Sorceress
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my characters and my storyline (so in actual fact, I suppose I do own something . . . . .)
Chapter Four:
They did not walk far before tragedy hit.
"No!"
Sari's shriek of anger and hurt pierced through the night. Nardi grabbed her hand and pulled her far away from where she could see Garat writhing in the sand.
"Mother, its on top of him – that thing is crawling all over him!"
"Sari, look at me!" Even in her grief Nardi was commanding. "There is nothing you can do. Garat has gone mad . . . " Here a sob escaped her lips. "Can you not see him? Do you not see that he has taken leave of . . . . ."
Nardi collapsed and released her hold on her daughter. Sari ran towards her father, the ghostly outline of the Demon Lord who had haunted her since childhood firmly pressed onto his stomach, claws scraping at his neck.
"Father, no!" She screamed over the wind, which picked up and carried the sounds across the vast expanse of desert. She collapsed next to her father, and attempted to pull the Demon Lord off him.
"Sari, no," Garat whispered, his face pale with pain.
A voice behind him made Sari look behind her. The shaman, Azzhi Noret, appeared just above the dune in her vision, holding his staff and appealing to the heavens. He and some of the warriors of the tribe began to run towards her and her father, who was slowly losing consciousness, but still fighting the demon Lord's rough grip.
A whimper of pain brought her attention back to Garat, who was speaking again.
"Sari, I should have told you sooner, and for that I am ashamed. Sari, you have a great gift. You must use it. You must . . . . ."
But exactly what Sari must do was lost as Azzhi Noret and his followers arrived. The shaman pointed his staff at Garat and began to intone a spell, one which triggered Sari's memory . . . . . . .
Flashback
. . . . Azzhi Noret stood in the middle of the Bloody Hawk's meeting area, staff outstretched to point at a man of the tribe. The man had his eyes closed and was rambling gibberish . . . ..
End Flashback
Azzhi Noret continued to speak the words of the spell, as Garat began to shake.
Flashback
. . . . . Azzhi Noret intoned the spell.
Nardi whispered in Sari's ear. "He is mad. Azzhi Noret is speaking the spell to release him from the evil embrace"
Suddenly the man knelt on the floor toppled over, and he died . . . . .
End Flashback
Sari jolted back to the present, as Azzhi Noret began the ritual phrase to end spells. She slammed her body onto his.
"No! You cannot do this!"
Azzhi Noret's head slammed into the sand, and he lost consciousness. A warrior picked Sari off the floor and held her tight against her will. She attempted to fight him off, but eventually succumbed to his hands tightly gripping against her arms. She peered around her and saw Nardi running towards Garat. She also saw the Demon Lord smile menacingly towards her, then leap for Nardi.
Sari screamed as the Demon Lord entered her mother's body and stopped her heart. She could hear the Lord's laughter and mocking voice in her head and she looked between her father and her mother, both lying motionless in the sand.
"Gotcha now, darling," whispered the Demon Lord in her head, as Sari lost consciousness.
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When Sari awoke, she found herself in the tent of Halef Seif. The tent's owner stared at her gently before smiling and offering her a cup of water. Sari sat up and accepted the cup, grimacing as she felt the water hit her sore throat.
"What h . . . ." She stopped to cough. Sari tried again, "what happened?"
Halef Seif smiled sadly at her. "I'm sorry, Sari, but both your parents are dead. It is a miracle that you survived."
His voice dropped a tone or two as he continued.
"Sari, I do not know what happened, or why. However, Azzhi Noret is dead, your parents are dead, and it would appear that nightmares your father kept from you to keep you safe have found you. Sari, you have a powerful Gift, one which, before his death, Azzhi Noret told me was dangerous. However, the Gods have chosen to grant me a vision of your future, that you might be better guided."
He paused, and took a sip from his own cup.
"Sari, I have seen a great deed which you will do before you die. This task will bring many groups who have been warring together and it will strengthen us all. But it will cost you, the most precious thing you have in your life. You must leave here . . . . ."
At this, Sari reacted.
"Where will I go? If my magic is as powerful as you say, should I not be trained?"
She realised her mistake as soon as she spoke her words, and looked down, abashed.
"Sari, I am sorry, but we cannot train you. Even though our own Shaman is dead, you are a woman. You cannot bear that responsibility. You must leave the Bloody Hawk as your parents wished and go elsewhere."
Sari began to protest, but Halef Seif overrode her.
"No, Sari, you must go. I am sorry, we cannot have you here. Already the people call for your death because of your role in Azzhi Noret's death. If you die, the future will be disastrous for Tortall. No, you must go."
Halef Seif ended all further conversation by rising to his feet. He offered his hands to Sari and helped her up.
"I am sorry it had to end this way, Sari," he murmured before opening the tent flaps.
Sari slowly walked out of the tent and began, once again to walk away from the village that she had once called her home.
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A/N: Another chapter for you lovely people. Please R&R!