Wizard of the Wood

Fighting Fate pt. 2

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27

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Rylir gasped for air, huddling by Essie's neck to shield himself. Noxious gas surrounded Essie's face and filled her nose and mouth and, with him being there by her neck, it had invaded his body too. Instantly, bitter bile filled his throat and made him collapse and wretch. The taste of iron saturated his throat, making him gasp for air.

Flames threatened to consume both Essie and him as frigid wind threatened to give them frostbite. Rylir squinted through the terrible, noxious gas at the menacing faces of the five giants now towering over them.

This wasn't happening.

This couldn't be happening.

How could all five of them be so unfeeling toward another of their kind?

What was more alarming was that Essie was staring blankly at the sky far above. Her eyes were dulling. Blood began dripping out of her nose as she too was gasping for air.

He did this.

If Rylir hadn't coaxed her, encouraged her to come down and fight for the defense of the town, then she would not be in pain now. She would not be suffering like this right now.

No.

He had to do something.

Anything.

"Essie," coughed Rylir as he huddled closer to Essie's neck just below her ear. His heart was racing, pounding out of her chest with the ferocity of an avalanche. His vision began clouding. Was he losing consciousness?

No...

Not now...

With the last of his strength, Rylir forced out the words as loud as he could manage.

"Fight! You have to fight! I... can't... lose you..."

Essie felt a single tear trace the side of her cheek.

Rylir.

His words rang over and over in her mind.

I can't lose you.

Suddenly, everything seemed to be brought into perspective.

By giving into the pain, by giving into the fear, she was losing Rylir. She was sacrificing him, her only friend, because she was afraid, stunned by memories of the past.

A realization hit her, and in an instant empowered her.

While those memories hurt and while they did happen, they were in the past.

They couldn't hurt her. Those terrible, wicked memories could only hurt her if she allowed them to hurt her.

Time completely slowed around her. She closed her eyes and saw the cracking dam holding back the black waters of regrets and memories threatening to cascade over the edge and swallow her whole. She watched the veil teetering on the edge, ready to fall before her eyes, threatening to reveal the monstrosities looming behind it.

Essie slowed her breathing.

Essie let her body relax and she repeated the phrase in her mind over and over again.

They can't hurt me.

They can't hurt me.

This is who I was, and this is who I choose to be.

You will not take my friend from me.

You have no power over me.

Then, she felt it.