Crest of Power: Kevin and the Magician

18 Into the Woods

Krevik fought off the men at the roadblock with fury. Helen held on tightly as he defended her. He had ordered them to let him through. He had ordered them to let the girls go. They didn't listen. They had actually drawn on him and began attacking. He was their king! They were supposed to listen to him right? But they weren't .They were loyal to someone else. That someone... could only be the Magician.

The pain in his head wouldn't quit as he fought his man. He managed to drive them off. One of them ran toward the village. Krevik led Helen and Jesse out of the road block. Krevik was still frantic. The rest of the small army would soon be at their heels. The two horses were now being driven at a furious pace.

*=*=*

The magician was in his tower clutching his glass ball. He was holding it so tight, his knuckles had turned white. His eyes were blazing. The men that went with Krevik were attacking him. He saw Krevik defending the two young women. Then, Krevik broke through the roadblock.

The moment Krevik broke through the Magician released his iron grip from the glass ball. It fell to the floor, and shattered. He stood up and walked briskly to the fireplace where there was but a small flame and sighed.

"I want him back!" he shouted to no-one. He hadn't felt helpless like this in a long time. Something wasn't right. He held out his hand and the shattered shards gravitated to it. The ball which had broken had been reformed in the Magicians hand.

*=*=*

The three runaways were driving the horses hard. Suddenly there was a black cloud behind them. It was a cloud of crows. They were cawing raucously as they were getting closer. The two horses were being pushed to their limit.

Krevik could hear them in his ear. He could see Jesse in front of him, and he could feel Helen at his back. The crows were getting louder. They were calling him. He could feel it. Every bone in his body was telling him to turn back and go with them. They were calling him, telling him to go to the one who is more powerful than himself. The arms around his waist kept him going forward. He knew that if he turned back now, she would share whatever fate awaited him; and that was something he couldn't take. He still needed her to be safe. His body was beginning to stiffen under the strain. He watched as the horse in front of him kept getting further away from him.

The crows' cawing was getting louder. They were almost upon him. Krevik could feel his power waning. His body was telling the horse to slow down, but his heart was screaming for the horse to go faster. Helens grip tightened around Krevik's waist. Then he felt it. One solitary crow had caught up to him. It latched itself onto his shoulder. The rest of the crows were still far behind. It was the crow that landed on his shoulder that seemed to wake his body from its slumber. He fought his body for control. His body was burning. The more he fought the more it burned. He could hear the crows behind him cawing louder. Something was upsetting them. Perhaps it was because he was fighting for control. It was getting easier to fight.

Finally whatever was holding him back had released its hold. A tremendous weight was lifted from his body. The crow that had latched itself to his shoulder took off in flight. He kicked the horse into a full charge. He broke through the tree-line. And suddenly he was in a meadow. He looked behind him toward the trees to see tons of crows lining them. The crows had stopped. It was as if some invisible barrier had not allowed them to come into the clearing.

Helen felt the horse come to a slow stop. She could hear the crows behind them, and she felt a breeze across her back. The crows weren't getting any closer.

"We made it," Helen breathed into his ear.

*=*=*

Jesse looked behind her when she made it to the clearing. Krevik and Helen weren't there! Where were they? Did they get caught? She had to go back!

She wanted desperately to go back; she needed to go back! She was just about to charge off when suddenly a beautiful voice next to her said, "You really don't want to do that."

"But I have to!" Jesse cried. "He saved me! Don't you know what that means!? He's back! We can have him back!" She looked determined to go back for him. She readied the horse to charge again.

"Wait!" commanded the beautiful voice. "He's coming" Suddenly Krevik appeared before them; Helen still holding tightly onto him had her eyes shut just as tight. Krevik was looking over his shoulder, Jesse gasped as she saw what he was looking at.

*=*=*

Krevik heard a gasp just in front of him. He turned to see who it was. He could see Jesse on her horse, and right next to her, a vision from a dream. Was he hallucinating? He didn't understand. Suddenly his chest and head hurt again, it was as if they were on fire. The world began to fade! As his world faded one name ran through his head. Kierra! Then there was nothing but black.

*=*=*

"Krevik!" Jesse screamed. She quickly dismounted to catch him, but arrived too late. Helen, who had been holding on to Krevik the whole time, was suddenly left grasping futilely at the air. Jesse rushed to Krevik's side. He was motionless on the ground. She looked to the Enchantress with hope and tears in her eyes.

"Do something!" Jesse cried as she looked at Krevik, afraid to touch him. The tears began to run down her face.

The Enchantress walked up to the tree-line. As she got closer a Large black bird came forth. It stood taller than the rest. "You cannot have him," the bird stared at Krevik, as it hopped forward, eyeing Krevik. It seemed to purposefully avoid looking at the Enchantress.

"You," the Enchantress said in a stern voice, "are not wanted here. Take your influence from him and go!" Her voice grew louder with each word, in a way that was only magically possible.

The large crow turned away from Krevik with a speed that made Jesse jump. Then it spread its wings and began to fly away. The other crows remained, "I said go!" the Enchantress said loudly. The other crows immediately followed the larger one. It was as though a black fog had been lifted from the forest.

*=*=*

Krevik did not see a familiar ceiling when his eyes opened. Instead he saw the open sky above his head. He felt something holding on to his head. He turned to look. It was the girl, Jesse.

"You're awake!" she said excitedly. "Helen! He's awake! She shouted. Krevik looked in the direction of her shouts. Helen was blind. What was she doing wandering off on her own? Then he saw. Helen was not alone. Standing a few feet away from her was that woman.

"I told you he'd wake up soon," she said smiling. As Krevik's eyes met hers something inside of him reacted. He was suddenly pulled deep into the irises of her eyes. He could suddenly see his dreams. He saw her in them, and knew who she was.