Chapter 8
My hooves pound the ground like thunder. My sides heave with the wind of the world. My heart is heavy as I leave my home, my forest, behind, maybe for the last time. The screams of the monster that chases me flutter through the air. I break through the trees and into the human world. Almost instantly farmland races past me. The crops are short like grass, but I do not pause to admire their simple beauty. The full moon shines overhead, illuminating the three-foot horn sprouting from my forehead. The neigh of a horse catches my attention, and a farmer shouts as I shoot past him.
I do not allow myself to become distracted by the pale imitation of a unicorn. A source of magic calls to me. It breathes as the land breathes, and I race for it. The creature behind me roars, and an unfamiliar emotion skates through me. It takes me a minute to realize that emotion is… fear. Confronted with my own approaching mortality what else is there to do? A ring of standing stones appears and I gallop for them. No creature wants to die. It is unfathomable that all that possibility can be wrenched away in a moment. I stumble forward. The fear grows as I, an untiring and unflinching being, grow weary. The stones rise around me. Old and carved, they stand as protectors against the dark.
The monster howls right behind me, and I lurch to a stop inside the circle. In one fluid motion I swing around, rearing up into the air and pawing at the creature. I let out a trumpet, swinging my head up in defiance. My spiraling horn catches the moonlight and ignites the tip. The whole world slows to a crawl, and in an instant, I observe the creature before me.
Shadows clutch at the thing’s body like a lover. The end of its barbed tail whips back and forth dripping darkness like wet paint. Its whole body gleams as if made of obsidian. The monster’s form is almost lion-like in shape. Its maw gapes at me, and its eerie scream sounds like a cross between a lion’s roar and the shriek of a dying fawn. The eyes glow eldritch purple beneath a sunken brow. I watch as its hind legs tense. There is no ounce of hesitation. It lunges, swiping razor claws at my hide. Graceful and fleet, I sidestep, swinging my own weapon at the creature. I draw on the magic of the land, and it responds, sending a burst of highly charged magic at the thing.
Facing the monster head on once again only accentuates my disgust at it. Its filthy magic clings to my wounds. Its nasty scent clogs my nose. This creature is all darkness to my light. Our battle is a test of wills. We trade blows fiercely, but there is not much I can do to still the weakening of my body. Exhaustion nears, and I finally stumble at just the right time. My steps falter. The monster does not miss the opportunity.
Tooth and claw are sent my way. Pain surrounds me, and my right hind leg buckles. I lie there, my sides heaving. The moon and the land seem far away from me now. So, this is how I die? Away from my sanctuary. Taken down by the dark. I suppose I always thought it would be a group of hunters to bring me down. After a desperate battle I would kill most of them, but in the end one of them would have their prize. I would win in the end of course. Humans always manage to fight over material gain. The human would lose everything they loved, and I could lie in peace victorious. Sadly, this is not to be.
The monster looms over me. Will I never learn the name of the thing that is my downfall? I reach out with my mind, and as before I meet only a wall. There will be no communication with my killer.
My heart shakes and my soul flutters in an invisible wind. Shadow drips on me and burns where it touches. A scream is torn from me, and still I fight to stand and escape. A paw holds me still. Its fetid breath fans my face and I cringe.
Vaguely, the sound of pounding hooves reach my ears. For an instant my heart believes my kin has come to save me. My hopeful eyes open to a blurry image of the farmer. What? The fool is only going to get himself killed! A new urgency comes to me, and with it a new vigor. The creature growls, low and deep, at the human. Leave, I command with my mind, what are you doing?
“I’m saving your life, unicorn.” The man’s voice is old and well worn. Even in the moonlight the face of one heartily familiar with the sun and growing things can be seen. The human slings a rifle from around his back and dismounts smoothly. I would scoff if I wasn’t so terrified, and not only for myself. As much as I dislike humans there is no way I would wish an innocent to die. Even a brave fool. My heart beats faster as before my eyes the farmer’s gun shifts, transforming into a long staff, curled almost like a crook at the top. The monster regards this new threat with narrowed eyes. They glow a brighter shade of purple. The thing does not leave my side. Instead, it tightens its grip on my neck, digging its claws in. A hoarse sound escapes me.
“This is my land, devil.” The old man proclaims. “I am Lord and King here, and you have come to my castle. I suggest you leave. Before I insist.” His voice is deceptively easy, but I sense the power there. The monster steps away from me and further into the circle of stones. Almost lazily the creature launches a series of attacks. Only to be blocked by an invisible force every time.
Angered the demon roars louder than before. The scream is bloodcurdling, and like the sound of a maiden under assault, it is a violating sound. The magic of the land skips a beat. Its song misses its former tempo. For a moment the whole Earth holds a collective breath. Even I believe for a time that the evil corruption of this creature will triumph over the land itself. Then like lightning the land rebounds, and the voice of the simple farmer echoes like thunder. “I warned you once. I will not do so again.” The old man’s voice is menacing now. I shudder lying there on the ground. I feel cold, and I do not think it is from fear. The farmer takes a step forward. The monster shuffles to the side, warily, letting out a low growl. “Begone! Leave whence you came and never return.” Any sensible creature would have fled long before now. Whether through instinct, or led by some higher power this thing refuses. Instead, in possibly a last effort, it lunges forward once again.
The farmer has no patience left now. An explosive boom rocks the circle. Light blinds all else and I feel more than see the stones illuminate and fill with power. A hideous scream of pain from the creature follows. My ears ring painfully, yet still I make out the old man’s next words. If I were deaf they would still reach my ears. I cringe into the ground. “BEGONE! Go back to the shadows!” The sound of powerful paws hitting the earth can be heard.
My breath comes quickly. The world spins around me though I regain my sight and hearing. The farmer runs toward me and crouches down. His hand skims my torn neck. “I am sorry I did not get here sooner, unicorn. You are fleet and there is no way Banjo could keep up.”
"There is nothing to be sorry for. It was my time-“
Before I can say anything else the man exclaims rapidly, “We do not need to talk of that! You will be well taken care of.” I let out a short snort.
“You know as well as I that this is my death. I feel my magic fleeing my dying body. My soul already searches for Rhian. My…” I have to pause to catch my breath. My heart is beating too fast. “...name is Amalthea. Remember me.” Silence from the wizard. I stare up at him. His face is pensive. He gives a small smile. This close to his face the wrinkles around his eyes are more pronounced. “Nice to meet you, Amalthea. Call me Matzeva.” My vision grows dark. “I will see you in the morning.”
My gentle breath flows in and out of my body. I soak in the warmth of my surroundings and wait a moment before opening my eyes. My ears flutter at the sounds of horses around me. My immediate thought is indignation at the fact that I was put in a stable... with horses. Though I can only feel relief at the thought of being alive. Shame floods me as my feelings grow into elation. Rhian, please forgive me. I am not ready to meet you, yet, My Lady.
Heavy footsteps sound and I raise my head as a large man opens the stall. My ears swing back at this stablehand's intimidating figure. This human is no stranger to a good meal, and he lumbers toward me like a bear. The look on his face is serious and does nothing to reassure me. I move to stand, and only succeed in getting one foreleg under myself before the beast of a man speaks. "Whoa, whoa, there. Stay where you are horsie." His voice is soothing in the way humans talk to animals.
Well, now I have to refuse on principal. Never have I been called a horse! I stand fully, the hay falling from my body and moving under my hooves. I stumble a step, my horn gouging a scratch in the wall, before regaining my footing.
"Stop! You'll hurt yourself!" The large man's voice whuffles like a dog. I turn more fully toward him and the move tugs on my wounds. I can feel that many are most of the way healed. The stickiness of blood is gone. This oaf must have cleaned them.
Who are you? I ask.
"Are you talking to me, horsie?" The man gestures at himself. I huff in exasperation. Of course I am, fool. How are you called?
"Um." The man's eyes are wide. "I'm Ezekiel."
A new voice joins the conversation. "Proud creature. There is no need to be rude." The old wizard steps into the cramped stall. Ezekiel moves aside quickly.
My eyes meet his, and this time there is no mistaking him. The light grey of Matzeva's eyes hits the light and my heart instantly goes still. I let out a nervous nicker and take a step back.
I bow my head as much as I can. My Lord. I apologize for my behavior.
The old farmer nods his head slowly and I rise. "There is no need for that here, Amalthea. You may rest here as long as you would like. This town is mine and you have nothing to fear. Ezekiel here was the one who carried you." Matzeva nods to the man who gives a short wave. "Telekinesis is quite a useful gift to have and we thank you very much Ezekiel."
I am in your debt. I say gratefully. "Why don't you tend to the rest of the horses, Ezekiel?" Matzeva asks. "Banjo could use some special attention from last night." The large man doesn't question it and simply lumbers off.
It is a strange situation. I never thought I would be staring into the face of one so much more powerful than I.
"I take the defense of my town extremely seriously, My Lady Amalthea." The gravity of the statement is not lost on me. "You brought this creature right to us. I've never seen its ilk, and that's saying something." Matzeva's voice is troubled. "How did this come to be?"
I begin slowly. It started as a seed in the midst of my forest. I didn't notice it at first it was so small. Then I noticed the animals dying with unusual wounds from huge claws and fangs. The survivors came to me with reports of a darkness in the heart of the forest and of course I went in search.
I found it days later. It had grown, and a nest of those creatures were there. There were only a few of them, and in my home, where I am strongest, I fought them off. I drove them off, yet I could not destroy their source, or even get close to it.
They eventually came back and I managed to keep them there for a time, but they only grew in strength and fed off of my forest like a parasite. Their festering power weakened me. My voice shakes with emotion.
It was frightening to be helpless in my own home. I trapped the heinous monsters for as long as I could.
"This is most serious." The old man's brow furrows. "Come with me." He turns and walks all the way out of the stable and into full daylight.
The sun blinds me for a second, and when I open my eyes they catch the flickers of light bouncing from my horn to the shaded walls of the farmhouse. Stretching across the horizon lies a small, yet respectable, town. The neat houses and workplaces of wood and stone spout lines of smoke in the air.
A distance away from the village lies the source of power I accessed last night. I feel it even from here and now I know why the stones called me so. I vaguely see the shape of the creature collapsed on the grass. My apologies, My Lord, for using your power.
Matzeva laughs. "A drowning man will grasp even at a length of straw if it will save him. I do not fault you for doing the same." We both set out for the ring of standing stones.
In daylight they look not much different than before. Only now do I see their true age, and the intricate depth of the carvings. The grass is black as pitch where the thing's blood and paws landed. Its body lies curled and small in the brightness of the sun like a forlorn spider. I nudge it with my horn, and its body crumbles like ash where I touched. This is no ordinary creature.
"That it is not. You have no idea where they came from?"
No. Only that they wished me gone from my own forest. They fed off of my magic. I have felt nothing like it, and I am not the youngest of my kind.
"How far away is your forest?" The wizard crouches by the monster without touching it and stares out at the horizon. Farmland stretches and I can clearly see the path I took to this place by the broken ground. Trees similar to my home line the tended land. I too look in the direction of my home. My heart aches for it like nothing else.
Near the village of Kait. I reply shortly.
"That's around 50 miles from here." He murmurs. "Why would it chase you all this way? This thing is all darkness." He pokes it with his staff and another part of the body collapses. "Look how it withers."
Matzeva stands and walks over to me. His hand rubs my hide and a nicker is pulled from me. "We will get you back home, Amalthea."
I cannot go back with those monsters infesting my forest.
"Rightly so. You are free to rest here. I promise you we will solve this and reunite you with your home."636Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFnHiMoXxq
A breeze gusts across the land. In its wake leaves trail, brushing lightly past, and the silk of my mane flies in swooping curls. The sun moves ever onward. The distressing thought reaches me that this is the first time in two centuries that I have left my sanctuary. Rhian, help me.
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