Bound Essence series

SITARA

P​acing back and forth in the tent, all she could feel were the souls of the recently dead leaving this plane of existence and the weight of it all brought her to her knees. Her father had insisted that she stay in the tent no matter what, but she couldn’t let this go on any longer. Could she?

As she knelt on the tent floor trying to breathe through the agony, she became aware that she was no longer alone. She looked up to find herself surrounded by the recently dead. Some faces she’d known since childhood and others she realized were from the tribe her father and his men were fighting. She’s always had the ability to see and feel spirits but she’d never seen or felt so many at once.

She crawled backwards like a crab trying to get away from them. ​Her back hit the end of the tent and a strange keening sound left her throat. They began to approach her all at once. She shut her eyes and held her hands out in front of her and yelled, “Stooop.” ​She opened her eyes to find that they stopped shuffling forward. They were within an inch of her, reaching out for her. She calmed her breathing as best as she could given the situation and in a strangled gasp, stammered “What… What do you want?” ​

Their ghostly bodies straightened. They parted and looked towards the back of the tent. A lone spectral figure walked towards her. She recognized him instantly, how could she not? He was her father’s right hand man. He'd taught her how to hunt and use a bow and arrow.

​“Arin” She gasped. Reaching out to him, she grasped his hand giving him corporeal form.

“You have to stop them. The fighting can’t go on or all will be lost.” He said.

“How?”

​“Trust in your power. Grant us access to your body.” ​Though she was still scared, she trusted this man with her life. She nodded and let her psychic guards down. ​