Chapter nine

Bryony hadn't said a word since Langston showed her and Aven her parents. Aven wasn't going to lie, he liked her not talking. He liked peace and quiet and not being asked so many questions every minute, but he felt bad for her. She was quiet because she was worried, she was scared, and even though he knew she was trying to hide it, he could tell. He always knew how people were feeling, he didn't know how, but he just could. Nobody could get away with a lie in front of him.

Aven turned to look at Bryony. She was looking at the ground, and she looked sad. He didn't know her at all, but he didn't like seeing her sad. He didn't like seeing anyone or anything sad or hurt. Aven nudged Bryony's shoulder with his, and when she looked up at him, he smiled brightly. She automatically smiled back, but looked at the ground again.

Aven frowned and focused on the path ahead of them, and getting them to Esgar's old castle. The castle was in the mountains, and it was going to take a long time to get there, but Aven didn't want to tell Bryony that. She was already hurting enough about her parents. After their visit with Langston, everything suddenly hit Bryony and she fell quiet. The truth about everything hit her, and her cheerfulness was gone. The sadness and realization had finally hit and stayed to torture her.

Aven noticed Aerwyna flying towards him, and she looked really worn out and tired. When she got to Aven, she was out of breath and he held his hand out so she could land on his palm. She immediately sat down on his palm, cathing her breath, before she spoke up.

"Aven, we need your help. I came as fast as I could, but they got my sisters. They got everyone, I don't know where they're taking them, but they attacked us." The small fairy said, and at the sound of her voice, Bryony looked up.

"Wait, what happened?" Bryony asked, and Aerwyna turned to her. She was finally speaking again. The fairy turned back to Aven. "They're all gone."

Tears slid down Aerwyna's face as she stood up. Aven could feel Bryony's eyes on him, and he turned to look at her. Her green eyes were wide and filled with fear and confusion, but he just nodded at her before turning back to Aerwyna. "Who took them?"

He kept himself from wincing when he spoke. He had gotten better at that, but it still hurt. A lot. But there was nothing he could do about it, he had to deal with it. And that was exactly what he was doing.

Aerwyna flew up from his palm and hovered next to his face. "The shadow creatures." Her voice was so quiet as she spoke, and she wiped her tears away.

"Mthunzi." Aven said, eyes narrowed.

"Wait, what's a mathoonzee?" Bryony asked and Aerwyna turned to her.

"They're shadow creatures. A Mthunzi is a type of nightshade, a sentient undead monster from the plane of shadow (their home deep underground in the shadows). They're unnatural and malicious, and they take delight in the corruption and suffering of other living creatures. It is a creature of both death and shadows, and has enormous powers over darkness. They're the ones that are killing this forest. They're taking each species of creatures that live here and taking them. I don't know what they're doing to them, but we need to get them all back. We need to get my sisters back. All those innocent creatures." Aerwyna said.

Bryony made a face. "That sounds awful and scary."

Aven nodded. "Aerwyna, I promise I will get your sisters back, and all the other creatures."

Aerwyna smiled. "Thank you! I have to go now, the fairies that got away with me need help in rebuilding our home. Once I am done, I promise I will bring my sisters and come find you to help."

Aven shook his head. "No, you and the other fairies stay here. It's not safe to leave this forest, just wait here until I find the others and bring them back here."

Aerwyna shook her head and was about to say no, but Bryony interrupted her. "He's right. If those shadow monster things were able to take most of the fairies, you would be safer here."

Aerwyna slowly nodded her head. Without saying anything, she turned and flew off, so quickly that Bryony made a sad noice. "I feel so bad."

Aven turned to her and Bryony looked up at him. "You stay here with the fairies too. I know I'm supposed to take you to your parents, but I'll do that after I free those creatures, you have no idea how these things work and you are an innocent. You aren't from here and there are so many dark things out there that will take advantage of you. You'll be safer here."

Bryony folded her arms and gave him a look. "No, I am not staying here. It isn't safe here either according to everything you guys said about those shadow monsters coming here and taking creatures. So technically it isn't safe anywhere."

Aven shook his head. "You are safer here than out there. Trust me Bryony, you have only ever seen this forest, you have no idea what is out there. This is the safest place in my world."

"I'm coming with you." Bryony said.

Aven shook his head. Gosh she was so stubborn.

Bryony waited for Aven to say something, but he didn't. She scowled and put her hands on her hips. "So now you're ignoring me?"

Aven thought for a moment. No, he wouldn't be able to save those creatures and Bryony's parents. If he chose to save those creatures, it would be too late for her parents. He heard that at the second full moon, when he had all his powers, Dorian was going to kill the protectors of this world. That was in a couple weeks, and it took about five days to get to Esgar's mountain, and it would take a long time before he could save all those innocent creatures. The Mthunzi's home was far away from here, they had an advantage of traveling through shadows to get somewhere faster. To a light creature, it would take a long time to get to the plane of shadows.

"Hello?" Bryony said and waved her hand in Aven's face, but he ignored her.

He had to choose. If he chose his creatures, Bryony would lose her parents and she would break. That would kill her and whatever trust she had in Aven right now would be gone. She would hate him for abandoning her parents. But if he chose her parents, those innocent creatures would die. It was his job to keep them safe. It was his job to keep the forest alive and safe, he had been doing that since he was little. He couldn't abandoned those innocent creatures and let them down.

"Aven, helloooo. Why are you ignoring me?" Bryony asked him and started snapping her fingers in front of his face.

Aven didn't know what to do. He had never been in this situation before, one choice would leave the death of something. Either his creatures, or Bryony's parents. He didn't want to let any of them down, and he didn't want to be the death of any of them. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if those creatures or Bryony's parents were killed. He had never been the cause of a death, in fact, he never killed anything. Evil or good. Not even the darkest creature alive. He never killed and never was the cause of a death.

Aven felt the air get caught in his lungs and his heart started to hurt. His hands were starting to shake and he started to feel really nauseous and dizzy. He was starting to freak out. No, no no no. He needed to calm down, there was no need to freak out over this. He took a deep breath, but it came out as a choked sound and Bryony stared at him in confusion.

Aven grabbed his hair in his hands and yanked on it as he clutched his head. He shook his head as he tried to breathe, but the air was gone. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe! Oh no. He was starting to hyperventilate now and he clutched his head tighter.

"Hey." Bryony said softly, but Aven shook his head.

He couldn't let anyone or anything die, but he couldn't save them all. He had to choose, but he didn't want to choose. He didn't want to.

"Aven." Bryony said, and he felt her hand on his arm, and he immediately jumped and backed away from her.

Aven clutched his heart as he leaned on a tree. He choked on the air caught in his lungs, and his hands were shaking so much now. He slid to the ground and leaned forward, clutching his chest tightly. What was wrong with him? This never happened before. Bryony knelt down next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Aven it's okay. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you freak out."

She thought she did this? No, she didn't do this. He did this. He had to choose which one was going to die. It was all him, not her. He didn't know which to choose, he couldn't make that decision. It would wreck him.

"Aven." Bryony said, but he didn't say anything. He was too busy trying to calm down.

Aven froze as Bryony suddenly wrapped her arms around him. What was she doing? He didn't like anyone touching him. She rubbed his back and whispered. "It's okay."

Aven pushed Bryony away and she gave him a hurt look as he just stared at her with somewhat wide eyes. He didn't want anyone touching him, especially someone he didn't know, like her. He was fine, he didn't need any help. He shook his head before bringing his knees up to his chest, and he wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face in them.

He felt Bryony sit down next to him, but he didn't do anything. He was too young to deal with all this crap and deal with death and all this darkness. He was still a kid, no matter how many times he said he was grown up and capable of doing things himself. He was still a kid. None of this should be put on a sixteen year old kid, but he was alone and he had nobody to help him through life. His family were murdered when he was only three. He barely remembered a thing, but he did remember that all his kind were gone, he was the last, and he had to make it through life alone. Dorian killed his kind, his family. He killed them all and he had been on the run ever since, trying to avoid the dragon knight and live his life. His life wasn't fun. He knew nothing except running away. That was all he ever did. Run away and hide.

Aven felt Bryony wrap her arm around him and lean her head on his shoulder, and he immediately tensed up. He wanted to push her away, but he didn't. That would be mean, and he knew she was hurting too. Her parents were gone, she was alone right now too. She had those people she was living with when he found her, but her actual family, her parents, were gone and probably being tortured. She was hurting a lot.

"I don't know what you have been through, or what you are going through, but I do know that nobody should deal with it alone." Bryony said quietly. "You're alone, I noticed that a while ago. You aren't with family, but I won't ask why. All you have is the creatures in this forest, and even then, you don't interact with them a lot. Only when they need help or when you check up on them. I don't know what it's like to be alone because I had Auntie Collette, Amara, and the other kids, but I do know that being alone sounds so lonely and awful. So I want you to know that you aren't alone anymore, you have me. Yes, we don't know each other, but nobody knows their friends at first. That's why they get to know them. What do you say? Wanna be friends?"

Aven shook his head. "I don't need anybody."

He didn't know what the word 'friends' meant anyway.

He felt her sit up. "Everybody needs somebody."

Aven shook his head again as he lifted his head up to look at her. Her green eyes showed sympathy, and she gave him a small smile. "You can shake your head, but it's the truth. Now, are we going to save those creatures or not?" She stood up and offered him her hand.

The creatures. Bryony's parents. He still had to choose which one he would save. He couldn't choose, no matter how much he needed to, he just couldn't.