by Masha dashed through the streets of Cedar, ducking down alleys and trying to avoid the mob behind her. Damn that Coldflower. She had given Masha up when the crowds came to her door. They had all known she ordered the hit. Yet that hadn't mattered. Somehow their anger at Coldflower had transferred over to Masha. It didn't matter that she had done it as a job. It didn't matter that no one had seen her actually kill Mrs. Cooper. All that mattered was their need to make someone pay. It was so unfair.
Masha's desperate dash came to an end when she took a wrong turn. The alley she thought would lead her to freedom was a dead end. She spun around, hoping there would be enough time to correct her mistake. Unfortunately the mob was on her heels. Their torches and pitchforks gleamed in the fading light. "There's the bitch! Get her! For Mrs. Cooper!" One of the men screamed. The mob surged forward. There was no escape.
Masha pulled out her weapons. Jealousy and Spite could do this job. Maybe. It was only a hundred people. Maybe more. Use your magic. Masha scowled at the Writer's interference. She didn't need her magic. It was a reminder of her time in a cage. She wanted nothing to do with it. You're a mage, Masha. Use your magic. Instead, Masha launched herself forward, rushing to meet the crowd.
It was clear she was in trouble the moment she engaged the crowd. There were simply too many of them. For every one she managed to nick with her weapons, a club or torch would slam into her body. Masha wasn't sure why they weren't using their pitchforks but it was probably the only reason she was alive. Her superior strength and speed meant nothing against these numbers. The mob pulled away suddenly, forming a ring about her. Pitchforks were lowered to keep her hemmed in. Masha felt unease stir in her stomach.
Coldflower stepped from the crowd. She was an imperious, dark beauty full of the pomp and poise of a upper class lady. Masha almost admired how the woman hid her disdain for the common folk around her. "Dark mage. You have been found guilty by the town of Cedar to the murder of Mrs. Andrea Cooper." Masha opened her mouth to speak but a pitchfork prodded her silent. Understanding blossomed inside the mage. This had never been a mob. Coldflower had formed an execution squad to cover up her deed. Or maybe it was in exchange for her own life. There was no way to tell.
Coldflower smiled. The sight of it made Masha shiver. It was an ugly thing, full of dark emotions, not what a smile should be. Lady Coldflower continued as if she hadn't noticed Masha's attempt to speak. "As such, we as the leader of the people of Cedar, sentence you to death. You may choose to burn, be stabbed or face a firing squad." That wasn't much of a choice, Masha thought glaring at Lady Coldflower. Maybe it was meant to be an attempt at mercy. Whatever its intention, Masha thought it was cruel.
Use your magic. Masha scowled at the Writer. She couldn't do that. Her magic would only bring her back to that cage. Back to the dark, the knives, the torture. Masha began shaking. It elicited laughs from the crowd. They thought she feared them. "Look at the bitch, quivering in her boots!" Masha struggled to get her emotions under control again. She didn't have to use her magic. She could get out of this with merely her wits. Masha heard the Writer sigh from wherever he was.
The crowd smelled blood with her apparent fear. They pressed in close. Coldflower didn't bother to try and control them. They were seconds from becoming a mob. Masha tried to think of any way, anything that would get her out of this without using her magic. Use your magic, Masha. You have no other way out of this. Masha screamed her denial of his certainty. There had to be another way. The crowd began to push, making the circle she was standing in smaller and smaller. They weren't even bothered by her scream.
"FUCK!" Masha screamed as she reached for her magic. As much as she wanted to kill every person here, Masha decided on a simpler solution. It would prevent her from having to use her magic too much as well. The pink mist of her power swelled behind her back before two demon wings popped out. Masha had to suppress a shudder. The feeling of her magic tugged at her memories, trying to send her back to that cage.
"Quick! Stab her before she escapes!" Coldflower screeched, pointing a finger. Masha let a bloodthirsty grin drop into place. A little pressure sent her flying over the crowd. She was glad they were in an alley. The walls allowed her to access the roof with a few jumps. Also the crowd's numbers now worked against it. People jostled each other below trying to reach the entrance. A few attempted to throw pitchforks at Masha. She sneered, easily dodging them. Because she was petty, Masha caught one and sent it back at the owner. He tumbled to the ground with the tines buried in his gut.
Deciding she had watched for long enough, Masha sped away over the rooftops. She was out of Cedar and running down the road in a matter of seconds. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson. "Shut up." Masha snarled hating the Writer's smug tone. She also hated that he was right. The villagers would have killed her if she hadn't used her magic. Masha slowed to a stop. The wings on her back vanished into pink mist.
Perhaps the Writer was right. Masha needed help with her emotions regarding her magic. If she continued to refuse to use it, merely to avoid a painful part of her past, she would end up dead. She was a dark mage. Her magic was important in her line of work. It wasn't like it didn't have its benefits. Masha shivered, wrapping her arms about her stomach. She couldn't do this on her own. She would need help to move past the knot of emotions regarding her magic. But not now. Now she needed to put as much distance between her and Cedar Village. Masha shook herself and began walking down the road. She hoped never to see this village again.
Word Count: 1091
Masha's desperate dash came to an end when she took a wrong turn. The alley she thought would lead her to freedom was a dead end. She spun around, hoping there would be enough time to correct her mistake. Unfortunately the mob was on her heels. Their torches and pitchforks gleamed in the fading light. "There's the bitch! Get her! For Mrs. Cooper!" One of the men screamed. The mob surged forward. There was no escape.
Masha pulled out her weapons. Jealousy and Spite could do this job. Maybe. It was only a hundred people. Maybe more. Use your magic. Masha scowled at the Writer's interference. She didn't need her magic. It was a reminder of her time in a cage. She wanted nothing to do with it. You're a mage, Masha. Use your magic. Instead, Masha launched herself forward, rushing to meet the crowd.
It was clear she was in trouble the moment she engaged the crowd. There were simply too many of them. For every one she managed to nick with her weapons, a club or torch would slam into her body. Masha wasn't sure why they weren't using their pitchforks but it was probably the only reason she was alive. Her superior strength and speed meant nothing against these numbers. The mob pulled away suddenly, forming a ring about her. Pitchforks were lowered to keep her hemmed in. Masha felt unease stir in her stomach.
Coldflower stepped from the crowd. She was an imperious, dark beauty full of the pomp and poise of a upper class lady. Masha almost admired how the woman hid her disdain for the common folk around her. "Dark mage. You have been found guilty by the town of Cedar to the murder of Mrs. Andrea Cooper." Masha opened her mouth to speak but a pitchfork prodded her silent. Understanding blossomed inside the mage. This had never been a mob. Coldflower had formed an execution squad to cover up her deed. Or maybe it was in exchange for her own life. There was no way to tell.
Coldflower smiled. The sight of it made Masha shiver. It was an ugly thing, full of dark emotions, not what a smile should be. Lady Coldflower continued as if she hadn't noticed Masha's attempt to speak. "As such, we as the leader of the people of Cedar, sentence you to death. You may choose to burn, be stabbed or face a firing squad." That wasn't much of a choice, Masha thought glaring at Lady Coldflower. Maybe it was meant to be an attempt at mercy. Whatever its intention, Masha thought it was cruel.
Use your magic. Masha scowled at the Writer. She couldn't do that. Her magic would only bring her back to that cage. Back to the dark, the knives, the torture. Masha began shaking. It elicited laughs from the crowd. They thought she feared them. "Look at the bitch, quivering in her boots!" Masha struggled to get her emotions under control again. She didn't have to use her magic. She could get out of this with merely her wits. Masha heard the Writer sigh from wherever he was.
The crowd smelled blood with her apparent fear. They pressed in close. Coldflower didn't bother to try and control them. They were seconds from becoming a mob. Masha tried to think of any way, anything that would get her out of this without using her magic. Use your magic, Masha. You have no other way out of this. Masha screamed her denial of his certainty. There had to be another way. The crowd began to push, making the circle she was standing in smaller and smaller. They weren't even bothered by her scream.
"FUCK!" Masha screamed as she reached for her magic. As much as she wanted to kill every person here, Masha decided on a simpler solution. It would prevent her from having to use her magic too much as well. The pink mist of her power swelled behind her back before two demon wings popped out. Masha had to suppress a shudder. The feeling of her magic tugged at her memories, trying to send her back to that cage.
"Quick! Stab her before she escapes!" Coldflower screeched, pointing a finger. Masha let a bloodthirsty grin drop into place. A little pressure sent her flying over the crowd. She was glad they were in an alley. The walls allowed her to access the roof with a few jumps. Also the crowd's numbers now worked against it. People jostled each other below trying to reach the entrance. A few attempted to throw pitchforks at Masha. She sneered, easily dodging them. Because she was petty, Masha caught one and sent it back at the owner. He tumbled to the ground with the tines buried in his gut.
Deciding she had watched for long enough, Masha sped away over the rooftops. She was out of Cedar and running down the road in a matter of seconds. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson. "Shut up." Masha snarled hating the Writer's smug tone. She also hated that he was right. The villagers would have killed her if she hadn't used her magic. Masha slowed to a stop. The wings on her back vanished into pink mist.
Perhaps the Writer was right. Masha needed help with her emotions regarding her magic. If she continued to refuse to use it, merely to avoid a painful part of her past, she would end up dead. She was a dark mage. Her magic was important in her line of work. It wasn't like it didn't have its benefits. Masha shivered, wrapping her arms about her stomach. She couldn't do this on her own. She would need help to move past the knot of emotions regarding her magic. But not now. Now she needed to put as much distance between her and Cedar Village. Masha shook herself and began walking down the road. She hoped never to see this village again.
Word Count: 1091
