My head feels fuzzy, and I can feel my mana draining. I can no longer sense my Mistress, and it feels like the darkness is closing in. Something is wrong, struggling to open my eyes, a headache bashing against my skull, the shadows of the forest have gotten denser. It’s as if I’m in a black fog. I catch sight of the red tether that connects Gertrude and I, but it’s not floating like it usually is, it lies limp on the ground, lifeless. Startled, I reach out and grasp the thread. Wait, reach? My mind slowly pieces together what’s happening around me, and I realize that I am actually grasping the mana thread with my hands, my inky black furred hands. “No...No no…” I sit up startled by the sound of my actual voice. It’s a haunting voice, deep and hollow. I haven’t heard my voice in so many years. I peer down at the river, and catch sight of my reflection in the water. I’ve reverted back to my true form. My whole body covered in the inky black fur, two large antlers protruding from the top of my head. My face...bone with a long snout, and intimidatingly long claws. Being in my true form can only mean one of two things. My bond with Gertrude has been severed, or the worst case, which I dare not think.

Still clutching the mana thread I give it a tug “Mistress!” the thread is loose, with nothing anchoring the other side. Frantically I start pulling the thread towards me, I must be dreaming right? Yeah, I had that chicken from farmer Ben, and it made me tired, and I fell asleep. That’s it. The end of the thread comes in sight, with nothing tethered to the end. My Mistress is gone! I examine the thread closely and can see clear signs of tampering. Someone or something has cut the line.

The pain I felt before passing out makes sense now, but this headache does not. Did the farmer drug me? Maybe the farmer did all of this? No, that can’t be. Mortals can’t see the thread, so they can’t cut it. But why would the farmer drug me? Is Miss Gertrude still alive? There's so many questions that need answers. I sit on the forest floor in disbelief, I can’t do this without Gertrude. My kind lives solely to serve their Bonded, we aren’t built for this realm. There's no way I can make it back to Mistress in time.

I can feel my mana draining by the second, it’s only a matter of time before my time here comes to an end. Looking down at the end of the thread, like a candle’s wick it is slowly receding. Just as the flame burns the candle’s wick, time is burning my life line. I lower my head, bringing the end of the thread to my forehead, clutching it. What would the mortals call this experience? Sadness? Depressing? No...Sorrowful, that’s what I’m feeling, sorrowful. “Live, and let live.” I remember Gertrude’s favorite saying. “Live...and let live…”my voice echoes her words. I turn my snout up towards the sky, and notice the shadows that have begun to gather along the tree lines. The Darkness has blocked out the sky, I can’t tell what time it is.

“Wait...” I quickly realize what’s happening. “The Darkness!” It’s feeding off my anguish and sorrow, fueling my despair. “Live, and let live…Live, and let live...Mistress I promise I will find you!” I chant her phrase over and over, and shout at the Darkness “Live!” I stand up to my full 7’8 height on my beastly legs, being sure to hold tightly onto my thread of life. “I will live! I will save my Mistress!” My voice booms and echoes through the forest, the shadows hiss and whisper inaudible sounds, just like it had before I passed out. 

First things first, I have to follow the river back to Gertrude’s house. Atleast in this form I can move alot faster and can cover more ground. Still feeling a bit shaky from the drugs, I push myself to move forward and head south following the river. I feel so tired, what could have persuaded farmer Ben to drug me like that? It’s so out of character for him. The drowsiness and headache make it difficult for me to push on, and the shadows of the forest seem to be multiplying by the second. This wretched Darkness frequently attempts to encroach on this territory. Miss Gertrude has always managed to stop it, I think maybe that's why it has targeted us this time.

I can’t help but feel afraid, my life, and the life of my Bonded are at risk here. The Darkness likely is fuling this feeling, because the closer I move to the Cabin, the stronger these feelings become. I truly am weak without Miss Gertrude, even if I get there, what am I to do?

Without realising it, I’ve stopped moving, and all traces of light have escaped my vision. I am standing in nothingness. Sheer darkness surrounds me, haunting whispers begin to swim around me. Dropping down to my knees, I clutch the only sliver of colour I can see, the glowing red thread. The tether that once linked Gertrude and I. “Mistress Gertrude...I’ve failed you.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Abruptly, a vision appears in my mind’s eye. The vision seems to be a collective cluster of shadows that have taken a human form with dull eerie white eye sockets. 

“It’s true, you let her down.” millions of voices echo through my mind.

“Shut up!”

“Your kind is only capable of playing fetch.”

I cover my ears with my massive clawed hands.

“You are worth nothing without that precious little Witch of your’s, and now you’ve lost her.”

“Get out of my head!”

“You won't ever escape your fate, and now because of you the Witch will die.”

Screaming out a roar, I thrash my arms outward around me, clawing at the nothingness.

“Pathetic. If you were free of these bonding contracts, maybe you wouldn’t be so worthless.”

“The Bonds are the reason my kind exist! You can’t unwrite that!”

“Anything is possible for me. My own existence was born of a wish. Even the farmer had a wish he thought couldn’t be made true. But I helped him.”

“You…”

There was silence for several moments. The Darkness turned farmer Ben, that sweet mortal man. Humans, wretched humans. They are so easily corrupted. Even Mistress, I warned her about that boy. She even detected the Darkness after using that identifying spell, but did she listen? No, instead she sent me away. This is her doing. Now because of Gertrude both our lives are at risk.

“Yesss…” The whispers hiss at me “Denounce your Bond.”

I can feel the Darkness seeping deeper into my mind, slumped down on the ground I’m ready to give in. This hate, this anger. Towards…

An image of my Mistress flashes through my memories. The night I met her. She was so scared, the eve before her execution, her face stained with tears. I hadn’t yet been given my familiar form, and stood in front of this tiny child, who was only 12 at the time. But, even in this beastly form, it was not I that she feared. In fact when I emerged, she looked upon me with such admiration, we had an instant connection.

“My Bonded…” the words weakly escape my snout.

“Do it, denounce your Bond!” The shadows all echo at me, commanding.

“My Bonded, I…”

“Yessss!”

“I won’t ever forgive.”

I can feel the excitement from the Darkness.

“I won’t forgive the atrocious acts.” I clench my teeth shut, and take a deep breath. Turning my gaze upwards towards where the sky should be. “The atrocious acts this foul entity has done!”

“No!” The shadows hiss and wither, and I feel a piercing sensation jab through my lower left abdomen. 

“Gah!” I’ll admit that really hurt, but that memory of Gertrude has emboldened me. “You weak creature! You prey on the weakness of others, because you lack your own strength!” I grasp the Darkness that has pierced me, and something strange happens. My hands glow a vibrant and beautiful red. The colour is so bright and strong, the shadows screech and begin to recede. The part I grasped seemed to burn away in my grip.

I clutch my injured side, and stumble to my feet. “I WILL get to Miss Gertrude.” Beginning to limp forward, the shadows start drawing away, I can finally see the light again. So much time has passed it’s already dusk. I clutch onto the memory of young Gertrude, if I hold onto the love she has for me, the admiration, I can make it through this. The Darkness will not turn me against her, not Gertrude. She is pure, and she means the world to me, as I do her. 

Through sheer will power, I manage to focus this light on my hands to coat my body like a protective aura, the Darkness won’t be able to penetrate my defenses this time. 

I finally reach the curve in the river just before Gertrude’s house, and am met with a frightful sight. Her home, our home, is cloaked in darkness. Resembling squid ink, the darkness is draped over the entire property, dripping from the sloped roofing, tainting Mistress’s garden, and killing any light around. Gritting my teeth, I clutch my abdominal wound. 

“You won’t have her...not while I still breath.”

“That can be arranged.” The shadows hiss in response, echoing all around me once again.