Sword and Sorcery Chapter 7 by D.Fire phongb9@idt.net Raeni was running. Deep in the darkness, Raeni was running from something. She could feel its hot breath behind her, driving her like a wild animal. Stumbling through a dark, twisted forest, she ran without control. She could feel a deathly cold reach for her back, and suddenly, she tripped ... And woke up screaming. She woke up to the stillness of the forest. Soon enough, the normal sounds of a nighttime forest returned, releasing her from the grip of her vivid nightmare. As she waited for her rapidly beating heart to settle, she scanned the forest clearing where she and Azure had set up camp the previous night. As she listened, the nighttime forest sounds were slowly replaced by early morning ones. Looking to the east, she could see the blackness of night fading away into the early morning gray of pre-dawn. From his position three feet away, Azure gazed at her in concern but did not speak. Breaking away from her fear, she shifted to mage-sight and was reassured at the sight of the wards she placed on the ground winking at her undisturbed. Placed in a roughly square pattern, the wards connected primarily to each other, although each did radiate crooked lines, forming a web of warning. Reaching over and lovingly rubbing Azure's tummy, she reassured him, "It was nothing, Azure. Just another bad dream." <*I* think something is wrong. You've been having these nightmares for a week now, ever since we left home,> the panther stated resolutely. Turning away and dismissing the argument, she said, "They're nothing, Azure. Besides, I can't even remember it now." As an afterthought, she added, "Besides, I don't know why I wake up in terror. Nothing scares me. Hey, oww!" Azure, rolling up his eyes in disgust, had swiped at her with a claw out. He readied his paw for another strike. Leaping away, she turned and posed for him, "Well, with this beautiful body and this magnificent brain, I think I have a right, so nyah!" She blew a raspberry at him and turned away. "I'm going for an early morning swim. Wanna come?" Azure replied. "Ha! Lazybones. Better watch it, or most of that mass might become fat!" Jumping up to a high branch, she quickly disappeared from Azure's sight. *** 'I saw the river around here somewhere,' Raeni thought as she bounded through the early morning stillness of the forest. She could hear birds, newly awakened, calling out to each other, greeting the others of their kind. Hearing a low roaring noise, she turned in that direction and was rewarded by finding a small waterfall. About ten feet high, the tiny waterfall seemed perfect for her, so slipping into a bush, she quickly shimmied out of her daily dress. Because she was away from familiar territory, she tended to forgo the lesser magics such as the clothing summons spell, wishing to draw less attention to herself. Popping up her head and peering around, she made sure that no one was in sight. She then quickly ran over and dove into the river. The cold of the river, though not unexpected, came as a shock to her system. Still, it felt great to wash off the grime and sweat. It especially felt good to wash away the aftereffects of that last nightmarish dream. The chill of the water held no comparison to the icy coldness she felt in her nightmares, but it took her mind away from disturbing thoughts. She had lied to Azure. She could still remember the dream from this morning in clear detail, but she didn't want to talk to her familiar about it. She swam over to some rocks near the bottom of the falls, shielding herself from the spray behind them. 'Why am I having these dreams?' she wondered silently. Once at the rocks, she relaxed, letting her mind wander, hoping that her subconscious could divulge what was ailing her. Raeni did this on a very regular basis. She had found that over the years, letting her mind wander often solved hard problems that she encountered. If she didn't concentrate on the matter at hand, it seemed that the solution would present itself to her. But it didn't work this time; no answer was forthcoming. Sighing, she left the shelter of the rocks and swam underwater to right below the falls, letting the waterfall blast her clean. She suddenly wondered, 'Hey, I wonder if this fall has a cave behind it.' Pushing through the force of the waterfall, she finally reached the inside cliff face. Exploring the surface with her hands because the falls blinded her eyes, she made her slowly across the face. About a third of the way across, she pushed through the face, falling to her hands and knees as she landed roughly on the slippery cavern floor. After standing up suddenly, she abruptly fell on her behind from the sudden motion. "Oww, that hurt!" Unable to see, she muttered, "Mirus", summoning a small globe of light. Excited, she looked around the room, thinking perhaps that this was someone's private treasure cache, but she was disappointed at what she saw. The cavern was not very big and had neither jewels nor money laying scattered on its floor. Toward the center of the room, a large pool was formed from the backwash of the falls. As she stood there examining the interior, she noticed some movement. Something in the pool moved! 'Uh oh! I don't think this was such a hot idea.' Panicking, she turned to the entrance, but her quick movement on the slippery floor betrayed her. She slipped and fell, this time cracking her head on stone. Almost blinded by pain, she lost her concentration, causing the globe of light to slowly die out. But before the light had fled, she managed to see something big and sinewy slither out of the pool. Scrambling toward the entrance on her hands and feet, she thought, 'Almost there.' Before she could actually jump into the fall, something gripped at her ankle, yanking her slightly back. Using her unnatural strength, she grabbed onto some rocks as she was dragged by them. After securing her grip, she applied counterforce and kicked at the monster. She felt its grasp on her ankle loosen. In a flash, she was in the waterfall and soon enough in the river. The thing came after her, though. As soon as she hit the river, Raeni made for the shore. Behind her, she heard a giant splash confirming her fears. Fearfully glancing back, she saw a blurry form in the dim, pre-dawn light. As the shaped resolved itself, she could make out a monstrous head and a long, snakelike body as it slithered through the water towards her. Not wanting to be something's early morning meal, she doubled her efforts to get to shore. It caught her just as she reached the shore. As she screamed, it yanked her beneath the surface of the river, causing her to take in some water in her lungs. She struggled futilely as it wrapped its body around hers. Rather than squeezing, the beast just held her just below the surface. Seeing the surface taunting her from just inches away, she struggled harder. She soon lost her strength from lack of oxygen and blacked out. *** Raeni awoke to the feel of something slimy, yet rough, moving across her face. As her fogged mind processed the input, she realized that something was licking her. Her nose told her it had a fishy smell to it as well. Suddenly, the data fell into place as she realized who was slurping at her. She bolted up from her prone position, yelling, "Azure!" Then she opened her eyes and turning away, she gave a long, hacking cough. She was still on the shore of the river by the waterfall. A blanket covered her naked body. To her right, Azure sat looking awfully relieved and yet also very pissed. Downriver, to her left, the body of the monster that attacked her lay, with arrows sticking out of it. Gruesome wounds, made by some bladed weapon, decorated it further. demanded Azure. Azure's voice resounded in her head, much louder than usual. Gripping her head in pain, she said, "Oww, Azure. Will you keep it down?" Looking back at the dead monster, she could see in the clear morning light that it was, simply put, a giant newt. Puzzled at his mistress's reply, he defended himself, "Well then speak in a whisper!" snapped Raeni still clutching her head. "It sounds like a drum in here." whispered Azure. Getting the conversation back on track, he asked again, His eyes softened and his mind-voice became plaintive as he continued, "I'm sorry, Azure. I guess I wasn't thinking at all." Raeni threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug. Looking back at the monster, she pointed at it and asked, "You didn't do this, did you?" Shaking his head slightly, he answered, "Well, Azure? Is my savior still here?" Azure looked embarrassed as he replied, He bounded off into the forest following a scent trail Raeni could not follow as she huddled shivering in the blanket. Five minutes later, he was back, saying, Azure indicated a clump of trees a hundred feet away. "He? HE?! It was a guy?!" she yelled. "A guy saw me naked! Ooh! That pervert!" she fumed. She suddenly pulled herself together. Muttering under her breath, "Baka, baka. What am I saying? I'm a guy, remember? Starting to sound like Akane," she punched herself in the side of the head, forgetting her current condition. In a daze, she said, "Ohh! I don't think that was such a good idea." Then she dropped over unconscious. *** When Raeni woke this time, her pounding headache had subsided to a low growl. No, wait. That was her stomach. She was back at camp. Azure had carried her on his back from the bank of the river, and he now lay snoozing at her feet in the afternoon sun. Rising to her feet, she felt no dizziness, so moved to grab her clothes, which Azure had brought back to camp. After she dressed, she felt much better. Bustling around camp, she prepared a light meal for herself and Azure (a light meal being a normal sized portion for any other human being). After she finished, she woke up Azure, saying, "C'mon, lazybutt. Time for a quick meal." Glancing at the sky, she measured out the time. "I think we can get a few more miles before the sun sets." Grumbling mentally, Azure got ready to eat. Raeni, in reply, pouted, "Hey! I heard that! And I am not!" *** Sunset was quickly approaching as the two traveled through the forest, following the tugging of the guidestone. Raeni, noting that a full moon was on for tonight, asked Azure, "Are you up to traveling for a little while longer? It looks like it'll be nice and bright tonight." he asked in return. "Pfegh. That was nothing, Azure. I've taken harder blows than that and nothing's ever happened to me," she boasted. "Hey, if I can take Akane's blows, then a little drowning is nothing." the panther asked. Then it answered itself, Giving out a short bark, Raeni laughed, "No, no. That was Nabiki, her sister. Akane was the other one. She was one of my fiancees." Raeni's gaze shifted to a faraway look, as if lost in contemplation. Eyes narrowed slyly, Azure jibed, Flushing red, Raeni yelled, "No!", startling a flock of birds up ahead of them into the air. More quietly, she continued, "I don't even know what she's like anymore." As an afterthought, she added, "Actually, I don't even know if I even like girls anymore." And then more frantically, "What am I saying?!" As they walked, the sun slowly dipped beneath the horizon, leaving beautiful oranges and reds to streak the sky. Soon enough, the vibrant colors faded into deep, purple twilight. As predicted by Raeni, a full moon shone down on the pair through the dense forest, leaving alternating patches of shadows and lights. When the wind shifted and blew through the tree tops, the shadows danced and played. Normal night sounds encroached upon their ears as they continued to stroll through the forest. *** An hour and a half later, they reached a large-sized clearing in the middle of the forest. "This looks like a good place to stop for tonight, Azure." She put down the heavy pack and made ready to set up camp. Halfway through her preparations, Raeni's magical senses prickled. She quickly looked around the clearing for any hidden danger, but she couldn't locate the source of her feelings. Hissing to Azure, she said, "Azure, do you feel it, too?" Only silence answered her as she looked to where she expected Azure to be. The panther was nowhere in sight. Worried, she yelled out, "AZURE! Where are you? What happened to you?" Still no answer. She happened to glance up, and what she saw really shocked her. The moon, which was just moments before shedding a healthy soft, white glow into the clearing, now shone blood-red. Whispers started all around, as she whipped herself around in circle, crouching into a battle stance, arms and feet at the ready. Then the shadows began moving. The shadows did not shift as though a wind were blowing. They actually moved. They oozed out of crevices. They ran out of the nooks and crannies of tree stumps in the clearing. They formed from the very shadows at her feet. Merging together, the shadows formed six distinct shapes. Worried, Raeni thought, 'They look like ... wolves.' The shapes surrounded her and hemmed her in. Gathering her courage and a little magic, she attacked the closest one. Not wishing to actually touch the seething shadows, she formed a magic blast, yelling, "ORUS MOUKO TAKABISHA!" A ball of chi-powered fire formed in her cupped hands and shot toward the shadow, nailing it. The shadow whined silently as if in pain and then blurred. Where there was one shadow, now stood two. "Oh, Shit! That didn't work." She frantically thought of her next attack. 'Well, they are shadows, right? Shadows can't exist with light. Let's try a light spell!' Yelling out, "MIRUS POCANUS!", she conjured up a massive sphere of light, flooding the entire clearing with a bright, yellow light. For a moment, Raeni was blinded by the intense light she conjured. Through heavily lidded eyes, she could see the shadows dancing in pain as they faded away. 'Yes! It's working,' she thought gleefully. She let the light die out. To her horror, when the light was finally exterminated, the shadows reformed and they had friends, lots of friends. In a flash of insight, she realized her error. Shadows can ONLY exist with light. She had just fed them what they needed. Terror bubbled up from the pit of her stomach as the shadows began circling. The whispers started up again, but this time, she could make out the words. "Run! Run!", they urged her. "Get out, run away!" Instinct took over as she fled the clearing, breaking through the lines of shadows. A small part of her mind commented on the ease of her escape, but for the most part, she ignored it. Behind her, the voices urged her on. Driven, she ran in terror through the forest, feeling the hot breath of something breathing down her back. Running, tripping, stumbling. Each time she fell, she got up and continued onward, fleeing the shadows that chased her. Her eyes could no longer see, her ears could no longer hear. She was one giant bundle of fear clawing her way through the forest, and the suddenly, she could run no more. Her legs moved at a sluggish pace, pushing against something soft and yielding. Frantic, she struggled, "Must ... get ... away. Must ... run." A sharp pain on her face that felt like a giant scratch jerked her out of her terror. As she came to her senses, reality crashed in on her. What she found did not please her one bit. She was in a sand pit of some kind, and worse, she was sinking. Shaking her head clear, she reached for the solution. Chanting, "Lati Orum", she cast a spell of levitation, preparing to pull herself from the sand. The spell fizzled. "No!" Raeni yelled. came Azure's frantic voice. "I can hear you, Azure. I'm sinking into this sand! Where are you?" She yelled back, "I tried a spell to get me out! It failed!" Azure replied. "If magic won't work, then hurry, Azure. Find me a rope or a vine or something," she commanded him, although where he would find such items she had no idea. he yelled as he bounded away in search of something to help. When Azure was out of sight, Raeni heard a laugh, a twisted, evil laugh. Looking up, she saw that the moon had turned red once again, but this time an outline of a woman showed clearly on the moon's surface. The woman threw back her head and laughed. The laughter continued for a time and then slowly faded away taking the image of the woman with it. Time passed slowly for Raeni as she sank slowly into the sucking sand. Soon, she was in up to her arm pits, and after that, her chin. In a last ditch effort, she tilted back her head, trying to keep her nose and mouth above the sand. She could no longer see as sand covered her face. Before her mouth sank below the sand, she took one last great, desperate breath, in hope that Azure would be back in time with something. Soon, only her arms remained above the surface of the trap, clearly positioned in a plaintive gesture. A minute passed. And then another. With almost no hope left in her heart, she felt something. Something had landed in her hand! It was long and thin. A rope! Clutching desperately, she pulled on it and met resistance. Exultant, she pulled on it. The other end pulled back. As she held on for dear life, the rope pulled her free. With one last mighty tug, she was pulled from the sand and landed roughly on the shore. Hacking and coughing up sand, she lay there on her stomach, gasping as sweet, clean air flooded her system. Raeni's rescuer remained silent as she regained her breath. When she was better, she looked up to thank Azure, but it was not Azure that greeted her. It was a man, a little taller than she and very broad of chest. With the cut-off jerkin he wore, it was obvious that he was a he, and as he turned toward the moonlight so that she could see his face, Raeni received the shock of her life. "Ukyou," she whispered as she fainted into the stranger's arms.