The Death of a Time Viewer (COMPLETED)

The Real Alnwick

Morgiannas eyelids felt heavy and gritty as if they were filled with sand. After several minutes of trying to get her body to obey her commands she finally got her eyes to open partially. Her surroundings shocked her, trees in all directions and large stones with carvings etched into them. Her head was throbbing in tune with her racing heartbeat.

She looked down to see she was bound with thick ropes. Her body lying on a flat stone surface. She realized her Cape and hood was nowhere to be seen, but at least the rest of her clothes seemed to be in order. She began struggling against her restraints, the rope biting into her delicate skin.

"Tut tut, to think they would send a child." She would recognize that slimy voice anywhere. Mayor Fernheim the snake in human skin.

She turned her head in the direction of the voice and there stood the man himself. Casually leaning against a stone pillar as if this was the most normal meeting in the world.

"Release me at once, we are here to help you and the town." She somehow kept her voice steady portraying all the confidence she did not feel.

Mayor Fernheim's face split in an unnatural smile. "Yes, and you will help me. You and your partner seem to be steeped in magical energy. Just what I needed."

The calm facade she was wearing was starting to crack the longer she looked at his red blotchy face. "What are you planning.." her voice cracked at the end which caused his smile to grow even wider, past any limit of a normal person.

He moved forward his obese body taking up almost all of her view of her surroundings. She wanted to look away but she couldn't. "I will let you in on a secret since you won't last the night. I just need to gather your partner and we can begin the ceremony. You see years ago our town had hit an all-time low, people were starving and nothing we did helped. The former Mayor did not have the balls to do what was truly needed. He was the first." A coldness glinted in his eyes as he bent closer.

She swallowed the bile that was climbing up her throat. "The first what?"

He winked, the act forcing his face to twist in an odd way. "The first sacrifice of course. At first, everything was fine, but then IT demanded more and more. I tried taking from other towns. Gold, jewels, and food. Then when sacrifices were needed I would take people who were not needed as much. I became our Mayor and began by taking our elderly. As the mayor I would tell the townsfolk that they left to get help and never returned. More, it always wanted more. Before I knew it I was alone. For three years I have used that mission to lure people here to feed the darkness. In return I live healthily as long as it is taken care of. The stronger the sacrifices magic the longer I can wait in between. You and your friend will allow me months maybe even a year of peace!" He began to laugh his belly jiggling with each guffaw that left his mustached mouth.

He moved away then straightening his blue suit not in the slightest bit interested in her reaction. "I hate to leave so abruptly but I have a meeting with your friend. I wonder how he will react when I tell him I saw you being taken into the forest. Will be distraught and run straight into the frying pan? Or do you even matter to him? He did seem pretty upset when he tore the bakery apart earlier." He smirked throwing a hand up in a wave as he turned to leave not even sparing her a last glance.

The moment he was out of sight she began struggling against her ropes with renewed vigor. She couldn't let the mayor return with Fafnir. She didn't know what ceremony he was speaking of, but anything that ended in their death was a no go.

"The ropes are imbued with magic, you won't be able to just remove them." The voice did not belong to the mayor, she had never heard it before.

Looking around she saw a man. He was incredibly skinny, his cheeks sunk in. His hair was black and stringy and hung in his face almost covering his full grey eyes as if all color had faded from them.

"Then help me get them off." As the words left her mouth she saw the man physically stiffen.

" I cannot." He frowned, his face twisting as if he was in pain before he too turned as if to leave.

"Wait! Why can you not help me?!" She hoped it was not just a trick of the eyes that she saw pity towards her.

His whole body shook as if it was being torn apart on the inside. His back still towards her he collapsed to his knees heavy sobs escaping his lips. "When will it end?! I cannot even escape by death." He turned to face her again tear tracks running down his face. "I am so so sorry. I do not want this. I never wanted this."

Her heart hurt watching this grown man cry with such abandon. "It's okay." She felt herself tear up. Here she was tied up ready for slaughter and she was trying to comfort a man who said he won't or can't help her.

His eyes widened, the tears still escaping. "Why would you try to comfort me? Do you not realize the situation you are in?" He rubbed his cheeks to clear the tears and stood up. On shaky legs he walked towards her but she wasn't afraid.

"You just look like you are in a lot of pain. Why don't you at least talk to me about it? My name is Morgianna, what is yours?" She lifted her chin and looked him square in the eyes so he could see how sincere she is.

"I never wanted this. I only wanted to take care of my town... I am the guardian of the town, I am Alnwick.