Chapter 12: Zoreon

She gasped. “Brutus,” she said quivering a little, “you’re the robed figure in my dreams?”1

“Actually,” he corrected, “I am known as Zoreon.”2

“A demon,” she whispered getting to her elbows with a painful gasp, “great!” She got herself to a sitting position and tried to stand, but fell back weak. Brutus…I mean Zoreon leaned on his staff watching her with amusement.3

Larissa made three attempts before she could stand properly balanced.4

Zoreon chuckled and took a step forward, but her instinct didn’t let him come near her. Whatever strength she had, she used it to shape-shift back to her hawk form, but she didn’t get very far. The same energy force struck her again.5

Her hawk form fell from her and she plumaged to the ground. Larissa laid there on the floor of the forest. Her mind willed her body to move, but she could not, no matter how hard she tried.6

Larissa listened to the trees as they rustled with the rhythm of her body that began to shake, the only sound she could hear until…SNAP! 7

She looked up and came face to face with Zoreon. His ghostly white and light green skin glowed in the shadows of the darkness that was now creeping into the forest.8

He flipped his hand upward and she went flying between the trees and landed in a small glade with a patch of soft grass. Larissa felt her shoulder pop out as she rolled herself to a standing position in one effortful, but easy, motion.9

She fell to her knees as shocks of pain surged through her body making her twitch. She gritted her teeth to smother a scream. He replied to her pain with a nasty smile of pure pleasure. She was sure there was a hole in one of her lugs leaking what air she had left.10

Larissa could barely see past her own pain to notice that the day was fading into the dark hours of the night.11

Zoreon read her mind. He held out his hand palm out in front of his forehead and swept the sky with his hand in a half circle lighting the small clearing with his magic so they could see.12

She gained some of her strength back and slowly got back to her feet. She saw him create a force field around him self, but it didn’t affect his accuracy as he threw a greenish white fireball. She dodged the flaming magic, but the next fireball hit her in the shoulder because she wasn’t fast enough. Then one hit her in the side, and then another one in the chest knocking the wind from her lungs.13

He stopped to watch Larissa couched over and put a hand on her chest. When he had watched enough he went back to torturing her building magic around his outstretched hands. Intense jolts of pain pierced her body everywhere making her scream; long and loud. About in between five and six jolts later he stopped and she could breathe, more like gasp, which gave him time to disappear only to reappear at her side.14

She was lying on the ground holding her lightning stricken body. “Foolish child,” he whispered in her ear as she gasped for air, “Did you really think you could beat me?”15

She didn’t have the air to reply.16

“Looks like you just lost, sweetheart,” he mocked laughing his voice as evil as he could get it.17

“Why me?” she gasped.18

His facial expression was of surprise, “why you?” He was taunting her, “you’re Nathan’s favorite student.”19

“He won’t rescue me,” argued Larissa taking a sharp breath, “not yet.”20

“Oh, I think he will,” Zoreon voice slithered like a snake. “I’m not stupid. I know you two are closer than most would be.”21

Larissa closed her eyes, over come with dizziness. He knows!22

“Nathan loves you,” hissed Zoreon in her ear.23

His voice went on, but Larissa was no longer listening. I have to fight back! Her mind demanded her body to move, but she was still a little bit too weak.24

What am I to do? She asked herself. How can I stop him? You can’t, half of her argued back. He is more powerful than you and your pitiful animal powers. So what can I do? She asked herself.25

Nathan! Yes Nathan could stop him! Her mind came across another problem. How do I get to him?26

She lightly fingered the medallion under her shirt thinking. Before encountering Zoreon she had hidden it from him. No it’s too risky! But she could not think of another way out. If she did use her magic how would she get out?27

She debated with herself for a little bit before making a decision and made a run for it. Larissa the squirrel scurried across the forest floor, as fast as her little legs could carry her.28

She could feel Zoreon on her tail. Larissa changed to a fox and sped into a grove of trees hoping to loose her pursuer, but when she looked behind her he was still there. She kept going, weaving in and out of the trees until he started to slow down, but her attacker still followed.29

Larissa was almost to the edge of the forest. Just a little bit farther, she pushed herself. Before she knew it she had escaped the closure of trees, but Larissa didn’t stop there. She was going the whole distance and ran straight through the palace gates and into the court yard.30

She risked a glance behind her and was nearly torn to shreds. Zoreon had changed into a tiger. Two can play at that game, she thought. Larissa’s front fox paws came down hard, turning her body changing her fox form to a tiger to match his own strength. She caught him in her grip before he pounced on her.31

Zoreon the tiger pushed her back forcing her on her back. He pounced on her, but she raised her legs and he went flying behind her head giving her the chance to get up, but he was too quick. Just as she turned to face him, his claws scrapped across her face.32

Larissa roared with pain.33

The two tigers rolled around on the stone courtyard, roaring and clawing at each other until Larissa had had enough and stood on her back legs. In one swipe of her paw she sent him sprawling across the stone court. Larissa didn’t even give him a chance to get up. She ran over and bit his neck right under his chin.34

Zoreon roared in pain, but he did not intimidate her and she bit him again, and again. She went in for a fourth time, but he blocked her with his head and took a bite out of her. Larissa didn’t dare cry out in pain again.35

Larissa gave up on trying to bite him and made a quick dash to the door of the palace, but again a flash of lightning struck her from behind. She fell to the ground loosing her tiger form. She sat up and shook her head, which was a mistake.36

A powerful pounding grew in her temple making her head feel heavy. Larissa put her palm to her forehead. Looking up she could see that Zoreon had given up on the tiger formation and instantly turned human.37

He slowly walked over to her, clucking his tongue at her, “Don’t try to run from me. I will always catch up.”38

It was worth a try, she said to herself.39

Without warning the nightmare became worse as he quickly reached inside her as he had done in her dreams. A burning fire inside her soul came to life. Larissa gritted her teeth to keep her self from screaming.40

Zoreon’s hand twisted inside her for what seemed like an eternity until she could no longer stand it. She had to let out a hard and long scream. A few seconds later, he let her go and she fell to the ground. A blackness clouded the corners of her vision. Larissa tried to fight it, but she was too weak.