Chapter 3: Alena

Arkus continues his journey through Black Lake, but encounters what he never thought possible.

Chapter 3: Alena

As Arkus felt his consciousness slipping away, he pulled his dagger from its hiding place and slashed at his attacker. He didn’t know where he hit it, but he felt it release its grip on him. He fell back to the ground and rolled on the forest floor to get far from his attacker. Arkus stood up and turned to see that his attacker had been cut across the chest, black blood spilling from the wound, staining the old clothing. The beast screamed an awful sound, with pain strewn across the once handsome face.

Arkus took this chance to look around for a place to hide. As his eyes darted around the heavily treed area, he spotted one with a thick branch low enough for him to jump for. Although he knew that the black water man had been critically wounded, he didn’t want to take any chances with what could happen. He sped for the tree, carefully, so as not to trip over any of the undergrowth that was spread across the ground. As he reached the tree he leaped through the icy air as high as he could and took hold of the branch, the bark digging into his hands as he tried to keep his grip tight around the thick branch.

Arkus hoisted himself into a sitting position on top of the branch and immediately looked for one higher, to get himself further from his attacker. Finding one above him to the right, he slid over to the trunk and stood to grab it. This branch was thick enough to support even a bear’s weight, so he had no worry in staying on it for a while. He lifted himself again to sit atop the new branch, and immediately positioned himself against the trunk.

He looked to see where the black water man was and found him standing at the base of the tree where Arkus was hiding, snarling and biting the air. Apparently the wound in its chest did little to stop him. Arkus’ sword was with Casslyn, and his bow now in the hands of the mysterious thief, and all he had left was this simple dagger that he used to skin his catches. Not much of a weapon against such a beast of a man.

Arkus had to refocus himself as so many things began to run through his head about everything that was happening. He didn’t have time to worry about his bow, nor who this girl was, only that he had to escape from this beast that was now attempting to scale the trunk. But how?

Suddenly Arkus heard the cry of a falcon, and his hope was restored. He looked towards where the sound was, and saw the beady eyes of Skye flying to the scene through the trees.

The black water man also noticed the new foe coming towards it, and now shifted its attention from Arkus to Skye and ran straight towards the enormous bird. It reached its hand as if to grab Skye, as Skye dove and sliced the man’s arm with his talons, rendering the arm completely useless.

Arkus leaped from his branch and landed on the soft ground with ease. Skye circled around the tree and perched himself on Arkus’s shoulder. Arkus was decided in what he needed to do. He turned to face his attacker and was disgusted at the scene. The man ripped his arm from where his flesh had been damaged too severely to function. As he did so, there appeared a shadowy claw where his hand had once been. The claw was cruel and jagged, with the fingers sticking out at odd angles, and there seemed to be too many, though Arkus didn’t care to count exactly how many.

“What in the"“ Arkus began, but the beast now charged at him with the new claw.

Arkus dove out of the way, trying to slice at the monster with his dagger once again, Skye taking lift from his shoulder to get in another attack. Arkus missed, and then he rolled on the ground trying to regain his footing for another attack. Skye took no hesitation and swooped in towards the beast’s face. Black blood poured from the wound that was left as Skye took his right eye straight from its ungodly socket. Arkus saw this as the perfect opportunity to strike as the beast began to flail its scrawny arms to and fro.

Arkus ran straight towards it with the dagger brandished, and sunk it deep within its skull, no blood even trickling down from the puncture around the blade. Arkus took a step back, leaving the dagger in its head. He looked at the scene. There was black blood mingled in with the snow on the ground, and bits of rotting flesh that had also been strewn about. Skye had perched himself in another tree, the eye dangling from his beak. The monster was still on its feet, mouth gaping, eye missing, and no life even remotely present. The dagger was still sitting in its place inside the skull. The beast swayed for a bit and sank to the floor. Dead.

Arkus was shocked for a moment about the event that had just occurred. How different life was going to be now. No, it didn’t have to be different. Nothing had to change at all. There was no need for it to. He didn’t have to tell anyone of what had just happened.

He walked over to the black water man and took a look at him. Even through all of the deformed tissue, Arkus could see what used to be a man. A man who was killed before Arkus had sunk that dagger into his head. He was nobody familiar to Arkus, which meant he was probably brought from a city other than Whilmphor.

Arkus felt a pain shoot through his arm. He looked and saw that his arm had been scratched by the beast, and was now beginning to throb with pain. The scratch was miniscule, like a paper cut, but it was enough that Arkus cried out, startling the preoccupied Skye on the branch. It was a momentary pain, but it was enough for him to cringe.

Arkus decided that tonight was enough for him. He considered whether or not he’d be able to walk all the way home in his condition. His head was throbbing, his arm searing, and his legs were shaking. Home was about ten miles away.

The townsfolk would definitely start to worry about him, but Arkus didn’t care. This was his concern, his problem. He could deal with it by himself.

He began to search for a tree with a branch high enough that the carvax wouldn’t notice him, and thick enough that he could sleep on it for the whole of the night. It didn’t take long before he found one with high branches, that towered over many of the other trees which surrounded it. It was still freezing, so Arkus began a search for something to cover him up nicely, but was unlucky in this particular search. The black water man had on a robe, but considering the blood that was spattered on it, that wouldn’t be a good idea.

Arkus also searched for the medicinal herb of soforia. Soforia was a magical herb, one of those things Arkus had been referring to earlier. Humans had no innate ability to do magic, but they did study things that did. They did know how to use the magic that they did find. Arkus’s Redoak bow was an example of that. Soforia was known to reduce pain of any unnatural affliction, and was the only thing Arkus knew of that could help his arm in the meantime.

He managed to find just one leaf of soforia at the base of a tree surrounded with mushrooms and other fungi. He cut it from the ground with his freshly cleaned dagger and took a makeshift bandage and wrapped it around the tiny wound. It wasn’t immediate, but Arkus started to feel the pain go away. It really was a relaxing feeling.

All the while, Skye just watched. He was trained to make sure to alert Arkus if there was any danger near, but was as silent as the night itself. There was but a few crickets to break the silence, and all other life within the forest had gone to sleep.

Blacklake Forest was indeed a dangerous place at night, but during the day it was almost like any other forest. It was peaceful and calm, the spirits keeping to themselves and not bothering anyone for any reason. The carvax was a nocturnal animal, and had a cave where it slept during the day that nobody knew the location of. While it was dangerous at night, Arkus was one of the only people who could survive without assistance from others.

He climbed the tree to where he would sleep, the bark cold and dry on his shaky hands. He mostly used his left arm in the climb as his right arm could barely hold any pressure. When he reached the branch, he positioned himself against the trunk and took some vines he had found and tied it around his body and the branch to keep himself anchored. He was very high up, and he didn’t fancy the idea of falling to his death.

He let out one deep breath and took another, filling his body with warmth. He was then reminded of what Ayella had said earlier. ‘What, do you think most people feel warmer when they breathe deeply?’ Those words echoed in his mind as he started to think about the night. Below him somewhere was the body of a dead man, one who he had silenced for good. Somewhere out there was someone like him, someone who was better than him in this place. All the while he was thinking about the magic that the girl had mentioned. Could it be real? Is that really what I am?

The air around him didn’t feel so cold anymore as he lost his thought to the dark realm of sleep. Every breath he took was deep and warm, calming him from his troubled mind.

 

‘Arkus? Hey, Arkus! Hey, you big dummy, stop running away from me!’

‘Kara, cut it out! I’m serious!’

‘Why, you afraid of a little birdie?’

‘No, why would I be afraid of that?’

‘Because you’re a scaredy cat. Come on Arkus, just pet him, pleeeease?’

‘Fine.’

‘There, that wasn’t so bad, right?’

‘No.’

‘You know what this means?’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘It means that you and I are going to raise him together!’

‘What, no way!’

‘Oh, come on! It’ll be so much fun!’

‘Not with you. I’d rather do it myself.’

‘I won’t let you. Besides, he likes me more.’

‘Yeah, right. He just doesn’t know any better is all.’

‘I think your just jealous.’

‘Why would I be jealous?’

‘Because I already picked out the best name in the world for him and you can’t top it.’

‘What is it?’

‘Skye.’

 

Arkus! The voice echoed within his head again, the very same soft and soothing voice that had told him to trust Ayella and to go with her.

Arkus woke up, but it was still night. He looked around to see if there was anyone around. The voice had come from within his head, not from any source that could be seen. He was still on his branch as he had when he fell asleep. His arm no longer felt sore like it had before, and his head wasn’t throbbing nearly as much as it had been.

Arkus began to think about the dream he just had. It felt more like a memory of a life he had forgotten. Arkus had come to Whilmphor when he was twelve, and remembered nothing of his life before then, but sometimes he had a dream similar to what he just experienced. A dream that felt like a memory. He believed that they may have been memories, but still. He wished he could just remember it all. But, Arkus didn’t have time to think about this. There was a more pressing matter on his hands.

Never before had any spirit called him by his name. Now that same spirit who had given him orders, who had told him to trust Ayella knew his name and was referring to him by it.

Who are you? he thought clearly in his head. It was dawn, the sun was beginning to rise, but the forest was still dark as night.

Go back to the Black Lake, he heard in response.

Why? he thought. What do you want from me?

I want you to see me, came the simple reply.

Arkus had to sit in silence for a moment, now contemplating what he was now being asked to do. He was still tired from the previous night’s encounter, and he was also a bit distrusting of this spirit who was speaking to him. After all, she’s the reason why Ayella was able to steal his bow from him.

Listen to me if you want to retrieve your bow, said the spirit.

Now Arkus was convinced. There was no telling what he was about to go encounter, but he needed to get that bow back from the thief. It was more valuable to him than anything he owned.

He started to climb down from the tree, and when he got low enough he jumped down to the ground, landing in the snow at the base of the tree. Arkus searched the trees for Skye and saw the bird resting itself, the black eyeball still sitting on the branch next to him. Arkus wasn’t going to disrupt the bird’s slumber, and quietly snuck off towards the Black Lake. Forbidden or not, it was too late to consider this. He knew what it was capable of now more than ever.

He walked through the trees, passing by many, feeling the cold of morning in the air. His stomach growled in hunger as he continued to breathe in warmth. Again he was reminded of what Ayella had said about that the previous night.

He came to where the black water man was laying. The decomposition had taken a rapid effect on him, and most of his body had disappeared to reveal his skeleton. He walked by, and didn’t smell anything. There was no scent of decaying flesh from the man, nor flies that surrounded his body. It was unlike any other dead thing that Arkus had ever seen. How was this even possible?

Arkus kept walking to the Black Lake, and once again entered the humid area which surrounded it. It looked just as dangerous and daunting as ever, the shadow light still oozing over the black rocks which surrounded it.

“You asked me here, and I came,” said Arkus to the air. “Now what do you want with me?”

Arkus waited there for an answer. He knew that spirits only respond to thought, but here he felt to speak it as he thought it. He was growing impatient, and he was very hungry. He needed food in his system quickly. But, the answer from any spirit was long delayed.

Arkus resigned himself to sit on the ground against a nearby tree, making up his mind that he would leave by the time the sun illuminated him there. He closed his eyes to rest himself, as he was still laden with fatigue from the previous night.

No sooner had his eyes closed that he found himself being called by the spirit once again. Arkus, came the voice, open your eyes and speak to me.

Speak? he thought as he obeyed and opened his eyes. The scene was completely different than it had been before. Where it was still dark it was now bright as the sun as if it were noon. The rocks and the trees now were vibrant and colorful with the light. Arkus looked to the Black Lake to see if there had been any change in its appearance and was astounded at the sight he was now beholding.

In the midst of the lake, about fifty feet into the center, was a figure of a girl encircled by a blinding light. The water in the lake surrounding the girl was now as clear as crystal, where it had once been black. The girl was petit, but had a dominating presence.

The light began to settle. The light was not hard on the eyes as the sun’s was, it was actually very easy to look at, even desirable to do so. As it faded, the girl’s features became more defined. She was the most beautiful thing Arkus had ever seen. She had platinum colored hair that reached to her waist, and skin that nearly matched the color of her hair. She had on a simple, yet glorious sky blue dress, revealing little about the shape of her body. She had eyes that were as golden as a Fall sunset. Her beauty was only paralleled by her astounding cuteness. She was floating in the air above the Black Lake.

At her appearance the humidity in the air faded away, but the warmth settled even stronger than it had been before. Arkus didn’t know what he was seeing, only that it was the greatest thing he’d ever laid his eyes upon. Was she a goddess?

“Stand up, Arkus,” she said in that same voice Arkus had been hearing in his head.

Without hesitation he stood in awe of what he was seeing. He had been told of magic, of wonderful things in the world outside of Whilmphor, but he never expected that he’d see any of it. He never had any reason to. Arkus began to walk towards the now clear lake, his thoughts swirling around in his head, trying to find something to say to this being. He was also put off by the fact that there was light without sun.

“Who are you?” asked Arkus, the only thing he could really think of. He also thought asking ‘What are you?’ would’ve been slightly inappropriate.

“I am called Alena,” she said, her lips moving ever so slightly, yet it was loud and clear enough for him to hear her, “but you want to know more than that, do you not?”

“Yes, milady,” he said, using formality for what felt like the first time, “You told me that you could help me locate my bow. How is this possible?” He kept trying to ask her what she was without being so blunt about it. He didn’t know why, but he cared about her opinion of him. He hardly ever felt this way.

“I know where you can find your bow,” she said, now floating towards Arkus to meet him at the edge of the water, “because I know everything about you.”

Everything? he thought, quite worried if she meant that. He wasn’t sure if he would be comfortable with her knowing everything about him.

“Perhaps not everything,” she answered his thought, “but I know anything that I want to know about you.”

She could read his thoughts. That must mean that she’s either one of the Departed, or one who was Unborn. Arkus was a bit disappointed by the thought.

“I can assure you that I’m not a spirit as you are thinking,” she said, stopping in front of him. The water was clear around her, but the further she was away from it, the darker it became. “As for what I am, I cannot say. I do not know.”

Arkus no longer knew what to ask her. He was disappointed by this fact, as he wanted some excuse for her to continue to stay with him. He didn’t want to ask about the bow, as that meant that he would have no further reason to speak to her. Alena’s presence alone calmed his soul.

“Why have I never seen you before?” Arkus asked, now beginning to wonder. “I’ve been through this forest a thousand times over, and yet you’ve never said anything.”

“You never needed my help,” she responded. She floated down until her bare feet touched the ground in the lake. Arkus feared for her feet as the rocks in there were jagged and rough. She seemed to be unphased, and continued to speak, “But, now I see that you have gotten yourself into some trouble. I desire to give you my assistance.”

Arkus wasn’t sure how he felt about this. He was elated by the fact that she showed this amount of interest in him, but was also disturbed by where she came from.

“Do not worry, Arkus,” she said, as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Standing in front of her, she wasn’t much shorter than him. But, when she placed her hand on his shoulder, he felt nothing but warmth. There was no hand there that he could sense with his touch. He could absolutely feel her, but not her hand. “I will help you this one time, but this will not be our last encounter. She has your bow, as I am sure you know, but you do not know where you can find her.”

Arkus looked into her golden eyes. Ayella had his bow, but she had more than that. She had answers to his questions. Answers that he realized were now standing right in front of him in the form of this Alena.

“Can you tell me who I am?” he asked her.

“Yes, I know who you are, groven,” she said. Arkus had never heard that word before: groven. “But I cannot tell you more than that. She has the answers that you seek. Return to your home, look for her there. She will be exactly where you would expect her to be, but please do not frighten her.”

“Wait!” Arkus shouted as she began to back away from him in the air. “What’s her real name? Can you tell me that?”

“No,” she simply stated, as the light grew so bright around her that it engulfed every tree, every rock, and every small weed that surrounded the lake. Suddenly the light vanished and the lake was back to its menacing blackness and the air returned to its humidity. Arkus was left without a bright feeling in his heart, looking at the lake in all of its awfulness. He quickly backed away in remembrance of what he saw it do the day before.

The sun was beginning to rise over the mountain, which meant that he needed to return home. Arkus was actually very sad that the encounter was over so quickly. He had never seen anything like that in his entire life, nor was he sure that Alena meant it when she said ‘this will not be our last encounter.’ He missed the warm feeling she gave him at her touch, and wondered if he’d ever be privileged enough to feel it again.

My bow, he thought as he stepped back into the cold forest, and began to jog back towards Whilmphor. Could Ayella really be back in Whilmphor? He whistled for Skye to come to watch him from above to make sure he was safe on his way back. He had no weapon left save his dagger, which he didn’t want to use.

A few times Skye cried to let Arkus know that he should go a different direction, but he was safe. He found his way out of Black Lake Forest and started to return to his home on the outskirts of Whilmphor. The sun was in the sky lighting all of the land now. Arkus stopped at the edge of the trees and looked at Skye in the trees. Fine, just one more, he thought, as he took a small mouse from his pouch and threw it to the bird. “But you owe me two dinners for that,” said Arkus, as he crunched through the snow back to his house.

Author's Note

I want critique (nitpicking even) on the dialogue between Arkus and Alena. If it's boring, I want some advice on how to enhance it with their personality types.

Reviews

[Mitchell Clarke]

Pehaps during the dream scene, I could include more than just dialogue. In writing it, I was pretty convinced of the need for it be diaglogue only, but on reading it, I could use some insight. I want this Kara girl to remain mysterious, so I don't want to describe her yet.