The Death Bridge

Raven awakened with a jolt.

"You alright, lassie?", Brongr asked as he came over.

Raven stared at him with wide eyes, her breath quick and shallow as a drop of sweat trickled down her temple. A look of concern flashed across the big man's face as he returned Raven's gaze.

"Lass?"

Raven swallowed hard as she averted her gaze from the big man. Brongr sat down on the bed and reached his hand out to Raven's face. He took her chin in his hand and lifted her face to him. "Whit's goin' on lass? Ye look as if ye've seen a ghost."

She looked into his emerald eyes for a few moments before lowering her gaze and gently pushing his hand away. "I…just had a nightmare, is all. I'm fine", she said with a small smile.

Brongr stared at her, unconvinced. "Are ye sure, lassie?"

"Yes, kind bandit, I'm fine", she assured him.

"Alright, then…I'll be headin' out."

Brongr stood up and headed towards the door. He opened the door and looked back at Raven, the concern never fading from his eyes. She gave him a smile and with a soft sigh, he left the shack.

As soon as the door closed, Raven let out a long, shaky breath. She balled her hands into fists. {"It was just a nightmare…it was just a nightmare…just a nightmare"}, she thought over and over again.

And with that thought lingering in her mind, she gathered her strength and climbed out of the bed.

***

After breakfast, the trio went to the stream to train on the soft, luscious grass.

As they neared the stream, Raven felt her stomach twist as the memory of her nightmare flashed through her mind. {"It was just a nightmare, Raven. You've had them for years. You should be used to them by now"}, she thought. {"But why does it bother me so much then? Why can't I get it out of my mind? "}, she argued with herself. {"Why can't I forget the disappointment in Axil's eyes? I know it wasn't real, although it felt that way. And everything Beastie said… it just seems so strange…"}

Her thoughts were interrupted by Brongr.

"I've been wanting to ask ye, lass, why is it that there is no snow here? The rest ay the forest is covered in snow but here… there's nothing."

"That's just one of the many mysteries of the Shadow Forest", Raven answered, unaware of the bitterness that seeped into her voice and rested in her words.

Axil glanced at her, his eyes filled with concern. He pulled Raven aside while Brongr busied himself with setting up their training area. He crossed his arms and looked at her.

Raven stared up at him, surprise dusted across her face. "What?"

Axil arched an eyebrow at her.

"Nothing is wrong"

"Back to arms-length, are we? I know something is wrong and you know you can't hide it from me."

"It is not your-"

"Business? Don't you think that line is getting a little old? "

Raven adverted her gaze guiltily.

Axil sighed. "Why do you always have to be so stubborn?", he muttered.

"I had another nightmare, alright?"

Axil frowned. "Another? "

"Yes. And I don't want to talk about it-", she said as she turned around to walk away.

Axil threw his hands in the air, frustrated.

"-yet… "

Axil's gaze rested on Raven as she walked towards the big man.

Brongr looked up as Raven approached him. His eyes shifted to Axil, not failing to notice the strange look in the silver eyes. But then the silver eyes met his and the look disappeared, replaced with a cold and fierce gaze.

Brongr looked away, hiding the small, knowing smile that tugged the corners of his mouth as he suppressed a soft chuckle.

"Who am I sparring with today?", Raven asked as she placed her bow against a tree, oblivious to Brongr's thoughts.

"We are both going to spar with you, Raven ", Axil said as he walked up to Brongr and Raven.

"Uh, why?"

"Because we need to make your training more difficult. You are going to have to learn how to use your magic the hard way."

Raven arched a brow.

"I've been thinking about your magic for a while now. In truth, I have no idea how to teach you how to control your magic. Your magic is too different. However, I do have a theory.

"And that is?"

"Your magic appears to be surfacing when you are in danger or when your emotions are out of control. Like the day that we came here, your emotions went out of control and you were in danger. Your magic came to you easily and you controlled it very well", Axil said.

"Yes but, I need to control it fully. Anytime, anywhere and in any circ.u.mstances."

Axil held his hand in the air to stop Raven.

"Let me finish…you are right though, you must be in control of your magic. But you won't be able to learn how the...normal...way. Your magic is unique and the process of learning how to control it is also unique, but more than that, your magic is an ancient magic and we have no knowledge about it, except for the little bit from the scrolls. "

"So you're saying that I will learn how to control my magic by having to fight for my life? "

"Something like that..."

"And we are basically doing this blindsided?"

Axil nodded and silence fell between them.

"I say we try it. It may be jist a theory but, I say it's worth a shot", Brongr said as he glanced from Axil to Raven.

Raven looked up at him as she considered his words. "Well, we don't have much of a choice, do we? It's either that or… nothing", she said with a sigh.

"Very well. Then we can begin…"

***

"That is impossible!"

A female voice echoes through the air.

"Everything points to it, my lady", the man says from his kneeling position.

"It must be a mistake. They were annihilated centuries ago, they cannot exist anymore."

"There is only one left my lady." A long silence followed yet the man remained on his knees, patiently waiting.

"If you are right, then we are in luck."

"In luck, my lady?"

"Yes. They were known for it. Their magic. If I can get my hands on one of them… it might just be enough for me to break free!"

"What do you wish of me, my lady?"

"When the time is right, I want you to bring it to me. It will free me, willing or not!"

The man bent low to the ground before he disappeared into the shadows…