DRV2 Chapter Two

I blinked twice, and finally regained control of my body.  I looked back down the river to where the waterfall was, and decided it would be easier to fall back through the hole. After landing back on the floor of the cavern, she stepped back towards the pool. I reached out to touch the surface, but I hesitated. I could not know what would happen. Rionna had obviously not expected the fire, and the big question was what should have happened. I pulled my hand back further into my lap and had to think it over. Rionna will not come back until she is well and sure that this will not happen again. But should I really touch the surface when I have no power myself? What will happen to me if I do? And what should have happened? What does this pool do?

My curiosity was strong, and looking back it was this moment that really changed my life that morning. I reached out and touched the surface of the pool. Immediately I felt a warm feeling running up my hand and arms. I tried to pull my hand out of the water, but I found that I couldn’t.  I tried to pull my hand out with my other arm, but it too touched the surface of the water and became stuck. I uncrossed my legs and put as much weight as I could against my hands in an effort to free them. The warm feeling had already spread down my legs and torso, and was moving up my neck. I struggled harder when the warm feeling overcame me.

Do not fight me, young one. It is a battle you will not win. You came with questions, and you will leave with answers.  I stopped struggling and looked around but could not see the one whoever was talking.

I am speaking to your mind, young one. I am not as harmless as you believe. Magic is in everything.

“How do you use your magic? And how can I even hear you?” I spoke aloud, but was thinking the same questions. I thought I was just as normal as anyone else. 

I would rather show you then tell you. Relax young one. You will not be harmed.

I relaxed slightly, but was still wary of the pool. Suddenly, a chill ran up my arms. This was not fluid and pleasant like the warmth had been, but rather sharp, like pinpricks crawling up my arms. I looked down in he water, and found that there was an image forming on its surface…

I looked out upon the jagged mountains looming in the distance, then looked at the deep river snaking through the valley. Leaning over the stony railing of the castle, I looked down upon the shadowy basin, and slowly turned to face the room of mirrors. The cold marble floors were uninviting, and the wind seemed to draw me in, blowing menacingly around my long gown and tossing my dark hair around my face. I walked down the steps of the balcony, and the door of the mirrored room started to close. My feet glided across the floor, and I walked into the pentagram in the middle of the darkening room. I cast my hand out and the doors flew the rest of the way shut. I looked down at the pentagram on the floor, and then shut my eyes. The darkness was closer then it had ever been before. I could feel it encasing me, wondering what I dared to do against it. I flicked the candles at the points of the pentagram alive, and just as soon wished I hadn’t. The darkness had not shrunk away from the dark fire like expected, but had pressed closer on the edges of the pentagram and down upon myself. The dark fire gave off only the faintest glow to show the pentagram should be strong enough to hold for the spell casting. I drew in a breath, breaking the silence. As if waiting for that moment, the shadows swelled, and the candles went out.  I felt the rush of cold air as the monsters that lay in the dark room surrounded me. I waited for the feeling of doom to overcome me, and steal me away into the heart of the shadows…

 

I yanked my hands out of the water, not wanting to see any more. I stared down at the pool, now still and quiet. I looked up at the ceiling, and saw it was no longer glowing. I stood up and backed away from the pool, then ran out of the cave. I managed not to slip on the stones as I dashed past the waterfall, and leapt through the tunnels. I climbed back out and ran down the steps of the cliffside. I dashed through the cursed woods, running toward my cottage on the edge of the village. The branches and brambles tore at my arms and legs; the woods pulling me back, keeping me trapped in their embrace. I struggled to break free, but only succeeding in tangling myself deeper into the brambles. The prickly spikes tore into my skin and I only managed to get myself into a small opening in the heart of the mass. After several failed attempts to climb out through, I realized the brambles were too thick to get through without being slashed into pieces.  I looked around and saw a branch above me, and tried to pull myself up out of the brambles, but as soon as I did a searing pain shot up my left side. I looked down and saw that a thorn had gotten tangled up in my shirt, and every time I tried to climb it was pulling me back. I pulled on the bramble, but couldn’t manage to get it off of me.  I remembered my dagger, and pulled it out of its ankle sheath. I sawed at the vines, and managed to get the vines off of the bramble so I could climb out.

I pulled myself up into the tree and rested for a moment. Sawing through the vines and trying to escape had zapped most of my energy, but I clambered back down from the trees far away from the briar patch, and then looked up at the sky. The night was falling quickly, and if I did not return before the village gates closed, some creature of the forest would kill me. I tried to run, and the lashing pains returned, driving me down onto my knees. I leaned on the nearest tree to get back up, looking down at me side. I had thought the vines has only scratched me, but I saw that I had a fairly deep gash across my side, and I was bleeding. Ripping the bottom of my shirt, I tied the fabric over my wound. I clutched my side, and staggered toward the village.

I arrived as the gates to the village were closing, and the gatemen, Caibre and Imaran, ran out in concern. I sighed, knowing that these two muscle men were sweet and that I was in for a telling off.

“Jena! We were worried you were gone for good this time.” The two men then noticed my wound, and rushed me inside the gates. “What the hell happened to you out there? You were gone for hours.” Imaran questioned.

“I… was exploring and…I…uh… I got stuck in some vines.” I responded nervously. It was unlike them to act so calm. However, I had never been this hurt before, so it seemed less out of place. Caibre scoffed.

“Vines… what hasn’t tried to kill you in that death trap you call the forest!”

Caibre and Imaran took me to the healer’s hut where Galena was waiting. The old woman was the only healer for this and the surrounding villages. Galena was a seer as well, so there were many who came for their fortunes during the year. “I have been waiting for you my child.” She said.

I followed the old healer into the back room, and the smell of the herbs overwhelmed my senses. Galena told my to lie down on the mat on the floor, and as I obliged I saw herbs laid out beside me. The healing hut was by far the largest in the village, and had been crafted by the side of a rock wall in the town. All of the herbs and wraps needed for healing were placed in holes carved into the surface of the wall. Several mats were laid out side by side on the floor for those whom Galena was treating. Galena was one of the few who lived in Shadow, yet drew energy and magic from Light. She was one of the more talented healers, but was not close enough to Light where she could use her magic freely. Galena did not ask questions as she worked, but caught my arm as I was leaving the hut. “Fear not young one, for a new day is on the horizon.” I thanked Galena for the care and retreated back to my own hut.

 

            I brushed back the reeds covering the doorway and threw my bag down on the far wall. My hut was fairly large, but only because I was still living in the hut my family lived. Because my parents were dead and sister gone, their beds had been moved out of the room. Looking around, I was surprised that we all had fit. I slept on a pile of straw and soil covered with thin cloth. The blankets were thin, but in winter the walls and reed covers over the door kept out some of the cold. We had troughs and ditches that ran through the village downhill to the farms for irrigation. Every few houses had a small pit of extra water for washing, but most of the non-farming water was used for cooking.  I sat down on my bed and looked down at my feet, submerged in thought.  I stood back up and began to pace back and forth, not wanting to go face the rest of the town by the bonfire. After the day’s events, rumors about me would be spreading and people would get uncomfortable in my presence. I stopped as I heard a set of footsteps approaching the hut, and listened to whoever was approaching. The footsteps stopped outside of my hut and I heard the elder talking with a man whose voice I did not recognize.

“This is where Jenavive’s mother and father lived. Her sister left the village about a year ago.” Said the elder. “Jenavive runs out into the forest all the time, but she usually returns to the village at night. She is not at the bonfire, so I would expect her to be here.”

“May I go into see her perhaps?” questioned the strange man. “I would like to ask her certain questions about her family.”

The man’s voice seemed familiar. It was cold and harsh and I was fairly certain I had never heard him speak, but I felt as if I should have known whom it belonged to. I hid myself in the corner, and began to think of who the man was and how to get out of this mess. Lost in thought, I did not hear the man enter the hut. As soon as he did I felt a black power wash over me, and a deep feeling of wrongness sunk into my heart.

Jenavive. I know you are here. You have to come with me. You are no longer safe here. This voice in my head was not flowing and wise like the pool, but sharp and firm, and I tried my hardest to empty my mind to block out the growing pain. I felt a cold presence swarming around me, trying to force me into its control.

I can feel you are here. You cannot hide forever. I tried to fight the darkness in my head and tried to places walls and push back against it. I felt the pain fading and pushed harder.

“You are stronger then I anticipated. No matter, this gives me more of a reason to get you to come with me before they do.”  I decided that there was no need to hide, and stood up, my back to the wall.  The man was taller then I was, around five foot eight perhaps. He was wearing a hooded cloak, but his hair appeared to be as black as my own and carelessly brushed over his eyes. His face was shadowed, but he seemed pale and his eyes were a gray, shining with a mask of coldness and isolation.

I took a step forward and looked up into his eyes. I tried to make my expression blank and my eyes empty.

“Who are you? I will not go with you until I am sure you can be trusted.” I saw a flash of annoyance show on his face before it became blank.

 “I am Nickolas Longshadow.  I am advisor to the queen. And you are in grave danger here. You have to come with me. I do not wish you any harm.  I am only here to fulfill my orders.” Looking him over again, I realized this must have been the man who carried Rionna out of the cave. I hardened my gaze and took another step forward, so that I was looking up directly into his eyes.

“What is wrong with Queen Rionna?”

Fool child, every second wasted here is one second closer to your demise. Longshadow responded, ignoring my question. I am here to protect you from them, and to bring you with me.

I took a half step back, shocked at the sharp tone and that Longshadow had begun to use his mindvoice again.

They will be upon us soon. I apologize, but I must get you out of here. Unless you want yourself and this entire village be destroyed. Longshadow paused, waiting for my response.

I thought back to Caibre and Imaran and their kind manner. I thought of Galena and how she was always ready and willing to help me. And I thought of the elder, kind and caring through his rules and boundaries. But still the chill Longshadow emitted was unsettling.

 “I will leave the village, but I will not leave with you.”  I said, choosing my words carefully. I brushed past Longshadow without turning back. 

You will be killed if you leave now, he sent after me. I felt the message reverberating in my head, a warning and a threat. I turned to look at him, and could feel his presence emitting waves of darkness that washed over me in waves. I tried to lock onto what he felt like and who he was, and attempted to send a thought back at him.

I do not doubt I will be killed no matter what I do; it is only a matter of how long until I am. Longshadow paused, stunned at my words more then the fact that I had sent back a message I was walking out of camp, at least twenty paces away when Longshadow appeared in front of me. I started, not knowing how he had moved that fast.

“You are coming with me. I have never failed to complete orders, and you aren’t going to be the first to stop me.” Longshadow grabbed my arm, and pushed me against one of the walls. A cold wave began to pass up me arm. When the wave had moved further up my arm, I realized I could not move my hand. With astonishing speed, the numbness stretched down my body until I could not move at all. I could feel the magic probing my mind as I fell to the ground, trying to stay awake.

 “Ah Ah Ah.” Longshadow scolded, now kneeling beside me, still holding my arm. “Fighting only makes you sleepier.”  Another wave swept over me and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness.