My Castle

Pain seared up his arm as he crouched by the base of a large forest pine. The man's arm was already going numb from blood loss; he knew he'd loose it for sure if it wasn't attended to immediately. Silently clasping the gash shut with his hand, he cursed.

A flash of blinding light from near by undergrowth was his only warning of a wind arrow being target at him. Before the arrow could find its mark he spun himself awkwardly around the trunk of the tree. He watched the wind arrow buzz past him and dissipate into no more than an affectionate kiss of the breeze.

Quickly he reached beneath his jacket. He pulled out a vile of glistening silver liquid. With his teeth he tore the cork plug off the top of the glass bottle and with his good hand poured some of the molasses like fluid on his wound. His wound began to heal as the first of the droplets hit his skin. The three inch gapping hole went down to barely a skin deep scratch in seconds.

Now the man knew he used too much of his precious time, even though it only had been seconds. He sprung up to a high branch with a powerful leap. There he stuffed the now empty vile in his jacket again, silently cursing at it's emptiness. No sooner had he climbed another three branches did his enemy come into full view below him.

The rechlacks, an avian human cross-breed, was not a very smart being. The group of five below him didn't even consider to look up. He was about to pounce when a large gray blue whip sliced through the air, knocking the monstrous things below unconscious.

Blinking in surprise, he jumped down on to one of the fallen Rechlacks cushioning his landing from where he was perched. "Cymry?" he called out cautiously, trying to peer into the dark bushes. "Is that you?" The whip that seemed to almost be hovering in the air now fell to the ground in droplets of water.

"Yes," a small girl came from the dark. She stood in front of him both hands on her hips and a sly grin plastered to her face. "I saw that you could use my help. Geez, Sebastian why you always getting into trouble, huh?" Cymry flipped her black mane of shimmering hair backward with each toss of her head.

Sebastian shook his head in almost disbelief of this girl's cocky attitude. "Well what can I say?" he shrugged his shoulders and winced slightly, his previous wound was still sore despite how well it healed physically.

"You used the vile of holy water given to you by the nymphs," Cymry's tone grew anxiously. She took a step closer and Sebastian wrapped an arm around her.

"Had to sweetie. Other wise I wouldn't have been around for you to rescue me," he exaggerated in efforts to reassure her. She sighed, his tactic working, she became less worried.

A rustle came from where Cymry appeared interrupting the couple. "More?" Cymry muffled. She spun from Sebastian's embrace. A flick of her wrist and the water whip appeared once again. It swished and swayed in a tight circle around her; growing and moving with her ever breath.

Sebastian had a feeling it wasn't more rechlacks, but all the same he prepared himself. He clenched both his fist tight, brought up his most angry; hateful moment to mind, and let the heat from the pain go to his finger tips. Suddenly a bright vibrant blaze of red hot flames surrounded his whole hand and crawled up his lower arms.

"Hold it!" came a gruff voice from the bushes. Instantly Sebastian recognized it, and by Cymry's stunned reaction, so did she.

"Barton?" Cymry called. and soon came out this scrawny boy no older than seventeen. Twigs and leaves were tangled in his long stringy black hair that skewed across his shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah. Before you ask, I fell. Happy? I'm not as balanced as you guys," he ranted pulling at his tangles. Sebastian sized him up. No visual bruises or major scratches, and none of his straight black clothing was torn.

"Looks like you did well for yourself kid," Sebastian said smirking. Cymry giggled as Barton gave him an animalistic snarl.

"Enough," A cool voice from behind Sebastian announced another's presence. The voice was a bit deeper than Barton's but otherwise identical. Sebastian turned, not completely surprised to see his best friend behind him.

"Where is Stacy, hot shot," Barton turned his growling towards the new company. Sebastian glanced back at Barton's angry face. Yes, that was the last person missing from the group, Sebastian's sister, Stacy.

"She has left to the dark side," came the cold calm reply.

"So the prophecy was changed? Or did we fail?"

"What you mean she left? You made her leave, didn't you?

Both Cymry and Barton began question the silent stone figure. Sebastian remained silent, staring at the man before him for what seemed eternity. Each trying to read the others mind, but turning out being very unsuccessful, and successful at the same time.

"There is one more chance. We might have gotten the wrong girl," the man said, quelling the rambling duo, who were oblivious to the staring match. His green eyes glowered into Sebastian, beckoning him to finish the unspoken question that filled the dreary silence. A sudden wash of dread spread over Sebastian as the sinking fact of reality hit him.

"Yes, Baron, I have another sister; a full sister, Elizabeth."