Alorne ✔️

Chapter 13

I'm confused. "You said we were here, right?" I ask Belethrorn warily, still massaging my nose. He nods.

"We are," he grins and watches us expectantly. Beorn and I cross eyes, silently asking each other 'can you see it?'.

"Then why can't I see it," Beorn states as a matter of fact.

"Because it's hidden," Belethrorn answers. Right. And you have to hide a home because? "Wait here, I will get the Galdor," he instructs.

"Is it safe?" I ask him, eyeing our surroundings. If we are attacked here then I don't know if we would win. I mean, why else would you hide your home? Ever since I left mine my survival instincts, if I even had any, have gone up a notch. The recent attacks aren't exactly helping either. I'm starting to get the feeling multiple powerful people want me dead. Why? What makes me so important that I am better of dead? Maybe I am just unlucky. Could be all a coincidence.

"Of course," he assures me, "No-one knows the Galdor lives here. He and I are the only ones that are able to see the entrance anyways." With that said he disappears inside the trunk of the tree.

"how'd go?" I ask Beorn as soon as Belethrorn disappeared. He lifts an eyebrow in confusion. I roll my eyes. "Apologizing," I add.

He opens his mouth and closes it again shortly after. "Good, I think," he drawls. I raise my eyebrows at him.

"You haven't apologized have you?"

"Sort of?"

"By the gods Beorn, how do you expect him to start liking you if all you have been to him is rude?" Sometimes, I feel like I am smarter than this guy. I just remember that I'm not when I eat something I shouldn't. Pegasus berries for instance.

"Well I can't help it," he exclaims throwing his hands up in defence.

"Really?"

"Yes, he kept diverting the conversation. I tried, I really did," he ends softly and sad.

Suddenly I notice movement in the bushes. Please let it be a deer, please. To my left another rustle. A twig snaps behind me and I turn around. Something white flashes in the sunlight. It will be dark within a few hours.

"Not again," I groan quietly. "Can't an elf run away from her duties in peace?"

Five shadows move around in the bushes, surrounding us. I drop my satchel with food and the antlers to grab my bow. Beorn draws his dagger and grabs his axe in the other hand. We circle around, backs pressed together. Never letting the shadows out of our sight.

"Arwyn of Nyr, you have failed to listen to your ruler. Therefore, The Dark One demands your head." A voice calls out from the bushes.

Again, that dark person. Who is it? What does he want? Why does he want me dead so badly? I bite on the inside of my cheek. If I survive this I will look for answers, maybe I can find them in the library in Cucera.

"Show yourself!" Beorn booms in response. The answer we get is laughter. A loud and echoing laughter. Cackling would be a better description.

"But of course." The shadows appear. They look even more hideous than the black elves we defeated with the deer. Their noses are almost gone, teeth yellow and the stench is even worse. Their faces are almost gone. Their clothing is ripped but their appearance lacks any form of armour. Walking skeletons, that is what they look like. Like they died in the swamp and crawled out again after their bodies rot away.

Maybe that is what they did. I shudder at the thought. If that were the case we would have to fight against undead creatures. I doubt we will be able to kill them if that is true.

Without any further warning, they attack. Their weapons drawn and the desire to kill in their eyes. Two charge at me, two at Beorn. The last one makes sure we are separated.

They swing their pointy weapons, which I can now identify as the bones of another once living being. The ends stained with old blood and dirt.

I struggle free from the two and dash towards the nearest tree, climb it and take my position on a branch. My chest is rising and falling rapidly. The adrenaline kicks in.

I nock an arrow. Beorn doesn't stand still. He dodges the pointy weapons and gets hit multiple times. I close my eyes for a brief second and inhale. Then, I open one eye and aim. The head.

As I let go, my arrow flies through the air at such a speed you can almost hear it whistle. It hits the target but doesn't kill. The creature, or should I say monster, turns around and looks at me.

That look in his eyes, now pure hatred and it starts to run with incredible speed. With a cry it collides with the tree I'm in and I nearly fall off my branch because of the impact. I nock another arrow and shoot again, hitting it in the forehead.

A monstrous snarl escapes its mouth and it charges again. Even angrier than it was. The tree starts to crack and it's sound terrifies me. I don't have the skills to kill these things. If my arrows don't do damage, what will the tiny dagger I have?

The three of them pound on the trunk and with each blow the tree cracks even further.

Suddenly Beorn cries out in pain. I search for him on the ground. Finally spotting him I see my best friend getting pierced by one of the creatures. Blood starts to spill out of his mouth and he collapses on the ground. The world spins. Time slows down. Without thinking I start to scream. A horrifying, ear piercing scream.

"Beorn!"

My vision reddens and I no longer control my actions. I leap out of the tree and charge at the creature that killed my best friend. My body heats up and it feels like I am fire itself.

I collide with the creature. With a strength, I never knew I had. The creature lets out a high pitched scream. His bony hands covering his face.

"Arwyn!" A voice calls out and I turn my head.

Belethrorn returned. Alone. When I am finished here, he will face my rage. Because of him, my best friend is now dead. He said he would get the Galdor. He said he would protect us. He said we would be safe.

He lied. He is alone. He did not protect us. We were definitely not safe.

A sharp pain enters my chest. When I look down I see the freshly bloodied point of the bone weapon sticking out of my chest. Blood trickles out of my mouth, down my chin. It doesn't matter. I have nothing to live for anyway. Not anymore.

A powerful wave knocks me off my feet, causing me to hit my head on a rock. And I lose consciousness, for the second time within a day.

This time I hope I never wake up.

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Dun dun dunn!

Beorn is dead, or isn't he? You'll find out in the next chapters ;)
Still guessing you like this story if you made it this far, leave your thoughts in the comments and give a vote to help a girl. See you all on Wednesday!

Much love, OJI