“But isn’t that a waste of a coin?”
“It is only a copper, Hope.”
“Yeah, but a copper could buy a bread hunk in Westfall, we can’t be –”
“Proper ladies do not squish their words like that, Hope. We say, can not. Not can’t.”
“Oh shut up, Haven.”
Copper in hand, she listened to her sisters squabble about wastefulness and manners as she peered into the well. It was a deep but clean stone creation, with a neat little bucket that hung in the center waiting to be used. Tucked neatly between the inn and the storage house, there were few passersby from the market near the keep’s entrance to hear the girls or witness their heated words.
“I doOooonnnn’t ccarreee” Hope waved one hand, the copper pinched between her fingers.
“You should, you are setting an example not only to the other children here but to the people, our people, as a Sunshield.” Haven’s chin lifted arrogantly and both girls paused to stare at her. She was right, of course, she was always right. Haven’s place in the Sunshield line was absolute and when their mother died it would be her firstborn to step up and keep the people protected.
“I wonder how many people have thrown coppers into the well.” Harmony pulled her stare from them, attempting to bring their attention back to the well and away from Haven’s scolding. It worked, the girls turned back and each leaned in. “I wonder if their wishes come true..”
“Who grants well wishes? A fairy?” Hope held her copper out, head tipping a bit but instead of dropping it she paused and sank her chin to the stone frame. “Do you hear that? What is in there? Do you think it is the well fairy? Helllooooo..”
She didn’t hear it, but she felt it. A throbbing darkness that pulsed just beyond where the light reached inside, a darkness that crawled up the inside of the well. Harmony’s skin crawled, a painful shiver that skittered up her arms and across her upper back. “H–haven… - “ Her voice caught in her throat, only able to croak some semblance of words. “.. it is bad.”
It happened fast, too fast. Haven’s arms shot out, gripping Hope’s dress on the front but as she reached for Harmony the darkness spewed from well, knocking two sisters away from the third. The darkness spilled into the air only a few feet before it curtained the well in full and spider-like creatures formed. The creatures were not spiders, but misshapen human-like heads perched on top of treeroot-like legs. They spilled from the well, leaping to the ground before skittering toward the nearest life forms and buildings.
Hope scrambled to her feet, and with a shove from Haven she twisted about to race toward the keep. “Grannnnnnndpaaaaaa…”
Harmony shoved herself backward along the ground, her boot’s heel catching on her skirt to hinder that progress and when she twisted about to attempt to get on her feet, her knee gave at once as a heavy weight landed on her back, its pointed leg tips digging into the back of her dress and skin.
“Harmony ..” Haven was there, her shadows curling about her delicate form to bring her to where she wished to go and that was to her downed sibling. Thin-bladed daggers lodged into the deformed eye sockets of the spider before she pulled at the body to dislodge it. “Cap it, dome it Harmony -do it now.”
“I cannot.” Harmony, felt the spider fall off her back, and with the yanking on her arm, she crawled to her feet.
“Liar – GUARDS.” She let go of her sister and used the same hand to grip her skirt - yanking it high. The other held another of her needle daggers as she turned to face the well and the spiders were still spilling out. It was too many. “Now, buy time for Grandpa - protect our people.” Eyes the color of talasite gems darted back to meet a matching set before she was off, her needle dagger pinning another spider creature to the ground as it skittered toward the market and the people that fled.
“NOW Harmony!” She commanded, her tone biting and wild.
Harmony’s arms flung out, untamed and untried magic ebbing to life as she recalled all of her teaching and knowledge to summon a constricting dome over the well. “I did it –” As soon as the words were spoken, the dome shattered. More monsters.
The guards were there, stabbing and stepping on what they could but she watched them backstep against the titlewave.
Again. Runes, crude etchings into her skin from another life, illuminated in thin rows down her arms and she begged her magic to behave and hold. Again, the dome formed and again it shattered against the ancient magic. She sobbed, feeling the failure in her chest each time the dome failed.
“Close.” A whisper sounded in her ear and soon strong hands curled about her arms, thumbs pressing into the runes there. “Together, now..” Lyric straightened as she spoke, calm and patient in an almost lazy kind of tone. Her chin rested on the top of Harmony’s head as she aided in the next attempt to contain the spiders. At their feet it was not only arcane that sparked like lightning over the ground but holy light as well.
“Sir Melek..” Haven’s voice had the audacity to be sing-song.
From somewhere to the left, Haven laughed as she called for the knight and irritation bubbled to life to mingle with the frustration in her chest…only she would be enjoying this— “Focus Harmony.” Lyric encouraged, breaking through her thoughts, though she could feel the mage’s head move as she noted the other Sunshield child and the arrival of Sir Melek from the shadows to help peel the monsters from the girl’s wake.
“Sir Melek - I defeated seven of them,” Haven called out as she moved to stomp on another, only to find her feet did not land. A thick arm curled about her middle and up she went, toes hanging.
