144 Hurts and Dream 2

*ASTRID'S POV* 

~DREAM~

I opened my eyes and saw myself back in the forest; this time around Aunt Nerissa was with me. We were chased by the human soldiers again; we fought hard against them, using magic and the elements. 

Before I knew it, they had grabbed Aunt Nerissa, I heard her screams and turned to take a look.

"Astrid no, don't come back, keep on running."

"Leave her alone!" I yelled, but the soldiers wouldn't listen. 

That's it, I was done playing nice. If they wouldn't want to let her go, then I had only one choice… Result to force.

"Astrid, save yourself, you must go." I heard Aunt Nerissa's voice plead with me.

I closed my eyes, I could feel the rush of power inside of me, and the wind blew harder, rustling the trees and the leaves. As the wind grew stronger, it raised with it the debris on the forest floor.

I could hear the screams of the soldiers; the wind was affecting them, but I didn't care and only intensified it.

"General, she's going to blow us off. We must stop her before she does, but we can't get close to her."

One of the soldiers complained to the General.

"Close your eyes and hold the sorceress, do not let her go no matter what. I would stop the other one myself."

He was going to stop me? Should I laugh or cry? I could hear him amidst the noise surrounding us; I could feel his feet as they thudded on the earth below him. I was ready to open the earth and bury him, ready to unleash havoc on them.

All of a sudden, I started letting go. What was happening? It was as though someone was calming the rage I felt inside and my hold on my powers began to slip away.

I was shocked. No, this shouldn't be. Stop!

But it was as if I had no control any more as my body succumbed to this new calm and peace. Seconds later, everything became dark.

A few minutes passed and I opened my eyes, I was at the Elven forest, in the mist. Then he appeared again, with a smug look on his face as he came closer.

"Miss me?"

He looked so much like him but I knew he wasn't Jareth and I got angry. The more he smiled, the angrier I became.

Damn him, because of him I almost killed Jareth. I won't forgive him for that. I won't let him go, not this time around. 

"How dare you pretend to be him? You won't survive this time."

"Why love? Did I not perform well enough last time? Your lips tasted so sweet, I can still feel the softness on my lips." 

Spoke with a clear charm in his eyes as he stalked closer. 

I wasn't going to fall prey this time. My hand shook, as it glowed and I prepared an even stronger magic. All the dissipated anger from before, arose from within, I was ready to finish this.

I raised my hands, they shone a bright blue light, yes my magic power and without wasting time, I directed it at him.

Boom!

Left with no other choice, I closed my eyes and fought against him. 

******

After hours of chasing the hybrid, Princess Avery decided to allow the soldiers eat or drink whatever they had on them and rest for some time. She knew she had tired them out and if she intended to capture the Hybrid, she needed them at their utmost best. 

About an hour ago when she first saw the mist cleared and the battle marks on the ground, she knew they had gone up ahead and had quite a fight here. It was only a matter of time till she found her again.

*FLASHBACK*

"These big dents, what happened here?" Lieutenant Callum was forced to ask. 

He bent down close to the marks on the ground for further inspection with some of the soldiers. 

"Your Highness," one of the soldiers called her out. 

She was distracted as she looked ahead, the mist had cleared and the hybrid must be up ahead. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened when suddenly the soldier's voice rang out, pulling her out of her thoughts. 

She turned from the direction she gazed at and focused her attention on what he called her for. 

"There's just two beasts footprints, Princess, no sign of any other beast attack."

Lieutenant Callum raised his head from what he was checking out and said, "There are also two person's footprints. Judging from the size of their feet, I can say they belong to a male and a female."

He stood up and made his way to the princess. 

"That must be the elf, hybrid and the two mystical beasts." Princess Avery concluded. 

Some soldiers ran forward to scout the surroundings for any other clue. 

"Your Highness, Lieutenant sir," a soldier called from afar. "You have got to see this."

Both Avery and Lieutenant Callum turned to look at each other first before rushing up to where the soldiers were. 

Right before their eyes, they could see a big mark towards the center, broken trees branches, sand and leaves scattered everywhere and away from the big mark the center. 

"What kind of battle happened here?"

"This must have been where that blast originated from and not with the wild beasts."

Avery came to a conclusion after putting the pieces together.

"Another set of footprints, but its far apart." Her hand moved up to touch her chin in a thoughtful manner.

"Yes Princess, I have come to find that a little bit disturbing." Lieutenant Callum voiced out his thoughts.

"What are your assumptions?"

"These set of footprints, one seems to be the same as the one from before while the other is different and they both belong to a female. The first is obviously the hybrids but who does the second one belong to?"

"I think we just found out who the hybrid was facing. This battle was intense, using powers like that."

"But Princess, we do not know exactly who it was. Was she another elf or what?"

*FLASHBACK ENDS*

Princess Avery sat atop a tree branch, letting the cool evening breeze clear her head. Her gaze lingered on one spot as her mind wandered aimlessly trying to figure out who had battled with the hybrid.

Boom!