The Sibyl

Creatures

It was easy to slip back into town because Sibyl Lotus and her Apprentice Sibyl Nasha were still putting on the grand show. Tonight they had pulled most of the town up on the seeing hill. Curiosity drew me to them. Talking about the different ways the clouds could look and what they could mean. It was all nonsense but the entire town was enraptured with them.

I scanned the area, looking closer, looking for any sign of those strange black creatures. I was not disappointed. It seemed like they were everywhere. Lurking in the shadows cast by houses and the trees surrounding the village. I searched my memory to try to find any mention of something like this from before but nothing came to mind. I'd have to do more research.

I approached the bottom of the hill and just listened. Sibyl Lotus was going on and on about how she could read this and that about the clouds. How the wind moving in this one area meant this or that. It was all utter nonsense. But because Sibyl Nilsa and I did not play into such boastful behavior, it somehow made us look like we were boring. Maybe I should do this kind of thing but then I remembered that power, real power didn't need to be flaunted. It resided deep within yourself and the elements around us.

I watched in horror as the black creatures crept out of their hiding places and closer to my little villagers. I could only stomach a few more minutes of listening to their vile boasts before I turned and rushed headlong toward my own little hut. I needed to find Soren. Suddenly it felt as if he was my only solid rock and I desperately wanted to cuddle into the safe cocoon of his arms.

In my haste I stumbled and fell landing heavily onto my knees. That's when I felt it; hands like moving icicles slowly creeping up my leg. Even through my skirts I could feel its frigid touch burn me. My head whipped around, and I bit back a shriek! A wicked grin full of teeth like daggers stretched its papery thin skin taut across its skull like face. It didn't have hair. Instead it's head was covered in thick scales like a fish or a lizard. Bright, deadly-cold, blue eyes held me transfixed. It was like I could see all the dark and treacherous thoughts hiding within it's scaly head.

It's greed was all consuming. In a flash I knew that it was my light and warmth that it wanted. It wanted to steal it from me, drain me of all that makes me, me. Almost like it wanted to become me, only twisted. These are the creatures that I've been seeing around town. This is what they are doing to my friends, my family, my village. Their appetite knew no bounds. There is no way they intend to stop at my village. This had to have been what Soren was sent to help us prepare for. It terrified me that what he had done was useless against these things. Desperate for Soren to find me I frantically kicked out at it. It let out a vicious hiss when my other foot connected with its pointed hooked nose. My feet slid on the loose rocks of the road as I scrambled up, and ran straight for my own hut.

"Soren!" my breath came in desperate pants "Soren?!! Where are you?! I need to talk to you!"

I heard a shuffling before he came around from the other side of the room divider, a towel wrapped around his waist and his chest bare.

"What's wrong?" he asked as a frown creased his handsome face.

"Have you seen what is happening outside? What those other two are doing on the seeing and listening hill? Have you seen those black creatures that are invading the town? They are everywhere!"

I was shaking... Terrified.

"No, what's going on outside.?" He asked

"GO! Go look!" I panted again.

"Give me just one moment." He moved back behind the screen and quickly got dressed before heading out the door. It wasn't even twenty-five minutes before he burst back into my house, anger and distress painted plainly across his face.