Fire & Flood

Chapter 23

"You are awake!" Said Sam. A look of pure relief spread across his face. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"What was that?" Asked Emily trying to get up, but noticing that her body felt very stiff as if she had been lying on the cold ground for some time.

"A wraith," said Morgan glumly. He sat by her feet looking into the forest. "A creature that feeds on your fears. Just one more of Sylovs' traps in these woods."

"It all felt so real," said Emily.

"That's because it was," said Sam and gently stroked Emily's face. "Just because we didn't see it, doesn't mean that it wasn't real for you."

"What did you see?" Asked Emily.

"We saw a darkness overtake you and you collapsed on the ground," said Morgan. His tone implied that this was painful for him to retell. "How did you come out of it?" He asked. "You should either be dead or mad."

"It wanted to see what Sylvos would do to me, so it let me go," said Emily quietly.

Emily got up with Sam's help and looked around her. It looked to be early afternoon and the snowy canopy hid a perfectly blue sky. How long has she been lost in these woods? A week? A month? She felt dizzy thinking about time, about her family who were likely very worried.

"You were right," she said looking at Morgan. "I don't belong here, I should have left when you said."

"When you were out, I realized that you wouldn't have been able to leave this mess, even if you wanted to," said Morgan. He was still sitting on the ground. Lost in thought as he continued to stare darkly into the forest.

"You were trapped the minute you saved that cat," he said with venom in his voice without looking at Sam.

A flash of anger crossed Sam's face, but it quickly turned to sadness.

"He is right," said Sam. "Even if you wanted to leave everything behind and runaway, he'd find you. You are a part of this now."

"Everything, all of this, has led the three of us here," said Morgan and nodded towards the forest. Emily looked in that direction and noticed day light seeping through the trees. There looked to be a clearing.

"The grove?" She asked timidly, understanding seeping into her every fibre.

"A new druid must sacrifice the old," said Morgan. "The fog, the wolves, Laura... all of it was leading us here. You can't outrun it."

Emily came to sit next to Morgan. Her mind was reeling. The wraith showed her Morgan and Sam dead in the grove. It fed on her worst fear and then left her bleeding, oozing with profound sadness.

"I can't let that happen. You deserve to live, both of you!" Said Emily looking up at Sam.

"This triangle can't exist, little rabbit," said Morgan looking deeply into her eyes. "There can't be two druids."

"I don't want to be a druid," Said Emily.

"That's the only way you'll be allowed to live," said Morgan.

Sam sat next to Emily and wrapped his arms around her.

"We'll find a way," he whispered softly into her ear.

Morgan suddenly got up and looked at Sam angrily. His hands were balled into fists. He looked like he was ready to punch Sam.

"Enough of this!" He spat out. "Enough of feeding her these fairytales of hope! You know as well as I that there's no survival here! A sacrifice must be made, the question is not how will we survive? But, who will be sacrificed?"

"Look we need to think this through..." started Sam but Morgan cut him off.

"Your daddy cares only about one thing...getting his fill. I am clearly a liability, so he'd prefer Emily to take my place, but she is also a bit of a wild card ... especially with the sympathetic dryad by her side... so, what's daddy going to do? Kill us all! Well, I am done playing his games!" He said and a sudden tiredness shrouded his words. "I've served long enough... I've lived long enough..."

"Morgan," interrupted Emily. "I want to keep you safe. You deserve a good life," she slowly got up and walked towards him. Morgan closed the gap between them. Fury and despair still danced in his eyes. Emily felt her heart speed up as mere inches were left between them. She could feel the heat of his body wrapping her against the cold of the forest. Her breath caught as he closed the gap completely and embraced her in his warmth. He leaned in and she could feel his breath on her neck and smell the forest on his skin.

"Live, Emily," he whispered as he let her go and took off towards the grove. Emily shouted after him, but he phased into the wolf and was lost among the trees.