My Heaven
-The Beauty of the Woods-
By Michael James
Part 1
Last night
On a planet,
in a vast forest...
“Milady, your tent has been prepared.” The 16 year old elf girl was watching a doe and her fawn. She was on her way to be married. Her fiance insisted they cut through Sleepers Forest. He wanted his next bride, and he didn't care about the danger. Sillen went to her tent and closed her escort out. Because she wanted to cry in her bedroll.
“Get some rest men.”
“Do you not feel any betrayal to her family?” What? “This lord is going to torture her.” His commander told him this was the way of things. It didn't matter how he felt. “We have raised that girl since she was a baby. Now we are going to hand her over to...” Sillen shouted she could hear them. It was her fathers will, and they were to shut up! “Forgive me milady.” The guards watching the camp late at night. Had been a little to drunk. They fell asleep around the fire.
When Sillen woke up...
“Hello..? Falcorn...?” Sillen was in a house made from the forest. A smooth wooden floor, log braced walls. It was almost like a lavish tree house. She was in a warm bed, and alone. “Falcorn, hello...” She was beginning to get scared. Knowing she had been abducted by the beauty of the woods. Her sword was right by her bed. She was afraid to touch it, thinking it would be seen as a threat.
She tried the door handle and it was unlocked. There was a staircase going up and spiraling down. Sillen walked as softly as she could. Going down the stairs she heard a crackle of a fireplace. Sillen was scared to death right now.
“Lass, I know you are on the stairs, come on down.” Sillen held her breath as she entered the day room. There was a woman, who looked part forest. Leaves behind ears, branches for eye brows. Wood brown hair that had leaves growing out of it.
“Are you going to kill me?” She looked at Sillen and was amused by her question. No she wasn't going to hurt her. “Am I a prisoner and are you going to torture me?”
“I obviously need to work on my reputation. Everyone sees me as an ogre or an evil witch.” She took a cup and filled it with juice. “Take the chair, Sillen.” She walked across the room and sat at the table. There was a knife on the table by her place mat. She handed the girl the juice saying “we need to talk about last night.”
Last night...
“Hey, you both are drunk!” Falcorn's soldiers couldn't even respond. He was about to yell at them. When he saw torches in the distance. Falcorn woke everyone he could. Sillen's fiance sent soldiers to meet them. Falcorn greeted them with praise. At least before they turned on them. The commander explained, they were taking the girl to have fun with her. Then make it look like Sillen's escort betrayed them.
Falcorn drew his sword intending to die defending his friend. When all the fires and torches blew out. The enemy started to panic as something attacked them in the darkness. Falcorn's men were being slaughtered as well. The captain could only think of one thing to do. Drop his weapons and get on his knee.
Then the enemy commander tried to kill him. When it was all over, this woman walked up to him. She put her hand on his jaw, saying rise. Falcorn begged for mercy.
“I don't like elves starting wars in my forest.” He begged her to let him explain. This was not a war, it was simply a betrayal. “And the small army these men belong to, that are a day north?” He was worried hearing this. He couldn't even speak after she said that.
“Why am I still alive?”
“Because you protected the girl sleeping in the tent.” He handed her a bag of coin. Pleading to her to protect his charge. “What will you do?” He would sacrifice himself when he knew she was safe. “That doesn't work for me. Keep your metal, I have no need for it. Collect the girl and follow me, I will provide you shelter.”
Back to now...
“Sillen, you may call me Elise...”
Part 2
Guests in the woods
In the fiance's castle...
“Ah, owl bear meat.” The king said as he sat down to dinner. “My friend, has my hunting party come back with her head yet?” He told the king no. “That's odd, I swore I told them to be back by this afternoon.” If he could speak? “Go ahead.”
“They went into Sleepers Forest. Those woods are haunted, perhaps...” He told his friend that was an old wives tale. Lots of party's go into those woods and never see a thing. He was to send another group to go find them. “Yes my lord.”
In Elise's home...
“Where is Falcorn?” He was on his way back to her father to tell him of the betrayal. “He just left me here?” It was decided she was safer here. “I cant argue that.” As Sillen spoke a baby owl bear, with white fur wandered in. “He is adorable.” Elise told her to be gentle with Gus. He was a little skiddish because hunters tried to kill him. Sillen got on her knees and called Gus over.
He wandered towards her and went into her arms no problem. She held him tight and he started to lick her face. Elise smiled thinking this was a very cute thing to see.
“Milady? Why is there an elf in here?” The women looked to the door and saw a sprite boy fly in. Elise wanted to know where he had been all night? “I was with a my friends. How did an elf get in here?” Sillen stood up with Gus in her arms. She introduced herself and wanted to know if this was a problem? “The whole forest is talking about you Miss.” Elise introduced him as Levile.
“In case you didn't know Sillen. Sprites are a type of forest fairy...” He snapped at her saying that his kind were not fairies. They were their own race. Fairies don't have literal plant features. Like a tail made of a vine, or grass growing in their hair! Gus started to growl at him. “You know he doesn't like you shouting Levile.” Elise snapped.
“What is to become of me” Sillen asked them? Levile wanted to know that too. She was an elf noble, and from what he heard many are looking for her.
“Yes I see what you mean. Levile, do you feel like running an errand for me?” What errand? “I want to send a message to her father.” He smiled saying he would be glad to do it.
Elsewhere,
deep in the forest...
“What will happen if we tell the king we didn't find them..?” The leader told his men to be quiet. “Why, I'm just saying...” Shut up! When the whole battalion heard the noise they all were silent. The noise was singing, followed by owl bear growls.
In the distance, they saw spriggans and owl bears. The leader told them to quietly get down in cover. As clishe as it was, one guy stepped on a branch and made a loud noise. A spriggan turned her head, and the spriggan group all looked at them.
“Ah hell, RUN..!”
A bit later,
brought deep in the woods...
“Please, we did not come to harm your forest. We are just looking for our men.” The guy talking had claws in his arm and was 1 of 3 men still alive. His pain tolerance was low unfortunately. He was crying from his injury. The spriggan smacked his face telling him to be quiet! “I'm begging you tell your pet to release me.”
“Release him” chanted Elise's voice. The owl bear dropped him on the ground. Everyone bowed to Elise, except the guy in agony. “Why is everyone so interested in my forest?”
“By the gods, you are the Treow maiden, it is an honor.” Elise walked up to him seeing him suffering from his injury. She asked why they were in her forest. “We are looking for our friends. They came into the woods to help escort a concubine to our king.” Elise looked at him and at the other two. She frowned saying they were all dead.
“You lie” one of the other men said.
“Ignore him, he knows not what respect he should have.” She looked at the other guy and nodded to the spriggan holding his throat in a vine. She snapped his neck like a twig.
“Wait, I will let you go. Tell your king there is no reason to ever invade my woods. All you will find here is death and pain.” She put her hand on his injury and healed it. “Go now, don't return.”
Part 3
I'm her father
At Sillen's family estate,
one week later...
“Excuse me my lord. A sprite has come to you to deliver a message.” The lord who was in his study reading a book. He told his servant to let him come in. Levile walked in with an envelope. Before the lord saw the crest he assumed the fiance sent him.
“I have told your kings men, that she is lost. I do not have any responsibility in his men disappearing either. I just ask him to let me morn my child.”
“Are you finished?” What? “I come from someone who is a third party.” He handed the letter and the father read it. Not just once he read the 2 pages twice. She was real, he thought the maiden was just a myth for all his life. “I assure you she is real.”
“I will send you back to her with gold. I'm asking her to keep my daughter safe for the time being.” Levile told him she had no use for gold. “Then I shall send with you gems.” No use for those either. “Surely there was something that she wanted, maybe rare fruit seeds?” He could use those, but what his master wanted more than anything. Was to be left alone from both kingdoms.
“She has taken a liking to the girl and plans to raise her. What she doesn't want is a war in the Sleepers Forest.” The lord rang his bell, a servant came to answer the call.
“Get bags of guava, dragon fruit and mango seeds.” She bowed and went to fulfill the order. “Tell me sprite, is she well?” Levile told him she plays with his masters pet quite often. And feels at peace whenever he sees her. She was asking to see Falcorn quite a bit. “The fiance's men captured him. The king wanted a victim so he killed the poor man. Did she want anything from her room?”
“No, but it wouldn't hurt to bring her some clothes that fit. Now how did the kings men find him?” Falcorn was brought before him. He sent him to plead to the fiance, and his men killed Falcorn's escort. Except one managed to make it back to him. Then a messenger bird came to him a day later. Saying his daughters murderer was executed.
At the king's castle,
in the grotesque dungeons...
“Bring him.” The soldiers brought Falcorn from his cell. He didn't have the energy to put up a fight. They dragged him to the kings playroom. King Edmend was there with a spiked flogger.
“Now we will begin again. Where is my little concubine and who killed my men?” Falcorn used the last of his energy and spit at his feet. Then died of extreme exhaustion. “Well, I must say I am disappointed. Slaves, I need someone else to have fun with. Bring me one of my young concubines and throw this mess in the trash...”
At Elise's home,
in the kitchen...
“First you roll the dough like this. Yes you got it, just like that.” Sillen expressed respect for her bakers. Had she known this was what they had to do, she would have tipped them. A bit later they put the dough in the clay oven. Sillen went outside to read a book with Gus nuzzling her. Levile came back with the news about Falcorn and her fathers request. Sillen looked lifeless in her expression.
“Falcorn is dead” she muttered with tears in her eyes. Elise asked her to go to her room for a while. “Falcorn... he was my best friend and I hoped for more than that. Now he is gone because of me?” Levile realized his mistake and threw sprite dust on her, putting her to sleep.
“Take her to her bedroom and come back down.” He used levitating magic to carry her softly into her bed. When he came down the stairs he thought he was going to be disciplined.
“She is a Tap, Levile. I plan to raise her in hopes she will take my profession. And have a forest of her own one day.” He asked what they were going to do about the elves looking for her. “We'll tend to those plants when they cross our path. Right now I want her to feel safe.” Perhaps Gus should sleep in her bed. “Yes, good idea.”
Upon receiving the fathers letter...
“Well he thinks he can write a simple apology and all is well. General, I want half of this idiots treasury...
My Heaven
-The House in the Woods-
By Michael James
Part 1
Grandma
In a remote forest,
on an Earth like planet...
“Is it still chasing us? Holy shi... its right behind you... RUN!” The teen girl didn't make it after she fell behind from the group. A lizard like tree monster called a trent swallowed her whole. Her two brothers and three friends running for their live. Didn't even think to go back and save her. They were in the woods and had disturbed something they shouldn't have. “HEY RUN FOR THAT HOUSE!”
“Please wait for me, I don't want to die!” The boy that fell behind was swallowed as well. Now the four teenagers were in some giant house. Scared out of their minds.
“Hello! Is anyone in this house?” They didn't hear an answer, but the trent didn't pursue them inside. They looked out the window and it was waiting for them to come out. “What gives, why isn't it trying to get through the doorway?”
“If its scared to come in, we have to ask whose house are we in?” The group looked at one an other. Terrified to think of the answer to that question. When an elderly woman called out. standing from the top of the 3rd story balcony. The house they were in was massive. The hall they entered could fit a car show.
“I apologize ma'am, we were chased in here.”
“Do your parents know where you are? If not, you may use my phone, it is over there under the stairs. Young lady, your shirt is showing way to much.” She looked at her torn blouse and started to turn red. “I have some old clothes from when I was young. Come with me, and I will give you a shirt.
“Ma'am, we hate to be rude, but there is something out there. Its a tree creature of some kind!” She walked down to the 1st floor and looked out the window. She saw a dead tree trunk. They couldn't explain it to her. She told them calmly, to call their parents now.
The young girl followed her to a room filled with boxes of clothes. She selected a top and put it on in privacy. In the hall on the floor. The brothers were yelling at their parents. Saying their sister was eaten. Of course they didn't believe them. Asking if they were in doors. Why? Because a storm was coming.
“Excuse me, may I” asked the elder? He handed her the phone. “I don't get a lot of visitors out here. This is Grandma Jeikens, I am dozens of miles from any town... uh huh. Well I suppose they could stay here tonight. Very well, only 1 girl is here and 3 boys. Yes I will give the phone back to your son.”
“Hello, no father we did not leave her out in the woods as a prank. She was eaten I tell you!” The woman watched with interest as he told a ridiculous tale. Finally the parents had enough and hung up the phone. “Miss Jeikens?” Grandma, they should just call her grandma. “Okay grandma, will you watch my kid brother? I need to go out and check that tree.” She told him it was storming outside. As soon as she said that, a crackle of thunder echoed far. “I need to see if she is in the trunk.” She ignored his request and offered them food. Still he had to check.
“I'll prepare something to eat. I have a great amount of apple pie.” He nodded to the other 3 and went out into the storm. He walked out of place to the tree trunk and its branch cut his leg bad. As he climbed up it to look in. there was no one in the tree trunk.
Grandma went into the kitchen to grab some apple pies. The kids were feeling very hungry and ate a good deal of pie. The boy came back in with a deep wound on his leg. But all he could think to do was eat some pie. As if they were drugged the kids got very sleepy. She took them to rooms and let them fall asleep on the beds. This was after she bandaged up his leg. One room for the boys and a room for the girl.
As they slept,
Grandma went downstairs...
“Hello, can someone hear me?!” Grandma entered a locked room. Where the kids that were eaten were. They were chained up with a creature with two faces was watching them.
Part 2
Locked inside
In the basement room...
“Ma'am please help us!”
“I am afraid I answer to grandma.” She called her grandma and begged her to help. “Such knotty children, coming into my home unannounced. And playing in my woods without permission. The 6 of you will make such good subjects.” The girl looked even more scared than before. The boy had just woken up and he wanted to know what was going on? “Such a hansom boy I think you will make a wonderful trent.” She walked up to him and put her hand on his head.
With the girl screaming for help as loud as she could. The boy was changed into a horrendous creature. She was scared out of her mind and continued to scream for help.
In the room,
with the boys...
“Oh lord, why is my leg so stiff?” He moved his covers off his leg. Seeing his limb was made of wood. He shouted to the other boys. And they rushed out of bed to see his injury.
“What the hell is going on here?!” The guys looked around wanting to know how they got in this room. One went to open the door, and it was locked. “I don't know what granny is trying to pull. But she has another thing coming if she thinks she can over power us.” He started kicking the door to force it open. After a couple minutes he kicked the door again. And a loud noise hit the doors other side.
“What was that?” The boy kicked the door again and another loud hit came back. “Stop kicking the damn door!” He did as his friend asked and then the door started to be banged relentlessly. All 3 boys were terrified of this noise, and then it stopped.
“Hello, what is all the banging about?” Said the girl who wandered out of her room. They shouted at her to run from the thing hitting their door. “What are you talking about, there isn't anyone in the hall. Just you hitting your door, like a guy with a hammer.”
“Can you let us out?!” She turned the nob and again asked what was going on? “That creepy old bat is up to something. We need to get out of here.” She looked at the other guys leg and saw it was made of wood. She fell on her butt, in a panic.
“Oh children, are you all awake now? Dinner is on the table.” The 4 of them were feared to go near her. They turned and went the other way. The guy with the wooden leg was lent a shoulder. They went as fast as they could into the manor. “Children, why aren't you in your rooms.” When her voice got closer and closer. They ducked into a room and hid. When the woman's shadow was at the doors bottom. The door knob was locked and Grandma went on her way.
“She locked us in. Why would she lock us in?” The girl tapped one of their shoulders. He turned around asking what was wrong?” When they saw what they had walked into it was horrifying. Statues of people, made of solid wood were everywhere.
“Guys!” They told him to be quiet! “My other leg is made of wood now. I cant feel or move my lower half.” That's when Grandma's voice came back wanting to know if they were ready to behave? They told the girl to hide in the rooms corner.
“Yes, we will behave.” Grandma unlocked the door and opened it. The most capable boy charged her, and was thrown against the wall. She pinned him up off his feet.
“I thought you 4 were going to behave. Did you lie?” How could she be so strong, he muttered? She looked him in the eyes and he fell to the floor turning into a grotesque animal. “Now I expect you all to mind your manners. Dinner is on the table. Oh and darling I can see you playing hide and seek over there. Please wash your hands.”
As they sat down at the table. The still capable boy saw a sharp knife on the place mat. He took it and concealed it in his sleeve. Grandma served them freshly cooked chicken meat.
“Grandma, I would like to go home now.” She looked at the girl saying the storm was really bad. It would be crazy to go out into it now. “Please I just want to go home.”
“You need to eat your dinner little girl. Then we will talk about you leaving when the storm is over.” She picked up silverware and started eating. It tasted good, but she was afraid to speak again. Grandma walked by the boy and he tried to stab her.
“Knotty boy...”
Part 3
Out in the rain
Grandma took the knife from the boy and breathed black fog on him. He fell to the floor as the girl started being scared even greater. Grandma put the knife back on the table. She filled the girl's cup with cider. Saying she should eat her dinner.
“Are you going to kill me?”
“Only if you misbehave, like these two knotty boys.” She ate her dinner, and it was tasty. The cider was especially good and despite the fear she enjoyed it. “Now then, I will escort you to your room.” Grandma led her to a room on the second floor. Once inside she was locked in. Her immediate thought was to climb out her window. But 3 dead tree trunks were right below it.
In the basement...
“What are you doing to us?!” The boys were almost completely transformed into trents. The girl was being turned into something much more horrendous.
“Silly knotty boys, you will run down your little lady friend. And you will gobble her up just to make me happy.” He shouted at her that he would never hurt either of the 2 girls! “Oh my, it seems my little tree trunk needs to know whose in charge. The black mist came out of her mouth and he felt tremendous pain. “See knotty boy, you will do as you are told or you will be punished.
The next day...
“I have decided to let you go home little girl. And since your shirt was torn. I will let you keep the top you have on.” Grandma escorted her to the front door. She felt overly suspicious of this woman, but it was a chance to escape. She took off into the woods and a sunny day, became stormy. “Kill her my new pets.”
6 minutes later...
She had found a small river, got in to swim, using the current to gain speed. 3 trents were after her, but didn't go into the water. They stayed right with her and didn't lose any ground. A waterfall was coming up with a 12 foot drop. She thought she would lose them. Because it would take them time to climb down the cliff. But they were like lizards climbing down the rock face with ease.
She started crying from fear. Wanting to know what she had done to deserve this. As the river carried her on. The white rapids flew her into a rock and she dislocated her shoulder. A half mile later she saw an old house with a water mill. The trents stopped pursuing her when she got near the house. Feeling a great amount of pain. She caught the bridge near the house and managed to pull herself out of the water. Using only her good arm. When she got inside the small house. Her horror took a new turn. There were animal heads hanging from the walls. Not taxidermy like, these were fresh heads hanging on hooks.
She ran out of the house and tripped in the mud. She managed to get up and run away. Finally she saw a fox in the distance. It was the first natural thing. It led her to a cave, she had no other option but to follow. Because very soon the trents were after her again.
She ducked into the cave with an entrance to small for them to get through. They used their wooden claws to get at her. It wasn't a big cave, but it was deep enough to feel safe from them. She looked around the cave seeing if there was another passage.
“I'm sorry, I truly am” said the fox coming into view. She recognized the voice. It was the eldest boys voice. “Grandma promised me she would let my sister go. If I was the one that killed you.” The fox started to grow into a huge brown bear.
The bear was blocking the only passage, and the trents were in the entry. She closed her eyes knowing at lease something good would come. The bear killed her and it was quick.
The next day...
“Well, my hansom skin walker. It looks as though you did kill her before the others.” He realized at this moment, Grandma would not honor her word. And he was to fearful to call her on it. Now then, I want you to deliver my apologies to Poacher. Yes, the girl entered his house, and she smelled like me. Off you go.”
But when he did reach the house. Poacher killed him without a moments hesitation. He excepted Grandma's apology though, for her game's intrusion in his home.
My Heaven
-The Night In Hamsura-
By Michael James
Part 1
I will kill them
In the woods,
outside a town...
“Hey... where do you think you're going? We are not done with you yet.” Two men were assaulting a little hauldra. Hurting her in ways no female should go through. Kamila was trying to get away. She had 2 bullets in one leg and the other cut bad. She opened her mouth and started to sing. When one guy of them kicked her in the forehead.
“Trying to hypnotize us, maybe you got more life in you then we thought. Hey toss me the zip tie. I want to make sure she cant run away any more. Also one of your socks. That way she cant sing to us. He grabbed the vines on her back and stuffed a 3 day old old sock in her mouth. Following that he tied her hands and feet.
All Kamila could think was please help me big sister. She was crying when they did their thing. What came next was even more horrifying. They dumped oil all over her.
“I thought you hauldra were tough. You were weaker than girls in town.” As she screamed with the sock in her mouth. He lit a match and set her a blaze. A bird passing over head saw this and immediately flew to her sister.
Kani was out looking for her. It was rare she was out away from her home trees this late. When the bird found her. He told her what he saw. Kani almost stopped dead, then took off to the location. When she arrived it was to late, Kamila was dead. She took her time crying, when that was over she saw the empty oil can. With the name Dion Roast on it. The fire didn't spread causing a scene. The two men made sure of that.
“I'm going to kill them!” She growled between her teeth. She called to her bird to try and spot them. He flew in the direction of the tire tracks until he reached the town and lost the trail. Luckily he didn't have to fly very long before he saw them again.
Upon entering Hamsura...
Kani disguised herself with illusion magic. She made her way to the nearest bar and waited for her bird. As he came back he told her they were at a brothel.
“Are you sure its them..?” Yes he was.
At the location,
when she arrived...
“Well hello lady, did you come looking for work?” Kani hummed a tune that put the door man to sleep. Her bird gave a description of these two guys. She walked down the hall and followed the sounds of drunk men. She also heard women saying back off.
“Well well, found you.” Kani chanted pulling back a curtain. Bento was being rough with a woman and had no clue who Kani was. But that didn't stop him from pulling his gun. The working woman, ran out of the room. At the same time Kani killed Bento. Her nails grew into wooden spikes and pierced his neck. She pulled her hand back and broke the wood off her fingers.
Dion made his way to his brother in all the commotion. By now he had leaves blooming from his neck. He dropped to his knees and swore revenge. He was drunk and had no clue what to do. He shot the woman he was with not even asking her for details.
“HEY, WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU GOING TO JUST HIDE LIKE COWARD!?” He screamed at the top of his lungs. Kani was watching him from a far. She wanted him to suffer like she did. The guy looked around for 13 minutes and then got in his car. He was followed by Kani's bird into the heart of the town. He stopped at a closed weapon store and broke in. He took a shotgun with plenty of ammo. Also he stole a bag of flares. “I will kill whoever they are, for you little bro.”
As he exited the shop, Kani was standing there in the street with duel rods made of wood. He asked her if she killed his brother? She wanted to know if he killed her sister.
“That's what this is about! Oh I'm going to have fun with you just like I did your sister.” Her eyes glowed green and her face went to rage. “Awe, are you mad?”
Part 2
I shot your bird
As car sirens started to echo...
He aimed his gun at her and she told him to fight like a man. His response was he knew nothing of honor. He pulled the trigger and hit her in several places. A man who heard the shot, shouted what was that? He looked at the guy pointing the gun at him.
Saying “don't tell a soul about this.” The other guy just backed away and ran off. Dion looked back at Kani, there was sap where she stood and drops leading away. “Oh this will be fun, a little cat and mouse game.” Kani wasn't counting on this. Her bird told her she was dumb to think he would fight fare.
“My injuries will heal in a few minutes. I just need to stay hidden” Kani told her bird. He told her he could buy her some time. “NO! I don't want to lose you too.”
A minute later...
“I know you are in here, I followed your blood drops.” She was hiding in a ship yard building. She just needed a little more time to heal. She was an animal tamer shaman. She didn't know healing magic. Now if there was a bear nearby she would have the advantage. “Come on out, and I'll do the same to you as I did your sister. You know how much she cried like a little baby, heh.”
“I will kill him, I swear I will kill him” she whispered grinding her teeth. Her bird told her he didn't want her to die. He flew up and swooped down at the guy, talons ready. He managed to claim his right eye. Then flew out of the building.
“You stupid bird! Oh god my eye!” Dion had his working eye closed due to the pain he was suffering. Kani charged him and stabbed him in the hip with wood claws. “You bit..!” He got off 2 shots before she took the gun from him. Both shells missed her and now she felt she had him. Until he lit a flare and stabbed her with it. She made a unique sound from the pain that only hauldra could make in pain.
“Okay, I am going to burn you from the inside out.” She had fallen on her back and he had his foot on her stomach. Exposure to the flare in the right way would kill her. “Go ahead, try to woo me with your song.” As he reached for her neck. Her bird flew back in and slashed the side of his head. He managed to grab the bird and broke his neck.
“NO!” Kani screamed in terror.
“Oh dear, did I kill your friend?” She opened her mouth and let out a screeching sound. All of the windows of the building shattered and his ears started to bleed. Dion lost his footing and she was now on top of him. Her claws went for his throat. He lit another flare and stabbed her in the chest with it. She was more injured now. Kani got up and ran away. Dion was in terrible shape. He couldn't hear well, and had only one eye, but he wasn't done with her.
In a building,
with a half built ship...
“No... no, I'm all alone now and I...” She was in the ship which was the size a massive yacht. She heard the door to the building slam shut. The next thing that happened was she smelled smoke. Dion lit the building on fire with fuel he found.
“Come on out and pay your bill little hauldra. I'm sure you are in the ship.” She stood up and walked to the bow. “Ah there you are, I'm going to have to beat you to death for what you did. Don't worry I'll make this fun.” Kani told him to get up to the deck then. If he really wanted this to be fun. Dion looked scared for a brief moment.
“Well are you coming up or not?” The walls were starting to burn. They didn't have much time before the building collapsed. He saw the rope ladder and then looked from it to her. “Go ahead, I wont attack you until you get up here.”
When he was up on the deck,
with flames all around...
He lit a flare in each hand. Her claws grew long. He charged her first and she ran at him. She cut his cheek and he got her in the neck. They backed up and went again. Her claw met his leg, his flare met her shoulder. But at that moment. His flares burnt out and he didn't have anymore. The roof was now starting to burn.
“Lose the claws.” She asked why. “Aren't you all about fighting fare? Come on, lose the claws.” No she told him as she made her way to kill him. A piece of burning debris fell between them. The fire made her back off and Dion moved into the ship.
Part 3
Flowers
In the ship,
in the middle section...
“Damn, I need to find some sort of weapon.” There was lots of noise hitting the top of the ship. Also the boat was on fire in some areas. “She would have to be crazy to follow me in here.”
“You know, I often think I am crazy.” Kani stated from the doorway. He looked her in the eye and told her at least he knew she would die. “How do you figure that?” The fire would take her. There was no way around it. “Oh I have enough time to kill you and escape.” Sirens from vehicles were getting louder and louder. Ironically the building didn't have sprinklers. But the firemen, were trying to save the building. Also the authorities knew someone was in the ship. After seeing his blood in a trail.
“Well, kill me then...” Kani readied her claws to the length of daggers. “Still with your stupid claws. Don't you know any shaman magic, or are you just useless?” He laughed talking with arrogance. Kani smiled asking if he was so confident why was he trembling? “Because you cut me up, you stupid weed!”
“Very well, what is your plan from here? Please tell me, I'm very curious.” She asked with a smile. He jerked his hand and managed to get blood in her eyes. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. He had gotten away, except he left a trail of blood. He went to the control room looking for a flare gun. He locked himself in there and Kani wasn't amused. He knew one had to be here, but he didn't find one. Then he saw flashes in the window.
“Perfect” he said with relief.
“Hello, is anyone in this building. We cant contain the fire all workers must clear out.” Dion honked the horn to get help. He planned to make her look like the villain. The authorities made it to the cabin. Kani was nowhere in sight and Dion thought he was in the clear, until... “Dion Roast!” A cop shouted. This cop was a father to one of his victims. “Arrest him!” He was put in cuffs and taken away, they saw he was injured and knew someone else was in the boat.
They searched the ship from top to bottom. The only life they had seen was a tree in a pot of soil. When the ship was vacated and the building fell down. Kani was in the shadows at a distance. She was ready to kill them all to get her mark. But then heard...
“You will get the death penalty for sure. I will see to that.” The officer shouted slamming the car door. As they drove away, Dion saw Kani smiling in the distance. He was muttering curse words, like an imbecile as they drove away.
After his trial...
“Excuse me, sir.” The father to Dion's victim asked what was wrong? “A hauldra is outside the building wanting to talk to you sir.” Why would a hauldra want to talk to him? “I don't know she didn't say.” He sat up and walked out to meet her.
Outside...
“Wait... are you the one that Roast was after that night?” Kani was standing there with a bouquet of flowers. She confirmed that she was hunting him that night. She wanted him to have these flowers. As a gesture to his late daughter. “You came all the way here to give me these flowers?” No she came to make sure Dion would die. The bouquet was just something extra. “Why did you go after him with such a vengeance?”
“Both him and his brother, did to my little sister. As what they probably did to your kin.” He stood there shocked, he just couldn't believe they were that stupid. He asked if he could pay his respects to her sister? “Of course, I can take you to their graves.” Wait a moment he asked confused. “He also killed my friend who was a falcon too.”
In the forest,
some time later...
It occurred to him that she might be luring him into the woods to kill him. He saw bears sleeping by a tree with Kamila's name on it. Beside the tree was a smaller tree for the bird who died. He knelled down and said a prayer. When he was finished flowers bloomed all over the area. Kani smiled with appreciation.
“Those who have passed on, are happy to hear your kindness...”