Do You Still Believe?

Shana perched on a high rock outcropping in the forest above Seles and looked around. Greenery and life surrounded her, soothing her in some elemental way. Small animals rustled through the trees, a few even daring to venture near the slender girl who stood so quietly. Straining her eyes, she scanned again. She didn't see any soldiers, but that didn't mean she could let her guard down. She'd brought several magic items with her as well as her bow and arrow-magic worked better than physical fighting did for her. Stretching to the limits of her meager height, she peered through the dense green foliage again, this time in search of a set of bright red armour.

He will come back, she reminded herself. He promised you.

But what if he had found some other woman on his travels? She was only his "baby sister" and "childhood friend." Shana fretted, chewing on her lip as she settled down to sit on the edge of the rock. And Dart had been gone for five years now.

Chasing a dream of revenge.

She remembered how it had chilled her soul to see the cold black rage in his eyes when he spoke of the Black Monster that had destroyed his home village of Neet and all who lived there. He was not in balance, neither his soul nor his body. She could only heal his body with her restorative items; her healing skills were useless for soothing the deep pain in him.

Disgusted with herself for her failings, she plucked leaves off her white shorts and glared at nothing. If she had insisted on being taught the healing skills earlier, perhaps she could have learned enough soul-healing to make Dart stay.

It is not fair to take away his choice, the little voice in her head reminded her, making her droop again.

No, it wasn't fair, but she wanted Dart back. She wanted him here.

"Do you still remember me, Dart? It's been five years." She spoke to no one in particular, but her voice was so soft it didn't even chase away the wild forest creatures. A rabbit had crept closer and sat a few feet from her knee, watching her with dark eyes.

"Do you love me? Did you ever?" she wondered aloud. She had once thought he had, but it could well have been a thirteen-year-old girl's desperate crush on an older boy, turning his every action into some subtle proof of his devotion to her. Yes, Dart had protected her, but he always protected people.

He had been gone five years. She didn't even know if he was still alive.

The quality of the light around her was changing subtly. Twisting around on the rock afforded her a clear view of the slowly setting sun. With a sigh, she jumped down, taking her weapon with her. She'd better return to the village before sunset. Even for her, whom the small creatures seemed to love, the forest was dangerous at night.

Plos, the mayor of Seles, was waiting for her when she returned to the village. He had been kind enough to take her in when her parents were killed in a hunting accident three years before. Now he waited at the village gates for her, lips thin with disapproval. "Shana, you told no one you were leaving the village. You know it is not safe in this time of war for anyone to wander around alone, especially not an eighteen-year-old girl."

"I am sorry," Shana said contritely. "I did not mean to make you worry."

The old mayor sighed. "Shana, dear, I know that no Imperial troops have been seen near the village, but that does not mean we are safe. Please be more careful."

"I will."

Plos turned and led the way back to the small stone cottage where they lived. "No sign of Dart?" he asked.

"No," Shana murmured.

"A pity," Plos said

.

Shana froze in the midst of taking her next step. The small sounds of life from the forest, which she was always peripherally aware of, had suddenly ceased. "Mayor--" she began.

That was when the terrible ear-rending shriek echoed over the tiny valley that housed Seles. Shana whirled toward the sound, shading her eyes with her hand as she gazed up at the forested slopes above the town.

Some....thing was crashing through the trees. It was green, but a sickly acid green, not the fresh verdant green of healthy living things. In many ways it resembled a vastly oversized praying mantis. And it was headed for the village.

"Mayor..." she whispered, her throat suddenly dry.

Mounted Sandoran soldiers began to pour out of the forest and down the slopes toward Seles.

"Shana! Run! EVERYONE! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!" Plos bellowed.

Shana resettled her bow across her back and raced toward the village's item repository, her long legs carrying her quickly over the unevenly cobbled streets. All around her the people of the village were screaming and rushing around in a panic. Shana grabbed the handle of the item repository door and twisted. Nothing happened.

I don't have time for this! She backed up several steps, raced forward, and threw her weight, slight though that was, against the door. The flimsy, rotted frame splintered and she tumbled through the door, landing painfully on the same shoulder she'd thrown against the door. Ignoring it, she scrambled to her feet and looked around. Think, Shana, think. What items would be most effective? She didn't know, so she grabbed a handful of Healing Potions and items of every element. The village was running low on Water items, she noticed. What she had taken filled her item bag to overflowing, but better that than not enough. She raced out of the small building and headed toward the place where the Sandoras were still headed for the village.

"Surrender at once!" shouted the dozens of soldiers who flowed down the slopes in a determined mass.

"We of Seles do not surrender," Plos said with great dignity. "Prepare to fight, everyone!"

It was an unequal contest at best, and that was putting it mildly. The Sandoras were better armed, better trained, and outnumbered the villagers two to one. Shana flung her items desperately, trying not to damage any of the village's property in the process. She was bruised and buffeted about, but no worse than that. She shut off the part of her brain screaming helplessly and focused instead on getting these bastards out of her home!

At first the crackling went unnoticed.

A loud moan rose from all the villagers as they realized that the Sandoras were flinging torches, fire items, anything of that sort onto the dry thatch roofs of the houses. Shana tried to douse the flames with her water items, but it was like trying to build a dam to hold the ocean.

A large piece of timber tumbled toward her from the house next to her and clubbed her firmly on the head. She staggered and fell, too dazed to keep to her feet.

Someone lifted her--a soldier? She was dimly aware that her light sleeveless shirt caught on the fastenings of light armour. He set her down on a hard, flat surface. She could hear voices, but they didn't make any sense to her.

"So, this is her," she heard. Something cool, yet intangible, brushed her forehead. She could sense bright light even through her closed eyes.

"Hm. Indeed. Put her in custody." Footsteps receded.

Iron chains locked around her wrists. Dazed, she tried to resist. They responded by pouring some thick, vile liquid into her mouth, and she had to swallow it or choke. Swallow it she did, and felt her thoughts growing fuzzier, her eyes heavy.

I hate sleeping potions...

~*~

Author's Note: Still a work in progress, so check back later for more ^.^;