- What's even the point of that – Selene sighed, shaking her head in boredom.
She was slowly walking through dense forest. The air, thick with the intoxicating perfume of pine and earth with nothing else around, only her and trees in her sight. She hated being sent for patrolling. She's only done that three times so far, but each of them felt no different from each other, nothing ever happened, which made each passing second feel like a reluctant march through endless monotony. The only enjoyable part of it was spending time with her friend, who now went deeper into the forest, as she felt the call of nature, leaving Selene alone on the path.
A few meters into her walk, she took a look at a tree log lying on the ground in front of her and decided to sit down and wait, not wanting to leave her friend too far behind. The rays of sunlight painted a gentle mosaic on her face as she was sitting and fiddling with a blade of grass. In the hush of rustling leaves and bird songs, a subtle disruption crept into her ear from behind.
She glanced over her left shoulder, but saw nothing. "A squirrel" she thought and rested her elbows on her thighs, with her chin put on palms. Just a few seconds later, unidentified noises reappeared, but this time they could be heard all around. Selene stood up immediately, her body straightened when the forest fell silent, as if it was trying to listen to the mysterious voices itself. All that could be heard now, were the echoes of branches cracking under the weighed of an undetected being, revealing someone sneaking through the shadows. She started studying her surroundings, but still couldn't spot anyone or anything.
- Lux? - the girl yelled into the void, getting no reply, what made a chill go down her spine. The noises kept encircling her, becoming louder and more frequent. - Show yourself or you'll regret it!
From the shadows of the forest emerged a mysterious humanoid figure, face still covered as the sun wasn't able to reach their face or body. As the girls eyes widened in concern and her eyebrows lifted, the stranger started walking briskly towards her, making her step back and lift her hand up in front of her.
- Stay there – she shouted in high-pitched voice.
- Or I will regret it? – said the stranger, now identified as a young man. He continued moving forward, ignoring what the woman had said.
- I said don't move! – yelled again Selene, this time more confidently, her chin lifted, shoulders back. – You're not allowed to be here. You'll go with me now, turn around and move your hands back – ordered, still keeping her palm open in front of her, facing the stranger. He casted a mocking gaze on the anxious girl, sneering at the sight of the fear flooding her face as she tried to appear confident. The maturing of the day and approaching of dusk made the whole scenery look even more spine-chilling, more and more shadows were emerging as sun rays couldn't make it through the tree crowns anymore.
The unknown man kept on moving towards Selene, as she was slowly losing her inner strength and confidence. She felt she needed to protect herself, the man didn't seem to have good intentions. While extending her right hand in front of her, she summoned the might of her magical power, creating a strong gust of wind which she then forced forward against the emerging stranger. To her surprised, he sleekly sidestepped as if guided by unseen intuition, swiftly dodging the magical strike, soundlessly appearing right behind her with a corner of his mouth lifted. Frightening thoughts raced through her mind. On the spur of the moment, she bent her arm and fiercely pushed it back, but instead of meeting the man's stomach, as intended, it stopped right in his palm. All her actions predicted as if every though of hers was transparent. She froze at the moment.
- Okay, since your temper has already subsided and you started to notice in what position you are, it's time to teach you some lessons – he began, while bending the mage's arm behind her back, doing the same with the other one next. - Lesson number one, – his hand ran through her blonde hair. He clenched his fist and pushed the girl's head back, her ear right next to his mouth - don't wander around the forest alone after dusk. Not everyone in as polite as I am.
- Lu... – tried to scream Selene, but again her action was interrupted by the stranger, who quickly let go of her hair and covered her mouth with a hand, stopping her midsentence.
- Okay, that's lesson two.. Be a good witch and don't interrupt when I'm speaking – whispered right into her ear, holding her arms behind her tightly. - Understood? – he asked. The woman nodded her agreement. - Good girl – he moved his hand and placed it on her arms. - So what is an unarmed girl doing here all alone at this time?
- I don't need to be armed to protect myself – she grunted.
- You sure of that? I didn't even try to catch you. I expected more from a witch who's alone in the forest. – he spoke in a mocking manner. - What are you doing here?
- Introduce yourself first – Selene ordered. A silent breath-like laughter escaped his mouth.
- Oh, still pretending to be brave while your body is shaking like a beaten dog – a muscle in her jaw twitched with annoyance at the taunt she received. - My name is Kayn, that's all you need to know. Is your curiosity satisfied? – he asked rhetorically. - Now my question, why are you here? Who's with you?
- I'm here alone – she lied not wanting to give away her friend. - Those are our grounds, I have all the rights to be here, unlike you.
- Little liar – stated Kayn, sensing a lie. - I heard you calling for someone earlier. Obviously such a weak witch wouldn't walk here alone, no one would let you, they're not stupid. Okay, enough of that, I don't need you. Go back to your friend and don't stay here alone. Next time I meet you, I might be in a bad mood.
Saying that the man let go of the girl's arms as he pushed her forward with a bit of force that drove her a few steps ahead. He turned back on his foot and began to march in the opposite direction, the distance between them widening, leaving Selene standing on the middle of the path, staring blankly at Kayn.
- You'll not get away with it like that! – she yelled. In an unexpected rush of adrenaline and determination, she waved her hand in front of her as if throwing something, summoning her magical power again, unleashing a forceful leash of air intended to stop and immobilize the guy. Just like before, he swiftly eluded the grasp of magic, leaving it to disperse against a tree. He faced the woman with his eyes squinted. A sign of annoyance visible on his face, subtly admitting that her choice sparked a bit of frustration within him. The forest stayed silent, as the woman swallowed loudly. She couldn't believe his intuition was this infallible, she began regretting her decision, seeing the dark figure standing in the shadow.
- I think it will be the other way around. You shouldn't have done that. I'll make you watch out for any shadow you see as much as you'd never thought you could.
As he started approaching her, Selene felt the fear arising inside of her, forcing her to move backwards, but he was way faster. Once only a few steps were separating them his body dematerialized, transforming into something looking like a shadow spirit, which rapidly dashed to her infiltrating her body, sending her shivers of panic.
- Ughh... – she burst out a loud breath of strong confusion. - What's that.. – she question in fear and even though it caused no physical pain, she collapsed on the ground, landing on her fours, breathing heavily. - Stop it! – she screamed aloud.
Facing the forest floor, with the shadow intruder withing her body, she was flooded by loud whispers and echoes penetrating every corner of her mind. The melody of unseen noises intensified her fear making her fall on her elbows, with her hand on her ears vainly trying to stop the voices. Time seemed to stop for eternity, her stomach tightened, throat squeezed so firmly it was almost impossible to let any sound escape her mouth.
After a moment, the shadow-like figure withdrawn from her shaking body, converting back into his human form. Kayn began retreating, leaving a thunderstruck mage on the ground, still unable to move after a surreal experience.
- You should now fear the shadows – he lectured as a way of saying goodbye and disappeared into the darkness of the forest, leaving the girl unable to even move her head up and see which way he went.
Selene left on the ground slowly started getting a grip of what had happened during her encounter with the mysterious stranger. The deepening darkness of the incoming night added a chilling tone to her surroundings. Slowly getting herself up, she scanned the woodland looking for any traces that the man could have left. She was standing alone on the dark forest path, the only light coming from fireflies circling around. Left with fear and unanswered questions, she instantly started moving towards the way she had earlier come from, hoping she would make it to her place. Just a few minutes later, she noticed a ball of light floating above the ground between trees. She sighted in relief and started running towards the source of light.
- Lux! – she yelled, still running. Same did her friend, who hearing the call moved rapidly in her direction as well, making them meet together a few seconds later.