The Weaver's Source

Chapter 14

I wasn't sure how much time had passed since Boras had left me tied up in the church but the sun told me it was several hours as it sunk, casting orange streaks across the sky and sucking away what little heat there had been in the world. Rain was falling gently, spattering in through the massive hole in the ceiling, creating gentle streams that sprayed through various gaps and encouraging me to wake as my body grew increasingly cold.

My vision was fuzzy, my heart pumping and bones aching from strain of rope. My swimming eyes gradually made sense of my surroundings, registering dusk was upon me hollowly and that the dark waters of the river were mere steps away. My heart stilled at the sight of that still water and the shadows spilling over me. My magic shivered, terrified, a tiny ball whimpering at me to get out. I knew it wouldn't be long. They would come crawling out and tear the flesh from my bones while I still lived. Death would only come after I had bled out and suffered excruciating pain. I had to fight, but the rope held fast as I feebly fought, trying to get my frigid body to move and focus my head.

The sun moved on rapidly. As it sunk lower and lower, becoming hidden by the horizon, the sky took on a dark inky black colour, chasing away the grey and red colours of the sun. I watched the water intently now as a single pair of glowing orbs stared at me, unblinking. As the sky continued to darken, more eyes began to appear.

The asrai were there. They were ready.

I swallowed thickly and tried my best to keep myself from panicking but my magic squirmed horribly in my chest as terror filled it, spreading into me so thickly I didn't know where it or I began. It didn't want me to die. It was making me not want to. It wanted to be beside the Weaver where it should be. It pushed aside the aches and cold, it fought at the pain ripping through my head, it cleared the fogginess to my eyes, until I could think clearly and feel my body again, reminding me over and over what I was meant to be doing. That I had to live.

Instantly a new fire for life burned in my chest. I couldn't let Boris or the town do this to me. Gabi would be beside herself if she knew what her father had done and that I hadn't fought back. I was so used to her fighting for me that I hadn't forgotten how to do it myself. She was always my support and my happiness. Now she was gone, I was going to have to stand alone. She wouldn't be proud of me if I was killed and eaten by the same things that killed her, served up by my own home. She would want me to guard the town, to not be cowed by the folk and fight to live. And that was what I was going to do.

I glanced wildly up at the sky. Only a few streaks of sunlight remained. My time was nearly up. I tugged at the rope hard, pulling sharply, trying to wrench the hook loose. Much to my dismay, it remained fast.

My attention was drawn to the sound of water splashing and I froze from fright when I saw numerous gaunt arms scrabbling at the church's stone floor. The long clawed fingers felt the floor, seeking from a hook to use as leverage. I swallowed, trying to wet my dry throat, and willed my hammering heart to calm as I watched the hands work. One managed to find a hold.

My magic practically screamed, creating a horrible high pitched sound that made my head hurt and my sight to blur. When my eyes refocused I was staring at a strange thing hauling itself out of the pool of water and up the church floor.

The asrai hissed gently, baring its ragged grey teeth through its almost transparent lips, while its giant sunken eyes glowed eerily with hunger. Its blue slightly scaled skin was stretched too tightly over its long, protruding bones, giving it an almost starved look. It repulsed me. It didn't look at all like a creature that could sing so beautifully.

The asrai slithered up the church floor, pulling itself closer and closer. Its long fish tail slapped around far behind it, hitting the flailing hands away as they tried to pull it back in. I was struggling against the rope desperately, trying to wrench it free, while moving myself away from the asrai as best I could.