The Curse of Night

Night - Flying

Natalie looked at me with a surprised look. "Flying?!"

I nodded. "Yeah. It'd be really fun! Don't you think? We could be really powerful, in a real battle."

Natalie still looked a little worried. "You do realize, Demons don't fly, because Wind Spirits are also against us? They'll try to kill me!"

I thought for a moment. "But, you'll be on a DRAGON. I could protect you, you realize?"

Natalie laughed.  "No! Just, no. It wouldn't work."

I stood. "Uh huh?"

Natalie slowly got to her feet, probably realizing what I was about to do.  "Y.. You wouldn't..."

I grinned. "I could! I totally could! We've been in this cave almost ALL. DAY. I'm BORED."

Natalie let out a squeak, and started sprinting (to the best of her ability) out of the cave. "You can't make me! You wouldn't!"

I took that as a challenge. Changing to my dragon form, I ran out of the cave. "Yes I can!"

Leaping into the air, I grabbed her and flew straight up. I could hear her shrieking, and found it oddly amusing. Almost to the clouds now, I dove. Doing spirals that made her shriek even louder.

Her hoodie was apparently too big for her, and she slid out of it. She grabbed it at the last second. I could hear her screaming her head off, and stopped spinning. I gently leveled out, and flew more straight.

"Night! You fool! HELP ME!"

I lifted her closer to me. "Well, climb on then."

It didn't take her long to do as she was told. Apparently being this high up wasn't a game to her, even if I could catch her when she fell...

"Night! Please! I CAN'T be this far in the air! No matter who is "protecting" me! And it's getting dark. As you said, neither of us can be out at night! No matter what!"

I sighed. "Fine, then."

I could feel her holding on more tight as I dove again. I was headed for a small clearing in the middle of a forest. At this point, I had no clue where our original cave was, but also knew it wouldn't take too long to find another one.

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Landing took a little while, but eventually we were "safely" on the ground... The only thing worrying me now, was that we failed to find a cave before nightfall.

There was a large snap in a bush, and I looked over at it. Narrowing my eyes, I pulled out my crossbow, and loaded an arrow as quietly as possible.

Natalie slowly walked to my side. "Is something wrong?"

"Shh... Something's there... And it's not a good thing." I slowly aimed at the bush. With any luck, I would be able to hit what was behind it. 

I could tell Natalie was confused, and I was also surprised to see that her bow could materialize  in her hand. ... At least it didn't randomly fall from the sky.

Shooting the bush did nothing at first. Unsure if I actually hit what I was aiming for, if there was even anything, I reached for another arrow. That was when an angered screech made both Natalie and I jump, and three Mages exploded out from behind it.

My eyes widened, realizing that these were the people after me, after I started the war between good and evil Mages, saving my former leader. There were only three this time, two BloodMages and a VenomMage.

"Go! Run!"

Natalie aimed and fired an arrow at the VenomMage. "I can't! You shot my ankle, back on that building!" She loaded another arrow. "Who the heck are they?!"

I got out another arrow, and aimed at one of the BloodMages. "The people I freaking said were after me!" I fired. And of course missed. "There's a VenomMage and a BloodMage!"

Natalie looked ready to panic, as again her shot missed. "What do we do?! I know NOTHING, NOTHING AT ALL about Mages!"

As I aimed at the VenomMage again, I saw one of the BloodMages leap at Natalie, and the other one teleport behind her, and grabbing her. She dropped her bow, which disappeared. Half distracted by her struggling, I again missed. I'm running out of arrows!  I thought, starting to lose my courage about this battle. Four arrows, three of them... I can't miss, not anymore!

I got another arrow ready, and shot the one who had Natalie in the leg. It staggered, and I took the open chance, and shot it a second time. It dropped her, fell, and disappeared.

Two arrows...!

I now saw a dagger appear in Natalie's hand, and she stood, ready to defend herself again. But what the heck would a dagger do against a BloodMage?! Or, even worse, the VenomMage?

I watched in frustration as the BloodMage, apparently annoyed about losing its buddy, pounced at Natalie, its claws ready. I watched with even more frustration as she tried to stab it. Again, what the heck would a dagger to a MAGIC thing?

My concentration on her safety shattered, as I heard the chanting of words come from the VenomMage. I ducked in time to avoid several daggers, probably with poison on it, come flying at where my face used to be. It hit the tree, just above me.

I guessed from Natalie's shriek of anger, that she was pinned. I jumped behind the tree I was near, and got another arrow ready.

I heard Natalie cry out in pain, and hoped desperately that she was okay.

Trying to get my focus back, I came out from hiding and shot the VenomMage. Without even aiming, I had managed to hit it in the chest. Without a sound, it fell. Since it didn't disappear I knew it was truly dead.

I went back behind the tree, and got my last arrow ready. Again Natalie cried out, and I knew if I didn't do something NOW, she wouldn't be okay.

Loading the last arrow, I jumped out from behind the tree again, firing at the one standing thing I saw.

I saw Natalie stop struggling. Did it... Kill her?!

Wait..

A jolt of horror hit me. I staggered.

I hit Natalie.

I... Shot Natalie.

I missed horribly... And shot Natalie...!

She looked over at me, her eyes filled with pain, and shattered trust. The Mage disappeared with her.

I fell to my knees. "No... I.. No...!"