I step through the leafy branches as they rake harshly against my skin. We have been climbing upwards, following the edge of the ravine, for what seems to be two hours. Red light slowly starts to wash out the dark navy of the sky, as sunrise comes about. Allil has set a strong pace, and we have not talked for the entire journey. Sometimes her raven flies off to somewhere, and returns with a message wrapped around its leg. It is not my place to ask Allil what the messages are.
We suddenly jolt to a stop, the last remnants of the night long chased out to the west. Allil kneels down and mutters to the ground, the roots of the tree in front of us erupt through the ground and interlock with the other side of the sheer ravine, weaving together to form a walk way.
"Now we cross to the South," Allil smiles, placing a pale foot on the branches, and slowly crossing over. I follow her lead, successfully ignoring the deadly abyss below. Once across the ravine, we walk for about five metres through more foliage until the forest breaks and I realise that we are halfway up a mountain, standing on a ledge overlooking both the North, West, East and South forests. Continuing up the mountain is more forest. Behind me is a cave with a jagged natural entrance. Allil smiles at me, before stepping into the cave. I make to follow her, but something flashes in front of me and holds me back. A man dressed in green, and smeared with green paint. His hair is braided tightly against his scalp. He towers above me,
"Who are you, and why do you seek to enter the Cave?" He commands, before Allil appears behind him,
"Druga, let her go, this is the one I was talking about." He steps back and bows to her,
"As you wish, sorceress," before disappearing into the foliage of the mountain. Hesitantly I step into the impending darkness.
Braziers clunk into light as we round a corner, looming shadows glancing across the wall behind us as we make our way through the jagged corridor. As we delve further into the heart of the mountain, the corridor becomes smoother, and gradually I start noticing intricate witch patterns roughly hewn into the rock.
"What is this place?" I gasp at Allil.
"It is our home, we call this place The Overhang"
YOU ARE READING
Sorceress
FantasyThey came at night, angry and lustful for treasure and slaves. We stood no chance. I lay in bed, completely oblivious. Then I heard the screaming. Aine O'Connell has been captured by Vikings, and forced into slavery. Then one day everything changes.
