Archive | March 9, 2011

Dark Story – Part 10

(Originally from October 2007)

This is a study in free flow writing. It may not make sense when it’s finished. Oh well.

**Mature content warning**

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Eseldra’s chanting grew louder and more frenzied, as did the wolves. They continued to circle her, each pausing now and again to let loose a howl towards the heavens. Querin’s scowl deepened as he listened to her twisted words, and finally, as her voice reached its highest pitch, he cautioned Keena to stay silent and then flung himself from the dark trees into the midst of the wild animals.

The wolves bristled and snarled at his sudden, intrusive presence, but Eseldra did not stop her chanting.Her eyes narrowed in anger, but still she carried on.

“You will stop this!” Querin cried, holding out his clenched fist and peeling back his fingers slowly to reveal the shimmering silver crystal he’d used with mixed success earlier in the day.

The dark wolf at Eseldra’s side reared up on it’s haunches, growling fiercely, but she showed no awareness of Querin’s threat. Her voice continued to rise and fall, though the words seemed to come faster, so perhaps she was not so blind as she seemed.

Keena stood alone in the trees, her eyes large and filled with fear. Her heart hammered in her chest and her fingers, now old and withered, dug painfully into the bark of the tree she clung to. She watched as Querin held the crystal skyward, twisting his wrist so that it caught the moonlight. The crystal seemed to glow silvery blue, refracting the moon’s light all around the clearing in shimmering beams that had no effect on anyone. Or at least it didn’t seem to at first; but slowly she noticed a change not in the witch nor the wolves, but in Querin himself. He seemed to get taller, larger somehow, and yet she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t just a trick of the light. And that’s when she realized, despite what he’d said to her earlier, he was now chanting.

Her mind reeled. Perhaps he truly was on Eseldra’s side….. She took a sharp breath and stepped backwards, unaware of the snapping twig beneath her foot. Though she did not hear her own movements, the wolves were suddenly aware of her presence. Three of them broke from the pack, ignoring the man in their midst, and loped towards her place of concealment.

Eyes wild, she backed away, her head snapping in all directions in search of a hiding place or escape amongst the dark underbrush. Her sapped limbs trembled, betraying her in her time of need. All she could do was back up against a large tree as the wolves headed towards her.

And then the world exploded in golden light that illuminated the trees like noon. She threw her am up to shield her eyes from the sudden onslaught, her ears filled with the whining of he wolves and Eseldra’s cries. Blinking against the brightness, she watched the three wolves turn from her and run deeper into the darkened woods to seek shelter.

Querin’s voice rose, filling the void left by the cessation of her aunt’s chanting. His words were as garbled and strange as hers had been. As he gained volume, Keena slowly moved towards him, shielding er face from the uncannily bight light.

Querin stood in the center of the clearing, still clutching the moon drenched crystal in one hand. In the other, he held aloft a golden crystal that glowed with he intensity of the sun. Several of the wolves lay at his feet, rolling in the dirt and whining, unable to escape him or the light that burned their eyes and flesh as they cried.

Eseldra was nowhere to be seen, but she had left behind the large black wolf who, like his brothers, was caught in the mercilessly scorching glow. He whimpered and his head jerked desperately, perhaps searching for the woman who had been next to him only moments ago.

To be continued….

(this is the story that doesn’t end….)