Soul Riders | Star Stable

Taken | Chapter 8

Anne stayed with Alex in her spare time, she didn't want to leave her, but Fripp said it would be best if Alex stayed away. So, that was that.

The night of the fire, Lisa Peterson came to help Nicole. Lisa healed her from the shock and sadness she felt from what she went through. Nicole stayed quiet afterwards, she only talked when spoken too, and often just gazed vaguely around her for the days after. It had been a week now since she had seen the sun, she was dying to get out. Just to feel it on her skin. How long was she going to be stuck here? 

Fripp didn't talk to her much, he fretted over the fires damage, and said a lot about Alex under his breath. But Nicole wanted out, when she came to Jorvik she didn't plan on staying in a cave, she wanted to see where she was born, where her parents lived. What was that Linda said?

"Fleeing darkness..." 

Nicole decided when Fripp next disapeared, she would leave. Just to feel the sun, and she would come right back. No one would even know. 

Fripp left the room, Nicole got up and walked quickly to the door. She opened it and looked around, it was a dark passage way. A Soul Rider would be coming to watch her soon, she had to be quick. Down the corridor she saw a glimmer of hope, it looked like a portal. Except not like Anne's. It had a purple and blue swirling colour. She ran full speed towards until it devoured her and left no trace. 

Once she was through she felt her insides churning and the same dizzy feeling as before. Finally she felt the floor beneath her. It wasn't as bad as the first time. She wobbled a bit, but otherwise she stayed on her feet.

Quickly she took in  her surroundings, she was at the same place as before. With the glowing carvings and the cold foggy air. She looked around, and decided to run to the edge of this place, it must be on a mountain, she thought. She ran to the edge and almost screamed. She almost fell off a long drop, she couldn't see the bottom, the fog was too thick, she tried to look over but she couldn't see anything. It was like it was floating.

"If theres's a way in, there's a way out," she told herself. She walked along the edge of the platform, looking for something. She had almost made one loop around the place, when she saw it. A shimmering portal swirling, beckoning her too enter it. It was hidden behind one of the large stones. She stepped through.

"Ugh." Nicole tripped forward and she got a full face of dirt. But she felt the sun on her back. It looked about noon, to where it was shining above her. She smiled, she did it! She rolled over and laid her head on the grass, soaking in the rays. She opened her eyes to see where she was and saw stones around her, with the same markings, but they didn't glow. She heard hooves, and looked around once more, could that be one of the Soul Riders? 

A girl and a dark horse stepped out of the brush and darkness of the forest. She had the brightest blond hair Nicole had ever seen and bangs hanging into her eyes. She stepped closer and revealed that her hair was pure white. She smiled, but she lacked warmth, and it made Nicole shiver. 

"Who are you, a druid?"

The girl's smile darkened, "why would I want to be a druid, and serve in the light of kindness. And Blah, blah, blah." She grumbled.

Nicole stood up to face her, as another hooded figure appeared behind the blond girl. She took off her hood and laughed. Her eyes held darkness. Both of them rode coal black horses, paired with endless black eyes that bored into Nicole. 

"Get her!" said the the one behind the blond. Nicole turned around to run and knocked into warm fur, Tin-Can and Alex. The duo loomed above her.

"Not so fast. You'll have to get past me first." Alex said confidently. 

"You say that, like it's a challenge!" The one with the hood said. The two girls emitted cold sharp laughter.

"It is if you want to still be living after I'm done with you." Alex raised her hand and struck the blond in her stomach with a strike of energy. The girl gasped as she hit the ground, her black horse reared. Alex offered a hand to Nicole to help her on Tin-Can.

The blond was stumbling back to her feet, "how dare you strike me!" She yelled.

"Oh shut up Katja." Alex replied while urging Tin-Can to run. 

The hooded one started galloping after them, while Katja jumped on her horse to follow.

Tin-Can was galloping full speed away, his bright mustard mane flying in the wind. His hooves leaping and dodging around the brush. Nicole clinged to Alex as she sent volts of energy back to the pursuing riders. Tin-Can was leading himself as Alex blocked their strikes and sent them back. Nicole looked behind her, another rider joined in the pursuit. They were gaining on them, Tin-Can was supporting two riders. He was a strong horse, but Nicole felt him tiring out. 

Now Alex was deflecting all their strikes, and striking them at the same time. They were coming dangerously close, and when Alex struck they deflected it easy. This went on for a while, Alex was a true warrior. Then one of the riders disappeared, just gone. Alex looked around confused, Nicole tried to see where she went.

An explosion of light struck them all, she heard Tin-Can whinny and felt Alex fly out away from her. She landed hard on the ground, and tried blinking but it was like her eyes were blinded. Her body hurt, it was like a bomb blew up and she was on top of it. Everything ached.

She couldn't see. She felt hands clasp around her arms, and she tried to kick out but she only hit air. A hood was placed over her head, and clamps around her feet and hands. As she was dragged away, she tried to resist but it was no use. She heard Alex in the distance, yelling out to her.  Her voice getting fainter and fainter until she couldn't hear Alex anymore. Silence, she heard hooves galloping under her, and jolted along with the creatures movements. Strapped down, she could barely move. She felt winded from the fall, and her head was throbbing. A sickness was growing in her stomach. She thought about using her powers, but she felt empty, like nothing was there. She simply gave up.