A Light in the Dark

Essa gripped her clay lamp tightly as she stared into the thick darkness. Under the dim light, she could perceive the castle was in shambles. The Desolate had reached this place as well. Was Xerxes still here somewhere…?

With a gulp, Essa took a hesitant step in. She waited for a moment before moving on. She shivered as she inched forward.

The attack had been so swift, almost too precise. Could those monsters have some intelligence among them? Essa dreaded the answer to that question. Could there be a traitor…?

The storyteller-healer shook her head from such thoughts. For now, she had to find Xerxes. She only hoped the king was still alive.

Raising her lamp high above her head, she tried to make her way through the castle. The small flame was of little comfort, and did little to settle her nerves. It was just enough to see the floor beneath her but not much else. Still, limited light was better than nothing. Even a small point of reference made all the difference.

Essa tightened her shawl around her in an effort to fight off the chill that lingered in the air. Her heart pounded in chest as she moved on.

Why couldn’t the Desolate prefer to stay in the light? Essa thought to herself. Why did it have to be dark? Though maybe that would cause more problems if they could come out during the day.

Essa tightened her grip on the lamp. Though she poured what magic she could into it, the flame refused to grow. If anything, she could swear the light threatened to go out. She had to hurry. She could feel her energy depleting as she moved ever onward.

Please be in your quarters. Essa silently begged Xerxes. Please don’t change things up now on all days.

A low growl echoed in the hallways.

With a gulp, Essa quietly called out, “Xerxes, is that you?”

She nearly dropped her lamp when the only response was a howl.

The sound of pounding feet charging at her was enough to spur her into action. Squeezing her eyes shut, she directed her magic into her lamp.

Tentatively, she peeked to see if her light had been enough. Her heart all but stopped in her chest as she gazed on the monster before her. The Desolate snarled, frustrated at the sight of its bane.

From what she could make out, it held the shape of a wolf: the snout, jaws, and tail at least. That was where the resemblance ended. Its long, rotten, and jagged fangs crept out along the edge of its lip. While it was clear that it could run on all fours, it stood on its hind legs, hunching forward as if to maintain its balance.

Its eyes… Its eyes were its worst feature, Essa decided. If they could be called that. Where the eyes ought to have been, only shadows remained. To look into them was to look into the abyss itself.

The Desolate growled at the (small) light. Essa held the light in front of her, hoping for some kind of protection, any kind from the monster.

Hand shaking, she inched around the unnatural creature. Its eyes never left hers as she moved past it. Essa didn’t dare break eye-contact lest the monster take the opportunity to attack as soon as she blinked.

Swallowing, she pressed her back to the wall, trying to form some distance between her and the creature. Just as the Desolate was about to fade into the darkness, a fallen stone appeared  in her path and caught her foot. Essa felt her body lurch forward. As she fell to the floor, her grip on the lamp loosened. Her heart sank when she heard the clay lamp shatter, leaving her in complete darkness.

Which gave the Desolate the perfect opportunity to strike. A growl and the scrapping of claws on the stone floor was all the warning Essa had before she felt something sharp dig into her leg.

Releasing a scream that held the very anguish of her heart and soul, the storyteller briefly wondered  if this was how her story would end. Not being able to save anyone.

Just as her heart was about to fall into despair, to give up all hope, a new sound echoed throughout the hall.

The roar of a lion.

“Xerxes…?”

Immediately, the Desolate released her, turning its full attention on the new opponent. Essa trembled, whether from the pain or relief, she couldn’t tell. All she knew was that the king was nearby.

While she couldn’t see the fight, hearing it was another thing entirely. Mighty growls and snarls filled the air, from anger, fear, and pain alike. Thuds and the sounds of cracking stones indicated the wrestle both sides were putting forth.

 Gritting her teeth, Essa turned her attention to her leg. While she couldn’t do anything to heal herself, she could stop the bleeding. Her fingers shook as she tore her dress. Relying on touch, she quickly located the wound and began to treat it.

One final, screeching howl signaled the fight’s end before silence blanketed the hall.

Essa jolted when she heard a thump. “Xerxes?”

With a gulp, she began to crawl forward. Her ears strained to locate any sound, whether it be breathing or the warning of another Desolate being nearby. Using her hands and fingertips, Essa made wide arcs with her arms, trying to see where she was going.

A gasp rang out, breaking through the silence. Without a thought, Essa made her way towards the source. Though her body groaned in protest, she pushed through the pain.

Her hand soon came in contact with the soft texture of cloth. She gave a sigh of relief. The king had changed back into his human form. Healing him would be easier this way.

Her breath got caught in her throat as she felt something warm and wet at her fingertips. Forcing herself to sit up, Essa sought his hand and held it in both of hers. She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the magic she had left and poured it into him.

Tears fell as she continued trying to heal the king. Even if it was just a little bit, if it could just be enough to help him get away, that would be enough for her.

“Please don’t die.” she whispered. “Please, you have to live.”

Her body trembled as it was being drained of her remaining magic and energy.

Please heal him. Please. Let him be able to leave this place.

Her head started to spin, the last of her magic leaving her. She began to sway before falling backwards. Her body never hit the ground.

The last thing Essa heard as she fell unconscious was the distant call of her name.

~~~

Though only darkness greeted her when she opened her eyes, the warm arms around her told her she wasn’t in the same place. The sound of panting quickly registered in her mind.

Xerxes was alive.

Tears began to flow anew, relief filling her body from head to toe.

The king staggered forward, tightening his hold on her every so often. Almost as if to assure his storyteller and healer that he was still there, and maybe to reassure himself that she was still with him.

Something bright soon caught the corner of her eye, making her blink. Essa glanced ahead. She wasn’t seeing things, was she? This light…

The rising sun peeked through the entrance of the castle, reaching out to invite the two of them into his warm embrace.

Essa gripped Xerxes’ sleeve, grounding herself. What lay behind them was the shattered remains of a nightmare. Before them lay the hopes of a new and bright future.