Magic Spawn Origins

Magic Spawn: Chapter 73

by Meredith Skye

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The oppressive black of the cavern surrounded Anya and Haley as they stood, restlessly awaiting the return of Ehina and her Arlunni fighters. She had said it might take only a few minutes, but so far, at least ten minutes had passed. Possibly more.

But surely it would take longer than that to get help!

Anya had retrieved the candle which provided the only light except for the dull glow of the obelisks.

Both the girls sat down on the step to the teleport dais and waited. The silence was so complete, that they could hear the hum of the obelisks, filled with strange magical power.

Anya wondered if the necromancer had built this cavern in the last few hours? Surely not. Perhaps this place already existed and he just connected to it from Earth. Maybe it was some lost and forgotten cavern that the necromancer had used before he'd been defeated ten years ago.

"You were pretty brave, to fight that skeleton," said Haley, giving her a tired smile.

"So were you," said Anya. She'd been impressed with the teenager's prowess with the mace. After a moment, she said. "Do you really think we can defeat Molan?"

Haley glanced back at her. "Sure," she said, looking away. She was lying. "Yeah, once Ehina gets back with re-enforcements, we should be able to. They stopped him before."

True. Though Anya wasn't sure Haley believed this. Anya felt a sense of despair creep over her, sitting there in the darkness. She held back tears. No sense crying now, when things were looking up. She tried to wipe the emotions off her face.

Quietly, Haley held Anya's hand, perhaps sensing what she felt. The warmth of another's touch at that moment undid Anya, and the tears flowed. She couldn't help herself. Haley put her arm around Anya and pulled her close into a hug. Anya rested her head on Haley's shoulder and cried like a little kid.

"It'll be all right," Haley said softly.

It was hard to see that right now, so many people were in danger, including Aldena, Rian and poor Kyran. But being held in someone's arms did make Anya feel safer and slowly the tears stopped.

With Haley around, it did feel just like having a big sister. At this thought, Anya smiled.

Then a steady thud, thud, thud of heavy footsteps because audible. Closer and closer.

Something was coming. Something big.

Both girls hopped up. Tense, they peered down the dark hallway on the other side of the cavern.

"Hide," hissed Haley. They both scrambled to the nearest obelisk and make themselves as small as possible.

"Oh no, the candle!" whispered Anya. She had left it there on the step—their one source of light, but now it would attract the attention of whatever was heading towards them.

Maybe it wouldn't see them. Or if it were a skeleton or zombie, maybe it would be too stupid to make the connection between a lone, out of place candle and the fact that someone might be hiding in the cavern.

All they could do was wait, listening to the sound of footsteps as they grew louder and louder. Now Anya was sure it wasn't a skeleton. Their feet made more of a scraping, bone on stone sound. These footsteps sounded like as if made by boots or heavy shoes.

Surely, in this lowlight it wouldn't see them. Slowly, Anya risked a peek around the large stone obelisk and saw the outline of a battle wight in the distance. It stopped, just at the end of the hall on the first platform, surveying the 3 dead skeletons.

Anya recoiled back behind the obelisk. "Battle wight," she mouthed to Haley.

Again they heard the footsteps, thud, thud, thud. Closer and closer.

The girls exchanged a glance. Instinctively, Anya took Haley's hand, squeezing it tightly. Was this it? They could never take on a battle wight and survive!

Slowly the creature came up the long narrow walkway.

Maybe it wouldn't see them there.

It paused. It must have been examining the candle. The girls both held their breaths, afraid of being heard.

Then slowly, it came onto their platform. Thud, thud, thud. Nearer now.

Haley bent over and kissed Anya on the forehead. "Get out," she mouthed to Anya.

Then Haley stepped out from the behind the obelisk to face the creature, drawing her mace. Anya stared at her in horror.

The footsteps stopped and the creature let out a growl.

"Come and get me you big, ugly-faced human cockroach!" shouted Haley, standing her ground, mace in hand.

The creature let out roar and ran at Haley.

"Now, Anya!" screamed Haley.

Anya bolted the other direction, going behind the obelisk. She ran around the archway and paused just in front of the narrow walkway. The creature reached Haley, but she ducked and rolled, causing the battle wight, some human—not Westin, to stumble and nearly fall. If only they had been closer to the edge.

"Go!" shouted Haley.

And Anya ran ... as fast as she could down the long walkway. She had no fighting skills—what could she do?

But it was suicide for Haley to fight the creature.

She thought of the kiss Haley had given her. Like a sister.

A tear slipped down Anya's cheek.

With the constant moving and changing foster families and school, Anya had never had a best friend. She'd never become attached to anyone, not before Aldena. She had no close school friends. Even her "cousins," Rian and Kyran, weren't people she was close to. Maybe more so than anyone else.

But after letting Haley find a place in her heart, she couldn't bear to watch her die. Anya ran from the battle, letting the sounds fade away behind her.

She'd just have to start again. Stay alive. Friendships like this never lasted anyway. It wasn't meant to be. Or maybe Anya didn't deserve a friend like Haley—someone smart and popular, who knew how to be fashionable. Everyone at school probably liked her.

No one probably ever whispered about Haley or laughed at her behind her back. They never played practical jokes on her or insulted her when there was no friends to speak up for her.

Without the candle to light her way, the utter darkness of the hall swallowed Anya. The only light came from the place she had just fled—the chasm with the obelisks. The sounds of battle died down to a distant afterthought.

But Anya slowed down to a stop. How could she abandon her friend? She knew that Haley meant to save her. She was willing to give up her life to save Anya's.

No one had ever done such a thing! What if Anya wasn't worthy of this?

No. She couldn't just walk out on Haley. She turned back to face the battle, determined not to let Haley face the creature alone.

Anya ran back across the walkway. On the platform, she could see Haley struggling with the battle wight in the dim light, staying a step ahead of it, just out of reach.

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