Water Carpet

Although exhausted, Agatha kept moving. She jumped out of the carriage door and ran as fast as she could, not knowing where she was headed. She pushed herself forward until she found a hiding spot behind tall trees.

From afar, she heard a faint voice calling, "Come out, little kid, come out and we'll play."

It came from a man on her left, walking in her direction. Another man was peering into the dimly lit forest on her right.

Cautiously, Agatha climbed up a tree to get a better view. When she saw someone directly below her, she jumped down quickly.

Agatha aimed her landing on his head. The impact made a cracking thud, and his head hit the ground. She fell too, losing her balance, but after a moment of silence, she realized he had lost consciousness.

She wanted to check if he was indeed out cold, but she heard his companion running toward them.

She rushed away without looking back. The night was very dark, making it hard to see because of the large leaves. Still, Agatha didn't stop or rest. She had to escape.

Lightning struck the sky, followed by rumbling thunder that almost shook the ground. The rain began to fall, gently at first, then suddenly turning into a storm with strong winds.

Branches snapped, and leaves rustled.

Along the way, Agatha stepped on a stone, losing her balance and falling face-first into the mud. Hearing footsteps, she quickly got up and ran again.

She looked around and saw a large bush, hiding herself between the thick leaves. She tried to control her breathing despite the fast beats of her racing heart.

She was scared, but she needed to survive. She checked her position to ensure she was well-hidden.

Sensing the surroundings, she realized someone was approaching while another was far behind. They weren't hiding their presence, perhaps thinking she couldn't sense them. She was grateful for that and planned to use it to her advantage.

Agatha peeked through the thick leaves. The man nearby wore different clothing—it was the coachman, holding a sword. He would take her without hesitation.

"Kid," he called, panting. "Come out. We won't hurt you. We just want to return you home…"

Agatha knew that was the biggest lie she had ever heard.

The coachman followed her trail, his gaze lowered to the footprints. Out of nowhere, Agatha kicked him right in the crotch.

The man groaned, stumbling as he clutched himself. Agatha used that brief moment to kick him again and again at every exposed part of his body until he lost consciousness. To be sure, she cut the vein in the back of his neck, ensuring he wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

The other pursuer was already near, so Agatha ran once more. The storm grew more intense, with thunder and lightning battling above the dark clouds. Lightning struck down, briefly illuminating the world, and Agatha used that light to find another hiding place.

The rainstorm made her footprints in the mud unrecognizable.

Agatha ran fast but suddenly stopped when she saw what lay ahead: a huge cliff, with the ocean's fierce waves below. If the lightning hadn't struck, she wouldn't have seen how dangerously close she was to falling.

It was so dark she could barely see anything except a big tree near the cliff's edge.

Hearing footsteps behind her growing louder, she ran again, not minding her exhaustion. She knew someone was coming from the east, so she ran to the west, then headed north to be seen by her pursuer. As expected, the man immediately ran after her.

Agatha ran at full speed, ignoring his shouts. Once she saw the large tree, she ran straight toward it but changed direction at the last minute, heading east to avoid the cliff.

Her pursuer didn't realize there was a cliff. It was too late for him to stop. He fell with a screech, and then there was a splash of water below, followed by silence as another lightning bolt lit up the sky.

Agatha sat on the ground, catching her breath. She felt as if she had run across the entire continent.

"You're a pain in the ass, you know?"

Fear struck Agatha, and she glanced back at the source of the voice. Eva stood there, holding a sword made of water.

Agatha stared at the sword, remembering what her mother had told her. Agatha was a Fae—a Water Fae. And so was Eva.

She wondered if she could do that too.

Without much talk, Eva attacked, swinging the sword in all directions. The rain was so heavy that Agatha struggled to avoid each attack.

"You kid!" Eva shouted, thrusting the sword toward Agatha's heart. Agatha had no weapon to defend herself, so all she could do was dodge.

Her arm was injured, and then Eva aimed another blow at Agatha's thigh. She felt the blade cut her skin, and burning pain erupted.

All Agatha could do was punch back, but Eva was skilled in combat and easily avoided the punches. On Agatha's tenth attempt, she finally hit Eva in the chest just as she was about to strike with the sword. It bought Agatha a brief moment, and she used it to kick Eva in the stomach with all her remaining strength.

"Ah!" Eva was sent to the edge of the cliff by Agatha's kick. She was losing her balance but held on, using the sword she had buried in the ground.

Agatha ran toward her and, with a final push, sent Eva over the edge. The last thing Agatha saw was the shock on Eva's face as lightning erupted above them. The flash lasted long enough for Agatha to witness Eva's fall, her body tumbling rapidly toward the jagged rocks and crashing waves below. Eva's screams echoed, but soon there was only the sound of the storm.

Agatha didn't have time to savor her victory. She ran back to the carriages and took control of Eva's. Despite the darkness, she saw a faint red light a few miles away. She ordered the horses forward, knowing the fire and rising smoke marked the place where Auntie Isa was held.

Ignoring the rainstorm and muddy path, Agatha drove the carriage fast. The ride was bumpy, but she finally arrived.

She tied the horses a few feet from the tent and checked her surroundings. Agatha gripped the dagger and a metallic sword she had found in the carriage.

Sensing the area, she only felt the presence of Auntie Isa and the Ravager. She silently walked toward her aunt. Inside, the sight broke her heart.

Auntie Isa lay on the ground, naked and motionless. Fresh wounds covered her body, indicating she had been used again after Agatha left.

Agatha scanned the area to ensure the Ravager was gone before approaching her aunt. Auntie Isa's eyes were open, but she didn't move. She seemed to be in shock, her lips slightly parted, and dry tears streaked her cheeks.

Agatha tried to make her stand, and thankfully, Auntie Isa cooperated, though she seemed dazed and distant. They moved silently together, her aunt in a trance.

Hearing the Ravager grunt, Agatha froze. Her heart pounded, and she felt her aunt stiffen and start to shake. Tears welled up in Auntie Isa's eyes.

Anger blossomed in Agatha's heart at the sight of her aunt's fear. Auntie Isa was one of the bravest and most powerful people Agatha knew. Seeing her in such a state broke her already shattered heart.

She tightly held the sword and one of Auntie Isa's hands. Despite wanting revenge, Agatha knew fighting the Ravager was a suicide mission. She was young, weak, and didn't know how to fight or use her powers.

Saving her aunt was her priority. Attacking out of anger would lead to their deaths, and the Ravager would take Auntie Isa again. Agatha couldn't let that happen. She needed to protect her aunt at all costs. She set her anger aside and focused on a plan.

Agatha didn't know if Ravagers had super hearing like Werebeasts, so she used hand signals to be as cautious as possible.

She signaled Auntie Isa to hide her presence while Agatha pricked her palm. She hated hurting her aunt after everything she'd been through, but she needed the blood to trick the Ravager into thinking she was still there.

Agatha scattered the blood drops around the ground, keeping an eye on the tent where the Ravager was. Then, she healed her aunt's wound to prevent a trail of blood.

They moved silently, the raging rainstorm masking their sounds and footprints. Agatha worried the rain might wash away the blood too soon.

They were near the carriage when Auntie Isa slipped in the mud and almost fell into a big hole. Agatha reached for her, knowing she couldn't let her fall.

Agatha screamed internally, afraid she would lose her aunt again. She had come this far. They both had to survive. She needed to catch her. If only she could stretch her arms a little farther.

Then, out of nowhere, the raindrops froze in mid-air. Instead of falling, they wiggled and formed a semicircle, catching Auntie Isa.

Agatha couldn't believe her eyes. She didn't know she could do that. Even Auntie Isa's eyes widened in shock at witnessing Agatha's ability.

Agatha wasn't sure how to control it, but she concentrated on moving the water toward her. It worked. She could feel the water as if it was an extension of her arms and mind.

They looked at each other as Auntie Isa reached her, but there was no time to admire the new ability or ponder its workings.

Time was not on their side. They had to leave now. They needed to escape.

An idea struck Agatha. She pulled her aunt toward the carriage and took the curtain from inside. She gave it to her to cover her naked body. There were jewels and a small sack of Galleons inside as well.

She grabbed another curtain and used it to create a makeshift bag by tying it around the items.

Agatha pricked herself and her aunt again, scattering their blood inside the carriage. She made sure there was enough for the demon to sense.

Isa helped, but she would stop and gaze blankly ahead before returning to herself. Agatha wanted to comfort her, but they needed to escape safely first.

Agatha froze in dread when she heard the loud roar of Nysander not far away. Auntie Isa turned pale and began shivering.

Agatha immediately closed the carriage's door and maneuvered the horses. They sped off as fast as her heartbeat.

"Hide your presence, Auntie," Agatha commanded.

She checked herself to ensure she was still hidden. Sometimes, she didn't notice when she was no longer concealed, so she always checked.

Agatha handed the Galleons and jewels to her aunt. Then she closed her eyes and imagined ripples of water. She felt them and thought of a carpet made of water.

It took a while, and she feared she might not get it right, but she was pleased when it finally worked.

She heard the Ravager's roar again, louder and closer this time. Auntie Isa rode on the water carpet, and so did Agatha.

She maneuvered the water to move and fly in the opposite direction the carriage had gone. Holding the sword in one hand, she healed Auntie Isa's hand with the other.

She needed her aunt healed so they wouldn't leave a trail of blood for Nysander to follow.

They traveled as fast as they could until they reached the sea. There, Agatha conjured a boat made of water. Together, they escaped. As the sun rose, the water boat sailed onward, but the pain remained. They were still haunted by it.