{}Arcana{}
The sky over head grew darker with the clouds that rolled in as thunder rumbled softly. Rhoswen looked up at it and waited to feel the rain on her skin, but none came. She didn't know how long she had been walking. Her feet were sore, her legs jelly, but she didn't care. She didn't care much about anything at the moment.
She continued on again and walked until she found herself in a much thicker part of the woods. She felt a small drop of rain hit her on the head and looked up as another hit her cheek. She took a deep breath and sighed, closing her eyes. The sky suddenly riped open and let the rain fall to the ground. She opened her eyes again and began on again.
She quickly became soaked from head to foot. Her dress weighed more then it had before and her hair stuck to her skin, but she continued on. She became cold and hungry, but she continued on. She felt numb and exhausted, but she continued on. She jumped every time the thunder roared out or when the lightening flashed over head, but continued on as the rain washed everything away.
CHUP!
Rhoswen halted her next step and looked to her right, then to her left in search of what had made the noise. It wasn't so dark that she couldn't see a hand in front of her face, but she could barley make out how far back the trees ahead of her went as they molded together in a gray blur. She squinted her eyes and tried to focus on anything that moved, but could only catch the rain.
CHUP!
Rhoswen's eyes snapped up at the call and stared up the tree behind her. There on one of the branches she spotted a bird. She turned around and looked up at it, squinting her eyes again to try and make out what kind of bird it was. The bird flew from the branch just as a bolt of lightening streaked out across the sky followed by thunder and landed on another tree.
Rhoswen had spotted it, though the look wasn't great. She could tell that it was larger then a pigeon even most hawks. She could also tell that it was as white as snow.
"Bry!" She called out and watched as the bird flew from the branch and landed on a fallen tree. She walked closer to it and saw that she had been right. She knelt before the falcon that gave another chup and tilted its head, its beady eyes staring back at her. Rhoswen narrowed her eyes and shook her head at it. She had no idea why it was here on the mountain or in these woods. Though, she had had no idea why it had left several days ago either.
She shook her head again and looked up at the dark sky. She had no idea if the bird was an omen, good or bad, but swore that if one more thing happened that she'd end her life any way she could. She looked back down at the bird and watched as he hopped from left to right and stared at her. He then stopped and titled his head in the other direction. Bry gave a long kaaaaak and then took off into the gray sky.
Rhoswen stood up and watched him a moment as he disappeared into the gray blur of the trees further down in the woods. She heard the beating of wings come up behind her and watched as he passed overhead, flying in the same direction. He gave another kaaak and then flew off into the blur again. This time Rhoswen took off after him and followed his calls through the trees.
She ran and ran, having no idea where she was being led. Mud splashed up and covered her legs, only to be washed away by the rain again. Bry gave a loud KAAK from over her and then swooped down in front of her, startling her. She came to a stop and watched him as he weaved in and out of trees, heading back her way.
He passed in front of her again and gave another loud KAAK before flying off to her right. She moved from her spot and followed after him again. She didn't know how long she ran for or how far. She didn't even know why she was following the bird. Especially after he had just taken off like that on her. She had no reason to follow him now. It's not like he would lead her to-
"Rhoswen!" Rhoswen slid to a stop on the wet grass of the field Bry had brought her to. She narrowed her eyes and stared out across the field where a man stood. She could only make out his dark figure as he raised his arms up and cupped his hands around his mouth, "Rhoswen! You must leave! Get off the mountain! Now!"
Rhoswen stared at him dumbfounded and slowly shook her head. She didn't want to leave. She had found him, her brother. He was here. Right in front of her. Rhoswen suddenly ran towards him, but he shook his head vigorously at her.
"You must leave now!" He screamed at her and then turned his head, something catching his attention. Rhoswen continued to run at him, dirty sandals slapping against the muddy grass. She was almost there. She could see the outline of his clothes; his boots, his pants, his shirt. She could see his face as he turned to look back at her, "RHOSWEN!"
Rhoswen was suddenly sent flying to her right. She fell to the muddy ground and looked down at her left side. She could barley see it but she felt it. There was a long slanted tear in the dress from which an angry red gash glared at her. She listened to a loud screech and lifted her head to look at the sky. There was a black mass circling around just below the clouds.
"RHOSWEN, GET UP!" Fawkes screamed out as the black mass gave another loud screech. Rhoswen stood up from the ground and watched as the large black mass dove. She suddenly turned and started to run as fast as she could, "DUCK!"
Rhoswen hit the ground and covered her head. She felt something sharp drag along her back and screamed out in pain. The black mass gave another loud screech as it flew back up towards the clouds. Rhoswen tried to pick herself up and kneeled, looking up at the sky to try and find the mass. If she didn't know better she would have thought it was a baby dragon, but there were no more dragons.
"RHOSWEN! BEHIND YOU!" Fawkes pointed at the black mass that came up behind her, but she moved too late. It caught her. Its claws dug into her shoulders and picked her up off her feet into the air. Rhoswen looked up at the large black bird and tried to pry its claws off. The bird looked down at her, its green eyes glowing, and gave a loud bone chilling screech.
Rhoswen screamed as loud as she could when suddenly Bry came up in front of the crow and clawed at its eyes. The crow shook Bry off and let go of Rhoswen. Rhoswen fell towards the ground, screaming her lungs out, but was caught. Fawkes set her on the ground and then stared up at the sky where Bry and the crow were attacking one another.
Bry dove at the crow and clawed at one of its eyes again, tearing it from the socket. The crow gave a bloodcurdling screech and flapped around wildly. As Bry fought to get the other eyes, Fawkes ran back to where he had been standing in the field and pulled something out from his pack.
"NO BRY!" Fawkes shouted out as he watched Bry abruptly struck by the crow. He fell from the sky and headed straight for the ground, one of his wings broken.
"Suscipio!" Rhoswen's hand was raised up towards Bry and fell in rhythm with him. His fall slowed until he floated down to the ground like a feather. Rhoswen dropped her hand and picked herself up from the ground, the gashes on her back burning. She ran at where Bry was and fell to his side. She ignored the searing pain in her right arm and picked up the falcon, cradling him to her chest.
"Oh Bry..." Rhoswen felt tears rush to her eyes and felt them roll down her cheeks, mixing with the rain. The falcon's wing was broken in several places and was missing several feather. His breathing was rushed as he stared up at her with his beady eyes. Rhoswen turned her head and watched as Fawkes sprinted across the field, heading straight towards the crow in the sky. He stopped, spun once, and threw the object in his hand towards the crow. A bolt of lightening streaked across the clouds and glistened off the sword as it soared.
The sword sliced through the rain and hit the crow in the chest, piercing its blackened heart. The crow fell from the sky as thunder rumbled out and collided with the ground with such a force that Rhoswen could feel it shake beneath her. Fawkes ran towards the crow as Rhoswen stood up with Bry in her arms. She watched as he brother pulled the sword from the crow, a green liquid dripping from it, and then raised it above his head. In one swift motion he cut off its head.
Suddenly there was a loud, unearthly scream from somewhere on the mountain. Rhoswen looked behind her at the peek and watched as a bolt of green lighting struck it, setting it ablaze with green fire. The ground shook so violently that Rhoswen fell to her knees and clutched Bry to her chest as though afraid the ground beneath her would crack open and they would fall.
The scream was so dark, so angry...
"We have to go!" Fawkes shouted over another scream as a second blot of green lightning struck the peek of the mountain.
"What is that!" Rhoswen called at him as he came up behind Rhoswen and passed her, racing to pick up his things.
"It's her!" He screamed back at her and looked to her again. He saw her stare in horror at the green fire that raged, but did not spread and watched her shake her head. Her legs trembled and her heart went cold as though death himself had hold of it.
"It can't be her..." Rhoswen whispered to herself and shook her head again. She pulled Bry closer to her and took a step backwards, retreating. She looked to Fawkes, pure terror in her eyes, "It can't be her! She's dead!"
"THE SWORD!"
"RHOSWEN! WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!" Fawkes shouted at her after the scream from the peek. Rhoswen continued to shake her head and took another step backwards. She knew that voice. It was the same as the one that called out to her, telling her things she didn't want to her, trying to turn her against the others. Fawkes ran back to her and grabbed her by her upper arm, dragging her behind him into the woods.
"AINMIRE!" Another, almost demonic, scream sounded as a third and final bolt of green lightning struck the peek and quenched the green flames.
