Ch.8

Isla's POV

'Woah' I thought as I saw the lanterns being released into the air, they illuminated like stars against the night sky. The image of the lanterns were reflected onto the river under the bridge we stood on. The bridge was arched elegantly over the dark water, decorated in festive lights.

'Everything is so colourful' I looked around leaning against the rails of the bridge.

The lanterns made such a beautiful view in the sky, that I wanted to capture this moment with my camera.

The prince seemed unhappy with me wondering of to places just to gaze up at the sky, so he finally brought me a lantern and my face lit up immediately.

I don't know why this made me excited…but I did want to fly it really bad.

The festival was way more crowded then I thought it'll be, I could hardly squeeze through the crowd to reach the other side.

I've heard that the lanterns were supposed to carry our wishes, I guess up to heaven probably.

'a wish' I whispered softly

'I wish to go home' I closed my eyes tightly and hugged the lantern in my arms.

'Make my wish come true please'

Well I guess I can take this opportunity and try to escape between the crowd, but couldn't help hesitate when I felt the Fire prince's present linger behind me.

'Just leave me for 5 seconds!' I yelled in my head

He's stuck to me like gum

That's when I felt a sudden push, I opened my eyes to an old lady wearing a dark green cloak who nearly tripped over by me. I grabbed her immediately to stop her from falling.

"Are you okay granny" I asked worried

'Seems like she ran into me and nearly tripped'

'Well can't blame her its too crowded to even move around'

Before the granny could say anything

I heard someone yell

"Isla!"

A sudden ball of fire blasted towards us, it felt like a gunshot and my heart dropped immediately.

"Aaaaahhh!!!" I heard everyone scream around me

The fire ball was dodged by the old lady and seem to have hit some lanterns behind us which bursted like a bomb.

"Fire!!!!!!" Everyone scearmed running away

I felt the heat of the fire explode onto my back,

"Is it the fire prince!!!!" Someone yelled loudly

"Everyone evacuate!!!" I heard people shout

The atmosphere has turned into panic mode, everyone was running hastily to get away.

'What's going on!' I thought with my mind clouded with fear and confusion.

'Did the Fire prince just attack me!!!'

'Wait is the old lady okay' I suddenly remembered

I quickly ran up to her body collapsed on the ground

"Are you okay?" I asked bending over to help pick her up, and as I extended my hand the old lady quickly turned slashing a blade towards me.

My eyes widened with fear as the tip of her blade sliced across my arm, I screamed in pain and retracted my arm back immediately clutching my wound tightly.

'It hurts, it's bleeding!'

The old lady then lunged towards me with her dagger flashing above her head.

My body jerked back from her reaction, and the stinging pain from my arm made my whole body shake uncontrollably.

'No she's going to kill me!" I covered my face with the lantern that I've managed to still hold onto.

...but nothing happened...

Between the crowd of screaming people running away, I heard a painful groan.

A guttural choke sound.

I slowly looked over the lantern, my eyes were teary so my vision was a blur but what I saw made me paralysed on the spot and drop the lantern from my hand.

A wooden arrow was pierced into the old lady's neck, and the blood was oozing from her neck uncontrollably.

Her head was slanted to the side as she stood there staring right at me with her bloodshot eyes.

The guttural choke sound was coming from her mouth and the view was making me sick in the stomach.

'What is happening!' My body was trembling like crazy

'Is she dead'

She fell before my eyes, hitting the ground with a sharp rush of air. Her face was expressionless...

'Is she dead!' I couldn't stop shaking, I kept shaking and the tears in my eyes were burning

This is the first time I've ever seen someone die

I'm scared, I'm scared

My heart was throbbing in my ears, loud and irregular

'I need to get away'

Before I could stand up

Someone grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me up

I was still in shock, so I didn't get time to react

A well built guy wearing a colourful festival mask swang my body over his shoulder like a sack of potato and started running.

"Hey! Let me down!" I yelled violently kicking

"Sweetheart I wouldn't do that if I was you" he said before he threw me into a carriage and another pair of arms grabbed me from the inside.

"Lads we got her!" He yelled hopping into the carriage, and like a engine the horse let out a loud 'neigh' and galloped off carrying the carriage like wild.

"Let me go!" I screamed on the top of my lungs, struggling from the strong grasp holding my arms from behind.

'This is insane, who are they'

"Who are you!" I screamed again, I could hardly see anything from the dark.

"She's yapping too much, should I shut her" the person behind me snapped

"Take it easy champ" the person in the colourful mask said, sitting in front of me.

"We need the treasure"

"So we need this pretty little thing in good condition"

'Treasure? They mean money right?'

"I will give you as much money as you want!" I screamed again

'Please fall for it' I begged in my head

They went silence

"Are you trying to make a deal with us doll" the masked person said, hiding his smirk under the mask

"Yes! How much" I asked quickly

I heard a snickers as I sensed him come closer, he grabbed my face and firmly squeezed my cheeks

"I don't need money sweetheart" he chuckled

The lantern in the sky managed to give of some light as it sparkled onto his masked face

"I want the power stone" he penetrated me with his hazel green eyes.