My heart was beating as fast as a horse could run. He charged at me and I let a girly shout scape. I closed my eyes and tryied to defende myself with my hands, but no pain came. I felt he holding me and pull me to his direction. I nearly fell.

"Show yourself!"

The liutentant ordered, but there was no response. He continued in defensive posture while holding my arm strongly. My eyes looked everywhere and I saw nothing. Not a single shadow. The woods weren't dense and it was still day. There was no way a large group could have hidden themselves there.

We heard another step. We turned to the opposite side he was expecting the stranger to be. The steps continued and he pointed his sword to where the sound was coming from. I heard the steps and looked to the ground where it was coming from. The leaves were being crushed and the kindling were breaking with a cracking sound.

I didn't know what it was, but it was invisible. Again, uncertainty made me fall into the abyss of my mind. My breath became faster and faster, following my heart andmy legs started to tremble as if saying they were ready to run.

Some sort of very strong wind hit me and I was sent flying a few meters. I think I hit my head, because I became dizzy and couldn't see things correctly, but I saw that Malkuh had fallen just ahead of me.

The images beacme blurry.

I tried to get up, but I was too dizzy and fell to the ground. I lost conciousness.

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

My head ached. I openned my eyes to see a dark place. It looked like a normal room, made with wood and floor of stones. I was over a bed that was basically some sheets over the hard wood. It was dusty and very silent.

I moved slowly as my eyes analysed everything in the room. I tried to be silent, but the bed creaked at any exerted force. I decided that it was too late to be afraid of making any noise. I got up and walked, still as silently and as slowly as I could. I opened the door, just enough for me to pass and not making considerable sounds.

The rest of the house was also very dark. It was a strange feeling I never expected to feel. Now I know what the characters of horror movies experience. My breathing became slower and I stopped moving.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

Somehow I could hear everything. Every breath and every beat of my heart were too loud to be comfortable.

I let my eyes wonder through the room. I Found nothing, but at that time we couldn't see anything either.

"What if whatever it is... it can't see us? It makes sense in science. Maybe it smells us? Maybe it hears us?

My mind started to run through the possibilities...

"What are you doing here boy?"

I jumped and throwed myself at the floor. My breathing was erratic and I stood up in a speed I didn't know was possible.

"Calm down, not gonna hurt you"

I looked to see the image of the wall become blurry and suddenly there was a man there, taking some sort of sheet off.

"Shit.."

I hadn't seen any form of magic in my old world. And I don't think I had seen any real magic up to that time. It seemed like an illusion, a lie.

"..What..?.... Was that magic!?"

"Magic!? I am no trickster!"

"No, that's not what.."

"Shut your mouth, little man"

Magic. I stared at him with widened eyes. He was mage. It didn't seem like it was impressive for him. He didn't boast or made a show of it. He ignored my presence and walked slowly to open a door.

I stood there. I needed time to relax my heart and continue. 

He had entered on the kitchen, or some sort of place to cook and make things with plants.

"The other will soon wake up"

"...What are you going to do with us?"

"You spoiled brat! Shut youself before I do it myself!I won't do anything with you, neither with that man"

I took his advice to the heart and decided to speak no more. I still wanted to ask why he took us, but thought it was better to leave him.

He took a book from the shelf and started to search for something. He looked into every page slowly before leaving it open and get many ingridients, plants that were placed in bottles of glass.

Every ingridient was cut into very small pieces and put on a recipient with water.

I stood looking at it, but he didn't seem to mind. He lit the fire in some sort of oven and put the recipient there, to boil.

"Tell me, boy. What's your name?"

"Liam"

"Just Liam? I doubt so. Your fancy clothes say otherwise"

"..Liam Rondelern"

"....Family Rondelern. Never liked them"

"Are you.. perhaps.. a mage?"

"A mage? Don't mistake me for those travelling fools. I am a Druid and it's the second time you offend me today"

"I beg your pardon"

"Beg more. Go on. I don't care about you, about your status. Never liked the likes of you"

His words were rude, but there was no hint of agressiveness. His weary eyes looked at me for a while. He turned around to lit a candle. I could finally see how he looked. He was old, somewhere around the 60s, and had gray hair. His eyes were green and his robe was made of a dark brown textile. His beard was still light brown and it was big, covering a great part of his face.

He was the Druid of forest Camupel.