You'll always find a way if you look hard enough...

The ground began to tremble and the roots started emerging from the ground, I fall back before slicing my way through them, jumping and evading. I was overwhelmed by different elements that he incorporated in his attack, things coming at me in all directions and mostly I was just jumping around dodging and slashing before he stopped. He stopped and looked all around him.

"You can't be...." I may have uttered something when I realized what he was planning on doing, ".....serious."

He was waving his cane up in the air mumbling some incantations and the motion was enough for me to discern what he was up to. I rushed to veil myself with a protective charm before he could complete his summoning. I encircled myself and touched the earth to complete the spell but strong resistance to my magic kept me from doing it, I tried again but something was opposing my powers.

I remembered how I felt my powers nullifying in here but couldn't find the source yet. It was impossible to use magic. But there was no way I could fight them on my own.

He struck his wand to the ground and many wood nymphs and ariels gathered around him, "that young lady over there, I command you to secure her: alive or half -dead, or perhaps, almost dead. I'll pay you this bloodstone for the service."

The fae all glared at him, the bloodstone was a far too great a price for such an easy task; what did he want so much in me that he was ready for such a great offering? The weak pall I managed with my power wouldn't sustain their attacks for long, I needed to find another way.

I looked inside the vast stretch of trees standing firmly, and the next moment- I'm running. Running in any direction, any path that first emerges in front of me, I have never been to this part of the woods but it does not seem unfamiliar, I'm just running. Every time a group of faes block me I change the direction.

All the running with this heavy gear tired me but there was no way I could stop. We've been running around, while his evil laugh roared around the forest, I could not think of anything. I was told running from your problems was easier than facing them but in my situation neither was easy.

How do I get out this? You are not even giving me time to sit and think about it, I shouted.

I stopped. This ought to work. This is the only way that could work, I had thought it all through by now. As I stopped running, all the faes now crowded around me. They started closing in on me. I gave in. I sat down on my knees and let them take me, "tie my wrists and let me be, I can go myself. Just show me the way since I have already lost the direction," I said and let them do their work. This was the only way I could prevent them from using their power over me without hurting them to save myself.

"Why would you do this?" One of them asked, "You could've easily attacked any of us to save yourself."

"It's a sin to kill a fae creature. Only faeries are allowed to kill other faeries. It would not do to get away with such a gruesome act and rule a kingdom. Do you not think so too?"

"You are going to get killed anyway!" said another, in a mocking way.

"I believe not." I smiled and it looked at my face as if I had said something surprising. "While we are at it, tell me, what do you think of the scent of crepuscule...." I continued talking to them on our way back.

It was a long walk back, I might have been flying around more than I thought. By the time I reached the edge, the Mage and his shadow were not there. I looked up at the faes and they told me that he'll be back soon.

"Oh, so now I have to sit and wait for my abductor while he is on some important business around the woods? Interesting. Maybe I'll also go walk around some more." I gave a loud sigh.

"Halt now, I believe that was enough running around for a day." He appeared out of nowhere, looked at me and grinned as he saw my tied wrists. "Now let me look at that face."

The moment he held out his hand to touch my face I bit him, his palm started bleeding. He shrieked and stepped back. The shadow was on my throat again, this time really closing in, I was suffocating. The mage struck his cane hard on the ground and the shadow let loose, drawn back to his master.

"Serpents tend to bite when they feel threatened. It is nothing unusual. But it is time you should stop identifying yourself as one." He said as he grabbed my chin. "There is so much to take away from you. You can make me the most powerful mage to have ever lived. And in return, I will make you the Queen of my newfound Kingdom. You can still swear your loyalty to me."

"Aren't you a bit too delusional? I can't see which part of me made you feel I'll ever comply with your vile visions." I said as I freed myself from his hold.

He digged into his pocket and extracted a green bloodstone, he held it out for them and bowed to thank them for the service. He was on me again. Taking my hands, he murmured some enchantments and a chain started conjuring up my wrists. Shinning silver chains that will soon join him and me, this was the cue. It is Now or Never.

"Ariels, this is where we're starting. Assist me with your magic in this fight." I shouted at them. All of them crowded and closed in on me. The next moment I was free and all my gear had been restored.