Midoria's Heart

Midoria's Heart 25 - The New Threat

Hey guys! here you go, the next chapter. Sorry its a tad late, but what can I say, I'm busy! :P

This one is short, but hopefully interesting...

Enjoy!!

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Chapter 25 - The New Threat

 

Wind whipped at my hair, pulling the long tendrils gently in its grasp. The brisk evening air cut at my face, making me shiver slightly. We had passed over the last of civilization near an hour ago, and continued on our path towards the mountains. The sun was low on the horizon as the shadow of the night turned the earth grey, but high up in the sky, a rainbow of colours so magnificent they took my breath away surrounded us as the last light of day left the world. The trees below us swayed in the wind, but up here in the sky, not even the rustling leaves penetrated the perfect silence.

It was the perfect atmosphere for thinking... and did I ever have things to think about. Worries that plagued my mind, fear of the fate my kingdom was walking the path towards, confusion for my feelings, determination to protect those I loved. Thoughts swirled around in my brain as we pushed forward into the setting sun; we had decided to keep flying for as long as we could, we had lost too much time at the ancient castle.

As night claimed the world, I noticed movement below the canopy of the trees; a dark shadow that followed our path as we moved freely through the air. With a start, I realized that it was the black wolf; it must have followed us all the way from the castle. A feeling of empathy and satisfaction came over me, and in a strange way, I was glad that the lone wolf seemed to have taken to our group. At least it wouldn't be alone anymore... out of all the tortures in the world, loneliness is one of the worst.

The sun finished its slow descent, leaving me with an eerie, almost empty feeling. There was no moon tonight, so the only light came from the tiny pinpricks of stars; barely enough to allow me to see my friends as we flew. In the distance, but growing ever closer, the mountains created a wall of midnight darkness, impenetrable and imposing against the starry backdrop of the night sky.

A flicker of light caught my eye, and I turned my gaze west, noticing far in the distance what looked like a house - well, mansion - with a light on in the uppermost window. That's strange.... I'd thought that nobody lived past the town of Kaldar... we were on the outskirts of the kingdom, only rogues and the banished lived here. None of them had the money or resources to build a house like that... did they?

Did they though? A hint of a memory, something I had pushed from my mind for a while, came back to me. Daniel, in the courtyard of the castle after his and Jay's duel, had told me about Irial, the man who had tried to rip my family apart years ago. The one suspected of my parents murder. He had been banished, but before that... he was wealthy, one of the higher and more powerful Lords of the kingdom. He would have the money to build a house like that... and most likely the money to employ an army of rogues, such as the one that had joined with the Heian and Schatten that had ravaged the palace the night of my ball.

I turned my head to tell the others, and noticed both Jay and Lisimi staring at the house as well. I caught their eyes, and we shared a look of understanding. That house was a place to be avoided.

"Do you feel it?" a voice sounded in my head. With a start, I realized that it was Jay's voice. We hadn't spoken like this for so long; I had forgotten that we could.

"It's... sinister. Is this aura really coming from that mansion over on the hill?" Lisimi replied for me, giving me another jolt.

"Is that what an aura is? I've never felt one before." This time we all visibly jumped as Daniel's voice joined our minds. I gaped at him for a moment; he wasn't endowed with Spirit, how was it possible that he was using it to communicate with us? We were all silent for a moment, and then Daniel seemed to realize that none of us had spoken aloud.