Prologue
The distance was all that mattered.
Running for ones life robbed you of all senses and heightened the urge to escape.
Stepping into the dark forest was disorientating to be almost blinded, but given the ears of a wolf.
The sense of smell was sensitized, the loam in the earth and the decomposing leaves made the atmosphere close and thick.
The blackness nurtured a sense of claustrophobia inside you, even though the woodland stretched unbroken for miles. The narrow path, which was made uneven by knotted roots that crossed it, branched at intervals, making it harder to run.
Looking behind me I saw the pained faces of my companions as they ran with all of their might. I need to slow “them” down somehow...to give them enough time to escape safely.
Tripping on the roots that hid in the forest floor, an unbearable amount of pain shocked me, I looked to see a sharp piece of rock embedded in my hip, which guessing fractured the bone.
Screaming in pain one of my comrades knelt down to see how bad my injury was, tears filled his eyes.
I knew I couldn’t go on from this point on...so did they.
“Go!” I commanded them, “I will hold them off here, make sure you all survive!”
“No, there has to be a way for you to walk....” Ling Guang hung his head low.
Looking at the others I begged them with my eyes, “Please go!” I tried to fight the overwhelming feeling inside of me. I could tell how hard it was for them as well, as the other two forced Ling to his feet and started to run again. He screamed in defiance as they dragged him farther and farther away from me, finally, he faced reality and ran as fast as he could.
“It’s all for the best....” I told myself.
The darkness of the forest walls became heavy on me, as I watched my closest companions leave me. I closed my eyes as I burned their image in my mind. Looking around I gathered my strength as I used the tree beside me as a crutch. Since my power can’t heal this left me with a disadvantage.
I closed my eyes once more....feeling the damp forest floor to even a mosquito flying about in the humid air...feeling everything. Footsteps? Ten....no twenty....picturing the distance between me and the enemy I positioned myself steadily. Breathing out I tried to relax as the pain in my hip increased, opening my eyes my enemy was in front of me, about twenty feet away, seeing their faces my anger grew exceedingly to a boiling rage.
“Fools! Your hopes all wither...for I am your doom!!!” I repeated this verse out loud.
A white mist then enveloped me as crystals began to form from the dew in the thick air.
Creating sharp crystals sharp as knives able to pierce flesh, “You won’t get past me!” The shards flew toward the men in front of me, they screamed in agony as the crystals pierced their bodies. More, than showed up numbers up to 50 men. But unlike the others, these were professional killers.
Faces hidden behind masks they approached my position.
You could hear the air shaking as I formed more crystals, it sounded like two objects of glass clashing together, forming a barricade over me I hardened the crystals to a hard metal.
Forming an arc with my arm I had sharp crystals readied for any attacks.
They stopped. Standing there silently they waited, they were waiting for me to make the first move. Panting from exhaustion, my mind became dizzy for a split second in which I faulted in my defense. At that split second they approached me with the speed of lighting. They surrounded me on all sides attacking me with sharp and heavy weapons, trying to protect my injured hip, they noticed my weakness within seconds and changed their attack to my injured leg. I began to slow down, one then attacked me from the opposite side which distracted me....no this is what they wanted....No! They struck me making me fall from the attack.
They all stood in front of me about 10 feet away.
Feeling exhausted my breathing became rapid, and the bleading became more profuse. Standing up with much difficulty.
“What do you want from us?!” I screamed at them.
One of the masked men took a step forward. “Our master summons you,” he said in a hoarse voice.
“There is no way I am going back there!”
“You talk a lot of about protecting your companions when you abandoned one back with our master...very funny” he laughed, while he started to finger his spear that he held “don’t you want him back?”
“We didn’t leave `him` behind...and I won’t let you get passed me and hurt my family!” I channeled my powers once more using the forest as my defense, I grew scared, scared of myself....once I go on overload my powers will go on a rampage...even though it might help my situation that I’m in.
They started to attack me once more with great speed, but my body grew weaker, they then started to become blurry, my eyes couldn’t follow anymore. *please just let me hold on a little longer-----*
My thoughts were brutally interrupted by a feeling of a cold, foreign object enter violently through my chest. I gasped for air as the object felt heavy as the sins I carried. Immense pain followed, coughing up blood I fell to my knees, looking at the spear-like object protruding from my chest, it’s tip was drenched in my blood.
Reality then hit me like a ton of bricks, tears started to flood my eyes, “No...not...yet” my mind started to run wild with knowing my end was near, "I..still have to see...him again"
My whole body then began to pulse...not silently, it became stronger where the whole forest heard my heartbeat. I coughed up more blood.
“What...is this...spear?” I looked ahead of me.
My enemies were enjoying the sight of my demise, “There is poison on the spearhead, it is what helps you go on a rampage...consider it a little parting gift from our master to you... don’t kill your friends now” He began to turn away but turned back around, “Oh I should mention that I also put a curse plus a seal on the spear, it will taint those powers of yours more than before so that when and if your reincarnated that person, will have a terrible time trying to keep those powers under control....they will know nothing but pain and anguish. They will seek to destroy everyone and everything in its path.....consider that a special gift from me personally” He continued on his way laughing.
“I-i won’t let...myself go on a rampage...I’ll die before that happens....” touching the pool of blood beside me, I made markings on my face, chest, and arms. “Rama Ractu...Adutho Zanchu...Aechu Sadvtu!” The markings on my body then glowed bright red, as it seeped into my skin. This technique is only taught to those people with abilities like my own, this can seal away my feelings and memories and if I am reincarnated that person will have something to lean on, but--- *Cough*
This spell drains you of your life force and could take your life in exchange.....this is for the best.
Falling to the floor I felt my body growing colder....my eyes became heavier. “I will...protect...you...all from...the shadows...but please save him....“I breathed my last, closing my eyes I was surrounded by darkness once more.
~ * ~
Waking up with a shock, my heart was pounding in my ears, a cold sweat covered my body. Feeling paralyzed I slowly sat up on my bed.....“That dream again....who are you?”
