Mythical Book #1

Chapter 5

"Several Years Later..."

     The tiny loose rocks amongst the dirt path crunch as Paige steps from her house. A breeze blows the tops of trees, allowing the pushy sunlight through. Paige blocks the bright light with her hand. Her eyes close as her body takes in the sun's warmth that bleeds in between the cool shadows. The hairs on her arm perk up. The scents of the air invigorate her mood as she starts down the path towards the woods.

     "Paige, dear, remember to get the herbs and come straight back!" Her mother calls out to her, breaking the peace Paige was really putting effort into feeling. Turning about face, Paige sees her mother finishing pulling back the thick linen curtains and opening the two round glass windows that are on either side of the front door.

      "Okay, but what about the herbs on the roof garden, though?" Paige contends, gesturing at the rooftop of the Elven tree-stump-like structure, which is a patch of fragrant flowers, plants, and herbs.

      "Those aren't the ones I need for this meal. Please, go as I ask, and gather the herbs in the forest meadow," Paige's mom responds.

      Paige sighs out, "Okay."

     "And no flying!" Hollers out her mom, as Paige starts back on the path. Paige, waves back in acknowledgment with an attitude of hearing those words several times before.                    

     "This pleasant weather is a nice change from all those storms that have been going on for a while," Paige comments with a bounce in her step. Autumn whispers in the air. The trees have just a flick of color. Mostly gold, with some red and orange speckled throughout the forest.

     Paige approaches "Shalace Creek." That's not its official name, she just named it after her mother. Standing next to a spot where the river creates a pool of calm water she gazes down at her reflection.

     "Good morning," she says to the hooded figure staring back at her from the water. She tilts her head in such a way that the breeze catches her hood and dramatically blows it off, revealing her Elven ears, "Eh, with this nice of a day, I think the hair should be down. Sorry Mom, I know you spent some time putting it up, but this isn't me," Paige says aloud as she takes the pins and ties out. Her hair fully falls and bounces revealing the golden blond highlights and streaks amongst the dark hair that were being hidden. It's extremely rare for Elves to have more than one color or shade to their hair. Then again, Paige is extremely rare as she is not a full-blooded Elf.

     Paige slips off her hooded cloak and tosses it on to a nearby boulder. 'Oh, my lord, it feels so good to fully stretch out,' Paige stretches out her dragonfly like wings while her body aura quickly glows a bright purple. The hue fades away as she relaxes. 'I really wish I could fly more. But no, mother forbids it. Hmm...but what mother doesn't know won't worry her. I am alone in the forest anyway,' She dips her toe in the pool and immediately pulls it out from the shock of the cold water; giving Paige an idea, "Ah, if mom does wander by, I'll have a good reason for this flight! She's always said she doesn't want me to catch a chill! Well, the water is too cold to walk across. So, I'm flying across. She does need the herbs for the meal after all. And the meadow is on the other side of the creek, so..." Paige talks out her excuse if she's caught, "Yep, that's why I'm flying. What is a chill anyway?" 'Hmm, better keep my dress on and not go full fairy, to keep the story straight,' Fairies usually prefer to fly naked because they can sense a lot more when they are in flight: wind variances, temperature changes, moisture content, and so on. But due to modesty, laws, and her mother's decrees, Paige rarely flies full fairy. Though she's never really noticed the difference, clothed or not, anyway. She always felt very much in tune with the weather.

     Paige spreads her wings, followed by them shimmering, and then she jumps flapping them in unison to give her lift. After some playful acrobatic stunts, Paige flies over the creek to continue her journey, which takes her to a large forest meadow consumed with wildflowers and herbs. Paige has always thought that the scent in the air from the meadow is enough to warm anyone's heart. As she lands, she runs and then pounces amongst the grass and flowers. Laying on her back she stares at the few clouds in the sky. A slight warm breeze gently caresses her bare feet as she slowly drifts to sleep.

***

     "Damn it, kid! It is almost midday, and I need those herbs!" Shalace Telwin, Paige's mother, grumbles out. As she starts cutting carrots, a sudden stale smell wafts through the house. Shalace's nostrils scrunch up. She's never smelled it before. Instantly a sense of evil crawls over her skin! She quickly and quietly runs over, grabs a nearby stool, and goes to the door. Attached to the wall above it is a long wooden box. Shalace opens it and pulls out a rusty sword with a blade that has four edges, and blue snakes wrapped around a white handle.

      Just as Shalace gets off the stool, there is a knock on the door. Not a polite, simple knock. A loud, pounding, empty knock. Shalace swiftly backs away from the door, 'the evil seems to be expanding around the house,' she notices. Abruptly, without another knock, the door is kicked open. The stool Shalace was standing on flies across the room, shattering against a wall. A beast with black hair covering its torso only, and a greenish-gray face with bare muscular arms, barges in. It's sharp battle armor cuts at the door jab as it enters. Without hesitation, Shalace slashes at the beast. As the blade of her sword cuts through the air, a blue streak follows behind it. The blade connects with the beast just below its chest armor, cutting it in half. Dark yellow blood spills from its wounds. Just then Shalace can hear the back windows breaking and the snarls of more beasts as they try to crawl through. She sprints out the front door of her house, and before her are at least fifty of these beasts. Some running around on foot, others are riding on horses. 

      "You, Trolls and your Goblin young, will not succeed!" Shalace shouts moving into a fighting stance.

      "We'll see about that," the apparent lead troll responds. He then grins with its sharp yellow teeth. Two Goblins leap off their horses and charge Shalace with bloodied battle axes. Shalace shouts an elvish battle cry and charges them with sword low and away for a swiping kill.