The Chosen Dawnseeker

Chapter 8

As Thalia was walking Hannah out to Whispering Willows that night, Hannah turned around and looked at her. "Look, I don't mean to cause trouble with you, Thalia. I respect you, a lot. But what's your problem with me all of the sudden?" Hannah asked.
"Cindy, you've neglected the rules despite the repeated times we've told them to you. I don't like people like that. Also ever since you showed up, everything's been changing. I meant what I said earlier, you're not the savior here. The Chosen Dawnseeker is a myth, always has been. You're gonna get yourself killed out there, Cindy. I don't wanna bury someone else" Thalia said as she put Hannah in the hut and shut and locked the door. Hannah put her hand on the door. "Thalia. You do know we have to find a way out of this place eventually, right? We can't stay here forever, we don't belong here" Hannah said.
"Yeah I know. But I'm willing to wait as long as possible for anything, just as long as it doesn't get anyone killed. Don't be stupid tomorrow, Cindy" Thalia said as she walked away. Hannah sat down, her back to the wall. She couldn't sleep, no. Her mind was racing at a million miles a minute so she definitely couldn't sleep. She just placed her head in her arms when she heard the sound of little footsteps on the dirt outside the hut. She lifted her head up but she didn't see anything. Then she was startled when a little red fox poked its head out in front of the door. Well Blaze was about 40 inches long, including his tail, as he was an Adult red fox. So maybe little wasn't the correct description, Blaze was pretty big.
"Oh my-....Blaze? You scared me. What are you doing here, huh?" Hannah said as she reached her hand through the gated door and began to pet Blaze. "He wanted to see you" Kieran said as he walked up and sat down by the door.
"Shouldn't you be asleep, Kieran?" Hannah asked him. "Yeah, but I wanted to do this for you" He said as he slipped some food underneath the door. Hannah grabbed it and began eating. "Thanks, Kieran. Seriously, thank you. You didn't have to do this" Hannah said. "Yeah but I wanted to" Kieran admitted. Kieran looked Hannah up and down. "Y'know, I think you're doing the right thing. Thalia may not, but I do. You're probably one of the bravest people I've seen, in all the 2 years that I've been here. I heard they made you a dawnseeker. You nervous?" Kieran asked. "Yeah I'm terrified. But someone's gotta do it, Kieran. Someone's gotta look for a way out of this place" Hannah told him. Kieran nodded. "You're going in the jungle in the morning?" Kieran asked. Hannah nodded. "Yeah yeah but I don't know what I'd do, I don't even know if I'll be able to get some sleep" Hannah said. "Well I can't help with that, but I hope you do end up getting to sleep. You need it" Kieran smiled. Then his face got serious. "Hey can you promise me something?" Kieran asked.
"Yeah of course. What is it?" Hannah asked. "When you go into the jungle, don't die, ok? I don't want you to die" Kieran said. Hannah's heart shattered. Kieran was such a sweet little boy. Yeah she would stay alive. For him.
"I will. I promise, I will. I'm gonna keep looking, ok? I won't give up" Hannah reassured him. Kieran sat there and he fiddled with something in his shirt collar. "Hey what is that?" Hannah asked. Kieran pulled a necklace out from underneath his shirt. It was a silver necklace with a moonstone pendant. "Evelyn gave it to me when we first started dating. She told me to wear it until I find someone I care deep enough about and give it to them. I want you to have it" Kieran said, handing the necklace down to Hannah. She gave it back to him. "Kieran, that's nice and all, but I want you to find someone else to give it to. Someone that you truly care deeply about. I guarantee you'll find someone like that eventually" Hannah said to him and he put the necklace back on. "Me and Blaze are gonna head back, get some sleep" He said as he stood up and began to walk away. "Hey, Kieran? Come back here for a sec" Hannah said and Kieran walked back. "I'm gonna try to find a way out of here. Me and Rylan, we'll find it. I promise. Alright?" Kieran nodded and he stood up. "Night, Hannah" He said. "Good night, buddy" Hannah responded and she watched him and Blaze walk away.

Later that night, Hannah was staring up at the ceiling. "Whispering willows, huh? If only you were a human, this would be much easier but you're just a bunch of trees. But let me give this a try" She said as she closed her eyes and reopened them, after taking a deep breath. "Look, what the hell am I doing here? Like Thalia said, ever since I showed up, things have been changing and from the looks of it, they haven't been good. It seems like a cruel joke, being sent here just to screw up. I'm letting everyone down, all because I can't take a hint and just listen" Hannah said but she heard a deep male voice and she jumped, not expecting that.
"Well I say you have been listening just fine, just not to the right people" One of the old Druids from earlier said. "Oh it's you. What are you doing here?" Hannah asked. "You asked for someone to talk to face to face. Here I am" He said, with a smirk. "You're.....the trees?" Hannah questioned. "Not exactly. My name is Druid Branor, you can just call me Branor. But nevertheless, I'm here now. Come, I must show you something" Branor said as he held his hand out. Hannah was hesitant but she grabbed his hand and suddenly she wasn't in Whispering Willows anymore. She was in the same part of some forest like she was in her dream. "Wha-? If they see me gone, they're gonna kill me! Especially Thalia, you have to take me back" Hannah said, worried.
"Relax, child. You're only gonna be gone for a second" another old guy said.
"Look, why am I here? What do you want with me?" Hannah asked.
"How did you know how to kill that baneclaw, Hannah?" Branor asked.
".......I don't know, I just knew. I don't even know how I knew" Hannah admitted.
"It's possible you could be retaining your memories back, Hannah. Look, we don't have long. Eldran's presence still looms large. Do what you need to do, Hannah. You might not realize it now, but your choices will shape your destiny. Remember that. And remember when I said things were going to change? Well now things are really gonna start changing. Make wise choices, Hannah. Save the villagers" Branor said, and then Hannah was back in Whispering Willows. Apparently she had fell asleep for a while but it was still dark out. People were rushing and running outside Whispering Willows, in a panic. Screaming was heard from the village and she knew exactly who it sounded like. Aelar.
"Hey! Someone get me out!" She pleaded, begging to be let out of the hut. No one came. She grabbed onto the gated door and pushed, trying to get it open. It didn't budge. She pushed harder and harder but it didn't move. She didn't see it, but her eyes changed that same fluorescent green as they did in the jungle and Hannah began shouldering the door and eventually, the lock broke off, the door swung open and Hannah tumbled outside Whispering Willows. Her eyes had gone back to normal. She ran, running into the village and into the med hut where the screaming was coming from. What she saw shocked her. Aelar was sprawled out on the ground, all bloodied up with Kieran and Ethan surrounding him. On the other side of the room, Rylan and Thalia were outside of the room that had Jenna in it and Hannah stepped inside but was stopped by Thalia placing a hand on her chest. Hannah stared down Thalia as she grabbed her hand and removed it before stepping into the room. Jenna was standing up but something was wrong with her. Her eyes had changed to a dead, deep red. The same color as the baneclaws.
"She's slowly turning into one of them" Thalia said, and Hannah looked to Jenna. She slowly stepped forward. "Jenna? Are you ok?"
Jenna shook her head fast. "No, no I'm not. I didn't mean to hurt him" Jenna said, and it sounded like she was sobbing. Hannah looked to Aelar who was still on the ground. "You-......you did that to him?" Hannah asked.
Jenna nodded. "I didn't mean to. I did a bad thing" She said, almost sounding delusional.
Hannah looked at her. "Well look if we find a way out of here, we'll get you all the help you need, ok?"
"No. We're not getting out of here. They made it impossible" Jenna said.
"What?" Hannah asked.
Jenna turned and looked at Hannah. "I remember. Everything"
"What do you remember, Jenna?" Hannah asked.
"I remember you. I remember looking at you as I drowned. I don't understand. They sent you here but they always liked you the most. You were the special one" Jenna said, then she got quiet. Hannah backed away, sort of scared.
"Hannah. Where's Hannah...?" Aelar muttered, weakly. Hannah knelt down beside him. "I'm here, I'm right here" Hannah told him. She knew he was going to die, there was too much blood. Aelar then looked directly into Hannah's eyes and pressed a finger on her neck, right where the mark was. His eyes widened. "I knew it. It's you. Hannah, find a way out of here. Save the others. Kill the entity. Be the Chosen Dawnseeker, the person you're meant to be. Promise me, you will" Aelar said, however whispering so that no one else would hear but himself and Hannah. Hannah tried keeping the tears in her eyes but she couldn't. Aelar was going to die and it tugged on her heartstrings. Aelar was her friend, he....he couldn't die. Hannah nodded. "I will. I will, I promise" Hannah said, her voice breaking. Aelar nodded and grabbed her hand. "Thank you" He whispered, before closing his eyes and taking his final breath.
"No!" Hannah shouted, lowering her head and sobbing into Aelar's body.