The wind rushed about as the sun’s rays passed through the demon gate. Nuyani sat on the sloping ledge staring at a worn ivory knife bearing a charge-horn’s head at the hilt, a chipped edge with small dark stains marred the tip. ‘Mother, Lord Kelvert, is this the right thing to do? How am I supposed to protect them?’ A tear rolled down her nose and onto the blade. Her attention broke when her core pulsed without command. Taking a deep breath, Nuyani steeled her nerves as she shoved the knife into a sheath and took off toward the village.

  Nuyani moved along the brush line, cautiously following the cloud shadows as she grew closer to the village. A quick leap over the water-bite river allowed her to reach the outer canal blocked off by a series of bones protruding only a few inches out of the water. Staying out of sight, Nuyani moved toward the gate, mindful of any guards looking over the area. “I can do this,” she told herself as she pressed her back against the gate. Obscured by shadow, Nuyani could hear only a few water-bites linger that made it through the first barrier. She removed a waterskin from her tool strap and released some of the contents into the stream. Using heavy-horns urine, she repelled the remaining pests but knew time was short as she moved toward the second gate. Nuyani winced as she closed the waterskin and forced her way through the last barrier.

  Her heart hammered on remembering her wishful plans to rejoin the village if she could ever hide her eyes years ago. Their glow, ever-present, shone with a soft edge on the water surface. After realizing there was no hiding, she only entertained the idea to pass the time. Swimming through the small canal, Nuyani heard a few groans of whip-necks in the dark. Their pens were closed by. Nuyani swam toward the animals to show she was friendly hoping they would remain silent. Some of the animals leaned down for her to pet them as others continued to sleep or drink water.

  “Hi. I’m a friend,” she whispered and smiled gleefully as her fingers ran through the soft fur under their chins. It dawned on her how much she missed things not trying to kill her. Nuyani made her way through the canal keeping her head low as she passed the dozens of homes lining the side, all dedicated to the mounts. The glow of the bonfires could be seen from the edge of the village. Rising from the slow stream, Nuyani stayed low beside the tent. Her mother’s warning and sudden pulse were all that spurred her to come. ‘I should leave,’ Nuyani told herself. She turned facing toward the canal’s direction thinking she was only going mad. Raising a hand to her cheek, remembered the feeling of the light press, even in delusion. Her fists tightened. The weight of her mother’s presence returned. With a deep breath, Nuyani turned back and released a pulse from her core. She focused on the rapid beats as each wave coursed through the area. Hundreds of small distortions arose before forming into beads of pressure dotting the surface of her internal drum.

  Nuyani knelt as if in prayer focusing more on her sense. Each presence became diverse; some grew heavy as others swayed and rippled in irregular patterns. Four of the pressures were stronger than the others. Nuyani narrowed her eyes in their direction as she moved toward the group.

  “Is this what she warned me of? Why are the howlers coming here?” Nuyani questioned. She ran through the area without concern for others until she stopped to see a rectangular pit going only hip deep. Countless stones filled the confines. Nuyani readied her blade for the hidden spirits, her pulse racing until it formed a solid wave. Several white glows then rose from the rubble. The spirits of four men then appeared. They were villagers with soiled clothing covered in red dust. Each of their heads had bloody wounds and gave her bewildered stares. Two of the spirits smiled at her and waved. Nuyani herself eased in her stance hesitating to wave back. ‘Why have you died here?’ Nuyani questioned and lowered her arms.

  “We built this thinking stone would outlast the storms better than the tents,” the eldest man stated with an echo trailing his voice. “But we were wrong.”

  “You can hear my thoughts?” Nuyani asked. The man said nothing but gave a wider smile. Nuyani grew curious and tested her theory. ‘Are my thoughts open to you?’

  “I don’t know what you are saying. It is good to talk to someone, though rare,” the villager continued. “Our bodies were taken to burial but, we did not pass on.” The man’s voice slowly died along with his smile. He looked to the ground. The man then looked back up at Nuyani releasing a short chuckle. “The one to find us is the witch. What lessons has the Great Lord presented us?” The man shook his head.

  Knowing she could not answer him, Nuyani stared as the others conversed with each other. She could not hear a single word from the other men though the eldest was clearly speaking with them. ‘Why is this happening? The burial should free them. Do some spirits remain even after their body is cleansed?’ Nuyani wondered what she could do and held her hand toward the elder villager. She descended a step on the unfinished stairs calling their attention. “A-are you trying to help us?” the eldest smiled even greater. “Or is this just the fate of a foolish man to be taken for punishment? Nuyani said nothing waiting for the man to act. The elder held out a transparent hand and grabbed Nuyani’s. A smile rose from her as she moved with instinct. The pulses grew stronger and deeper as the force wrapped around the spirit until his visage became a small transparent marble in her palm. An iridescent flame sat at the center flickering in all directions. The weight of the presence sat against her drum as if it were a waterskin compared to the small dew of the howlers. Nuyani breathed heavily as she lifted her palm to the sky, and the marble shot to the heavens leaving a brief blue streak. She looked to the sky, only seeing the trail of light fading. When her gaze returned to the others, they were staring back with mouth agape before extending their hands to her. One by one, the trapped spirits were liberated. ‘I can move spirits. That means I can free To’anu,’ Nuyani thought. A flash of her mother came to her mind. ‘I can free you, mother. Is that why… No. She wouldn’t send me here to learn to free others, then for her. She said the village is in danger, right?’

  “Did you free them?” a voice asked causing Nuyani to spin around. Before her, a young girl with curious eyes looked at her. “Your eyes look like fire,” the child said with a gleeful smile.

  ‘No, I’ve been seen. But she’s not scared. She doesn’t know what, who I am,’ Nuyani realized as she sat on the ground. “Yes, they can glow sometimes. Why are you here? Isn’t there a party?” Nuyani questioned in a soft and friendly tone. Even on the village outskirts, she could see the roaring bonfires and hear the softened beat of the drum and strings.

  “Yeah but, I was chasing a frog until I saw the lights. They never say anything to me but, you let them out.”

  ‘I have to leave this girl somehow. If they find me with her, they’d accuse me again and start a hunt,’ Nuyani concluded. “So why aren’t you with your mother?”

  “She is talking with my father for a bit. They wanted me to go play with my brother. You’re wearing a runner things too like my brother. Are you fast?”

  “Y-yes, child,” Nuyani answered, smiling. “I run a lot.”

  “I think you’re faster than my brother. He’s shorter than you. He ran through a snare, and my mother wasn’t happy.”

  Nuyani blinked several times. “Oh. Then I hope he learns better. Well, I must find my own family now. You should return to yours too, alright?”

  “But can I show you something?” The child took several anxious looks around and bit her thumb before turning back. Nuyani stiffened as another pair of burning ember lights replaced the dark brown. The girl awaited a gleeful surprise as she smiled. Her joy disappeared watching as Nuyani showed a look of horror on her face. Another pulse beat repeatedly in the child’s direction, slower and softer. “W-what? You have the eyes too. You’re the witch but, you’re good.”

  ‘She knows,’ Nuyani started. “Don’t show your eyes, little one.”

  “But you’re good. You aren’t bad. You helped them. You helped them.” The child flailed her arms against her sides as the orange glow left a gleam on the child’s tear. “I’m not bad. I help too. I pray too.”

  “Calm down. You will be alright,” Nuyani lied. Her heart raced. “Don’t show your eyes to anyone, okay?”

  “But, I’m not bad!” the child stomped her foot.

  “No. You aren’t bad but, you can’t show others.” The child wiped away some of her tears as she nodded her head. “Good,” Nuyani’s head spun looking for answers. With another child born with the same curse, Nuyani wondered if she should take the child with her. She dropped the option remembering howlers were chasing her. If left alone, Nuyani was certain the child would die. ‘Lord Kelvert, what am I to do?’ the woman thought to herself.

  “Hello? Is everything alright?” another voice said. It was Lamoy. The huntress stopped in her tracks as her body visibly shuttered before remaining stiff. Nuyani’s heart sunk as she saw the woman recoil finding two sets of glowing eyes looking her way. ‘Loya? Is that you? How did I not sense her?’ Nuyani questioned noticing the child’s pulse shortened the reach of her echo. Recovering from the shock, Lamoy formed a menacing smile as she brandished her knife and dropped the rolled-up clothing. The huntress lunged for Nuyani. “No.”

  Nuyani grabbed her hands as the blade was held to her throat. The other hand grabbed the loose back end of the hood and hair. “It’s not what you think.”

  The huntress’s grip grew tighter as she placed more weight behind the blade trying to match strength. Through gritted teeth, Lamoy then asked, “And what am I misunderstanding? I’ve caught you corrupting a child to take away,” Lamoy said.

  “And who corrupted me, Loya? Please,” Nuyani said invoking an old nickname the two shared. Lamoy froze holding her grip. Nuyani fought to ignore the pain of her grasp. Lamoy was strong. “Things are happening that I can hardly explain or understand myself but, I am not here to cause any harm.”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Lamoy loosened her grip keeping the blade against her neck until she stepped out of arm’s reach and pulled the child behind her. Her eyes glanced to the side, a sign she would run. Nuyani found it surprising she did not. “Explain,” said the huntress.

  “I think the Great Lord wants me here to stop… something,” Nuyani started. Lamoy furrowed her brow.

  “Stop what?” the huntress asked. The young girl stepped back and sat low trying to make herself smaller. “Caluu? Her?”

  “I have nothing to do with her. I swear,” Nuyani pleaded.

  Lamoy shook her head. “And what exactly are you here to prevent? Nui, this is not the time for schemes.”

  “I have no schemes. Some sort of wild spirits have been attacking me for the past two nights. I don’t know where they come from or why they’re after me. But, they aren’t normal. One even fled toward the Demon Gate. They can kill with a shallow cut.”

  Lamoy lifted her chin. “And, what does a normal spirit look like?”

  Nuyani’s voice quivered, “Their last moments. The blow or injury that took them.”

  “What of To’anu?” Nuyani’s brow creased, and she blinked several times trying to decipher the question. “To’anu! What was his?” The huntress shook her hand. Caluu whimpered.

  “Claw marks,” Nuyani blurted out. “He chased me on a whip-neck and was taken when a blade-jaw leaped for him and dragged him to the ground. I fled.”

  “Did you lead it there?” Lamoy asked.

  “No. It’s not a risk I’d want if one tracked me home. I want to live in peace,” Nuyani said.

  Lamoy’s eyes narrowed. “Do you control those beasts?”

  Nuyani shook her head. “That's not something I can do.”

  “Then why were so many tall horns dead with claws ran through them? Blood-manes or blade-jaws? Your ax was there, so don’t deny it,” Lamoy pressed.

  “The spirits. Howlers. Please, let me show you,” Nuyani said unwrapping the binds on her forearm slowly. Ever cautious, Lamoy continued to point her blade at Nuyani. “Look.” Nuyani turned her arm to face the wary villager revealing four long scars treated by herbs. Lamoy scrutinized the wounds.

  “No,” the huntress whispered.

  “No?” Nuyani repeated.

  Lamoy glared at the witch. She was unconvinced until Nuyani moved to the side as blue claws burst from the ground, followed by the malnourished figure. Caluu shrieked and fell back. The pressure against Nuyani’s core was heavy. The huntress looked into the spirit’s voided eyes as several strands of hair formed a white streak beneath the feathers. Nuyani dived forth tackling Lamoy to the ground as a second swipe from the specter sailed over them. The witch then turned around unsheathing her blade, cutting through the specter’s neck. Even with a severed head twisting in the air, the howler let out a desperate cry before its body erupted into blue embers.

  “What was that?” Caluu asked.

  “That’s what I’m looking to fight,” Nuyani stated. She looked to the huntress only to find her giving a blank stare into the sky. Nuyani touched the woman’s hand escaping her to recoil. Instead, Lamoy remained frozen. “By the Great Lord.” Nuyani then focused her core’s pulse until the rapid beats returned to a solid wall. Letting instinct drive her, the echo stretched out reaching from within her and channeled through the huntress. Another beat echoed within Lamoy. ‘This… power lies in her too?’ Nuyani thought but, did not let the discovery phase her. The beat was steady and slow surrounding the woman’s frozen life. ‘Is this right?’ Nuyani questioned as she allowed her energy to brush against the dull drum. Vibrations soon traveled multiplying within the ethereal depths as the frozen life swayed and turned about once more.

  Lamoy broke from her trance jumping up as if she were revived from drowning. “What happened? Where’s…” She stopped and looked at Nuyani. A look of sorrow formed on the huntress’s face only to be replaced with a look of dread. “What have you been going through?” Her body shivered violently making her words tremble. Despite the cold, the woman broke away and rose to her feet. “What of her?” Lamoy looked to Caluu expressing the same concern Nuyani felt.

  “I can hide my eyes,” Caluu admitted sadly as the ember glow faded back to brown. A normal pulse then radiated from the child slowing down to match others.

  “I don’t understand all this but…” Nuyani started.

  Lamoy held up her hand stopping her. “I saw a thing I don’t understand. Nui, I won’t stop you but, I can’t help you either.” A frown formed on Nuyani’s face. “I will take the girl back but, unless you can prove to everyone at once, you will only have people calling each other crazy. Is that the only thing you were after?”

  “I don’t think so. One came for me yesterday after the first night had three. The spirits think though. I believe the last was a test. I must check for more,” Nuyani replied as she released a pulse throughout the area. Amongst the hundreds of lives, three weighed on her sense greater than the others. “No. More are here. I have to stop them!”

  “What is happening over there?” came another voice. The three looked to find the rising lantern of a guard approaching.

  In sharp whispers, Nuyani said. “I must go. Cover your hair. The front has turned white.” Nuyani sped off toward the tents. Lamoy retrieved a rag from the bundle of clothing and wrapped it over her head covering her proud feathers.

  The guard was now closer before he asked, “Why are you two out here? Is everything alright?”

  “Just making sure the child is safe. She followed a lizard, and I was keeping watch,” Lamoy lied.

  “What was that screaming?” the man asked.

  Lamoy tilted her head toward the fallen hut. “She almost fell in.”

  Nuyani followed the closest presence sensing it through the village’s northwestern bank, stalking another guard on patrol. The man moved leisurely along taking a few swigs of water as his torch on the end of a long pole dangled behind him. Nuyani followed close by staying low as she felt the shifting presence move toward the guard. The witch picked up a small rock and tossed it to the man’s right just as the specter emerged. Nuyani sprinted a few steps forward before launching toward the apparition and severing its head as she landed on the embankment. Despite her feet sinking into the dirt, she pushed off with enough force to dive into the darkness as the guard wheeled around finding blue embers falling. The man backpedaled with his knife raised and brought his torch forward looking for any signs in the darkness surrounding the tents. Nuyani hid behind one as he turned back to the embankment and found the footprints pressed into the ground. The man gave a double-take before looking toward her direction and searching. He passed by allowing Nuyani to take a different route. Roasted meat and drinks swirled in the air calling for her to stop and take something. She ignored the food while dodging several groups in search of the next presence. The two remaining shifted and turned more rapidly, sometimes growing lighter. They were moving faster as Nuyani felt other pressures rise, then fade. ‘By Lord Kelvert’s will, no,’ Nuyani prayed as she started running. Nuyani was only a dozen steps away when another howler rose behind two villagers alone. The specter swiped at their backs. The villagers screamed in pain as their bodies rapidly shriveled with tight skin wrapping around the bones and fell to the floor. She could feel their life coursing toward the west, not toward the sky like the four she released. Nuyani leapt toward the howler. The apparition turned as she plunged her blade into its chest. In passing through blue flames, she rolled forward falling into a tent pole and collapsing the side as it snapped. Those inside made a commotion and moved to investigate.

  With little time to dwell, Nuyani rose ignoring the pain in her side and started toward the last heavy presence making its way to the center of the village. The presence began to surge in its stead. Nuyani’s heart pounded with fury knowing the villagers were in peril. Discretion would only waste time as she ran through the area calling the attention of many. The apparition rose from the ground catching everyone’s attention in the area screams sounded off seeing the ghastly spirit. Nuyani’s pulse coursed through her cutting through the apparition’s influence as she drew near.

  The life of the villagers soon drifted upward as the lament continued ripping them away. The howlers stopped and turned toward the witch. The specter moved to take off as Nuyani reached the center. It streaked forth with each orb of flame following. Nuyani extended her hand as the energy within her flared in an orange glow creating a transparent wall of light erected in a dome over the area. The apparition collided with the light construct as the spheres of life rebounded from the barrier back to the villagers. Others outside of the center covered their eyes from the bright aura. ‘You will not leave here,’ Nuyani declared as she raked her hand back. The ethereal barrier shrank toward Nuyani, closing in on her foe. Managing to catch the apparition, Nuyani reeled her knife hand back and finished the howler with a slice through its back. The barrier erupted into a blinding light along with the apparition sending white embers everywhere.

  Nuyani sheathed her knife and breathed heavily as she staggered by a few tents. Most of those outside the area were trying to fix their eyes from the bright light, while others were soon to arrive. Throbbing pain in her head and limbs made every step excruciating. Dazed and confused, she slipped on a stone falling to the ground. A coughing fit started as she forced herself to roll over to her side staring into the stars. Nuyani tried to move her legs but, the feeling faded, leaving only a twitch of her toes remaining. Her heart sunk as she attempted to move her arms as well. Strength throughout her body dwindled with only her eyes and breathing in her control. ‘Not now. I can’t move. Why? Great Lord, please. Let me move.” With an attempt to call upon her core, the echo constricted becoming erratic as it traveled through her body. Nuyani winced as her muscles contracted and released painfully. Every tendon threatened to snap under the strain. She left her core alone losing her last option. Nuyani then saw a figure enter her view. A man knelt by her head and dragged her through the area. Nuyani’s head fell low as she saw some of the others gather around those lying on the floor. None were paying attention to them.

  “Lord Kelvert sent you to aid us, hasn’t he? You wouldn’t be here otherwise,” the man said.

  Nuyani narrowed her eyes, recognizing the voice but, not who it belonged to. They traveled along the northwestern embankment until her captor moved toward the tents and lied her down. Nuyani got a glimpse of the man seeing Odaru as he laid her head back.

  “You?” Nuyani’s eyes went wide as she remembered the man stuck out in the drylands on his own. The others took him for dead. If she hadn’t drawn a few animals away, he would’ve been. The man leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. Nuyani blinked, uncertain how to feel about the gesture.

  “Not to be forward but, thank you,” the hunter whispered. “I saw you once out there but, I am certain it was you who helped me just like you are now. The Great Lord wants us to work together. I will hide you here. Leave when you can. If you can. May the Great Lord’s shine guide you.”

  ‘And you,’ Nuyani wanted to say along with many other things. Her eyes began to well. The hunter slowly pushed her into the crevice between the tent and stone wall. He turned her head to the sky ensuring she could breathe. Odaru rose and dusted his clothing as he hobbled away. ‘Thank you. Thank you,’ she repeated wishing for a chance to speak.

  A few hours passed as Nuyani sat in the cramped space. The feeling in her body's strength slowly returned long before the movement had. Several footprints and loud voices shouted overhead as the guards searched the area for clues. Mention of her tracks in the embankment was repeated several times. When the moons had passed by, Nuyani struggled to climb up. She released a soft pulse from her core allowing a wave of energy to measure her surroundings. Even in a smaller fraction, pain rose from using the strange core. With the area clear, Nuyani struggled to walk quickly as her shaking legs threatened to collapse. ‘Great Lord. Mother. Is this the reason for this curse? Must I fight flying dead every night?’ She crossed the empty village space reaching the collapsed hunt. Thinking only to hide in the partial stairway, Nuyani found the bundle of clothing sitting alone in the space.

  ‘Lamoy, did you leave this for me?’ she wondered. Taking the pack as a sign of good faith. Nuyani made her way through the village and snuck through the canal gates. With everyone preoccupied with the insiders, she ran home unseen.