The Coven of the Black Rose

Chapter Twelve: Running Through the Night

Tasra slammed the door open, he disturbed Tessa's and Asha's chattering. "We have to evacuate right now! The Forgonians have found us!"
Both of them were alarmed and stood up. "What are we gonna do?" Tessa asked. Roars of thunder rumbled on the sky. Lightning trembled somewhere around them. Asha went to him and held his hand.
"What about now, Honey? How can we escape?" He felt the coldness of her fingers, her anxiousness she can't even hide. Tessa was even more petrified by then.
"Surrender, now! You've nowhere to go, warlock!" Someone called from the outside. Another lightning trembled again, but this time it hit the roof of their hut. The three of them jumped in surprise. Tessa screamed, knowing that she couldn't control her reactions when frightened.
"He wanted me to surrender. I'll give them what they wanted." He glanced back and forth on the door, then to his sister and Asha. "Both of you, get out of here and evacuate somewhere else." Their surrounding trembled. A portion of their roof was obstructed and was burning.
"Like where? To the woods?" Tessa asked, panic was taking over her voice.
Tasra nodded. "Yes. We don't have other option left."
"What about the wolves — "
"Yes I know! But I will go with you." He went to her closer. "Listen, I think it's better for us to go to the woods together. So now, hide somewhere out there. I'll just buy us some time. Later I'll find you before we rush to the woods, okay?" He hugged her and assured that he would be safe. He and Asha stared at each other. They really must trust each other, especially in tough times like these. Asha gave him a nod. "Asha and I will take care of you, okay? I assure you it won't take long dealing with those wretches, okay?" He pulled away and saw her teary eyes. Tasra touched her face then gave her a smile. "No last words to be said because I won't die today."
He pulled away then Asha shouldered her. "Shall we go now, Tessa?" A fire crackled above them. Once more, Tessa gave him a worried look. "Take care." At once, they both turned away and ran to the backdoor of the hut.
Tasra glanced around then saw a fire growing on a portion of their ceiling. He rushed to the door and opened it. Outside was the sorcerer with knights behind him. Few sparks of flame scattered outside, just as where the lightning struck earlier. The top of the well was destructed with searing flames on its roof. From inside the hut, he heard debris fell and he knew how devastating the sorcerer's lightning damage was. He didn't even flinch upon hearing those. There was no going back and he knew he has to face this. Tasra wasn't so confident to face a sorcerer yet Floressa have been teaching him enough to be good in any combats he could ever face.
"Skryos, sod fohg soha." He whispered. Eventually, the wind's blow got cooler. Tasra went to face the sorcerer.
He laughed at him upon stomping his staff on the ground. "Are you surprised that we've found you? Well, well. What a nice place to hide, eh." He glanced around, side by side, to observe how vast their farmland was. "How lucky to have this. Where are your parents?"
"They already died long ago." Tasra replied. "My parents are one of your victims. Happy to hear that?"
The sorcerer laughed again. "Victims? We're only saving people from you, witches. We're also aware what happened before, ages ago, and we won't let that happen again."
"Who do you think you are to draw our kinds into extinction? Forgon is just a kingdom who think that conquering would make them any better."
The sorcerer unveiled his face. He has short black hair, green eyes, and has aged same as Tasra. He wasn't familiar with him but Tasra could sense how confident, or even boastful he was under his smile and spiteful stare at him. He planted his staff on the soil ground then crossed his arms.
"The name is Hagan Luison. The prince of Forgon, the rightful heir to the throne. What an honor for you to make the prince himself visit your place. You should be grateful that I will escort you to your prison."
"You have to stop this!" Tasra protested fiercely. "We've done nothing wrong to be hunted like this! Especially not within our own country!"
"The sin of the ancestors flows within the blood of their descendants." Hagan replied. The evening breeze got cold and without him noticing, fogs were starting to form and swirl around them. "And we won't let that happen again as long as there are threats to the people of Mirillios."
"We're not a threat. All of us have been living in peace after the Arcane war. We may have done mistakes before and we are certainly aware about that. And we won't ever repeat it. So please, let us go and tell this to your father!"
"You think you could just bend my will into your orders?" He held his staff. "We, Forgonians, don't follow anyone whose against us."
"That's not an order. I need you to understand our sake and your people punishing us would do no good." By that time, the fog has taken over them. The knights remained still, so was Tasra. Hagan waved his hand before his face as he peered through the fog. The flames scattered around them were slowly dying, while others have silently doused. "Why is there suddenly a fog?" He asked irritably. "Anyway, so now you have a chance to surrender and come with us. Otherwise..." He pulled his staff from the ground.
"Why are you here?" Tasra asked. "Why won't your father go here and capture me by himself?"
"Oh!" Hagan laughed once again. "Yes, yes, I get it. We saw what you did to our wolves last night-"
"The wolves." Tasra hissed.
"Yes. Those were our pets, naturally. The Highest House of Light Sorcery has been with us in a victorious alliance. They have given us everything so that we can take down evil magic users such you." He raised his staff and continued. "I won't forget how you fought them. I admit that I am impressed by the way you slain my wolves. Most warlocks and witches we have fought didn't have enough tricks like you do. Unfortunately, you still have to join us. So please," He drew his staff and pointed at him. "FINAL WARNING!"
Tasra opened his right palm. "Not today, bastard."
Hagan's calm expression has shifted in anger when he frowned. "You really wanted this, eh?" He yelled then the gemstone of his staff illuminated. Thunder roared on the heavens. Tasra was already familiar on how deadly the lightnings of sorcerers could be, and on how often they use it. "Agahas sod zokes.", he whispered as he raised his right hand skyward. Before a lightning could smite him, a tall wall of soil rose right before him. It blocked the blast but muds exploded in all directions. The knights' feet trembled and took steps backward, so did Hagan. None of them can spot Tasra since the fog has just thicken that time. Tasra placed his palm on the ground without saying any word. Instantly, the ground beneath Hagan and his knights shook softly. The sorcerer fell on his knees. Behind him, he heard his knights screamed. He tried to get back on his feet and turned to them. Hagan was surprised and almost lost his posture when he saw a wide and deep pit, as if the land dug itself. Staring below were all his dozen knights who helplessly flailed their arms.
"Sire, help us!" Pleaded one of the knights.
"We have to make it through, don't let us die, our prince!" Wailed the others.
Hagan knelt and peered at them. It was truly deep, about several feet below. He barely sees them deep in the hollow and fog. "How did you get there?" He asked impatiently. "You all should be out there and chasing the warlock!" The knights blabbered their apologies to him. In a sudden, the ground shook again. In his fear, he yanked away from the pit. He witnessed how the soil churned and rose beneath the knights. Slowly, it swallowed them, drowning their bodies with soil. Soon enough, their voices were silenced. The tips of their fingers were no longer seen either. The soil surface kept on climbing upwards until it reached  its original and flattened surface, as if nothing happened. Hagan yelled in outrage. The gemstone illuminated once more then pointed his staff to Tasra's direction. It summoned a wave of fire. He felt its heat no matter how chill the fog was. Their surrounding trembled with an explosion right before the hut.
Hagan rushed on his direction but he didn't find him as he suspected. His staff was still illuminating. He caught his breath then raised his staff on the sky directly above him. He shot a yellow beam that painted the dark clouds with orange lightning. Soon, four hippogriffs soared in the sky. White-cloaked sorcerers mounted on each. Its screech echoed through the night sky. They all landed beside Hagan. The prince pulled back his staff then the beam was instantly gone. All the four sorcerers bowed to him, and the prince was pleased upon seeing them. "Search the entire place! I need you all to catch the warlock as well as the people together with him." He turned around then one of the sorcerers spoke.
"My lord, do we have to kill them?"
Hagan halted and replied without looking back at him. "No. We need them alive, as usual."
"Surely, my lord." He bowed. Another one has spoken.
"One of the statues is here, my lord. Do you wish to use its power?"
Hagan beamed at him. "I almost forgot about that. Go ahead."
The sorcerer who reminded him about the statue flew away. He soared towards a carriage with an angel statue, stood on the obstructed fence gate of the farmland. It was similar with the ones Tasra and Tessa saw few days ago. As he landed in front the carriage, he raised his staff and the eyes of the angel glowed. It gleamed the same color as their staff's gemstones. A deep humming sound boomed throughout the entire farmland. At once, all the staffs of the sorcerers were covered by an orange magical aura, even the ones holding by Hagan. All the sorcerers' hippogriff shot skyward to search for Tasra.
Fortunately, Tasra managed to sneakily run away from the prince and his forces that bought him some little time to find Asha and Tessa, so they can escape together. He rarely played spells with earth magic but he was very glad that he pulled a trick on them. He didn't glance around and straightly ran towards the animal pen, because he thought that Asha and Tessa would be hiding there while they waited for him. When he reached it, he only knew that he was right. Tessa hugged him right away. Asha held a spear with her. Leastwise, she has something for defense.
"Where do we go now? What happened to them?" Asha asked with a worried look like Tessa's.
"It was the prince of Forgon. I thought he only had knights but, yeah, sorcerers are now searching for us, too." Hippogriffs kept screeching above the chill breeze of evening. The three of them hid under the roof of the animal pen, but it was also foggy for them to be easily spotted by their foes. Tasra knew they have nowhere else to go, not even their barn for it was too far. They knew that they must be cautious on their movements because they might hint their presence.
"Can you both sneak into the woods?" Tasra asked them.
"But we'll have to cross the stream." Asha reminded him. "Though I think it's not that deep for us to swim at."
Tessa pulled away. "I can swim. I tried to swim there few times back then."
Tasra nodded and forced a smile to his sister. He whispered. "So we should go ahead. They might hear us." Asha was about to lead their way to the stream but from above, a figure of light has fallen from behind. It was a fire ball that almost struck them, several feet away. It probably hit a portion of their barn as they heard another explosion of debris. All the animals within their pen made noises as they were also startled by the blasting nearby them. Animal noises in the farms were just normal, so they used it as an advantage to cover up their noise. Even though, they moved stealthy as they can. One at a time, a fire ball landed in their farmland, desolating the lushness of the fields. Every blast left sparks of flame that cannot be killed by the chillness of the fog. Unfortunately, Tasra noticed that the fog wasn't lasting longer and the scenery were slowly becoming clear and visible again.
"Oh no, this is bad." Tasra muttered while they dashed across the fields. "They might see us any moment. Quickly!" By that time, they were walking across the carrot field. He felt sorry because they just fed it with fertilizer but now, they were stepping over it. However, it was a good thing that they managed not to stumble.  They were near the stream. Hopefully its cold and shivering water were bearable enough. More even worse, few portions of their field crop were already blasted. Luckily, soft fogs still wafted on the whole farmland. At least, Tasra was glad that his spell worked. Their path ahead was slightly fogged. He glanced above to see where those fire balls were coming from. One of the sorcerers who mounted on a hippogriff caught his attention. He was wondering why his staff was so visible in the dark. The sorcerer simply pointed its staff somewhere then the gemstone shone brightly. Flames grew out from it, forming into a ball of fire. When it was big enough, it flew away towards the direction where the staff was pointed. Then there it goes, a massive explosion devoured a tree stood nearby the borders of their wheat field.
He knew it wasn't good for them, so he placed his palm again on the land then whispered, "Agahas sem." Tasra joined Tessa and Asha who stealthy stepped in to the shallow stream. Behind them. The ground shook a little. The animals inside pen were startled and made restless noises. The cows mooed, chickens clucked, the sheep bleated louder. The three hippogriffs screeched as the animals' noises distracted them. They swiftly flew down the animal pen. It was a good distraction, Tasra thought. Hopefully, they wouldn't harm their animals in any way possible.
Behind them, the entire farm field was seen and was no longer concealed by the faint fog. They can distinguish the figures of obstructed buildings as well as the silhouettes of trees and crops. Their resting hut was being swallowed by flames, too. Overall, the silence was bothered by the livestock's noise and the blaze's crackling around. They swam towards the woods. In truth, the stream wasn't deep. Tasra can also feel the surface beneath. They were midway across the stream but Tasra glanced around. There was no one flying nearby them. He was brushed with relieved. Surprisingly, the fog he summoned has also reached the woods. It was a safe place to escape through, since none among the prince's forces have reached it yet. Later on, they stepped on the bank of the stream. Their body was wet and dripping. They stopped and panted, catching their breath for a little while. It was really exhausting. Running through the entire farm land then swimming on the stream's shivering waters in the evening. They were glad that they reached the woods safely.
"So what's the next plan? Where will we go?" Asha asked, squeezing her wet hair while her spear was settled on the ground.
"We'll find our way out." He replied. "Hopefully they won't easily find us here." He led their way in to the woods.
"Are there wolves?" Tessa asked. "I'm afraid to see them tonight."
"Most probably." Her brother replied. "The prince told me that those are their pets. They are the main reason why they've found us here."
"That's why it is strange to find wandering sheep in the evening." Asha concluded, picking her spear again. It was only then when Tasra noticed her spear, even though it wasn't enough to outmatch the wolves nor the sorcerers. Yet he knew how comfortable she was when using spears. Why would he doubt her? She was skilled in physical combats unlike him, so he trusted her with that. Suddenly, a hippogriff screeched in the sky. How fortunate it was. The flying sorcerer casted a fire blast towards their direction.
"Run!" Tasra said upon rushing towards the woods. Even with their damp cloth, they were able to run as fast as they could, and were able to dodge the sorcerer's blast. "Just run straight ahead! Later we'll see the pavements of Loverra." They knew that would take them a very long run and was very exhausting yet they have no other option. Splitting up wouldn't be a wise choice, as well. They knew that their foes were many and could chase them as more sorcerers could appear in the sky. To be together is better, Tasra thought to himself. He remembered the moments when his parents, Tessa, and himself were running from Forgonians. A mistake of splitting up, another torment that brushed his memory once more.