Ravens

Daisy leads me through a dense, quiet forest, and soon we arrive at a small, rundown village nestled in the shadows of towering trees. The sight that greets us makes my blood boil. Five soldiers, dressed in black robes, stand in a tight circle, torturing a young man. A woman screams in anguish as she’s held back by two of the soldiers, helpless to intervene.

Without thinking, I teleport directly into the heart of the chaos.

“Stop.”

The word leaves my lips, and time halts around me. I take a moment to absorb the situation, my heart pounding in my chest. The young man, no more than twenty, is slumped on the ground, barely conscious. His body is a mass of cuts and bruises, blood staining his torn clothes. Flames flicker at his feet, and dark magic crackles around him as the soldiers—Ravens, I realize—throw fireballs and use their wands to inflict further harm.

My heart clenches at the cruelty.

I kneel beside the man and gently touch his bloodied cheek. Immediately, I feel the surge of golden light radiating from within me. The healing energy flows from my fingertips into his body, and before my eyes, his wounds begin to knit together, his skin clearing of the bruises and burns. When I’m sure he’s healed, I clasp his hand and teleport him to the edge of the scene, away from the immediate danger. Then, I turn my attention to the woman. With a gentle touch, I teleport her beside him.

Satisfied they’re safe for now, I face the Ravens. Their black cloaks are woven with dark energy, their wands glowing faintly. They seem to radiate malice. One by one, I pluck each wand from their hands, time still frozen. It’s almost too easy.

Then, I exhale softly. Go.

Time resumes, and I hear the woman’s desperate cries turn into tears of relief as she hugs the now-healed man. The Ravens, disoriented by the sudden change in their surroundings, blink in confusion. Their expressions quickly shift to anger when they realize their wands are gone. The leader, a burly man with cold, dead eyes, steps forward, seething with rage. Dark energy pulses off him like a storm, thick with hatred.

“Who the hell are you?” he spits, his voice dripping with venom. Daisy appears beside me, standing tall, her green eyes glowing with fierce determination.

“I’ll be the one asking the questions,” I reply, keeping my tone calm but firm. “Who are you, and what do you think you’re doing, ganging up on an innocent couple?”

The man sneers, his lip curling in disdain. “Pfft, who do you think you are? You b**ch. We are Ravens, acting directly on orders from the Dark Sorcerer, your master!”

I can’t help but giggle, the absurdity of his words amusing me. Then, I turn serious, my eyes locking with his. “I have no master,” I say, my voice cold as ice. “And you can pass a message to your sorcerer for me—the fairies do not belong to him.”

The man’s face contorts with fury. “What have you done with our wands? You—” He lunges at me, his hands reaching for my throat, but I teleport behind him before he can make contact. Furious, he spins around, swinging wildly with his fists, but I duck just in time.

A sharp sting cuts across my cheek. I turn in time to see a glimmering blade retreating into the hand of another Raven. I narrow my eyes, teleporting back to my original spot. Enough is enough. From the corner of my eye, I see Daisy glowing with a bright green light as she pulls a club covered in thistles from the ground. She wields it with ease, the thorns bristling dangerously.

Interesting, I think, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Another Raven charges at me from behind, but I’ve had enough. With a flick of my wrist, I summon four large icicles, sharp and deadly. I launch them with precision, aiming to incapacitate rather than kill. The icicles hit their targets, embedding themselves in the Ravens’ limbs, freezing them in place.

Daisy, too, has finished her battle. Her opponent lies on the ground, immobilized, covered in thorny vines. She grins at me, twirling her club triumphantly before it dissolves back into the earth.

All five Ravens are now incapacitated, groaning in pain but alive. The energy around us crackles with tension as they lay sprawled on the ground, defeated.

I step forward, my gaze cold and unyielding. “Let’s continue questioning them, shall we?” I say, my lips curling into a smirk.

Daisy nods in agreement, her grin widening. Together, we turn our attention to the defeated Ravens, ready to uncover the truth.