The world all but gives out from underneath my feet, adrenaline rushing through my veins and making every nerve flair and ache.

    "Seca Lo Mon!"

    The words filtered the darkness as my body connected with harshly to solid ground. The wind snapping out of my lungs as a hands turned me onto my side.

    "Shit! Sorry! I- I forgot not that many people take dips. Breath, just breath."

    Through blurry eyes Lonán has removed his hood, a dark cloth being the only thing to cover pale, green orbs, almost as though he was blind, pale fingers sending sparks against my body as the burning sensation of cold air dove back into my lungs. Coughing roughly, and blinking away the sudden tears I turn to push myself off the ground.

    "Take your time. You'll hopefully get use to it." Holding my arm, he helps lead me over to the nearest tree where I catch my breath, as shaky as it was. Every nerve still on high alert as Lonán disappears from sight.

    Taking one last deep breath, I turn my head in the direction Lonán had most likely wondered and gather up my shield and mace from the ground. Finding his boot prints in the sinking mud, I soon find him ducked down with his hood up behind a fallen log.

    "Get down!" He ushers me, and I do so seeing before me a wide almost poorly built shelter, high trucks walls, swaying walkways from tree to tree, and within the center standing as tall as all the others—

    "It's the Eldridge Grove..." Lonán whispered finger flexing as the tingle of magic subtle as it was seemed to wisp by us and through the dirt, shifting like vines till Lonán balled his fist. "Can't you feel it. They're taking it away."

    Shaking my head, I could barely understand what he meant as two guards step out from double trunk gates, pushing up dirt as several carts where ushered out. Grabbing Lonán by the arm I yank him behind a cart, and push him in.

    "What are you—" Throwing my hand over his mouth shuts him up immediately as the cart moved, jutting against the ground as it rolled into the camp.

    Stopping suddenly a raider, covered in dirt, exhaustion in his eyes catches mine and for a moment I am prepared to swing. But, he just nods at us pulling the cloth tarp over us and turning around.

    "ALL CLEAR!" He shouts, throwing his arm up in a half-hearted wave.

    After a long minute of movement the cart finally comes to a stop, darkness surrounded us, the chatter of others dying down until all that was left was the exhausted breathing.

    "Why would he do that?" Lonán finally speaks, pushing the tarp up off of us. Revealing other carts and discarded supply boxes, each marked with a different item.

    "Perhaps he wishes for this 'war' to end quickly? Wouldn't you?"

    Snapping in the direction of the voice, mace and shield raised. Sharp predatory eyes watch us from the rafters.

    "Who are you?!" Lonán snaps, as I step between them the orders of my king playing once more in my mind as the shadowed figure smirks down at us.

    Sharp canines visible as they hop down, a visible fox-like tail sways to cover one leg.

    "I am Zinta, the mother of the grove, and you young one?"She questions back, her voice almost like an autumn breeze. Pulling her hood back to reveal silken bark brown hair, two matching fox ears, and forest green eyes, the definition of beauty.

    "I am Lonán the Mage of Tyche those of chance, and this is my bodyguard?" He motions towards me, "Asterin, he's not much of a talker but his King is the ruler of Alectrona."

    "The city of the sun?" Zinta questions, eyeing me as Lonán nods.

    "Pretty much." He responds, "And—"

    Lonán's words are cut short as the double barn doors are flown open, and six men surround us. Their weapons drawn, from bows to swords, itching to draw their next kill.

    "PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND YOUR WEAPONS DOWN!" 

    "Oh no..." Lonán mumbles, backing up his fingers flexing as he looks to me. "Don't let them touch you."  

    Confused I keep my shield in place, turning from Zinta to the raiders finding each one with veins of bulbous black, their lips and eyes a near match as the supposed ringleader steps in front of them.

    "Kyrell!" Lonán shouts as dark vines shoot out of the ground pulling each man a good few feet into the dirt until a loud ringing noise ripped through the air. Lonán dropping to his knees as he grabs his head a silent scream pulling from his hidden features.

    "Silence worm!" Zinta's voice glides through the air and with a look of shock against the mans face each of them drops the dark ooze slipping from the open mouths like drool. "Impotent little thieves, I have only let you get this far to see what would happen. But now, now I see that you humans are still no good."

    "W—what did you do?" Lonán questions, taking a large gulp of air as I bend down to help him up.

    "Quieted the mess. I have let these 'Humans' play their game for far to long within my home."

    "You could have done sooner?! Their are people outside your grove dying because of this?! Why not stop it sooner!!" Lonán shouts anger filtering every word as he pushes off my arm, staggering over to Zinta.

    "Do you know what its like, every day watching the same thing, over and over again? You have to spice things up a bit every thousand year or so." Her once almost kind gaze dropping to one of annoyance. "They have brought me my entertainment. So I am done with them." She sneers, turning away from us and stalking out to the body covered ground.

    Ever last person now like a puppet cut from its strings, it was all so sudden.

    "But... why?"

    "Did you not listen little mage?" Zinta questions, her voice snappy like a mother scolding its child. "I.Was. Bored. Get it?"

    "I heard you. I just can't believe you! Why would you let thousands of people die for the sake of entertainment? It's not worth it!" Lonan shouts, throwing his hands out as he rushes to follow her. "What is the logic? Are you just ST— AGH!"

    Fingers swings to grab his throat as though an invisible force was choking him, lifting him off the ground a bit.

    Swinging my mace down in front of Zinta causes her to stagger back, eyes training from Lonán to me, and with a wicked smirk and a flick of her wrist I was sent flying. Hard splintered wood digging into the cracks of my armor as my body finally comes to a stop.

    "Your so lucky you don't have to deal with this, this boredom..." Lifting her hand to her brow she lets sigh fall from her lips.

    That is before an arrow snapped by, piercing into her shoulder and sending her wheeling back. Dropping Lonan to the ground a woman's voice shouted from above.

    "Take that you trickster!!" 

    Looking up the woman from the village is knelt down, another arrow drawn.

    "You stole everything!!" She shouts, releasing the arrow into the air. Flying across the wind before disappearing entirely. Only to plant itself into Zinta's gut, a loud screech ripping from her throat.

    "You think I am the Trickster? Your the one that abandoned them!" Zinta shouted, "I only took up the slack!" She sneers a wicked smile pulling across her fair features. "Besides... you would have done the same with how boring those people where!" The horrid laugh that pulled past her throat made my very blood chill.

    "You are no better then those demons..." Reaching behind her another arrow all but materializes into her fingers.

    "Then let us see who is worthy to be called The Goddess of the Grove!!"