Dark Beginnings

Lexi stumbled as she ran barefoot through the forest, her body already bloody and sore from the beatings she had received over the past few weeks. She didn’t understand why the human hunters had not just killed her outright, as they had so many others. But a select few they had kept alive. They, like her, had been tortured. Taken to the brink of despair and close to death, only to be pulled back, tended to and cared for, just to have to endure it all again. The human hunters liked to call themselves the Purgo, which meant cleanser in Latin. The Purgo had been hunting down Lexi’s kind, and others, for as long as she could remember. Determined to wipe them all from the face of the earth, supernatural beings such as herself and the others with her had to stay hidden.

She knew they had to get out of the Purgo compound they had been held in, so she, and one other, Soltar, had planned their escape.

They were out. All five of the supernaturals were out. Although they were not all kin by blood or even species, their shared experiences at the hands of the Purgo meant they could not leave anybody behind. Those harrowing experiences had bonded them all together in ways that could never have been foretold.

Now they ran. Not only for their own survival but also for future generations of their breeds.

Being supernatural beings, the Purgo had spent decades trying to eradicate them. Out of fear and ignorance, the Purgo had come close to killing them off into extinction.

Feeling they were now far enough away from the compound where they had been held, Lexi slowed her pace, then stopped, the others following suit. Due to their superhuman speed, they had put many miles between themselves and their captures. Well, at least she hoped so. Glancing around at the dense forest surrounding them, Lexi was astonished at how good she felt physically, considering all her body had been forced to endure. The burning on the soles of her feet was starting to ease, the open wounds on her body didn’t seem to sting quite as much as they had a few hours ago, and her sense of smell had finally returned after having her nose broken by the Purgo.

A pleasant musky scent drifted to her nose, and she inhaled the fragrance deeply into her lungs. Looking around to try and see where it was coming from, she noticed tiny white blossoms growing on lush green vines throughout the forest, and they seemed to be the source of the intoxicating smell. Observing the others that stood with her, Lexi saw they all appeared fresh and full of energy. They were all also inhaling the scent deeply through their noses.

Walking over to one of the tiny flowers, she picked it from its vine, which was wrapped around a giant tree, and raised it to her nose. Inhaling deeply, she felt a surge of energy, unlike anything she had ever felt before. It left her feeling refreshed and revitalised in a way unlike any other she knew. Almost as if she had not been bound and tortured. Almost.

If only these flowers could erase the horrific memories just as quickly, she thought to herself.

Lexi asked, “How are you all feeling?”

All four of her travelling companions answered the same, “Great!”

“Soltar, being a Warlock, you work with herbs and plants a lot. Do you know what these are?”

“I have seen something similar before, but I’m not too sure what it is, to be exact,” Soltar replied. “I wish I still had my books.” He walked over to where Lexi was standing at the tree’s base and picked a bloom off a nearby vine. He lifted it closer to examine it, his brows furrowed in confusion. Bending his head to sniff the flower, a look of pure contentment washed over his robust features and his broad shoulders visibly relaxed. “But I like it,” he grinned at her.

“Can anybody else feel the pulse of energy in the air?” she asked.

Soltar glanced at her, “Now that you mention it, Lexi, yes, I do. It’s subtle but definitely there.” After a moment’s pause, the rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement. The energy appeared to be coming from the blossoms, but to a greater degree, also from the tree, they were standing under. Being Fae, Lexi could detect magic and could usually read the magical signature to tell what species was producing it, but this was different. She had never picked up on a magical signature from a plant before. She could detect strong magic but couldn’t determine precisely what it was. Because it was coming from a tree, it was confusing her. It felt old and almost like Fae magic, but something slightly different about it.

With them all now standing at the base of the tree, Lexi looked around, trying to determine what direction they should head next. They had no idea where they were or where they should go, but they had to find somewhere safe. And fast. Soltar opened his mouth to say something when they heard a distant shout. How had the Purgo caught up with us so quickly? Lexi wondered in a panic, her eyes darting in every direction, trying to find where the voices were coming from. Every face in the group looked panicked, and she knew they had to make a decision and move quickly. They couldn’t afford to be caught by the Purgo again and taken back to the compound. Lexi didn’t think any of them would have survived it a second time. They had been on the run for three days straight. It made no sense that the Purgo could have caught up so quickly.

About to tell the others to run, Lexi froze when a gentle whisper surrounded them, “Gather in closer to the base of the tree and do not make a sound if you value your lives.” Trying to stay silent, they all huddled closer to the tree, their eyes wide in panic. Lexi could hardly believe they were all listening to the whisper that seemed to be coming from nowhere, but they had no other choice. If they tried to run now, the Purgo would definitely catch them, and they would be dead within days, if not sooner.

“As long as you stay close and silent, you will be kept safe,” the mysterious male voice whispered again.

Six Purgo members appeared from behind the trees surrounding them, all carrying weapons. Lexi stood rooted beside the tree, waiting for the human men to spot them. The humans’ eyes passed straight over the group as they looked around, trying to determine where they were. How can they not see us? Lexi wondered. If the situation was not so dire, she just about would have laughed. The Purgo walked forward and gathered only a few feet from where they were standing.

“Where are they? They can’t have got that far,” one of the humans looked around in confusion. “James, can you see them? You’re the one with enhanced eyesight.”

A blonde-haired man scanned the trees, narrowing his eyes in confusion. “No, I can’t see them. But they have to be here somewhere,” he replied irritably.

Enhanced eyesight? Lexi looked at the others in her group, wondering if they had any idea what the Purgo members were talking about. The others looked as confused as she felt. Things were getting strange, and she quickly realised that the longer they were in this forest, the more questions that needed answering. How did the Hunters have enhanced senses? Clearly, they all had enhanced speed. There was no way possible that the Purgo members could have caught up with them that quickly any other way. This could be bad for them and any future generations of supernaturals. They couldn’t even talk things out amongst themselves while the Purgo were still standing there. The questions would have to wait. First, they had to survive.

“They can’t have gone far,” the one called James said. “Let’s spread out. We need to find them as soon as possible and get them back to the compound. Try to remember, don’t kill them. We need them alive.” Nodding their agreement, the rest of the human men spread out and disappeared into the trees.

Staying quiet and unmoving until all the Purgo members had disappeared into the forest, they waited, wondering what to do next.

“Head in a Northerly direction. The tangled vines will make a path for you. Get to Night Falls. You will be safe there.” Trusting the voice from the tree, the group of friends turned north.

As they proceeded on their journey, the thick vines and underbrush would move to clear a path for them, then tangle behind them once more. Lexi felt slightly unnerved by how the brush did this but figured it would keep them from being discovered by the men hunting them. It’s not like we have any other choice anyway, she thought bitterly. She hated not having control of her own life, but this was such a little thing compared to the past few weeks. Shaking her head, Lexi tried not to let her thoughts wander back to the damp, dark, and cold room where she had been kept.

Bruno suddenly let out a yelp of pain. Spinning in his direction, she saw an arrow protruding from his thigh. Damn! How had the Purgo managed to see us and actually hit him? Lexi wondered. Before any of them could react more than looking up, the vines in the forest circled the man who had shot Bruno. Whipping themselves up off the ground, the lush greenery surrounded the human and slowly started to tighten around him. Lexi could see that the man was about to be crushed by the vines, and even though he had been hunting them and had just shot Bruno, she felt her heart constrict in fear for him. Turning away from the scene in front of her, she knelt down beside where Bruno was sitting on the forest floor, gripping his bleeding leg.

“Can you shift so we can keep moving?” Lexi asked him softly. She hated seeing anybody in pain but knew they had to keep moving before the rest of the Purgo caught up with them again.

“I can’t shift while the arrow is still in my leg. It has to be removed first.” The sweat was starting to bead on his forehead and his light chocolate complexion paled slightly with what Lexi imagined must be terrible pain.

“We don’t have the time or supplies to remove it here. We are going to have to keep moving,” grunted Laztat.

Trying to drag himself to his feet, Bruno yelled in pain and collapsed back to the ground. “I can’t. Go! Leave me here.”