Sorcerer's hill

11

Keira was trapped. Her hand felt the warmth of Ethans' palm that covered hers but it didn't help the drowning sensation that overcame her body. She didn't feel her legs, her arms, her head. She was just a soul, energy without any barrier, flowing somewhere deeper, into the unknown. It was as if the tree itself gripped her soul out of her body and let her flow down into its roots, somewhere to the deep ground.
It was hard for her to breathe at first but soon she found out that breathing wasn't necessary. She let go of her fear and gently opened her mind to whatever was happening.
Suddenly, she saw something. It took a while to take a form, darkness spreading around her. Then her body formed once again and she found herself standing on the ground. She thought it was someplace inside her mind at first. The objects around her grew sharper and brighter. She looked around in anticipation.
After a minute she realized. It wasn't her mind that was displayed in front of her. She never saw such a place.
It was dark, already deep into the night. The only thing making a bit of light was the dying fires all around, consuming whatever was left to burn. The ashes flew in the air and she barely saw the moonlight trying to find its way through the clouds of dust that formed above her.
She gasped at the sudden realization. This was Rosehold.
Well, whatever was left of it. She cursed. So this is what it looked like in the past. Now she saw the familiar pattern of streets and some of the houses. There were fewer of them and they all looked a bit archaic in comparison to what she remembered. There was no other sound than the crackling of fire and wind that made her cough from the dust.
Then she noticed a movement. She walked over, following the sound. She gasped, placing her hand in front of her mouth.
It was Thane.
There seemed to be a dark shadow surrounding him. He didn't move. He just stood there with his face turned towards the moon.
She felt her heart stop. The look on his face terrified her. She didn't see the usual smirk that was so often formed on his lips. She didn't see a frown. There was no emotion whatsoever. His eyes were empty, glassy.
She dared to move forward. He couldn't see her, nobody could, but she still couldn't help but move as silently as she could.
He suddenly turned his gaze towards her. Her heart jumped at the thought he might have seen her. That's when somebody walked right past her.
It was someone she didn't recognize. He didn't seem to have magical powers, either. He walked slowly, surrendering. She felt the sadness spreading from this man like a disease. One glimpse at his face full of ashes - and something in her heart softened.
Thane looked in his direction, unimpressed.
That's when she noticed. As he finally looked in her direction, she saw the swelled and glassy eyes. His usual porcelain skin was bathed in ashes and dust - except for the tiny stripes from tears that fell continuously from those eyes she adored so much.
It was so painful to watch. He was broken, too. The wind played with his hair, alternately keeping them outside his face and hiding it.
"Why," called the man out to him. His voice was hoarse, but she didn't hear any defiance in it. It was horrible. The man had no fight left in him.
Thane looked at him and didn't reply. He let out a breath, tears streaming from his face.
"Leave," he mumbled. His eyes were completely emotionless, in contrast to the tears. Then, he whispered, almost unable to say it: "please."
The man looked at him and Keira was glad to see fear in his eyes. Go, you idiot! She wished to tug him by the sleeve or push him away.
The man started to shake his head, almost violently. He started laughing. There was something hysterical in the sound, something abnormal.
Suddenly, he let out a terrifying cry and sprinted towards Thane.
Keira watched how Thane without so much as a blink lifted a hand. A burst of white flames came out of his palm, colliding with the running man. The explosion lightened the front of his face - and Keira was horrified to find nothing but emptiness.
When the light went out, there was nothing left of the man, only a small fiery circle that was slowly dying out. She looked back at Thane. He let out a breath.
Let it be over, she begged. Let me out of here.
She felt her own tears stream down her face.
She didn't understand. This wasn't the man she knew. This was someone else. Someone she should be afraid of, something she should lock up and never let out.
She couldn't help but feel betrayed. Confused. Shocked. What on earth made him turn like that? What could've happened?