Fears of The Mind

At first, it seemed as if nothing had happened, then her body began falling, as if she had jumped off a cliff. Falling and falling until soft ground could be felt underneath her feet.

An incredibly familiar feel of moss, and dried leaves welcomed her. The musky smell of decaying leaves and pine lightly made its way to her nose. The sound of a river making its journey could be heard.

Islana was confused. How did she end up here? The woods in autumn.

Her feet seem to start walking on their own. They knew where they were going, even if Islana wasn't sure. Isn't that a familiar feeling? The young woman thought.

The woods had been her home for so long, the place that centered her - until she found the desert, that was. These woods however seemed different, somehow.

Where were all the animals? There seemed to be no rabbits on the forest floor. No squirrels running up and down the trees, as they prepared for winter. No birds flying about. This was suddenly reminding her of another place.

"Islana," her name seemed to be carried in the wind.

"Islana," the voice spoke again.

Her feet kept moving forward, she seemed to have no control over them.

"Islana," the further the young woman walked the louder the voice grew. All other sounds seem to vanish, not even the water could be heard any longer. Just her name, ringing through the air.

Suddenly, an all too familiar clearing appeared. The woods had been wrong for this place but still it was undeniable. There in the center was the rock - the rock she wished to never see again. The one she almost lost her life on.

"Islana," the voice seemed to be coming from everywhere.

Her body forced her closer to the rock but then seemed suddenly unable to move. The rock began to get larger, growing legs, a head, body, long curved tail, a stinger, pinchers.

The forest fell away leaving nothing but sand.

"Islana," The Skara spoke in a voice that sounded like a thousand speaking at once. "You belong to us."

Islana found herself unable to speak. She tried to use her magik, but nothing happened.

"You are ours. We have your mind - your magik."

The chittering started, all around her. Surrounding the huntress. Thousands of eyes looked at her from inside her mind. She needed to get them out of there…

Tearing at her head, trying to get the Skara's out of there. They were invading every part of her. She felt their hunger, their lust for death. Felt every memory, every ability she had ripped from her, leaving only fragments.

"No!" Screaming as she tried to pound the noise and infiltration from her mind. "I killed you!!!"

"I killed you…" Breathing heavy, as the words were spoken, then more softly. "You can't be real."

"We are you…you are us…" The hive mind came at her again and again.

It wasn't letting go. Showing Islana every fear she ever had. If was going to attack, the witch needed to counter.

Lord Vasant appeared, whip in hand. He went to strike her for….

Nothing. She had never done anything to deserve that kind of rage. Just a child when she went to live with him. That child was no more.

The young woman grabbed the whip, ripping it from Vasant's hand. He just, angrily, stared at her for a moment.

"It's done." Islana said. "You have no control over me."

Vasant just seemed to vanish, that fear had been already dealt with but it felt good to say it outloud.

The hive mind wasn't done with her yet. Images of the Creed, that night, her almost sacrifice appeared before her. She could feel herself being laid against the cold hard rock. The pig headed preacher stood above her, the knife raised then began to lower the knife.

Wait, that wasn't what happened. Why in her nightmares did she never get to the part where her rescue happened? Time to fix that.

"I was rescued. My friends came. Alexis killed him. He's dead.The Creed faded into the oblivion of a religion that once was." Islana uttered those words.

"Witch…" The man with the pig head hissed.

Islana smirked, "Absolutely."

She no longer felt afraid of that night, of the man who had tried to kill her, of the Creed. The Preacher vanished the way Vasant had.

Then the huntress turned towards the Skara. You're not real," and again with more force. "YOU ARE NOT REAL! I KILLED YOU!"

A sudden jolt of cold water down her neck woke the huntress. She bolted upright, breathing heavily.

It took a moment for Islana to gain her bearings, but quickly realized where she was and who was pouring water down her neck. Anyone from Ostiarium would know that man.

Her green eyes met the faces of Silina and Madaya, they all made it.