Raena was in the woods, next to the tree where she had first been introduced to the draugr. No breeze blew past, no animal sounded, and yet... she was not alone. She could feel its eyes burning through her before she even spotted it, shrouded in bushes, not a few metres ahead.

Muscle memory told her to reach for her quiver of arrows, and her heart skipped a beat when she realised she had no weaponry on her. A coldness gripped her body as the draugr stepped out from its hiding place, growing alarmingly larger. She again heard the nauseating sound of bone cracking as it increased to the size of a bull, its blue eyes wide yet glaring, ready to charge towards her.

Raena bolted, not allowing herself time to think. All she knew was her feet and the familiar crunch of dried leaves beneath her, olive-green cloak whipping behind her as she willed herself to run, as quickly and as further away from that monster as possible. But the draugr was fast and large, and what ground she would gain in minutes, he would cover in seconds. She looked at the surrounding trees, all of them far too tall and smooth for her to climb up. Then she spotted it. A burrow some animal must have dug out, next to the thornbush that – if she wasn't mistaken – was the same thornbush she had fallen into.

It's a dream, she suddenly remembered. This is my dream.

She turned to face the draugr, ignoring the voice in her head that screamed at her to continue running. She stood her ground, and the draugr stopped but a mere metre in front of her, the stench of decay hanging from the strands of rotten meat that seemed ready to fall off its skeletal body at any moment.

The creature's lips parted into a wide grin, baring its teeth at her.

Raena, it hissed silently, mouth unmoving. There's nowhere to run. Nothing you can do, Raena.

"What do you want from me?" Raena demanded, keeping her chin held high, though she already knew the answer, and she trembled at the thought.

Stupid, stupid girl. Strutting around as if you own the Tenebris Forest, own the darkness that dwells within.

"I'm not afraid of you," Raena said, but her eyes locked with the draugr's, and the whispering suddenly increased in volume, surrounding her, filling her head, her mind, giving her no room to think, to breathe.

She sucked in deeply, reassuring herself that her lungs were working, that she was breathing in oxygen. She wasn't dying. It was all in her head.

The whispering continued. Oh, Raena, it taunted. You should be afraid. You should be very, very afraid.

Raena shut her eyes, steadying her breathing, an image of Grandpa Sage's tired face flashing in her mind. She was doing this for him. She couldn't let him down. If she failed, then he'd never let her face it alone again. She didn't want to consider the fact that, if she failed to kill it, it probably meant her death.

"This is my dream," she gritted. "Mine."

She held out her palms, outstretched, and directed her mind to imagine her bow and arrow, right there in her hands. This was her dream. If she was could summon the willpower to lucid dream, then she might just be able to control the outcome. She was in control, she reminded herself. Not the draugr.

The creature, appearing to sense a shift in power, growled before letting out a manic scream. Startled, Raena opened her eyes, and for the briefest moment, she saw it. Her salvation throughout all these lonesome years and the weapon that might just be what saved her now. Then she lost focus, and the bow was gone, vanished into thin air.

She cursed under her breath but didn't lose hope. She had seen it. Which meant it was possible. She was in charge of her dreams. She took another deep breath, focusing all her energy into willing the bow into her hands as the creature took one step, two steps towards her.

A familiar weight was in her hands, and just as the wood was solidifying, and she could feel the familiar buzz of her powers bubbling within waiting to be awakened, a sudden, cold wind knocked her backwards, and she fell onto her backside. She let out a small cry of pain, having landed on her tailbone. She glanced at the draugr, but remarkably, it hadn't made a move towards her. If anything, it stood stock-still, and if the way its body suddenly became rigid was any indication at all to an experienced huntress... Raena almost dared to say the draugr was scared. But of what? What could possibly be more powerful, more wicked, than this foul creature standing before her?

The coldness that gripped her heart, her body, every tendril and muscle in her body, told her she didn't want to know. She scrambled to get up, pushing aside the thought of her aching backside. Her movement seemed to snap the draugr out of whatever trance he had been in, and he looked at her again with those pitiless, glowing blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" Raena spat, feigning confidence in the hopes she might actually gain some. "Afraid of a little girl?"

Ignorant, stupid child. It took a step forward, its wide, manic grin plastered to its face. I'll savour every soft tendon as I rip you apart with my teeth, devour every limb and suck on every bone and bathe in your blood...

She let its threats wash over her as she focused on making the bow reappear once again. But the coldness that blanketed her only seemed to worsen each time she reached into her mind for her precious weapon. She tried to call upon her magic, wondering if it would work in a dream, but her fingers had only started tingling when a wave of darkness and utter coldness filled both her mind and her body as if trying to leave a frigid handprint on her soul. She immediately let go of what little water element she had managed to muster up within her, and the draugr cocked its head at her mockingly.

Her palms sweated as she looked left and right, praying for an escape, for something. There was no way she could defeat this thing. What was she thinking?

Run, Raena, it jeered.

Raena thought of the burrow just metres behind her. She wasn't sure what animal rested inside or if it was even home. But one look at the corporeal mess of flesh and bones in front of her, and she made no hesitation as she turned on her heel and sprinted towards it.

***

"Raena!" Braedon was shaking her shoulders, gritting his teeth. How stupid. How utterly stupid of him. He should have known she'd try something like this. Should have known that Raena had far too much sense of pride to know when to back down and admit she needed help.

Grandpa Sage had already let go of the sleeping girl, cursing when he spotted the open jar on the table, the herbs that were concocted to create a sleeping agent. Quite a lot was missing from the jar, and he swore once again under his breath. It was clear that she had taken at least a handful – far, far too much for a young girl to handle. Didn't she realise that too much of this substance could leave her in a very deep slumber – possibly a coma?

Fear pricked at Braedon's skin, at the thought of Raena stuck in a nightmare that could very well kill her. Grandpa Sage searched the bookshelves thoroughly for anything that might speed the process of waking her up.

Braedon remained by her side, begging Raena to wake up, to move a finger or squeeze his hand if she was hearing him. No response.

Anxiety and panic clouding their judgement, the two didn't hear the flurry of footsteps until it was too late.

"So, it's true."

Braedon and Grandpa Sage both turned towards the entrance of the medical room at the sound of this unfamiliar, rough voice. A middle-aged man in a navy-blue uniform stood at the entrance, an arrow nocked against his bow, at the ready.

"None of my comrades believed me," the man breathed, his blonde moustache bristling. "They told me to go home, shift finished. But I knew I had to follow the stench of royalty just a little further into the forest. And the waterfall..." His gaze flitted towards Raena and he breathed in deeply through his nose, like a hound following a scent. "It reeked of pure power. And so, this is where the youngest princess has been all these years, inside a cave, hidden by a little waterfall in the Tenebris Forest. Anahita."

The room fell silent. Braedon's heart skipped a beat, and he could have heard that even the gentle murmur of the cascading waterfall outside muted for a few seconds. It hadn't taken a Lymphan at all very long to detect Raena's magic. Sage had been right all these years to coax her from using her element.

Grandpa Sage slowly held up his hands, keeping his voice calm and steady. "Now, now," he said slowly, smoothly. Braedon knew he was sending calm, sleeping waves towards the enemy. Braedon himself could feel his shoulders involuntarily relax, his mind cloud ever so slightly.

The uniformed man sensed the intrusion, and quickly reacted before Sage's magic could seep any further. He fired his arrow and Braedon let out a warning yelp, but just as the slender wood was inches from Grandpa Sage's face, it stopped, mid-air, and Braedon noticed his grandfather sweating, holding up a hand towards the arrow. He flicked his wrist, and the wooden arrow dropped to the ground.

The uniformed man curled his lips back in a growl. "Curse you Terrans." He held up a hand and Grandpa Sage stopped short as he felt the water leaving his body, droplets rising towards the ceiling. The Lymphan was sucking him dry, dehydrating him, and Grandpa Sage could only stand there as his skin began to dry and crack.

Braedon shot up without thinking and gave the stranger a wicked punch to the face. His power broke for a second, and Grandpa Sage raised a hand to his parched throat.

"Braedon, run. Save Raena," his voice was cracked and raspy, and before he could manage to utter another word, the man had rammed his bow into Braedon's stomach and returned his attention towards Sage, intent on finishing the job.

Braedon recovered quickly, ignoring the dull pang in his solar plexus as he launched himself onto the man. They scrambled on the ground, and Braedon didn't give him time to summon upon his element as he punched his nose, blood spattering onto his fist as he continued to land punch after punch in a fit of rage, not noticing the man's trembling hands reaching for the small device strapped to his uniform.

Grandpa Sage stumbled towards them, attempting to let out a warning cry, but his voice failed him, stuck in his dry throat, and so the man's fingers curled around his tiny walkie-talkie, pressing a side button that resonated at a high-pitched frequency. A call for help. Backup was coming.

Braedon wrenched the device off him, smashing it on the ground. But it was too late. The damage had already been done and depending on how far away the rest of his companions were, Braedon was certain it wouldn't be long until they tracked the signal here. He knocked the man's head against the ground, and he fell instantly unconscious.

"Go," Grandpa Sage ordered, his voice barely audible as he pointed a finger at Raena. "Take her with you. Don't look back. I will find you again."

"No," Braedon shook his head firmly.

"No time," Grandpa Sage rasped. "They're coming. And they aren't far at all. His companions knew he was following this scent. They will be able to smell it too if they atune to it. To her." He glanced at Raena, sadness glimmering in his eyes as he cast his gaze back to meet Braedon's. "You won't make it if you don't leave, now."

"Not without you," Braedon gritted his teeth.

"I can distract them," Grandpa Sage croaked, each word an effort for him, "It'll give you extra time before they hunt you and her down. I can hear the trees talking." He closed his eyes momentarily, clenching his fists as he opened them again. "We have much less time than we though. Take Raena. Use the back entrance."

Braedon didn't allow himself to think, to feel as he obeyed his Grandpa's orders. He had to act now, think later, for Raena's sake. He wished badly for her to awaken as he grabbed the unconscious man's quiver of arrows and bow, knowing full-well that Raena had a far more natural ability with the weapon. His Grandpa reached into the pockets of his pants, drawing out a dagger, then reached for his booted foot, pulling out another. He gave that one to Braedon, who tucked it safely into his own boot, nodding at his grandpa.

"I'll find you again," Braedon promised, placing the bow down for a moment to pull Raena up and onto his shoulders, grateful for her light weight. He picked up the bow with one hand, the other holding Raena's wrists firmly to make sure she didn't slip off his back. He hoped to the heavens that he didn't run into anyone outside. And then there was the matter of the draugr... that still lurked in the forest.

Sage nodded once at his grandson. "Whatever you do," he placed a calloused hand on Braedon's shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. "Don't come back here."

Braedon refused to say goodbye. He wouldn't do it. They had talked about this scenario before – several times. Grandpa Sage never doubted the prophets – the prophecy. And Braedon didn't trust the prophecy, but he did trust his grandpa, so if that's what he predicted, than Braedon believed it. Still, being here now, in this situation for real... it all felt so surreal. Raena had been caught out. Grandpa Sage was staying behind to give them a running chance, as he had so claimed many times before when discussing this possibility... and Braedon could not argue back, nor bring himself to say goodbye. They would meet outside. He would catch up to them. He wasn't just his grandfather. He was the greatest archer in all of Caedus.

And with that final thought, Braedon hurried wordlessly down the dark cave's halls as best as he could with Raena at his back, distant footsteps and shouts sounding from the opposite end.

Braedon grimaced. So, they had found the waterfall's entrance. He had just rounded a bend, only a few more passageways to go before the exit would be in sight, when Braedon came to an abrupt halt right before the next corner.

Muffled voices could be heard, barking orders, and Braedon's heart sank. They had found the exit as well. The trees had spoken truth. They had all smelt the purebred magic, probably kept lurking somewhere in the vicinity in somewhat incredulous scepticism – and then come running as soon as their knocked-out comrade had confirmed their suspicions. Braedon slowly lay Raena down, positioning her behind a few tall stalagmites protruding from the ground. It certainly wasn't a very good cover, but perhaps, hidden in the shadows and behind the rocky forms, they might not notice her. Maybe.

Fear and shame and anger tore at his heartstrings as he bent over, kissing Raena's forehead. She was the closest thing to a sibling he had. He couldn't lose her. But he couldn't fight with her on his back, and if he had to let go of her for just a little while, he certainly wouldn't leave her exposed.

"Raena," he whispered close to her ear, squeezing her hand tightly. "If you can hear me," he took in a deep breath as the voices neared. "Stay hidden. If something happens to me, run. Don't come back. I'll find you." He caressed her hair lovingly. "I'm so sorry, Rae. This wasn't supposed to go like this."

He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping against all hope that some hidden force up there might show mercy, keep her hidden, keep her safe. If ever there were truly gods in the heavens, he called upon their protection now. Then he let her go, preparing his bow and arrow as the footsteps drew ever nearer. He took a deep breath, listening for their heavy stomps and loud voices, waiting until he knew exactly where they'd be when he stepped around the corner, bow strung.

He didn't allow himself to hesitate as he took note of the half a dozen uniformed men before him. He released his breath just as he fired the first arrow.