Custos Unicorium 1 ~Longe Aluid--Something Very Different~

Chapter Nineteen: Tiredness

Trusting Koriun was my only option. He'd probably get me killed, even though he'd said we'd survive. I left the forest, and found that Amanda and Olivenia had strange contraptions set up. Just like Koriun had said. 

"Took you long enough," Amanda screeched. "Faster. Bring it here." 

I took my time. Amanda looked visibly pissed off. She had long brown hair, and it looked thin. Probably stress. It quivered with anticipation. The rest of Amanda was now covered in a long black cloak. I didn't remember what she'd been wearing before. It had been so plain, apparently. 

Finally I reached a circle made of sticks. It looked like the pair were standing in a giant nest. Bird nest, and a shitty one at that, but a nest. 

"Stop there!" 

I did. 

"Put it down." 

I set the bucket of pseudo-unicorn urine down. I liked Koriun's word for it--urine--better. It sounded a little less gross. Amanda nodded, and Olivenia skittered over. She picked up the bucket and crossed the circle to Amanda.  

I wish I hadn't watched what Amanda did. She smelled it, viewed it...then tasted it. I almost threw up. Once I confirmed that the pair were too absorbed in their task to be paying attention to me I turned and ran. 

They didn't notice, and I ran all out. Nothing happened. I didn't slow. I thought I'd make it to the forest, leap onto Koriun and we would flee. 

Brilliant plan, I thought sarcastically, no one could have thought of that. 

I was almost to the forest. And something finally happened. I heard the sound of an adult bear, the mother of our young friend I guessed, right before an ear-splitting crash. Amanda's scream began, and died out within moments. A huge half-orb of yellowish-whitish light outlined itself in the sides of my view. 

It was catching up to me. Shit. There was heat coming off of it. My legs ached. I couldn't run anymore. I pressed on as well as I could. Something hit my leg and I fell. I looked back, and it was the orb. It had smacked into my leg. It was going to envelop me. That couldn't be good. 

The orb changed colors nearly as soon as I had thought that. It faded to a clear, sensible, rather than see-able, presence, and washed over me. I suddenly felt chill. Pain flared up in my leg, almost as if the orb had delayed my pain until it had passed. I tried to get up, but I couldn't. 

"Koriun!" I cried, hysteria seeping into my voice, "My leg is broken! Koriun!" Nothing happened immediately, and I grew frightened. I was on the verge of tears by the time I heard Koriun appear from the trees. 

"Regina?" he asked. "Oh my. You're so lucky. Climb on." 

I felt for his knelt shape, and pulled myself over his back My leg dangled, useless from just above my knee. Seeing it made me sick. My fingers wrapped around Koriun's mane. 

"Time to explain," Koriun said. "We've survived." 

I grimace as he began walking towards where Amanda and Olivenia had been.  

"The ritual backfired because of the mis ingredient. The remains are over there." 

I looked in the direction I felt Koriun's neck turn. There were two charred figures laying on the ground. They didn't even look like humans any more. Their arms and legs were completely gone, just their long, roasted main bodies were there, wrapped in ugly black film that used to be cloaks. Between the two figures was an--unharmed-- wooden bucket. 

My stomach quavered, and Koriun must have felt my unease because he turned to leave. 

"You're lucky. You only caught a tiny hit from it. You could have ended up just like them."