DIVERSE TALES

THE STRANGE VILLAGE OF WESEN

Prompt 6 of the PROJECT ATHENA MAY CONTEST

Marzena rubbed the sleeve of the thick woolen jacket she had worn over her sleeveless tunic. Marzena stared at her younger 13 year old sister that lay across from her, by the foot of a gnarled leaf less tree, the only thing separating them being the small magisphere that scattered dim golden light across the clearing they were in. The silence in the sick forest was overwhelming.

Marzena touched the ground, what would have been formerly grass had now been reduced to grey leaves, stuck in the awful color that only spoke of  death. Even the rich smells of the forest were no more, only the thin aroma of incoming storms lingered. The effects that had come with the monsters when the seal of Nocthorld had been broken.

Marzena thought of their situation. The only way they would be able to purchase okars and recover their lost gear was from purchasing them at the nearest settlement to them,  the Glades. The Glades was the richest settlements, housing most of the rich citizens of their now fallen kingdom, Drayri. Even though they  allowed outsiders to come through their gates to trade or find shelter, they treated those that weren't formerly of the rich class horribly. And the fact that the coin had lost its value, people now usually traded with magical artifacts, services or monster gems. Marzena looked down at the yello gem that formerly held the fiend's soul. This would have to do.

The chilly wind whistled through the trees. Marzena rested her back and looked up at the cerulean sky, the blotches of darkness had grown, increasing with every day that passed. Marzena swallowed as her  eyes trailed through the environment, watching for any sign of a monster's presence. Marzena could feel the sleep on the horizon, calling that she should just take refuge in its hands for a moment but she knew that one second of distraction could cost them their lives.

When the familiar burn of the morning came, she felt as though her brain would bulge out of her skull but like other days, she survived.

Marzena felt  something shift in the air. She rose to her feet and looked around, alert. First, the chirp of a bird rung through the air, stifling the silence. Since the seal had been broken, she hadn't heard one in a long time since most animals if not all had been killed by the monsters.

"Ziba!"

Marzena turned back to listen closely to see whether she would hear anything else. The silence was thick and heavy. Maybe she had heard wrong.

Marzena called her again and the girl finally rose up, her brown hair a mess while her green eyes were still droopy with sleep

"Let's get moving."

With that, Ziba nodded and stood up and after sharing their last okar they continued their journey. After a few minutes of walking, the next sight they saw struck Marzena. The lush green trees grew around them, replacing the sick ones.

"I haven't seen one of these in years. " Marzena admitted as she stared in bewilderment. Marzena didn't remember this ever being here on their first journey to the Glades.

"Maybe someone found a way to plant?"

Marzena checked the map to be sure they were on the right path before they continued. The walls of trees grew thicker and they seemed to shimmer, light bouncing off thick healthy branches and showing the grooves of mighty barks. A strange feeling crawled up her spine as she rechecked the map again. Even the woody smell was there, softly roiling through the air with something else.