The ruins felt smaller after the vision, ash clung to my knees and the stones around me were swallowed by moss and roots. I could still see the shapes of the walls, doorways and the hall that burned, the people who occupied it and the message I received. The seven are a lie, the Eclipse were wronged, butchered
I held the book close to my chest, knuckles white and fingers aching. The leather was cold against my palms, and every time I blinked, I saw the blue flicked flames where pillars once stood.
I tuck the book into my robe, close to my chest. Close to my heart. I will not let it vanish again. I turn towards the gap from which I entered, this time bigger. Like the forest is showing me the way back. To my friends. I hope they're okay, I hope they managed to get out, even without me. I just need to make it out.
The forest was open in a way like a path, easy to follow with no branches scratching or getting caught on my robes, trying to pull me in and keep me there. My boots sink into the soft earth, the sound no longer muffled or wrong, just boots, squelching into mud. I keep my eyes on the empty spaces between the trees, hoping no unwelcome visitors watch as I wander around with no plan.
I look back, towards the ruins, towards the home of the Eclipse. It was gone, the forest swallowing its presence once more, a secret it shields with fierce determination. A knot turns in my stomach as I look back to the path ahead of me, hoping for any sign of torchlight or voices cracking between the trees. Nothing, just rows of trees retreating into the trees until they vanish. I keep faith in the direction I'm walking, hoping it will reunite me with my friends and Orien, especially Orien. I wish I could hear one of his tidbits of wisdom right now.
The cool air brushes against my face with every step, damp clinging under my cloak and fear keeps me on my toes. The Cradles teachings didn't mention the fear they wrought, the decimation they twisted into salvation, keeping the world safe from the Lighteaters. Bile rises in my throat. Those people didn't look like saints but they definitely weren't the monsters they were described as.
A branch scrapes my cheek, unknowingly the forest begins to shrink around me, not hostile this time. More like being protective, the branches surround me in a way to shield me from the environment. The breeze hisses between the branches as to sound out the rest of the forest from me.
Just near, I hear a low sound, a wet rasping growl. Thick and rough like rocks grinding in the throat. Two yellow eyes peer through the space covering me, following me and sizing me up. Trying to find a way to me through the dense foliage. The branches covering me snap, the yellow eyes within a hand's reach, sharp claws catch my arm with a painful sting. The forest tried to hide and protect me and still it wasn't enough.
I fall back as the creature smashes into the cover sending me sprawling, I lie looking up. A Nightmaw. Just like the one I helped clean in the academy. Black sleek fur that bleeds purple, two horns curling over its forehead towards its back. It's eyes, made of nightmares. It lunges forward as I manage to roll sideways avoiding the deadly strike. I turned, panicked trying to get up and It's gone. Nothing, like it was never there.
A branch snaps as I turn to find nothing, branches snap in all directions as I feel the dread overcoming me, what was the point in finding the truth in them ruins to just die here, lost and afraid. The Nightmaw growls behind me and once again, nothing. The Nightmaw is using misdirection trying to trick me. It's working. A sharp pain rings through my leg as I notice my robe split with three claw marks devouring my calf. ''Easy now.'' I yell so loud my throat burns. '' You don't want me, I'm hardly a meal fit for one such as yourself.'' Its movements were smooth, too smooth for something that big. When I manage to catch glimpses of the way it moves, each paw lands with deliberate care. It lunges, I don't have time to think so I throw myself sideways, Its claws catching my forearm this time, hot lines of pain cutting through my body, I slam into another tree as the Nightmaw Twists mid air, landing light and already turning to run.
Blood runs down my arm and leg, warm against the cold of the forest. Sweat beads down my forehead and my heart beating out of my chest. My foot gets caught under something in the moss, a long sturdy branch. I kick up sending it to my hands. It's heavy, but I ignore the fatigue claiming my body.
The Nightmaw stares at me, licking its paws coated in Scarless blood. It jumped directly for me as I swung upwards with every bit of strength I possessed connecting with the mighty maw of the creature, Its jaws closing around air instead of my throat as It landed on me, sending us both to the floor. We hit the ground in a tangle of limbs and splinters, claws tear at my sides and chest. Blood leaving my body in a hurry. I manage to push the sharper end of the branch into its chest, piercing it. It snarls in pain and whines.
We hung there for a heartbeat, both straining under pain and pressure. The Nightmaw clamps around my arm, taking a large chunk like it's starved and I taste like no other, it ignores the stick hanging out of its chest like one would ignore a fly. Irrelevant. It's no use. I'm going to die here.
Coldness burns into my bones as I lie helpless, the air changes and I accept my fate. I look towards the Nightmaw one more, Its ears flat with fear, no longer chewing on my arm but instead whining. At this moment, the Nighmaw knew it was no longer the predator.
It twists away from me like a bolt of lightning, so fast the branch stuck in its chest landed on me, lodged free from it. The cold stayed with me. Unknown to why it fled. My heart hammers against my ribs as I look up, towards a new sound entering the forest. It was not a growl, or a voice. A scraping drag, like something slowly being pulled over rough wood. The moss cushioning my head vibrates with every shift.
Something steps out of the fog. I only saw legs at first. Long and thin, joints bending in a way that wasn't normal. Like something had tried to imitate how humans walked and got it wrong. The skin was pale, pale enough that it glowed in the now dim light of the forest. Its limbs stick-thin with deep creases running over its skin. Like wrinkles in bark but when it moved, the folds flexed with unsettling smoothness.
The feet weren't feet at all, they had the shape of roots curling and sharpened into claws sinking into the moss without a sound. It took a step towards me, then another until its full height filled my vision. It was tall, taller than any creature I have ever seen, its torso swaying slightly as if the world was a little off balance and it was correcting for it. Two horns curl over its head, like tangled roots set into place.
Long arms folded out and braced the side of my shoulders, clawed hands as black as coal keeping me in place. The creature bends over me, lowering its body until it is hovering parallel over my own. If it shifted at all, it would have been straddling me. The thought made my cold skin crawl. I have lost too much blood to move. To care. Only fear remains.
No face marks the creature, just a smooth head until two pits opened where eyes were supposed to sit. Nothing. There was nothing within them sockets but I knew it traced my body and back up to my head. A line splits the skin beneath them, a mouth opens from chin to eyes, jagged teeth jutted at uneven angles, not grown but like they were shoved into it. When it exhaled, its breath hit my cheeks like a gust from a storm.
My lungs refused to draw air, we stared at each other. In this moment I felt the smallest I have ever been, I wish I didn't come on this trip, or learn the truth. What is the point if it's going to die with me anyway.
Branches crack in the distance as voices bless my ears.
''VEYRIN?!'' one voice says. Who's Veyrin? Oh, that's me. I wonder who that could be at this time of night. When I'm trying to sleep.
''Where are you?'' another adds.
I open my eyes once more, the creature still above me as I remember where I am, did I just imagine their voices? Is my mind playing tricks on this dying, pathetic boy? Trying to give me hope, which disappeared with half of my blood.
''Quick, over there! I see something.'' Hmm, that sounds like Rell. I wish he could tell me a joke one last time. Even though they're not funny. I miss him.
The creature's head turns slightly, as if it's listening. It straightens up and its arms uncurl from me, its back unfolds into its towering height once more. Its shadow stretched over me, swallowing whatever pale grey light the forest allows.
Beautiful lights erupt through the trees as Rell bursts in through thick branches, he is a beautiful sight. Followed by Seras, hands a light with determination. My lips curl upwards. They found me. My friends.
Rell skids to a holt, smoke in one hand and a dagger in another. His eyes widen as he observes the scene before him, Seras by his shoulder with one hand pointed towards me with flames shimmering around her fingers.
Thorne arrives not a heartbeat later, quieter than both but happiness in his face when he sees me, which turns into pain and anger as I lay bloody. Behind him more shapes appear, Beasthold, Athea and the other students. Behind them another figure, I can't quite make it out but I know who it is, Orien. He found me. Tears fall from my cheeks into the soft earth as they all arrive, for me.
Everyone stopped in their tracks, not a word spoken between them. The creature turns its head slowly like it's surveying them. To my surprise Lucien moves first, Light forming around his fingers in glorious gold scars. Chains form as he grabs them and starts swinging them cracking through the air with a sharp report, a cocky smile forming on his face as he faces the creature. His chains fly towards the beast. Aimed at its neck.
''Get away from him!'' He screamed.
Where the chain struck the skin of the creature, the glow shifted. Lucien's scarred hands flicker like a candle in the wind. The light sagged as the chain melts when coming into contact with its skin. Falling into the earth and vanishing with a hiss.
Thorne rushes forward despite warning from Instructor Athea, spear raised and teeth gritted. He threw it with great precision, soaring through the air to its target. His aim is true when it hits the creature's side. Crumbling and disintegrating into splinters and rubble.
It didn't bother to look at him, it had no need.
''Fall back, Now!'' Instructor Athea barked.
''But, Veyrin!. We need to get him now!'' Seras's voice erupted into panic.
''I will hand it, fall back now Doirneach.'' Instructor Athea's Lightscars burn white hot as she prepares to dance with the creature. One moment she was by the group, the next she was behind the creature. Sloth energy erupts from her strike with her weapon of choice, a short sword. Her aim is low, intending to sever the tendons on its ankles.
Steel met skin with a grinding of stone, the blade stopped as the creature's arm whipped back at impossible speed, one hand catching the weapon and one hand aimed towards her. The Instructor clenches her jaw, shifting her weight once again dragging the sword free through strength alone. She twists and brings the sword up in a faster arc, aiming for its neck and she finds her mark. Black blood seeps from it and its arms hold her in place, weapon in its neck.
They hang for a moment, sizing each other up as she pulls her sword free. Too shallow. It didn't go deep enough. Its eyes meet her at close range, the air thickens like the pressure in deep water as the slit forms once again down its face revealing the grotesque formation of teeth. It opens wide, revealing a sound not meant for human ears.
In front of me, students and soldiers fell covering their ears, some screamed but their voices were lost under the noise. The world wobbles at the edges and my ears now wet with blood. Lira raised her hands and threw up mirrors by reflex, each one shattering into shards of light. All abilities crumbled before the sound. The Instructor still staggers forwards with determination but falls to her knees. The creature jerks its head forward and backwards, like it wants to shake the noise deeper into our bones.
A Hunter from the Beasthold scrambles backwards, blood pouring from his nose and ears. One of the healers attempt to help him as the Creature steps towards them, Its arms sweep out in a blur, taking the hunters head from his shoulders.The noise was like wet cloth tearing, something heavy thumps into the cold earth as his head rolls towards the creature.
The healer freezes, fear in his eyes and he knows this is it. His Sloth Lightscar marking his head fades, as the creature's hand pierces his chest, leaving a hole big enough to put an arm through.
Dane, the Beasthold captain, races forward with a Pike aimed forward accompanied by constructs of spikes of light. Pride. The creature didn't dodge, its arm snaps up catching the shaft aimed for the wound on its neck. Its other arm smashes down onto his head, separating one side of his body from his other.
Everything contracted around that moment, blood on the trees and body parts decorate the forest floor. No one could move, everyone was aware of their own mortality. Especially Lucien who hides behind a trunk.
The creature heads towards Lira and Ellis as they tremble with fear, Thorne rushes out charging head one once again, trying to save the two girls who now face death. In that moment he was truly the mountain of greed. He looked like a true savior, the kind from the stories. He drops, smoke curling round his feet as Rell pulls him back from certain death. Thorne shouts to let him go. Closer the creature gets to the girls. Louder the voice spills from Thorne's mouth. It's too late. Ellis is picked up by the creature, its mouth clamped around head as her body drops lifeless. I see Lira screaming, her face a mixture of fear and sadness. Static prickled the edges of my vision.
The air around the creature's feet begins to warp, like heat over stone. Its outline wavers for a heartbeat, its limbs blurring as if it existed in two places at once. Most people were focused on it shifting, Rell saw more. His eyes glued to the shadow by its feet. It should have matched the shape of the creature, it did not.
A second shadow lay under the creature's, darker and smaller. Human shape. Arms folding out buried into the creature's own darkness, pulling it towards… me.
From where I lay, I have not once moved. A spectator to this brutality unable to help.
Rell's breath was caught, Seras's too who stood stunned beside him.
The creature tried to pull away, its legs jerking and body flickering. The static around it is growing louder and sharper. My shadow holds on, more hands emerge from it trying to hold it in place as it screams in frustration. A third shadow appears.
The outline of a shadowed mane flare like smoke, a tail sweeps the moss and a head lifts from the darkness, ears pricked. The silhouette of a great wolf unfurls, all made of shadow. Two eyes peer out of the darkness. Blue, bright and wrong. The group froze and they all turned towards me, eyes wide with shock.
The wolf shape lunges at the creature, teeth sank into the monster's darkness, its form didn't touch the pale body, only the shadow by its feet. Ripping and tearing, my own shadow clings on digging deeper. The creature jerks like a puppet with tangled strings. My shadow snaps back, recoiled like a rope being yanked. The wolf releases its jaw and folds back into its shadow. The creature breaks free, its form flickering in and out of eyesight. It vanishes. Like breaking into tiny fragments, fizzing out of existence.
The air snaps back into silence, no one moved. Not at first. Then everything rushed at once as my eyes began to close, Orien, Rell, Seras and Thorne are the last thing I see before the darkness swallows me. So much death, so much sorrow. I'm sorry. I did not want this to happen. It's all my fault.