinned with an arrow.

    Even through the pain I hoped against hope that I would be saved. This couldn't be the end! I kept my tenacious grip on life for as long as I could. I wanted to see my grandmother again. I wanted to hug her and tell her I loved her, not something I had gotten to do since that enraged monster had attacked the town. But sitting there, as my strength slowly left me, a second felt like forever.

    Please... I thought in a silent prayer, all I had left that I could do. If there's someone out there that can, please help me. I tried... I really did.

    I had saved that little boy before... hadn't I? Why couldn't I save myself this time? More questions that would never be answered...

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    “Ahhhh!” I screamed, sitting straight up from where I lay, my breathing frantic. I felt at my neck, where I had been injured before but I felt nothing but a smooth patch of skin, a bit smoother than the rest. What was it? I couldn’t see it!

    “Calm down, please, you’re okay!” a voice pleaded with me. I jerked at a soft touch on my shoulder, recoiled as if it had hurt me.

    A young man sat beside me, the look on his face concerned. I recognized him from somewhere. He was one of the sentries that had helped me the night before, the one that had carried me away to safety. The safety that I had recklessly run out of only moments later.

    “You’re alright…” he repeated, but I wasn't listening. I was too busy searching my surroundings for some kind of answer. What happened to me?

    The area was brighter than before as the early morning sun began to make it’s daily journey above the horizon into the sky. In the light I could make out my surroundings better. I was in the forest still. I could feel the color drain from my face when I saw one of the trees… an arrow broken in it, a trail of blood had run down the crevasses in the bark.

    So it wasn’t all a dream.

    But how was I alive?

    “It’s good to see you’re finally awake.” a familiar voice said behind me. I turned to see my grandmother, sitting on the ground, her back resting against a tree. She looked exhausted.

    “Grandmother!” I exclaimed. I got to my feet, running to her side in an instant. I didn’t even think about it before throwing my arms around her in a hug, one she returned lightly. I couldn’t keep from crying either. I had never cried so much in less than a day, that much I knew for sure. This time it was out of relief, pure relief that I was alive! I hugged her like I'd wanted to when I thought for sure I was dying.

    "It's okay." I heard my grandmother say. She sounded as though she would cry herself, or that she had been already. "I'm so sorry I let this happen to you. You must have been so scared..."

    I couldn't speak, only nodded with my face burried in her shoulder. I was sure that I had already soaked through her sleeve with tears and the sound of her voice, trying to fight back the urge to cry herself only made me cry more, as if I had to make up for what she wasn't letting go.

    "I owe you an explanation, I know I do. You need to know everything." she said, swallowing hard. "I need this off my chest and you need to hear it... this is all my fault..."


    CHAPTER 4