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unknown magic
Chapter III - The great battle [part4]

Written by Tadi

I sat at the bottom of the hill and opened my backpack. I pulled out a bottle of water and drank almost half of it. The sun was too hot and it made me dizzy. I sat there for a while looking around. It was nice and quiet, the only thing I could hear was birds singing and a distant chatter of people. There were trees all around, it looked like the town was thrown in the middle of a forest. I stood back up and just as I was about to start walking I saw a shadow move behind a tree. I blinked and looked harder and there it was behind a tree a shadow, more like a silhouette of a man. A million thoughts came running through my mind but one seemed to scream the loudest. I grabbed my jacket and backpack from the ground and started running up the hills as fast as I could, never looking back. I only stopped as I got to the top. I took a minute to catch my breath and looked down the hill but there was no one around. I looked to the forests on each side but saw nothing. The church was old and abandoned. It was black as if caught in fire and falling apart. I walked all the way around until I found a small stone path in the tall grass. I walked along the path and in the distance I could see the Great three hills. 

As I came close a house started to appear. It was old looking but still pretty well preserved. I was half expecting a house made out of candy but that would be ridiculous. Hopefully she doesn’t make me her dinner.

I knocked on the door and shortly after an old woman opened it. She looked downright scary, everything you’d expect from a witch. Her nose was slightly longer and pointy, she had moles on her wrinkled face and long grey hair put in a low ponytail. And that creepy smile she had on her face made me really uncomfortable.

    “I’ve been expecting you” she said while grabbing my hand and pulling me inside. She grabbed her broom and set in her chair. She looked at me and smiled.

    “Well what are you waiting for? Sit, sit” she said pointing to a chair across from her. I walked slowly to the chair never breaking eye contact. In the darkness of her house she was even scarier. I sat on the edge of the chair, ready to run the second she tries something funny.

    “Now. What are you?” she asked.

    “Uhh I’m Alice. I uhh…”

    “I know who you are but what are you?” she asked again. I didn’t know what she meant and I was beginning to get even more uncomfortable as she leaned forward in her chair. I just kept staring at her face unable to find words to say. Like if she’d know what I was thinking she looked to her right where a big mirror was standing.

    “Oh my. I’m very sorry!” she said. She held her broom firmly in her hand. She held the bottom with her feet and moved the handle from right to the left side. As it moved past her she started to change. Her skin started getting smoother, the moles and the wrinkles disappeared, her hair gained colour, she became taller and her eyes changed from grey to a shining green and after a few seconds, before me sat a beautiful black haired young girl. This time she smiled a warm smile as she apologized with her eyes.

    “I have to change in to that old ugly thing because of the stupid story. I’m supposed to be this great old witch and blah, blah, blah” she said. When I stayed quiet she continued talking.

    “So what are you? You’re not a witch, not a vampire, definitely not a fairy. I do smell a hint of demon.”

    “What? I…I’m just human” I said. She stood up from her chair and walked closer. She walked around the chair occasionally leaning closer to me, smelling my hair and totally weirding me out. She held my hand and lifted it to her and smelled it. Her eyes widened in shock and she dropped my hand. She stumbled backwards and caught herself on the table.

    “What is it?” I said terrified. Why would she react like that? I looked down at my hand and I remembered, it was the hand the creature had grabbed at the orphanage. I stood up and ran to her.

    “You can smell it can’t you? What is it?” She turned around and looked at me with wide eyes. She was scared. It must be horrible if a witch was afraid of it.

    “He’s supposed to be locked up!” She said in a low voice. “It marked you!” I took a few steps back and stared at my hand. It marked me? What is that supposed to mean. She calmed herself down and sat back in her chair waving me to do the same.

    “Eurynome” she paused “the Prince of death is a superior demon. He feeds on corpses. He marks his victims by smelling them and he doesn’t just simply forget about it. He won’t stop until he finds you and kills you.” I looked at her with my mouth open and fear in my eyes.

    “Where did you meet it? How exactly did you escape?” she asked.

    “It was locked up at the orphanage I lived in.”

    “What? I didn’t know that!” She got up and walked to her desk. It was filled with glass vials, books and other stuff that I’ve never seen before. She touched the black ball standing on a pedestal and it lit up. She put both her hand on top of it and her hair started moving around as if the wind was blowing it. She murmured something in a language that sounded like Latin but wasn’t.

    “You know Nate, you could just come inside instead of sneaking around” she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. I jumped in my chair as the door opened wide and a tall guy stepped in. He slammed the door behind him as he walked across the room to the witch. He was absolutely stunning. His dark hair fell over his eyes. His jaw tightened as he whispered something to her. I felt tingles on my neck and I couldn’t help but feel like I’ve seen him before. They seemed to be arguing about something but I couldn’t make out the words. I stood up and quietly walked towards the door.

    “Where are you going?” she said when she noticed me.

    “Uh I was just going to leave you guys alone.” She walked over to me and threw her arm around over my shoulder. He remained there with his back to us. Did he not want me to see him? Who was he anyway and what upset him so much? A million questions ran through my head.

    “Don’t be rude to my guest, Nate! Introduce yourself, will you” she said while walking closer to him and pulling me with her. He finally turned around and when his beautiful bright grey eyes met mine the tingles became stronger and I melted under his stare.

    “Nathan” he said and offered me his hand. As soon as I held it a memory hit me. The nightmares I had were all about him and now he was standing there in front of me and I realised that my dream became a reality.