I had fallen asleep among the children, their small, warm bodies nestled against mine, the room filled with the soft sounds of their breathing. It was a peaceful moment, one that I cherished deeply. The headmistress, Matilda, gently shook my shoulder, her voice soft yet urgent.
"Princess Elowen, it's time to return to the castle," she said. "The others will be worried."
I blinked awake, the comfort of the children's presence still lingering. Carefully, I extricated myself from the group, making sure not to wake them. I pressed gentle kisses on their foreheads, whispering goodnight.
As I stood, I brushed the dust and crumbs from my dress, straightening it before turning to Matilda. "Thank you for letting me stay," I said warmly.
"The pleasure is ours, Princess," she replied with a smile.
Outside, the night had fully descended, the village bathed in the silver light of the moon. A guard awaited me, ready to escort me back to the castle. I nodded to him, and we set off, the path dimly lit by the flickering lanterns that lined the streets.
To better illuminate our way, I summoned a small orb of fire, holding it in my palm. The warm, golden light cast soft shadows, adding a magical glow to the serene village.
The village, now hushed with the lateness of the hour, felt like a different world. The usual bustling streets were silent, the only sounds those of the night creatures and the gentle rustle of the breeze through the trees.
The decorations for the upcoming festival hung from the buildings, their vibrant colors muted in the moonlight. Ribbons fluttered softly in the breeze, and garlands of flowers swayed gently, filling the air with a faint, sweet fragrance. The preparations had transformed the village into a place of enchantment, a testament to the collective effort and excitement of the people.
As we walked, I reveled in the peace of the moment, the calm before the storm of festival activities. The guard and I moved in silence, the only sound our footsteps on the cobblestone path.
Suddenly, a low growl broke the tranquility. I froze, my senses alert. I turned to the guard, my heart pounding. "Did you hear that?" I whispered.
He shook his head. "No, Princess. It was probably just the wind."
But I was certain of what I had heard. The sound had been too distinct, too menacing to be the wind. My grip tightened around the orb of fire, and I quickened my pace, the guard matching my stride. We were still some distance from the castle, and a sense of unease settled over me.
Then, out of the shadows, an enormous beast lunged at us. The creature was unlike anything I had ever seen—a demon wolf, its form grotesquely large and terrifying. Its fur was dark as night, its eyes glowing with a malevolent red light. Its fangs were long and sharp, dripping with saliva, and its claws looked as though they could tear through steel.
The wolf-demon attacked with brutal force, its claws slashing through the guard's armor with terrifying ease. Blood sprayed through the air as the guard cried out in pain, the beast's jaws clamping down on his shoulder. The sight was horrifying, the brutality of the attack leaving me momentarily stunned.
"No!" I screamed, raising my hand to cast a spell. A ball of fire shot from my palm, hurtling towards the wolf. But to my horror, the fire dissipated upon contact, the beast seemingly impervious to its heat.
The wolf-demon released the guard, who fell to the ground, gravely wounded, his blood pooling around him.
The beast turned its glowing eyes on me, a growl rumbling deep in its chest. I steeled myself, knowing that I had to fight. Summoning all my strength, I cast another spell, this time enhancing my speed and agility. The magic coursed through me, making me faster, more precise.
The wolf charged, its claws swiping through the air where I had been moments before. I dodged, moving with the enhanced speed my spell provided.
Flames danced at my fingertips as I cast spell after spell, each one glancing off the beast with little effect. It was relentless, its attacks forcing me to stay on the defensive.
Despite my efforts, the battle was fierce and grueling. The wolf-demon's strength and resilience were overwhelming, and my spells seemed to do little more than irritate it.
My breath came in ragged gasps, my body aching from the strain of constant movement and spellcasting. The creature was closing in, its jaws snapping dangerously close.
Just as I felt my strength waning, a black flaming arrow pierced the air, striking the wolf-demon in its side. The creature howled in agony, the flames consuming it from within. In an instant, the beast collapsed, the life draining from its eyes as it succumbed to the fiery death.
I stood frozen, my breath coming in heavy pants as relief and exhaustion washed over me. I glanced around, searching for the source of the arrow, but saw no one. The night was still and silent once more, the threat seemingly vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
With the immediate danger passed, I hurried to the guard's side. His wounds were severe, and he was unconscious, his breathing shallow.
I knelt beside him, placing my hands over his injuries. Channeling my magic, I focused on healing, my hands glowing with a soft, warm light. Slowly, the bleeding stopped, and his breathing steadied.
"Stay with me," I murmured, my voice barely audible over the sound of my own heartbeat. "You're going to be alright."
As I worked, my mind raced with questions. Who had shot the arrow? Why had they intervened? The black flames were unlike any magic I had seen before, and the precision of the shot suggested someone highly skilled.
Once I was confident that the guard would survive, I sat back on my heels, exhaustion weighing heavily on me. My thoughts returned to the mysterious archer. The arrow had saved my life, but its origin remained a mystery.
"Who could it have been?" I whispered to myself, gazing into the darkness of the forest beyond the village. The shadows held their secrets close, offering no answers.
As I rose to my feet, I knew that this night was far from over. The appearance of the wolf-demon and the mysterious archer raised more questions than I had answers for. But for now, my priority was to get the guard back to the castle safely.
Gently, I lifted him with the aid of my magic, creating a makeshift stretcher to carry him. As we made our way back to the castle, my mind churned with thoughts of the night's events. The village remained eerily quiet, the calm only disturbed by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant hoot of an owl.
Finally, the castle came into view, its tall spires reaching towards the star-studded sky. The sight was a welcome relief, a beacon of safety after the harrowing encounter. As we approached the gates, the guards on duty rushed to assist, their expressions turning from curiosity to alarm as they saw the wounded man and my own disheveled state.
"Princess Elowen!" one of them exclaimed. "What happened?"
"We were attacked by a wolf-demon," I replied, my voice steady despite the fatigue. "He needs immediate medical attention."
They nodded, quickly taking the guard from me and rushing him inside. I followed, my steps heavy with exhaustion and the weight of unanswered questions.
In the safety of the castle, I finally allowed myself to relax slightly. My father met me in the hallway, his expression a mixture of concern and relief.
"Elowen, are you alright?" he asked, his eyes scanning me for injuries.
"I'm fine, Father," I assured him. "But one of the guards was badly injured. We were attacked by a wolf-demon."
His face paled at my words. "A wolf-demon? In the village?"
I nodded. "Yes. But someone saved us. An archer, using black flames. I don't know who it was."
King Aldric frowned, deep in thought. "This is troubling news. We must find out who this mysterious archer is and why a wolf-demon was so close to the village."
"I agree," I said, my mind still racing with the night's events. "But for now, we need to ensure the guard recovers and the village remains safe."
"Of course," he said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You did well tonight, Elowen. Get some rest. We will deal with this in the morning."
I nodded, grateful for his support. As I made my way to my chambers, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much larger. The black-flamed arrow, the wolf-demon, the mysterious archer—all of it pointed to a deeper mystery that I was determined to uncover.
As I lay down to sleep, my thoughts lingered on the identity of the one who had saved us. Who possessed such powerful magic? And why had they chosen to intervene? The answers eluded me, but I knew that I would find them, no matter what it took.
With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I finally drifted into a restless sleep, the night's events replaying in my dreams, a dark prelude to the challenges yet to come.