The journey to Duskmere seemed long and limitless. Keira spent most her time peering out the carriage window, admiring the beauty of Dor’rithia's rural countryside. She giggled to herself as random thoughts were interrupted by the loud snores of Thomas, who slept for a duration of the trip. The semi-silence of their travel had not bothered her in the least; it merely played a tool, helping her come to terms with the various thoughts that flooded her mind from the night before; in addition to her painful decision to leave her family behind.
Unfortunately, Keira knew she could expect to hear more surprising news along the way, and so, she prepared herself for the worst. She knew that the few revealed pieces of historical information were not the only bits of knowledge Thomas had kept secret from her. And while she was unable to change much of her said destiny, she realized that there was truly no way of turning back now. She merely welcomed the thought of what was to come with open arms, deciding to place her trust in the care of Thomas; the monk guide, and lifelong friend, who would help lead her throughout her travels, learning the truths of her predestined fate.
Soon their peaceful, scenic journey neared its end. In the distance Keira could make out the beginning of a short and narrow, stone-paved bridge, leading over the running waters of a lengthy sized river-bed. Duskmere was a beautiful land, and as in Durnshire, Keira found herself lifting her eyes to its amazing tree tops, watching as the leaves swayed softly in the wind. She admired the majesty of the land, and its dimly lit forest. Flat, rolling grounds of greenery, covered mainly by large clusters of tall trees, and brilliantly painted amber-colored leaves, lay scattered across the vast reaches of enchanting forest. As the carriage drew closer to the stone bridge, Keira studied the graceful glides of the thick, undulating moss, that draped itself over every protruding stump, rock, or root bearing tree it touched. In some areas of the forest, where the sunlight could not stretch its heavenly rays, there hovered clusters of beautifully lit fireflies illuminating from beneath a canopy of darkness.
The air of Duskmere was filled with a slight moisture, reminding Keira of the fresh smell of grass and soil after a hard day's rain. And although the forest held such a mystic beauty, Keira noticed that its overall appearance could be quite deceiving. At some points, she saw as the land held a questionable mysteriousness, where various areas ran rampant with a light haze of mist, lurking and weaving from amongst the trees, almost breathing. It was a sight that filled her with a sense of unease, giving the land a dark and hindering feel on its eastern border. On the other hand, towards the western edge, the forest appeared welcoming, inviting --and when casted beams of a radiant, golden glow pierced through the vast tree line, by the sun's rays, it was absolutely beautiful. It was these two opposing forces that caused Keira a slight discomfort, a feeling that perhaps they were being watched. Suddenly, her thoughts were disrupted once more by the abrupt sound of Thomas' voice.
"Aww... Duskmere," the monk yawned, waking from his afternoon nap. "...we're nearly there." he continued, as Keira pulled her gaze from the window to face him.
"Thomas, who is it that we're traveling to see in Duskmere?"
"Maedoc," replied Thomas. "... a very old friend of mine".
"But --why have you brought me here?"
Just then there was a strange noise heard in the distance, it was a shrill, high-pitched laughter. Thomas hushed Keira, as he raised his ears to the side of the cabin wall, setting down his wooden staff.
"Get down!" he demanded, in a lowered tone.
"What... why!?" she asked, confused.
The noise grew louder. Thomas could hear, what sounded like that of a tiny voice, followed again by a shrill laughter that grew closer as the carriage hustled across the threshold of the bridge.
"What are you listening to?" Keira asked, unable to hear anything, or understand what was happening.
"Shhh..." Thomas interrupted, waving a hand in her direction. Then, in the distance, Keira could hear what it was that demanded his attention. The voice grew closer, its pace quickening with each passing moment. She realized it was not the voice of human. The tone was much too high pitched, and unlike anything produced by that of a child.
This was something Keira had never heard before. Suddenly, Thomas turned in his seat, and banged on the wall of the cabin behind him, attempting to alert their driver to the creature's presence. But before he could say a word, the carriage took an abrupt halt, causing its two passengers to lunge forward in their seats, and they watched as the carriage door slammed open. Phillip, their driver, a young, short, semi-muscular man, with a weasel-like face, dressed in nothing more than a simply black suit, had hurled himself into the tiny cabin, collapsing upon Keira's feet.
"Uhhh...what do you think it is, Thomas?" he asked in an alarmed tone, picking himself up slowly as he realized he had nearly planted his face between Keira's delicate legs. The young man quickly gasped for a breath of air, as he clumsily tried to regain his balance.
"A Sylph" announced Thomas, who was now kneeling down upon the floorboard of the cabin, peering just over edge of the window sill. "...and its traveling rather quickly." he added.
"A Sylph!?" questioned Keira.
"Shhhh!" Thomas hushed her. "Quite down or you'll get us all killed girl, and whatever you do, stay down!" Thomas whispered in a firm, lowered tone, hoping not to alert the approaching creature.
"Sylphs are mischievous creatures, always causing trouble. If not, always bring it with them." Phillip whispered to Keira. His green eyes raised towards the bright beam of light, that streamed through the carriage window, invading the privacy of the cabin.
"It'll be best if we all keep quite." he continued.
"Quite or not, why in the world are we staying in here? Shouldn't we be running or something, or I don't know, driving away -quickly!" replied Keira.
"Well... actually... running only seems to provoke them... or persuades them to alert others to follow."
"Others?" Keira asked.
"Trust me, one sylph is enough to deal with... it's better if we deal with it one on one here if possible, -- that...or...ah--take cover." replied Phillip.
"Take cover? Right... and how are we going to defend ourselves, hide from it to death? This is pure madness!" responded Keira hysterically. Thomas rolled his eyes, realizing the two would never stop brickering now.
"Phillip, did you see anything when you were out there?" he asked.
"Afraid not sir, I don't know what type we're dealing with." Phillip replied.
"Type? Now --there's types?" replied Keira, raising her voice once more.
"Will you keep quite girl!" Thomas snapped in response.
"Yes, there are several types really... aww... water sylphs, fire sylphs, nature sylphs..." Phillip went on as he threw up one finger for each of the names he listed. Thomas continued rolling his eyes, as he listened to the young man's, nervous, flapping tongue. "Now, if we just knew what type we were dealing with... which, hopefully, if it's not a fire sylph... we'll be okay!
"Oh, that's comforting!" Keira hissed.
"Well kinda... now nature sylphs... they're common to these..." Thud! But before Phillip could finish his sentence, Thomas threw up a swift open palm and smacked him on the forehead.
"Oh, would you stop talking you blabbering idiot!" snapped Thomas, as suddenly the tiny voice once heard in the distance, was now heard just beyond the cabin wall. The disturbance caused the three of them to crouch lower to the floorboard, before Thomas reached slowly for the window sill again, attempting to catch a glimpse of what lurked outside. To his expectations hovered a small, pale blueish-gray figure, with translucent wings that fluttering about, as the creature hovered in the air above them. Suddenly, Thomas heard as a mischievous giggle flew out of the creature's mouth, followed by a subtle unnerving sound of snake-like whispers, as the tiny creature made its presents known.
"I seeee you," it hissed.
Slowly, Thomas pulled out from within his hooded brown cloak, a long, thin, glass like rod; it was a crystal wand. Keira's eyes widened with shock and amazement, as she realized that Thomas, her monk guide, and lifelong friend, was a Wielder. She watched him with awe as he unleashed the tiny weapon from beneath his cloak. Positioning himself carefully, under the sill of the window, and within moments Thomas popped up from beneath the sill, whipping out his wand in tight circular motions. One by one, blasting off fiery red, flaming balls of fire, through the small glass window. Shattering the glass into several shards that landed scattered about, as the firey orbs flew across the sky towards the pale figure. The sylph responded with shear laughter, attempting to dodge it's attacker's wraith.
"Stay down!" Thomas yelled, as he threw his arms out, pushing his companions backs towards the entrance of the carriage. "Get out of the carriage! Stay behind me, and make sure, that what ever you do --stay low to the ground, and out of sight!"
Soon after, the sylph responded to Thomas' attack, and a large, rotating, orb of flaming fire came hurling down upon the three passengers, as their pace quickened to escape the hold of the cabin. They had sliped away just in time, before the orb came crashing down, smashing into the side of the carriage, and brushing ever so close past them.
"Ah... ha...so you do want to play, don't you?" the sylph cried out, laughing hysterically.
Finally, after Keira and Phillip attempted to flee out of range, running for safety, Thomas twirled himself about, facing his opponent. He whirled the crystal wand about through his fingers, slamming its base firmly upon his thigh, and pointing its tip in the direction of sylph. Suddenly, the wand's length expanded, its width thickened, and its shape transformed into that of a solid, long shimmering glass-like staff. Thomas gripped it tightly, thrusting the staff into the air as the creature approached him.
Within moments, the monk's hands became engulfed in a wispy, blue, flame-like mist, circling the length of the staff, until dispersed towards the tip. A blast of cold air erupted from staves end, crashing vigorously into the side of the fire sylph's gut before the creature was able to turn away.
But the sylph did not flee; instead it merely smiled, baring its large, yellow, sharp-edged teeth in response to the warrior monk’s attacks. The intense color of the creature's amber eyes brightened, and pulsated, like too shrunken suns trapped within the skull of the creature's head. Thomas watched as the grinning sylph raised a single hand into the air, laughing in a menacing tone, as its grin stretched wider across the width of its dome shaped face. It's thin, boney, stick-like fingers, and long, sharpened claws, slowly balled into a tightened, shaking fist, and the creature began to conjure up its next attack. Still, Thomas stood and braced himself, gripping tightly upon the crystal staff, waiting to reflect the creature's next wave. He watched as the sylph's tightly balled fist became engulfed in bright, yellow-orange flames.
Then, the creature unleashed its fury, and one after another, fire balls rained down from the skies, flowing out of the sylph's open flame engulfed hand, scattering about its fiery wraith in random directions. All the while, the creature continued to laugh in a high shrilling, unruly manner.
Merrily, watching as one fire ball nearly pinned Keira in the back of the head, before quickly maneuvering out of its path of destruction. She launched her body out of the way, and landed onto a soft pile of moss covered dirt.
"Oh, come on! Don't run away! Come play with me!" It screamed, as its body fluttered around in circles through the sky. "I promise... I won't bite... much." The sylph grinned, clenching down tightly its skeleton like jaws, as it flicked its tongue through its teeth bearing smile, hissing menacingly.
Still in shock from the occurring chaos around her, Keira watched as Thomas remained unshaken, unfazed. Standing firm against the creature's fury, he clenched down upon the crystal staff, and prepared himself. She watched as he continued to counter each ball of flame the sylph sent his way.
Quickly, Keira raised herself to her feet, gripping for Phillip's outreached hand, she followed him, and they scurried away to take cover behind the safety of a nearby boulder. But their movement only caused the sylph to take notice of their presence, and the creature refocused it's attention upon them at once. Quickly, it followed behind them, hissing as it's tounge continued to flicker, and it reached out its hand in attempt to launch another orb of fire in their direction.
Thomas, realizing he no longer held the sylph's attention, began to run towards the two, attempting to block the next blows of the creature's sadistic attacks. But it was obvious; he could not reach them in time, the flames would engulf them. As the next ball of fire launched its way towards Keira, she felt herself become overwhelmed with fear and apprehension throughout every inch of her body. Quickly, she threw her hands into the air, attempting to block herself from her attacker's wraith.
Then suddenly, as if out of nowhere, she felt her body grow warm, her limbs stiffened, her arms trembled vigorously, and a piercing pain shot through her spine to the base of her skull, her head was thrown backwards, numbering her mind of all thought, or sense to regain control. And within moments, a burst of bright blue bolts, flew from the tips of her fingers, thrusting into the sky like streams of lightning. They scattering throughout the skies in random directions, and slowly her body lifted, and hovered into the air, until only the tips of her limp limbs could reach the ground.
The sylph, fearful of her instability, flung itself in the opposite direction, attempting to avoid the erratic behavior of the flowing currents. Still, the creature did not flee, it quickly turned back towards Keira, attempting to launch a response.
But as before, Thomas ran in Keira's direction, hoping to block the next wave of the sylph. When surprisingly out of nowhere, from the direction of the rubbled carriage, came a large, blue, rotating, orb, from an unknown source, launching towards the menacing sylph. The creature was instantly encapsulated, it's body solidified into that of a large, oversized ice cube. The frozen figure remained hovering in the air for only seconds until dropping heavily towards the ground, and shattering itself into a thousand tiny fragments.
Then, unexpectedly from behind the carriage came the source of the creature's defeat. Keira, though in a slight state of consciousness, watched as a tiny, solitary figure, stepped quietly out into plain sight. Appearing to stare back at her from a distance. Although, she could not make out who, or what the figure was, everything appeared to be a blur to her, and suddenly she fell towards the ground like a limp bag of coal, drained of all energy.
Thomas and Phillip, raced to her side, pulling Keira back to her feet, and lifting her arms over their shoulders. In a lethargic fashion, Keira attempted to steady her legs assuming to regain their previous strength and balance, but she was too weak to do so. She watched in a blurry hazy, as the once still figure, approached her. Her eyes, trying to readjust, saw that the tiny figure was that of a small man, who wore a robe similar to that of Thomas, carrying alongside him a staff of his own. A wooden stick, topped off with a single purple glass-like stone. In her slightly sluggish state, she attempted to keep focusing her eyes upon the strange man's burlap looking robe. But as her eyes struggled to regain their usual focus, she realized that the robe lay draped over the body of a small green goblin-kin man. To her amazement, her jaw dropped limply, widening her mouth in a look of utter disbelief, before finally her head gave way and flopped towards the ground, and she hadsuddenly lost all consciousness. Keira had officially entered into a world completely unknown to her. Thomas, and Phillip responding to their unresponsive companion, gave a loud erupting chuckle, as Thomas greeted the appearance of his long lost friend.
"Aww... Maedoc! Thank Evo you're here, good friend!"
"I thought you might run into a bit of trouble on your travels. I figured I'd make sure you arrived safely. Come... we don't have much time here, I suspect other sylphs may have already been alerted. Word has it these days, that the sylphs have been running amuck in these lands. Come, let us go to my cottage. We'll be safe there."
© Copyright 2008 Nataliya Maize. All rights reserved.
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