Tainted Bloodline...🩸

6.

As they trudged through the endless twilight, Asher's fatigue grew. The shadows seemed to writhe around them, making every step feel like a struggle. Dawn never seemed to rise in this forsaken land.

"So... what are you?" Asher asked, breaking the silence. "I mean, you don't seem normal."

Nimue's gaze remained fixed on the path ahead.

"Faeborne."

Asher's brow furrowed. "Uh, I'm kinda new to all this. If you wouldn't mind explaining..."

Her slender shoulders shifted in a subtle shrug. "Fairy... I'm a fairy."

Asher's eyes darted to her pointed ears, and he whispered to himself, "That explains the pointy ears."

"So, there are other creatures like you? And Callisto?" he asked, curiosity sparking.

Nimue nodded, her blonde flowery hair fluttering in the faint breeze.

Suddenly, she halted, her head cocked. She sniffed the air, her emerald eyes narrowing.

Asher's confusion deepened. "Uh...?"

Before he could finish, an arrow tore through the air, its feathered shaft whistling with deadly force. Nimue's hand flashed up, catching the arrow with inhuman speed.

"Run!" she yelled

Asher's heart racing, he sprinted after Nimue as she dashed through the shadows. The air seemed to thicken with danger, and the silence was replaced by the pounding of his heart and the rustle of leaves.

They weaved through twisted tree branches, the arrow's attacker hidden from view. Nimue's grip on Asher's wrist was like a vice, propelling him forward.

"What's happening?!" Asher exclaimed, his voice laced with panic.

Nimue's response was laced with dread. "Callisto... he's found us."

Arrows whizzed past, their deadly trajectories illuminated by faint moonlight filtering through the canopy. Nimue dodged each with inhuman agility, her hair fluttering wildly. Asher struggled to keep pace, his heart racing.

As they burst through the underbrush, Nimue collided with Callisto, her petite frame crashing into his towering mass. Asher stumbled, losing balance.

Callisto's menacing growl reverberated through the air.

"You damned fairy..." His voice dripped with malice.

His fangs bared, his eyes blazed with an unnatural red glow, like embers from a hellish fire. Black claws extended from his fingertips, their razor-sharp edges glinting. His skin seemed to ripple with dark energy.

Callisto's grip crushed Nimue's neck, lifting her off the ground. Her feet flailed, seeking purchase.

"I spared you and your scrawny friends the last time you came across me.." Callisto's eyes glittered

"I'll use you as an example to them to never cross me again"

Callisto pierced his claws in Nimue's neck
A cry tore from her lips, a haunting banshee like wail that sent shivers down Asher's spine.

Asher grasped a sturdy branch, its rough bark biting into his palm. With a surge of desperation, he swung it at Callisto's head.

The branch cracked against Callisto's skull, the impact jolting through Asher's arms. Callisto's grip on Nimue relaxed.

As Callisto turned, his gaze locked onto Asher, contempt twisting his face.

"Pathetic..." He spat.

But his attention was diverted as his hand began to melt, skin bubbling like molten wax. He recoiled, hissing in agony.

Nimue seized the opportunity, her leg sweeping Callisto off his feet. A sharp claw raked across his face, accompanied by glowing yellow eyes and a thunderous roar.

Callisto felt himself lifted, suspended mid-air.

"Nimue! Are you okay?" A girl emerged from the shadows, her voice laced with concern.

Nimue nodded, her emerald eyes blazing.

"Kill the bastard," Nimue growled.

The girl began chanting, her words weaving an incantation. Nature responded, roots and branches bursting from the earth to ensnare Callisto. Thorns pierced his skin, drawing crimson rivulets.

A boy appeared, transforming from a majestic black wolf to a lithe young man. Asher stumbled, awestruck.

"Nimue!"

Arrows exploded through the air, their deadly trajectories illuminated by flickering moonlight.

"Runnnn!!!" The group yelled in unison.

Nimue grasped Asher's hand, pulling him through the chaotic woods...

To be continued...