Prologue:
The
moonlight leaked sparingly through the rigid thickness of trees in
front of Lillian, giving barely enough illumination and just enough time
to jump over the large roots, rocks and other unrecognizable obstacles,
as she ran with all her might to elude the enemies behind her. She
knew from the sharp snaps and crackling of leaves and twigs that they
were gaining up on her fast. Dreads are large, but not quick on their
feet, and to her advantage none of them were on horseback. The fortress
couldn’t be too far ahead, she thought. And she knew that if she
reached it she might find cover enough to cast some effective spells.
The deep grunting of Dreads closed in behind her. She held her hand up
against the sky with a beckoning motion, causing large branches to
crack violently; hoping to create a more solid barrier between her and
her savage foes. Glancing after, she could see that it had worked, if
only for a moment. She tried to gain speed, but her legs were becoming
tight and sore from the constant, grueling chase. Arrows continued
whizzing violently through the sky all around her, as she reached the
top of the small hill ahead – that’s where she could finally see it.
Foreboding as it was, with its black, slick, and sinister design; it
still looked very extraordinary in the moonlight. She had reached the
fortress at last. It had taken years to discover how to disarm the
protective enchantments around it, and now she was finally here. Four
members of the Great Council, her companions, had been killed tonight on
this deadly quest and she simply couldn’t bear to fail them all now.
As she scanned the open clearing around the building, she noticed that
more Dreads were standing guard and preparing for the oncoming chase
that was imminently obvious by the arrows, yells, and loud trampling
coming their way. Lillian continued to rain debris in their path,
frantically casting spells behind her as she ran. Taking cover behind a
large tree, she began enchanting the rocks to fly in the direction of
her pursuers. Loud grunts and angry howls echoed through the forest as
the rocks made contact. A few moments of near silence ensued, giving
Lillian the confidence she needed to break away from the tree and
descend the slope in front of the fortress. She speedily moved down the
slope, hiding between trees and large rocks on the way to conceal her.
It seemed as if her pursuers had finally fallen behind! She
triumphantly moved nearer to the entrance, when all of the sudden
something hot and forceful struck her violently in the back. The heat
surged through her body rapidly, causing instant paralysis. As she fell
backward onto the hard earth, and just before her eyes closed, a long
black haired figure hovered over her, piercing her with dark and
soulless eyes.
1st Paragraph:
Life often
changes suddenly and devastatingly. It is then that our reality takes a
deep plunge into the unknown, and can alter much of what we once knew to
be true. It causes us to wake up and be ready for the changes that are
inevitably coming. In this change, there is always a chance to grow and
learn who we really are, if we choose it to be so. We can choose light
or darkness - to expand or be stagnant. We will never find out what we
are made of, if we do not conquer what is laid before us for our
benefit. We can have unbelievable strength that we never thought was
possible, if we open ourselves up to who we really are...
The Enchantress of Lynniah
Author A.L. Bawden A.L. Bawden was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, into a large family of artists. Her father is a renowned sculptor -(Dee Jay Bawden), and her mother was an ingenious crafter, interior decorator, and seamstress. She has siblings that are sculptors, photographers, painters, cake decorators, tattoo artists, film makers, and crafters. She and a couple of her sisters have also had a successful mural painting business in Utah, called Artistic Murals. Her other hobbies include, reading, sewing & designing costumes, making jewelry, crafting, wake-boarding, snow-boarding, camping, fishing, boating, hiking, and running. She is a lover of fantasy fiction books and has enjoyed writing ever since she was a kid. She is the mother of three and is currently managing a couple of small online businesses
No comments :
Post a Comment