Elfrea
Since the sun was down and I needed to not worry about burning to a crisp, I figured that I would take the time to wash up in the pond. It wouldn't be the best, but it was enough to get all the dried blood that still stained my face. It would also give me the time to test out the new abilities my body could do. I wasn't able to use magic, but I could at least hear and see ten times better.
Being able to see in the dark as if the sun were up was handy while heading to the pond. No guiding light needed, I still almost got turned around since the area had changed with a bit of overgrowth.
I eventually broke through the tree line to see the large pond, wild flowers filled the area, while firelight bugs danced around, shining a faint red from flower to flower. The croaking of toads seemed to synchronize with the grasshoppers chirping as they attract their mates.
As I move through the flowers and near the shore of the pond, I see the small wooden dock now half fallen into the water, covered in moss, and the wood splitting apart. I recall the many warm months my family and I spent having picnics, my mother teaching me about earth magic, and how to bring life to the dead flowers.
I bent down and touched the flower gently, my fingers feeling its cool petals of bright purples and blues. Tears well up in my eyes as I wish to feel the flow of magic from the plants once again. The connection to magic was a connection to my mother, and that was now lost.
I wipe the tears from my eyes and sigh. I start stripping my clothes off, only loosening the corset enough to slip out of, and it would be easier to tighten back on myself. I walked into the water slowly, letting my body get used to the cold water. I then figured out that my body wasn't even affected by the temperature.
The water was freezing, but the temperature didn't affect my body. I think about how long I had lain in the coffin and I never once felt as if I were freezing, nor did I sweat when it seemed too hot.
Could I still bleed? I realized then that my heart didn't beat until I drank blood. As if my body were dead till the blood gave me strength.
I push all the thoughts aside and fully dunk myself into the water. Using my hands, I rub them against my face and body, trying to remove any dried blood. I stay under the water for quite some time, much longer than I used to be able to do.
I resurfaced, dragging my fingers through my now-silver hair, loosening the many years of knots. Once I finally feel like I've made progress on cleaning, I let my body float on top of the water. I stare up at the stars above me, and I listen to the continuing chorus of the pond's inhabitants.
Snap!
I quickly righted myself and looked around me to see where the noise had come from. As I looked around at the surrounding treeline, I didn't notice anything suspicious. So I tried focusing on one area at a time, still not seeing what could have made the noise, I went back to my swim.
I headed back to the shore, thinking of how I should have brought one of the dresses from my bag with me to use to dry off with. I wring my hair tightly with my hands, doing the best to get the water out. I then gave an embarrassing shake of my body as if I were a dog.
At least Alea wasn't here to see me have to do that. But then again, she's already seen me covered in dried blood and dirt.
I go ahead and slide my underwear on, and then slide back into the corset, successfully tightening it back into place.
If I were to air dry, I might as well test my abilities to see how far I could push my sight and hearing. I sat down on a large rock and surveyed my surroundings, focusing on one noise at a time and turning in the direction it was coming from. After a few tries, I got the hang of my abilities, being able to block out other sounds and track their movements. When I headed back to the manor, I would test my speed to see how fast I could run.
Snap!
I turn my head and hone in on where the snapping twigs had sounded. I looked only to see thick bushes from where I sat, and I kept staring to see if there were any more sounds. After a few moments, nothing else came from that direction. I shook my head, thinking how silly I was being. The scariest thing in the area was most likely me if I didn't count Alea.
Feeling like I have dried off enough, I begin to put my clothes back on, first grabbing my shirt.
Snap! Snap!
I whip my head around and take a step back as I see two large glowing red eyes staring back at me. I couldn't tell what kind of animal it was since it hid within the bushes, but it seemed large. Its eyesight was a few inches above my height, and I was having to almost look up to meet it.
I slowly back up another step, not taking my eyes away from it. It slowly moves forward, its face breaking from the thick bushes. My eyes widen as the creature shows its face and body. A creature that I have never seen before, it had dark grey skin stretched tightly over its bones, and large, sharp-looking teeth. A growling sound emanated from it as its saliva drips from its open mouth as it inches closer.
My mind raced on what I should do, and how to escape this thing. I was scared of the thought of leading it to Alea, but she at least had weapons. No matter what, I planned to do it, most likely wouldn't stop with me, and head to her anyway. I turned quickly on my heel as the creature moved into a pouncing position and rushed into the tree line back towards the manor.
I picked up speed as I rushed pasted all the trees and thorny bushes, ignoring the scratches of the branches and thorns, the rocks tore into my bare feet. I didn't look back behind me, but I could hear it keeping up. My body slowly started to feel much lighter as things around me felt like everything had slowed down. I wasn't slowing, though, as I tore through to the tree line behind the manor.
"Alea!" I screamed.
"Alea!" I screamed her name over and over as I ran through the tall grass to the manor.
I see her run out of the manor's back door with a dagger in her hand. Her face was full of worry as she watched me run to her.
"Duck!" she yells at me, and I do as she requests and drop my body to the ground. I look up to see the creature about to pounce on me, but a dagger flies through the air, hitting the creature in the skull and falling on top of me, unmoving. I push the dead thing off me quickly and get to my feet. Alea walks up beside me, her face has a grim expression.
She then grabs the dagger from the creature's skull and begins to stab it where the heart might be if it were human.
"That should do it, although I might decapitate it just to be sure. I heard about ferals many years ago, but nothing like this." Alea says
"It came at me while I was at the pond. I think it was hunting me, it circled me and waited in the bushes before attacking me like a wolf." I tell her. As Alea listened to me recount what had happened, I noticed her green eyes move up and down my body.
"I left my pants and boots at the pond, I should probably go and get them," I then say. How many times was I going to appear half-naked in front of her?!
I felt my face get hot, so I quickly turned and started back in the direction of the pond.
"Wait!" She calls behind me. "I'll go with you, I need to make sure there are no more of these things hanging around."