Phrocylan & The Tree of Life (The Spirit of the Tree Book 1)

Chapter Twelve: Capture

»»Phrocylan««

My body fell numb.

Now I'd love to say I took the arrow of sacrifice and held my stance against the immortal wolfheads and saved the camp. That I charged in to save my friends and sacrificed myself to them.

I wish.

Instead, I wailed in pain as pain shot up- yet again- in my body, I could feel the poison from the arrow entering my blood. I knew it was over, and the campers that remained along with me- were dead.

Hectar laid unmoving at the feet of Granus, who had impaled her with a glass shard. I was enraged- surely, Hectar was still alive. Surely she could make it.

Most of the campers had escaped using my plan- run around the side of the pack and make their way into a hiding place, maybe a cave, or camouflage. At least Cylla was safe, I had used the last bit of my strength to send her to the viarifts, though how I did it, don't ask.

My face burned, and soon I could feel nothing but pain- pain so intense my voice didn't work. I couldn't even open my mouth.

Only my eyes worked, I couldn't think, I couldn't do anything.

The 5 of us campers lay struck, me, Hectar, Yorul- who had apparently been so enraged his body had a red aura, and he ran up to Granus and dodged and parried its attacks and managed to slice off its left leg clean, and did some nasty damage to it. But he was quickly defeated and sent flying to the side, where he lay, wincing in pain and crying, saying "Hectar..." over and over- Jafyl, who summoned flocks upon flocks on arrows that rained on the wolves but had a bite mark on his stomach- and Veemo- who had bravely stood at the guard of the escaping campers and took the pack bites and poison darts on her to save the campers. I locked eyes with Jafyl, his eyes now dim blue. He didn't have the power now, so I couldn't ask of him to take part in my plan...

The immortal wolves took me, Jafyl and Yorul hostage, and none of us protested, we were simply not even close to having enough energy. Yorul looked devastated and stared at the ground. I mourned silently over the deaths of our fellow campers. The wolves had disappeared, and the three wolfheads- Granus, Holus, and Frokus (did they have to have rhyming names?) took us into the air and evaporated.

When the clouds cleared and I could see again, I couldn't. Literally.

I was surrounded by thick mist, and could only make out faint yellow and red lights through it, but it was so dark I had no idea what it was, where I was, or what was in my surroundings. I couldn't even see my own lower half. The pain had subsided somehow- the poison now only hurt a little, not much. I could feel my arms shackled and put behind my back, and I was on my knees. My legs were tied up, too.

I didn't have a gag in my mouth, but I doubted calling for helping would work... or could it? Could Yorul and Jafyl be near... no, this wouldn't work. I'll need to take time to plan this. I tried whispering around but- my voice didn't work. I could not utter a single word.

I heard shifting and shuffling around me...