SpinTales

Enigma

Chapter 7

'Have to get away!' That's all I can think of while running further away from camp. 'Have to keep running.' The artifact in my possession is quiet in my pocket as I leap over the rocky hill side trying to get away. I feel something chasing, but I don't dare slow down to look. Crashing through the woods in full stride I can only hope that whatever is on my heels will give up soon. My body is getting cut up on tree limbs and roots, jagged-edged rocks and sharpen thorn bushes. 'Must keep running. Have to get away.'

The stillness is unnerving, even for the shadowman. He comes around the table to gaze into the crystal ball once more only to find that the image is hazy and grey. "What is this?!" He exclaims. "That little bitch! It's her doing! I knew they could play by the rules!!!" But then within the muted stillness, he burst out in laughter. "A challenge, is it?!?! There has been no one to oppose my powers in centuries!!! This is so grand!!! Prey worthy of my games!!!" He continues to laugh hysterically as the lightnening begins to flash and the thunder rolls out its crashing boom. "This will be the game of all games!!!

The tiny group began to wake and take in the details of their surroundings with foggy heads. They were no longer in the camp with the little water fall, but engulf with the darkness of some prison of sorts. It was pitch black and all that can be heard was the muffled sound of chains moving back and forth. It was Alley who dared to speak in a low whisper, "Dale? Lucien? Anybody?!"
Lucien: "Yeah, I'm here. Who else is here?" One by one, everyone made their presence known. And it was sadly noted that neither Vaya or Davina was there.
Dale: "How did we get to this place? Wherever we are." There was a bit of murmuring, but to no avail. All of them just remembered seeing the strange witch woman standing behind Dale with her hand resting on his shoulder. The aura they were feeling was just part of her, but there seem to be even more that appeared though they didn't see anything else. Stauss extended his mind's eye to see if he could make out their prison and was stunned by what he saw. Each of their bodies were propped up against a wall, all shackled by both hands and feet. The wall looked peculiar because it seems to be moving, rising and lowering as if it were alive on its own accord, but he couldn't feel any movement. Now that he was thinking about it, he couldn't feel anything solid. Not the floor or shackles, he couldn't even feel his body as he moved his legs. He sent out the image to his friends and said in a low voice,"This is what I am seeing..." Everyone who was able to extend their mental vision saw the same thing. As Lucien began to "look" about the room with his gift of mental sight, he noticed that there were other forms in the room with them, but there was not moving. And still, the sounds of moving chains continued as if there was some one moving. Giles tried as well to "see," But his vision was blocked. It was still blackness all around. Alley sighed then, and Brodie asked "What is it, Alley?"
Alley: "I can't see past the walls. It just gets blurry and dark." "Same here." stated Thadd. Dale tried to block the image out of his mind only to find that their minds were still linked together, and that everything that the others saw, he saw, too. He shuddered at the thought, but felt it probably be for the best, so he knows what's going on. 'I have to be stronger than this. I can't be scared anymore.'

A dainty hand rested upon the brow of the beautiful woman that sat upon a throne covered with fur. She sighed and stood up to walk over to the large window overseeing the grand treetops of the ancient forest that encompassed the fortress grounds. 'It seems they are awake. Time for a little visit."

Lucien's head snapped up as he felt something approaching him and his friends. He whispered, "Something is coming." Anxiety swept through the group since no one was able to move from prison hold.
Slowly, a speck of light appeared and the group felt a slight pull of their bodies towards the tiny glow. Then suddenly, they were all in a different room, standing side by side facing the same woman from before. However, nobody could say anything, yet alone do anything. They were all trapped within their bodies and could only use their eyes and ears. As the woman walked closer, each of the magic users found that they could no longer use their powers, and truly felt fear running through their veins for they all realized that they were absolutely helpless against this creature.
She walked up to Brodie and examined him by delving into his  mind as well as assessing his build, and when she was satisfied would move on to the next person. Everyone was encapable of even a single thought as she did this, and could only wait to see what would happen next.

The shadowman looked around the abandoned camp and wondered out loud, "What has become of my players? There is no sign of struggle or conflict, nor is there any recent tracks leading away." He turned his attention to the small fire that was reduced to glowing embers and tilted his head up and sniffed the air. 'Nothing at all. It's like they all vanished into thin air.'  He began to rise into the air to investigate further and to find some clue to lead him to his next step.

"Hmmm... you all are mortal beings. And yet, mystical powers are attracted to you. Some more than others." The woman states as she stares hard at Lucien. "There is something here, yet You will not allow me to see it." She gets within a few inches of his face and stares deep into his eyes. She brings her hand up to touch his face and sees nothing but jumbled images and flashes of memories and the many faces with them. It doesn't make any sense to her and she attempts another try, just to have her hand catch on fire. She jumps back and waves it about and the flame ceases to exsist, but her hand is badly burned. She doesn't cry from the pain and only studies the deformation that is left behind. "You are something special, indeed." She turns away to see the youngest member. 'So young, all of them. Why are these children pursuing you? Did you take something from them? Did you ruined their lives, too? I wonder...' She gently pats Dale on the head and then position herself so that all of them can see her. "My name is Zeelith. I am the Enchantress of what you may know as the Forbidden Timbers.  I have heard of a group of humans that seeks understanding into the world of the supernatural. I do not know what it is that you plan to accomplish by dwelling where immortals are, but know that because you do, you have disturbed the longtime balance of peace. You will have to finish the fight that you inadvertently started." And with that, she fades away just as they fade back into the nothingness.

(To be continued..)