Avalon Isn't What It Used To Be

Chapter 20: I love you

"Ri"? My dad Questioned from inside.

"Shh" I hushed him annoyed, trying to focus.

Finally, the box was unsealed and I pulled it open as he pushed. I helped him out quickly and started running toward the escape that had been my entrance. Dad followed close behind as I lead him to the hole in the wall and climbed down. We stayed under the house and walked quietly and swiftly along the foundation towards the crack in the stairs that lead out from under the house.

"When we get out... then do we fly"? He whispered softly.

I shook my head keeping my eye on our path, "They can sense the use of our wings".

He nodded, and then did a double take, "How do you know all this"?

"Not now dad", I hushed him peeking out the hole to see if we had alerted the dark-user. As far as I could tell, there was absolutely no movement. It was just as silent as it had been when I first snuck in here.

"Okay", I turned to my dad for instructions, "stick low to the trees, hide under the brush if necessary, NO MAGIC". He nodded strongly in response, his teal eyes as strong and brave as I remember. Even after all this time, I couldn't see an ounce of fear.

I crawled out of the stairs peaking around to scope the area for potential threats. Nothing, so far, I thought to myself and I waved a hand for my dad to come out from the hole. He stuck close as we crept our way past the first tree outside the phantasom. A breeze hit my face, but it got stronger with intensity.

"Dad"? I said, my voice growing in volume, "FLY! NOW"!

Immediately he obeyed and before I could even pull out my wings the force of wind sent me to the ground. I looked up in horror to see a grotesque corpse of a man appearing in front of me out of thin air.

Horror struck my face as I saw his skin was marked with red and silver scars in the shape of Drui runes; this wasn't just a dark-user... this was a D'rochuid. 

"Clever young Sí you are" the corpse grinned a warped and wicked smile as I crawled backwards, "How could you have known that the less magic used the less I detect, Hm-m"?

He took a step forward and I took a deep breath, ready to face my death, when all of a sudden a large club of wood came crashing down on the back of the corpses head. The thunder of his demonic scream rubbled around me and the ground quaked beneath as corpse hit the ground not 3 feet to my right. He rolled on the ground for 2 seconds before he evaporated out of sight. I looked up to see Owen gripping the branch and huffing frantically. 

"OWEN"! I screamed furiously and flew up to his face that was looking around for the D'rochuid. But Owen ignored my fury all together, as he gave me a look of alert relief. 

" Where'd he go"? He looked around.

"OWEN RUN NOW"! I said pushing his face to the side with all the force I could. He obeyed and started sprinting as I flew after him.

As we retreated quickly a ball of blue sparks flew by me, and I turned to see the corpse had reappeared, following us slowly, with more orbs of lightning forming in his hand. Before I could choose what to scream, the ball of sparks came hurdling toward us.

I stopped, turning towards the attack and deflected it with golden light, as my instructor had taught me 100 years ago, sending the blue spark back toward my attacker. I turned around only to see that Owen was running back towards me, his face dripping with sweat as much as fear.

Stupid, stupid human!

"RI"! My father grabbed my attention from above confused at the human male rushing towards me. But when I turned back towards the D'rochuid, a flashing spark was already flying past me. My eyes followed the attack, and I froze as I watched it collide with my beloved human.