by Casey Phelps
She thought about turning back, but as she glanced behind her, the shadows loomed as though a great beast was behind her, just then a cacophony broke loose, and her fear gave way to a burst of energy as she ran. The leaves deadened the sound of her fleeing into the depths of the forest. She wondered at the enormity of a beast to make the sounds he was creating, she ventured a glance behind her, and all was still. Nothing was there, no shadows, just the ever present mists curling, and seeking out her breath. She was breathing raggedly wondering where this unknown entity was now, was it just lying in wait for her to stop, and waiting to attack. She continued walking but her breathing became more and more labored, the weight of the air pressed on her, she was just so tired.
She stumbled forward and her feet caught on a low vine. The vine slowly crept up her leg; she fought it, squirming and twisting. It was no use, she was so fatigued, and it caught her up like a hammock in the heights of the trees. As she relaxed the thick rubbery vines loosened, not letting her move freely but enough to allow her to breathe easier. Then softly a breeze came up and she found she could no longer fight the exhaustion and fell deeply asleep.
‘Chelle, Chelle… can you hear me… you have to wake up.’
‘NO please just let me sleep I am so tired,’ I thought, I groggily opened my eyes. What I saw confused me, I remembered fog, but it was now white, bright, wispy fog that seemed less menacing and almost warm and comforting. I also realized no trees, vines, and I was free…
I turned to the voice that woke me.
“Artileon!” I ran to him and threw my arms around him not even thinking.
“Well, I am pleased to see you too,” he laughed shocked at my unusual outburst. I backed away and blushed completely embarrassed. I had no idea what made me do that….
“I am glad to have to ability to speak with you but I have to warn you, and get you to wake up, you are in grave danger, we cannot get to you, or help you. The island is going to kill you if you do not achieve your goal and return to us as soon as possible,” said Artileon.
“I don’t even know what I’m supposed to achieve, things were chasing me and if I am dreaming now, than I am pretty sure I’m in a cocoon of vines at the moment high up in the trees, and it chokes me and constricts if I struggle, not sure how to get out of this.” I replied anxiously. “I am losing my strength to talk to you; the poison is slowly killing me. I can hear the unicorn as he prances he is beside himself, and keeps muttering about hurrying. I think it hurts him to be far from you, or something about you is making him sick….”
I lost the link with him, and was plunged back into my own reality. I was falling through the vines, crashing through the high branches that grabbed and scraped me only slightly breaking my fall from the heights above, and landed in a heap on the forest floor. Apparently they were tired of holding me. I checked myself over wary of the vines hanging suspiciously still. Bruises and welts from the vines, and scrapes from my free fall covered my torso and elbows and knees. Overall not too bad, I was alive, now what do I do. I had no idea where I was, so I had two options… I could go traipsing through the forest and look for the path, or climb and see what I could find that way. So steering clear of a tree with vines, I climbed and climbed.
At the highest branch I could reach I pulled up to find the path not too far to the right, and just dense forest as far as I could see. No end of trees, no sandy shore, no safety with Artileon and Re’em. I realized the mists were not as heavy this morning, and I hastily climbed down and set off down the path. I trudged forward thinking I should use the forests boon gratefully and walked as fast as I dared. I really was beginning to think this island was bewitched. I thought back to the dream conversation I had with Artileon, and he said the island was trying to kill me. I wondered if the mists were the main culprit here robbing me on the energy it required to reach my destination, whatever/wherever that may be.
I went as far as I could until the ground started getting mushy, the dirt path, turning to a sticky mud, that gripped my feet and held me back from pursuing the path any farther. Deeper and deeper the mud got, it reached up my legs and tugged at my legs. I thought to myself, if climbing worked before I might try that route again. I found a suitable tree easy to climb, and found myself back in the tree tops viewing the forest that surrounded me. It all a seemed as before trees and vines as far as the eye could see. Until I spotted stone; I almost passed right over it, covered in moss, and water trickling down the face of the massive rock formation.
I wasn’t too far from it, but that mud would surely slow me down some. Being close to discovering something though, I couldn’t help but be optimistic. I scurried back down, and carefully made my way to the rock. I noticed the mists were back en masse.
I was struggling in the effort from the dragging mud, and the breath the mist seemed to steal from my lips. Finally I rested my hand upon the rock, and scraped the moss back from the surface. On the rock were engraved pictures and words.
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Chapter 19
The lady stood with her back to the fire and addressed the shadows that caressed her, pleading for her attentions. She smiled as she gleaned from them, the dire situation the three had found themselves in, the alluring scents that trick the mind into wasting away and slowly dying would be the next task the witch would set upon the unsuspecting maiden, and as the island leaches the human’s life energy, so too the unicorn’s soul is wasted. Her hopes were finally within reach, she sent the shadows back to watch and bring her the news she waited impatiently for.
Aemelia watched through the stone, as the young girl wondered through her island home. She had been watching her progress from the moment she came through the void from the other world. She had written the prophecy of the shell, the princess, and now here she was. She was the ancient power that had spelled the White Castle at Dalthimus to cover up the writings and cause the weak of mind to forget. She knew of the lady’s wishes to harm this precocious young lady, and despite herself, the witch was finding the girl more and more endearing.
She knew the cost of denying the Lady anything. She had survived this long by hiding away and practicing under the veil of her mists and away from the memories of her past.
As she contemplated her choices, and the way she commanded even the hard hearted beastly prince’s attentions. The way the unicorns admired her courage and her thoughtfulness, the witch could not imagine the patience to deal with them and their crises. Mostly the way she never assumed these attentions, and her believable innocence. She had not long enough in this world to turn her naivety into bitterness, instead she won the hearts of the people.
She might just be the answer to the problems of the realm; maybe this prophecy should be helped and not thwarted. She had intended to end their only hope after centuries of faith, but now she almost rooted for the young child to succeed. Aemelia had seen enough for now, knowing the child could figure out the meaning of the prophecy on the rock and would soon stumble upon her lair. She must prepare for her arrival.
She gazed upon her home in the rock on her beloved island. It was my mists that threaded their way to catch away her breath, and the shadow that scared her in to my vines that captured and entrapped her for the night, and lastly the squelching mud that sapped her energy as she fought her way to the rock. Now the last enchantment was upon her, she would see how the child would fare through the trial of the Louhi, the trance.
She knew she did not have much time to make up her mind; maybe the Louhi would make the decision for her.
Chelle started frantically scraping back the moss that clung to the drawings. There were flowers in the moss that were especially difficult to pry away. As they were ripped from the rock they would disintegrate into a fine powder that seemed to cling to her hands and face, and float in the mist.
Finally, she stepped back to see what she could decipher from the stone. It was the prophecy, the whole thing, written out for her.
These flowers were sure fragrant, the thought
poked through her focus on the rock. What a pleasant smell, I could just sit and enjoy that smell forever, I just need one of the little vine hammocks and I’d be set.
Chelle shook herself, those kinds of thoughts weren’t going to help, and Artileon needed my help, and who knows what will happen to Re’em if I do not make haste to find the cure.
She read the prophecy quickly, and then saw the pictures…
There were a pile of stones, a cave, a woman, a table, an eye, and arrows following a path. This woman must be the one who called to me, and the one person who might be able to cure Artileon from the beasts poison. Maybe even have an answer to the tie between Re’em and me.
I turned away from the rock and went to wipe my forearm across my forehead, and brought another whiff of the floral dust to my nose. It was if my mind just shut off and locked me within. I could see myself in slow motion watching as I slumped to the ground. I blinked, and then everything was black.
I could hear voices floating around in my head, I was trapped in a dreamlike state I could still think but I couldn’t seem to move my body. I was floating above watching the scene of my body lying on the muddy ground at the base of the stone. The flower dust must have forced me into the prison of my mind. I watched as the mists coiled around my hands and feet, as if testing their unresponsiveness. They writhed around the limp form and began sipping at the aura of energy that wavered in a protective bubble around me. I was forced away from the sight, as my mind took me from the macabre scene. I was whisked through the forest back to the two men I had left on the shore of the island. I found Re’em standing administering the salve to Artileon’s wounds and wrapping them. When he was suddenly rigid and convulsed as he fell, he cried out for me. His body landed with a thud, and you could see his aura being torn from his body, swirling to protect mine fighting with the mists back inside the forests. Artileon sensed unrest even in his comatose state and thrashed, but could not overcome the effects of the poison from the beast’s horn. He too cried out for me, and I wished for the ability to scream, as I was again whirled from the horrid events that were beyond my control.
I found my sense of self again as I reached a cabin in the woods, they mirrored the ones in the Forbidden lands, and inside was a woman, who seemed agitated at my presence, calling me a cursed ghost, but she caused me no harm as I was forced to see a figure of a man, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets. He was trying futility to escape, calling her a madwoman who had captured him. She crooned to her charge and said that was no way to treat the woman who saved him, and until he learned to behave he would stay in his wrappings. He vowed to return this same state to her when he could gain his freedom and his brother would save him. Only then did I notice that I knew this person, it was Artileon’s brother, the face that was once proud and arrogant was a husk of the former healthy countenance, his eyes were hollowed and haunted. He pleaded to my spirit saying that his brother would help him, if he knew he was in trouble, and why hadn’t he come yet.
I felt the familiar tugging and again the roller coaster threw me to the next scene, the unicorns were in court discussing the demise of their beloved prince Re’em. The magic of the quest for the heir provided the king with knowledge of the charge’s health. He felt in the horrific moment that Re’em no longer drew breath. If I could cry, I would be balling at this point, I couldn’t take any more. I had not only watched his death, but been the cause as his spirit was taken to protect mine. I saw his father, the intense grief that etched the lines on his face, and aged the unicorn king, the black robes of mourning washing his features into grey pallor. I wasn’t even allowed to grieve at this, I was shuffled to the next view and it was the court of the Beasts there the throne was held by the corrupt council, that sought to kill the crown prince, and ultimately overthrow the government. What a time they were having, it seemed the people were not interested in their rule and challenged them at every turn. They were not used to being at the beck and call of the masses of people, and masses there were demanding the return of their princes and a return of the correct rule.
All at once I fully realized the danger of the quest failing, every people of this realm were counting on us to free them from this curse. Whether they knew the name to the evil they knew their fate rested with those on those who undertook this journey with me. I knew it was time to fight the prison my mind had created for my roaming spirit, and I felt myself tearing back to the island. I slammed back into my body, and woke with a gasp. I sat up, gulping air, and turned at the sound of footsteps behind me. There in the mist stood a girl about my age, as I focused on her I realized she was the exact image of me. I recoiled in shock pulling from the muck, trying to free myself from its embrace.
“I am Aemelia, I am the one who called to you, and I must commend you. You have overcome every task set forth to prove you, and I had every intention of ending your quest with your death and providing darkness its home in our world. However, the time I have spent watching you I have found you to be worthy of the quest, and worthy of the prophecy I wrote before the council.” She crooned.
Her eyes stared at me like a hawk; her movements were fluid as if she wasn’t quite substantial. I couldn’t take my eyes from her. She smiled, not kindly. “Yes, you are mesmerized by my appearing as you, it is one of my favorite trysts. As that is my name, Aemelia or emulate…”
“Do not let it frighten you, if I had meant you harm you would have met your demise in the mists already. I called them back, at your return from the Louhi. Though I am afraid that you had to make a choice, and that I warned you about.”
“A Choice?” I interrupted.
“Yes dear, a choice. One to live and one to die, when you went back for Artileon, you sealed the young unicorn’s fate. But, a choice had you not made; your soul would have been stripped instead of his.” She murmured.
Tears slipped down my face, “that was the choice, so I killed him…”
“No dear, he knew the risk, and accepted the fate. He could have turned you away, and he chose to follow you to the end. He was proud of his part in bringing peace to the realm. Mourn him if you wish but do not forget that he also chose.”
“How could he choose? I saw the aura being ripped from him…”
“He came before me and pleaded that you not leave this world so that the quest could be fulfilled and the realm be saved. He saw the future that could be and he chose,” She replied.
“Also you have the prince to worry about, he still has life, but only if you wish for him to.”
“Of course! What must I do?” I insisted.
“You agree too hastily, but that is one of your virtues, your help has aided every person far and wide whether or not you realize it, just the idea of hope, of change is a powerful idea. There are many who would squelch this fire that ignited the people. Powerful people. I was one of them, now I am going to aid you instead, know that this will end my help you can never return here, this place will be cursed, and I will accept my fate in defying the lady.”
“Th… The lady… she is the one I dreamed of, why?”
“Her reasons are her own and she does not share she only commands, if we are to have any chance we must no longer dally here, come into my lair.” She said as she melted into the swirling mists. I followed, as I noticed the mud slid from me as if it were simply water and the mists parted for me as an honored guest.
I followed the notched grooves that curved around the stone, and followed the misty apparition to the mouth of a large cave. Along the damp wall were green orbs of lights that bobbed as the mists caressed them. I walked and marveled at the sheer size of the inside of the cave, the heights were speckled with sparkles that danced in the green lights glowing. The black flooring was smooth and polished to reflect even my own disheveled appearance. Disgusting, my fiery hair was wild, my face smudged and my body bruised, my clothing was torn gone were the silver threads and emerald satin of the dress. No more the princess, I looked like a homeless vagrant.
I walked into a cha
mber filled with bubbling potions and was met with a small flying object, it was attacking my hair, I batted at the thing and shrieked as it dove toward me over and over. Until I realized it wasn’t trying to hurt me, it was merely playing in the wavy strands. I looked closer and it was a dragon. A tiny dragon, I held out my hand and it flitted to my fingers, front nostrils to the tip of his tail he spanned my four fingers, he rested his chin on my index finger and had his tail wrapped around for support on my ring finger. He was a crimson color, with tiny black wings. Slowly he lifted up and flew to my ear to be closer to my hair, and I shrieked again as he bit my ear.
Dodging the little beast, I ran to the witch. The witch startled turned and grinned at the little beast. “Oh, he likes you, well that is good I was afraid what he would do if he didn’t.”
“He bit me, and you think he likes me?” I inquired.
She just handed me a mirror. I looked at my ear, and the bite was bleeding, however it was strange it wasn’t torn it was a design. I studied it a bit longer until it formed an intricate tattoo of a miniature dragon going down my ear and onto my neck.
“What does it mean?” I questioned in awe.
“It means he has marked you as a favored of the dragon,” She said simply.
“It is a great honor, he is not one you would like for an enemy,” she chuckled to herself, turning again to her mixtures. I walked towards a giant ball off to the corner it looked like a crackled glass ball, similar to gazing balls you see in a garden, but over ten feet tall.
I reached out to touch its surface, but the dragon sat on my hand and I reacted by pulling away.
“He is warning you from the visions that you would see might deter the path you must take and change the choices you must still make on your journey.”
I swung around to gaze at Aemelia who hadn’t even turned from her work.
“Well what am I to do?” I asked “How is it you are going to help?”
“Patience was never anything you were good at, give me some peace child, and I’ll explain.”