The Clash

"Whats happening?" Masons' breath echoed in my tense ears.

"Do you mind?" I lightly pushed him, careful not to make too much noise as I squinted, walking as carefully as I could.

"We've been going on for at least twenty minutes, don't you think we're far enough?" Donny whispered, sounding out of breath.

The forest got even thicker as we padded through, pathways becoming much more narrow, the crystalline moon being our only source of light.

"Aahhhhhhhh!" Wisteria screamed, stiffening we turned to her, bright blue eyes wide as saucers staring ahead, mouth wide open.

"Ria." Wisterio whispered to his sister who remained as still as a statue. "Ria what happened?"

Legs wobbling, she fell, her brother catching her in his arms.

"Ria!" He let out a small gasp. "She's bleeding."

Thoras eyes glowed even more, darting around the thick forest.

"Aren't you supposed to be an elf!?" Wisterio cried out, a mix of panic and anger in his voice. "How could you let this happen!?"

Clenching her fists, I could visibly see Thora struggle, holding back her tongue.

Another twig snapped behind us.

"RUN!" Thora sped across the wet grounds as we fumbled behind her, Wisterio carrying his sister in his arms.

Our footsteps could be heard throughout the dense forest, breaths heavy, eyes wide as we weaved through the trees, trying to put as much distance between us and the unknown, but hearing them right behind us, movements swift but calculated, knowing what they wanted, the trees moving in unusual directions as we neared a clearing ahead.

"Are we really going to continue running?!" Wisterio spat out with growing impatience.

"We stop after the clearing! We can't fight what we can't see." Thora sped up even more.

The trees bent much further, twisting and turning, slowly covering up the clearing.

"The bastards want to keep us here!" Wisterios eyes glinted, sparks and smoke expelling from his half opened mouth.

"Wisterio stop! You'll give them an advantage!" Thora yelled a moment too late.

With an angry roar, red hot flames burst out of Wisterios mouth, coating everything in its path, the trees ahead burning up instantly, turning to ash and recreating a path for us.

"Mavis!" Donny abruptly dragged me back, a branch coated with flames landing on the spot I was on a second ago.

Getting closer and closer to the clearing, the attacks became worse, branches and twigs with flames coming down at us from all sides slowing us down as the clearing began closing up again with still no sight of our attackers.

Frustrated, Thora grunted, her hands moving in wild circular motions, her air bubble surrounding and carrying us into the chaotic air.

"Thora!" A branch missed her by a hair, the air bubble opening up for a brief moment, her long silky blonde hair waving in the air as her hand whipped towards the enemy. "Thora what are you doing!?"

"Arrrghhhh!" With a powerful thrust of her hand, we're pushed out of the dense forest and into the clearing.

The air bubble dissipated leaving us to free fall.

"That damn elf!" Wisterio turned his back to the ground, putting his sister on top of him. "Ria! Ria wake up!"

"Do you honestly think she'll answer you!?" Mason screamed in panic.

Thora appeared above the forest, her air propelling her forward as she fought off the incessant branches trailing her.

"Thora!" I felt the glow in my eyes, my hair whipping around carelessly as we neared the rough looking grounds.

With a thrust of her hand, a cloud-shaped body of air came together beneath us.

"Ugh!" I groaned, my body hitting the cloud of air with less force than anticipated, but still numbing.

"Mavis." Donny crawled to me, laying a hand on my back. "Are you okay?" I nodded slowly, accessing my throbbing body.

Thora landed with a loud thud next to us, her body rolling helplessly to a stop, my eyes widening in panic.

"What the hell?" Angelo covered his mouth in shock, while moving back in fear.

I rushed to Thoras body shaking her lightly. "Thora!" Her eyes flew open as she jumped to her feet, eyes glinting, dashing around. "They're coming." She dug beneath her jacket, revealing daggers of different sizes, her breath heavy. "Give these to your friends. You need to use your magic. We need you." With that, she stalked forward, taking a defensive stance, her dirt stained hair thrashing around.

"RIA!" Wisterio stayed focused on his unconscious sister, shaking her frantically. "I swear if you don't wake up this instant I will BURN YOUR HAIR!"

Wisteria twitched, a frown spreading itself across her unmoving face. "That's it! Wake up! You can do it!"

A hoard of arrow-shaped branches flew from the looming forest toward us, weaving through the thick air.

"Wisterio get up and protect your sister!" Thora screamed as she sliced the air with her slender hands, the air following her every move, defending herself and us as much as she could.

"Don't tell me what to do, you useless elf!" He growled, getting to his feet, eyes glowing in rage, his hands burst in flames, surrounding his sisters unconscious body with hot flames, burning branch after branch.

I watched in awe with a growing warmth in the center of my chest, wanting to be like them with all of my being.

"Mavis!" Donny jumped in front of me, slicing the air wildly, his stance weak as he was pushed back by the continuous arrows, his brother and Mason coming up to support him and defend me.

"Nawi!" Thora yelled as she sliced another arrow in two perfect halves. "Princess Maraja Emberglow!" She sent a vacuum of air forward, capturing the arrows and crushing them into pieces. "Mavis Taylor! Help your friends!"

The glow in my chest contracted as I felt the glow in my eyes resurface, my legs moving on their own, shaky hands steadying and moving forward, blasting beams of golden light.

The fight went on, never ending, losing breath, a shadowy figure appeared beside me, stunned, my hand flew at it, making it disappear and reappear behind me.

"Are you really satisfied with this, Nawi?" The cloaked figure whispered in my ear before disappearing again and appearing on my left side. "You should attack what you can see." It whispered, bringing it's barely visible hand forward, several black whips going forth into the forest, dragging out our attackers against their will. "There." More whips emerged from its outstretched arm, reeling out more and more of our attackers, making the attacks to slow considerably until it was no more, its second hand came up in front of me, holding an arrow inches from my chest. "Oops, mustn't die on us now."

Thora dropped her hands in exhaustion, her eyes scanning the people before us in confusion. "Arborians?"

They stood before us in fear and anger, their skin clad with uncanny looking grey lines, brown eyes glowing with brimming apprehension.

"You're welcome." The cloaked figure whispered before disappearing once more.

"Chosen one!" I turned, locating the broad shouldered man who called out to me. "We demand an audience with you!"

Thora immediately moved up front, sending a clear message to the man. "Have you no respect nor shame?!" Her jacket thrashed around behind her. "You speak to the Nawi of Naltaniera! You do not deserve an audience with such high up!"

The man bristled, his fists clenching. "We belong in Naltaniera chosen one! We where unjustly exiled and left to die in the realm of the humans!"

I looked at Thora in confusion. "You where banished from the beyond realm for good reason, Elm and here you are reminding us of that same reason! Attacking royalty! Attacking the Nawi!"

"We are royalty!" The man gritted his teeth.

"Were! You were royalty! No more!" She pointed an accusing finger at the man and the people behind him. "You made an attempt on our lives! Why would we even consider your plea!"

"Thora." I called out to her, and she approached me. "Who are these people and why where they attacking us?"

"The people of Arbor. Once the second land of Naltaniera. Exiled years ago for suddenly attacking Eryndor." She eyed them suspiciously as she spoke.

"Why would they do that?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? Besides their land has been taken over. They have no place in Naltaniera."

"Why do they seem so desperate?"

"Fully grown Naltanierans can only survive for so long outside a magical realm. The scars on their bodies signify they don't have much time left."

"Isn't there a way we can help them?"

She shot me an annoyed look. "Weren't you listening? They're dangerous!"

"But they're going to die!"

She smirked nonchalantly. "A very painful death."

"Thora!" I frowned in disapproval.

"Go back into your exile! You shall not be crossing the gateway!" Thora turned, walking away from them.

With no power in my hands, I reluctantly turned, following her lead.

"Really?!" We turned to an enraged Wisterio. "We're going to leave the people who hurt my sister unpunished?!"

"Aren't they already being punished?" Mason chimed.

"You stay out of this, you lowly human!" Wisterios eyes glint, flames engulfing his arms.

"You will not speak to my brother like that!" The glow in my eyes responded, golden specs surrounding me as I moved closer to him. "You have no right to speak to him that way. And what are you going to do? Face a whole tribe by yourself? Why not look for a way to wake your sister up instead."

"If there's anyone without right, it's you godforsaken Nawi." He looked me over with anger and disgust. "You lived your whole life on earth and expect me to listen to you?!" He scoffed. "You can't even properly control your magic! You're useless! Now you watch me lay waste to these traitors!" He turned to the Arborians, his fire spreading toward them.

"Go ahead! I dare you!" I screamed at him, anger consuming me as I moved toward him.

"Raahhhhhhhh!" He shot his hands forward, flames heading for Elm and his people.

The fire halted halfway, as if being absorbed, a sizzling sound traveling through the air, he stopped and his flames dispersed revealing a breathless Wisteria.

"RIA!" He rushed for his sister, his flames receding.

She stood, glaring at him. "Again! I leave you alone and you go feral! Why do you always have to act in the most impulsive ways!?"

He stared at her speechlessly, as she stomped away, her two-colored hair lashing around her.

"Let's go!" Thora hollered.

I turned to look back at the Arborians, wishing I could do something, anything for them as their figures became more and more obscure.

Wisterio trudged behind his sister, head hanging low, Thora massaged her temple as she walked with a little bit of a limp, Mason and Donny brandishing their battered daggers proudly and Angelo looked to me.

"You okay?" I mouth to him with a little smile.

Before he could answer something zipped past me, exploding ahead, blood and bits of flesh staining the side of my face and splattering in all directions.

"What now?!" Thora groaned, turning back while I frantically searched for what or dare I say who had exploded.

My eyes widened with bits of flesh painting my face as the hole in Donny's chest registered, the light leaving his eyes as he stared blankly at the clear skies.

"What's happening?" Mason shook, turning back to a frozen Angelo.

I crawled forward weakly, wishing it would turn out to be a cruel joke. "Donny?"