If you haven't read part 1, there you go : High Fever - P1
Near the campsite
We set out early in the morning. It was a chilly day. The woman led the route. I was basically useless, doing nothing but follow her and wonder how she knew the way. She paused a bit sometimes and did some weird swirly things with her hand and continued to move on. I had no idea what the herb looked like, where it can be found or how to use it. I don't know why she even wanted me to come.
We walked on. She stopped and held her hand a bit apart from each other. Like she was compressing air between her hands. She slowly stretched her hand, palm out. She was gradually stretching it farther out. And then suddenly stopped. If you looked closely at her face you would have seen a small expression of pain. She quickly took her hand down again. She pointed at the ground. There was just a small tuft of grass there. The surrounding was bare. "Go get that tuft. Quick." I was puzzled. She could have taken it herself. It was barely 5 feet away. "Why can't you-" I started, but stopped when I got an impatient glare from her. It took me less that 10 seconds to get it. When I came next to her again she looked up for a moment and almost immediately grabbed my hand and pulled me back the way we came.. "Shit. Run!" She yelled.
I turned back once as I run. I could see something purple blinking behind us. It was getting bigger. My senses said only one thing. "When something is getting bigger it usually means that it is coming towards you."
I let her pull me out of that place.
When we slowly came back next to the campsite, we slowed down, panting. I had many bruises on me because of the rough pulling I had endured, mostly while running downhill. I had lost one of my shoes and my watch. But I still held the tuft of grass that was apparently a powerful herb. The only one of it's kind in the entire world.
Panting, I asked. "Why did I have to take the herb? Why did we run? Why was that purple blinking thing chase us? What was it?" The woman stared at me. Finally after what seemed like an hour, she replied. "Okay. I'll tell you. This entire area is part of a kingdom. A magical kingdom. I was born here. The herb was just in the outskirts of the neighboring kingdom. I can't step into that kingdom as a citizen of this area. The blinking purple light was the defense mechanism. I have come to this kingdom to take the throne. I am its rightful heir." Her face had become red with excitement. She was practically yelling now. "The kingdom is mine. I should rule. The present king is torturing the citizens of my kingdom! I should rule! I will rule! Me! Me, me, ME!"
I shrank back. This was not the calm, impassive person I knew. She noticed how far back I had stepped. She collected herself. She took a step towards me. The were approximately 2 feet between us.
"I'm sorry. I lost control of my emotions. What I'm trying to say is that I have to rule the kingdom. I need only one more thing. I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do." She said, slowly advancing towards me. "Do what?" I asked. Before I could even finish my sentence, she turned her palm out towards me and I was on the ground.
"I'm sorry but I'll be needing this." She said, picked up something and ran away. Away from where we had just come from.
I woke up. My head was dizzy from the fall.
I could see her running away.
Something green was in her hand.
Something that looked like grass.
Something which was the last one of its type left in the world.
Something which was my last hope of saving my brother.
It moved further and further away from me.
By the time I could get up, all that was left around me was bare ground.
I broke down crying.
Will be continued...
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