The Bleeding Blade

Athilea Majiri

  A child woke next to a stream, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked around in paranoia, her dream not yet separated from reality. Wherever she heard a noise she saw thing. Creatures so horrible and evil that their memories would forever bring the one that saw them nightmares. The odd part about this child having these nightmares was the fact that she hadn't actually seen the creatures in the flesh.

  The child was paralyzed with fear, wanting to scream but not knowing if it would be heard. Just as she stood and started to run off in fear, silver hair blinding her way, a boy stepped out and caught her. She let out a horrified scream as she tried desperately to pull away from him, seeing nothing for the creatures that haunted her dreams. Other children began to emerge into the clearing from the surrounding forest, having heard the scream. All that gathered stared at the girl with confusion because none had ever seen a silver haired person before, and the boy holding her tried to calm her so that they might help her on her way.

  The boy was about to pick her up when he realized what was happening and that it was going to take a lot to calm her. More then just him trying to hold her, so he let her go. As his grip relaxed she tore out of his arms and looked around like a trapped animal. She finally came back to a coherent reality and stared at all the children around her. She fell to her knees as her entire boy began to tremble and she allowed her head to fall into her shaking her hands. For a time the others just stood and watched, not sure what to make of this odd looking creature. The only one that had enough courage to go near her was the boy that had stopped her escape.

  The girl had soft curls of what was really white hair with strands of silver shot throughout the curls. Her skin was extremely pale, and her facial features had yet to be seen. Just barely peeking through her hair were pointed ears that were generally associated with elves and pixies. Protruding from her shoulders and shoulder blades were fearie like wings that would be transparent if not for the frosted look to them. As the boy looked more closely at her odd wings he would notice silver strands throughout them that seemed to form words to some unknown language. Unknown to any but the oldest at least.

  Once the crowd began to disperse the boy reached out and gently touched her shoulder. As his hand landed on her shoulder she jumped and turned, pulling away from him as she did so. Odd, mauve colored eyes stared up at the boy with great fear behind them, unmasked and for the entire world to see. Looking into those odd eyes he got the feeling that she was very old, much older than one would think from looking at the form of what should be a seven year old. He held his hands up, palms facing her, and sat down cross legged to show that he intended her no harm.

  The odd looking girl watched him suspiciously for a time, her race not known for being the kind to trust in other races easily. She began to relax after a few moments when she decided that he wasn't a threat. Slowly he let his hands rest on his knees, trying not to startle her again. He just watched her and took not of her other odd features. Around her right eye was an intricate design that somehow made him think of the winters wind. Beneath her left eye was a design that looked like three tears of blood had recently been shed. Her lips were the some odd mauve color of her eyes and her pale skin seemed to shimmer just a bit with a silver color.

  It took him a few moments before he found himself able to speak. When he opened his mouth all he could manage was, "What are you?"

  The girl stared blankly at him, her silverish-white eyebrows slightly pulled together. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know at this point. She couldn't understand a word he just said. What seemed particularly strange to him though, was the fact that she had, as of yet, spoken a word. This caused him to start wondering if she were deaf and mute. At the same time, though, he remembered hearing her scream earlier. He sighed dejectedly and stood with the thought of going to one of the elders with this problem. However, she stood up as well, her head now tilted slightly to the side. The boy watched her for a moment before he turned and made his way back to the village. The odd girl followed him, her mind as curious as ever, regardless of the warnings she gave herself.

  As soon as the boy stepped into the village his mother grabbed him by the arm, "What, exactly, do you thin you were doing Nathanial? And what's all this nonsense I've been hearing 'bout some silver haired girl-child," her eyes then fell onto the odd child following her son. She slowly fell to her knees, a string of words passing from her lips that the boy could not understand. The girl, however, began replying to the woman, her odd mauve colored eyes locked onto the boys. More people started to gather, no longer used to hearing that old language. A language that had not been used for over a century. The child had instantly become a mystery that everyone wanted to solve by speculation.

  The girl started to back away from the gathering crowd. As the boy watched her eyebrows came together and her wings began to twitch with fear. She began to bite her lower lip, obviously ready to turn and run. The boys’ mother reached a hand out to her, with that she spread her wings. She bent her knees, ready to take flight, when an old wizards voice rose above the crowd, "Would you all please leave that child alone!" It was more of an order then it was a request.

  All gathered stopped and turned to face the wizard. The only sound to be heard was the rustling of wind through the many nearby ancient trees. The girl stared at the old man whose voice seemed to demand so much respect, their eyes locked for a movement. He began to speak in the language of her people, his voice coming in a rhythmic chant, but it lasted for only a few seconds. Suddenly he ceased his chanting and locked into her eyes, "What is your name, child," was all he asked.

  Slowly she folded her wings at her back, unable to take her eyes off of him. The wizard no longer spoke in her language, but she could understand him as though he had. She opened her mouth; unsure of her own voice, "Althea Neoray," the words found their way into the gathered ears as though on a winters wind, with a slight chill to accompany it known as the winters kiss.

  The wizard slowly moved closer to her as though he didn't wish to scare her off. Althea tensed up slightly, though she did not try to take flight. Her mauve colored eyes looked into the wizards brown ones as he drew closer. The wizard stopped a couple of feet in front of her and held a hand out to her. She stared at his hand for a long time before she extended her own and looked up at him, He took her hand gently, a smile spread across his weathered lips, "My name is Mathius," he spoke gently. The girl allowed herself to smile, "Well met, wizard," she stared at him for a moment before she glanced at the rest of the crowd.

  Slowly the crowd started to disperse; most of them realized that the wizard had just taken charge of her. The old wizard, still holding the girls had, began to walk through the streets. Althea stared around through wide eyes. As she did this she realized just how beautiful the village really was. The buildings of this village were situated around a lake with a shimmering waterfall cascading into it, causing a gentle mist to form over the surface of the lake. It was a warm area, warmer than she was accustomed to, she noted. The old man lead her off in the direction of the waterfall that seemed to have captivated her so with its' almost unnatural beauty.

  "Have you never seen a waterfall before, child," Mathius spoke to her softly. His brown eyes were filled with the questions he wanted to ask, but he knew that these things would have to wait.

  "No . . . well, not like this. I've only seen them in the winter. I don't think that I've ever seen a place so green as this," she almost whispered this. It was as though she were trying to remember something, her eyes misty for a moment.

"Are you alright, child," the old man asked. His ancient blue eyes seeming to search her for what he knew she must know


©2006 Pamela "Athilea" Johnson All Rights Reserved