Chasing light gets you away from darkness...

This is where we start. I charged at him, this was the first time my attack got through, his robe tore off by the arms, his skin dripping red over the soil under his feet; he covered his wound with his other palm and healed it in no time. I landed many hits and bruised him multiple times but he could heal himself almost immediately. I hate how his magic works so efficiently.

"As untrustworthy as ever, these slick flies." He was furious now. He assimilated a forceful gust of wind that took away with it all the faes and then disappeared. He just wanted to clear his way and he did it so efficiently that even if I tried I couldn't reach them.

By this time he must have understood that he can only win this battle using magic and he was not intended to go easy at all. Not that I wanted him to. As long as things were about hand-to-hand combat I had the upper hand but now that he's striking his cane around again, I had nothing to do but to try and evade. But that did not go for long. As I was jumping off the rock on the side of the lake I grazed the Willow's branch accidently with my daggers; the tree rumbled at that instant and I was snatched off the ground by one of its bough and the twigs furled in on my ankles tightly. I was hanged upturned.

"So this is still alive. Interesting!" He exclaimed at the sight of the willow moving.

It was rather peculiar because from the looks of it The Willow was too old and was supposed to be dead by now. This tree must be living unusual and perhaps, exceptionally long life. But that had to be least of my concerns now. I tried to free myself from its clutches but could not. I prayed to the forest spirit for cutting off a living willow but I had no other options left. I drew the blade from my waist and started cutting off the twigs one by one. I was sure Mage wouldn't attack me this instant because he knew as well as I that this willow was powerful and an acrimony to a Willow had never ended well.

But I was gravely mistaken. He shred off the branch of the Willow in one hit and I fell off to the ground. Sharp hissing I heard as I hit my head hard, and for a moment everything blurred around me. I resisted from closing my eyes but I was way off balance when him and his shadow I saw moving towards me. I put my foot back but I was still tangled up on the bough. Stumbling and losing my senses is only what I remember of the moment.

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Deep in darkness I saw flickering light. I am walking towards it, trying to catch the light that is running away from me. I am running, I can hear sound of feet around me, all around, probably running towards me. Am I being chased?

I lose the light and darkness embraces me.

The ground is shaking and a bright light appears on the far end of the void. Brighter and clearer. I am running towards it but I fell down again. The ground is shaking heavily as I'm trying to catch the light that's getting farther away from me. I can hear sounds- roaring, screaming, probably howling and shrieks? What was that another sound I heard? Some voice calling a name.

'Nyx'

'Nyx'

The light is getting farther away but I wouldn't let the darkness enclose me anymore. I try to hold my grounds and keep chasing. There are awful sounds on the outside and I don't want to hear them. But I want to go outside and see what is happening, who is shouting the name? There are too many noises and I cannot make out one of them. The darkness almost catches up to me.

"Come child, I accept your prayers." Someone said. I followed the sound and that is where I met her. Her hair falling down to the surface and her skin shined like silver. Her graceful face looked at me with tenderness of a mother's.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am the dryad attached to this Willow, I heard your prayers before you touched me with your blades so I forgive you." She walked towards me. "You are a kind girl, I can see your soul as pure and clear as Musgravite. Allow me to lend you my powers when you're in need of them. I shall assist you through your battles in this land when you call on me."

I looked awed at her. She offered me too much but how would I ever need it?

"Does that mean this darkness will be lifted soon?"

"No darkness stays for ever. Light always finds a way to get in."

"I heard someone calling a name, I wonder if that was you."

She looked at me and smiled, "That name belongs to you. You shall return to them for you are very much needed out there. Don't let the light get away the next time you see it."

I watched her walk away and with her went away the only light I would see for a long time.

There was a long period of me laying dormant in that void, at some point after she left I stopped hearing voices and I was relieved. I did not want to go out of here, it felt better staying here from all the chaos. No light had appeared again and I doubt I wished it would.

'Nyx'

I heard it again. The sound of the voice seemed too familiar to ignore. I wanted to hear more of it. More of him. Who was him? The light was there at last and it wasn't moving anymore. It was still, I had to get up to make sure I wouldn't miss this chance. I moved towards it. Close and closer. It seemed way within the reach. I might be able to grab it after all.

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