The Ancient Locket Part 8

And Here Is [[Finally]] Part Eight Of "The Ancient Locket"

They never made it to Osmin.
It was their third day of hard traveling. They were weary to the bone, but never risked stopping to rest in fear of being caught by the patrols that roamed the area.
"I never would of thought that the patrols would bother with roads so far from the city." Said Aileen first time seeing them.

"They don’t." replied Bo.
"What are they doing here then?" she asked looking at Bo.
"You don’t really think they’re the guards in black and red stripes from the city, do you Aileen?" asked Blae with sarcasm.
"She means they’re hired mercenaries, just dressed up as guards." Bo told her gently.
"The Wanderers, hired them…" Aileen had trouble digesting the new news.
"Wanderers can do anything Ail’s. You would do well remembering that."

"Ssshh." Hushed Blae.
They all passed in the middle of the dirt road, and listened.
"12 horses." Whispered Blae, as she listened hard.
"There’s nowhere to hide." Aileen whispered harshly looking around panicky.
"Into the river," Bo said pointing to a small river covered with reeds. "Those reed can help hide us."
"But it’s," Aileen trailed off as Blae grabbed her arm and hauled her into the river.

"This is getting ridiculous." Grumbled Bo, sloshing out of the river.
Hiding underneath bushes. Climbing trees, and diving into nearby rivers and streams.
Was what the majority of their days consisted of. They felt they were never nearing Osmin, like being trapt in a nightmare, the kind of one where your running, running as fast and as hard as you can to escape the monster but not getting anywhere.

"How much longer, till we reach this city of yours Blae?" Aileen puffed.
Looking side to side embarrassed, "I thought we might seen some sign of the village by now, actually."
"Osmin, you know that name sounds so familiar." Contemplated Bo.
"Familiar or not, were obviously not getting anywhere." Grumbled Aileen to herself.

They walked in silence until nightfall. Avoiding the mercenaries that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Picking yet another damp, excluded patch of grass half hidden amongst the trees they ate quickly and fell asleep just as instantly.
Beyond the measuring point of exhausted, no one kept watch. None of them alert to the footfalls that would lead them to their worst fears.
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Sandry:

She hurt all over. She felt bruises forming, cuts stinging, gashes pulsating with blood as it escaped out of every open pore. Blood trailed along her body.

"Sandry, Sandry wake up. Come on Sandry, you can’t stay her. Follow my voice." The voice was soft, and gentle and musical. Anyone would have felt compelled to follow it.
Squinting her eyes open, she moaned painfully. A gasp escaped her lips before, she screamed. Everything hurt. Everything was emanating pain. She passed out.
Darkness, it swallowed everything. It was peaceful here, nothing hurt. She was free.

"Sandry," the voice whispered. "You must wake up." The voice was made of light.
It wrapped itself around Sandry, "Come."
"I don’t want to." Sandry moaned.
The light began to pulsate, burning brighter, burning into her soul.
"Please child. It’s not your time." The whispering voice became louder.
More compelling.
"No." Sandry, still defying the voice.
The light seared into her.
"Leave me alone." Trying to push the light away from her, Sandry struggled.
"Now Sandry, or else you die. You’ll fail your friends." The voice began to blister Sandry’s spirit flesh. "You’ve lost the power of the locket." It resumed whispering as the sense of dread welled up inside of her.
As her emotions tried to take control of her, Sandry awoke.

"Are you alright?" the voice asked her.
Opening her eyes, she saw the bird in front of her. It flew behind her and morphed into a fully-grown tiger, pulling her limp body up by its teeth.
"What happened?" Her throat was dry making her voice sound harsh.
There was no blood. No pain. Only stiffness.
"What do you remember?" the golden eyes asked her, as it’s necked craned facing her.
"Pain, blood." Memories flooding back into her, making her wince.
"He, he tortured me." Pain took over her voice making it tremble.
"Hmm." The cat purred coming around and sitting in front.
Looking around Sandry felt something was missing.

"He’s gone." The tiger told her tapping into her thoughts.
"Where did they take him?" Risqué, he was what was missing.
"I don’t know." The tiger hung its head.
"He- he didn’t die, did he?" she asked voice trembling even more.
"No!" it’s head flung up. "He is not dead. Don’t even think that." Fierce determination hardening its eyes.
"What happened to me?" tears forming in Sandry’s eyes.
"You were tortured." The tiger said blankly.

"But, there’s no blood, I feel no pain."
"Because it was an illusion."
"W-what? How can that be?"
"It’s his power."
"The man who- his power is torturing people?!"
"Illusions Sandry. Everything in that room he took you in, was an illusion."
"But it felt, it felt so real." The tears sliding down her face.
"I know Sandry, I tried to protect you in my light. But it was useless."
"You protected me." She said in a dry whisper, "Thank you."
The tiger’s golden eyes turning back into liquid.
"But where is the locket? I heard you say, I lost it. I actually let them get their hands on it." Shaking her head she brought her knee’s up.

"No, I said you lost the power of the locket." A smirk crossed its face.
"What’s the difference?"
"The locket has been fully bonded to you. You just have gain the power back and learn how to wield it. The locket is still in your pocket"
"But how did it lose its power?"
"You lost hope. The locket needs to have good, positive energy surrounding it."
Sighing, Sandry rested her head onto her knees and thought for a bit.

"Luca." She whispered eventually.
The tiger looked up. "Hmm?"
"Luca, it means light. I remember now, being covered in it. You are my light."
The tiger walked over and lied down, folding it’s arms across each other.
"Thank you." Luca whispered.
Lying on her side facing Luca she absorbed its warmth, Sandry whispered back, "Thank you."
Before succumbing to peaceful sleep.
Keeping its eyes open, Luca kept on guard to make sure the Wanderer Kieran would not appear again.
"Kieran, hear this warning. I will not let you hurt my friend again." With that she rested her head and closed her eyes.
Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure. She heard echo through her mind.

Ryka:

"Go wake Ryka." She heard her mother call.
She heard the tent open and footsteps, before.
"Come on Ryka, Get up." Conylt said shoving her fully awake.
"What? What is it?" she asked.
"The Ahuizotl have returned."
Stumbling out of bed, she disturbed the blue bird, but ignored and forgot about it.
Grabbing her arm, Conylt ran outside with her in tow.

"Mum." Shouted Ryka.
"Ryka honey, are you alright?"
"Yes. How are the Ahuizotl?" concern spread across her face when she saw the cuts and burn marks on their legs and bodies. There were only 2 left.
Creena looked back up at the one she was tending, "They should be fine dear. None of them took any fatal wounds."
Walking towards the Ahuizotl who had assumed to be the new leader, "What is your name?" she asked. It looked rudely at Conylt before answering, "Asmund."
"Why were you gone for so long, Asmund?"
"We were attacked, by the same fire demon, yesterday." Asmund growled.

Ryka figured they hadn’t yet told Creena or Conylt the story by their surprised faces.
"Is that why only you and," she trailed inquiring the last Ahuizotl his name.
"Connaghyn." He replied.
"Why you and Connaghyn are the only ones who returned?"
"Yes." Nodded Asmund.
"Do you know if Artimis is still alive?" asked Creena. Artimis was the Ahuizotl whom she rode.
"We didn’t find any sign of him, while we were hunting." Replied Asmund.
"Damn it." Creena murmured before re-bandaging one of Connaghyn’s legs.
"What happened to Risqué?" Creena asked once she finished.
"We lost him in the fight with the fire demon. We were taken by surprise. The fire demons have changed! It talked. And it planned strategies, and had no smell." Connaghyn said shaking his head.

"Did you find any sign of Sandry?" asked Conylt.
Ryka looked over at him astonished he, of all people, would ask.
"We don’t know, we found a set of tracks that belonged to Risqué as well as an indent of strong used magic. So," Asmund trailed off, letting Connaghyn finish.
"We assume that Risqué somehow led the fire demon away, and in the process found Sandry, who somehow was able to use the locket."
"If she was able to use the locket, then that means she’s fully bonded with it." Said Conylt looking bewilded.
"Aaarrgh," cried Ryka, "Who cares about the stupid locket. Where is she?!"
"Ryka calm down, we will find her once the Ahuizotl have been treated properly." Lectured Creena.
"I don’t think we’ll get the chance today." Conylt said darkly and pointed off into a clearing.

They all looked over to see a tall, dark shadow with glowing severe red eyes.
"I-is that…" began Ryka.
"Fire demon." Both Asmund Connaghyn growled, hackles up, their hand-tails swishing.
"It’s the same one, from last night." Growled Connaghyn.
"That means Risqué failed." Returned Asmund.
Ryka looked back at them upset on how they could assume Risqué being dead so quickly.
Oh no, if we ever find Sandry again how could I tell her about Risqué? Ryka thought.
"How did it get across the river?" Conylt said shivering.
"There’s a crossing 40 miles up stream." Said Asmund.
"Get your creature Ryka." Ordered Creena

Turning to run back to the tent, she heard an "Errrhemm." Looking down she saw a blue dog the size of a great dane.
"Oh." Ryka said looking back at Creena.
"Put your friend on my back." Said Connaghyn.
"I can run by myself." Said the blue dog, dignified.
"Not as fast as us. You’ll get left behind."
The dog growled and jumped up on Connaghyn back, refusing the help from Ryka.
"Ryka climb on, Creena and Conylt will ride Asmund." Said Connaghyn.
"No. Only Ryka. Conylt and I will stay and -" Creena started being cut off.
"No mum." Shouted Ryka.

"Hush Ryka, you have to make it to Christian and learn how to wield your powers. Once Conylt and I have finished up here we will go and find Sandry."
"Mum," Ryka whispered.
Hugging her daughter for what may be the last time, she nodded her head signaling Asmund to pick her up. Gently putting her on his back, "I love you mum." Said Ryka before the Ahuizotl took of.
I hope Im making the right move. Thought Ryka.
Don’t worry little one, Entered Asmund’s mind once we take you to Christian we will send my clan a message, they will find your mother and return her to you.
Connaghyn and I won’t leave you until then.
I hope so. Thought Ryka before gripping onto Asmund as they ran in full flight.

Creena:

"Conylt, you must head north-east and find Sandry."
"What! I can’t leave you with that, that thing." Vaguely waving his hand over to the fire demon, which had slowly began approaching.
"You must. Sandry is in terrible danger, alone and no knowledge of the land will get herself killed." Creena hurrying to find a point.
Conylt looked torn, between honor and duty, and friendship.
"Go." Creena almost yelled at him, giving him the final shove to send him off.
With that shove Conylt took of northeast.

"HAHAHA." A harsh voice laughed. "How disappointing, you send all your ‘friends’"- spitting, "Away. But don’t worry, after Im finished with you I’ll go after your precious daughter, then the common boy." It’s lips parted revealing yellow, sharp teeth. Its forked tongue hung out hissing.
Creena stepped forward.
"You can’t defeat me, I won’t let you."

With that the fire demon let a long blast of flame from its mouth, in a testimony that it was indeed a battle till the death.
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Will Be Posting Part Nine, Prob Nxt Week, Same Day.
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