DROPPED | A Witches Garden

fourteen

He'd protected me.

Roye had stepped in to protect me.

His sword was out and was the only thing keeping him and that monster separate. Otherwise, he would've already been eaten. Roye was bleeding. Badly. The monster had managed to stab in the stomach. And when it pulled its claws out, only more blood started spilling out.

I didn't know what to do.

I couldn't think.

"Run!"

Roye's voice brought me out of my frozen state and without much thinking my body turned. I ran away. Clutching my heels and tripping over my own feet from these stupid heels. Yet I didn't take a moment to pause so I could take them off or adjust my dress. All that went through my mind was to run. I had to escape. I had to live.

But what about Roye?

What about the knights?

Were they gonna be okay?

Sure I hated them and found them very annoying— but...

I couldn't leave them.

Could I?

I'd gotten far enough and stopped. If I ran any further then I would've been out of the woods. My breathing was rugged and uneasy. No matter how much air I took in it still felt like I was suffocating. I rested my back against a tree and palmed my face. Hoping that catching a breather would calm me down.

I looked at the direction I had just ran from. Thinking of the knights who were injured. Roye who had gotten severely injured because of me. And the gigantic beasts he would have to take on on his own.

I'd always been afraid of death.

It was never something I liked thinking about. So I just never did.

It was unnerving. Scary. Unpredictable. I simply couldn't understand it. And there was no one who I could ask. No one who'd experienced it who would've been able to explain it to me.

Because when you're dead—

You're dead.

There was nothing more to it.

And that fact scared me.

When the bombing in Airhamn happened while I was scared and worried, I never feared for my life. Because I knew, somewhere in my heart, that no matter what— I wouldn't die.

It was a situation that I could've escaped. Ran away from easily if things got too bad. My life wasn't in direct danger.

But it was different this time.

This time I could feel how death had its clutches on me.

Its hands, wrapped tightly around my neck.

Slimy and cold.

Such a horrible feeling that I never wanted to experience again. Yet even as I thought so, I still turned around. To where Roye was, and ran.

I couldn't leave him. I couldn't leave them.

This may be the moment where I lose it all. Where my pitiful life finally comes to an end. After all I've done to preserve it. But I don't care.

All my life I'd lived a life of nothingness. Never meaning anything. Simply just existing. Wandering, making no impact. I was nothing more but a waste of space.

But I don't want that anymore.

Even if I'm scared.

Even if I want to run away.

I won't.

I am a witch. If I can stay calm, then taking care of those monsters should be a piece of cake.

I have the power to change.

So why not make use of it?

"Roye!" I called out. Jumping out from the trees. He looked at me with wide eyes. Confused as to why I would've come back.

One bat had been taken care of while the other two were fighting Roye. He was able to push them back and do damage. But it wasn't enough. There was no way he could last any longer.

"What are you doing here?" Roye shouted. "You must leave!"

I shook my head. "Their weaknesses! Roye, do you know them?" I looked around and saw how the other knights had all fallen. Laying in their pool of blood.

"What purpose does that serve? It's too dangerous here you have to—"

"Roye! Please."

He looked at me. His brows furrowed in worry and anguish. But then he turned back to the bats. Slashing one of them in the chest.

"Their weakness is light."

"So light..." I whispered to myself.

I thought back to all I'd remembered, from the secret notes Elietta had written. Any of her skills that I could've made use of now.

A light spell.

I needed a light spell.

And I knew one. But would I be able to create so strong it could tame such giant beasts? I shook away the negative thoughts. I didn't have time for them.

If I couldn't create light strong enough myself then I'd simply have to borrow the lights from the stars.

I closed my eyes. And just like before the words for the words slipped out my mouth with ease. I could feel how the magic flowed through my body. Heating me up.

And when I opened my eyes, the whole forest was enveloped in a bright light.

The bats screeched and screamed. Wailing as their body slowly disintegrated from the light falling upon them.

Roye lowered his sword.

The clutches of death were getting tighter.

I could've ran before. But that would've only continued the cycle of me living a pathetic life.

If I'm gonna die eventually, then I'd like to atleast have a say in it.

Do something good before it ends. Because maybe then, I won't feel so disappointed in myself.

Roye turned around and looked at me. But I couldn't read his expression.

Everything felt cold.

Had I done too much with that spell?

Everything was turning dark and my knees felt weak. I couldn't carry my own weight and feel face forward on the dirty ground.

Would he kill me while unconscious? Or maybe when I'm awake?

Afterall he finally knows that... I'm a witch.