Ithika: Into The Forest

Chapter 11

The tall vampire had white hair. His dark robe hung on his bird-like frame. His pale skin seeped into his bony cheeks. The expression on his face lifted. And his chapped lips opened to reveal sharp, yellowed teeth. "I have waited for you, my Queen."

His voice echoed of many voices as he spoke. He drew closer, his bony hand reaching to touch her soft cheek."You must come with me. The girl still lives in you and needs to be spirit-drained."

"No!" Laza screamed. She swung pellets of water toward him, only to have the beads deflect off an invisible force field of energy.

Esthony heard an angelic voice inside her conscience. "Go with him my child. You shall be more powerful and beautiful than any in this land." Her body shook. Something living inside her wanted to leave with the vampire. She fought the urge to grab his hand.

Laza screamed. "Esthony, call to them! Call to them now!"

A loud echoed scream from Esthony's throat rose and seeped into the forest, vibrating the dirt, rocks and trees. Birds flew from the branches. Wolves cried in the night. Suddenly the large tree swung its branch across the sorcerer's face.

​Trees pulled thick roots from the ground, and swung them at the vampire's head. Birds attached his face. Wolves ran toward him with snarling fangs.

The sorcerer's frail, bony hands twirled to create a swirling, dark cloud above his head. His red eyes brightened furiously. A loud shriek of screams leapt from his mangled body and in an instant, he vanished.

Esthony's body dropped to the ground. Laza flew quickly to her side. "I'm okay," she sighed. "Quick, we have to get Alice to a..." Esthony glanced around wildly. "Where'd she go!" She turned her weak eyes to the bloody spot where Alice once lay.

"She's gone!" Laza breathed.

The luminous figure's speech came to an abrupt halt as his eyes flickered with uncertainty. Sensing the urgency in his gaze, Landon leapt from his chair and vanished into thin air, reappearing in the depths of the forest where Laza and Esthony were frantically scouring the surroundings in search of Alice. A sense of dread hung heavy in the air as Landon's voice trembled, "She's gone... she will be transformed into a Vampire Witch."

A heavy silence settled among them, the weight of their helplessness palpable. "We can no longer save her," Landon sighed, his voice devoid of hope. "She's fallen into the clutches of the dark coven. We must leave before they return."

In an instant, they found themselves on the opposite side of the sphere. Anne Wright hurriedly approached her shaken daughter, concern etched across her face. "What happened, honey?"

Esthony's breath came out in a shaky whisper, "I... I don't know."

Landon interjected, his voice filled with urgency, "They were attacked by the dark coven."

Anne's face tightened with worry, her voice trembling, "Landon, you know she shouldn't have been on the other side. We are vulnerable there!"

"Alice was attacked, Mom!" Esthony cried, her voice filled with anguish.

Laza's voice joined in, her words heavy with sorrow, "Just like Margaret, except this time she was taken by the vampire within Elkwood."

"His name is Robert Huntington." She finishes with a quiver in her voice.

Anne's gasp filled the air, her voice trembling with fear. "A dark coven vampire appeared... with you in Elkwood forest?"

Esthony's response came out in a stutter, "Yes."

Laza interjected, her voice filled with admiration, "But Esthony saved us! She used her powerful forest siren voice to call for help during the attack."