Effects of a story

Chapter 12

The landscape seemed to spin, fading into a mush of green and brown. No matter how tired I was, I wasn't going to stop, I couldn't stop. My skin brushed against twigs and trees. It caused a sharp sting to trickle all over my body, I knew that I must have been bleeding but the pain never crossed my mind as I ran to try and be a hero.

All of a sudden, I came to a jolt stop at the story town. I could see Cliff ahead. He was all cut and scraped from the run.

No, this can't be happening...why me? I thought to myself. It was funny, you would think, by now I would be used to death but I don't think I would ever get used to that feeling of loss and sorrow. I looked around at my surroundings, it didn't look much different than from when I left. Even after everything this town put me through, it still felt like home. "This way" I said to Cliff and motioned him to the right.

After walking a bit, we were able to see the top of heads and the stone stair steps that bent into a deep hole where the sacrifice would go to die. A powerful voice echoed through the wind yet it just sounded mumbled because of the distance. Soon we were at the top of the stone stairs and there I could see Lore, standing on the sacrifice table. Her hair was frayed and her clothes were tattered, along with her skin but she didn't look scared at all. I admired her courage, it seemed like she wasn't afraid to die. Then I recognized a face that I cringed at. Dalmar. He seemed so happy that he was killing an innocent soul due to his own selfishness of wanting to live happily in the after world. Vie and his father were there too. Both of their faces painted gold to show their nobility and power.

The story priest started to walk over to Dalmar and handed him a large knife. Still, no fear or cries come out of Lore as she stood completely still, waiting for her death. She looked up at us and smiled, a smile so innocent and it was meant to tell us that everything is okay.

Dalmar didn't even look up and kept his head down as he sliced the knife right through her stomach. The crowd gasped and I let out a cry. The story priest approached Dalmar and held up his left hand. Dalmar finally looked up and he was smiling a big sinister smile.

I quickly walked away,I couldn't look at Lore's severed body. my emotions were spinning in circles, confused and I just didn't know what to feel.

"Starlit!" Cliff's voice yelled from the distance and I could hear him run up beside me.

"Please leave me alone" I said and ran away to get some time by myself.

"Starlit" I heard him yell again for me but I just ran farther away. Suddenly, I realized how childish and ignorant I had been. It wasn't just me who lost a friend, it was all of us. I felt deep hatred for myself as this was my fault. If they never met me, Lore would still be alive and in one piece. I ran back to where I left Cliff but he was gone and instead there were two Death Hunters.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My body froze and my mind shut down. When I see Death Hunters, fear overcomes me because they have always caused me grief and when you are brought up from birth to be afraid of these people, it is hard to stop being afraid. By now, they would have tied up my wrists and ankles and brought me over to the sacrifice table yet they stayed completely still.

"Vie would like to see you" one of them spoke, he had a weird, black mustache that curled around his nose and moved as he talked. The other one had no special detail about him but he wore a black hat that covered his eyes.

"What if I refuse?" I asked.

"Vie said this is not forced but he has something important to tell you" the mustache one said. Curiosity filled my mind. What did he need to tell me?