Shcielle (Draeyer Academy 2)

Chapter 1-Tara Lorean

Jewel Forest
Saggaran Skyland
Northeastern Space

Deep pants escaped her lips as she ran through the forest. Looking over her shoulder, she could still see the violet light coming from the fire eating away at her home. Huge amounts of pain crushed her heart as she forced herself to turn her back on the people she loved. None of them survived. As she ran, her husband's last words rang through her mind.

"Run, Tara! Run!"

Tears streamed down her face, making it hard for her to see as she cut through the verdant terrain. She knew the forest well like the back of her hand. She only hoped that he would have trouble looking her until she found help. The darkness of the night along with her tears made it difficult to see her way as she went deeper into the woods. In her haste, she tripped over a large root. The bushes nearby rustled as the leaves cushioned her fall.

Her faint sobs filled the eerie silence of the forest as she stood on shaking legs. Dirt and leaves covered her baby blue silk nightdress. The strange-colored fire managed to burn a portion of the dress's hem and sooth clung to her beautiful golden locks. She disregarded her appearance with a shake of her head and pursued her way through the woods.

She couldn't die tonight. She needed to warn the other three Sacrifices. She only hoped she would make it time. Her feet moved faster with the thought of seeing the others. Please Granny Astrin. Keep them safe, she thought.

A dark figure appeared in front of her. The scars on her back tingled and she skidded to a halt. Her eyes narrowed at the being in attempt to hide the fear in their mud-brown depths.

"Did you really think you can escape from me, Tara?"

She clenched her fists at the voice which haunted her for the past 17 years. Taking a weary step back, she loosened her fingers and met his gaze.

"I escaped from you once," she said. Even through the darkness casted by his hood and the night, she knew a smirk graced his lips.

"You had a lot of help," he said. "Nial and Erinna can't help you now."

"I'm not a ten year-old anymore."

Tipping back, she flipped over until she was a few feet away. Her loud commanding voice shattered the temporary silence.

"Shadows to my command!" At her yell, black tendrils rose and swayed from the shadows of the forest. Thrusting her hand at her pursuer the shadows lunged and wrapped around his tall form. However, they were repelled and the disturbance whipped at her hair. The canopies opened for a brief second and allowed the moonlight in. Through that, she saw black horns and saw black eyes with violet irises glaring at her. Darkness shadowed him again not soon after.

"Darkness doesn't work against darkness," the man said.

Tara smirked. After snapping her fingers, she crossed her wrists above her head. "What about as a distraction?"

Pillars of darkness shot from under large rocks and tossed them into the air one after another. As the first rock flew to her attacker, he swung his hand and shattered it to dust. Thick clouds of dirt covered the area as the man continued to crush the rocks into powder.

However, a shard of the hard element flew to her. It cut through her right side and left a nasty gash. Blood quickly seeped into her clothes and down her body.

Even with the pain, Tara took it as her chance to escape. Jumping over a bush to her right, she covered her back with shadows while hoping it would suffice as cover from her enemy. Clutching her wound to stop the bleeding, she ran and ran until she felt her legs hurt. The sound of the creature pounding the rocks she threw at him grew faint as she went further. Minutes flew by and her lungs burned and begged for much needed air. She slumped against the nearest tree and panted while trying to remain upright.

As she calmed, dizziness filled her mind. He was only playing with her, she knew that. Once he decided to get serious, it would be the end of her. She needed help.

She continued walking through the dark forest. She stuck close to the trees, wanting something to grasp in case she fell over from her weakening legs. Her wound still hadn't stopped bleeding and she knew she was leaving a trail of red liquid as she moved.

When she was about to give up hope, music filtered through her ears. It was a lively tune made from a stringed instrument, which was soon accompanied by an equally energetic baritone voice.

She strained her ears to listen, and her feet unconsciously moved to the direction it came from. Not soon after, her dimming vision caught sight of orange light from a roaring fire. It was found in a small clearing with a brook passing through it. A man sat by the flame, strumming and singing up at the night.

"Help!" she cried. She stumbled a few feet in to the clearing before she fell to her knees on the soft grass. Using her hands, she prevented herself from falling flat on her face.

A shadow blocked the light, and she saw the man bend on one knee. Large hands grasped her shoulders, and she was turned so she laid her head on the crook of his arm.

"What happened to you miss?" he asked with his brows knitted in concern. One of her hands fisted the shirt over his chest and she looked up at him with blurry pleading eyes.

"We were attacked," she said. "My family...was killed, and I managed to get away." The man shifted her to a more comfortable position with her head on his shoulder. His hand grasped one of hers which covered her bleeding wound.

"I need to speak with...Skylord...Sheriun Roselintine," she said in between pants. "I am Tara Lorean, the granddaughter of August Astrin Graesiun. Please help me."

"I will, Lady Tara," he said. Relief coursed through her and she allowed herself to relax. However, she froze. A cold metal object plunged through her stomach. No sound escaped her lips as the blade sunk further and felt its tip pierce through her back.

Her eyes fell on the knife buried hilt-deep on her abdomen. From there, her gaze trailed up until they met with familiar grass-green ones. His head turned lightly, and firelight allowed her to see a jagged scar running down one corner of his lips. She jerked when he pulled out the blade and blood splattered on her chest and face. When he let go, he dumped her on the grass and stood while looking down at her.

"Herce," she said. "How...could you?" she yelled at him only to cough out blood after. "Nial and Lady Erinna trusted you!"

No answers escaped his lips. His cold eyes looked away from her and to the side of the clearing where she came from. She turned her head using the little strength she had left. The moment her eyes fell on the approaching figure, she spoke. "You won't succeed Beuen."

"Who will stop me then, little Tara?" the Eimion said.

"The remaining three will."

Beuen's eyes lost its triumphant glow and became lifeless. In four long strides, he stood before her.

"The ones lucky enough to not remember the horrid ordeal you all went through?" he said. "They're still fools. Fools who are being kept in the dark by the people you trust. And they will suffer the same fate as you very soon."

"Nial showed me the future the Almighty Kosmos...has in store," Tara said. "Three of his blessings...have been born. You may have the Shcielle, but it won't be yours soon enough."

His foot pressed against the wound on her stomach and she cried out into the night sky. She felt his clawed hand grasped one of hers. He shrugged the cloak off him, and she saw the bare and damaged skin on his right shoulder. Cracked and blackened flesh surrounded a slit which most probably came from a small blade.

From where their hands touched, tendrils of green light appeared as he drained her life force. Even as Death's arms slowly embraced her, she managed to see him heal his injury using the power he stole from her.

"You will fail, Beuen," she said. "Remember that." She surrendered herself to the eternal life, with the hope that her words would ring true someday soon.

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THANK YOU! THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE STILL HERE...WUAHHHH!

To be honest I'm a bit scared of continuing with the story since I might not be able to bring enough justice to it. However I will do my best. There will be a lot of bombs in this one.