Chapter 3 The Awakening

Kaida knew she was in danger of being sucked out into oblivion; the blackness around her threatened to consume her. Just then she felt a surge of panic and struggled against the shadows since her body knew it had to get out.

"Kaida!" Kellan's voice was barely a whisper amongst the blinding dark yet it felt like a rope thrown at her. "Fight back! Don't give up!"

She latched onto his voice, ready to expend all her remaining strength and with renewed energy spoke, "I will not be taken!" her voice echoed into the void.

The shadows twisted as if in response to her defiance and for an instant, she felt the dark mist lift a little, like it had let in a ray of light. She focused on that light, her wolf's form, the lightness of her being and the strength of her spirit.

Before she knew it, the shadows shrank back, Kaida was propelled forward and landed on the ground in the woods. She inhaled deeply the fresh air of the cool night, and actually gasped when she thought that she was in the forest again, though everything was somehow a little off.

"Kaida!" Kellan came to her, looking both happy and worried at the same time. "You survived!"

"What happened?" Kaida inquired, still dazed and disoriented. "Where are we?"

"Somehow, you came out of the darkness, but I still think there is danger waiting for us," he replied making sure to keep a lookout on the trees. "That thing is still around."

Kaida forced herself to sit up, trying to get rid of the last traces of the void. "We need to get going. I am not going to be taken by it again."

As they navigated the trees, the forest seemed vibrant with life as the moonlight guided them on their way forward. Kaida's heart raced, not out of fear this time but out of a feeling of something more. Determined she would face whatever it was that awaited her.

"Do you believe we are being followed?" Kaida asked as she turned slightly to look back.

"Definitely. I can assure you, that thing operates best at night. It will not let go so easily," Kellan responded, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Why does it want me?" Kaida asked, her voice laced with implicit irritation. "Why am I so special?"

Kellan hesitated for a moment, then he turned toward her. "I think it craves you. There is a prophecy, and you are, in some respect, the prophecy's weapon."

Kaida felt a shiver run through her at his admission, as though the very fire of the prophecy knotted her inside. "But I don't want to be a part of this in any way!"

"Of course," Kellan said, a more comforting expression on his face. "But ignoring it is not an option for you. It has to be confronted. You have the power to change this."

While making their way through the forest, Kaida was filled with a new purpose. "I will confront it. I am done being scared."

Out from the trees came a low growl, and they froze. Kaida could feel her heart pounding as the dark mist began to wrap around them again, this time in a spiral formation, like a tensed up snake ready to swallow its prey.

"Here it comes," Kellan said, altering the tone of his voice. "Brace yourself."

The darkness began to shape itself, a shadowy outline coming into view, with its luminous gaze locking on Kaida. "Do you really think you can outrun your destiny?" the apparition skillfully mocked her, its original rats voice oozing malice. "You are now a prisoner of the dark."

"I am pledged to no one!" Kaida screamed back, still steady even with the fear boiling inside her. "I refuse to be a sacrifice for you!"

The silhouette laughed, and that laughter poured icy terror within her. "You have courage, little wolf, yet courage will not suffice. There's a curse which makes you a captive of blood and fate."

"Enough of your riddles!" Kellan growled, stepping in front of Kaida. "We'll fight you together!"

Amusement thrummed in the figure's irises. "Very well. Let's see how long you can last."

With that, it lunged at them, shadows swirling in a tempest. Kaida sensed the wind's rush from the attack and so without thinking, transformed into her wolf state, muscles coiling, ready to attack.

"Stay in close!" Kellan ordered, shifting beside her, his powerful frame emanating dominance.

As the dark figure bore down on them, Kellan and Kaida worked like a well-oiled machine, skirting its blows and attacking with equal ferocity. They were a fearsome twosome, but the figure did not stop moving, reasonably zipping around their figures.

"Kaida, pay attention!" Kellan screamed, narrowly avoiding a slash from the figure's fingers which resembled shadows. "Use your brain!"

Kaida tossed her head; her heart raced as she focused and called upon her wolf's strength. There was power inside her, connecting her to a moon brightening the darkness outside.

Growling in pure rage, she made a mad charge towards the figure, ready to bite its shin. It sidestepped, but Kaida was alert this time. Spinning, she bitten it plunging her teeth in the dark cloud.

"Do it now!" Kellan exclaimed in arresting this attention- getting. He rushed forward striking the side of the figure as it was distracted.

The dark figure howled somewhere, even the sounds riveted pieces interfered deep within the woods. "What, do you think you can beat me? I have been waiting for this for ages!"

Kaida felt a rise in energy since she did not let go, she simply held on. "You're not taking me!" she snarled with every bit of strength she could summon.

Then tragically enough for the character, the form shattered into pieces and feathers danced around in a twisted manner. "You might be quite strong at the moment, but count me out of this fight yet!" were the last words she heard before darkness fell over her again.

Kaida unclasped her fingers and took a step back, out of breath. "Did we succeed in accomplishing that? Did we banish it?"

"For the time being," Kellan muttered between short panting breaths. "But it will be ba... We need to get our heads together and brace for the upcoming attack."

Kaida concurred as if adrenaline has just struck within her system. "I will not allow it to take me. I will learn how to control it."

They were set for movement when a low growl reverberated from the inner parts of the trees warning, one that made Kaida feel cold in her spine.

"What was that?" she mouthed, a feeling of fear washing her stomach.

Kellan's frown changed, worry clearly visible on his countenance. "No idea, but we have to hurry. It's coming."

Before they could say another word, two shudders were felt from the ground, but before they could get ready a spotlight appeared from the treetops. This light hurt Kaida's eyes as her heart leapt in her chest and she felt the energy grabbing her towards it.

"What's going on?" she cried out as she tried to keep herself from being swept away.

"I don't know!" Kellan yelled as he appeared the most shocked of all.

In a second, the pillar of light transformed into a figure, emanating a brilliant glow that did not seem of this world. Squinting, Kaida tried to identify what it was visualizing.

"Kaida Dhera," the form addressed her, sound pleasant yet authoritative. "Greatness there lies in wait for you, but your choices will matter."

"What is it that you want from me?" Kedia asked, the mixture of fear and indignation was fought back within her.

"You can alter the course of your fate," the figure stated, eyes unfriendly. "But you are not done with the shadows yet. You need to face them and accept who you are."

The words of the figure seemed to echo before she managed to process them, with Kaida feeling both dread and excitement at the same time. She felt as if she was at a junction in the road with what was weighing on her, all the decisions she was being faced with.

"Kia, it's not safe to stay here!" called Kellan who had to turn back because the clouds of darkness were creeping in. "Let's go!"

Kaida was also swift to take the leg but the ground quaked once again. It was at that exact moment that Kaida knew that the real fight had just begun. The figure was still behind them, with its burning eyes teeming with threat and promise.

"Run!" she yelled as they took off into the void, the darkness threatening to engulf them.

At that instant, Kaida knew: this was not the end of her quest, and that which lay before her would strip her to the bone.