The head and body fell to the ground with a thud. While the head rolled to the cave floor, its black empty eyes stared at Darius. The blood still pooling out of the neck and slightly ajar mouth.
As it turns out witches don't disintegrate like monsters, their bodies remained after their death.
'Wait… but that time… she…'
The smell of burning leather mixed with the rusty scent of blood, making Darius cringe.
'Brennan' he remembered, quickly running off to find his companion.
"Brennan!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the cave.
Darius felt his breath tangled inside his throat as he saw his friend lying on the cave floor. His bow lying next to him, his face as white as a black canvas, tired eyes on the verge of closing.
"Is it done?" he asked weakly.
His breathing was shallow, his chest rising up and down as he struggled to breathe.
In the back of his head and neck was a pool of blood. While another pool of the same liquid was pooling out in his side.
"You bastard you said they were shallow cut!" Darius felt his voice tremble, even he was surprised by his reaction. He knew that he didn't like the idea of Brennan's death, but he didn't know that he will react this way.
He knelt beside Brennan to inspect the wound on the side of his torso.
"F-fuck…" his hand trembled as he lifted Brennan's shirt.
"Hey, stay awake Brennan!" he shouted.
"I… Is it dead?" Brennan asked.
Such a strange feeling, Darius could feel his heart drum against his chest as he listen to Brennan's weak voice.
Biting his lower lip Darius could only nod.
"Oh… great…" a small smile appeared on Brennan's lips as his eyes closed.
"Hey…" he patted Brennan's face.
Distracted by his grief, Darius didn't notice the dove flying closer to them. Landing next to Brennan, it started pecking his head.
"Stop," he told the bird, his voice filled with sorrow.
Bird started flapping its wings.
Suddenly, a faint white light emitted from its feathers.
Moments later the light started glowing brighter and brighter, until it became so bright it was blinding.
Darius closed his eyes and when he opened them again, the dove was gone.
And return, in the place where it previously sat was a young woman.
He can't really say how old is she, but he guessed that it wasn't far from his own.
Standing beside Brennan, the girl looked at him sympathetically.
Her blonde hair framed her face perfectly, while her pink lips curved in a frown, brows furrowed together, her crystal blue eyes glimmering with sadness.
Darius may not be the smartest person alive, but he can at least put the two together.
She was their guide, there is no denying that – especially with that pure white dress that appears to be made out of feathers.
"Brennan," she said with her gentle voice. Soft and gentle like the petals of a lily.
"It's alright, I will help you." The girl placed her hands over Brennan's chest and immediately, golden light started emitting from her hands.
"You're…"
"Hush" the woman silenced Darius, her full attention was focused on Brennan.
Of course, he understand that she needed to focus, therefore, he decided to remain quiet.
The wound in Brennan's side started disappearing, slowly stitching itself back together until it grow smaller and smaller.
When the wound finally closed, Brennan started coughing.
Abruptly getting up, he leaned forward – slouching himself as both of his hands held his throat.
Violently coughing.
"Are you alright?" Darius asked.
"I-I'm fine," the other replied when his coughing finally stopped.
Silence filled the room, as the three stared at each other – awkwardly, curiously.
"Who are you?" Brennan asked as he stared at the woman.
"I…" she shook her head before closing her mouth again, gaping like a fish out of the water.
"She's your little bird friend," Darius said ever so casually.
She pursed her lips, looking at Darius in disbelief. A bright red blush spreading across her face.
"Don't be absurd!" she shouted.
"I'm not your friend! I was only ordered by the lord of the woods to guide you!" she added, her blush glower redder in each word.
"Oh great… you're one of those people," Darius said before standing up.
"W-what? What are you talking about?! What people?!" she shouted.
"I need to find the child," Darius announce whole Brennan was still looking at them like a lost puppy.
"Okay… but is she your lover?" Brennan asked making Darius pinch his brows together.
"What?! Absolutely not!" the woman shouted.
"Too loud… you're hurting our ears," Darius complained.
"W-whatever!" the woman looked away, her left hand shooing Darius away.
The man sighed and walk away.
"Oh wait the fire, we have to extinguish it!" Brennan stood up and run after Darius. While the woman is following him.
"It's already out," she said making others look at her.
"I-It… went out. The leather burned away quickly so the fire didn't last long." She explained a faint hue of red is still evident in her cheeks.
"I have to say that was a smart move, Brennan," Darius praised.
The younger man chuckled, "I just saw the leathers and decided to use another arrow from Clara to start a fire."
"They're only five right?"
"Yes… now we only have two left."
"Well you will have to use them sparingly, we don't know what other monster will we come across in this journey."
Brennan nodded his head to agree.
The three of them found the child in a corner near the entrance, sitting in a tight space between a rock and the cave wall. She was staring at the ground, her knees folded close to her chest, a frown occupying her lips.
As she heard the footsteps she quickly turned to look at the people in front of her.
Upon seeing them, her eyes sparkled with joy. With a bright smile, she runs toward Darius, hugging the young man. Burying her face in his torso.
"It's alright, it's over… you're safe now." He reassured her, the little girl nodded but remained in her position nonetheless.
While Brennan and Darius were removing the rubble from the cave opening. The younger man came to him and whispered something that made him shudder.
"Hey look at leather… they were…"
"Not from animals," Brennan said hesitantly.
But he wasn't wrong, because when Darius looked at them. He noticed that the leathers were made from human skin…
The thought alone made Darius sick in the stomach, that witch skinned her victims.
He could only pray that they were not alive during then.
"We should hurry up," Darius suggested, not wanting to remain inside the cave any longer.
He looks over his shoulder, his eyes landing on the little girl.
'I hope she didn't notice.' He thought.
By the time they managed to remove the rubble from the cave entrance, they were greeted by the moonlight. The brilliant cosmic body shining in the night sky, shedding light into the world.
As they left the cave, Darius walked out holding the little girl's hand. While the dove was sitting atop Brennan's head as usual.
The sound of the owls, cicadas, frogs, and leaves brushing against one another, overwhelmed their sense with calmness.
Each breeze was cold and refreshing.
The calming silence was of course broken by Brennan, "Oh before I forgot. Thank you for saving my life."
"Thank the bird not me, she's the one that healed you," Darius replied.
"Oh right, thank you," Brennan said before giving it a pet.
"Wait, that reminds me…" Darius stopped abruptly.
He looked down at his free hand, 'Was that the reason why my wounds healed quicker?' He asked himself.
"Did you heal my wounds from before?" He finally asked the Dove.
Suddenly, the dove started fluffing her wings.
'As if I will understand.' Darius thought, sweat forming in his temple.
Without a warning, the dove came down and turned into a human.
"I did, but only because I don't have that much of a choice." The young woman said.
"By the way, why did you wait this long to show yourself?" Brennan asked.
"I was instructed not to reveal my true form unless it was completely necessary!" She replied a tad bit louder than expected.
"Alright, alright… calm down," Darius said.
"I'm calm," the woman huffed.
Darius wanted to ask more but he's too tired at the moment, besides, she's on their side and for now. That's all he needs to know.
It was already dawn when they arrived at the city. A thin fog covered the place, all of the houses were close and not a single torch or lamp can be seen.
Only the faint sunlight from the horizon was illuminating the place. Making it look like a ghost town.
"Do you know where your house is?" Darius asked the girl.
"Yes," she said before running off. The travelers followed her into a small house, just like the others. It was made of rotting wood keeping it together.
"Mama!" the girl banged against the wooden door.
Which immediately opened, a woman opened the door. Her eyes looked red from crying and tired from the sleepless night.
"Dear God!" she shouted upon seeing the girl.
"Where have you been?!" she cried as she held her daughter close.
"Black Annis took me, but they saved me." The girl pointed at the travelers, while in turn, the mother started thanking them.
She stood up and held Darius's hand, "Thank you." She kept on repeating.
'What is this? Why do I feel odd?' Darius asked.
So much had changed after Ravana's death.
Everything feels new that it was like, he was just experiencing life for the first time in the twenty-six years of his existence.