Saralene

"Alby!"

Luther screamed as the ball rolled down the hill and into the thick of the forest line.

Two young boys hurried along as their favorite rubber ball disappeared from their sight.

"Alby Why did you not catch it?"

Alby huffed as he caught up to Luther, the boys started curiously into the dark forest. It seemed as if all light was cut off. The very green grass abruptly replaced by a thicket of thorns and bush.

"I was looking at the butterflies, I didn't see you throw it."

Luther flinched when his royal tunic was ripped by an branch outcropping. He shrugged it off as he kept his eyes glued to the floor.

Alby surveyed the tall mysterious trees, they loomed hundreds of feet above them.

"Luther, I think we should go get King James or one of the knights, it's scary in here."

Luther examined an awkward shaped bushling,

"My dad would not care about stuff like this, he will scold us and go on about his business."

Alby hunched over to see a few rabbits scurry away,

"Okay then one of the knights. We aren't allowed in here."

The blonde hair boy chuckled as he saw Alby shake uncontrollably,

"You need to grow up Alby and stop being a wuss. We do what we please."

Alby hesitantly nodded.

"Your dad is a HallowKnight for god's sake, act like it."

Alby sniffled, he noticed how far they were getting from the courtyard.

"Hey I see it Alby!"

Their gazes locked onto the red sphere sitting neatly on a pile of leaves. Almost too neatly.

"Sir Luther, Alby, where are you?!"

A knight came sprinting down the same hill. The knight peered into the forest.

"Sir Luther, are you in there?!"

Alby grabbed Luther by the collar,

"We should go."

Luther pulled away,

"It is right there, It won't be long."

The knight clutched his head as he kept surveying the forest.

"Just ignore him."

Luther kept his pace as he came to the clearing.

Seven trees formed a perfect circle and oddly, the ball was placed in the midst.

"Luther look,"

Luther sighed as he turned to Alby, the boy pointing at something.

He followed his finger onto one of the few trees, weird markings carved into the bark.

Luther starred at the marking,

"Woah, what are these?"

Alby took a step back, he did not like the look of that.

The two boys started to notice that all of the trees in the forest had the same markings, all of them.

Luther found himself shaking as well.

"Okay let's get it and go,"

Alby turned to head back when he hit something. He fell on his rear end and Luther turned to see what it was.

A figure in all black robes stood before them.

"Hello little ones, what brings you so far into Locke Woods?" It was a woman's voice.

Silence.

"I take it you must be scared, do not fret young ones."

She remove her hood to reveal perfectly smooth pale skin, purple hair that rested on her left shoulder, and ominous green eyes.

"My name is Saralene, you can call me Saral for short."

Alby pushed himself to his feet,

"We just came to get our ball."

Luther nodded as he swirled to pick it up, it was no longer there.

"You mean this one?"

The enchanting woman held the rubber ball out toward Alby.

The two took a step back in fear.

Saralene chuckled a beautiful but sinister laugh.

"It seems I have gone to far."

She pushed it against Alby's chest.

Luther hurried to Alby's side, a confidant grin on his face.

"Thank you madam, I am King James' first and only son, Luther. I will have you paid a great amount for your generosity."

Saralene closed her eyes and tilted her head,

"Generosity?"

Luther held a thumbs up,

"My dad told me there was a scary witch who roamed these woods. He said if I came in here I would most likely die."

Saralene smiled as she opened her eyes,

"Is that so?"

Alby realized what Luther said, the cogs in his mind spinning.

"Luther sh-"

Alby pushed Luther aside as a blast of green energy shot downward. It connected with Alby's shoulder which sent him spiraling backwards.

Luther fell face first into a blackberry bush.

"Alby what do-"

He noticed his friend's still body.

Saralene licked her lips as she pounced on Luther.

"I would eat you in seconds but your tongue saved your life. I will come for you later son of King James."

She laughed as the horror on Luther's face answered her.

She stepped away and vanished.

Luther looked on in fear, the forest now quiet once again.

"Alby!"

He came crashing to his side, the idea of his best friend being hurt.

"Alby say something!"

He turned his friend over to see him bleeding.

A burn mark from his left cheek down to his shoulder, his clothes smoldering.

"What the hell is going on?!"

A group of a few knights stood behind Luther, staring at the scene before them.

"Help him please, or I will have you beheaded!"

The knights quickly took his friend and carried him down the same path they came.

Luther hastily followed, not daring to look back.

Right before they came out onto the greenery, a voice tickled the back of Luther's neck.

"Nice seeing you, Prince Luther."

It was followed by sickening laughter.