The Power Within (On hold)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

         A dagger pricking her skin woke her. Elenora gasped, her eyes flew open. Her heart constricted at the sight of a dark figure bending over her. Slowly, he put a finger to his lips. What, did he think she was going to move, let alone scream with his dagger pressed against her neck? Elenora pushed down the fear that bubbled up in her chest, begging to be released.

        The figure looming down over her had glittering red eyes that stood out in his sharp, evil face. His hair was long and a strand of it tickled her cheek. He was bare-chested, black tattoos spiraling up his arms. He grinned down at her, the smile sending chills through her. He was the one who had killed her parents, she was sure of it.

        He used the tip of his dagger to lift the amulet off of her chest. “What a pretty necklace. You will let me borrow it, I’m sure?” He whispered, his voice dripping with malice. “Steal it you mean? Over my dead body,” She hissed. She wasn’t about to let him know how much he scared her just by being there. He grinned. “That won’t be a problem,” He murmured, the dagger pressing into her skin.

        Suddenly a shape hurtled out of the darkness, colliding with the Niger and sending them both into the brush. Elenora scrambled up, her heart pounding. She could make out two bodies wrestling, one with a sword and the other with a dagger, the blades flashing and clashing together with the sound of steel against steel.

        Suddenly Jake’s face poked out of the bushes, a gash above his eyebrow pouring blood. “Run, princess!” He yelled at her. She didn’t need to be told twice. Elenora ran.

        She fled through the forest, tripping and stumbling over things in the stifling darkness. Small patches of moonlight shone through the gaps in the trees. She skidded to a stop.

        Somehow the Niger had gotten in front of her, his blade dripping with blood. Elenora gasped, had he killed Jake? He stalked toward her, his eyes glittering dangerously.

        “The amulet, if you please.” He hissed. Elenora backed up rapidly, hitting a tree. Jake staggered out of the trees, his hand pressed against his side. “Get… away… from the princess.” He snarled. The Niger just laughed. “Oh you Niveus never fail to amuse me with your pointless acts of heroism." He said sarcastically.

        Jake swung the sword at him swiftly, but the Niger casually deflected it with his dagger. The Niger raised a fist and struck him across the face. Jake fell to the ground.

        Elenora’s head swam, she had to do something, and fast. Jake was losing this battle. She stepped up to the Niger, and on an impulse, pressed the amulet against his exposed skin.

         The Niger screeched, its skin sizzling. The amulet glowed fiercely, and the Niger collapsed. The skin that the amulet had touched was black and charred.

        Elenora gaped for a moment, and then ran to Jake. “Come on!” She cried as she hauled him to his feet. They ran into the forest like their lives depended on it, which it did.

        They ran for a long time, when suddenly Jake veered off into the forest. “Jake, where are you going?!” Elenora whispered. “We’re almost there!” He whispered back, one hand still pressed against his wounded side.

        They stopped before a massive wall of stone. Elenora stared at it. “What now?” She asked, starting to panic. Jake didn’t reply, he just walked up to the stone and grabbed a vine that was growing on it. He grasped a small flower and whispered a few magic words into it, then stepped back.

        Elenora looked at him; had his wound affected his head? Apparently not; with a grating noise a door opened in the stone wall. Jake stepped inside, beckoning her to follow. With nothing else to do, she hesitantly entered the dark tunnel leading downward.

        As soon as they were inside, the door shut with an ominous boom, plunging them into complete darkness. Jake whispered a spell, and blue fire bloomed in his hand, casting shadows on the uneven stone walls. Elenora looked at him, shaking slightly. The darkness and the way the walls pressed in was making her want to scream and curl up into a ball on the ground. They ventured farther into the tunnel, Jake in the lead.

        The darkness seemed to try and drown out the small bit of light that dared defy it, trying to smother her. Elenora followed close behind Jake, eyes glued to the back of his head.

        They walked on for hours it seemed, but soon they reached another stone door at the top of a slight incline. Jake paused, murmuring more magic words, and then approaching the door. It swung open.

        Elenora blinked at the sudden light, well, more like moonlight. She stepped out of the tunnel, and looked around in wonder. Jake turned to her and grinned. “Welcome to Niveus HQ.”

        Elenora found herself gazing in awe at the scene she found herself in front of.

        A white stone tower stood in the middle of a clearing surrounded by high walls made of stone. It looked natural; the perfect hiding spot. The moon shone down on the grass, broken only by the trees that grew around the tower. Even though the white tower was on top of a small hill, the stone still rose at least six feet higher. Gardens of flowers and plants grew on the open area between the tower and the rock, and looked well tended.

        Jake started toward the tower, pulling her along. Elenora felt increasingly small as they approached the tower, and it didn’t help that the rock walls dwarfed the tall tower completely. Jake knocked on the massive doors made of solid oak wood, the booming knock echoing loudly. Elenora winced at the noise, “Won’t the Niger hear?” She asked. Jake shook his head. “Nope, the rock is soundproof.” He said, gesturing at the rock walls surrounding the clearing.

        Suddenly he gasped, his face contorting in pain. “Jake? Jake!” Elenora barely had time to move before he collapsed into her arms. His face was pale, and then his hand slipped from its place on his side. Elenora gasped, his hand dripped with wet blood, and a gash ripped his skin on his side.

        At that moment the door opened and Elenora looked up to see a group of elves, the Niveus she assumed, standing in the doorway. Their welcoming faces quickly turned alarmed at the sight of her, filthy as she was, and with Jake unconscious in her arms, blood leaking down his side.

        Elenora struggled to hold on to Jake’s body, she looked with wide, panicky eyes at the elves. “Please, he’s hurt bad!” She said when they didn’t move. Her voice seemed to jolt them into reality, and everyone started talking at once.

        Jake was taken from her and rushed off to help, and most of the people followed the person who seemed to be in charge, and who was also the one holding Jake’s head. A plump motherly woman with gray hair and a flustered smile came over to her.

        “Princess Elenora, I presume?” She asked. Elenora nodded, suddenly shivering violently. “Oh you poor dear; must be half frozen to death! Let’s get you into a bath right away!” She said, putting her arms around her and pulling her into what seemed like the main dining room, with rows of tables with candles at regular intervals. More candles gave light from the chandeliers that hung above the tables.

        The rest passed by in a blur; Elenora was rather cold, and her recent encounter with the Niger agent that was responsible for killing her parents had nearly scared her out of her wits. She was whisked up a spiraling stone staircase and into a lavish bedroom. The woman, with help from a mousy elven girl, ran a bathtub, undressed her, and promptly stuck her into the scalding water filled with bubbly soap.

        After being thoroughly scrubbed of the dirt and grime on her body she was dried and put in a huge bed. Elenora was drowsy from the heat of the water, and she fell asleep immediately, feeling much more safe and at ease in the comfortable bed and surrounded by pillows.

        “Poor dear, she’s been through so much; watch her will you, Mary?” Elenora heard before losing herself in the folds of a dream filled sleep.

*This chapter was pretty action filled huh? I loved the beginning when she wakes to find the elf who murdered her parents standing over her! Haha I'm sick I know! What did you think? Comment!