Secrets of the Fortress 'sorcery' (5 page)

“Oh, it’s nothing. As I said earlier, I
really need rest. You seem to be friendly.” Evalle said, still
focused on her plate of spaghetti.

“Could we chat for a while? I’m really bored.
Nobody really talks to me here. They say I’m a jerk.” Kevin said,
gritting on his seat nervously.

“Are you really a jerk?”

* * *

Emily stepped out of the castle and looked
back at it, before finally walking away. She stopped abruptly to
ponder on the direction in which she would go. ”How do I get out of
here? It is filled with trees.

There has to be a way.” Emily had the feeling
that someone was after her, so she decided to hurry. “What way
should I go? I’ve always been dreaming of this map. Now is the time
I think I need it, but it is nowhere near me.”

Emily turned left and started walking down
the path. Everything seemed to be changing as the trees became
fewer and she could see more clearly. She stopped to survey the
land and she nodded her head in approval, as the place seemed to be
turning to a little town with no houses.

The place didn’t look like a forest any more.
She continued to move down the path and the place became very
familiar, she couldn’t fathom the reason. Emily sat on the floor to
think about what she was seeing and why the place looked so
familiar.

She jumped up in excitement when she
remembered. ”Yes, I was here with my father before the stupid
incident. I can find my way from the village, only if I can find my
way back to the village.”

Emily quickened her steps and continued to
notice how familiar everything looked. She stopped when she saw a
piece of cloth hanging on a tree branch. She picked it and examined
it. It was hers. She recalled using it to pack her hair into a
ponytail.

“Wow, now I know where I am.” She continued
moving and could now sight the village as she used the cloth to
repack her hair. She remembered that she saw a map in her closet.
“I know I have a map somewhere, everything now seems simple, even
though I’m not so sure.”

She ran to her room and picked up her shoes
after removing the damaged pair of slippers from her legs. She took
a large bag in which she quickly packed her clothes. “Where am I
going anyways? She asked herself.

“Oh yeah, I’m looking for Kujoo and my
father. I’m sure he took him away. Stupid faggot.” She put the map
in her bag and immediately ran out of the house. “I have a strange
feeling that these people are going to come here, looking for me.
They’ll never find me. “

Emily took the map out of her bag and
continued walking. She then noticed something she had never seen on
the map before, it seemed to be glowing.

Let the doves and Ostriches guide you. Follow
the path of light.

She looked closely again to confirm that she
wasn’t seeing things. Emily rubbed her hand on her hair and stopped
to think. What is the meaning of this? I don’t understand. “Let the
doves and ostriches guide you? Why have I never seen this before? I
have always had this map.”

After glancing through the map once more, she
blurted aloud. “I think I finally understand.”

CHAPTER 8

“Are you asking me this question?” Kevin
asked bluntly.

“I’m sorry that I’ve offended you. I’m really
sorry.” Evalle replied.

“Okay, I’m not offended, but it just looked
like we can never be friends but I find that hard to believe. You
seem very friendly.” Kevin said, shifting uncomfortably in his
seat. “Have I behaved like a jerk to you?”

“I said I’m sorry. Don’t be angry. Okay, how
do I make it up to you”? Evalle asked, feeling insecure.

“I don’t need anything from you. I just want
you to be my friend.”

“That’s quite simple. I am your friend
already.”

They both turned their heads when they heard
a loud voice. “Kevin, what are you doing over there?”

“Oh my God! That’s my manager. I have to go
now. We have to keep this official. I don’t want to lose my job. I
guess I will be seeing you around.” Kevin said as he stood up and
left the table.

“Okay, go meet your boss.”

Wow, this guy is really something. I guess we
won’t be seeing around. He is really cute. But I guess I have to
lose something to get another.

Evalle continued eating her food when she saw
Kevin waving at her from a corner of the room. She smiled at him
and let her eyes focus back on the delicious meal that was almost
finished. She dropped the fork on her plate and stood up to leave
the table, when he signaled to her to meet him outside.

She stood up and picked her bag, it was heavy
because of the numerous clothes. Walking across the room, she
mustered some words. “Wow, this is really heavier than I
thought.”

When Evalle stepped out of the room, she
acknowledged the presence of the air that swept her skin. She sat
on a block that was few meters away from the restaurant and waited
for Kevin to come out.

She rested her head against a pillar, still
enjoying the way the breeze felt against her skin. Her eyelids were
shutting gradually even though she tried to stop them. She finally
forgot everything and fell asleep.

She saw herself going through a path to a
place that looked very different. She already knew she was going to
see something strange because it certainly felt strange.

“Where are you taking me to?” She screamed
aloud. When Evalle heard nothing, she tried to turn back, but her
body kept moving forwards and towards a bright light.

I don’t know who is taking me or where it is
taking me to. Oh my God! This is horrible.

Her body just continued moving. When she got
to a spot, it didn’t look like light anymore. Evalle saw her mother
sitting at a corner and knitting a cap. She saw herself playing
with a man that she hadn’t seen before.

She began to hear a voice calling her which
she believed was that of the man. She replied him but he didn’t
seem to pay much attention to her. She then felt a tap on her
shoulder.

* * *

Emily felt the rain splatter against her skin
as she ran around, seeking for shelter. She had been on the road
for some hours. No one was on the road and she only saw few houses.
This place is so deserted, what happened here?”

She saw a small shop and ran into it. The
rain seemed to be increasing as the water was getting to her knees.
Emily brought the map out of her bag and began to look at it. “This
is where a dove is, I think I know this place. I am to look for
statues of doves or places where doves can be found together. I
know a lot of geography. The first one should be located few miles
from here.”

“What about the Ostriches? What am I to do
about them?” Emily looked out of the empty shop and saw that the
rain was about to stop.” She looked back at the map.

Follow the path of Light

“Is there a path of light?” Path of Light,
path of light, path of light, path of. . . “Oh, I am to use my
magic to cast a spell on this map. I am perfect at that.” Emily
said as she chuckled aloud. Emily placed the paper on a dry table
and began to cast the spell.

A path appeared on the map as Emily yelped in
joy. She hurriedly left the shop and began her journey.

She walked down the sloppy terrain as she
began to hear voices ahead. She continued moving. ”No one knows I’m
on a mission. So I have nothing to worry. I just have to deal with
Kujoo.” The voices were getting louder.

A lot of people were carrying something in
their hands. Emily moved closer to have a better view. She left her
mouth agape when she saw it. What are these guys doing with dead
bodies? This is very weird. According to the map, I am supposed to
pass this path.

Emily was frightened out of her skin when she
heard a loud voice. “Hey, you there, Why are you standing and doing
nothing? Come and join your mates.”

Is he talking to me? I don’t think so. Emily
turned and started walking away when she saw the man in her front.
“I believe I was talking to you.”

“I don’t care if you were talking to me. I’m
a passer-by and I don’t think I’m supposed to join a work I know
absolutely nothing about. Emily said as she adjusted her bag on her
shoulder.

“We were all passers-by but we cannot go
ahead until we dispose all the bodies. I got here three years ago
and the bodies wouldn’t stop increasing. Other people came and had
to join me. Once you get to this point, there is no turning
back.

“You can’t be serious. Emily said as she
studied the place and noticed that the man was telling the truth as
the people had already built a cave of dead bodies.”

“We live under that cave you see.” The man
said as he lowered his shoulders.

“Well, I don’t think I can join you guys. You
have to let me move on. Maybe I can help you deal with the thing.”
Emily said as she continued walking forward.

“Okay then. Good luck. The man said as he
paved way for her.

* * *

Evalle opened her eyes to find a large crowd
staring at her. Kevin was at her front. “I’ve been trying to wake
you up for the past few hours. I told you I was going to join you
in a jiffy. When I came here, you were fast asleep.”

“Why is everyone staring at me?” Evalle
asked, still looking confused.

“I had to call them to help, since I couldn’t
get to wake you up. We all thought you were dead, but there is no
hospital around. I’m so glad you are alive.”

“Thanks, I have to go now. It’s almost dark.
Thank the people for their help on my behalf. Emily said as she
stood up and picked her bag.

This guy really is a jerk. He called the
whole world to wake me up. I can’t believe I slept that long.

Evalle started looking for where she would
spend the night. “I’ve not gotten to the first marker yet.” She
said as she sat down on the road to take a rest. Evalle then sited
something from afar.

There was a flock of birds feasting near a
river, Evalle moved forward to see what type of birds they were. As
she got closer, she could recognize them better. “Jesus Christ”.
Evalle jumped as she confirmed from her map that she was at the
first marker.

She moved closer to the creatures as she
studied them well. They were scattered all over and most of them
were drinking water. From a distance, she saw some doves flying
away. Something big chased them.

As Evalle moved to see more, she got happier.
A large bird was walking angrily towards the doves. The doves began
to fly away. Evalle saw that only one building was there. She
checked her bag for her pen and book, to confirm if it was still
there.

Evalle took out her book and noted what she
saw. She put it back in her bag and headed towards the building.
“I’ve never done this kind of thing before. I’m really scared. What
will I find inside?” Evalle said as she continued towards the large
building.

She pushed the door, hoping it would be
locked. The door slid open as a giant cobweb greeted her. “Jeez.
What is this? When last has someone been in this place? It’s so
old.” Evalle began to remove the cobwebs with a stick she found on
the floor.

She flung the stick about as she moved
farther into the house. The house looked normal except for the
odor. Evalle moved to the corner and turned on the switch. The
light illuminated the whole place. It was then Evalle knew
something was really wrong.

* * *

Emily walked through the path that was
created for her as she felt their eyes crawling all over her skin.
She left them behind and thought of what awaited her. Emily started
increasing her pace as she felt a very enormous pressure
surrounding her.

She moved closer to a huge wall and saw
nothing. She looked around, trying to find a way. “I am trapped?”
Emily whispered. She felt herself being sucked into the wall. She
screamed “Nooo.”

Emily met herself in a dark place but only
saw two shining golden circles staring at her.

“Hello, anybody here?” Emily yelled. “Hello,
who’s in here? Now this is certainly weird.” She said as she tried
to turn back.

The golden circles seemed to be getting
closer to her. She felt the goose bumps rise on her skin. As Emily
was still moving backwards, she hit something really hard. Looking
back, large claws wiped her face, sending her flying backwards.

“What do you want from me? Emily shouted as
she tried to stand up from the wet ground.

“What are you doing in my territory? No one
ever escapes after daring me.” A loud voice reverberated in her
ears.

“Why are you holding all those people
captive? You are evil and you need to be dealt with. Emily shouted
back while preparing her first attack.

“You have no right to judge me. You are going
to die.” The voice whispered.

As Emily ran to hit him, she felt herself
being flung upwards, thereby landing in a great thud. She yelped in
pain. “Aargh, that hurts”.

“I can see you but you won’t be able to see
me, no matter how strong you are. I see you have skills. I’m a
little bit impressed. I’ll destroy you.”

Emily uses her powers to sharpen her vision.
She opened her mouth, marveled at what stood in front of her. Its
eyes were bright gold. It had large muscles and huge feet. The
remaining parts of the body was tiny and almost invisible.

“What sort of creature are you?” Emily asked,
a bit frightened.

The creature turned back to reveal a long
tail, which it used to sweep Emily away. Emily could hear the voice
of the people on the other side. It seemed they were watching
everything. Emily raised her hands up and swerved it several times
at the air as if looking for support.

She stops sending all her magic to her sight
and prepared to attack the demon in full force. The eyes of the
demon seemed to be turning red as it made a loud, screeching sound.
Emily immediately blocked her ears.