Hunter Academy (Edited)

Chapter 25 (Edited)

Chapter 25

I knelt beside Alexandria but only confirmed my suspicions; she looked as if she was dead. A few of the witches crowded around curiously looking at Alexandria. Based on their somber expressions they didn’t think she would live. I grabbed her wrist anxiously looking for a pulse but found nothing; she was dead, all because of me. The witches bowed their heads and then beckoned me to follow them to the living. I suppose mourning over the dead for too long was not part of their culture. With one last glance at Alexandria’s body I followed the witches. What would happen to her body now?

In the center of the witch encampment all the witches had reconvened and were in the middle of an important conversation but they fell silent once they caught sight of me. Then most of the witches left leaving behind the important witches such as the leaders and the Elders. Now everything seemed serious, what were they going to do? Were they that mad that I didn’t listen to orders and didn’t stay safe?

“We’re here to talk to you about what you saw earlier today. No average human could have seen the protection barrier breaking. It’s invisible to regular humans. There is something different and special about you,” the oldest witch explained in a worried manner. “It would be best if my fellow Elders and I could figure out what that is; special abilities can be dangerous when unknown and undiscovered,” he finished. That is ridiculous, I was normal, there was nothing special about me because I would know. The Elders must be wrong.

“I don’t think there is anything abnormal about me. You’re welcome to check it out with your magic but I'm telling you now you won’t find anything,” I replied shrugging. It couldn’t hurt to confirm that there was nothing special about me.

“Close your eyes and relax, you will feel a bit weird but do not fight it,” the Elders commanded in unison before circling me. Soon I had ten Elders all around me. They reached out their hands as if they were going to touch me but stopped before they got too close then they closed their eyes. I took that as a sign to close my eyes and then waited to see what would happen. At first it seemed like nothing but then I felt some minds lightly searching my mind. I fought the urge to somehow get them out of my head and then took a deep breath to calm myself. This felt as if I was under control of someone else again. I felt a weird kind of mental tugging as if some kind of bond was attached to me and then it seemed there was a flash of indescribable light and then darkness seeped in.

I opened my eyes in alarm and the minds I felt connected to me were gone. I looked around at the Elders and saw they all had gone pale as if they were sick or frightened. The Elders struggled to say things but it seemed as if they couldn’t utter a word. Finally one Elder managed.

“You shouldn’t have been able to pull away from our connection and break it; more proof you are not normal,” he stated looking at me with a frightened expression. When my eyes met his he shied away as if hurt. “You are not normal and we will not have the likes of you here. You must leave, as soon as possible. Then he and the other Elders backed away. I frowned at their sudden strange behaviour; they must have the wrong impression of me. I'm normal and wouldn’t do anything bad to them but yet there they were running away from me.

I sighed, if they wanted me to leave then fine, I would leave. I looked around for Erik and saw he was conscious and talking to some witches his age. Everything seemed as it was until shrill shrieks filled the air. I turned around to see the children and a few female witches pointing to the outskirts of the clearing; at Alexandria.

I stared in mute shock as Alexandria sat up and then squeezed her stomach as if in pain. Her long hair fell over her face as she looked down at her body. How could she possibly be alive? I took a step toward her, intending to go and help her but Erik caught my arm and held me back inside the new protection barrier that seemed to be pulsing in warning. Alexandria glanced at us and grimaced and then I knew what was happening. She really needed blood to heal herself and it was taking her great effort to not try and pass the protection barrier. The smell of our blood must really be tempting her.