Ascendant

CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE LOOSE END

It was a quiet, somber night in the Icelandic woods, the cold breeze from the coast sifting through the tall pines and causing a fog to form as it usually did. The distant cooing of an owl echoed through the air, adding to the subtle sounds of crickets and other insects gently singing on the forest floor.

The last of the smoke from the hot coals in Melody's fireplace traveled through the chimney and into the skies above the treetops, the young woman asleep in her bed covered in furs...

And the voice... that spoke so suddenly to her.

Get up!

[MELODY]

Melody's eyes shot open when it spoke to her as she groaned softly. She threw the covers from herself folding them at the end of the bed as she got up anyways listening to it. She was rather sleepy letting out a yawn as she stretched. "So what do I need to do in the middle of the night?" She asked it calmly although she wasn't pleased with it. But she knew it had always a reason for waking her.

[GEM]

Expecting some kind of task or test, the mood instead shifted dramatically when she heard one lonely word.

Run

[MELODY]

Melody reacted immediately as she quickly grabbed her cloak and just ran out of the cabin wondering what was going on.

[GEM]

As her feet trampled the moist grass in the moonlight, her cloak dancing behind her, she heard more orders.

The field to the north. Go to the center of it

[MELODY]

Letting out a soft sigh melody nodded as she ran in that direction. Once she reached the place he wanted her to go she slowed down and walked the last bit to the center. "So..what now?"

[GEM]

She could feel something was off as she was running beneath the towering trees a gust of wind carrying over the high branches. And when she stopped in the field, the air was still. Almost strangely still.

The night was quiet around her, trees standing lifelessly in all directions, black silhouettes against the night sky.

Not even the fireflies were out...

There was no response from Lyre. And she couldn't yet see where he was...

[MELODY]

Melody looked around cautiously as she unhooked her sickles from where they were attached to her belt. She had grabbed them with her cloak on her way out.

[GEM]

The silence lasted far too long as she scanned the scene around her, expecting something to come out of nowhere in the quiet... her heart beating fast.

Just as she felt like maybe Lyre was wrong, she heard another voice break the silence like shattering glass.

"You seem nervous," a female spoke from behind her.

[MELODY]

Melody quickly turned around when she heard that voice. Her eyes glowing slightly in reaction to her nerves. "..well you would be if you are told to get out of bed in the middle of the night."

[GEM]

The woman was dressed in black and brown leather armor, a face mask across her nose and mouth as her eyes were barely visible under her hood that was attached to a dark cloak resting on her shoulders. She fiddled with something in her left hand; a blade that was fit with finger holes, a strange weapon of a kind Melody hadn't seen before.