From the dusky gray sky, there is a wind that seems to blow against everything in its path. The trees appear to be teetering, as if almost on the edge of toppling over on the citizens and houses of the land. Most of everyone seemed to be taking shelter in their wooden houses as best as they could. The ones that are outside are hollow husk of women, with their blue irises and the reds of their eyes burning in hunger and despair, yet there is a hint of hope that soars. Lurking, however, are elves, demons too. Demons are the more benevolent of the two in that they seem neutral to us, but they are not to be trusted. Neither should elves for their long-lasting hatred for us.
I walk with them, trying to get to the hidden hills of my house deep in the forest, deep enough that people do not bother to search. Suddenly, I am accosted by a loud shriek ringing out behind me. An elf has a witch by the arms, gripping them tightly against the ground and leering lecherously at the woman, who seems to have a daughter standing nearby.
"Mama !?" the daughter yells as she covers her face in terror.
"Someone help! Don't let her see me like this, help protect my baby!" roared the woman as the man begins to tear her white cloth dress that began to dirty in the mud.
No one moved as the child was wailing and the mother begged with all her soul, whether from weakness (for what could most witches do? we are a weak race now), curiosity and even…amusement?
'No more' I decided as I observed the scene. He had her almost completely naked, except for the piece of cloth on her breast.
I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, waiting for power to grasp my heart, waiting for our most esteemed goddess Helon to grant me it for just this moment. I tilted my head to the sky, eyes still closed to reach deeply into my soul. Then, like the great collision and burning away of a star, my chest seemed to explode and yet rest lightly, my fear ending suddenly.
"You let her go now !" I bellowed as I began to float, almost as if I were walking through the air, towards the scene. Eyes turned to acknowledge me, including the elf who was staring down the girl sadistically. Something bit at me in my head.
"Why are you all just standing here?! Take this child into a safe place!"
A woman of tall stature grabbed the child by the wrist tenderly and uttered a merciful "Come on, your mother will be okay." Leading her into one of the wooden houses.
There was an overwhelming silence, then the elf rose up in his armor, and it was grand with rigged steel shoulder pad, and golden torso piece with extensions mid-thigh while wearing pants that had the emblem of the elf kingdom and long boots with golden spikes. I suppose the woman had to be in even more pain with all weight on her.
He flashed a smile, before lunging, sending me and him rolling on hard gravel dirt. Some citizens find their way away from the battle, freeing to their homes, while others stay and observe with hope hanging to their tongues.
I try pushing the elf off, his face simply contorts into an even smugger grin. He sends a steel-filled punch straight into my face and not knowing how quite to dodge or block, it landed soundly against.
My nose "simply" just popped, while blood, black and flowing as if having a runny nose. My body froze as I fell back and slammed my head. Just when I thought it was over, there was a crushing impact on my chest, and when I could find the strength to open my eyes, I found it being repeatedly punched. It was as if it were caving in. I began to choke on the blood rising in my throat.
His laugh rose in my ears as I went unto darkness. In my darkness, I called out to Helon, to my mother. Thought if I'd be gone forever, I should remember the touch of her motherly caress of my face. There was the sound of a large blast hitting somewhere and the scalding, brutal scream of someone dying miserably. A gasp spread collectively through the bystanders and when my eyes opened again, I saw that my chest, nose, and face were not broken anymore. But I also saw the charred corpse of the elf bubbling and sizzling as if they were meat. Hope rose in the witches' gaze, but there was a settling of fear. Demons and elves alternated between awe and disgust.
Slowly, I began to rise, grounding myself before I could run, then dashing away towards the grand and lush trees, and a lonesome hill, surrounded by caves in the forest, never explored.
I am running, waiting to be pursued by anyone, running up that hill to safety, while the winds blow egregiously, I spot a body laying limp, muddied up, and…naked? No one has ever found this place before, yet here that be a woman. She seemed vulnerable to the winds, shivering harshly with her skin and rain appearing to be turning gray.
So, I did what must be done, picking the woman bridal style, and carrying her towards my house. When we get in, I laid her down in the bathing room, on a wooden plank large enough to hold her, with a simple drain below. Then I began to wash down her body and hair where mud stuck to it and when I ran my hands through, grime that was layered began to leave and her hair began to take heed to the water and curl.
Then walking to my bed, a mellow red stone with heavy blankets and covers to wrap her in. I am hoping, as I walked out of the door, that I have not made a mistake in taking in this strange character.