Tears can Blind you… Smiles can break you…

It was a restless night for you. Brent decided that it would be best to stay and get as much rest as possible while he took over the watch. But you could hardly sleep, as exhausted as you were. And even when you did manage to nod off your dreams were filled with visions of your reflection. She was haunting you. Strange having yourself haunt yourself... You were relieved when the sun broke into the sky and after a quick breakfast you all got on your horses and set off towards Kartakass once more, hoping that the rest of the voyage would be peaceful. But it wasn't to be so. The dead trees were eerie enough, but at least you could see what lay ahead. It was when you got into the thicker parts, closer to the Kartakass border the trouble began...

The forest was quiet. So quiet that you could barely even hear your horses hooves against the ground. It was as though something was blocking out all the noise. It unnerved you and you urged everyone to go faster though you could hardly see where you were going it was so dark. It felt like nighttime, since the leaves were so think. And every now and then a whisper seemed to come from no where or a sort of hoarse cackling from somewhere far off. It made you shiver.

"I really don't like this place..." you whispered to Brent pulling your horse close to him. "I feel like we're being watched."

Brent nodded. "We are close to the border. You don't have to worry though. The whispers are more than likely just forest animals chattering or scampering by."

Somehow you didn't believe him...

"I'm with you, Aiyana," Jason agreed looking around. "This place makes me uneasy."

"Every place makes you uneasy," Brent spat back at him.

"Hush, you two," you scolded. "If anything more than forest animals does live in here I'd hate to catch it's-"

And that's when the arrow hit you.

It was like everything was in slow motion as something thudded into your shoulder. The force of it made you fall back, off of your horse and into the grimy leave on the ground. The horses all started to freak out by then and your own reared trying to get away.

"Hold the horses!" Brent yelled at Jason as he jumped down to aid you.

Then the arrows really started to fly all around the three of you. The pain in your shoulder was intense and you screamed in agony. Brent looked at the arrow as the skin around your shoulder started to turn black.

"Poison..." he whispered touching the arrow, but it only caused you more pain and you screamed out again.

"What the hell is going on?" Jason asked ducking as an arrow thudded in a tree next to his head. "What happened to Aiyana?"

"We have to get out of here!" Brent yelled back as he picked you up. But by then they had surrounded you.

Jason looked as though he might faint. "Wha- what are these things?"

Brent examined them with slit like eyes. Green skin. Bald heads. And an outrageously offensive odor. "Goblins..."

"Goblins?!" Jason exploded trying to back away. "They're not real! They're not real!"

"Shut up you idiot!" Brent shouted grabbing Jason by his shirt. "One of them is trying to speak to us."

It was true. One of the goblin, dressed in a robe and feathers stood before the others and smiled with green/black teeth. "Leave girl. She be good eating. You go then."

"What's he saying?" Jason asked, not understanding.

"He wants us to leave Aiyana," Brent growled backing away. "Then he'll let us go."

Jason looked furious. "You're not actually thinking about doing it are you?!"

"Of course not!" Brent yelled back trying to think of a way out of this. He could transform but he would be impaled by arrows by then. "No deal."

"Then you all die," the lead goblin said angrily. "We eat you all!"

All of the goblins knocked their bows now with poison tipped arrows and chattered happily with each other. "More eats for us," the all agreed.

There was nothing Brent could do now. So holding you close he prepared to be impaled. But as the goblins set free their arrows you raised your hand and a purple light emitted from them. The arrows instantly disintegrated upon touching your barrier and you looked at Brent in pain.

"Transform before I pass out," you said gritting your teeth trying to keep your eyes open. "Then run. Leave me if you must."

Brent nodded and handed you to Jason so you could keep the barrier up. He transformed as quickly as he could, but knew that he would not leave you. He laid down so Jason could hop onto his back and lay you in front of him and in no time you all had once again escaped from your own deaths.

The goblins followed you, but not far, since the border to Kartakass was so close. You reached it and crossed, but the danger for you was not over yet. Brent stopped in a field close to the village of Forfarmax and Jason laid you down in the soft green grass.

"What's going to happen to her?" Jason asked looking you over worriedly. You hadn't woken up since you passed out, but now your eyes started to flutter.

"Brent," you whispered softly reaching out for him. "Is.. the arrow...?

Brent nodded. "Yes Aiyana. It's still in you."

You looked up to the sky with tears filled eyes. "Then you know what you have to do."

Jason shook his head. "You don't honestly think you can just pull it out do you?"

"I don't have any choice," He sighed kneeling down beside you. "Hold her hand, will you?"

Jason looked like he was going to be sick. Blood ran in a thin stream down your blackened shoulder and you reached out a shaking hand to him. "Please..."

Jason couldn't deny you anything so he kneeled down as well and looked into your eyes. "It's going to be ok, Aiyana," he smiled wiping your tears. "I'm right here."

"Are you ready?" Brent interrupted. "I'm just going to pull it out in one quick tug if I can."

You nodded and closed your eyes biting your lip.

Jason squeezed your hand tightly.

And Brent pulled the arrow as hard as he could....

Your scream could be in Forfarmax and the people going about their day stopped and looked around expecting some unknown terror to come after them. But it was not so as you quietly as your shoulder went numb. Brent quickly covered it with cloth and held pressure on it to stop the bleeding.

Jason closed his eyes and looked away as your tears ran freely down your cheeks and you bit down on your lip like you were going to bite right through it.

*I want to pass out* you told your brain as the pain came back. *I want to pass out or die. Please just end this agony...*

And thankfully for you your wish was granted as your eyes closed and sleep came.