I can feel a brisk wind beginning to chaff my face, as the incline becomes more severe. The tunnel suddenly widens dramatically and I see that there are no more braziers lining the wall, and the source of light is sunlight. It pours through an opening in the cave. The cave opens to a huge ledge- The Overhang- seemingly near the precipice of the mountain. There are approximately a hundred people gathered on the ledge, and it is scattered with various weapons and furs, its people all preoccupied in practising magick and sharpening swords and spears. As Allil enters, they all bow to her, and gaze curiously at me.
"Who is this?" An old man with a beard as grey as ash, and skin creased like dry paper asks Allil, slowly using a wizened cane to get to his feet. His milky eyes prove his blindness. A middle aged man, painted green in the same manner as Druga gets to his feet, stiffly getting up from his bundle of furs that he was reclining on.
"It is the girl that I was talking about, the goddess Abnoba helped her, so she is not a threat to us," the man reassures everyone.
"Dale, father of Druga," Allil greets him, and he respectfully inclines his head,
"Allil, great sorceress," I stand there completely bewildered and slightly awed at the amount of sorcerers and sorceresses surrounding me. The people, seemingly satisfied, return to their activities, with a slightly more frenzied attitude, now that their leader has arrived. Allil turns to me, and opens her mouth to speak, before Druga suddenly bursts onto the ledge, demanding to speak to Allil. Another man follows him, blood running down his forehead, somebody screams,
"MAVERICK?" as the woman that the scream belongs to runs to him, he collapses on the stone ground, before breathing his last, and going rigid. Sadness flickers through my leaden heart as I am reminded of Brea and my family.
"What is going on, Druga?" Allil grips him tightly by the shoulders.
"Maverick was leading a patrol around The Ravine, but it seems that the Vikings are becoming more greedy. The Vikings were waiting on the other side of the ravine, and as the patrol crossed over they attacked. Maverick and the others stood no chance. Maverick only survived as long as he did because of his ability to create a bridge to the Southern forests." Allil turns to her people, and addresses them,
"Do we fight or retreat even further back?" they whisper amongst themselves, then scream back,
"FIGHT,"
"Very well then, tonight, we attack,"
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.
