Memoir of Xayah - The lost sparrow and the lonley fox

[6]

 They left at the sunset with a select squad. Ten of the member would have gone through the forest to reach the temple, then only the most stealthy five would have entered inside. She was lucky and she was inside this small group, so she could access the building without any problem.

When the group would have split, she would have acted on her own. And after she would have found the witch or not, she would have run away, leaving behind Zakai and his gang.

Freedom was close, she could already taste its sweet flavor. But she should not get distracted by that strong desire. She did not know if the monks were prepared for an assault or how they would have attacked in that case. She had to improvise all her actions, the concentration would have been essential.

She jumped on the branch in front of her and she stopped only after two series. The walking group was slower than her and,while she was waiting, she listened to the sounds around her. She heard only the team coming near and the rustle of the trees, nothing else. There were no running animals, no singing birds. Her instinct was suggesting that it was not a good sign, there was something unnatural in that part of the forest.

Since they have started to climb, her senses were on the alert, as if an imminent danger was going to set down on them. Hwai had her same sensations and he had told them to Zakai, but he had accepted them as if they were normal: he believed that they were caused by the closeness of the temple. She would have agreed if she did not count also the possible presence of the "soul-eating monster".

She hoped that for once he was right and that they would have never met that creature.

She noticed that the group had reached her. She signaled that everything was in order and continued on her path, distancing them. She hated to do her part for the team, but it was essential for her plan. But if she spent less time with them, it was bearable.

She reached another tree and she stopped, caught by deep anguish. The bad sensations were becoming worse, a terrible omen. She listened again but she could hear no sound. It seemed that the forest was in mourning.

She was sure that it was not the monster or she would have heard other movements. It was something worse, something as dark as dangerous.

It was like deja vu, it was not the first time that she sensed a power like that. It was never so powerful, or she would have remembered it. It was weaker as if it was just a small part of the whole source.

« I see that someone else is disturbed. It will not take long. »

Zakai's voice was like a distant echo, while she was searching inside her memories.

After she had found the right one, she went on her march between the trees, not caring about the group behind her. She was sure, that was the same dark power that had infected the temple of her village. She could recognize its destructive force. After so much wandering, she might be near to her objective, she would have discovered what happened to her tribe.

The adrenaline invaded her body and she could move faster, ready to avenge what she had lost.

She reached the last tree and she stopped, pierced by a pain that did not belong to her. The enthusiasm waned immediately,leaving place for horror. The top of the hill was empty, there were only a few dry trees. The ground was consumed, devoid of any energy or magic trail. That land was suffering and she could feel its hushed moaning along with all the pain that it was enduring.

A plague had attacked it, a plague that was wearing down it from the inside.

A shiver shacked her body and she curled up, hoping to calm herself. There was no doubt, the witch was inside, only a creature like that could have done such an act. Even humans were notable to damage so much the nature for self-interest.