Forest's Ends

Eighteen

The decaying bodies lay in pieces all around me. The still mobile ones stumbled and tripped over the chunks on the ground. Slowly I could see my vision begin to darken around the edges and my heart rate increased rapidly too. I moved my blades like the flow of a river, fast and swift cutting down anything that came near me. With each kill I made the haze started coming over me faster and faster. Until finally all I could think of, was kill.

I wandered around aimlessly, looking for any moving body that I could butcher.

Every kill I convicted, a smile plastered on my face, getting wider and wider. Eventually I couldn't feel the smile anymore, I couldn't feel anything, the pain, the loss, the humiliation. I was empty. I could faintly feel the blood splatter on my skin, and the thud of a body falling to the ground.

I held my blades loosely as I swung them at the moving bodies, the only resistance I expected was the soft, firm flesh. Another body walked towards me and I swung at the body, but it blocked my attack. I heard the sudden cling of blade on blade. The sound set me into a different state of mind, battle. A small laugh was added to my psychotic smile as I gripped my blades tighter. The body in front of me said something, but I couldn't understand what it was saying. I swung and the body blocked my attack again, and parried. My head snapped up, instinct kicking in once I realized this body was more of a challenge and will require more effort.

My vision was murky, I am unable to make out clear details of the body. I could only see a body and what it used for weapons. As I attacked the body I heard it speak, but very thing sounds like I'm underwater, and all I can think of is killing. As I dance around and hack at the body, thirsty for its blood, three more join the fight. I smile at the thought of more death.

I twist and turn around the bodies, parry and dodge their attacks, my vision began to clear up and sounds became more define. I block an attack and stab one of the bodies. A satisfying thump hits the ground and the remaining three stood still in shock.

I laughed as I pull out my sword and lunge at a another body. The body reacted too late, and backed up as I sliced open its stomach. I brought the blade to my face as I stared at the three living bodies. Smiling I whipped of blood from my blade and ran my fingers over my face, leaving three trails of blood over my left eye and to my mouth. Then I licked the rest off my fingers and calmly progressed to the three bodies. "Prepare to die."

Derek P.O.V.

She was on the ground cutting up every moving thing around her, smiling pyschotically the entire time. She was a terrifying sight to behold, and it was in this moment I understood why the fairies feared her so much. This is what her father looked like in battle, only he was more in control of this blood lust.

"Shit. She is a monster, isn't she?" Coal asked Shkya, who was beginning carried by Dragco.

Shkya shook her head, "No, she just never learned to control her Umba. There are other dark fairies like her across the seas, but she is the first half dark fairy half fairy. And the first that I have failed to train."

We landed a few feet away from Misty, Shkya walked towards her saying, "I should be the one to approach her first." We three stepped back and let the elf reach her friend. Misty lazily lifted her arm and swung at Shkya, when her attack was met with a block I could see Misty change. She attacked again more seriously, and ignored Shkya calling to her. Misty's head snapped up when Shkya blocked and parried her attack. Did she snap out of it? There was an expression of relief on Shkya's face, that was quickly washed off once Misty started laughing. I could fell all our hopes drop as Misty started attacking harder and faster, making Shkya lose balance and stumble.

"Come on." I said, "She needs our help now, or Misty will kill her." They didn't hesitate. We ran at the two warrior women, and when Misty noticed three more joined the fight she smiled harder and laughed more. I didn't think I could possible be afraid of this woman. She told me about her past, and the torchers she went through. I fell in love with her strength and her differences. She reminded me that I wasn't the only bastard halfling, but now as I look in her eyes and see how cold and blood thirsty they are, I can't help, but think she is gone.

As each second passed by Misty's fighting got harsher and more fierce, it was becoming difficult to land a hit on her and to parry her attacks, let alone block them. Everything we said fell on deaf ears. She begun to dive and roll away from our attacks, we all started falling behind when one of us screamed out in pain. Misty was crouched over Dragco with her sword plunged into his chest, we all froze. Misty stood up and pulled out her sword, then she started making her way towards Shkya.

"Shkya!" Coal and I yelled. She glanced at Misty and dodged in just enough time to not be cut in two, but she was grasping her side as blood grizzled between her fingers. I looked at Misty, she held up the sword that was covered in blood, and glared at us over it. Then she ran her fingers up the blade, and slowly ran her fingers over her blood splattered face, using the blood as war paint. Her laughing subsided as she licked the rest of the blood off her fingers. As her expression changed to a chaotic calm, I knew Misty was lost forever.

"Prepare to die." Her voice made shivers run up and down my spine. There was two voices when she spoke, her's and a demonic echo. Shkya fell to the ground, tears streaming down her face, blood pooling around her. I could see now that the wound at her side wasn't a cut or a gash. It was far deeper than any wound I've seen on someone still breathing. Shkya began to chant in the Elvish tongue, it was clear to me that she was saying her final good-byes, not even elvish magic could heal her back together.

"Coal, you should leave." I didn't take my eyes off of Misty.

"No way brother. A life without Leaf, and Dragco and you, isn't a life I want to live."

"Till the end?" I glanced at him.

"Till the end." With that I turned back to Misty, who had her head tilted to the side and a smile on her face. She was also three feet away. Coal and I backed away as she brought out her second blade. My heart broke as I realized I have to kill this woman, this woman that I fell in love with. At this point there is no more getting through to her.

"That was cute." Misty said as she lunged starting the battle. She was unbelievably fast, deadly. I could only imagine what she would be like if she could control her Umba. If the queen knew of the ace she had all along, she wouldn't have whipped Misty in the very beginning.

"Derek!" Coal coughed spitting up blood. Misty had twirled and rolled her way behind him and stabbed him in the chest through his back.

"Derek," she tested the name, "I know that name." I sighed in relief, despite my friends being dead. Maybe she can come back to me.

"Misty." I whispered in hope, lowering my blades. She pulled out her blade and walked over to me, sheathing one, so she could place her blood crusted hand on my check. I looked into her eyes and saw her, I saw Misty she was back, "I love you." She smiled sweetly at those words, words no one has told her before. I closed my eyes as bliss and happiness washed over me. I heard Misty sheathe her other sword, and then felt her other hand on my check. I could feel her warmth come closer to my face, and a dropped my swords to caress her waist.

"Derek." The sweet sound of her voice made me breathe sharply, "You are an idiot." My eyes snapped open at her demonic echo. Her psychotic smile was back, and then I felt immense pain on the sides of my face. Blood began to fill my vision, and I could fell blood run down my nose, and out my eyes and ears. "Don't let a deadly being touch you. And don't close your eyes in front of a monster."