Hunted

It’s warm and thready making its way down my body in small rivers of crimson red. What an odd sensation, I’m dying, but I always thought it would be cold and empty not warm.

I cannot give in. I may be down on my knees, but I cannot give in. No further. No more. But my entire body tells me lay down and rest for a while. I guess I am pretty tired.

Help me. Somebody, please. I need to live, I have to live. There’s still so much I need to do, there are still many people who need me and I need them. I must live. I need to live.

I can’t take this anymore. I want to sleep, but I can’t, it’ll be my death. But I can rest, right? Yes, I’ll just lay down for a while and rest, but not sleep. No, not sleep, sleep means death. I’m sure somebody will be here to help me soon anyway, so it’s okay to just rest.

I’m going to die. Shame it’s not like in the movies, I have yet to see flashes of my life as I slowly pass away. Maybe they’re yet to come. It should be soon though, I know I have little time left. Best get ready for the show.

My mind is numb, I’m feeling drowsy. I can’t think straight anymore, I’m too tired. The world looks distorted, I can’t make sense of any of it anymore. My mind is numb.

So long world.

My brother did this to me. He had been standing in front of me with his sword glinting in his hand. Shined and sharpened to a perfection. I was wanted, a bounty of fifteen thousand dollars. My own brother had slayed me, a malicious smirk on his face. I knew at that moment that I was not going to make it out of the Everlasting Green Grove. He had lifted the sword up.

“No one is going to find you sister, ever” he told me.

“Zayne please don’t do this” I had cried out tears streaming down my face. I remember looking at him, his face had flickered with emotion, gone as quick as it came.

“Sorry Aurelia but I can’t let anyone turn you in, it’s for your protection” I remember the anger when he said that.

“You can protect me Zayne we can head to the forgotten lands and stay there” I had begged my brother.

“I’m so sorry Aurelia maybe if you hadn’t been born with mom’s powers then maybe it wouldn’t have to end like this” he had told before bringing his blade down slicing through my top. I had collapsed onto my knees.

This is how I died but what confused me was I woke up with it pitch black, the ground was hot around me. I squinted looking around when a light flooded the area. I look down to see my hand glowing and surrounded by flames. I screamed, shaking my hand only to realize my hand wasn’t burning. Weird the only thing I remember being was telekinetic. I lifted my shirt to see only a scar left where my brother slashed me. I heard voices in the distance getting closer. I quickly willed the light away and the fire on my hand was gone. I quickly climbed the tree perching on a branch and looked down at the ground. When I saw the light getting closer I moved closer to the trunk praying the foliage hid me.

“I saw him go this way a couple hours ago I think he was tracking his sister Aurelia, seeing as we already capture Katia” I sucked in a breath seeing my twelve year old sister struggling against the hold of a man. The sister I thought died when in reality she had been taken captive.

I remember when I thought she had died. Lillith, Katia and I were hunting to bring food back to the cave. We were tracking a couple of rabbits. Willow and James were waiting for us. I heard a crack behind us. I stopped looking around. I heard a gunshot and Katia collapsed. Blood poured out of her stomach.

“No Katia” I yelled.

Lilith pulled me away.

“She’s gone come on, we have to get out of here,” Lilith said.

I never looked back. She didn’t die, she looked fine.

I growled recognizing that voice Hunter Barlow Mist Haven’s bounty hunter one of the best ones there is. Even though he has yet to keep a hold on any of us, the Mist Haven Seven.

He stopped below the tree seeing the bloody and scorched ground. He looked around before looking up into the trees I sucked in a breath as he looked away.

“Fan out, they should be nearby and careful I believe she has discovered the ability to wield fire. Okkar tie the girl to the tree and stand guard” he said moving away. When I knew they were far enough I jumped from my perch and landed on my feet. I quickly disarmed the guard and knocked him out.

“Aurelia” I looked over at Katia, tears in her eyes.

“Hey it’s ok I got you” I quickly untied the rope and hugged her, our reunion was short lived as I heard Hunter.

“Come on we have to get out of here Katia” I grabbed her hand and started to run. The wind picked up and then it felt like we were flying but we weren’t. Katia is manipulating the air using it for speed. We weaved in between trees and vaulted over rocks. Finally making it to the cave. Where Willow and James lay in wait. I quickly pulled her inside and made my way down the sharp twists and turns to the center of the cave. We entered a large chamber with floating balls of fire. On one wall was shelves of magic and potion books. On the other were shelves of ingredients and a cauldron.

“Willow, James” I called out, they exited a small area off of the cavern. The area where we sleep.

“Aurelia thank god we thought Hunter caught you like they caught” Willow stopped, seeing Katia.

“No he didn’t, Zayne did” I said lifting my shirt.

James came closer touching the scar. I shivered at his touch. Katia and I have known James and Willow since the beginning. We all grew up together, Willow, James, Lilith, Katia and I.

“Remarkable your abilities are getting better,” he said smiling at me. A beautiful smile, I shook the thought out of my head.

“Yeah I didn’t feel pain, just warmth and blood. It was probably just the adrenaline drowning it out. I thought I wasn’t going to heal but I did. I woke up in time, if I hadn’t I would be captured too as Hunter almost caught me” I said, I looked at Katia.

“I’m just glad he had Katia with him so as they fanned out to look for me I was able to disarm and knock out her guard and get out of there before he caught us” I said. Katia wandered over to the shelves as I went over to the cauldron with Willow and Jaymes.

“So what is the plan we still have to find Lilith, Crimson and Sable before we can even think of moving to get ahead of Hunter” I said.

“Well I believe that if Lilith did manage to avoid getting caught like you when you guys escaped Hunter then she would head towards Udaria Empire” Willow said.

“Well lets hope, as that’s at least a two week journey” I said.

“Crimson and Sable would be somewhere close, like White Water falls, as that has an elaborate cave system and great vegetation” James said.

I was worried about Lilith, Crimson, and Sable. Lilith and I are both 17 but Sable is only eight and Crimson is five. Lilith, James, Willow and I rescued Sable and Crimson when they were just two and five years old. When Sable set her house on fire with her abilities and Crimson put it out with her water abilities.

Lilith, Katia, Sable, Crimson and I were captured as we were looking for supplies and Hunter found us we were there for a week before finally escaping three months ago. We have been on the run together since and got separated from Lilith when we ran into Hunter.

“Ok let’s get our stuff together and make our way to White Water” I said, picking up some potion books.