The Hunters

Chapter 15

Please read important note at the end!!

Narration

Mahlia's head lifts, her eyes widening. Venus stirs beside her, now completely healed but still slightly disoriented. They both scan the area, noticing that the battle has now died down. The goblins are, for the most part, still alive, although heavily distracted by their injuries. Mahlia spots her remaining three accomplices with whom she arrived, though neither of them seem to sense the same dreadful energy that Mahlia and her familiar feel, instead focusing on sending away the goblins with their magic. Soon they will travel back to their homes, taking their lost companion to be buried and leaving Mahlia and Venus with the Prince. Normally this would not have bothered the witch, though this time she wonders whether she may require their help, the level of fear she senses in the atmosphere increasing by the second.

With Venus now seeming more aware, Mahlia stands, deciding to follow the direction of the energy that dominates her senses. The pair pass between the goblins who now begin to back away, terrified of the witches power. Though it might not have wounded them in the same way as a sword might, the weakness that they feel is immense, and their limbs feel as if they are burning from the inside out, having being struck by the lightning-like magic that she sent towards them. Of course, Mahlia knew that this would soon wear off, however as long as the goblins were distracted she was contented. Her accomplices would send them away before the spell wears off anyway.

As they walk, Venus squawks, flying off to the right and landing not far away. Mahlia runs to follow, her heart thudding in her chest as she begins to feel slightly nauseous, wondering what her familiar could have found. She watches as the phoenix pecks at something on the ground, repeatedly squawking as her body tenses. The witch speeds up, fearing what she might find laying there and hoping more than anything that no more losses have been made during the fight.

As she finally gets close enough to see who lays at the bird's feet, her heart almost stops.

The Prince Eros lays on the ground, struggling as he leans on his elbow, coughing up blood. It is clear to Mahlia that the fear she had sensed had been coming from the Prince. Her heart leaps into her throat as she kneels down beside him. Thankfully, whatever injury he had is now healing up, though he is clearly too weak to stand on his own. Mahlia lifts his arm from his stomach, seeing the deep gash covering the skin. The wound looks bad enough as it is, clearly having bled a considerable amount as he lays on red-stained grass, but since the Fey heal much faster than most other beings, she tries not to imagine too much about how bad it was upon being inflicted. If not for the fact that he healed extremely quickly, Eros would most likely be dead.

Mahlia holds her palm to the wound, her arm heating up as the healing magic passes down and into the Prince. However, this is quickly cut off, Eros's weak hand grabbing hers and pulling it away. She scowls, wanting to heal him. She had practically raised him when his parents did not make the time to, and he is like a son to her - it pains her to see that he is hurt. Normally, she would have ignored him and put her hand back to heal the wound, if not for the pleading look in his eyes.

She draws her hand carefully away, her gaze questioning. Eros coughs slightly, before shifting his weight and trying to sit up. He struggles, but with her help he manages, putting most of his weight onto one of his hands to stabilise himself. Lifting his other hand, he points towards a gap between the trees in the distance.

"Ria's in trouble," he croaks, sounding helpless. "Roma followed her."

Conflicted, Mahlia sighs, unsure of whether to heal Eros first anyway. She knows that he would be upset with her, and that Adriana could be in serious danger, but seeing someone she cares deeply about in pain causes her to feel incredible guilt. She should have been there for him. She could have protected him.