Zara
asked.
The nymph turned to face Zara, suddenly
interested in what he had to say. “You know about the schism?”
“We’ve read about it,” he replied, “now
answer me.”
“Yes,” she replied curtly, “with humans now
hunting us, some nymphs took to defending themselves at any cost. All because of this…” She tightened her grip around the
compass.
“You said that it was one of very few…meaning
there are more?” Taisiya asked.
“Indeed,” the nymph nodded. “If you know of
the schism, I trust you will know that some of the good nymphs fled
the island. Some of us made compasses similar to this one so that
if we needed to find our way home, we could. Many of those who ran
away didn’t exactly know what they were running toward…it could
have been worse here among humans.”
“So, you are a good nymph?” Zara asked
hopefully.
The wind rustled some leaves on the forest
floor as the nymph gave a wry chuckle. “Don’t let my appearance
fool you,” she warned, “I’m more of a…fallen nymph, if you will.
Generally speaking, I’ll use my divine abilities only for good…but
it is not above me to kill to protect myself.”
Taisiya nodded. “You sound smart. What’s your
name?”
The nymph smiled at the compliment, but was
not so willing to give up her name. “Not so fast,” she said. She
cracked her fingers and, as she did, the ground trembled ever so
slightly. She held up the Nymph Compass. “Just what are you doing
with this?”
Zara went to speak but the nymph held up her
hands to silence him. A blast of wind knocked the breath right out
of Zara. “Silence!” the nymph scowled, “I am speaking to the
girl.”
Taisiya gulped, but answered, “We are
on our way to your homeland. Adrasteia has taken my family hostage
and burnt our hometown to the ground. We were hoping that some of
your fellow nymphs might help us find a way to overthrow her.”
The nymph cocked an eyebrow in contemplation.
After a moment’s thought, she spoke. “My name is Lahara. I live a
little ways deeper in these woods by myself. For generations, my
family has lived in undisturbed bliss away from humans and other
nymphs. When I felt the sheer power in this Nymph Compass, I had
the urge to come see what was behind it.”
“Fair enough,” Taisiya nodded, “now…may we
have it back?”
Lahara tossed the compass back in the direction of Zara. It did a
dance in the air above his head, going higher and higher as he
jumped to reach it. The nymph snickered, amused. She let the
compass float down low enough for Zara to snatch it.
“Neither of you will last a minute around
full-blooded evil nymphs,” Lahara mused. She ventured closer to
Zara and Taisiya, feeling she had earned their trust. Zara still
was uneasy, and as she came close enough and put her cold hands on
his chest, he shuddered.
“He is strong,” Lahara said to Taisiya. “It’s
a shame that my powers are stronger.” She ran her fingers over his
chest once more, and this time she stopped his heart from beating
momentarily. His face went pale before she loosened her grip.
“We’ll take our chances,” Taisiya said. “It
seems that most nymphs know better than to mess with me.”
Lahara scoffed, but nodded. “I don’t fear
you,” she remarked, “but I do see something in you that I’m sure
scares the dark ones.”
“And what is that?” Taisiya asked. She was
losing her patience.
Lahara could sense this. She replied simply,
“Light.”
Taisiya glared at Lahara. “Indeed. Now, let
us be on our way.”
All too ready to leave, Zara went to turn.
Lahara wasn’t so eager for the humans to leave. With a snap of her
fingers the river water jumped up, forming an impassable wall. “I
can’t let you leave,” she said. “The good nymph in me would never
send two humans off to their death at the hands of my evil
sisters.”
“I don’t care what your conscience says,”
Taisiya spat. “We will be leaving now.”
Zara hid behind
asked.
The nymph turned to face Zara, suddenly
interested in what he had to say. “You know about the schism?”
“We’ve read about it,” he replied, “now
answer me.”
“Yes,” she replied curtly, “with humans now
hunting us, some nymphs took to defending themselves at any cost. All because of this…” She tightened her grip around the
compass.
“You said that it was one of very few…meaning
there are more?” Taisiya asked.
“Indeed,” the nymph nodded. “If you know of
the schism, I trust you will know that some of the good nymphs fled
the island. Some of us made compasses similar to this one so that
if we needed to find our way home, we could. Many of those who ran
away didn’t exactly know what they were running toward…it could
have been worse here among humans.”
“So, you are a good nymph?” Zara asked
hopefully.
The wind rustled some leaves on the forest
floor as the nymph gave a wry chuckle. “Don’t let my appearance
fool you,” she warned, “I’m more of a…fallen nymph, if you will.
Generally speaking, I’ll use my divine abilities only for good…but
it is not above me to kill to protect myself.”
Taisiya nodded. “You sound smart. What’s your
name?”
The nymph smiled at the compliment, but was
not so willing to give up her name. “Not so fast,” she said. She
cracked her fingers and, as she did, the ground trembled ever so
slightly. She held up the Nymph Compass. “Just what are you doing
with this?”
Zara went to speak but the nymph held up her
hands to silence him. A blast of wind knocked the breath right out
of Zara. “Silence!” the nymph scowled, “I am speaking to the
girl.”
Taisiya gulped, but answered, “We are
on our way to your homeland. Adrasteia has taken my family hostage
and burnt our hometown to the ground. We were hoping that some of
your fellow nymphs might help us find a way to overthrow her.”
The nymph cocked an eyebrow in contemplation.
After a moment’s thought, she spoke. “My name is Lahara. I live a
little ways deeper in these woods by myself. For generations, my
family has lived in undisturbed bliss away from humans and other
nymphs. When I felt the sheer power in this Nymph Compass, I had
the urge to come see what was behind it.”
“Fair enough,” Taisiya nodded, “now…may we
have it back?”
Lahara tossed the compass back in the direction of Zara. It did a
dance in the air above his head, going higher and higher as he
jumped to reach it. The nymph snickered, amused. She let the
compass float down low enough for Zara to snatch it.
“Neither of you will last a minute around
full-blooded evil nymphs,” Lahara mused. She ventured closer to
Zara and Taisiya, feeling she had earned their trust. Zara still
was uneasy, and as she came close enough and put her cold hands on
his chest, he shuddered.
“He is strong,” Lahara said to Taisiya. “It’s
a shame that my powers are stronger.” She ran her fingers over his
chest once more, and this time she stopped his heart from beating
momentarily. His face went pale before she loosened her grip.
“We’ll take our chances,” Taisiya said. “It
seems that most nymphs know better than to mess with me.”
Lahara scoffed, but nodded. “I don’t fear
you,” she remarked, “but I do see something in you that I’m sure
scares the dark ones.”
“And what is that?” Taisiya asked. She was
losing her patience.
Lahara could sense this. She replied simply,
“Light.”
Taisiya glared at Lahara. “Indeed. Now, let
us be on our way.”
All too ready to leave, Zara went to turn.
Lahara wasn’t so eager for the humans to leave. With a snap of her
fingers the river water jumped up, forming an impassable wall. “I
can’t let you leave,” she said. “The good nymph in me would never
send two humans off to their death at the hands of my evil
sisters.”
“I don’t care what your conscience says,”
Taisiya spat. “We will be leaving now.”
Zara hid behind
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