Into the Game

I wasn’t finished.

The hyena that had been gnawing on my leg was nowhere to be seen. Neither was the pair of hyenas that I had seen roll into the shadows.

I took my stick and limped back to where the cloaked figure had been fighting. I could hear goblins whooping.

I walked past an elephant skull hut. Behind it the cloaked figure was brandishing its dagger at two goblins. I stepped out from behind the hut and angled for the closest goblin.

The light from my makeshift torch gave away my attack. The goblins turned to look at the new attacker. Each had a long sharp stick. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to hold them both off.

An arrow zipped through the eye of the one to my right. It fell backwards.

The last goblin yelled and ran at me. It made it two steps before falling on its face, with the cloaked figure’s dagger protruding out of its back.

I dropped my torch and leaned against the skull. The cloaked figure limped forward and pulled their dagger out of the goblin. The red gem in the hilt shone brightly as they sheathed it.

The figure dropped back their hood. A beautiful oriental woman looked at me. The fire light danced in her brown eyes and reflected off of her black hair. She dropped down to look at my leg.

“Hi.” I said. It hurt to have someone touch the bite.

She just nodded

Michael slid next to me. "Kat! Are you okay?” He looked at other woman. "Hel-lo.”

“I’m fine.” I fumed. "Just scratched up.”

“Good.” Michael didn’t take his eyes off the woman. "Are you okay?”

The woman pushed him away. "I’m going to heal your wounds.”

She pulled my feet out from under me. I landed hard on my rear. She shrugged off her cloak.

I gasped. I didn’t want to, but it happened.

Coated up the woman’s arms were circular tattoos the size of a quarter. They were about an inch apart, but they covered her arm from her wrist all the way up to her shoulders. There were different colors; red, yellow, white, blue, green, silver, and black, though most were black.

“You’re a mage.” Michael said in awe

She ignored him and wrapped her right hand around the wound on my leg and touched the white tattoo. Her arm glowed white and I felt her hand get warmer. The light drained out of her arm, into my leg. When she took away her hand, my leg was fine. There wasn’t a mark on it.

“Thank you.” A stammered

The woman nodded. When she took her fingers off of her arm I noticed that the tattoo was gone. She picked up her cloak and started walking towards the huts.

“I’m Kat.” I scrambled to my feet. “He’s Michael.”

She stopped. For a moment I thought she was going to ignore me, but she turned around. "Mei.”

“What are you doing out here?” I asked

She took out her dagger and stabbed it into the skull. "Harvesting power.”

Michael stepped in front of me. "She’s not a mage.” He drew his bow and aimed at her. "She’s a necromancer.”