Four Minds - 1
Another first chapter, another hook. I have a lot to go with this one, but there's some good stuff there waiting.
A gust of wind whipped down a sparsely forested mountainside, howling wildly as it made its way through the trees unhindered by the thin branches on the hardy plants. Scars pockmarked the hardened soil and scorch marks adorned the trees that still stood; a testament to a recent, violent struggle. Staggered about the war torn slope were the mangled corpses of the defeated, lending a grim air of death to the entire area. Empty shells lay scattered among the bodies; evidence of the heavy resistance that opposed the force which brought about such a massacre.
Silnce now reigned over the battlefield. There was little to no movement at all, merely the occasional loose scrap of a garment fluttering in the whistling gusts. The faint resonation of metal casings rolling on the hard ground sounded out, only to be picked up on the wind and carried away from the scene of death, reaching the ears of the only creature for miles.
A humanoid female trudged across the near-barren landscape as the sound reached her sensitive pointed ears. The blistering gust picked up around her, tousling her midlength, dark brown hair.
A chill raced up her spine and she sped up her pace as much as she could, her steps heavy from the burden on her shoulders. Another gust rushed past and blew a cover off of the load, revealing it to be a smaller male humanoid who bore a striking resemblence to his carrier. She pulled the thick wool blanket back over the boy, fixing her gaze on a thin curl of smoke twirling up from near the foot of the mountain. With each breath, the sound of her own heartbeat pounded heavy in her head, becoming the only sound she heard above the howling winds. Her cracked and bleeding lips moved, but no sound escaped, wording a silent prayer for strength to continue.
The sun continued on its arching path through the sky and as the large star moved higher in the sky, the chilling, bitter gusts began to die down to the occasional light breeze. Still, the girl pressed on bearing the boy on her back towards their unseen goal.
Left foot in front of right foot. Right foot in front of left. Not once did the pace of her trek falter, keeping the mind numbing rhythm constant step after step. Seconds passed, until seconds turned to minutes. Then minutes inched by and gave way to hours, but no progress was visible to the weary traveller. The hardy flora that comprised the scenery seemed never ending in all directions and the craggy precipices that rose high above the slope to her left gave no point of reference for her to judge distance. Yet not a single hint of hopelessness, no twinge of dismay or despair was present in the girl's mind. She trudged onward with single-minded determination, the steady thumping of her heartbeat keeping the pace of her steps.
Left foot in front of right. Right foot in front of left. One step after another with no hesitation. The miles disappeared behind her as she moved ever forward, getting closer and closer to her goal. Time continued to drag on, till at last she could glimpse the tops of trees over a hill.
As she drew nearer to the treeline, she pulled the wool cap on her head down a bit farther, wincing a little from some unseen discomfort caused by the action. Hefting the boy higher up on her shoulders, she proceeded into the forest, silently praying once more for the speed of her journey.
The complete void of next to all sound drew in tight around her, stifling her breath and sharpening her mind. Her eyes darted back and forth, but she caught sight of no movement. With the deafening noise of her own heartbeat filling her mind and wearing down her composure, she began to feel paranoia settle in.
In the forest, her surroundings gave even less hint of progress than on the mountain path.The trees loomed over her head, blocking most of the dying light from the sun and drowning most of the forest in shadow.
The Twilight Star lit the air with a dim, soft glow as the sun dipped below the horizon, but still no sound or movement existed beneath the treetop save for what originated from the girl. The constant silence had taken its toll on her, as her eyes now held a spark of feral rebellion. Her mind seemed to be playing tricks on her, and she began to have trouble discerning reality from illusion. The shadows came alive and figures darted noiselessly about just beyond the reach of the light, taunting her nerves with a fear of the unknown.
Her heart began to flutter weakly as her pace faltered. Pushing her muscles yet harder, she attempted to make headway through the forest despite her condition, but a loosee root caught her foot and she fell forward. The ground rushed up to meet her and the suffocating darkness closed in. As her mind embraced restful unconsciousness, voices crept in closer around her.