Walking through the woods at this time of the night happens to be one of the most dangerous things a girl can do. The whistling of the wind holds tune with the howling of distant dire wolves that run in packs of four or five. Their howl serves a sign that another victim has been defeated and dinner awaits. The full moon hovers above the trees, casting light down upon the shadowy path that seems to lead to nowhere. Leaves, foliage, and fallen branches often get in the way and cover the trail that once was wide and clear and up-kept by fellow countrymen. Now their abandoned houses promise nothing but doom as the rickety porch doors sway in the wind, slamming against the side of the house in anger. I can’t help myself from wondering what scared them all away, but somehow I felt I knew. This is Felucca, a place unfriendly to strangers and unfit for the weak.
A light up ahead warns me that someone is coming. Quickly, I run behind the nearest tree and watch as they draw closer. There are three men, all on horses and all heavily stocked with weapons. The man in the back looks to be about 60 and carries a staff, perhaps as a walking crook. The two in the front are younger and look to be warriors. One has long, dark hair and a beard that covers half of his face and the other looks bald and well shaven, fiddling with a dagger as he makes wild thrusts into his invisible enemy in front of him. The trees seem to sense their presence as they pass, the crackling of branches becoming almost unbearable to stand. The ground moves under me and suddenly branches surround me on both sides. The reaper grabs my right arm and I let out a scream loud enough that I shocked myself. Snapping the branches that scratch at my skin causes the reaper to thrust back and let out a loud moan. I saw no place better to go than to the men, perhaps their weapons would keep me safe.
By the time I manage to break away from the reaper, the men have already turned around and started running my way. With their swords drawn, the two younger ones run into the thickness of the tree and start hacking away at its trunk while the old man gets off his horse, grabs his crook, and starts mumbling words I can’t recognize. "This is no time to pray, old man!" I shout. It is in that same moment that he summons a ball of fire and casts it directly at me.
(Hillary! Not now…)
Is he… is that bastard casting at me? Getting back up, I barely manage to escape the lightning bolt he casts…
(Hillary are you up there?)
The two warriors finish off the reaper and start to make their way towards me, their horses easily catching up. For a second the possibility of getting away seems attainable, but only for a second. My foot catches on a branch and I trip, face planting in the dirt.
(Hillary? …I can’t answer you right now!)
I turn around and am able to look into the faces of the three that are about to kill me. Dismounting from his horse, he takes a few steps towards me with his sword held out at my throat.
“Hillary, get off the computer!”
“But Mom… I’m almost done, I swear! You didn’t give me enough time.” Pleading with her never seems to work, and yet I still do it every time I play the game.
