Aurella meets the only survivor she’s found so far, and they immediately hit it off.
Aurella groaned as she pushed herself up off the ground. Purple bits of the ship were scattered around her, the tank that held her now on its side, broken. She brushed the dirt from her clothes and grimaced when she heard the crunch of sand between her teeth. Her sword was half-buried in the dirt, but it appeared undamaged; returning it to her belt, she cast a final glance at her pod before venturing off and trying to figure out where she wound up.
The bulk of the ship laid in ruins, chunks thrown here and there, and she wondered if anyone else had survived. Possible, given that she hadn’t been crushed or eviscerated when landing; the numerous dead bodies said otherwise. But she appreciated the free loot since she had almost nothing on her person; if she found a town or anything, it’d help to have some coin. She was lucky to still have her sword, but it wasn’t as though she was defenseless without it.
Continuing up the hill, she caught sight of someone with their back to her; as she attempted to hide, not trusting a stranger to simply let her by, her foot snapped a twig in two. The stranger whipped around at a sound he shouldn’t have been able to hear, and after a moment’s glance, the elf waved at her.
“Over here!” he called out.
She sighed but approached him, figuring at the very least, he might know where they were. As she stepped closer, she saw a pod like her own fallen against a tree. Not a local, then.
His attention drifted between her and something in the bushes to his left. “Hurry,” he said. “I’ve got one of those… brain things cornered.”
The glint of his dagger caught her eye, and she maintained her distance even as she moved closer to him.
“There, in the grass,” he said, pointing. “You can kill it, can’t you? That sword isn’t for just show, I take it.”
“You’ve got a weapon,” she remarked. “Handle it yourself.” She waved her hand flippantly before turning to leave.
“I was hoping for a kind soul,” he said behind her. “Well, not to worry.”
Before she could react to the threat in his voice, his dagger was pressed against her neck while his other arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling them both to the ground. Instinctively, she reached up for his alabaster wrist, attempting to pull the blade away, but he was stronger than his frilly clothes suggested.
“Is this necessary?” she said with a scowl.
He shushed her and smiled threateningly at her. “Not another sound. Not if you want to keep that lovely neck of yours.”
Risking the reaction of him slicing said neck, Aurella slipped her hand over his and released a shock of lightning.
“Augh! You little--”
He pulled back, and she used the opportunity to roll away and jump to her feet, unsheathing her sword just as he stood up.
The elf’s smile was replaced by a vicious sneer. “I saw you on that ship,” he hissed, “strutting about while I was trapped in that pod.” His arm gestured to the tank behind him. “What did you and those tentacled freaks do to me?”
Her grip on her sword tightened as she spoke. “I didn’t do a damned thing to you.” She smirked. “Put down the dagger, or I promise that sentence ends with a ‘yet.’”
He returned her threatening grin. “You arrogant little--Augh!” His words were cut short as he veered back, gripping the back of his head.
Aurella reacted similarly, a sharp jolt of pain shooting through the skull and into her temples, like claws seeking to escape her mind. She saw herself stalking through dark streets, but the image was too sharp, too perfect to be through her own eyes. The noise of bustling taverns and closing shops too loud for her ears. Aurella tried to focus on what she saw, but only caught a glimpse of a pale, lanky hand that didn’t belong to her reaching to push back unfamiliar curly hair as she looked up at the sky. Unexpected light blinded her, and a fear she’d never experienced before settled in the pit of her stomach, her limbs screaming to flee. And then, the image slipped away.
She blinked, the sallow elf returning to focus.
“What was that?” he breathed, stumbling as he regained his surroundings. “What’s going on?”
Her fingertips pressed into her temple, the pain dulled but still present. “I don’t know. I think I saw… you. Or I was you. Walking the streets in the middle of the night.”
“It sounds like you saw a glimpse of my past,” he remarked, seemingly more steady on his feet. “And I believe I saw yours.”
The pair stared at each other for a time before the elf tentatively calmed his stance and held his dagger at his hip. Aurella allowed a moment of making him question whether she’d lower her weapon as well before finally doing so.
His shoulders relaxed further as he let out a sigh. “It’s those tentacled monsters,” he said. “Whatever they did to us caused that link. They took you too. I saw it during… whatever just happened.” He waved his hand and chuckled as he sheathed his dagger. “I’m half-tempted to spill your guts all over the dirt anyway, but for now--apologies.”
Aurella smirked, feeling emboldened now that the threat had passed. “I can’t say I wouldn’t have enjoyed seeing you try.”
“Is that so?” he replied, raising a brow. “The day is still young, though I’m not sure how long we’ll have with these things in our heads. I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone that little entanglement.”
“Shame, but you’re right,” she replied, her smile dropping a moment before returning. “And I have to say, an apology is a sad offering after threatening to kill me.”
“Well, I’m out of wine and flowers,” he said with a scoff, “so I hope an introduction will suffice. My name’s Astarion. I was in Baldur’s Gate when those beasts snatched me.”
She crossed her arms. “So was I. My name’s Aurella.”
“Aurella,” he repeated. “We clearly move in different circles.”
“It would seem so,” she remarked, eyeing the ruffles of his torn tunic.
“So,” he sighed, resting his hands on his lower back, “do you know anything about these worms?”
“I’m sure you know as much as I do,” she replied.
“I suppose it’s not exactly common knowledge,” he said, his arms falling to his side. “These worms are already affecting me. I can feel it. Now, what to do about it…”
She pursed her lips, wondering, beyond the telepathic connection they’d experienced, how he was affected, but she didn’t ask. “Any ideas? Or are you planning on keeping that to yourself? I would consider a plan a good addition to your apology.”
“Aren’t you cheeky,” he muttered with a grin. “Getting out of here would be an ideal start. Then finding anyone who might know about these worms. We need an expert, someone who knows how to control these things…”
“I prefer it be taken out entirely.”
“Well, yes, of course,” he said, rolling his eyes. “But first things first.”
She held up her hands. “Fair enough.” Pausing a moment, she eyed him, considering her next words. “You know, I could… use the company. I have no idea where we are, and if this worm is going to make my head burst, I at least want an audience.”
He let out a short laugh. “I was ready to go this alone, but,” he returned her scrutinizing gaze and smiled, “maybe sticking with the herd isn’t such a bad idea. And watching your head explode is a rather enticing thought. All right.” He gave a half-hearted bow. “I accept.”
In a world where legends become remembered by all and both literally and figuratively find their place among the stars, everyone is fighting to try and find their own place. A Place Among the Stars starts with Volca, a half-elemental and the child of two famous legends; her mother being a powerful witch, and her father being a brilliant doctor. She doesn’t know who she is, where she is going, and is struggling to find a place in this cruel world. Join Volca in her journey as she discovers who she is, learns more about others, and what it means to be a legend.
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Aurella the Witch - Featured on Bookworms for Kids
Aurella the Witch - Featured on Bookworms for Kids #review #books
Bookworm for Kids recently reviewed Aurella the Witch and featured it on their blog! Below is a snip-it of the review! Follow this link for the full review. Follow this link for more information about Aurella the Witch. There is so much to love about this magical world. The author does a terrific job of creating a place which is familiar enough to feel a bit like home, while staying fantastical…
