Koré

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Or demons. Or any of the monsters that haunted the bedtime stories I'd heard as a child.

Sitting in Willow's brightly-lit, warm tent, eating wild berries, and learning Druidic spells put thoughts of any monstrosities even further out of my mind.

"Now, focus on channeling the earth and all its beings. Trace the spell's sigil in the air with your finger, and very clearly speak the incantation," Willow instructed me. "Don't forget to enunciate," she added.

For the past week, I'd tried to cast a spell that would allow me to communicate with animals, but so far, I hadn't yet achieved it. This particular spell would come in very handy, as the people in my village specialized in training beautiful, exotic animals.

Taking a deep breath, I pictured the spirits of earth's beasts surging through me as I attempted to cast this tricky spell yet again.

I could have sworn something felt different this time, but not distinct enough for me to pin point it.

"Let's see if it worked," Willow nodded with a smile, walking towards her raven, Agua, who sat on a perch, watching our lesson with interest.

Willow was a small, elderly Druid that made her way from Bazitsa all the way to the small village of Basa each week to teach Druidic magic to any of the children that possessed the Gift. I'd shown promise at a young age, just like my younger brother, Nathan, had years after me.

I began to speak, but before I could emit a sound, blood-curling screams arose outside the tent, along with the sounds of horses and yelling.

"Koré, come! Quickly!" said Willow urgently. Agua fluttered his wings and landed on her shoulder.

I screamed, as a pair of arrows shot in, piercing through the fabric of the tent, and found their home in my elderly friend's chest.

Agua cawed frantically, flapping his wings open, as Willow gasped, falling backwards.

I slowly knelt next to her on the ground, my eyes filling with tears.

She grasped my hand in both of hers and placed something in it, leaving traces of blood on my skin. I could only stare at my mentor, as she struggled to breathe.

"Run," she whispered, as the light left her eyes.

Before I could think, or mourn, or cry, two men burst into the tent.

"Grab her," one said, and the other grabbed each of my arms painfully and drug me outside, where rain had begun to fall. Agua shot of out the tent, flying away as fast as he could.

I screamed and struggled, unable to break free, my bare feet dragging through the mud, as the first man set Willow's tent on fire.

The whole village was ablaze, despite the rain.

They pulled me toward a group of horses that were hitched to a huge set of cages. To my horror, each cage was crammed full of scared and tearful children from my village. Magically-gifted children. Children like me.

I struggled and fought, buckling like a mad horse. With a woosh and a flash of blue-black feathers, Agua swooped down, cawing loudly and violently scratching and pecking at the man holding on to me. The distraction was enough for me to pull away, the wetness of the rain allowing me to slip out of his grip.

I broke free and ran, as fast as my legs would carry me - away from the cages, away from the village, away from these men - adrenaline pumping through my veins like never before.

"Koré!" A little familiar voice screamed my name.

My heart shattered into a thousand pieces as I turned back to see my baby brother, Nathan, in one of the cages, his tiny hand reaching towards me through the bars, tears streaming down his sweet face.

As I turned, I saw the two men running after me, quickly catching up.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed, tears now streaming down my face, as I ran the other way, towards the forest, my soaked white chiffon dress sticking to my legs, slowing me down.

I could hear their footsteps splashing behind me, getting closer and closer.

In my terror, I began screaming for help in every language I'd been taught. I called and yelled for help, till my voice was raspy and I was out of breath.

"Don't fear little one," a booming, deep male voice answered my pleas, "We're coming," it assured me. I heard large shapes moving through the trees around me.

I fell on my stomach, splashing onto the mud as one of the men tackled me from behind and pinned me to the ground. I screamed and begged to be let go.

"Shall we have some fun with her before we take her back?" The man holding me down laughed evilly, flipping me to my back and ripping the skirt of my dress. His pupils were a horrible bright crimson red, his breath so foul it made me want to vomit.

In a flash, the man was no longer on top of me, but a couple feet away screaming in agony as the biggest wolf I'd ever seen in my whole life tore him to shreds.

Another two wolves pounced on the other man a few yards behind. I closed my eyes, curling up into a ball, and put my hands over my head protectively, waiting for a wolf to attack me too.

In a few moments, the screams had stopped, and all that remained was the sound of the falling rain, the panting of the wolves around me, and the pounding of my heart.

I opened my eyes cautiously, wondering how I was still alive.

"Are you alright, young one?" The biggest wolf asked, turning his massive head towards me and looking directly into my eyes. "Don't fear - you are safe now. We will not hurt you," he padded slowly towards me.

I was frozen in place, shaking uncontrollably, the drops of rain chilling me to the bone. And yet, I was astonished - I could understand him!

"Come," the wolf said, standing in front of me, looking down at me, "others may come searching for you," he nudged me with his nose, gently.

"What is your name, little one?"

"Koré," I whimpered and he nudged me again.

I reached up to touch his wet fur and realized my left had was still clenched shut. I opened it slowly.

In my palm was Willow's piece of Palo Santo - a small piece of aromatic wood that I had seen her use many times to cast all kinds of Nature spells. It was her "Spell Casting Focus", she'd explained - Magic requires various types of material components, she'd told me, but having a Casting Focus would allow a Druid to forego the components and cast freely.

A raw sob escaped my lips as I thought back to my elderly mentor - her kind silver eyes, her long white hair, her sweet smile and contagious laugh, her patience, the way she smelled of herbs - while I held the last piece of magic she'd left behind.

"Atlas," a younger female wolf called, as she and another wolf trotted to where our small group was gathered, waiting for me to move. "The village has been completely burned to the ground. We saw no survivors," she informed the biggest wolf in front of me in a sad voice.

"And the attackers?" Asked Atlas keeping his gaze on me.

"Most of them have left with the horses, but there is a small group coming this way now," she said, with urgency.

"Koré," Atlas lowered his yellow eyes to meet mine, "We must go," he said calmly, nudging me yet again, hooking his large snout under my arm and pulling me up to my feet. He was so large that I was eye level with him.

"We can't wait for her Elven legs - they'll catch up if we do," said another young male, looking at my small frame.

"Climb on my back, young Koré," said Atlas, lowering himself enough for me to hop on his back. I did so clumsily, my wet, mud-covered dress sticking to me and inhibiting my movement.

"Move out!" Barked Atlas at the group of wolves, as the faint sounds of the incoming search party reached our ears.

Tears ran down my face as I looked over my shoulder, back towards my village, my home... back towards my parents, who were probably dead, my people, my mentor... my baby brother, whom I'd abandoned in a cage and chose to save myself instead.

Shame swelled in my belly and made a knot in my throat.

The pack of wolves moved swiftly, leaving the path behind us. I clutched Atlas's wet fur and did my best to stay mounted on his back as he ran, deeper and deeper into the dark forest.