Into The Depths

///Over 2 millennia ago…///

Day finally broke in the forest, but it was just as foreboding as ever. There was still a considerable fog, obscuring sight in every direction. The girls were stumbling their way through it with no obvious sense of direction, still wet and cold from last night's storm. The forest grew gradually greener as they ventured deeper, shedding the barren, desolate atmosphere it had last night. Scathach was walking ahead of her sister Aife, using her red spear as a walking stick and keeping weight off her injured leg. Aife had a spear of her own, fashioned by her sister after their encounter with the dire wolf. She held her crimson weapon close, looking around nervously for anything that could attack them. Even with the thinning fog, they had no idea where they were going. And what was worse…

(Growl)

Scathach's stomach ached in protest. They've been walking for hours and haven't seen a single animal they could kill to eat. Her mouth was dry too; the sisters haven't had any water to drink. Dehydrated, the muscles in her good leg started to cramp.

"Wait," Scathach said to sister, sounding absolutely exhausted. They stopped walking and Aife looked to her sister in worry. "Let's rest here…"

They sat down on a piece of dead-fall. Scathach set her spear down and stretched her legs, letting out a sigh. Aife moved over towards her and said:

"Let me see your leg."

Scathach obeyed and lifted her leg on to Aife's lap. The sister pulled back the hem of Scathach's clothing, which was essentially a rag, and revealed her bare leg. On it was a blood-soaked bandage, improvised by Aife by previously tearing a piece off of her own clothing. She gently undid the knot holding the torn piece of cloth to her sister's leg, revealing the wound. Four thin gashes made by the claw of the dire wolf still bleeding ever so slightly. The leg needed more time to heal, so Aife replaced the makeshift bandage by tearing off a piece of cloth off the hem of her sister's clothes and wrapped it around the wound. Scathach winced as Aife tied it securely.

"There. It should last another day."

"Thanks…"

Aife set Scathach's leg back down. They sat in silence while Scathach was massaging her uninjured leg, trying to relieve the cramping. Her sister was rubbing her feet, sore from all that walking barefoot. A sad thought crossed her mind, and she let it escape her lips.

"I'm scared Scathach… we could die out here…"

Scathach heard her and realized so herself. However, there was no other alternative for them. They either go back to work as slaves for those barbarians, or take their chances in this gods-forsaken forest.

"Don't worry," she assures Aife. "We'll make it through this, together. We just have to watch over each other. Alright? At least we won't die as slaves."

Scathach put an arm over her sister and hugged her in effort to cheer her up. Aife looks into her sister's hazel colored-eyes and lets a soft smile form on her face, lifted by her sister's confidence as well as her affection. Of the two sisters, Scathach was the adventurous one, usually going with their father and fellow tribesmen to hunt while Aife tended the livestock. When the invaders came, the sisters were captured and thrown into cages, forced to watch their parents being executed for resisting. Aife was hopelessly distraught as they were transported away, but Scathach had the resolve to push past their sorrow and create a way to escape. Aife admired her sister so much for it and wanted to be just like her.

The sound of a twig snapping alerted the sisters. Scathach instinctively grabbed her spear and looked around. Aife's eyes followed where her sister was looking. Their gaze falls on a silhouette slowly emerging out from the fog, and Scathach recognizes it.

-A deer!-

Sure enough, the silhouette comes closer revealing the distinct fur and profile of a red deer. This one had antlers and was scanning the ground, oblivious to the two sisters. Scathach thought it could suffice as a source of food. She turns to Aife and whispers to her:

"Wait here."

Scathach stands up to go towards the deer, but Aife protests.

"But your leg-"

"I'll be gentle with it Aife. I promise. Just watch our backs"

Aife watched as Scathach tiptoed away towards the unwary creature, spear in hand. She used the trees as cover to avoid being seen. Even on her toes, she couldn't stop the noise she made when she walked. When she notices the deer snap its head up in alert, Scathach hid herself behind a tree not daring to move or make a sound. She waited a few moments and peeked around the tree. The deer had turned its attention back towards the forest floor, looking for patches of grass to chew on. She took the opportunity to crouch behind a bush.

Scathach came so close to the deer that she could hear it munching on some leaves. She looked through the branches at the deer that was unaware of her presence. The young girl weighed her options on securing a kill.

-I could make a run for it… charge at it with my spear and aim for the heart.-

She quickly dismissed that idea as she assesses further.

-No. With my injury I'll never clear that distance quickly enough. It'll see me coming and run away.-

Looking down, she weighed the spear in her hand, noting how light it was despite being made of bone.

-Maybe I can throw it. Looks pretty far but I think I can make it.-

Scathach recalled her experience accompanying her father on a hunt and how he used to throw his spear at boars. Hunting took patience, and a fast hand.

Level your weapon.

Never take your eyes off target.

Steady your stance.

Wait for your moment and strike quick.

Reel back and follow through.

Scathach focused as she held the spear in one hand at its balancing point and pulled back, her other arm stretched out in front of her to help her aim. Taking a deep breath, she swiftly stood up; her trajectory all clear for her to make the kill-shot. The deer looks up, frozen in surprise. With great effort, Scathach threw her spear at the animal and watched as it sailed through the air at its target…

(SHRNNT!)

…!

She missed.

The deer moved at the last second and jumped away. The spear sailed by, barely grazing its fur and lodged itself in the ground right where the animal would've been a second ago. Spooked, the deer ran off, out of sight. Scathach sighed in disappointment.

"No meat for us tonight, Aife…"

Scathach was ashamed at herself for failing a crucial task. For her incompetence, she and her sister will go through the night without any food. She bitterly walked over to retrieve her spear and then return to Aife, her stomach still rumbling.

---

After the failed attempt on the deer, the sisters wandered deeper into the forest. Nightfall was closing in fast and it was starting to get cold. The sisters shivered as they ventured, their ragged clothing offering them little protection. They came up to a corpse of a masked foot-soldier, who looked as though he got mauled to death. Aife felt like throwing-up at the sight of him, and Scathach moved closer to inspect him. The smell of rotting flesh attacked her nose.

"Ugh… looks like one of the barbarians who were after us. He probably got separated."

"What do you think killed him?" Aife asks covering her mouth in disgust. "That wolf?"

Scathach waved-away a bunch of flies hovering over the wounds of the soldier, and she looked him over.

-No scratches or bite marks. The leather armor was torn open in a single slash; one long, narrow wound. Hmmm, a puncture mark on the torso… maybe from a sword?-

"I don't think wolves did this. It looks like he was killed by something wielding a weapon."

Aife was surprised.

"A weapon? Could his own allies do this to him? A defector perhaps?

Scathach crouched and looked at the ground.

-Multiple sets of footprints… he was attacked in mass. This man wore sandals, and these prints look to be barefoot; human definitely, but narrow. Almost as if they had no flesh…-

"It was not his friends. Something else attacked him."

"Oh great…" Aife said sarcastically, tapping her spear against the ground. "Not only do we need to worry about soldiers and wolves, but also whatever this was. I hate this place…"

"Seems the feeling's mutual," Scathach humored her. "Come on; let's see what we can salvage. He won't be needing any of it."

"Ugh, disgusting…" Aife reluctantly moved closer to the corpse, and the sisters gathered what they could. Aife picked up a helmet. "Here… we could use it as a container."

"Good…" Scathach picked up a quiver from the soldier's back. It contained a single arrow with a metal tip. She decided to take both. "His bow is broken, but I'm sure we can make use of the string."

"I'll take his dagger…"

---

Daylight disappeared. The sisters moved on and stopped for the night well away from where they found the dead soldier, up against a very thick tree where they put their spears. They were currently trying to start a fire; Scathach was rolling a stick between her hands against a piece of bark with some twigs and a little piece of cloth from her clothes. She had been at it for a while but had yet to get any smoke or other sign of a spark. With her hands cramping up she passed the stick to Aife to continue. After several minutes of trying, Aife threw the stick away in frustration.

"It's no good! I'm not getting a flame!"

Scathach sighed and tried to relieve her sister's discouragement.

"Calm down, Aife. We have to keep trying. We'll get a flame eventual-"

Scathach stopped when she noticed a fog rolling in fast. Her eyes widened.

"Scathach?"

"Aife," Scathach's voice was low. "We need to get out of here…"

Aife looked to where her sister was staring and saw what was making her scared. She saw the fog closing in, and after that heard a blood-curdling moan in the distance. Aife jumped to her feet and helped her sister up. She motioned upwards to Scathach and whispered.

"Up here in the tree! I'll give you a boost!"

"Right!"

Scathach climbed up on top of her sister and pulled herself up onto a thick branch. She bent down and reached out to Aife.

"Take my hand!"

Aife jumped and grabbed Scathach's hand. With her sister dangling, Scathach pulls her up with tremendous effort, straining as she pulled. She raised Aife enough to where she can grab the branch and pulled herself up. The sisters climbed higher, to where they were a long ways up from the ground. They watched as the fog consumed their temporary camp.

The moaning grew louder, and the sisters nearly gasped at what had emerged. They looked like soldiers, wearing blacked out cloth armor and metal helmets, and holding rusted black axes and swords. But their flesh was rotten and dishevelled, showing the bones they had underneath. When they moved it sounded like as if the bones in their limbs were grinding together; it was a noise that made Scathach's skin crawl. Their "eyes" were essentially empty sockets in their skulls replaced by a bright blue glow.

Draugr

The sisters did not dare make a sound as the nightmarish soldiers circled around them, hoping that they will not look up. Minutes ticked by as the skeletal monsters continuing searching around, and eventually moving on. When they were out of sight, the fog lifted, and the night became silent again. The sisters looked at each other.

"Scathach," Aife whispered. "I don't think we should sleep on the ground. Let's stay up here."

"Good idea…"

---

Morning came again, and the sisters trekked on. With their stomachs rumbling, and their throats bone-dry, they walked through the forest as it got gradually hillier. The exhaustion was weighing on them heavily, and the sisters were dying for nourishment. They were walking down a large hill and Aife noticed a shallow creek at the bottom.

"Scathach, look!" She exclaimed as she pointed down; Scathach's eyes widened in surprise at the sight and felt relief wash over her.

-Water!-

Aife ran down with a surge of renewed energy, followed closely by her sister. They dropped their salvaged items and crouched down to take a sip. Scathach scooped up some water with her hands and brought it to her face. For a brief moment, the sisters felt the soothing relief of liquid hitting their dried mouths. But then an awful taste kicked-in and it forced the sisters to spit out before they could swallow.

"Ugh!" Scathach recoiled in disgust. "It's undrinkable!"

Aife coughed up some putrid water that lingered in her throat. She wiped her lips before hitting the ground in frustration. "Revolting…"

Scathach noticed the state of the water now that she and her sister were up close. The water in this measly creek was murky and stagnant. As thirsty as the sisters were, Scathach knew if they actually drank any of this, they would get sick. They couldn't be so hasty next time…

"I'm sorry sister." Aife said shamefully. "I thought this could save us."

"It's alright." Scathach said quietly, not holding anything against her sister. They couldn't afford to berate each other for shortcomings. They had to work together; otherwise they would never survive out here. "Let's just keep going."

She helped Aife up on her feet and the sisters went to pick up their spears and salvage. They continued on, as famished and thirsty as ever.

---

-So… Hungry…-

Much later on, the sisters found themselves trudging along the apex of a steep forest hill. Night was coming again, and Scathach's stomach growled painfully as she walked behind Aife, who had her spear tied to her back. Her vision was blurry and she was feeling lightheaded.

-Thirsty…-

Without her spear as a walking stick, Scathach was sure that she would not have been able to stay on her feet let alone walk. She just felt so drained that a random rush of wind could knock her over. Blinking through her impaired vision, she noticed Aife in front wobbling with every step, looking dazed and confused.

"Scathach…" She said weakly. "I don't feel so…"

Aife trailed off. Scathach gasped when her sister suddenly sidestepped and fainted, tumbling down the hill. Her adrenaline kicking in, she impulsively slides down the hill after her.

"AIFE!"

Scathach slides as fast as the hill would allow, not caring if she could hurt herself at this speed if she went into a tree. Her heart was hammering as she caught up to Aife's limp body and hugged her, trying to slow them both down. To her shock, they didn't slow down as they slid up to a cliff and fell off. Scathach felt open air and closed her eyes as she plummeted down with her sister. She thought this was the end for them. Time felt slow as they fell, and she knew for sure that the impending impact will kill th-

(SPLASH!)

Scathach opened her eyes and realized they were underwater and resisted the urge to breathe. She was briefly disoriented and struggled to align herself and Aife. Once she did, Scathach pushed herself and her sister to the surface. Once they broke, Scathach gasped for breath and guided Aife and herself to the river edge, crawling out on to the terra-firma hoisting her sister over her shoulder. Aife stirred and had a coughing fit, expelling water from her lungs. Scathach gently set her sister down on her side, tossing away their spears and collapsed on to her back, panting heavily. She was soaked, exhausted, and shivering while staring up at the sky.

Aife was eventually over her fits and positioned herself on her back, taking deep breaths.

"We're not going to make it… We're going to die here…"

Her sister was afraid, but Scathach said nothing. She no longer had the strength to speak, but even if she did, she found that she could not refute Aife's words. Despair was slowly setting in, and Scathach was at the end of her rope. Both sisters were starving and dying of thirst, and at this point it wouldn't be long until they succumbed to death's impending grasp.

It seemed so easy…

Just wait and let death's gentle embrace take all that pain away…

Feeling nothing was better than feeling pain, wasn't it?

Continuing the struggle was futile at this point…

Let it end… Rest.

Scathach so wanted to just close her eyes and let go. This cursed forest wasn't an ideal place for eternal rest, but she wasn't dying alone at the very least. She blindly reached out and grasped her sister's hand with her own. This may be the end, but it was a fate they'll meet together. They'll reunite on the other si-

Scathach turned her head to the side and saw something that froze any thought of death.

A flower…

But it wasn't like any flower she had ever seen. It was a bright lively red with ribbon-like pedals that glowed gold at each end. Scathach could not help but stare; It was a beautiful sight in an otherwise wicked place. She found herself not wanting to shut her eyes, afraid it will go away if she so much as closed them even for a moment. She couldn't comprehend how such a vibrant object could bloom in a place like this. Her eyes widened when it released golden particles into the air. She followed them, looking straight up to see the air above her fill with even more specs of light.

She wanted to see where they were all coming from. With great effort, she pushed herself up and looked over her shoulder. She smiled in awe.

"Aife… look…"

"Huh?"

Aife sat up and turned before gasping at the sight.

They were in a massive grove; a hidden away orchard filled to the brim with all these red flowers. It was enclosed by the forest canopy above, amplifying the glow of dust that floated around in the air. The whole atmosphere felt ethereal, making the sisters feel that they have stepped into another world.

Scathach helped her sister on to her feet and they found themselves wandering through the grove. They looked around, basking in the sheer beauty of this hidden paradise. Aife was wondering if the two of them were dead already, as it seemed like there was no way this garden should exist here after the sheer hell they've went through in the past couple days. Was this the afterlife?

(Growl)

Aife rubs her empty stomach.

-Guess that answers that…-

The sisters walked on, and soon a distinct noise reached Aife's ears. She reached out to stop Scathach from walking, catching her attention.

"Sister!" Aife whispered. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Listen…"

The sound was constant as it hit the sisters' ears. Aife's eyes widened in realization, and she looked at Scathach with a joyous smile. When she met her gaze, they both reached the same conclusion.

It was the sound of running water… a stream was nearby!

Aife started running ahead followed by her sister. They eventually came up to a spring with a thin channel of water running through it. They fell on their knees once reaching it and crawled up to the water's edge. Before they got too carried away however, Aife decides to sample it first. She scooped up some water in her hand and brought it to her mouth to take a sip. She lets it linger in her mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.

"How is it?" Scathach asks.

Aife takes a breath after drinking and turns to Scathach with a smile forming.

"It's clean!"

That was all the confirmation Scathach needed. The sisters both hurriedly took sips of water from the stream, feeling more and more rejuvenated with each mouthful. Scathach felt like laughing as it felt so good after being without it for days. She became more aware now that her thirst was quenched, and looked around with trepidation. Despite their luck turning around at last, she knew they weren't out of danger just yet.

---

The sisters decided to stay in the orchard for the night. Aife was trying once again to start a fire while Scathach was practicing throwing her spear with a tree as her target. She couldn't afford to miss another opportunity to catch food, so she tried hitting the same spot on the tree each time. Aife went for over an hour without a hint of success, but kept going despite her growing frustration. She was determined to not let herself and her sister freeze to death tonight; she was going to get a flame going one way or another. Another few minutes went by and Aife took a brief break.

"Any luck?" Scathach asks, retrieving her embedded spear from the tree.

"No," Aife responds panting in exhaustion. "I've been spinning this stick forever, and not even a spark. If only there was a way to make this easier…"

"Don't give up Aife. Just keep yourself tied to it. I'm going to go find us some food."

"Take the dagger with you. Good luck."

"Thanks."

Scathach went out of sight, leaving Aife alone. She sighed as she took the stick in her hands again, not expecting to succeed anytime soon. Her hands were getting raw, and wouldn't be long until she was unable to hold the stick herself…

-Wait a minute.-

An idea just crossed Aife's mind. She took a branch from a nearby bush and snapped it in half. She pushed the branch against her knee to give it a bend, and then tied both ends together with string, forming a bow. She looped the stick she was using into the bowstring, turning it into a spindle. Aife steadied the spindle over her pile of tinder using the flattest, smoothest rock she could find as a hand piece. Secured, she holds the bow with her dominant hand.

-Let's hope this works…-

Aife moves the bow back and forth, making the shaft spin rapidly; much faster than Aife could ever have with her bare hands. Black sawdust quickly formed between the spindle's tip and the piece of bark she used as a base. After several minutes, Aife stopped when she noticed smoke on the spindle's end. She moved her friction bow away and saw glowing embers in the tiny pile of sawdust. Aife blew on it ever so gently to feed oxygen, adding fine twigs as she did. The embers glowed brighter with each blow until at last it burst into flame and the twigs caught fire. Aife was ecstatic as she watched the flames dance and consume her tinder.

-I did it! I FINALLY did it!-

There wasn't much time to celebrate as the flames were dying quickly. Aife rushed to find more fuel to sustain the fire. The sisters were going to rest comfortably tonight…

Meanwhile, Scathach wandered through the Red Grove, spear in hand. It was truly beautiful; with all these orchids and floating specs of light illuminating the garden and surrounding trees, even in the night-time. She had no trouble seeing where she was going, as all this light made navigating easy. The majestic setting made Scathach believe she could just walk around here forever. She wandered her gaze among the many flowers and bushes when she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She dropped down on instinct, hiding herself in the flower bed. When she poked her head up ever so slightly, Scathach saw the source.

-It's that deer again!-

There it was, grazing among the flowers and as oblivious as ever. Scathach calmed her excitement and thought about her approach carefully. She might not get another chance like this, and at this point, losing out on food was NOT an option. She tilted her head back down and crawled through the flowering plants towards her target; the red pedals concealing her spear effectively. Scathach could make the deer out by gazing through the bushes. She was now close enough to throw her spear, but she resisted the temptation of attacking early.

-It's distracted, but its ears are pointing in my direction. Any movement I make now can spook him. I'll just have to wait this out… strike when its back is turned.-

Scathach waited and watched her prey carefully, adjusting her grip on the spear ready to throw in an instant. The deer continued to graze on grass, its ears turning each way, scanning for threats. The wait felt like an eternity; Scathach could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she continued to stalk the deer, daring not to blink or even breathe. The animal at last turned its head away from her and its whole body followed.

-Now!-

Scathach sprang up and reeled back her spear. She let it fly as the deer turned back in alarm at the noise she made. It was too late to react as the crimson spear sailed through open space and hit its mark.

(SHRNNT!)

-Yes!-

The deer cried in pain as the spear got embedded into its side. It ran off frantically out of sight, and Scathach ran after it. Eventually, the creature collapsed and thrashed its legs weakly, and hyperventilating. Scathach came up to and crouched near its head, looking over the poor creature as it tried to hang on to whatever life it had left. Seeing it now made her truly feel bad for what she did to the magnificent animal as well as for what she was about to do it in the coming moments. The only measure of comfort she took in finishing the creature was that its death meant that she and Aife would survive. Scathach decided to end the deer's misery quickly, as she covered the deer's eye and took out her dagger, reeling it back to drive it into the creature's jugular. The animal continued to struggle and it made Scathach tear-up in her eyes before she granted the mercy kill.

"I'm sorry…"

Scathach held her breath as she thrusts her weapon down. The deer stiffened and fell silent before going limp. She removed her blade and exhaled deeply. She whispered a prayer, being thankful for the nourishment that this animal's body would provide for her and Aife.

---

The sisters feasted on deer meat cooked over Aife's fire. They skinned off the fur and dried it over the flames, hoping to use it later as a blanket. Scathach ate happily, feeling the rejuvenating satisfaction of a good meal. Thanks to their combined efforts, the sisters could live to see another day. After having their fill, they turned in for the night, with Scathach taking the first-watch. She situated herself up in a nearby tree, taking the deer fur to keep herself warm while Aife slept by the fire, giving it plenty of fuel to last the night.

Scathach dozed off sometime during the night and stirred as morning broke. She opened her eyes and took the fur blanket off of herself, looking down to see Aife feeding their fire with the remaining wood they had; today in particular had a cold bite in the air, so she couldn't blame her sister for wanting to keep the flames going a bit longer. Scathach carefully made her way down from the tree, grabbing a nearby branch so she could climb down-

(SNAP!)

Scathach gasped as she found herself falling down back first. She landed on a bare bush with a crunch. She didn't fall very far, so the impact didn't break a bone. However…

"Scathach?"

Aife called out in worry. When she heard her sister cry out in pain, she ran over to her in a panic.

"Scathach!"

Aife followed her sister's screams until she found her crawling out of a bush, clutching the side of her abdomen. She knelt down and turned Scathach over on her back. She was crying and breathing rapidly, and Aife noticed blood coming out from where her sister was holding her side. She removed her sister's hand and gasped at the sight.

Scathach had a sharp piece of wood impaled through her side, and torn through her tunic which was now soaking blood. Aife almost recoiled at the gruesome sight.

"By the gods…!"

Scathach winces in pain as she tries to speak. "How bad is it?"

"Very bad… I'm going to have to pull it out."

"Wait!" Scathach stops Aife as she was reaching out to the sharp stick in her side. She winces from the pain she's in as she tells her: "Do it quick."

"Alright," Aife acknowledges with a nod. "Don't look..."

Aife struggled to stay calm. She had to help her sister, but at the same time didn't want to hurt her any more than she had to. If that stick stayed in, Scathach's wound could get infected; but if Aife stumbled in pulling it out, that could open the wound further. She gripped the offending piece of wood with one hand and held one of Scathach's hands with her other, assuring her sister that she will make it through this. Scathach's brown eyes never left Aife's.

"On three…" Aife whispers, choking back tears of seeing her sister in pain. "One… Two… Three! "

(SHRNNT!)

Scathach grunted painfully as Aife removed the sharp stick from her side and tossed it away. Scathach breathed deeply and soon felt warm liquid pour from her wound. She instinctively put a hand there to stop it, but there was simply too much blood to hold back.

"Oh no…"

Aife's heart was racing; she removed the piece of wood but now her sister's wound was open, causing her to bleed out profusely. It was only a matter of time before she died from blood loss. Scathach was hyperventilating and started to shake. Aife hugs her sister on instinct, terrified of losing her.

"Scathach! Stay with me!"

Scathach whispered something, but Aife couldn't make it out. She tilts her head down to hear what her sister was trying to say.

"Fire… Move me."

It took a moment for Aife to process Scathach's request, but she soon obeyed, dragging her sister by the arms towards the fire. Aife sets her down gently by the flames as Scathach points to the arrow they salvaged from the dead soldier.

"(Wince) Heat up the arrowhead."

Aife was confused, failing to see how that would help her sister.

"Why?" She asked, dreading her answer.

"The wound… burn it shut."

"What?! Are you insane?!"

"Aife please…!" Scathach forced herself to speak up. "No time t- to argue… I n-n- need you to-!"

Scathach started coughing. Aife realized that time was running out and she needed to act now. She took the arrow and held the metal tip over the flames, making it glow white-hot. Scathach held Aife's hand with her own as tight as she could, shaking and afraid to let go. Aife looks into her sister's scared eyes and tries to console her, knowing what she was about to do was going to be excruciating whether Scathach lived through it or not. She was not about to let her sister die.

"Sister… it's going to be okay."

Scathach's gaze softens as Aife squeezes her hand tightly.

"I… trust… you…"

Aife looks down and instructs Scathach. "Move your hand. This is going to hurt… a lot."

Scathach nods and removes her blood-soaked hand from her wound, exposing it to her sister. Aife brings the glowing arrowhead down on the skin surrounding it. The moment it touched, Scathach's pained scream echoed throughout the entire forest.

---

Aife let her sister rest for the day, giving her time to recover from her wound being cauterized. Aife had just brought back some water for Scathach, who was lying down on the fur blanket by the fire and trying to sleep. Her burns ached painfully, making proper rest impossible. Aife did a messy job, but it did the trick and stopped the bleeding. It was a grave reminder that the sisters were still in peril, and would have to be very careful until they found their way out of this forest. Aife returned with a helmet filled with water and crouched down by her sister.

"Here." She holds the container over Scathach's mouth. "Drink up."

Aife tips the helmet, letting water pour between Scathach's lips. After letting her drink some, Aife poured the remaining water over Scathach's burn, hoping to soothe it. The sister winced as the cold liquid hit her burnt skin.

"Argh… not good."

"You won't let me put a bandage on it because it hurt you so much. I have to keep cleaning it this way so it won't get infected. Don't complain."

"Yes mother…"

Aife giggled at her sister's joke, and Scathach laughed with her. It was a sign that she was recovering and she was thankful to the gods above that her sister was still here with her. She thought back to the time when they were together playing while their parents watched them and smiling happily. It may have all disappeared in an instant, but the sisters still had each other to watch over. That had never been clearer to Aife than it has in these past days.

Scathach suddenly winced after laughing a bit too hard, killing the mood. Aife knew her sister's injury was still fresh, and she would not be fit enough to walk for a while.

"Easy. You are going to overdo it."

"I should be fine… by morning."

"We'll see about that. Let me worry about keeping us alive tonight. You've done more than enough for us already."

Scathach smiled at her sister for taking care of her.

"Thank you, Aife. I don't know what I would do without you…"

"Are you serious?" Aife asks surprised. "I've always thought you were the extraordinary one. You got us this far, and I would have died if it weren't you. I wish I was as brave as you Scathach; I am just a burden. I know that not everybody would have the nerve to burn themselves to stop a bleed."

"I will admit, that was pretty crazy." Scathach chuckled lightly. Her face suddenly turns somber as she lets out a sigh. Aife could tell that something was on her sister's mind. "Do you want to know what the scariest thing about that was?"

Aife thought carefully. "Dying?"

"No." Scathach shakes her head. "I wasn't afraid of dying. I haven't been since I pulled you out of the river. The thing that frightened me was leaving you alone; the thought of me never seeing you again. It was unbearable."

Aife listened to her sister, lost for words as Scathach reaches out and grabs her hand.

"I'm glad you are here with me Aife." She said softly. "If I was alone out here, I would have gone insane. You saved my life, and I know you will never hesitate to do what you must. We are sisters, and we'll always look out for each other. So give yourself more credit; you are no burden to me."

"Scathach…" Aife was on the verge of tears. "I don't know what to say…"

"Then don't. Please stay with me."

Aife did what her sister asked and sat down beside Scathach, then suddenly let go of her, an idea coming to mind. Aife took the arrow she used on Scathach and snapped the head off. Her sister looks on confused as Aife instructs.

"Hold out your hand."

Scathach obeys, and Aife makes a tiny x-shaped cut on her sister's palm. After that, Aife makes a similar cut on her own palm and then holds their hands together tightly.

"I swear to you. No matter what happens… through thick and thin, we are sisters until the end."

Scathach smiles and nods in affirmation, as daylight disappears and the flowers of the grove bloomed again.

"Until the end…"

---

They left the Red Grove at first light the next morning. Aife walked behind Scathach to keep an eye on her wound. Both sisters walked with their spears in hand with Scathach wearing the deerskin pelt. They walked along the river that before took them to the orchard.

"Are you sure this is the way we should go?" Aife asks her sister.

"I'm positive. This river should lead us to a village. Hopefully…"

"Good. I've had just about enough of this cursed forest. I can't wait to get a proper bath…"

"Yes." Scathach chuckled. "I would like that too. Maybe also eat a cooked pig and drink some honey mead."

"Oh now you're talking, but I am more of a beef person…"

"Are you joking? Pork is much better than beef, especially if you slow-cook it. At that point, the meat just slides off the ribs…"

"Alright stop. Now you are just making me hungry again. Deer doesn't fill me up very much."

"Not to worry, if I see a rabbit, I'll let you know and then we can snag it. I wonder how tasty it… will… be…"

Scathach stopped walking as she trailed off. Aife became alert.

"Sister, what is it?"

Scathach brought her hand in front of her face and blew. She could see her breath, affirming her suspicions.

"Do you feel that? It's cold…"

Aife did the same thing and realized this too. It wasn't this cold a minute ago and there was no wind. Within moments, she started to shiver. Scathach looked at the ground and saw a mist seeping through the forest floor and completely engulf the area. She started to have a bad feeling…

Aife screamed as countless Draugr started to emerge from the ground all around them. One grabbed her leg and pulled her down.

"SCATHACH!" she yelled as she struggled. Scathach turns in alarm and rushes to her sister's aid. She thrusts her spear right through the Draugr's head. The creature growled in agony as the light left its eyes and went lifeless, releasing its hold on Aife. Scathach quickly helps her sister on her feet and they make a run for it, the dead army chasing after them.

They ran into the fog, weaving past trees and through bushes to escape their pursuers. The fog grew thicker, and the sisters dared not to look back at the sounds of snarling dead soldiers. Scathach ran as fast as she could, and didn't bother to stop until she no longer heard the draugr behind her, figuring that they were now far enough away. Scathach was panting, feeling her heart hammering in her chest and each breath-in feeling like knives against her lungs. She said to Aife:

"Looks like we've lost them, huh Aife?"

"…"

"Aife?"

Scathach was met with silence, and it worried her. She turns to face her sister, but finds that Aife was gone, lost in the mist.

"Oh no… AIFE!"

Scathach yelled into the fog and looked around frantically. She couldn't see six feet in front of her in this fog.

"AIFE!"

Nothing. Scathach feared the worst and thought Aife was already dead. Her anxiety mounts the longer she was left alone. Seconds tick by and she starts to get terrified. This mist felt like a wall closing in on her. Scathach cries as her thoughts race through her head and clenches her aching heart.

-Aife, please be alive! Don't leave me alone! I can't bear it if anything happened to you! I beg you, please answer me Aife!-

Scathach turns and sees a silhouette in the fog holding a pole-arm. She briefly feels a wave of relief as the figure walks towards her.

"Aife?"

The figure raised its spear and came closer; Scathach experiences an epiphany as she makes out the shape of the weapon. Her eyes widened.

-Wait. That's an axe!-

She barely had to time to raise her weapon when the figure charged toward her and swung its axe at her. It gets blocked by the red spear, but the force knocks Scathach down. She quickly recovers and rolls out of the way, just as the attacker's weapon comes down and strikes the ground. Scathach gets up and backs away from a following swing. She looks up at a hulking, elite Draugr glaring menacingly at her. Scathach readies her spear and circles the brute slowly, ready to thrust her spear at a moment's notice.

The creature was easily more than twice Scathach's size. And with it wielding that vicious looking axe, Scathach felt she was less of an opponent to it and more like prey. Her heart was racing and her muscles twitched, ready to explode into motion. She dared the Draugr to make the first move.

And moved it did…

The Draugr roars and charges at Scathach. She evades as the axe coming down at her and sends a slash at the creature's side with her spear. The Draugr sidesteps with surprising agility as Scathach found herself exposed. The brute spins and knocks the young girl away with a free arm. Scathach rolls back on her feet and feigns a maneuver to the side. The Draugr swing its axe in that direction, only for Scathach to spin back and jab her spear in the brute's side.

-Take THIS!-

It stuck, but to her shock, the creature didn't react to the blow and instead spun around forcefully. She was holding on to her weapon when she was pulled and thrown off her feet. Scathach let go and hit the ground rolling several feet away. She struggled to get up as the Draugr pulled out her spear from its side and dropped it. The brute walked up to Scathach's prone form and raised its axe and swung it down directly at her. She looks up and rolls at the last second. The axe-head got stuck in the ground as the Draugr struggled to pull it out. She seized her chance.

-If I could just get my spear back, I can go for the head!-

Scathach crawls quickly through the legs of the creature and makes a reach for her spear. Her fingers barely grazed the crimson shaft when she was suddenly grabbed and pulled by her ankle.

-No!-

She looked back to see the Draugr reeling her in with both hands, having given up on the axe. It turned and grabbed Scathach by the throat and lifted her off her feet. She gagged as the creature's clammy; rotting digits squeezed her neck, and instinctively tried to pry them off. Its hideous jaws closed in, ready to take a bite out of her. Its glowing eyes gave her no hint of mercy, but only primitive savagery as it squeezed the life out of her. Scathach would have been screaming by now if she wasn't already being choked to death. As she grew weaker, all she could think about was her sister, and how she had failed her-

(SHRNNT!)

The Draugr roars in pain as a sharp, red bone juts through its chest, nearly skewering Scathach in the face. The creature drops Scathach as it swings its arms frantically. She gasps for air and clenches her sore neck, getting back on one knee and grabs her spear. She turns and sees the Draugr grappling with Aife. It had just pinned her to the ground and was reeling back to slam its fist down at her. Aife looks back at Scathach, showing not fear but resolve. It was a message.

A window of opportunity...

Scathach reeled back her spear and yells as she throws it with all her strength. The spear sailed towards the head of the Draugr and struck with extreme prejudice. The creature goes limp and falls to the side, the glow in its eyes going dark. Aife quickly sat up, panting and trying to calm down from what just happened. She looks back at Scathach, who raced towards her, dropped down on her knees and threw her arms around Aife.

"AIFE!" She cried; her face wet with tears. "I am so sorry! I thought you were dead!"

Scathach sobbed into her sister's shoulder as Aife calmly returned the affection and hugged her.

"Shhhh… I am okay." She soothed. "I'm here and it's alright-"

"No! it's not!" Scathach yelled hysterically. "I was supposed to keep you safe, and instead I lost you in that mist! I'm such a terrible sister!"

She continued to cry as Aife stroked the back of her sister's head in an attempt to calm her down.

"That's enough… you are the best sister I ever could have asked for. We are alive because of you. If anything, I should be sorry for worrying you so much. I know how much you hate being alone."

Aife takes her sister's trembling hand and opened it revealing the x-shaped cut, then she shows Scathach her own. She sniffles as Aife explains.

"Remember this? This is our bond. Even when we are apart, we will find our way back to each other. No matter what Scathach, you will never be alone."

Scathach's heart soared at her words, and she let a smile form on her face as she hugged Aife more gently.

"Thank you Aife." She whispers. "I love you so much. Don't leave me…"

Aife smiled at her sister and returned her embrace.

"I won't sister, and I love you too."

They knelt there in each other's arms for a good while. They both broke away when they noticed the body of the Draugr fade into spectral mist and disappear into oblivion, making their spears drop to the ground. Aife makes a comment.

"We sure showed him…"

"We sure did." Scathach said with a smirk. She turns to Aife and asks, "Did you throw your spear through its back?"

"I did."

"Wow. That was such a nice throw…"

"Thanks, but it was nowhere near as good as yours. You got it right between its eyes. I don't think that I could ever have made that shot."

"You just need practice. Now, how about we get ourselves out of this hellish place?"

The growl of countless Draugr made them alert, too many for the two sisters to fight. Aife quickly got up, followed by her sister.

"I completely agree! Let's run for it!"

"Right!"

They grabbed their spears and bolted through the mist, holding hand to hand so they don't lose each other. The woods were getting denser, yet no matter how far they ran, the fog didn't get any thinner. Aife turned to sound of Draugr gaining on them.

"These things just don't quit, do they?!"

The sisters ran through a rocky gorge, navigating through bushes past boulders until they unexpectedly hit a dead end. The sisters turned to see the many Draugr emerging from the fog and stalking towards them, hungry for blood.

"We're trapped!" Aife said. She notices Scathach brandishing her spear and turning to face the horde of undead. She replies:

"But not helpless."

Aife sees her sister once again showing bravery and she decides to join her, readying her spear for the fight of her life. Their lives.

The Draugr slowly closed in, their rustic weapons poised to strike-

They suddenly stopped and looked up. They growled as if they were faced with something frightening. They turned and retreated away into the mist, leaving the sisters alone. Scathach was confused by the turn of events, but Aife laughed and celebrated.

"Yeah, that's right! Run away! You lot aren't so tough!"

Scathach turned around and stared upward, her mouth hanging open in shock as Aife kept cheering until she looked back at her sister.

"That'll teach you not to mess with-! Hmmm? What's the matter?"

Without looking away, Scathach used her hand to turn Aife's head to where she was looking. When Aife finally saw it, her eyes widened.

"By the gods!"

They were staring at the shadowy silhouette of a gigantic creature emerging from the fog. The earth rumbled with each footstep as it moved and pushed trees out of its way. When it at last made itself visible, it was a truly awesome sight. The beast had a thin midsection with elongated limbs. Its skin was bark-like with a metallic sheen. On its joints were big striated pockets of glowing spectral energy that fluctuated with each step. Its "head" was flat, round protrusion sticking it from under a long crest coming out from its spine. On it were two long, thin glowing slits for eyes, and a chin full of tendrils that covered its "mouth". It was truly a creature NOT of this world.

Aife was shaking at the sight, but Scathach tried to reassure her, feeling a bit frightened herself as the beast stops in front of them.

"Don't move. It can't see us if we don't move…"

The creature's eyes glowed bright and shined on the sisters like a spotlight. The beast made a deep, echoing roar that sounded more akin to a howl.

"Or maybe it can… RUN!"

The sisters turned around and bolted. The creature followed them, its massive size and stride made speed a non-issue. It knocked over trees and crushed boulders as it chased them. For the sisters, it was like trying to outrun an avalanche.

"What in gods' names is that thing?!" Aife yells over at Scathach as they ran side by side.

"No idea! Keep running!"

They stopped hearing the sound of quaking footsteps, but they dared not look back at the beast. Maybe it had given up?

The joints of the beast glowed and channeled to its "head". The creature reels back and roars, releasing a shock-wave of white energy that radiated outward and sounded like an explosion. It swelled and passed the girls harmlessly. Before the sisters could think about what that was, they felt their feet leave the ground and floated upwards uncontrollably as the trees and rocks shattered around them.

"Scathach!" Aife reaches out to her sister as they floated up and apart. "Help!"

"AIFE!" Scathach tries to grab her, but she quickly floated out of reach. They were dangling high above the forest, which now was partially leveled. To her horror, she noticed that they were floating right towards the face of the creature. She tries to struggle against this invisible force but it was futile. She couldn't move anywhere but towards the beast. Both sisters were oriented upright and staring in to the face of the giant. The beast howls and it extends its glowing tendrils towards Aife, who tries to jab them away with her spear.

"Get away from me! Get away!"

A tentacle swats Aife's spear away making her drop it. The tendrils proceeded to wrap themselves around the terrified young girl. She screamed, prompting Scathach to act.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

She reels back her spear and throws it right at the creature's face. The beast howls in pain and then retracts its tendrils from Aife, keeping her suspended in midair. The creature recovers and soon decides to redirect its attention to Scathach. It wasted no time ensnaring her, and the young girl struggled against the bondage. Aife screams.

"SCATHACH!"

She continued to struggle until the glow of the creature's eyes changed color to yellow. Scathach suddenly started feeling weak, like she was being drained. Her eyes turn hollow as a bright blue light emerges out of her chest. Aife watched helplessly as this monster was seemingly sucking the soul out of her sister's body, knowing that a similar fate awaited her-

(SLASH!)

A shadowy mass flew through the tendrils holding Scathach, slicing them apart. The blue light immediately sank back into her chest as she and Aife plummeted back towards the ground. Scathach gasped for air as life returned to her eyes and body. Time slowed to a crawl as a pained roar and Aife's screams echoed in her ears. She dazedly watched as the beast recoiled in pain as a shadow moved quickly over its body, setting off explosions of light on its joints, making slash marks all over and releasing energy. She was not aware that she was falling until she looked over at Aife, who was staring straight down at the ground. Scathach looked back up as she saw the shadow close in and consume her vision before she hit the ground.

All she knew was emptiness…