Fire

Chapter 8. As the Lights Go Out

Hope sat on the edge of a cliff, watching the setting sun. Last sun rays shone over the Forest for last time. Very soon The Storm, before The Longest Night will begin. The winds are getting strong, reminding everyone about winter coming. 

Oh, how beautiful the Forest is at this time of the year. It didn't make the girl happy. With the beginning of The Longest Night the suffering will begin as well. Not only from cold and starving. But Alû, The King of Monsters, will release his beasts. The Blood Moon Hunt will begin and with that a lot of people will die or disappear forever. 

There was another thing that worried her too much. Henning. She knew that tomorrow she'll return back to the castle. But does she really want to return? Does she really want everything to be the same? For the first time in the last few years, she felt free, not fulfilling anyone's orders. Without killing people at the whim of a psychopath...

"I can't do it." she talked to herself "I must return, and his people will be free... This is a trap, I'm sure... I need to go back to the Camp before the moon is risen"

She stood up and headed herself back to the Camp. But the stranger caught her attention. It stood in shadows silently. Only bright red eyes shone in the dark. Then it took few steps further till it  stood in front of her. 

"Are you... Hope? Young Queen?" it asked hesitated. 

"No one called me like that for so long. Yes. I am Hope." she replied taking one step back. She felt something dark and evil from it. "But... Who are you?"

"I am your friend. My name is Malphas" it smiled. "Henning sent me here. He said, they kidnapped you and asked me to bring you back"

"Wait... Malphas?!" she took another step back. She felt that she was about to fall down. "But... How?"

"Seems like, you've heard my name. Perfect. Then you know what I can do. But I'm here not for it, trust me. I really came here to bring you back home. Why do we need these stupid deals with trading one human to the group of people? We both know it makes no sense" it extended his hand to her inviting her to follow him "Henning awaits you, Hope"

-----

"It was really silly of you to jump down, Hope" Tyler's voice sounded distant "No one wants to see you dead"

She slowly opened her eyes. She was in the same room where she woke up some days ago. Tyler sat on the bed, bandaging her left hand. Hope didn't remember how she got hurt or what happened in the Forest.

"Tyler" she whispered.

"Hm? What's wrong?" he looked at her

"I... I saw Malphas"

"Malphas? Who is it?" seems like Tyler heard its name for the first time.

"When I was a child, my mother scared me with its name. She told me that it looks like a human, but it has two black wings and there are black feathers on its neck and arms. This creature takes human souls, capturing them in its kingdom...  The Kingdom of Silence, if I recall correctly... Many brave people tried to defeat it, and all of them are dead..."

"Such powerful creature has to be locked somewhere"

"It was. One brave Dragon stood against Malphas and won this battle. That Dragon could lock it somewhere far away from our lands. But seen that it's here... No one knows if that Dragon is still alive"

-----

A cold wind blew, blowing the last yellowed leaves into the distance. The first snowflakes, sparkling brightly in the bright moonlight, fell to the ground. Over time, everything was covered with a thin layer of the first snow. It was very quiet, only the sound of footsteps on the freshly fallen cover could be heard.