Fates and Thrones

Test

 I froze in fear, Athenrún's tests were always different, but this was pushing it. Tiyanak's were something my mother repeatedly warned me about when I grew up around these woods. Yet, here was one in the woods crying out. I watched as the blonde twin braced herself to run towards it. Only her counterpart anchoring her.

I wrung my hands behind my back and dropped my head. I did not want to put these girls through this, the others had not made it through any of Her tests. I was confident in these girls. Though, I swore that these two were my last ones that I would help. I am done with watching these girls fail repeatedly.

A shrill cry split the air again. This time Ajita could not stop Aleesia from tearing after the sounds of a baby crying. "Al! Stop, we do not know what it is! We must go!" Her voice echoed in the forest around us.

As the twins chased after the sounds, the forest seemed to lean in to watch. The leaves were waving in the air, no matter if there was no wind to blow them. The trees crying out their warnings for the lives that could be lost.

I shook my hands out and chased after the girls. Athenrún's vow, holding my tongue from warning the girls the true dangers of this forest. My skin crawling with the feeling of the shadows that lurked behind me. I could hear as they stalked behind, waiting for someone to fall prey to the Tiyanak's cries. "Da nobis, princeps. Sanguinem eorum epulari volumus."

Ignoring the whispers, I trekked through the woods fighting every instinct to turn and run. I looked down at my arms, to see the goosebumps from the whispers. Athenrún knew I hated going through these woods, but without fail, she always made me go either to put them back or to make sure the girls didn't die.

I finally caught up to Ajita as Aleesia reached the source of the cries. I bit my bottom lip and stared at the monster before looking at the twins. I would not be the one to tell them, but this is the first of many tests that they will be faced with. I stared at the shapeshifter and clutched my pouch in my pocket. The lavender pelt pouch filled with rosemary and garlic to repel the creature from me.

"Aleesia, something is wrong. No one would leave their child out here." The panic in Ajita's voice flooded my ears. Her panic was palpable as she tried to drag her sister away.

"We must take it with us to the Village. Ajita, we cannot leave it here!" Aleesia took another step forward reaching down. The crying stopped in response and the creature raised its hands as if it wanted to be picked up. Aleesia continued to bend down and scoop the child in her arms. "Shhh, baby. I got you." Her body bouncing up and down as she rocked the monster. "Nothing will ever happen to you, not while I have you."

"Aleesia!" A scream tore through me before I could shove it down. "Put it down!"

"Al! Listen!" Ajita's voice was even more panicked as we watched the baby's skin shed. A little goblin with sharp teeth laying in Aleesia's arms, replacing the bundle Aleesia originally held. Her tears seemed to stop the monster from attacking, but she still was in major danger.

I dropped my pack and went to rush forward, but the tattoo on my arm burnt in a clear warning to step away from this. "Athenrún, please. Don't make me watch them die. Not again! This is how the last ones went out! Let me save them." Laughter in the wind was my only answer.

"Tiyanak. Origin, Philippine origin." Ajita started naming facts.

"Trust in the twins, darlin' Jax. I have utter faith in these two. Besides, if they make it, you are free. I cannot just have you giving them the answers."

"Most come from babies that had no proper burial." She said as she dropped to her knees. Her pack was fuller than the rest of ours, and now I see why. She brought books along with her. "Jax, I need your help. I need you to place these candles in a pentagram around Aleesia." As she looked up, I saw tears running down her face. "We have to save her."

I looked over at Aleesia and saw the monster had moved past her tears and started to suck her dry. I took a step bracing for the burning sensation again, but it was not there. Ajita figured it out and I could help with this. I ran over to her, knowing I was free for now. I snatched 4 candles from her, one red, one blue, one yellow, one green. One for each element.

Starting north, I placed the green candle. Turning to my right, I took a few steps and set down the yellow candle. Continuing my actions, I placed the red and blue candle. I turned to see that Ajita had moved to the middle of the circle and grabbed Aleesia's hands. "Hold this one twin." I watched as she placed a solid white candle at her feet. "I will save you."

"Jax, light the candles. It is time that I invoke this circle and give this creature the burial it deserved."