⚠️Warnings⚠️: Mention of rape and the attacker. Violence.
Sofía's POV:
After some minutes of walking through the Blue Forest, following Agatha the Dove, I really wanted to believe everything would be okay. That we would get to hide, that no one else would find us. Unfortunately, that was never meant to be the case. Soon enough, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye-a movement in the shadows. My grip tightened on my sword as I turned to face the threat.
Emerging from the darkness was a creature unlike any I had actually seen before. It was tall and lanky, with elongated limbs and eyes that glowed an unnatural green. Its skin seemed to bubble softly, blending it with the surrounding forest.
Sophie gasped, her grip on my right hand tightening. "What is that?"
I tightened the grip of my left hand on my sword, my heart racing as I faced the strange creature emerging from the shadows.
"I... I think it's a Forest Soldier," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. My mind raced with what I knew about these elusive creatures-how they could blend into the forest, mimicking its shadows. How they usually meant one thing: death. "They're not supposed to be in the Blue Forest, just in the real thing."
"What?!"
"We're going to have to fight it," I simply said. "Stay behind me," I instructed Sophie, positioning myself defensively between her and the creature. I looked up at Agatha, still a Dove, and I ordered her: "Keep out of this one. It's going to get nasty." The Dove cooed, and I could feel she was worried.
The creature moved with surprising speed, lunging towards us. I swung my sword, aiming for its midsection, but it dodged with agility, its movements fluid and unpredictable. Sophie stepped back, trying to stay out of its reach, while I focused on defending us.
As it launched again, I reacted instinctively, swinging my sword in a wide arc to deflect its attack. The blade connected with it's skin slightly, but not making a deep enough cut. It made a thud sound, kinda like the creature was made of wood.
The damn creature moved like a shadow, its form shifting and changing with every strike, trying to trick me by blending with the background. I fought with everything I had, each swing of my sword a desperate attempt to protect Sophie and myself.
We circled each other, me, mostly trying to stay out of it's reach until the thing grew tired or something. But the creature moved with an unsettling fluidity, its movements betraying no hint of fatigue.
"So, behind you!" Sophie's warning came just in time as I spun around, narrowly avoiding the Forest Stalker's outstretched claw. I countered with a swift strike, aiming for its joints.
The Forest Stalker hissed in pain as my blade found the place behind it's knee, slicing through the air with precision. Yet, its reaction was not of defeat but of heightened aggression. With a swift movement, it conjured some weird magic, sending it towards us. I raised my sword defensively, but the impact staggered me, pushing me back several steps. Sophie cried out in fear, her voice drowned out by the crackling of magic.
Regaining my balance, I focused on the creature before me, its glowing eyes fixed on us, not willing to let go. It unleashed another set of magical projectiles, each one aimed with deadly accuracy. I deflected as many as I could with my sword, but one managed to graze my arm, searing through my sleeve and leaving a painful burn.
"So!" Sophie's voice was filled with panic, her eyes wide with terror as she watched me falter.
Ignoring the pain, I gritted my teeth and retaliated, summoning my own magic in response. The air crackled with energy as I channeled my will, sending a small tornado towards the Forest Stalker. It got caught in it for a moment before finding a way to break free.
The Forest Soldier lunged forward again. Before I could react, it closed the distance with blinding speed. I tried to deflect him, but he sent my sword flying to one side and sank its jagged teeth into my neck. Pain shot through me, intense and agonizing, as its grip tightened, threatening to overwhelm me.
Sophie gasped, her eyes wide with fear as she stumbled back, nearly tripping over a tree root. "So!"
Agatha the Dove cooed louder this time, almost desperately.
With sheer determination, I summoned all my strength. Ignoring the pain, I called for my sword with my magic and stabbed it into the creature's side with a desperate cry. It shrieked in pain, releasing its hold on me and I pushed it away. Gasping for breath, I stumbled back, blood trickling down my neck. I clutched it, trying to regain my breath amidst the pain coursing through me.
"That's enough!" I yelled. I focused on my magic, knowing this would leave me vulnerable for the next minutes but desperately needing to end the fight.
I raised my hands towards the night sky. Above us, storm clouds gathered with unnatural speed, crackling with energy. Lightning danced within their dark depths, waiting for my command as my hair danced, moving in the air even if there was no wind to cause it.
With a primal roar, I channeled my will into a bolt of lightning, directing it towards the Forest Stalker. The air around us exploded with blinding light and deafening thunder as the bolt streaked down from the heavens. The creature turned towards the sound, its eyes widening in realization, but it was too late.
The lightning struck with devastating force, engulfing the Forest Stalker in a brilliant cascade of electricity. Its form convulsed with agony, writhing and twisting as the energy cursed through its body. Sparks flew, illuminating the clearing in stark relief against the night.
As the last echoes of thunder faded into silence, the creature's shimmering form dissolved into smoke and shadow, dissipating into nothingness. Silence settled over the clearing once more, broken only by the crackling of residual energy and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
I stood there, panting heavily, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. Blood continued to trickle down my neck from the wound inflicted by the Forest Soldier, each heartbeat throbbing with pain. I felt drained, and it wasn't long before I fell to my knees.
"Sofía!" Sophie screamed, filled with worry and relief as she rushed to my side. Her hands trembled as she reached out to support me, her touch grounding me in the aftermath of the fierce confrontation.
"I'm... I'm okay," I managed to say, though my voice sounded weak even to my own ears. "But we need to keep moving. There might be more of them."
I carefully removed a piece of fabric from the hem of my cloak, wincing as I tore off a strip to use as a bandage. I tied it around my neck, the fabric quickly soaking up the blood. Despite the pain, I focused on securing the fabric tightly, even if it did make it a bit harder to breathe, I couldn't loose too much blood each second if I wanted to stay here until dawn.
The long, thin trail through the Sleeping Willows sloped downhill, so we could see the ghostly blue glow of the Tulip Garden at the bottom. One last push and we'd be safe among its flowers.
"Why would Aggie bring us here?" questioned Sophie. "Why not turn me into a tree or blade of grass near the gates..."
"That wouldn't be safe," I said. "Yuba taught us to spot enchanted trees and grass would be trampled by night's end. No, Aggie was smart. One tulip in thousands. You'll be safe till dawn."
"We'll be safe till dawn," she said, smiling. "Thank you. For staying with me."
"No problem."
We walked for two more hours. As we crept through the willows, our eyes darted around for the next threat. But the sapphire trees stood sentinel along the trail, long dangling branches glittering like chandeliers. As we drifted through, leaves shed over us in slow, beautiful rhythm, beads slipping off bracelets.
