AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The wisps cluster around me. Their enchantment tightens its grasp on my mind. They merge in a cloud of blue light. The surface ripples, forming the image of Nolderan.
At the far end of the street lies Eliya, her broken body slumped against the wall. Her expression is so still. Ghouls stalk toward her, their rotten hands reaching out and ravenous teeth grinding together.
“Eliya!” The last of my resistance shatters at the sight of my best friend’s corpse. “Eliya!”
I hurry forth, mutteringigniraand summoning flames to eradicate the undead seeking to consume her flesh.
“Eliya!” I cry once more, sliding across the cobblestones as I frantically reach down to clutch her.
Her skin is ice cold. Her pulse doesn’t beat.
“Eliya!” I wail, thick tears rolling down my cheeks. I grasp Eliya’s shoulders, shaking her desperately. “Eliya, don’t go! Don’t leave me!”
Eliya doesn’t respond.
My hands tremble. The rest of my body is frozen solid. I can’t feel the ground beneath me, nor the evening breeze. All I can feel is Eliya’s icy skin against my fingertips and the weight of her lifeless body in my arms.
Until even Eliya slips away.
Then I’m alone in the darkness.
I stare down at my hands. They’re translucent and glow with pale blue light.
What am I doing? How did I get here?
It feels like the answer is there, lost somewhere in the depths of my mind. No matter how much I try, I can’t locate it.
I rub my temples and shake my head, trying to clear it.
Who was that girl lying in my arms only moments ago?
My fingers sweep across my cheeks, feeling the tears dried on my skin.
I was crying.
Why was I crying?
I close my eyes, the weight of those questions pressing down on me, and lie on the ground. I can’t tell whether it’s grass, stone or sand beneath me. Actually, it’s more likely to be cloud or smoke, since the surface has an airy quality to it.
My breathing slows. Darkness washes over me.
I’m tired. So very tired. I’ve never felt this peaceful. Though I can no longer recall a time before this tranquility, I’m certain painful memories lurk somewhere in the depths of my mind. If those experiences brought me so much anguish, isn’t it best to forget them? To let go of the past and allow myself to fall into this nothingness?
A smile plays on my lips. Coolness washes over me. If I can, I want to stay here for eternity, free from all worries and fears.
A tinkling chimes around me. The melodious sound is one of agreement, urging me to drift deeper into the tranquility they offer.
And I may have, if not for a sudden force crashing into me.
The ground gives way, and I fall. Shouts pierce the darkness. Voices which sound vaguely familiar, though I can’t pinpoint to whom they belong. They all shout the same strange word.
“Reyna!”
twenty-five
Iblink.Theshadowsblinding me give way.
A cave surrounds me, its stone walls looming over me. I’m sitting on the floor, the wisps circling me closely. They draw nearer, sweeping me up and lifting me into the air.
