Novels2Search
Four of Swords - A NaNoWriMO Entry
Chapter 5 -Hollow-Witches

Chapter 5 -Hollow-Witches

The Hollow Witches swarmed over the wagon like locusts. Zyrell fired into the darkness. Again and again. Every now and again he would hear a screech that let him know he hit his target. Most of the time he missed sending a useless arrow into the abyss.

"Keep your arrows boy! They wont die unless you hit them with magic. Focus on the ones attacking the horses."

Zy fired again and again. A Hollow-witch hovered above the back of the horses and Zyrell placed an arrow right between her eyes. He drew another arrow and nocked it. He followed the floating forms in the darkness leading his shot as he would lead the shot of a fox or deer he'd hunt.When another Hollow-witch came too close he let the arrow loose. The time the arrow hit the creature in her throat.

It squealed and dissipated into the dark. "Yes!" Zy shouted.

"Don't get cocky boy!" Trevor shouted.

Two more creatures swam downwards. They scratched at the fabric the wagon was made of. Zy fell back putting to more arrows into them. 30 arrows left. Zy made sure to keep count in his head.

One of the creatures attacked Trevor. Trying to get him to crash the wagon that was moving at top speed. Zyrell put an arrow into it. It still came at him. So Zy launched another arrow. It hit the creature and made it screech away.

28 arrows.

As Zyrell fell backward he felt something grab hold to the back of his shirt. Claws scratched at his skin and he screamed. Grabbing an arrow he drove the head into the Hollow-witch's eye socket then another into it other eye when it didn't stop scratching at him then one into its throat just for good measure.

27 arrows.

26!

25.

More kept coming. Zy's arms began to tire and he began to get more frustrated. For every hit he made he made a miss and the more tired he got the more misses he made.

24 arrows.

23 arrows.

22 misss!

21 arrow 20 miss. 19 miss. 18 arrows left.

"I'm running out of arrows!"

"We have to make it to Fort Kenshin!" Trevor called out.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

Zyrell took a spare lantern out of his bag. He powered up the Magic'd lantern and then threw it straight up into the sky. The lantern flew upwards. Zyrell drew his bow and fired at the lantern.

"17 arrows!"

The arrow hit the the lantern's core and it blazed to life in mid air. It became a new sun. Shredding the darkness. The darkness didn't fade. Long black fabrics shifted out of the way. They scattered like roaches revealing the sky above them. There were dozes of Hollow-Witches, blocking out the stars. There were too many.

"By the Gods," Trevor said.

"Trevor, I don't think I have enough arrows."

As soon as Zy said that he felt something yank him from the wagon. He was lifted into the air and there was nothing beneath his feet. Zy screamed. Daggers sank into his shoulder as the Witch bit into him with er knife like teeth. Zyrell screamed and through his elbow backwards. He felt his blow connect into something soft. the beasts entire face squished in. The woman dropped him and he fell HARD into the ground.

SNAP!

Zyrell felt something crack beneath his body. At first he thought he might have broken a bone. But there was no pain other than the blut pain of him hitting the ground. He looked and it was his hunting bow. He had landed on it and snapped it.

"Shit!" Zyrell pulled his hunting knife. It was the only thing he had left. A knife. His sword was still in the wagon. His bow was broken. The black shadows surrounded him circleing him.

Zyrell swiped and only hit air. His body was shaking. But it was fear. It was that fire again. Something was bubbling up inside him. Something ugly. He didn't want to die. But more than that he wanted to kill each and eveyone of these creatures. If he was going to die he would bring them all down with him.

"You bitches want to try me! Bring it on! I'll murder you all and make your mothers watch!"

Zyrell screamed. Even as he said the words claws racked at his back. His shirt was shredded and his body was completely fucked. This was it. This was the end. He would never see Huntsville again. He would never know what it was like to actually be the Azure Sword. This whole situation was trash.

Zy felt the heat rise again. Not from the inside though. From the outside. Hot air passed against his face. The Hallow-witches began to scream louder. Their shrieks echoed into the night.

"Is this what you want?" Trevor's voice cut through the night. "IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?"

The air rippled around Trevor. Waves of heat began to flow off him. Suddenly light flared into existence and illuminated the night. The roach-like Hollow-Witches began to flee form the bright fire that erupted around Trevor. A tendril of fire escaped from Trevor's body and struck the witches who tried to escape.

"No. You wanted this? Why are you running from it?! No escape!"

Flames shot out wrapping around the witches like rope. As the Witches Scattered the tendrils would reach other and grab them. Pulling them close and obliterated. The ones caught int the flames were swallowed up by the fire and dissolved into nothingness.

"Cowards!" Zy screamed. His voiceripped out of his throat. "You fight only when out numbered!"

"Boy! Boy! listen to me."

Trevor grabbed at Zy and Zy shook his hand from the his body. "Get your dick beaters off me!" Zy growled. The fire that Trevor was on the outside burned within Zyrell on the inside. He was pissed but the anger seemed..unnatural. Like he was merely a filter for someone else's words and feelings.

"What's wrong with you boy?"

"I don't know! You tell me!" Zyrell yelled. "I told you they were after us. But you didn't listen. I could feel them! I could feel them watching us! Just like now! I can feel their anger in me!"

Zy drew his knife! Trevor moved knocking the boy to the ground. "The fuck is wrong with you!?