The land of Aria

The meeting

"I. AM. SO. TIRED!" she screamed which caused the birds on nearby trees to flee.

She had been walking for hours already and made no progress what so ever except the fact that instead hills and fields coated with sunshine, surrounding her now there were only trees and trees and shadows. She had been walking for at least five hours straight and hasn't come across a single person. For her it felt like centuries, and to make it worse there wasn't even a road or any kind of trail anywhere in sight anymore. She was alone, hungry, thirsty and lost.

"I have to get out of this forest, and fast" she said when she heard something break behind her. Her step got quicker and a bundle of fear started to form in her stomach.

It's just a squirrel or something, it's nothing dangerous! I hope... she kept telling herself.

There was another crack behind her and another. With every crack her pace quickened even more. Something was behind her and it sure didn't sound friendly. She began running, her legs becoming too weak from fear to even support her own weight. Her breaths were shallow and she struggled for air.

She heard a shriek and its source was just a few hundred meters behind her. At that moment it was like her bones lost control and slammed to the ground. Only moments after it really happened. The fear consumed her.

She was on her knees slowly turning her head to see the thing that was chasing her, but when she saw only the ground covered in leaves and tree trunks she felt relieved and confused at the same time.

Then the wind blew hard. She barely moved her head to look up. And saw it. A creature with wings that spread as wide as two people.

It landed only about ten meters away from her.

I'm going to d- that was when something inside her mind snapped and sanity came rushing back. She remembered that she had a sword and that her body changed. She wasn't sure she really knew how to use it, but she forced her fear away, she had to or she was going to die.

She stood up. The creature had slowly been approaching her. To be able to overcome the fear she made herself laugh.

Her giggles and cries were uncontrollable and not normal but they helped. In the end she found something to laugh at, at least.

A flying rat? I've been afraid of a big flying rat? the laughter continued until the beast had enough and lashed out.

Instinct took over her body instantly. Her hand reached the handle of the blade in a blink of an eye and pulled up just in time to counter the claw. But she noticed too late that the beast's other claw was already almost inside her throat.

So this is the end? I wish I could have at least seen where this journey was going...

***

"Where the heck am I?" she said, her voice just above whisper.

She had woken up in an abandoned cabin a few hours ago and has walked through these woods ever since.

She was already growing tired and just wanted to find someone, anyone with whom she could talk to.

"I. AM. SO. TIRED!"she heard a scream in the distance.

A person! She cried in her head.

The scream was faint but she could tell from where it came from. She ran to its source. While making her way through the trees and branches she heard a shriek. It was a piercing sound and rang in her ears.

What was that? She looked around to see if she could find anything helpful. Then she looked up. And up we go. She said as she strapped her bow to her back and climbed up.