Chapter Twenty-One: Light Glows Bright in the Darkest Places

     When Adisa emerged from the tent, with two backpacks thrown over her shoulder, Ceridwen was mounted atop Artemis, waiting for Adisa to bestride Apollo. Ceridwen took one pack from Adisa and strapped it to Artemis's saddle.

"Ready...?" Ceridwen asked as she secured her bow, which was holstered on the side of the saddle.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Adisa tightened the restrains holding her whips to hips. "Actually, wait...How do we know where the Moonclover grows?"

Ceridwen smiled, and pulled a piece of crinkled paper from her saddle bag.

"The Mendaxa ruins. I went back to tell Rolland we were about to begin the journey and he said he forgot but we would need this map." Ceridwen slid the map into a pocket of her forest green cloak.

"What are the Mendaxa ruins...?" Adisa asked, and for the first time in her life her voice was laced in fear.

"Just another place, we have to go that will put us in peril." Ceridwen cracked the reins and Artemis raced out of the outpost's entrance and towards the dark forest. Adisa took one look around and closed her eyes trying to subside the anxiety thumping through her mind, and then raced after Ceridwen.

***

Ceridwen commanded Snow to fly ahead while the girls trotted through the forest.

"She's a beautiful creature." Adisa swooned as the setting sun knitted its way through Snow's feathers.

"She is, isn't she?" Ceridwen turned to reply, and noticed a tear falling from Adisa's face. "Are you alright?"

When Adisa released Ceridwen had noticed her signs of sorrow she quickly wiped away the tear. "I use to have a pet of my own...she was all I had, all that I loved, after Duzna murdered my brothers...But she was back at the castle when I left, and I know Duzna has slain her by now..."

Ceridwen threw a sympathetic gaze towards Adisa, but the dark Magic Born was staring off in the distance and didn't notice. Suddenly, Snow screeched and exploded through the canopy of trees above. Ceridwen and Adisa arched their necks as a fleek of white burst into a sea a green. Snow glide to Ceridwen's arm.

Snow and Ceridwen shared a metal link, because of Ceridwen's spirit gem, the ruby on the huntress's arm. Before Snow could tell Ceridwen why she called a blood curdling scream erupted from the distances.

Adisa locked eyes with Ceridwen and she nodded. The two girls slapped the reins and the horses bolted in the direction of the cry.

The wind hummed passed their ears as the sped towards the call. The tree and bushes merged into a mesh of brown and green, as the girl's raced through the forest. Hearts racing, blood catching fire, and souls trembling, the girls willed their steeds forward.

Another spine-tingling cry for help haunted the woods, as the girls emerged from the cluttered woods and into an opening in the forest. Ceridwen and Adisa yanked on the reigns and slowed Artemis and Apollo to a stop.

They stood in the middle of dilapidated village. A crumbling moss covered wall lined the tree edge, and circled the entire village. Rock and clay buildings, collapsing and deteriorating, were littered across the grounds, swallowed by massive roots and coiling vines. Dead flowers coating the entire forest floor. 

In almost the center of the village stood, directly in front of the girls, a massive temple, sporting overgrowth and shivering cracks.

Before the girl's had any more time to suck in their surroundings another squeal flooded the village.

Ceridwen leapt from Artemis and grabbed her bow, retrieving an arrow from the quiver on her back and notching it. Adisa removed her whips from her hips, gripping the handles and letting the barb covered ends uncoil and dropped to the ground.

"I think it's coming from the temple..." Ceridwen whispered gazing at the colossal structure in front of them and pulling the bow string back to her cheek.

Adisa nodded as darkness dripped down her whips searing the ground as the whip were drug across the earth.

Ceridwen and Adisa climbed the stairs of the temple, advancing towards the horrid cries. Once Ceridwen reached the top on the stairs she gasped, and released the tension on her bow. Adisa followed soon after, gulping in shock and willing the shadows, coating her whips, to evade existence.

Adisa dropped her whips and raced to Ceridwen, who was looming over a scared, grim covered girl.

The girl was huddled in the back left corner against a wall, shivering and terrified. Ceridwen kneeled beside her and let a caring expression fall into her face, Adisa stood behind her with an identical gaze.

"What happened? How did you get here?" Ceridwen asked forcing her voice to be soft and calm.

The girl stared passed Ceridwen, and passed Adisa, an enchanting horror circling her eyes. The girl slowly lifted her finger and pointed to the wall behind Ceridwen and Adisa.

"They brought me here..."

Ceridwen whirled around, just in time to witness four women like creatures covered in black robes, walk out of the walls.

"Adisa...I think we found the Mendaxa ruins..."

"Funny, I was starting to get the same vibe." Adisa Shadow Seeped, slipping into darkness and appearing beside her whips snatching them up and reviving the shadows she had smothered.

Ceridwen notched an arrow and fired it at one of the Mendaxa, but the woman's hand ripped it from its flight just before it could pierced her skin.

"Little warrior...you'll have to do better than that!" The Mendaxa hissed, and Ceridwen noticed the snake tongue the Mendaxa sported. The woman's fingernail were extremely long and sharp, her eyes were viper like and daring, her skin was pale white, and her voice was toxic.

Two of the four Mendaxa kicked off the wall and flipped over Adisa, landing in a crouching position. They hissed reviling their fangs and waving their claw like nails.

"Come at me, freak show!" Adisa growled, as she swatted a poisonous whip at the Mendaxa on the left. The shadowy weapon seared the Mendaxa's robe and she lunged at Adisa. Adisa, lucky a quick thinker, slid to the side and wrapped the Mendaxa in her whip Shadow Seeping away, with the monster ensnared in her whip.

Ceridwen watched as two of the four monster turned their attention to Adisa. The young huntress notched another arrow and fired again, this time the Mendaxa wasn't quick enough and the steel tipped broadhead sunk into her shoulder.

As the wounded creature wailed in pain the other Mendaxa rushed Ceridwen, taking a swipe with her claws. Ceridwen leapt aside and rapidly fired another arrow at the Mendaxa that was attacking her.

The monster was faster than her sister and knocked the projectile aside, bolting towards Ceridwen, but the huntress ran forward and slid kick the Mendaxa at the last second.

Ceridwen sprang to her feet and launched an arrow in the Mendaxa's back while it groveled on the ground.

Adisa materialized from the shadows. Standing on the roof of the temple, she threw the trapped Mendaxa on the ground and before the monster could gain awareness, Adisa lunged her foot in the monster's back sending it flying off the top of the temple. Abruptly, Adisa Shadow Seeped back inside the temple.

When she climbed from the shadows her eye caught a glimpse of Ceridwen firing an arrow in the back of a Mendaxa. Before Adisa had time to witness anything else a Mendaxa tackled her to the ground and sunk her fangs in Adisa's forearm.

The dark Magic Born bellow a painful song and the grip on one of her whips eased up and she let it go. Adisa buried the pain deep down and quickly elbowed the Mendaxa in the throat, the creature stumble off of her and Adisa jumped up and coiled the monster in her whip.

The Mendaxa roared in pain as the shadow incased whip corroded her skin.

The Mendaxa in front Ceridwen ripped the arrow from her shoulder and threw it to the ground, a nasty scowl plastered on her face.

"Fear me worthless human!" The Mendaxa hissed, as it swiped at Ceridwen.

Ceridwen dropped her bow and tumbled out of the way. She snatched a dagger, that was concealed in her boot, and clamped onto it. The Mendaxa quickly whirled around, but before it had a chance to lunge at Ceridwen, the huntress pounced on the creature and penned it to the ground, with knife press against the Mendaxa's throat.

"Cease!" A viperous hiss filled the temple and captured Ceridwen and Adisa's attention. The Mendaxa Ceridwen had hit in the back with an arrow was now holding the same arrow, which she ripped from her back, to the same girl's neck. "Forfeit you weapons to me, or the child dies!"

Without hesitation Ceridwen stood and threw dagger at the feet of the Mendaxa. Adisa wasn't as quick to give up.

"Do you want to blood of an innocent child on your hands, witch?" The Mendaxa pressed the arrow into the girl's skin and a trickle of blood dribbled down the child's throat.

"Adisa do it now!" Ceridwen roared in a commanding howl.

Adisa released the Mendaxa from her whip and threw her weapon aside.

"Tie them up!" The Mendaxa commanded her sisters. "And give that one Lectus Berries!" She cackled as she pointed to Adisa.

The Mendaxa bound Ceridwen and Adisa's arms behind their backs with vines and one of the monsters force-feed Adisa Lectus Berries she had picked from the plants climbing up the temple wall.

Adisa's vision blurred but just before she fainted she watched as the captured girl morphed from a scared child into a vicious smiling Mendaxa.

***

Adisa's continuousness slowly returned, her ears were ringing, as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her skull, and she quickly released, it had. She was upside down, hanging beside Ceridwen, by her feet, above a pit of water. They were suspended like two buckets in the middle of a giant well. 

"What happened...?" Adisa mumbled, still groggy from being knocked out by the Lectus Berries.

I guess I should've read up on the Mendaxa stories...They trap their victims, but morphing into victims themselves..." Ceridwen said, an angered tone amid towards her own foolishness.

"Well, I don't know about you but I am ready to leave!" Adisa closed her eyes and willed her body to Shadow Seep out of the trap, but when she opened her eyes she was still dangling over the pit of water. "What? My powers...What happened to them?"

"The Lectus Berries block any powers for a short amount of time when consumed...and you ate a lot..." Ceridwen informed.

"How long is a short amount of time?" Adisa flailed around trying to loosen the restraints.

"Long enough for the Mendaxa to decide on a way to kill us." Ceridwen huffed.

"How are we supposed to escape without my powers...?" Adisa barked.

"No powers is the least of our worries...look!" Ceridwen gasped and for the first time the girls noticed movement below. Two massive crocodiles were swimming in the pit the girls dangled over.

Adisa arched her head down towards the pit and groaned.

"Reached inside my boot, I think I still feel my spare dagger." Ceridwen commanded.

"I can't! My hands are tied behind my back...So are yours!" Adisa yelled, as if Ceridwen was oblivious to the restraints. 

Ceridwen scoffed, and began looking for another way to cut the bindings.

The two large beast below started comping their teeth and growling every time the girls moved.

"Got another bright ideas?" Adisa spat out, sarcastically.

Ceridwen continued to search the walls of the well, until she noticed a six inch nail prodding out of the wall.

"Actually I do...But I need you to ram into me." Ceridwen said, with a monstrous grin climbing her lips.

"Um...what?" Adisa asked in utter confusion.

"Trust me, just swing your body, and shove me into the wall."  Ceridwen commanded.

Adisa didn't reply, instead she began rocking back and forth. Suddenly her body collided with Ceridwen's and the huntress began to rock as well.

"A little more." Ceridwen grunted.

Adisa gritted her teeth as the two girl collided again. This time it was much hard and some of Adisa breath was knocked from her lungs.

"Got it!" Ceridwen hollered. Adisa turned to see what Ceridwen was going on about and noticed she had grabbed a nail that was protruding from the wall.

Ceridwen wrapped her hands around the rusty piece of metal and began sawing the vines that bound her hands behind her back. Finally the vines snapped and Ceridwen's hands were free, she let go of the nail and swung back to Adisa.

"Wow...now your hands are free...SO helpful." Adisa rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Yeah, I know." Ceridwen smiled, and didn't let Adisa's sarcasm bother her.

Ceridwen used all her strength and threw her body upward, barley snagging the handle of her dagger, which was wedged inside her boot. Ceridwen leaned forward, one hand holding onto the root that bound her feet, the other gripping the tiny knife. She propelled herself upward and took a mighty swing, slicing through the vine.

Ceridwen's feet dropped from the restraints and the only thing keeping her from dropping in the pit of flesh eating crocs, was the death grip she had on the vine that once bound her legs.

She placed the dagger blade in her mouth and began ascending the cord of vine, puling up with her hands and bracing herself with her feet. Once she reached the top she leapt for the edge. As soon as her foot hit the ground she slipped.

The dagger dropped from her mouth, but landed safely on the ground above, as Ceridwen hung helplessly form the top of the well.

"Ceridwen! Are you ok?" Adisa screamed. Ceridwen used all her training and all her strength to pull herself to solid ground. She rolled around and laid flat on her back, gasping for a breath.

"I'm...fine..." Were the words Ceridwen forced from her lips, as she pushed herself to a stand. Ceridwen picked up the knife and walked over to the well, she reached out and snagged the vine that dangled Adisa over the pit, and began cutting it. "Now, I'm going to cut you loose and pull you up."

Before Ceridwen could finish cutting through the root, a Mendaxa appeared behind her.

"I don't think so." the Mendaxa hissed as it pounced for Ceridwen.

The young huntress let go of the vine that held her friend and leapt out of the way of the creatures attack. The Mendaxa barred her fangs and held her hands to her sides, ready for another attack.

The Mendaxa swiped at Ceridwen and the monster's claws sunk into Ceridwen shoulder.

The vine Ceridwen had begun cutting, was starting to tear, soon Adisa would drop into the pit and become the crocodiles' next meal.

"Ceridwen, help!" Adisa squirmed as the vine slowly tore.

Ceridwen staggered back as blood began to ooze from her wound. The Mendaxa stood between Ceridwen and the well, prohibiting her from saving Adisa.

Adisa's pupils grew in horror as she watched the vine rip. Her body dropped towards the pit, the crocodiles licking their lips in anticipation. She closed her eyes in an effort of a last attempt to Shadow Seep to safety. Adisa felt her body strike something hard, and when she opened her eyes she had Shadow Seeped out of the well and was lying next to Ceridwen.

"Adisa get us out of here!" Ceridwen roared as three more Mendaxa's walked from the walls.

Adisa jumped up and tackled Ceridwen, as the girls feel to the ground darkness incased their bodies and they merged with the shadows. When they erupted from the black fog they were still in the village.

"I told you to get us out!" Ceridwen groaned as she cupped her hand over her wound and cringed on the ground.

Adisa dropped to her knees, panting. She dug her finger nails in the dirt covered floor. Adisa fought for a breath as her lungs shrieked.

"I couldn't...couldn't get us any further..." Adisa spoke in short, quick burst of words, heaving in a breath at every pause she took. "I'm too weak, I've Shadow Seeped too much, and I don't have much energy left..."

"Ok...just make sure we are close enough to Artemis and Apollo, we'll have to make a run for it." Ceridwen's face quivered as she tried to stand.

"I'm not going back emptyhanded, after all that!" Adisa said, harsh and stern.

"We don't really have a choice." Ceridwen yelled.

Adisa gaze outside and a smile grew on her lips.

"Or do we...?" Adisa pointed out of the crumbling shake they hid in.

While the girls were inside the temple the sun had set, and the moon was hovering above them, washing the forest in moonlight. All of the dead flowers that once littered the ruin's ground, had blossomed into luscious blue Moonclovers.

Ceridwen and Adisa locked eyes and they both nodded. Without a second of hesitation, Adisa and Ceridwen raced across the field of Moonclovers ripping handfuls form the ground. When the girls reached their steeds they tossed the Moonclovers in their saddle bags and mounted the horses.

Before Ceridwen slapped the reins she her a familiar squawk. Both girl arched their necks and watched as Snow flew out of the temple, her talons wrapped around Ceridwen's bow and quiver and Adisa's whips.

"That a girl!" Ceridwen yelled with glee, as Snow dropped the weapon in the girl's hands.

"Let's get out of here!" Adisa hollered as both girl switched their horses with the reins and bolted back towards the outpost.                   

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