Etain tailed Egil for what felt like a league or more, she couldn't say for certain. Tracking their progress by the small balls of light was next to impossible. Her lungs continued to burn along with her head, pain spurting up from her legs at random points. What is happening to my body?
She continued to run, fear that she would lose track of Egil driving her on. Why had he begun to run again? Perhaps he knew something that she didn't or he'd learned something when she'd been looking for her brother. Or his rashness had gotten the better of his good sense. "Egil, stop," she yelled down the empty room, "I can keep up this pace."
He stopped at the final light, his frame tense. She held up a hand to grab hold of his arm, but he darted to the side and disappeared into the darkness.
"Egil!" Etain stopped, leaning forward onto her knees to catch her breath. Red hot pain seared her head, flaring with every gasp for air. She forced herself to breathe deeply, using the familiar motion to take herself out of the present and go through what she knew. They had come straight forward the whole way which mean the stars were behind her. Egil had run forward into the darkness as well. Despite the long run, her body felt fine. As soon as she'd forced herself to breath normally, the burning had stopped in her body. That smacked of magic, as did the growing headache she had. This whole places reeks of magic. She stood alone next to a glowing light, safe for the time being. The water would inform her of anything approach. Water? She took another breath, looking around to confirm what her feet told her. Water had appeared all around her, lapping gently around her ankles. It had not been there during her run. She listened for sounds of Egil or any other living being. Nothing. The wisest course of action would be to turn back and follow the straight path she stood on. She peered into the darkness, searching it in vain. Egil remained out there. She couldn't just leave him. Any number of creature could live in this swamp. "Egil, where did you go? We should go back."
Cold, damp air blew across the back of her neck. "Etain…"
She jumped and whipped around, bow drawn on instinct. Nothing stood there, only impenetrable darkness. Her eyes widened. Where had the path gone?
"Etain!" The voice called again, a figure appearing on her left. She turned and saw Egil standing there, spear in hand and savage expression of glee on his face. "I've found the creature. We can finish our hunt. Follow me!" He ran off into the darkness again, the splash of his footsteps growing distant.
The creature, here? Etain took a step forward, lowering her bow, "Egil, wait-"
"You hunt a monster?"
Etain spun back, another figure having appeared in the light. A dark cloak wrapped around his frame, she recognized his long red hair and scarred face. Her mouth fell open, "Brother." She could hardly remember the last time she'd heard her brother's voice. It was the night he left, when he came to say goodbye. "What are you-how did you get here?"
He ignored her question, turned to walk off in the opposite direction. "I tracked a creature down here, uncertain of its purpose. Now I understand. This is my chance to reclaim my place. Come Etain. Help me and we can return home together." He strode into the darkness, bow in his hand.
She watched the darkness, listening to the rhythmic splashes. Roy would need help, but so would Egil. If she followed her brother, Egil would be alone to face whatever creature he had found. I promised to keep him safe.
"Sister, please," Roy's voice called from the darkness, "I need you."
She gripped her bow tightly, grinding her teeth. She could feel his strong arms helping her to pull back Heart Seeker for the first time. Gentle but firm, Etain. That's it. Treat the weapon with respect. All she'd wanted was to impress him, to see that smile he gave her whenever she hit the center of the target. You'll be a proper hunter yet. He had the most infectious smile, the sincerest praise. But Roy never had anyone to protect him. He'll need more help than… She paused, the scene of her brother walking off replaying in her mind. No limp, a perfect gait. You were lucky to survive at all. Darkness clouded her eyes. She turned to follow Egil's path.
"You would choose your lover over family?!" Roy's voice crashed down on her like thunder as he emerged from the darkness before her. Anger colored his honey eyes, a shade too close to her own.
Etain drew back her bow, meeting the creature with an arrow pointed at its chest. "Silence, beast. You are not my family. My brother can hardly walk, let alone hunt."
He hissed and charged forward, bow now a silver scythe. "I will not allow such disrespect!"
Energy hummed in her arms as she took aim at the creature's heart, striking him square in the chest. A hair off. It fell backwards with a sickening thud, the silver floor returning. She bit back a cry. He wasn't Roy. She grimaced as the pain flared in her head again. It wasn't Roy.
The creature laughed from its place on the ground, pale green fluid leaking from Roy's mouth. "Sister…why?"
Etain dropped down by the body of her brother, "I didn't choose Egil first. I knew this was a deceit."
"You were supposed to save me," it cough pitifully, "To take me home with honor."
"You're not real," she yelled, yanking out the arrow and plunging it into her brother's forehead. It gave a shudder before melting away, leaving nothing but her arrow. Her bow dropped to the ground as she fought back tears. She wrapped her arms around herself, her voice shaking, "He wasn't real."
A pair of arms around her, soft lips whispering into her ear, "It's alright, Etain." Egil's strong form pressed against her back, his warmth enveloping her.
"What is this place?" she asked him, reaching up to touch his smooth, gentle hands. Wait.
"You don't have to hide it anymore," Egil went on, his lips brushing against her neck. A shudder went through her body. "We can run away together, start a life on our own. Your family never needs to find out."
Her cheeks grew warm as her eyes went cold, "Rokos." A blinding ball of light appeared before her, driving back the creature as she retrieved her bow. "Egil knows nothing of my family, beast. You should have studied my memories more closely."
The form of Egil melted away to reveal a second shapechanger. Etain ignored it, allowing her light to keep it at bay. She picked up her arrow and used it to write on the malleable floor.
"More magic. Foolish human. Feeds the broken one. Gives up your life-force. Easy meal, easy prey," the creature hissed, circling slowly.
Etain completed her summoning circle and chanted, "I beseech thee, mistress moon. Grant me the peace of thy light." She cut the tip of her finger and dropped blood onto the inscription, forming a pentagram in the air. The circle glowed once before a simmering shield came up around her. Within, the sounds of the outside world disappeared. Her headache lessened until she felt nothing, cut off from the ringing of the fae silver. I should have predicted that when we entered. Every lesson she'd learned on raw fae silver taught to keep it in a soundproof shield until use. The natural substance could poison a human mind easily.
She focused again on her light. I need to find Egil before something terrible happens. She would need to move fast to stay ahead of the creature. With two spells active, she wouldn't have the energy to pull back her bow. All the more reason to find Egil fast. She whispered a second spell, preparing to move, "Dukos."
The light floated back, heading where Etain had come from. She followed after it, running to keep ahead of the creature. It followed her from the darkness. The room proved far shorter without the tricks of the creatures there to confuse her. Her spell guided her straight, taking the shortest path to Egil. She reached the stairwell in minutes. Taking the stairs by two, she climbed back up to the ground floor. She burst through the door, the creature skidding out a second after. The light turned into the open door. The one she'd been unable to open. "Egil!" An arrow flew passed her cheek, striking the wall and melting into it.
"Egil, come quickly. I need you!"
She looked back where the creature had been, shocked to find herself staring back. It held a bow, full drawn with deadly intent in its eye. Etain felt her light dissipate, pulling out her own bow to meet its challenge. "Egil, don't believe whatever it says. That thing wants to kill us both."
It released another arrow, forcing Etain to dodge to the side. "It's a shapechanger, Egil. Kill it quickly!"
Etain reached for an arrow, reluctant to take aim. Her shield drew on too much of her energy. Adding the magic of her tattoos to the equation would be dangerous. "Egil, the silver is affecting our minds. Its ringing can poison a human mind after too much exposure. You need to enter get beneath this shield with me."
"Don't believe it, Egil," the creature cried out, "It wants to tempt you to get close to it. It tried to do the same to me after forcing me to fight another that looked like my brother." The creature paused, as though the next words were difficult to say, "It…embraced me. I thought it was you."
Etain gathered her strength, nocking an arrow. The longer the creature talked, more chance it had to use Egil's confusion to its advantage. She took a breath, staring down the creature as it fired a third arrow that narrowly missed her head. "That's enough out of you," she hissed, aiming for the creature's head and releasing her shot.