AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A little further ahead, I saw a tall cliff. The rocks were a midnight blue, a blue so dark it appeared black. The waterfall that fell from the top was so clear that it perfectly reflected the blue sky, and against the colour of the cliff, it was captivating.
The Spider chasing me seemed more desperate the closer I got to the cliff. But even as he was desperate, his steps began to slow down.
Almost like he was reluctant to continue following me.
Realising that this was my only way out, I launched myself forward without thinking. A high-pitched yelp echoed from my lips as my body collided with the sharp rocks. Something jagged poked my exposed belly before hot pain erupted from my ribs. I winced, whimpering, keeping my grip on the stones. I gasped for air, wincing again as my lungs expanded and pressed against my injured ribs.
When I calmed down enough to look behind me, the Velli Spider was agitated, pacing on the land below with his greedy eyes on me.
I bared my teeth at him, shoving one arm towards him before a wave of water slammed into him. Drenched, he roared again, this time so much louder that my ears twinged sharply. I recoiled, losing my focus on my gift—and almost losing my grip on the rock before I plastered myself closer, dismissing the sharp stings radiating from various places in my body.
Gulping, I turned and used my remaining energy to climb up.
In the back of my mind, I wondered if I was only escaping one death for another by climbing higher, but the sight of a waterfall lured me into thinking there was a body of water ahead. My collision with the hard surface of the rocks had wounded me—even if it hadn’t caused severe damage—and I needed to surround myself with water to heal.
I grabbed on to rocks, vines and anything else that helped me up, my face scrunching with disgust at the webs and threads I found, grimacing as some of them refused to leave my skin.
By the time I reached the top, I was panting, and when I looked below, the furious Spider was gone.
3
I couldn’t understand why the Spider who’d chased me moments ago had looked unsettled. Why he’d so easily given up on me and left as if chasing me had been a joke. Whatever the reason for this reaction, it puzzled me.
Still catching my breath, I studied the land I was now on. Trees of all shapes, sizes, and colours decorated the place. One tree was a lovely warm pink, but under the glow of the sun, it radiated tones of yellow and a lighter pink. Another tree had a violet hue. Further ahead was a vast forest of endless green.
I paused. For a world that housed savage beasts, it was colourful and bright. How could this be called hideous when delicate flowers bloomed all around?
Three more cliffs stood before me, all much shorter than the one I’d just climbed. The middle ridge—the tallest—resembled the colour of charcoal. At its peak was a large, dark cave, sculpted into the shape of a… panther’s head.
There was another waterfall on this territory, one that fell from the cave’s mouth, out of the panther’s opened jaw, which had sharp rocks in the shape of fangs jutting from under the running water. The water fell behind two tall trees, both with various shades of green, and formed a massive pool that narrowed as it neared the edge. It formed another waterfall that spilled down to the land below—the one I’d been on moments earlier.
My gaze drifted up to the cave again. The eyes were something wild; the tear ducts dipped low, the top ends curving up like dark brows, and then they dipped low again. Moss filled the left eye, but the right eye had a huge red web, like bars meant to cover the empty space. Three dark strokes fell down from that eye, the middle stroke being the longest and the other two appearing to be of the same length. Cracks lined the head, as if they were the result of all that fine sculpting. It baffled me how such detail could be made withrocks.
And it chilled me to think what creature could do all this.
A shudder racked my body.
Dirt and webs littered me. My skin was scratched in some areas; as if to agree, my ribs ached again.
I had to leave. This wasn’t my world but the place of monsters and devastation. But I couldn’t return with my current state. Even with the success of my trip to the Fairies’ land, I knew if my brother saw me like this, I’d never be allowed far from our home again.
I made my way to the water, wincing as the pain in my side bloomed further. Keia squeaked, gently pulling on my ear with her beak.
“I’ll clean up and then we’ll leave, I promise.” I unstrapped my bag of success from my back and gently placed it on the ground, still observing my surroundings. I couldn’t sense anyone around, only the presence of other animals.
Then again, I hadn’t been able to sense that Spider much when he’d been following me.
This land was icy, the teeth of frost biting deep into my bones and making my teeth clatter.
I rushed into the water as quickly as my sore limbs allowed, ignoring how my tight dress became even tighter. My muscles relaxed almost immediately, while Keia plopped on the grassy ground at the edge of the pool.
I took a deep breath in and focused on drawing the water to me, feeling my body buzz as its energy seeped into me. Relief loosened me when I realised the pain in my side was not from broken ribs because the water would not have been able to heal those, only minor injuries like the scratches littering me.
“F-f-freez-zing,” I stuttered when the wind increased. It had been a gentle breeze just moments ago.
I glanced at my bag of goods, making sure it was still where I’d placed it. After a few moments, I moved my limbs, testing my strength.
The wind howled louder. Shivering, I shrank under the surface as I continued drawing the water to me. I tried to recall the different Spider species I’d been taught, only to draw blanks when my head ached.
