In Search of Auria (10 page)

"That is why I stole your sword and shield.
When I saw you sleeping under the tree early this morning, I took
the chance and stole your weapons. I thought I could wield your
blade, but I lack the skill.”

He knelt on the floor and bowed to me,
“Please, help us. I beg you to rid us from this evil." The other
children followed suit.

Now there was no way that I could turn my
back on them. I was their only hope.

"I will help you, I said lifting Richard by
the shoulder, “but we're going to need a heck of a plan to get rid
of her. If you say that she knows where you are all the time, by
now she probably knows I'm here, too."

“Well, what do you think we should do?”

I crossed my arms and put my veteran mind to
work. After some thinking, I had an idea. A dangerous one.

“Richard, you said that the monster only
comes for children, Right?

“Right.”

“So if I go out there to find her, she won’t
show herself to me because I’m an adult.”

“I guess. But, how will you confront her if
she won’t come for you?”

I stretched my arms and rubbed my hands
together, “Well, for that, I’m going to need a volunteer; the kind
that is young and meaty, and has the ability to not faint in the
face of danger.”

“Why do you need a volunteer?” asked
Richard.

“…It’s part of the plan…”

Suddenly, all the children slowly stepped
away from me.

###

The sun was about to set, and the chill of
the coming night had already crept in. The moisture in the air
clogged my nostrils. Everyone was in front of the house, including
Luc. He bravely volunteered for my plan. Naturally, Richard
volunteered first, but I thought he was too old for the Lamia’s
attention. I strapped my shield on Luc’s back and tied a rope
around his waist. He looked funny, the shield was too big for
him.

“You’re a brave kid for doing this,” I told
him, “You know that, right?”

“My brothers and sisters
are not of my own blood, but they are my family
.
I’d do anything for them, even
die.” His words stunned me. I didn’t know a statement like that
could come out of a child’s mouth. I would have said the same thing
if someone asked me about Auria.

Richard was behind me giving instructions to
the other children. He then came to me and said, “We’re ready.”

“Good,” I replied. I lit a torch and gave it
to Luc. He nodded and slowly walked away from the cottage and into
the forest. I followed at a distance and hid behind a beech tree. I
peeked to his direction, making sure he was all right. He kept
walking until he heard a noise in the bushes to his left. With a
swing of the torch, he dared and summoned the Lamia, “Come out, you
monster! I’m not afraid of you.”

After a few seconds, there was a hiss and a
grumble. She was coming. Luc gave a few more steps, and suddenly
screamed, “Oh, turd!”

That’s when I gave the signal, “Now!”

All the children pulled on the long rope I
tied around Luc’s waist. Since he had the shield on his back, he
simply fell and slid on the ground. The children ran, hauling Luc
behind. But in pursuit was the Lamia, shrieking as she made her
slippery dash. She got closer to him and he begged his friends to
pull faster. Luckily for him, I was right there. When he slid past
me, I twisted around the tree and swung my sword, slashing the
monster from its waist down to the tail. She stopped her pursuit
and hugged her side, leaning against a tree. My slash was good, but
it only gave her a shy bleed. She then lunged and smacked me with a
snap of her tail. I landed on the ground, and from there I got a
good look at the fiend. Her pale, gray human skin made her appear
ghastly. The eyes were shrouded by some animal hide, the nose was
up-right and pointy, and the lips were thin and blistered. Richard
was right about her clothing; it was made from what was left of the
trousers and blouses of her victims, covering the shoulders and
bosom. The snake half began just below the belly button, with rough
and long scales piercing out the human skin. They had the pattern
of dark blemishes with red, rippled stripes. I stood up as she
gnarled at me with all the hate in the world.

“How dare you come after these children, you
foul beast?” I roared.

“How dare you come between me and my dinner,
hunter?” she replied with a hiss.

“……Holy crap, it can talk!” I gasped. I
couldn’t believe the Lamia had spoken. I thought it was just a
monster with human shape, but words had actually come out of her
mouth. She lunged and pushed me back with both hands. Her sheer
force made me roll back like a rock down a hill. I must’ve hit
every root on the way because every bit of my skin hurt. I looked
up and saw her sniffing the air. That’s how she knew the very
position of the kids inside the forest! She couldn’t see, but she
caught their scent. Now she was using it on me.

She stopped sniffing and faced my way,
showing me her viper fangs. My sword laid on the ground between us.
I lost my grip while I rolled. I dashed for it; and the beast, for
me. She tried to clasp me with her arms, but I reached the sword
first. I skimmed past her and cut the tip of her tail off. She
shook and wiggled in pain.

“You insignificant fool, I’ll tear you
apart!” the Lamia barked. She raised her hands and her fingers
started to stretch and broaden. They got long and pointy, thinning
the skin and ripping it open. Within the blink of an eye, she had
grown sharp, bloody claws. And to make an example of what she
wanted to do to me, she grabbed the tree beside her and tore a big
chunk out of it.

“Huh, I guess that’s my cue.” I ran opposite
to where the children had gone to. The farther I could get the
fiend from them, the better.

I sprinted, hearing the Lamia’s rampage as
she pursued me. I had to run almost squatting to avoid hitting my
face with the low branches. When I finally managed through the
woods, I ended where I had met the children in the first place, in
the center of the circle of trees. There I turned, expecting the
beast right on my heels. But, she wasn’t there. Instead, I heard
her rustling among the surrounding bushes. I looked around with my
blade raised, prepared at all times.

“Why do you do this?” I asked. “Why do you
torment these children? They’re innocent; they have done nothing to
you?”

The rustling stopped, and I heard her hoarse
voice from my right.

“My children, my own children, were taken
from me. I was granted this form to share my sadness to the world;
to hurt it, to damage it. May it crumble, may it burn!”

Coming out of the shadows, the Lamia slid to
me with her claws raised. Sniffing the air one more time, she gave
one final roar, “If my children didn’t live to see the world, then
none will!”

She jumped and clawed her way to me. I tried
to deflect every slash, but she got more angry and relentless with
each swipe. I had to finish it soon, or I’d become shredded meat at
the end. I leapt forward and stabbed her deep in the belly. She
screamed and squirmed so violently, I lost grip of the handle. I
thought it was going to be enough the end it, but she didn’t fall.
She kept her balance, raising her head and hissing hard.

With no sword or shield, I unsheathed my
dagger. I waved it to keep her at bay, but my hope for success
turned sour. Before realizing it, she pinned me against a tree with
her mighty palm. She took the dagger and threw it away. Her hand
flattened my chest and the long claws sank into the skin of my
throat. I grunted as the tips drew the first drips blood.

“You shall die, hunter!” she bellowed.

It was then that Richard came to my rescue.
He jumped off from one of the trees, yelling his heart out and
wielding a frying pan. The Lamia let me go out of surprise, and
before she could react, Richard bashed her on the top of the head.
He landed wobbly and stumbled into the shrubs. The Lamia lost her
senses for a second, which gave me all the time I needed for the
kill. I ran to her dazed body and ripped my sword from her belly.
The pain returned her focus, but not in time to prevent her demise.
I stretched the sword back and with all the strength I had left, I
unleashed my fury.

The blade went from one side to the other,
cutting the monster in half and separating human from animal. The
cut snake tail shook uncontrollably on the ground, while the human
part moaned. She crawled to me with agonizing pain, stomping her
claws on the soil. The effort became slow and futile until she
finally moved no more. I let myself drop down against the tree and
gazed at the lifeless body.

Richard emerged from the bushes and looked
at the Lamia in disbelief, “I-It’s dead! You did it, it’s over at
last!”

I stared at him, and then glanced at the
frying pan lying on the ground, “A frying pan? Really?”

“Hey, it worked! Saved you, didn’t it?”

I laughed and enjoyed the victory. For now,
the forest would be a safer place for the children to live in.

When we returned to the cottage and gave the
good news to the children, all of them jumped and cheered. They
went out of their home, played, ran and wandered without any
worries or fears. It was night already, but with the Lamia taken
care of, they were finally free of her terror.

#

The next morning, I was in the living room
gathering my belongings, preparing to leave. Luc brought me my
sword and shield; one at a time since carrying both was too heavy
for him. Everyone else was out of the house. Then, Richard came in
from the yard.

“They’re so happy,” he said with a smile,
“No more worrying about that stupid monster.”

When he saw me with all my gear, he asked,
“Where will you go now, Erik?”

I walked over to the miniature of Balora on
the table and pointed, “I have to go to the capital, so according
to my map and your well-crafted model, I must pass through
Flama.”

“To Flama? Well, I know a shortcut to get
there. It’s the same one we took when we escaped the orphanage. You
can go straight from here, through the northwest region of the
forest,” he pointed a trail from the cottage to the town.

“The only downside is that the area is full
of barbweed. You’ll get a few scrapes here and there, but it is
definitely faster than the long and curvy forest route.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “This shortcut will
get me back on track. Well, I must go.”

“Wait, take this,” said Richard, handing me
the Book of Beasts.

“Why do you give it to me? What if something
else comes along to cause trouble?”

“I’ve read most of it,” Richard answered,
“and I think it’s better for you to have it. For a man like you
traveling throughout the country, a book like this may come in
handy. Plus, we have to reward you somehow.”

I accepted the book and placed it in my bag.
Richard showed me to the door and called the children to come,
“Everyone, Erik is leaving. Let’s say good bye.”

The kids gathered at the porch and waived,
saying, “Good bye” “Have a good trip!”

Luc came to my side and hugged me by the
waist.

“Thank you, Erik,” he said with a sob.

The others joined in with a group hug. I
raised my arms as they flocked around me. Their love and gratitude
made me think of my feelings toward Auria. I needed to find her; I
needed to talk with her, laugh with her. To simply be with her.

“Children,” I said, “All of you have each
other, and that is all you’ll ever need. Never let go of your love.
Never.”

I gave them my farewell and took off, more
determined than ever.

I traversed through the trail Richard told
me about to get to the town of Flama. He wasn’t kidding when he
said it was full of barbweed. Every thorn and tip of the tangling
vine pricked through my clothes and scratched my skin. Sometimes my
arm would get knotted with the barbs, and when I pulled free, my
other arm would tangle. It was so aggravating.

While trying to keep a cool head in the
difficult trail, a vine wrapped around my boot. I lost my balance
and fell forward, scratching my face with a dangling weed ahead.
The barbs cut into my cheek and drew blood. I cursed to the skies
as I stood to my feet! I ripped the weed off the tree and threw it
away. I was so angry, I started yelling and trashing my
surroundings. It was so hopeless. The more I trashed and swung
wildly, the more I hurt myself with the barbs. I stopped when the
pain stung too much. I calmed down and kneeled on the ground. The
sudden madness made me remember the last time I saw Auria. I was so
angry. I was so stupid…

*

The day after Erik slew the Great Corvus, he
went to the pond Auria told him about. An old shack was built
there, made of small branches and twigs. It didn’t seem strong
enough to withstand a storm, but that type of weather was unlikely
in the Forest of Agony. Erik peered inside, but there was no one.
He could only sit by the glowing water and wait.

After sitting quietly by the idle pond, Erik
started to feel a soft breeze. Wind would only come from the north,
but this one came from above. He looked up and saw Auria’s face
right on top of him.

“Boo!” She startled him. He almost fell in
the water. She laughed, floating in the air like if she were lying
flat on it. She flapped her wings so gently that Erik didn’t hear
them. They shone with a low green.

“You sneaky devil!” Erik fussed.

“Are you not a warrior? I thought you had to
be alert at all times.”

She gracefully landed by his side and sat.
Her wings folded together and laid behind her like a cape. She told
him that even though he had been banished from the Heights, her
people felt grateful for him slaying the Great Corvus. Erik didn’t
know how the words “banished” and “grateful” could be in the same
sentence, but he thought it was ok. As long as he could see Auria,
it was fine.