Taking Back

The Clearing

Warning: minor self-harm

Alisha managed to locate the trails. She looked up to see her tower. 

You okay, Your Highness?

Alisha looked down to see Anaka following her. Alisha sighed. 

"Yeah. Everything around me brings back so many memories, but it hurts knowing that I can't relive those moments I cherished the most." 

Well, that's the best thing about memories; you get to make new memories and cherish those even more. 

Anaka beamed a toothy grin and flew to Alisha's shoulder. Alisha scratched under Anaka's chin and made a growling purr. She looked around and breathed in the fresh air; she loved it outside. Alisha felt free away from her visions and her princess duties. She heard a scream of distress ahead. 

Did you hear that?

"Yeah, we should see who it was," replied Alisha as she hurried down the beaten path. She passed many trees of maple, oak, and pine. The thorn bushes tugged her dress as the trail got overgrown from lack of use. Anaka flew from Alisha's shoulder and jumped from branch to branch ahead of the princess. The little hatchling stopped at a bough that looked over a clearing. She slowed when she saw an orange flash. 

"Goddammit!" screamed a male voice. 

Eddie? Alisha thought, curious about his safety, but she stopped herself. If Eddie is a Chermonoan, aren't they supposed to be enemies? He had been nothing but kind to her, despite hiding his origin. Or was that just part of some enemy plot of his? Whatever the reason, she simply could not ignore the screams of someone distressed. She then came near a patch of brush, where she saw Eddie near a river. But he wasn't alone. Another figure stood near him, wearing a bluish cloak, along with - are those wings? Who is this guy, she thought, and why was it with Eddie? Does he know him, or is he a threat of some kind?

"I don't need to. I don't need to. I don't need to!" yelled Eddie, seeming quite enraged. "I can do this myself! Why won't you people leave me alone!?!"

You are being very unreasonable, boy, said the figure in blue.

"I'm being unreasonable?!? You are out of your mind!" Eddie exclaimed, his face getting redder by the moment. 

You can't simply hide here forever, especially when you're this unstable. The figure retorted.

I mean, look at yourself! Your eyes have begun to darken, and your fangs have sprouted. For Cholo's sake, look at your arm!

Alisha stayed in the safety of the bushes, squinted her eyes a bit, and saw something shocking: fur covered Eddie's arm, claws elongated, muscle bulging as if it could rip his arm apart at any moment. She could not believe what she was seeing. What is happening?

"Th-this is nothing," Eddie stuttered, trying to stay calm. "I can easily fix this. It's not that big of a deal."

Not a big deal?! The figure yelled. Look at it! You possibly couldn't even focus enough to reverse it! You are out of control, which is why you are in this mess!

"Screw you! No, I'm not!" As he yelled, he slammed his fist into the trunk of a nearby tree. The tree then, immediately on contact, burst into flames and broke in half, falling into the river. The figure pointed at the tree, making an exaggerated expression to show his seriousness.

"That was an accident," Eddie quickly responded.

I insist you come home. The figure spoke once more. Even if it means, well, you can't stay like this. What if you endanger this kingdom? Or its inhabitants? Or what about that girl?

Eddie's eyes widened. Whether it was with fear or rage, even Eddie did not know, but he did not like it.

That's right, I'm aware; you didn't think I would notice? The figure turned around and, to Alisha's shock, transformed into a giant four-winged Raven beast. If this is what you want to do, I will not stop you, but I will keep an eye on you.

He then unfurled his wings and began to take the air. The Raven beast left. Eddie looked at his arm, appearing repulsed and disgusted by its form. He then grabbed a sharp rock from the river and stabbed himself with it, rage and despair filling his eyes with every swing as he watched his arm heal wound after wound as if he were stabbing the water. He then yelled and clenched his fist as he jammed it into the sharp edge of the rock, eventually causing enough damage that his arm reverted, becoming simply a shredded and bloody mess.

As the wounds began to heal again, he looked up at the sky, a calm yet eerie sadness in his eyes, then back to his arm, pondering what the Raven beast had said.

"He's wrong," Eddie said to himself. "He's wrong! I can control it. I just have to do better! That way, no one ever has to know. Not even her, especially not her! I made a promise. I have to keep it, and I'll do it without anyone being the wiser, I'm sure of it."

He laid down on the grass, and his legs stretched into the lake. As his mind raced on as he drifted into a short slumber, he never even noticed, though sharp as his senses may be, the princess secretly ran away from the brush after bearing witness to the secret he wished to keep from her.

Alisha had so many questions while running away from the clearing. She didn't know what to think or feel. She looked back to see that Anaka wasn't following her. 

"Anaka?" she called out. She immediately felt lightheaded, and she caught herself on a nearby tree. Alisha felt betrayed. Alisha didn't know who or what was talking to Eddie, but she could tell they didn't seem to like each other much. Eddie did seem stressed and on edge. She guessed it was her fault. Why couldn't she trust people at their word and help? The image of the rapist flashed across her mind. She could still feel his body on her and the way he touched her. She wished she could erase every moment, but those weeks she spent with him made her feel numb and hopeless. She cried and screamed while punching the tree, leaving dents in her fists until it toppled over. She didn't care as she lay and curled against it. 

Why did her happiest life become traded with despair and pain? She didn't ask for it. 

Alisha felt a fury build inside as she slammed her fist even more with unexplained strength. She screamed once more as her body felt as if it was on fire. Alisha felt her fingernails grow into talons. She felt a sharp pain in her back and tailbone and a migraine. She opened her eyes to see her senses had sharpened and felt her pupils dilate and contrast. 

She smelled the area around her and smelled smoke as fire swarmed the area. 

"Oh no," she gasped. "No, no, no!" 

She noticed the fire began growing out of control. 

"Anaka!" screamed Alisha as the fires grew bigger. "Eddie!" 

Eddie opened his eyes as he felt a rough tongue licking his wounds. He shot up when he saw the little gold dragon licking his arms to the point where they healed. There were no remaining scars. Anaka shifted her head from side to side and looked down the trail. He looked up in the same direction and saw what appeared to be smoke in the air. A campfire? That doesn't make sense. It's still daytime.

Then, he heard a scream. "Eddie!" The voice hollered. His eyes widened.

"Alisha," he said aloud. He then began running in the direction of the smoke. "No, no, no, no, no."

As he ran, he saw flames sparking and flying about. He heard Alisha scream again, and it was clear. He was getting closer, but there was too much fire to run through to see where she was. "NO! NO! NO!" he yelled to himself, trying to find her. "Please don't let it happen! Not again! I'll do anything. Let me get to her in time! CHOLO, PLEASE!!"

Then, suddenly, his body felt different, as though it had gotten lighter, faster. Without focusing on it, his body morphed into a pair of wings covered in fur and feathers, allowing him to race so quickly that his speed created a gust of wind, putting out the flames. "PRINCESS!" he shrieked out. "I'M HERE!"