Chapter 15: 14
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PLEASE READ THE NOTE BENEATH THIS CHAPTER - Pertaining to the competition.
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As the full moon glowed in the dark chilly night, flames burnt in certain parts of the village and the sound of screams echoed with a deadly shrill.
Werewolves prowled and dark witches walked round a pentagram with hands clasped and gradually the pentagram filled with dead bodies. The witches in unison said incantations to invoke the spirit of the dead.
At long last, the screams ended and the pentagram burnt with the fire set ablaze by the witches. But something was different, the night had changed into something dark and sinister.
***
A lone traveller walked into the village. Tired from his journey but anxious to get home to his family. He hoped to surprise them and refused to wait at the inn with the other travellers headed his way.
He had gone to trade the different woodwork he had made in exchange for money and food items. Things were hard due to the war - despite the king's benevolent assistance to his people - and this was the only way he could make end meets to feed his family. Even the petty trading his wife did was not enough to sustain them through the week. But with the money he had attained, they would be okay for a couple of months.
The village was quiet which was nothing unusual, he smelt a slight smell of smoke and something else he could not place his hand on but no chimney brought out smoke, nor was there smoke or fire anywhere. He wondered if his nose was playing tricks on him. This was probably because he was tired.
He walked on and thought about the smiles that would grace the face of his wife and daughter when they saw him. They were his greatest joy and he would do anything for them.
He heard laughter and wondered who was up at this time. He waited to hear it again but the night was silent. As he moved on, he heard a shrill cry that seemed to be filled with pain. The sudden sound had him looking around wondering what was going on. But once again the night was quiet and no sounds were heard. Now that he thought about it. He hadn't even heard the crickets, owls and other creatures that moved at night.
This was quite unusual.
An ominous feeling pricked at him and he hurried his steps home but it wasn't long before he heard his daughter's voice.
" daddy, " she called out in a quiet tone.
He turned around trying to find where the voice had come from.
What was she doing out by this time?
" Rhea, where are you? " he called out into the empty night.
" daddy! " she called out in a more desperate tone but this time her voice was distant.
He started to panic wondering what dangers his little girl faced.
He was confused as to what direction to go to when he saw a shadow run past a corner.
He chased after it, hoping to find his daughter but by the time he got there it was gone.
By now he was panting and had lost all he had brought with him.
Standing between two alleys, he wondered what path to take. Then he heard cries but this time it sounded like more than one person. He walked towards the alley where he had heard the sound. And as he moved closer, he saw his wife and daughter with tears on their face and blood on their clothes. He rushed towards them but met with the cold empty air and found himself in another part of the village.
" help me! " he heard them call out to him.
He followed their voices on a wild goose chase until he got to a house.
They stretched their hands out to him and he followed them blindly in desperation.
***
A sister of light, cloaked from preying eyes walked towards the village. She was here to collect information from one of her sisters who lived here.
As she stepped close to the boundary placed by the dark witches, she felt the darkness.
Something was wrong.
She created a protective shield around herself against the corruption of the darkness and then stepped past the boundary. She saw what normal eyes could not see.
Some houses where burnt down and when she searched for her connection to nature, it was not there. Every living creature that was here at the time of the attack was dead. She could smell smoke and burning flesh.
She moved quickly towards her sister's house.
When she got there, the door was left open. She stepped in hoping and still yet feared the worst.
She took off the hood and placed her hand on door. Memories of what had happened on this dreadful night came to her.
She saw her sister hide some things in the enclosed room which was underneath the floor boards. Then she went out to defend the people against the dark witches and werewolves but she didn't last long. Her body was sacrificed to the darkness and her soul lingered on in the realm of the living, restless and in pain.
She closed her eyes in pain as she had lost another sister.
She took what she needed and then purified the house with some spells.
She walked away, in a hurry to report to the capital of Haven's Peak where the castle stood.
But suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps. She was protected from encountering the souls that lingered on and she had felt no living being when she entered the village.
She wanted to ignore it but her instinct told her not to and her instincts had never failed her. So she followed the sound which kept changing directions.
At last, she got to the cliff where she saw a man walking blindly towards the edge.
He must have entered the town not long after she had.
She used a spell to pull him back just as he was about to jump off the cliff.
He almost fell back but gained his balance and stood on his feet. He looked around searching for his family but instead saw a lady wearing a cloak with the hood off.
He heard his daughter's voice and she sounded like she was in pain. He looked around trying to find her but the house had disappeared. " Rhea! " he called out continuously searching for his daughter.
The sister of light wondered what she could do to help him. Even if she lifted the spell that bound him now, it would simply come back as it was the environment that clouded his mind.
" Mister, " she said calling out to him.
Maybe she could find a way to lure him out of the village.
He turned and faced her but this time, he saw something different.
She held his daughter's head dripping of blood as tears ran down her face. The lady laughed maniacally and licked the blood of his daughter from the sword.
He got angry and fell to his knees crying.
" she killed our daughter. " he heard his wife say in a teary voice. " will you let her get away with it? "
He looked up at the lady, his anger evident on his face.
The sister of light wondered what was going on. Even with her shield, she still felt that the darkness was strong. She watched the man stagger to his feet.
" kill her! " his wife said to him.
The need to kill her arose in him and he moved closer to her.
The sister of light moved away. She could sense that her life was in danger. Her heartbeat increased in fear. But she tried to stay calm and find a way out. She couldn't let him kill himself but she didn't want to die either.
He lunged for her but she moved away just on time.
She had to get close to him to do what was needed but if she kept dodging, she wouldn't be able to do that.
So she stood and let him get close to her but she underestimated his strength and when he pinned her down to strangle her, she felt panicked. Every breath she took felt like her last still she struggled.
If only she could touch his temple.
Using her last strength, she finally succeeded. Even as black spots appeared in her vision. She forced herself to say the spell within her.
' wind of dreams and wind of sleep. Blow this way and let this mind, be laid to sleep. "
Slight breeze twirled around them and the man fell on her like a log of wood.
Author's note
Thank you so much for reading. I had fun writing this chapter. If you enjoyed reading it, do let me know by commenting, voting, sharing and rating/reviewing.
I heard from someone but I'm not completely sure. He said reviews are like five points and from what I've seen votes, comments, coins and views also count although I don't know how many points. So please if you can please support me. I really want to
Thank you💜
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