Mythical Book #1

Chapter 8

Crack! Crunch! Crash! Paige awakes with a gasp! A six-point Blue Deer buck, with full silver eyes, dashes from the trees, and then runs across the creek crashing into the forest on the other side. 'What a beautiful blue glow he had,' then it strikes her, 'What was the deer running from? Blue Deer are rare and don't just show up,' Paige listens and hears nothing, "Um, so there should be bugs and toads and other forest sounds," Paige says feeling uneasy. 'It's almost dawn.' Paige quickly gets dressed, grabs her belongings, breaks camp, and rushes down the path to Shonagal.

'Okay, so it's two more days before I reach Shonagal. And once i get past the main square...' Paige's thoughts drift to what the bear had said about evil creatures, especially the Goblins and Trolls, 'Why did they kill my mother? Are they maybe after me? But, why? What did I do?' Paige asks irrationally to herself, 'And what did the bear mean by "Your Highness?" Am I royalty? But Mom wasn't a Queen and...my Fairy blood? Could I be a Fairy princess? No, because why would I be living in the woods in Alvaheim?' Paige sighs out in frustration with how many questions there are, and no answers.

She is so lost in letting her wild imagination and speculations take over her thoughts, that she doesn't notice the dozen or so Elves that have walked past; some with carts for the village market. Paige passes two that have run into each other losing their loads of potatoes and hay, and they are arguing and cursing at each other about whose fault it was. Paige's contemplations block out the events of her surroundings, "I hope this Felinala priestess has answers. What is a Felinala?" She wonders out loud, "I have never seen a Felinala. I do hope she's friendly."

'My feet are getting sore. It's been hours on this road. Oh, look, a nice log to stop at and rest,' Paige walks over to the log and sits down, then takes her shoes off and rubs her feet. "It is almost dark, and there doesn't seem to be any good campsites that aren't already occupied by other weary travelers and traders. I'm not really tired, and it is another good day's hike before Shonagal. But if I flew, then I could get there in a couple hours or so," Paige convinces herself.

Glancing around she sees that no one is about. She takes off her pack, and then her cloak, putting it in the pack. She spreads her wings and stretches, yet holding her glow from brightening, so as to not bring attention to her. Holding her pack tightly, Paige quickly jumps, and lifts off the ground. Once above the trees, she can see the glow of the city in the distance. 'I didn't know it was so bright at night! Maybe that interesting looking cloud over the city is making the lights brighter.' Her anxiousness takes over causing her to speed toward the village. The air is so refreshing that it makes her body tingle a little. She giggles and then flies faster.

          As she gets closer, the more things start to feel wrong, 'Those lights in the distance seem unaually bright as i get closer,' More and more lights appear everywhere in the distance. Not like normal city torch lights though. These are bigger and brighter. "The houses are on fire!"

Paige flies as fast as she can to the village. As she arrives, she can see the carnage. Every home is a blaze. There are several Elven bodies lying around with various battle wounds. She lands in the center of the village, and casts the same misting spell she used on her house. But to no success, 'It's a magical fire!'

          "Hello!" Paige shouts.

          "Look out behind you!" a voice screams out.