Isildilia.(Book 1 of the White Lily trilogy)

Chapter 23- Spirits make a change

(Picture- and old title sketch- including tail) 

      

      Isildilia suddenly woke

      She had no idea why; her dreams were not of an ill nature, and there were no disturbing sounds which would have woken her. She sat up and looked around. If there was anything threatening around, Valin and Froyza would have woken first. Then she could hear something, something in the distance. It sounded like children singing and laughing; pure, innocent voices. She decided to get up and creep through the bushes, following the sounds, even though it was against her better judgement. As she got closer to the sounds, it also was getting lighter.  It couldn’t be daylight, it was too white. She crouched down at the edge of the tiny clearing and saw them.

     She wasn’t sure what they were. She could only simply describe them as floating globes of light, each in different shades of light pink, yellows and whites. They were floating around the clearing in a circle, following each other; leaving shining trails of gold that were absorbed by its follower. Their voices and movement reminded her of children playing.  They were not in any of Valin’s lessons. She has never seen them before.

   She watched them as their path lead them over the river, before looping back into the clearing. They were truly mesmerising.

    Keeping at a crouch, she left the safety of the bushes to creep even further forwards. The entire group froze and looked at her. She assumed so, as they had no visible facial features. As each one moved it produce a high pitch chiming noise, like the ringing of small bells. She remained motionless as each one came closer.

    One of them broke formation and came to hover in front of her face. It was slightly larger than her enclosed fist and was tulip yellow. It was so painfully bright; she struggled to keep her eyes open, as she tried to avoid blinking.  She couldn’t afford to blink, in case it did something when she broke contact. They both remained silent; the only sound was that of the orb’ faint chime.

   Isildilia swallowed and accidently produced a high pitched squeak in her throat. Out of the blue, the orb responded, by producing the same pitched music note. Isildilia hesitated, and then whistle a small tune. The orb repeated it. Each time she kept trying more complex tunes, to which it repeated perfectly. Then she stopped. It bounced up and down, almost like it was impatient. She assumed it was waiting for her to continue. She suddenly stood up, causing it to fly backwards in alarm.

   It didn’t take long for it to return towards her, along with the others. They were just as curious of her as she was of them. They started to dance round her in a circle, with their childlike laughter and singing. They trailed off from her and started to nudge her to follow, returning for her if she fell behind. She hesitated, not wanting to trail so far from the others, but the orbs would nudge her to continue if she stopped.

   It wasn’t long before they stopped, right on the river bank. The hovered close to the ground, lighting up the entire floor. She squinted in the light; trying to see what is was they were showing her. Right in the midst of the circle was a flower, but it wasn’t any ordinary flower. It was a single, white lily flower. Isildilia felt a cold chill creeping down her spine and she stepped back.

      They know, she told herself, backing away, they can sense her, me, whatever they are.

   One of the orbs drifted behind her, singing its own tune. Then, without warning, it slammed into her back. The force caused her to fall to her knees; it was like being hit by a rock. There was a sudden jolt in her stomach as the same orb suddenly passed right through her! She leant over and gave shuddering cough, splattering droplets of blood on the white flower underneath her.  She suddenly heaved again, and again. Something was lurching in her stomach, but didn’t threaten to come out. Despite being a cloudy night, her wings burst out of her back with so much force that she screamed. She hadn’t felt this much pain from them since the first night she received them. What were they doing to her? Where was Valin?