The Weaver's Source

Chapter 3

I was woken by the door being hammered loudly by a heavy fist. I grumbled as I pushed myself up, slightly annoyed that the dream of my faceless man was interrupted so violently. Gabi lay sprawled out next to me, snoring loudly with her mouth unceremoniously hanging open, and I moved as gently as I could so I wouldn't wake her. I trundled downstairs while holding the thin shawl over my shoulders in an attempt to keep the early autumn cold that had invaded my home from biting too hard. It didn't work very well.

I fiddled with the keys and pulled the door open sharply, nearly getting myself punched in the face by a large fist. I stepped back and blinked widely at Otto. He stood there, breathing heavily as if he had run all the way from town. He was worried. The thick furrowed brows told me so. For a moment we just stared at one another until he seemed to sag with relief, muttering thanks to the gods.

"What is it, Otto? What's happened?" I asked as I pulled him inside and seated him at my small wooden table.

"You're safe, Lyra. Nothing hurt you or tried to get in, has it?" He asked in a rasped voice and pulled his battered iron helm of his head, letting his long lightly greying hair flow freely over his shoulders.

"Nothing has come near here."

"And your magic, it's not sensing anything?"

"It senses something but not around here. It's still scared." I said softly and touched his rough cheek. "What's happened, Otto?"

"There are monsters around the town and not like the ones we have dealt with before, just as you said." Otto said darkly. "A few men went missing last night while we searched. We found them only a short while ago. At least, bits of them."

I grew cold. 

"Bits of them?" I echoed stiffly in horror.

"It's why I came to you. I wasn't sure if it had found you or not."

"Do you know what hurt them?"

"Ate them, Lyra, but no, no I don't. Whatever it is, it's nasty and strong."

I was silent and simply watched Otto curse whatever had killed and devoured his men. I felt cold inside and panic was beginning to clutch at my heart. This was bad. Very bad. Monsters had never caused deaths before when hunting for me; wounds at the very most. I couldn't stop the sense of responsibility and guilt from filling me. I wouldn't be surprised if I was kicked out by the townsfolk by the end of the day.

"What are you going to do?" I murmured.

"Find the bastard and kill it, is what." Otto snapped. "And I don't want to have to worry about you so you remain here, where you're safe. Don't you come near the town and keep Gabi next to you."

"But you could use me! My magic gets more scared the closer to the monster I get. I could lead you to it." I said passionately, twisting my hands together.

"No!" Otto barked. "I promised your father I would look after you and I will, Lyra. Until this monster has been dealt with, you stay put."

I sat silently, staring at him with fear while my fingers fiddled with the hem of my shawl. I felt hollow inside, a voice whispering with hope a monster hadn't found me, one with a desire for human flesh.

"No one's died because of me before, Otto."

A solemn expression replaced his outrage and fear. 

"No one is dying because of you. Monsters are everywhere in the world. Every town is affected by them. You're not the cause, Lyra."

"But monsters are usually after me."

"Yes, I know. They want your magic, but that doesn't mean you make them hurt the people of the town. When they hunt you, they're after you solely and ignore everyone else."

"So why have some of your men died?" I asked miserably.

"Because this one is tougher, that's all. We live in a quiet area where small monsters are the biggest threat we get. When a big monster comes, soldiers will underestimate it, but we deal with it and we will deal with this one. I won't let any more of my men get hurt." He smiled grimly and patted my head then smoothed down my messy brunette hair. "Just keep yourself safe and out of the way."

I nodded numbly and remained seated even after he had closed the front door behind him. Men had died last night against the monster that couldn't get to me. It had killed them. Eaten them. Despite Otto telling me it was not my fault, I still believed it was. The monster was after me and it wasn't going to stop until it had me. Anyone who got in the way was just going to be slain.

I looked up when I felt a hand on my shoulder and gazed into Gabi's soft worried eyes.

"What's happened?" She asked.

My eyes dropped to my hands. 

"Otto's run into trouble. The monster was stronger than he thought it would be." I murmured.

She knew what I meant and bit her lip hard. Pulling a chair up beside mine, she took my hand and rubbed my shoulder. 

"They will deal with it, Lyra. You'll be safe again."

I remained still as a thought occurred to me. Just how long would I be safe? Monsters will find me and the stronger my magic gets, the more likely I will attract bigger monsters to the town. Yes, Otto had a point. Whenever a monster hunted me they ignored everyone else but bigger ones would be harder to kill, harder to predict. Already men had died to a monster that couldn't approach me. No doubt it would get frustrated soon and begin to lash out at the town. But I knew I would never be safe, not as long as this magic remained within me. I would be hunted for the rest of my life.

Gabi sighed lightly. "We need your Weaver, Lyra. He could deal with this and show you how." I remained still and dejected. "Come on. Let's go for a walk."

Sharply my head rose. "Otto said I had to remain here, where we were safe."

She gave me a firm stare. "Lyra, only you know where a safe place is. If your magic says we are walking into danger, we go the other way. It's not like the monster can follow us. It's been stuck for the last two days."

I wanted to argue with her but found I couldn't. I very much wanted to go for a walk and what Gabi said was true. My magic reacted to protect me and warn me of incoming danger for myself or anyone around me. If it felt was going straight towards the monster, it would react and I would retreat.

"Let me get dressed." I said with a small smile.

Gabi grinned and clapped me on the back. I shuffled around as fast as I could while Gabi waited in the kitchen, shifting her weight and tapping her foot in impatient expectation. With my hair slightly damp and clinging to my round face, I stood before her, clean, dressed and ready, so she could practically throw me outside. Grasping my hand, she took off into the fields, dragging me behind her, talking loudly to herself as she went.

It helped. Soon Otto's dark expression and the horrible matter of the monster began to fade from my mind. I was laughing alongside her, taking comfort from my close friend and her carefree nature. Slowly I began to take comfort from Otto's words. The monster had not killed the guards because of me but because they had fought it and proved itself too strong. That was no fault of mine. It was also lurking outside the town before it began to hunt me so I didn't cause it to stop here.

The next three days however were going to prove to make it difficult to stick to that way of thinking as people continued to die; their corpses nothing more than lumps of flesh fished out of the river.