/=|= The Lost Raven =|=\

06

"An Egyptian Enchantment"

Tira skipped happily along the forest road humming a happy tune to herself. She passed a couple travelers. Usually in wagons coming the other way. She didn't stop for them, nor they for her, but she would wave and offer a chipper "hi" but few would respond. Little kids would smile at her, but rarely adults. At best adults would tip their hats solemnly, but most would sneer or ignore her altogether. How come adults didn't smile as much? Aren't they ever happy?

Most of the time, though, Tira was alone with nature. Birds chirped, insects hummed, squirrels and other little animals poked their heads out of their hiding places to watch as she went by. Every now and again she'd stop abruptly and lunge towards the tree line yelling "Boo!" then giggle as all the animals scurried away. But it wasn't to scare them. Oh no, she'd never scare them. It was a game, and it was fun! The animals would always come back out to play another round or two! That town in the far distance slowly crept towards her taking seemingly forever, but now she didn't much care anymore. She was having fun playing with the animals. People never played fun games with her. Why was that?

It didn't seem very long before the sun started to set on the Western horizon. Golden light filtered through the forest, stretching the shadows to freakishly long lengths and distorting them to horrifying proportions. The sky was blood red. Per usual, her raven friends signaled her that something was ahead, and sure enough she saw him on the side of the road by what looked like a broken down cart. Something about him sent a shiver down her spine. She didn't slow her pace, or quiet her song, but she stayed alert as the uneasy feeling in her gut only intensified. When she got closer, sure enough the axel was busted and two of the wheels lay beside the useless vehicle. But strangely, the cart looked empty except for a few blankets. The cart was weathered, sunk in the mud, and had a layer of grime and twigs and stuff on it as though it had been abandoned long ago.

This isn't right.

"You're late, Tira."

She stopped in her tracks, preparing herself for anything, "how do you know my name?" Wait! "Are you with the Bird of Passage?" So full of anticipation, so eager to have her guild back, she abandoned her caution and raced forward, "Are they—"

The man stepped forward, and from beneath the blanket he produced a scythe that he swung. Tira saw the weapon, could have avoided the blow (and should have) but the shock of building up her hopes and having them come crashing down bludgeoned her reaction time. The scythe whipped behind her knees, and in one violent motion ripped her off her feet (but didn't scratch her fair skin). She landed on her rear end in a seated position, looking rather pitiful with a confused and bewildered look on her face.

Her attacker wasted no time, immediately following up the sweep with a kicked aim squarely at her pretty face. Tira's senses returned to her at the last moment, and she flattened herself against the ground so his foot passed safely over her. The butt-end of the scythe came down upon her, but she rolled safely to the side, rising up to spring away. But before she could launch herself, that damn scythe blade hooked around her body again, and pulled her right back. His foot came smashing down followed by the butt of the scythe, and again she successfully avoided the merciless bludgeoning. Again, she tried to scamper away, and again right as she reached out for freedom she felt the scythe blade against her belly as it dragged her right back to her starting place.

Three times that blade had pressed against her bare flesh. Three times now he could have sliced her and ended her had he wanted to. Is he playing with me? It didn't feel like a game. If it were, it wasn't one she liked. He wants me alive for some reason, but why? Maybe he had a weird fetish where he liked to bash girls, but not cut their pretty faces? Ugh! What a freak! She avoided the stomps and bludgeons yet again, but this time as Tira rose she didn't try to flee. This time she answered his assault with one of her own. Her hands flew, aiming for his eyes.

But his dark skinned hand clamped over her face, and Tira saw a strange light emanate from his palm as he began chanting something. She felt her nails connect with his cheeks, thrown off from their target by his … whatever the hell he was doing. Tira retracted her talons, corrected their trajectory, and launched another attack for his eyes. But the light from his hand intensified, and a pulse of energy shot through her body and Tira couldn't move.

Wha … ?

His chanting grew louder, and now it seemed to echo in her head like there was three of him standing around her. Her arms and legs felt weak, and she felt woozy, sleepy. It felt like there someone standing behind her, arms wrapped around her, caressing her and whispering in her ear something soothing, something disarming, something enchanting.

"What … are … you …"

Another pulse of energy shot through her body, and Tira's limbs felt even heavier. She dropped her arms to her sides. More voices in her head, all variations of this stranger's, all repeating the same chants at different intervals. Some soothing, some commanding, all overpowering. The forest was gone. The sunset was gone. Her friends were gone. Tira was alone in an abyss of glowing green light. His hand had a death grip over her face, and all she could see was the magical glow which grew brighter and brighter as the spell took more and more hold.

"Ugh … doing … to …"

Another pulse of energy. Tira fell to her knees. She didn't want to fight anymore. It was too much. The voices, the light, the shadows caressing her. They were alone, but there was an army of him. He only touched her faced, but she felt his hands all over her body. He only spoke with one voice, but she heard a thousand. He was everywhere and everything. She was just Tira. She was nothing.

"… me … ?"

And before the next pulse of energy could course through her body, Tira gave up. She collapsed into a heap, lying motionless at her attacker's feet. The three ravens circling overhead cried out in unison seeing their friend crumble.

Zasalamel rolled his victim over with his foot, and stared down at her prone form. "That was it?" He shook his head in disgust, "I wasn't expecting much from you and your feeble mind, but you still managed to disappoint. Now I see why in my visions 'the Nightmare' does not bother claiming your soul. I can only hope my enslavement spell didn't completely fry that shred of consciousness that passes for your mind and render you a vegetable." From beneath his cloak, he produced a canteen and took a sip. Then he let the water trickle down upon her face, muttering to himself, "I don't know why I bothered with magic when a shiny rock would've enchanted you into undying obedience." And as the defeated girl stirred, Zasalamel commanded, "on your knees slave."

Without hesitation, Tira pushed herself to her hands and knees and then weakly rose as commanded. She stayed motionless with her hands at her sides, staring straight ahead without seeing anything. The Egyptian circled her, waving his hand in front of her face, studying her steady calm breathing and her unfocusing eyes. After a few circumferences, he backhanded her, but she gave no reaction. Her head turned to the side from the momentum, and then she straightened out from the blow. Her eyes still vacant. His hand flew again, but stopped just short of her cheek, and Tira didn't flinch nor blink. She was his, now. Completely and totally his.

"I've lived through more lifetimes than you've lived through days. Across those thousands of years, I've encountered a legion of worthy, even remarkable, warriors who've become forgotten with time. Their accomplishments cursed to vanish into the void of nothingness on account of petty circumstance." Zasalamel began, circling her again. Seeming to grow more and more impatient and disgusted every moment he was around her. "And now as if to taunt me, fate has chosen the most worthless creature to play a key role in my plans. Strong souls? He will absorb and grow more powerful. Worthy souls? He will devour immediately as so they pose no further threat. But you, Tira … no strength can be siphoned from your weak soul, and you pose no threat. He will let you live as his servant because of your weakness.

"Seriously, I've seen animals with more mental resilience than you." He kicked the enslaved girl square in the back, forcing her down to all fours. "Stay down there where you belong. You have the mental capacity of a dog, so that's how you shall be treated. That's what you are. That's what you'll always be."

Staring at the ground, Tira could only obey. "Yes, master."

"You're not allowed to speak, dog. You will acknowledge your commands by barking. Understand?"

Tira barked.

Satisfied, Zasalamel started walking down the road. He snapped his fingers and summoned his new pet, "Come, worthless dog. We have work to do."

Again, Tira barked, and once again Tira crawled, powerless under the Egyptian's spell as they stalked 'The Nightmare.'

Writer's Note:

For this story, I imagine Tira looking like my version of her from SCIV's editor. Link to My Tira pictures located in my profile. (I would link here, but won't let me for some reason.)