W:I:S:H:E:S

“So, basically, we have no idea of their nature, and no idea how to fight them. Your sure your dagger didn’t leave even a small mark?” Ari looked up from the fire to Emrys’ face, she shook her head lightly and stared back at Ariana.

“I tried cutting it’s head off, tried putting my dagger through it’s heart, I even tried just cutting off a wing, it just completely deflected my blows. I was helpless against it.” They both shivered, even in the warmth of the merry little fire between them. Helpless was just not something that either of them coped with very well.

Ariana stood and paced back and forth before the fire. “But, I just can’t accept that they have no weaknesses… Everything has a weakness!” She growled her displeasure and looked up at the back cavern wall, watching the firelight dance with dark eyes. “I thi-” Ariana cut off and made her way quickly to that wall, perhaps it was just the lighting, but…

“Emrys… come here, quickly. And bring some light…” Ariana was staring intently at the back wall, if something had caught her attention so deeply that her mind wasn’t on the situation at hand, then…

She quickly grabbed one of the spare branches they had cut for the fire, and lit one end before making her way to Ari’s side. “What is it?”

Ariana silently motioned Emrys to hold out the torch next to the wall, revealing a sort of crevice that seemed to lead even deeper into the mountain which the waterfall ran off of. They gave each other a quiet look that said all too clearly, ‘Why haven’t we noticed this before?’ They had explored the cave many times by daylight, and with flashlights… but never before had they seen…

Their eyes widened identically at the chamber that opened before them. In it, drawings littered the walls, horrible, the drawings of nightmares. Black shapeless forms, that seemed to evolve as the drawings went on, evolved into ravens, crows, owls, rats, every creature of the shadows or night was depicted, and many that could only be from the imagination of a killer, of a madman…

They walked forward, staying close to each others’ side, this was something to make even them want to run away screaming, but still they moved forward.

This ‘back-cavern’ seemed like a long hall, filled with the horrible pictures. With each step they took the air became more dank, more…dead.

The very back wall suddenly appeared in their small ring of light. It was covered, not in the pictures… but engraved on the smooth surface were runes. There was not an inch on the huge back wall that didn’t have the tine symbols. Both gasped at the sight…it was, amazing. The wall stretched up, and out of their vision, taking so many of the symbols with it. They were completely captivated.

The Nightlings were prowling on the outside of the waterfall, the humans had used the snow well to cover their scents, but they were nothing to a shadow-hound. Agruli smirked at the thought of two weak little humans trying to beat down his band of Nightlings. It would be such a futile attempt that he could almost feel sorry for them. Almost.

There was a howl to his left, just beside the waterfall, someone had found something. He smiled and walked quickly over. “What is it? What have you found?”

The underling smirked as he motioned to the night-hound whose trappings he held. “It smells fire master! Behind the falls.”

Agruli motioned to the rest of the group to gather about. “We have found them, or something. We are going behind the falls. Take the hounds first, then the rest file in behind, it’s time to capture out two little mice.” He grinned wickedly and proceeded forward with the Hunters and Hounds.

They entered a very small passageway behind the falls that slowly widened until they came to a large cavern. Agruli ordered them to spread out and search while he made his way towards the back where a small fire was crackling and slowly burning down.

There was a small metal pot over the fire with water boiling in it. He guessed they had used it to clean up the wound on the dark-headed one that one of his Nightlings had inflicted to her arm.

He shook his head with a smirk, they’re futile attempts to keep the wound clean would be met ill-fated, even if his group had not found them, the girl was doomed. All of his Nightlings held within their natural-weapons, a poison of a sort. It wouldn’t affect her very directly, just keep the wound from ever closing, thus leaving her body open to receive any infection that the wound might attract.

He was motioned even further back into the cave by a rather human shaped Nightling. His eyes asked all the questions that were needed. The small, foul creature instantly began explaining in a very quiet gravel-like voice. “Sir, the Hounds picked up the scent again, it leads back there.” He motioned with his head to an almost invisible passageway leading even further back.

“Let’s go then! Send the ravens and crows first to scout for possible trouble, then the Hounds, Nightlings, and rest of the minors.” His company was instantly in motion. Within moments the crows and ravens were back, the two they searched for, at the back of the cavern. He nodded and sent the Hunters & Hounds forward.

As soon as he had come out on the other side of the passage, he felt it. There was magic purely sparkling in the air here. If these two really were the lost Xylia sisters, then they needed to be killed immediately.

He saw a glow immediately in front of his group. When he judged them to be about ten feet apart and the girls hadn’t turned, he stopped his party with a hand and studied the two in the light of the torch they carried.

The light flickered and danced over them. The one holding the torch was a riot of feelings, it showed clearly in every move she made. She was tense, she was scared, trying to hide it of course. Her hair swayed just below the shoulders, it had the deepness of pitch black, but, no, as the light shifted it made a halo around her, and showed the true deep brown coloring.

The other was something to rival even his composure. He could see excitement radiating from her, but deeply rooted fear flicked at the edges of that radiance. She had hair that burned the same gold as the torch they carried, it flowed smoothly to the center of her back. She seemed to be completely absorbed in the runes at her fingertips, he couldn’t help but notice though, the sheath that each girl carried on her hip. By the way the girls moved, he could tell they knew how to use those daggers.

His study was snapped as one of the dogs whined towards the prey which they had been tracking all night. The girls’ heads snapped around to see their pursuers, runes forgotten. They each grasped the hilt of the dagger she wore.

The eyes of the first girl, were dark, just as the girls’ hair, they seemed to be living, shifting colors at every moment. The other had eyes green enough to rival any forest. Though the girls seemed so different, they could be no other than the Xylia sisters. The expressions in their bodies, the twin looks of intensity in their eyes, they easy way they moved by one another, never looking at the other to know where she is… They were unmistakable.

Agruli was taken aback by the very confidence they showed. He knew that they had to see the ranks behind him, but they didn’t even flinch.

A smirk slowly slid over Agruli’s face as he clapped his hands together slowly, 3 times. “Challenge very well met young ones. Though… I’m sorry to disappoint you… but your going to die now.” His voice dripped with irony. He smiled at his own cleverness as he turned away and motioned the rest forward to “get rid” of the targets. It would have been nice if they could have captured the girls and used them to his own means, but the defiance that had shown in their eyes was something that he would never have the patience to break.

All of her senses screamed at her not to, but Ariana had never let that bother her before. As soon as the pasty-faced man had turned, all the rest was automatic. One tiny honed blade dropped from her sleeve to be caught at the hilt by her finger tips. One. The man’s hand came up and so did hers, her aim preset, just to the left of his spine would do the trick. Two. The man’s hand fell, and hers flicked the blade to it’s mark. Three. Then all hell broke loose.

Two tiny mini-knives found the same mark. The two knives bounced away like little more than toys. The girls each let out a hiss and came to stand back-to-back so they could defend one another.

Ariana quietly hissed over her shoulder into Emrys’ ear. “What are these things!”

“I don’t know, but be ready, things are about to get interesting I fear.” Emrys’ voice was just as unsure as her own. What a small comfort that was. Ari turned back away from Emrys and studied her on-coming enemies.

The first that was going to reach her was in the form of a large, black screech owl. It’s eyes seemed to glow an almost eerie shade of green. It’s eyes locked onto her form as it gave a loud cry and began a dive, targeted right on her throat. She waited a mere moment before the thing was to hit before ducking down and slashing out with her dagger that shone in the torch-light.

Ariana shivered in terror as she felt the blade slide right through the solid form of the owl, but that wasn’t the terror. The true terror came in what her eyes saw, and couldn’t believe. She felt-and saw!-the blade go straight through the owl, and right behind that, the black flesh and feathers grow completely back, rendering the owl slightly dazed, and thrown back into the air, but completely unharmed.

The green of it’s eyes completely filled her vision, her mind just couldn’t grasp what was happening. She felt herself back completely into the wall of runes, but it was almost an out-of-body experience. She couldn’t exactly feel what she was doing, just watch, in a sense. Her dagger was out before her, even though it seemed to be doing her no-good. But beyond the realization that she was against the back wall with her dagger out, she really knew no-more.

When Ariana had first brushed into the wall, Emrys had slammed into her other-shoulder from a blow that something had dealt her. And of course, as soon as she had been slammed into the wall, the torch had been dropped.

Both the girls’ let out a deep growl into the dark, knowing their enemies were out there, but not knowing where.

Each girl reached out her free-hand and grasped the other’s tightly. They could tell that this was the end, that they had finally gotten themselves into a bigger mess than their daggers could get them out of.

All that Ariana could think about was a saying that they had always used when they were small girls. And it finally seemed appropriate.

Ari’s voice echoed out into the dark cavern as she said the first part. “Together we fight.”

“Together we fall.” The old saying had obviously been on the tip of Emrys’ tongue as well. Ariana squeezed Emrys’ hand as she completed the saying as a whisper in Ari’s ear.

“BUT NOT TODAY.”

Bother girls jumped as the strong male voice grew and died in their own heads. An eerie blue light shown from behind the girls, until both of their startled faces were illuminated.

They turned their eyes away until both of their gazes swept the cavern.

Where seemingly endless droves of the dark creatures had been before, there was only black dust now.

“Emrys… What just happened?” Ari dropped Emrys’ hand reluctantly and took a step forward, her eyes strained in the dark, she could see nothing… could hear nothing…

“I think they are gone Ari… That weird light that came from the runes… It turned them to dust!” Emrys’ voice grew in excitement as she rushed past Ari, headed for the outer-chamber.

“Sounds to me like someone is smiling down on us.” Ari followed just behind Emrys. As they emerged from the inner-most chamber, they could see faint light, even though their little fire was no-where to be seen.

Emrys looked back at Ariana questioningly, she supposed the unspoken question was about the light. “Perhaps the water from the falls is reflecting moonlight?”

As Emrys started to turn away, Ari caught sight of something dark sliding down her cheek, illuminated in the faint light. She reached out and caught Emrys’ un-wounded arm and turned her back around so they were face-to-face.

Her brows furrowed in confusion as to why Ari had stopped her. “They hurt you again…” Ariana brought up her hand, covered in cloth from her sleeve, and wiped away the line of blood that was trickling from the other girl’s scalp.

Emrys instantly brought her own hand up to touch the cut in her hair-line. “I didn’t even feel it though! How could they have gotten past me!”

Ariana shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment. They needed time… So much just seemed to be happening! What were those things! Why had they decided to come after herself and Emrys!

She slowly opened her eyes after a moment of deep breathing to better control herself. “We Should go back to my house and see to your wounds before we even think of doing anything else. A blow to the head could be really serious.”

Emrys nodded in agreement and motioned Ari to take the lead. With a sigh, she stepped forward and made a quick bee-line across the cavern and to the short tunnel that would lead to the opening just behind the falls.

Ariana stopped dead when she reached the end of the tunnel. Moments later, she felt Emrys bump into her back and start to speak… But didn’t as she saw the reason for Ariana’s hasty halt.

Before them, where always they had seen the large white sheet of cascading water… There was now a thickly woven tapestry of green vines. It was so thick that they could barely even hear the water that was inevitably on the other side.

“What happened?” Emrys’ voice was a bare whisper in her ear. Ari felt her shift so that the dagger that had hung limply to her side, was now out, and level with her chest. Ariana quickly followed suit and held hers out tensely in front of the both of them. With those thick vines… there were shadows impenetrable by the feeble light.

As Ariana edged out of the opening, Emrys came to be beside her, which calmed her nerves moderately. “What is this?” Emrys’ voice startled her into a small jump.

“I don’t know, but Todo, I don’t think we are in Kansas any longer…” Emrys grimaced at the reference to their favorite childhood movie.

“I just wi-” Emrys stopped abruptly in the middle of what she was saying as something in the vines moved. They glanced warily at each other, and before they could look away again, they were on their backs.

“WHA-” Ariana’s shout half-escaped before a strong large hand clamped over her mouth. In front of her eyes swam a rugged face. Dark skin, black hair, gold eyes… His expression was so untamed, it was almost wild. But there was something behind them, intelligence? Could it be caring maybe?

His mouth opened to reveal beautiful white teeth beyond the fierce expressions that the man’s face showed. “Amin sinta lle?”

The words came out a whisper… They were beautiful, but she couldn’t understand the graceful accents and the careful stress he put on each word.

The man shifted his hand and looked at her expectantly, as if waiting for an answer. “I don’t understand your words.”

The man’s voice became harsher, and louder, as if speaking to more than just her this time. “Mankoi naa lle sinome?”

“I told you, I can’t-” The man cut her off by ripping her dagger from her hand and tossing it behind him to clatter along the floor. He than grabbed her upper arm roughly and jerked her up. “Ow! Stop that!”

A growl coming from behind him made her mouth shut with a click. Behind him… A VERY large, grey wolf stood, baring it’s teeth at her.

She saw out of the corner of her eye, Emrys being treated the same way she had been, by a blonde-haired man, slightly smaller than the one that had knocked her down.

She head Emrys’ sharp intake of breath as she saw the wolf that stood just before Ariana.

The golden eyes of the wolf were boring a hole through her mind. The bright white teeth set in such a dark face… The look of pure instinct on it’s face… It had her shrinking away, as she knew it wanted.

The dark man had a firm grip on her elbow, and wouldn’t let go, wouldn’t let her shrink into a ball at the cave wall. He just stood there staring at her… his yellow eyes boring a hole through her, his intimidating posture, the very ease with which he restrained her. It was nerve racking.

Suddenly the man’s face broke into an unmistakable grin. He turned, and with a slicing motion of his hand, he spoke to the large wolf. “Dina!” The wolf instantly dropped his hackles and cocked his head to one side.

“Uuma dela.” This was directed to her, but again she couldn’t understand and timidly shook her head.

The man let out a frustrated growl and walked towards the light haired man, dragging her along like nothing more than a rag doll. As they drew close, Emrys and Ariana studied each other quietly, looking for signs of injury or misuse.

Ariana let out a low breath as she stretched out her hand to touch the back of Emrys’ lightly. The two that held them were exchanging quiet words, but the girls were talking merely with their eyes, knowing each other well enough to know, and answer, the unspoken questions that both were burning to ask.

Emrys’ eyes were a colorful mesh of emotions; worry, anger, fear, confusion. They both felt it, but neither could answer… Where are we? How did we get here? Why are we here? Who are these people, and what do they want with us? It was all, just too much to think about.

The man finally gave a jerk on Ariana’s arm, jolting her back into the strange and unfamiliar world of wild men and wolves that she and Emrys had been dropped into.

He pulled her roughly around to face him directly, and with his free hand grabbed her other arm. She forced herself to meet those eerie golden eyes of his… ‘Do not be scared… Don’t let him have complete control over you…’

As her mind spoke, she willed her body to listen. And it worked well enough… Until, that is, the color of the man’s eyes swirled until they were as clear as a raindrop… Oh, and the sudden voice in her head that made her legs turn to jell-o, that might have had something to do with the paralyzing fear she suddenly had.

‘You can hear me?’ The girl’s eyes widened from shock as the gentle and strangely, at the same time, strong, voice sounded through her head.

Her thoughts fled away from the intruding voice… But she nodded her head gently, for, even through the gripping fear that held her, just beyond that was her natural curiosity, to know things, to discover them.

‘Good. You must not be afraid. Fear can keep you from being who you are, it can hinder you incapable of living, if you let it. I am Wileon Rassehir Mordo, you and your companion must speak your names.’

The man’s clear eyes seemed not to see, or think, or be. But Ariana had no doubt that it was he who had spoken to her.

“A-Ariana Tenshi…”

Ari’s eyes wondered in search of Emrys’, as they connected, Ariana gave her a small nod, to indicate that she say her name as well.

“Emrys Aurostowen…”

Both names were quiet as whispers, barely heard even by those that spoke them, but as the names were spoken, both men tightened their grips, the wolf that had been sitting so placidly was instantly on his feet snarling in their direction, and they could hear at least fifty howls coming from beyond the waterfall.