༄ 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒙 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓 (𝑽𝑫𝑻) ༄

Chapter 10: The Book of Incantations

This one and the next couple of chapters will probably be a little shorter. Without doing a bunch of rambling, I can't stretch them out much more. And I can't put them together because they're different topics.

᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽᯽

"Seems they've brought a pig," a voice whispered and Ana's eyes snapped towards the sound. But she still couldn't see the creatures.
Were they invisible? she wondered. They have to be.

The footsteps paced around the camp for a bit, looking around. Ana closed her eyes when she heard them draw close to her. She noted that three sets of feet stopped beside Lucy, Gael, and herself. It would be very difficult—but not impossible—for her to shoot an invisible creature so she waited with bated breath. Perhaps the creatures were simply curious and would leave them alone.

"This one," the voice next to Lucy whispered. "It's female."
"So are these two," a second one observed, standing between Ana and Gael's bedrolls.
"This one reads..." the first said and Ana heard the ruffling of pages as they flipped through the book. She stiffened, wondering what they would do. Why did they want someone who could read?
"Let's take her!" a third voice commanded.

Ana gasped and sat up just in time to see Lucy being lifted into the air. She had been startled awake and was now struggling against some kind of invisible force. Ana made to call out a warning to their friends but in her haste, she had forgotten there were other creatures present. A large hand wrapped around her waist and mouth simultaneously, cutting off her cry. Her bow clattered to the ground as her arms were pinned to her sides. She was picked up and carried off, following after Lucy. The whole time, the others remained unaware of their struggles, sound asleep.

The figures hurried off, leaving footprints behind as they fled from the camp. Ana only struggled with her invisible captors for a moment before realizing she could transform and put an end to it. Just as she began to do so, she got smacked in the face with a branch, throwing her off. Though it was unintentional as one muttered an apology and she recovered quickly. However, by that time they had released her. Ana fell into an undignified heap on the ground, much like Lucy.

Both ladies reached for their daggers, pulling the blades from their scabbards at their waists. But just as quickly the blades were knocked from their hands. Lucy hurried to chase after hers but was pushed away from it. The creatures laughed while Ana thought about their situation. Fighting was hardly any use against invisible creatures, but she could sense their presence nonetheless. She could still protect her friend from these creatures should the need arise.

"There is no escape," a deep voice leered. The other creatures sounded their agreement. They were surrounded on all sides by some unforeseen creatures.
"What are you?" Lucy asked, voice only trembling a little.
"We are terrifying invisible beasts!" a second creature told them.
"If you could see us, you'd be really intimidated," a third chimed.
"You forgot to mention..." another interjected, "... that we are very large."
"Well, what do you want?" Ana asked, ignoring their threats.
"With you, missy? Nothing," the first voice spoke. She assumed he was the leader. "We just couldn't have you warning your friends."

"You, on the other hand..." one said as Lucy stood up.
"You'll do what we ask," the Chief ordered.
"She will. Very clear," voiced some of the others.
"Or what?" Lucy demanded.
"Or... death," said the chief.
"Death?" multiple voices questioned. Then they began to chant. "Death! Death! Death!"
"No!" Ana protested, stepping forward to protect the young Queen.
"Hush!" one of the creatures commanded and Ana found hands around her mouth again. They pulled her away from Lucy, who took a step forward.
"Well, I wouldn't be much use to you dead now, would I?" she countered.