A/N: Sorry for the lateness in an update and the shortness in this chapter.
Hunger clawed at her stomach, and it was becoming unbearable. It had been days since she had last eaten, there was nothing to hunt and even if there was, she had nothing to hunt it with. She was without a weapon or a simple knife and that proved troublesome.
Every bone and muscle in her body ached, either from all the walking she'd been doing or the ordeal she had been put through beforehand. It didn't really matter why she was in pain, only that she was. She often tried to put it out of mind, having other things to worry about one of those things being how she had come to be alone and lost.
Tiredness often crept in unexpectedly but she refused to sleep in the unknown expanse of trees and woodland. Rest would have to wait until she was safe in a town or village. Anything could attack her in the forest while she was sleeping.
She was deprived of the basic necessities.
Fire was unavailable because it was always raining and the canopy of trees still let water trickle through, leaving her wet and cold without a cloak.
Despair threatened to overthrow her control of her emotions, but she couldn't let that happen. She was alone and practically helpless. Fate was providing the luck that nothing had tried to face her with an attack, yet.
She feared for the person she had been with, the same person that had saved her from a life of endless torment. They had been together and then something had happened, it felt like death had swallowed them both then spat them out in different directions.
She had woken up on the bank of a flowing river, soaking wet to the skin and left with nothing. Had her boyfriend been left the same way?
Prue pushed her long hair over her shoulder as she continued walking through the maze of trees. The river was long ago behind her and she hoped to encounter a house or just a single person in the coming hours, but it looked unlikely.
Everything looked the same, the ground beneath her bare feet was a mix of grass and mud and all she could see was more trees she had to walk through. Animals were somewhat inexistent and she couldn't blame them, what creature would want to live in a place so gloomy?
There was never any sunshine to send the rain away and whether it was day or night, shadows were constantly present and played tricks with her eyes. She longed for the time when she would finally be out of this place.
She could quite easily slump to the floor and cry out the tears that she wished she could release, but there would be time for that later. First she needed to get somewhere dry and warm, have something to eat and figure out just what was going on.
Prue deeply sighed as she looked down at her hand where the ring Andy had given her sat comfortably on her finger. It was weird, having seen it in the river and then have Andy give it to her. If it was meant to symbolize something she didn't know. But it had come from Andy and that was all she cared about.
When she looked up she was surprised to see something glowing a gold color about 20 feet in front of her, it had appeared out of nowhere and now it was there... unless she was imagining it.
Slowly and quietly she approached the 'thing' making her breathing relax so that her heart beat wouldn't be so loud in her ears, it wouldn't be good to have to face whatever the thing was if she was stiff from nerves, that wouldn't help her in a fight. She needed to be ready to react quickly and with ease.
The glowing form that looked like it was floating lowered to the ground and the brightness of it dimmed as Prue got closer.
"My child, don't be so frightened," a soft voice echoed through the trees making Prue immediately stop walking. Had the thing spoken?
Standing barely five feet away the glow evaporated and Prue's eyes widened when she saw a beautiful woman standing in white robes holding out a hand to her. Dark hair fell neatly to her trim waist and crystal clear blue eyes stared back.
"I've come to help you Prue, come with me," the thin but perfectly shaped hand remained held out. "You have nothing to fear."
Prue had trouble staying calm, where had this woman come from and how did she know her name? "B-but… I don't know who you are…you might be-" she faltered at saying the last word "evil." Hearing her own words made her realize how childish she sounded.
The hand returned and was left casually hanging at the woman's side. Her small smile withered and for an instant Prue feared she had offended the spirit-like lady. "That's what worries you? That I might be evil? An evil offering help?" She was only inches taller than Prue but when she made the final steps towards her, Prue felt very small.
She wanted to step back and run away but her feet wouldn't move, instead she had to suffer what this woman would do to her…
Prue hadn't realized she had closed her eyes until she felt a warm hand cup her cheek. Warmth was something she hadn't experienced for a long time.
"Is that what worries you?" The woman repeated but softer and quieter. Prue searched the woman's eyes, fearful of what to say, so the woman answered for her. "I know that's not what on your mind, but that you're thinking that you yourself are evil."
How could she know that? That was something personal, something secret, but something that hurt Prue more than a thousand knives cutting into her. "I am evil," she whispered but never let her gaze separate from the woman's eyes.
The hand left her face and instead picked up Prue's hand, the hand with the finger holding the ring. Slender fingers traced the bones leading to Prue's fingers and then stopped at the ring.
The woman's gaze never went to look at the ring though, as if she could see it without…seeing it.
"Someone who was evil would not be able to find this-" The woman started.
"I didn't find it, my boyfriend did," Prue said.
"Nor would an evil person be able to wear it," she whispered, and at that split second something flashed in those striking eyes. "Dear spirits, you are one of them."
Prue raised an eyebrow. "One of them? She skeptically asked. "One of who?. You've probably got the wrong person. This ring came from a river, and that is all."
"A river found only by those who have…" Sadness clouded the woman's face. It surprised Prue that this woman couldn't find the words to finish her sentence. She dropped Prue's hand and looked around at the landscape. "You must be freezing, let me take you to my house I'm sure I've got food and clothes to spare." She turned away and began walking.
Prue caught the woman's wrist lightly and turned her back. "A river found only by those who have what? What aren't you telling me? My boyfriend was there with me at the river if this involves him I need to know he is safe, please, finish what you were saying?"
The woman evaluated Prue and then sighed. "Your boyfriend was there because that is the last you will ever see of him. The river is only ever found by those who have been captured to be turned into an axel, and had…and had their souls stripped from them." She spoke with quiet anger and then held up her right hand, her finger also held a ring. "Those who are strong enough get a chance to live again, by the power of the ring…but there are few who get that opportunity."
"How many have found a ring?" Prue asked. "How many rings are there to be found?"
"I know of only two people who have come back to live, soulless, with only two rings in existence. You…and I," she finished with brutal finality. "I don't think anyone ever knew there was a second ring."
Prue was gob-smacked, speechless, dumfounded…hell there was no word to describe it.
"These rings, give us the power to rule the whole of Amory Tara. With these rings we are like goddesses."
Now that was a chilling thought…