reality.
“Heed us, Chosen. Heed us or you will fail. Truth above all. Truth above … ”
- - -
Manda stood on a rock, heedful of the poisoned black water sloshing at her feet.
People she loved were dying on the shore, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t reach them even if she could tear free from the chains that encompassed her entire length. She would die as soon as she hit the water.
Evann floated by, eyes wide and lifeless. Blood seeped from his chest, but the black poison washed it away. Manda turned her head, unable to bear the sight any longer.
She heard familiar laughter and turned to find Alezza gliding toward her on top of the water, the hem of her golden gown bobbing in the poisoned darkness. Manda was sure Alezza would begin to scream as the liquid ate her flesh, but then she realized Alezza was poison. The black liquid couldn’t harm her. A chain dangled from Alezza’s hand and disappeared into the water. Alezza lifted the chain.
Chris emerged from the dark depths, twisting in torment as the poison ate his flesh. His green eyes, filled with holes from the poison’s touch, entreated her for help. Manda jerked, tearing at her chains. One of her feet slipped into the water. A hollow moan rose in her chest as the water bit into her skin. She watched as her foot became a bloody, bony stub.
Alezza dropped Chris back into the water, smiling in amusement as Manda begged for his life.
“Like this?” Alezza lifted Chris’ degenerating body out of the water once more. His flesh was gone. All that remained was a bloody mass of tissue, but he still writhed on the chain. Surrounded by crimson, the whites of his eyes looked horrific. There was no life in those eyes, only madness.
Alezza released the chain and let the last of Chris disappear under the poisoned depths. Alezza reached for Manda. “You’re next, my dear.”
Alezza began to pull her into the water.
Manda resisted, gripping the stone as hard as she could, screaming out the atrocious acts she would do to Alezza when she was able. Alezza only laughed, tugging harder.
A calm stole over Manda. It was a peace she couldn’t describe. Why was she resisting? Everyone she loved was gone. There was nothing left to fight for.
She forced her muscles to relax and let Alezza pull her toward the icy darkness. Manda felt the poison begin to creep up her ankles, prickling her flesh with its tongue of death.
A voice came from the distance, whispering of hope and telling her how much she was loved.
She listened, ignoring the pain as the poison rose higher. She felt something on her face and tasted tears, but they weren’t her own. In the distance she saw Lazo coming toward her in a boat.
Alezza snarled, pulling harder. Manda fell, expecting the bite of the poison to envelope her. It did not. When she opened her eyes she found herself in the boat. She could hear the poisoned liquid eating the wood, but the small boat still had buoyancy. Lazo began rowing to shore. His one blue and one green eye were filled with harrowing loneliness, but when he met her gaze determination and love overcame the desolation. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.
“Lazo, I don’t want to live.”
“If you give up, Alezza will win.”
Alezza will win.
The phrase hit her like lightning.
She would never let Alezza win. Manda rolled to her knees, watching the tiniest sprays of dark water enter the cracks in the wood and willed the boat to move faster. She had to reach the shore. She had to find a sword and prepare for Alezza’s return. Alezza would pay for harming her brother. She would pay dearly.
Manda opened her eyes and brushed away the moisture on her face. Blinking, she tried to focus. The world was different. The sound of lapping water was gone. Someone drew her into an embrace as the cool touch of the breeze tickled her face. She pushed away, needing to understand. She looked into the contrasting eyes she had seen in her
“Heed us, Chosen. Heed us or you will fail. Truth above all. Truth above … ”
- - -
Manda stood on a rock, heedful of the poisoned black water sloshing at her feet.
People she loved were dying on the shore, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t reach them even if she could tear free from the chains that encompassed her entire length. She would die as soon as she hit the water.
Evann floated by, eyes wide and lifeless. Blood seeped from his chest, but the black poison washed it away. Manda turned her head, unable to bear the sight any longer.
She heard familiar laughter and turned to find Alezza gliding toward her on top of the water, the hem of her golden gown bobbing in the poisoned darkness. Manda was sure Alezza would begin to scream as the liquid ate her flesh, but then she realized Alezza was poison. The black liquid couldn’t harm her. A chain dangled from Alezza’s hand and disappeared into the water. Alezza lifted the chain.
Chris emerged from the dark depths, twisting in torment as the poison ate his flesh. His green eyes, filled with holes from the poison’s touch, entreated her for help. Manda jerked, tearing at her chains. One of her feet slipped into the water. A hollow moan rose in her chest as the water bit into her skin. She watched as her foot became a bloody, bony stub.
Alezza dropped Chris back into the water, smiling in amusement as Manda begged for his life.
“Like this?” Alezza lifted Chris’ degenerating body out of the water once more. His flesh was gone. All that remained was a bloody mass of tissue, but he still writhed on the chain. Surrounded by crimson, the whites of his eyes looked horrific. There was no life in those eyes, only madness.
Alezza released the chain and let the last of Chris disappear under the poisoned depths. Alezza reached for Manda. “You’re next, my dear.”
Alezza began to pull her into the water.
Manda resisted, gripping the stone as hard as she could, screaming out the atrocious acts she would do to Alezza when she was able. Alezza only laughed, tugging harder.
A calm stole over Manda. It was a peace she couldn’t describe. Why was she resisting? Everyone she loved was gone. There was nothing left to fight for.
She forced her muscles to relax and let Alezza pull her toward the icy darkness. Manda felt the poison begin to creep up her ankles, prickling her flesh with its tongue of death.
A voice came from the distance, whispering of hope and telling her how much she was loved.
She listened, ignoring the pain as the poison rose higher. She felt something on her face and tasted tears, but they weren’t her own. In the distance she saw Lazo coming toward her in a boat.
Alezza snarled, pulling harder. Manda fell, expecting the bite of the poison to envelope her. It did not. When she opened her eyes she found herself in the boat. She could hear the poisoned liquid eating the wood, but the small boat still had buoyancy. Lazo began rowing to shore. His one blue and one green eye were filled with harrowing loneliness, but when he met her gaze determination and love overcame the desolation. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.
“Lazo, I don’t want to live.”
“If you give up, Alezza will win.”
Alezza will win.
The phrase hit her like lightning.
She would never let Alezza win. Manda rolled to her knees, watching the tiniest sprays of dark water enter the cracks in the wood and willed the boat to move faster. She had to reach the shore. She had to find a sword and prepare for Alezza’s return. Alezza would pay for harming her brother. She would pay dearly.
Manda opened her eyes and brushed away the moisture on her face. Blinking, she tried to focus. The world was different. The sound of lapping water was gone. Someone drew her into an embrace as the cool touch of the breeze tickled her face. She pushed away, needing to understand. She looked into the contrasting eyes she had seen in her
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