A Spark Of Hope

22: The First Trial

With an ear shattering screech, the creature charged towards them. The ground shook, creating tremors that Aila could feel down to her very bones. Anxiety coursed through her blood; though she loved challenges and thrived under pressure, she had never faced  anything remotely similar to this.

Figuring that long distance fighting technique would suit her needs better, she reached for her bow and arrow. Kaiden's makeshift bandage held steady on her arm, and she was confident that archery would not reopen the wound. The solid frame in her hands reassured her, empowered her, grounded her.

"Are you ready?" Kaiden spoke in a low voice.

Aila let two arrows fly simultaneously towards the beast in response, frowning as they bounced off it's thick skin, as harmless as a ball of yarn.

"I guess that's a yes," he spoke whilst twirling his sword. "Please don't hit me with those, Aila," he glanced at the arrow before he sprinted towards the beast with his brandished blade.

Aila aimed skywards and sent her arrow flying towards the creature's neck, pondering whether the flesh there would be sensitive enough to cause damage. Again, the attack only served to enrage it more than Kaiden was already doing. He was gracefully dancing in between the creature's legs, slashing at it's thick skin with his sword.

The beast reared backwards, roaring in rage at both the heirs, as Kaiden began to climb it, stabbing it wherever he could. He looked like a warrior, with sweat gleaming on his brow and his muscles tensing as he moved around the creature's body. It turned it's head, attempting to track it's movements, and
moved so violently that Aila wondered how he was managing to stay on.

"Kaiden needs my help," she spoke quickly. "Here. Try not to kill us." She thrust the bow and arrow into Castor's hands, unsheathed her own hilt with her right hand, ignored the protests her injured arm made, and charged the monster.

She took over Kaiden's initial attack, targeting it's legs in the hopes it would lose it's balance and fall. With each strike, the creature became angrier. Aila shouted in frustration as it's thick skin refused to give way. She climbed it's legs and clung to it's underside, like a leech. She drove her blade upwards, watching as it pierced the creature's stomach.

Aila shouted in triumph as blood poured out of it's body, but dismay soon took over as she saw the injury stitch closed.

Like magic.

Again, she tried. Again, she failed.

"Nothing is working!" Kaiden yelled, voicing her thoughts. Aila couldn't see him, but she knew he was attacking from above, driving his sword into the beast's back.

"It's got some kind of magic!" Aila yelled. "Use your fire!"

"I tried! It's immune!"

"Maybe we need to work together!" Aila replied. "I'll come up!"

"No! Your arm!" Kaiden's breathing was ragged. Aila heard the words escape through his clenched teeth. She continued stabbing upwards, feeling a whirlwind of emotions as relief seeped into her at the sight of the injury, then immediately disappeared as the wound healed.

Her arm was killing her, a fiery pain coursing through it as if she were the one being stabbed, instead of the creature above her.

"Can you get on it's head?" She asked suddenly.

"What?"

"The head!"

"I tried," Kaiden shouted in reply. "The magic is everywhere!"

"Urgh!" Aila yelled in frustration, slamming her sword to the hilt into the creature's flesh. It bucked, and she screamed as she lost her grip and plummeted towards the ground. She landed on her front, groaning in pain as the impact shuddered through her. Though her body was screaming at her to stop, to retreat and address her arm, she listened to her brain.

Aila rolled over, struggled to her feet and resumed her dance around the monster's legs. Her movements were more lethargic than before, yet still deadly sharp and precise.

Like water, her movements flowed. Like air, her pressure rose.  Like fire, her body burned. Like earth, her fighting solidified.

"What in the stars are you doing?" Kaiden shouted. He was clutching the creature's spike, half of his body hanging dangerously off of it. "Your arm!"

Worry gripped Aila as she glanced up at him, as she saw his treacherous position. Her concentration wavered, and she missed a step, screaming as pain once more slammed through her  body. She was flying through the air, weightless in a free-fall, before she collided with the ground yet again.

Agony exploded through every part of her, unlike anything she had ever felt before. She heard her name being shouted, but her tongue felt too heavy to respond. 

The creature's talon had punctured her skin, slicing her right arm open once more. Stars began to flicker in her vision. She could vaguely hear her name being shouted from far away, something - someone - pleading with her to get up. But the pain clouded their voice, shielding her from their words.

As the stars flickered out of her vision, red suddenly took over, as if her mind were bleeding too.

Crimson eyes. Auburn hair. A warm smile.

The haze cleared, and her vision briefly focused once more. She could feel her senses leaving her; she could feel herself wanting to succumb to the pain  that was invading every single part of her body.

But she couldn't leave him like that.

With everything she had left in her, she shouted his name. It may have been a whisper, a murmur, a breath. But she hoped it would carry to him on the wind.

"The eyes."

With only the eyes can one see clearly.

She hoped he'd understand.

As her own eyes closed, she could still distantly hear his voice screaming her name in desperation.

She hoped that he'd stop soon, that he'd let her sleep, but most importantly, that he'd understand what she had meant.

I'm happy with how this turned out, yay!

Thoughts? Desires? Trees? Clocks?

What's one song that reallyyy irritates you?

~ MaddyWilson 💙