Nerva1

…The sound of festivity and cheers of forest folk fell silent behind them. The ancient roots of Great tree had closed the way out. Darkness immediately enveloped the three [the sorceress, two orphans/siblings, older sister, little brother] for a split second. With a quick snap of fingers the royal sorceress produced a small light of fire on her palm. The boy gasped. It had been already a wondrous day for the siblings. But witnessing such magical trick in pitch black around was almost hypnotizing. The woman glanced at them. The sister intuitively grasped brother's hand. The warm and kind smile had disappeared from the woman's face. Only an echo of former self held in its place. “Keep pace with me”, she said, “You don't want to fall behind here”. She headed on, and the children followed warily. Creeping dread clawed its way into their senses.

They were walking through the tunnel of overgrown roots and soil. Countless walls of tree limbs welcomely unweaved in front, at the same time menacingly blocked the passage behind. Each step of the sorceress resonated with the surroundings as if something was responding to her approach. The creaking of wood, its unnatural movement greeted the long-awaited guest. However, it didn't react to the siblings with the same courtesy. It wasn't hostile towards them yet it seemed to be bearing with the presence of the strangers. The girl strided ahead holding brother's hand tightly. She had already pictured them forever stuck in the roots if they were to fail to keep up with the ever escaping beacon of light…

…The sorceress suddenly stopped as the last warden of roots released its seal. Blinding daylight descended on their garments. Fresh air washed over their faces. A hopeful smile crossed brother's lips. They were finally out.

A view of gloomy grove spread out before them. Old trees loomed through the misty horizon, totem poles of forest folk laid carelessly on both sides from the entrance. Strange looking short swords made of wood and roots stuck out from the ground.

As they were about to step forward, the girl stumbled her feet, she noticed a small group of moths lying beneath, motionless. They had to be trapped right there, she summarized. When she lift her gaze, a rushing swarm of insects flew by her head. They settled on the newly-appeared wall of roots and started erratically probing for any cracks and crevices.

The sorceress stood silently, peering into the forest ahead. Having gathered enough courage, the girl decided to approach her. “This place is wrong”, she said trying to conceal the panic in her voice, “I...We don't want to participate in the trial anymore”.

The lady didn't budge. The girl continued with increased tenacity, “Bring me and my brother back. To the city. To the foster home.”

The boy backed away like fire from the woman - he recalled the anxious eyes of his former friend that he had met again at the festival. “Did he know about this? Why didn't he say anything then?”, the brother thought. The older sister stubbornly stepped in front to face her, demanding answers.

The sorceress finally acknowledged the child. The woman leaned a little towards the girl, then loudly snapped the fingers close to her face. A rain of sparks fell on her clothes and hair. Shivers ran down orphans' spines. Breathless silence descended on them. Remainder of few vague hopes of better life had fizzled away.

The eternal stillness of the moment was broken by a sudden rustle in the woods. There were the sounds of wild stumping, cracking, humming. The woman regained her posture as she uttered, “One of you will get a chance to leave. The other will stay here and fight”. She looked down on the girl, “I am granting you the choice”. The sorceress drew a similar looking sword from her robe with an offering gesture.

Meanwhile in the thick of the forest a lone figure was coming their way, and the swarm of moths followed with them…

She first saw him in a scuffle with a group of young street thugs. His angular face and pointy ears flushed red from numerous ruthless blows. The boy was smaller than the bunch yet he seemed naturally agile. Desperately outnumbered, 1 to 4, like a cornered animal he was striking his attackers back, ferociously punching, kicking and biting.

A small bustling crowd gathered around, outwardly seeming to be humans. It was a rare sight to see an elf within city walls, and to observe one at such a juvenile age was quite amusing, even to her. He managed to keep his footing for a good while yet eventually one sinister hit to the ribcage caused the boy to fall to the ground. Then a hail of blows from each

side came down on him immediately after.

It was time to step in.

Her eyes turned bright red as she caught a coppery smell with a wild wood flavor in the air. Fighting off her instincts, she rushed toward the mocking gang. In an instant she pushed one of them across the street and rent another with overwhelming force wreaking havoc among terrified people.

The fainting boy looked up and saw a pale woman with a slight smile and blood dripping from her fingers. He felt her crimson gaze embedded in his mind with screams echoing as his consciousness slipped away...

***

She had entertained the idea of becoming a fostering figure before. However, in her twisted flow of thought imposing obedience and dependency was a way to achieve that hazy concept. Thus binding the boy with confounded immortality was her prime inclination. Years later her unwilling companion would fathom that she was portraying him as a commodity, a prized pet of sorts but by that time he would have been too numb to reflect on it emotionally. Having taken the role of a guardian, she easily kept hold on the boy by appeasing his newly-acquired appetite. Nevertheless, in the end harnessing his temperament and teaching rules of courtesy took relatively long time and effort.

The two of them traveled together from one settlement to another leaving traces of violent misdeeds behind. With a helping hand the ever-young elf at first preferred to maintain his attention on blatant criminal characters and occasional bypassers that would give him a scornful look. She indulged his childish endeavors because that was what a decent parent would have done, she thought. Recalling her own origins, she simply reveled in observing walls of his limitation shatter with each gory outcome.

Their many actions had sparked rumors and legends. In one of them the boy was depicted as a grim omen, a spirit of an elf that had died a violent death. In another, they were said to be vengeful ghosts of a mother and her child that had been hunted down by an angry mob. All things considered, their ventures hadn't been left unnoticed; there was a red thread for somebody to follow.

***

Upon arrival to the next city, she sensed they were being closely watched. She cast a glance at the boy, he looked greatly preoccupied with himself; he might have noticed it as well, she thought. The unknown figure was following them around, keeping distance in the middle of the street, popping in and out of her vision. The unaccustomed position had raised an alarm in her head. Whoever it was they were not an ordinary stalker and seemed quite skilled at that craft.

Concerned about the wellbeing of the young one, she decided to gain the upper hand by confronting the stranger in a lonely alley. She set an ambush in a hurry with her precious bait, the little elf of hers, put out in the open, at the far end. Eventually the shadower turned in their direction with caution. A few moments after, diverted by the lure, the mysterious person got caught of guard when she, as if from nowhere, appeared right beside them. Judging by the armor and the weapon, it was a hired mercenary or a deserted soldier. The warrior in his twenties tried to reach for his sword but was unable to react in time as she grabbed and pinned him against the wall. With malicious intent she pressed on his neck almost crushing his bones. In agony he still managed to loosen her grip enough to call somebody out.

Sounds of foot steps came from behind. Anticipating an attack, she let go off the incapacitated man, span around but was too late. Sudden dull pain shot up her chest - a spear had gone right through her. Having reeled back a step from the hit but still standing, she caught a furious and bewildered stare of a warlike woman, another fighter wearing similar armor. The opponent quickly braced up and, rather than holding on the stuck weapon, drew the blade of hers to strike the undying one once again.

The elf like an uninvolved spectator hadn't intruded or said anything all that time. Instead he looked for a better viewpoint on the scene unfolding before him.

Unfazed by the ache, the immortal snapped the spear in half with bare hands. She swiftly sidestepped back as the sharp steel aimed at her head swept by. Immediately after she hit the exposed leg of the foe with the broken shaft. The intruder stumbled and laid herself open for a final kick that brought her down to the ground. The victorious fighter rose over the defeated. It was intriguing to see such vigour and resistance in both strangers, though she felt annoyed by the amount of discomfort they had caused. The decision had been made and the verdict was about to be rendered.

The woman was desperately trying to get back on her feet and reach the sword but a tremendous force was holding her down. The two monsters looked at her with cold hunger in their crimson eyes. Her brother in arms, injured and unable to move his body, would witness her torn asunder.

***

The attempt to kill Her had failed.

The boy in appearance, a matured elf in his mind, used to fantasize how he would do it himself. However, reality showed many times that Her unnatural strength and stubborn vitality were forces to be reckoned with. He had to improvise.

From years of living by his captor, he had learnt to rely on his wits and agility. Running from Her wouldn't be an option. If he ever tried to escape again, She would certainly find him, and his punishment would be far worse than the fate of those two.

Attracting external interference, on the other hand, seemed as the most effective way to deal with the problem. With every given opportunity so far he had managed to leave tidbits of information here and there: a piece of evidence laying in a crime scene, a rumor going in one ear, a mysterious letter of their next expedition arriving to the right people. It all had come to that moment , though not concluded, there was still hope.

The Guild that had sent those two contractors to investigate the lead would be on high alert thereafter. With increasing exposure and bounty on their heads there would be many more chances to slay Her or at least possibilities to shine a light on the boundaries of Her nature and their curse.

The time would tell.