4 Chapter Three

It was three months before Iris saw the Orcs for the first time again. This time they came without William. Iris heard their loud snorts of laughter as they entered her area. She looked around the trees to see them with a woman slung over the shoulder for the younger of the two Orcs.

A wave of nausea overcame Iris as she watched. The woman appeared dead and the Orcs laughed as they talked about how they violated her until she wouldn't move any longer. Iris stood their wondering if she could even help the woman anymore. Whether alive or dead however it didn't matter. Iris was rooted to the spot unable to move forward in the other woman's defense.

The Orcs continued to laugh as Iris wretched behind a tree just outside of their vision. The things they had done to the woman were so vile. They threw the body of the woman into a big neighboring the one Iris took her last human breath in. They slowly walked away into the night.

Iris rushed to the other big kneeling where the woman had sunk beneath the waters. She reached into the murky mess hoping against hip to grasp the hand of the unfortunate woman who was slowing sinking deeper into the big. Suddenly Iris felt something brush her finger tips. She grabbed onto the object and pulled. The body of the woman resurfaced but it lay limp cradled in Iris' arms. It was obvious now that the woman was dead her head had been bashed in by some blunt object before she'd ever come into this marsh.

Iris began to sob for the stranger as she pushed the woman's soaked hair out of her face. The woman had been lovely. Her skin was the color of chestnuts and her hair black as night. Iris held her close and mourned for the life that had been stolen from this woman.

Suddenly Iris felt the air around her become warmer. Feeling the temperature rise Iris looked around her finding that the flames that licked her hair now engulfed herself and the lifeless corpse cradled in her arms. The flames condensed themselves focusing entirely on the corpse. Iris watches and the girls skin became rough and leathery. Her chest cavity burst open reviewing her heart as the flames that retreated to her hair turned cobalt as they licked at the strands gently not doing any damage.

The woman's eyes opened revealing the gem like brilliance of her cobalt blue eyes.

"Where am I?" She asked her voice horse.

"You're in the marshes on the out skirts of Moss Grove. What's the last thing you remember." The woman's eyes widened as she reached for her head. The transformation had altered the wound but it had not healed it. The left side of the woman's skull was crack open the brain within shining like rose quartz growing within her skull. The woman began to scream as she felt the open crater in her head.

Moments later she passed out. Iris rested the woman head on her lap. Wishing a calming sleep upon the woman. Knowing she'd have a lot of questions and a lot of fear when she woke up once more. But despite it all, and inspire of the guilt she felt, Iris was thankful she was no longer, the only wisp.