The Kelpie's Cries (Completed)

Selfish Betrayal

!Slight gore warning (?)!

The roots had started to puff dark gray smoke. Streaks of orange appeared in Zoe's hair and into the indents of the old tree roots that surrounded her. They were melting, burning until they were nothing but charcoal. It was a scary sight for the onlookers but the worst came when Össur's wall of ice started to melt from the heat. The charcoal had turned white when Odan and Enfys approached the kneeling woman with panicked eyes.

"Zoe, stop!", they both shouted at her but it was no use. It was like her sense of hearing had left her and all she could do was shout and wail in anger as she let the roots burn.

"Össur, put out the fire!", Odan ordered the dragon and Össur listened.

The remaining humans and the ones who had broken free of the ice wall's grasp saw that the dragon had receded and immediately took the opportunity to charge towards the tree maiden again. There was no big army who could possibly stop them and the dragon was busy extinguishing the fires. Odan stood his ground, however, knowing fully well that he was outnumbered but he had to put his life on the line to ensure the forest's safety. To ensure everyone's safety. He had to do whatever it took to do so and if it took away his sword and spirit, then so it would be.

None of them managed to draw a weapon, though. A roar broke through the battle cries of the humans and Zoe's crying like rattling lightning. It sounded like the screeches of wood scraping slowly against a glass pane and soon, the origin of the sound had appeared. First came the head adorned with emeralds and crystals and then the semi-transparent, glimmering wings. It was Nevada. The three of them had made it through the foggy area they had encountered.

A new wall arose, one that entrapped both the humans on the foothill and those who had dared to challenge Odan in battle uphill. That one was made of pure, impenetrable crystal and unlike Össur's wall, that one would completely suffocate its victims. There was barely any danger left once he was done circling the perimetre. He flew across the sky, a rainbow reflecting off the membrane of his giant wings. He opened his jaws again and another layer was built onto the existing wall to ensure that there were no gaps for anyone to go in or out of it.

"Odan! Enfys!", a voice shouted from the direction Nevada had come from. The two immediately recognized the voice. It was the half-blooded selkie girl that they had left the wyvern to watch over. If it weren't for the bizarre situation they were in, the man would have been mad at Nevada for bringing her in the heart, in such a dangerous place.

There were heavy hoofsteps thudding on the ground and the kelpie had made it on the hill of the heart. Farrell stopped a few steps away from Zoe and the work of Odan's dragon, he had the girl on his back. Nevada had made sure to set up an entrance because it was very likely that not even he would be able to smash through the crystal wall.

The girl smiled at the others but ultimately that smile turned into a frown once her eyes set on the wailing woman. She was confused as to why she was crying and why her hair was smoking. She was about to ask what was wrong when Odan appeared at her side with a worried face. He was calmer than before as the threat had been compromised for the most part.

"What are you doing out here? I told Nevada to stay with you at the hut", he asked the girl. Farrell shifted his weight, seeming to be agitated by something but no one paid attention to him.

"I wanted to help you!", she answered, crossing her arms beneath her chest and pursing her lips. Why did he not appreciate her willingness to help?

"I didn't need-", he caught himself before he could utter another word, tugging at his unkempt, auburn hair. He had to let out the stress on something other than the child. She had only wanted to help after all. "It is too dangerous for a child to be present in a battle", he tried to explain as calmly as he could. Enfys had approached Zoe and she was attempting to calm her down but she was blown away by a strong gust of wind.

"Össur, assist Nevada, we need all the humans gone!", Odan ordered the dragon and hesitantly, Össur jumped in the air and soon he was behind the crystal wall. The man rushed to help Enfys to her feet.

The girl exclaimed in surprise as she saw the woman be blown back and instinctively, she wanted to go to her side; to affirm that everything was alright with her. However, the moment she put her hands on Farrell's shoulders to get off, her fingers sunk into the kelpie's skin. She was confused at first; the only times he would do that were when he would gallop with her on his back. And then he trotted to the lady, who had been left alone, unaware of his intentions.

"Farrell, what are you doing?", she asked nervously. She had no idea what he was going to do and in her helpless situation, she couldn't help but be anxious. "Odan! Farrell is acting weird!", she called out to the man who had just turned his head to look. His eyes widened as if he had sensed what was about to happen. The witch had yet to catch on, though, and she raised an eyebrow at the man's actions.

His legs moved as fast as they could to carry him back to Zoe but he wasn't fast enough for what was to happen next. The girl screamed in horror. The wailing came to a halt suddenly and the woman's lips seemed to shift into a soft smile as blood ran down the side of her neck. As her spine was crushed into dust, she was smiling and tears were running down her cheeks. Finally, her wish had come true.

The kelpie retracted his teeth from the soft flesh and bone they had pierced through, leaving the woman's body fall over the cut down tree trunk. He looked back at the others who were standing still in shock from what they had just witnessed. The barrier above them started to crack like thin glass and yellow and orange rays of started to sip through. Actual orange light. It only made the scene even more horrific. At some point, the girl's voice died down and her mouth was hanging open as her hands sunk deeper into the stallion.

Before any of them could comprehend what had just occurred, Farrell turned and broke out into a gallop, his path being straight through the now-dying forest.

-------------------------------

Hey hey hey! Guess what!
We are approaching the end of this book! And I have to say that it's weeeeird, considering I have never finished a story I've written. Oh well, first time for everything!

Thank you for sticking around till now! I am going to do my very best to make the final chapters as good as I possibly can! :D