Weaver of Darkness

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

A slight breeze whipped Liss' hair around her face. Absently, she brushed the locks from her eyes as she peered into the dark woods before her. Curiously, she took a step forward into the night that beckoned to her. The dew coated her skin as her bare feet padded through the grass. She shivered as the cloth from her pajamas clung to her from the dampness in the night air.

She looked over her shoulder, back the way she'd come. She had no idea how she'd gotten here or where she was headed, but she knew she had to press on. Taking a few more steps forward, her feet barely felt the grass underneath as the cold surrounding the night sent waves of numbness through them. She stopped suddenly. The darkness shifted in front of her. A darker black swirled among the trees ahead.

She waited, afraid of what she might encounter if she continued forward. She held her breath, standing motionless, not wanting to draw any attention to herself.

The Darkness grew in size. The trees shrunk beside the mass as it spread out to engulf the woods around it. Swallowing, rather than entering, the Darkness made its way into the forest.

When it was out of sight, Liss let out a shaky breath. Every instinct told her to turn around and run the other way. She had no idea what that would lead to, either. She didn't even know where she was. She knew she was here for a reason and she might as well see it through.

She started forward, making her way into the woods where the Darkness entered, brushing past the branches and shrubs occupying the area before her. She pressed her hand against the trunk of a tree as she tried to work her way around it.

"Ouch!" she hissed, drawing her hand away, her flesh stinging from where she'd made contact with the tree. Grimacing, she glanced down at her hand. There were large angry welts along her palm, lined in something black. She brushed at it.

"Damn," she muttered through clenched teeth, the pain bringing tears to her eyes. She watched as the black flaked away, floating to the ground. The tips of her fingers were coated in black, too. It was almost like...

"Soot? What the..." She peered closely at the tree. The moon offered enough light to see the black coating the tree.

"Ashes? This tree is burnt," she muttered to herself. She looked around, searching for more of the black stuff. Sure enough, now that she was looking for it, she saw scorch marks everywhere. Little saplings curled into themselves, twisted by the heat that engulfed them. Tendrils of smoke still rose gracefully from bushes that had come in contact with the unseen flames.

Liss looked at the damage all around her, shuddering. What could do something like this? The forest was still standing, but would be forever scarred, tragically living with the horror that had befallen it. It wasn't a forest fire that had done this, though. A fire causing this kind of damage would've burned the woods to the ground. This was something else.

A roar shook the earth somewhere in the distance. The trees withdrew inward at the sound of it. Involuntarily, she took a step back. The Darkness. It must have been what caused the devastation. Just its presence alone must have been enough to engulf the forest in a dark inferno.

Whatever this thing was if it could do this much damage just by existing, what would happen if it carried out its intent? It would be unspeakable. Shivering, she moved on. She avoided the scorching, hot plant life as she followed the blackened path forward.

After what seemed like an eternity, Liss stepped out of the woods. She watched as the blackened trail stretched forward, leading to the large compound looming in front of her.