In The Valley - Part 9

  
Guardian Priya recognized the injured young woman as Reyla, a member of village warriors that patrol the borders. Reyla has dark brown eyes with flecks of gold that cause her countenance to always appear serious. She is tall and muscular with strong features. Yet there is gentleness about Reyla that draws others to her. She is often seen surrounded by the young ones who hang on her every word. Yet, Reyla treats them all as if they are her own as she patiently answers all their questions and encourages them to learn new things.

Guardian Priya leads Reyla through the village and down a small incline beneath a giant tree that leads to an intricately designed beautiful mahogany door. The guardian waves her hand across the door and it silently opens. Inside the room is filled with light and has tables of vials, potions, and various plants throughout the space. There are shelves of writings. Reyla has never seen anything remotely like it. Being a warrior, Reyla tries to mask the awe she feels as she looks around the room. She recognizes some of the remedies as those she has received when injured in the course of her duties. Yet others are completely foreign to her.

Guardian Priya instructs Reyla to take a seat. As Reyla sits on one of the benches nearby, Guardian Priya begins to examine her. The first thing Priya notes is that Reyla's aura has changed. The Guardians have the ability to discern the slightest changes in their people's auras. It is like looking at a rainbow of light that surrounds each person. There are the normal subtle light changes that signal happiness, fear, anger, peace, pain, or even confusion. But this change in Reyla is more pronounced and distinct. It adds another layer to the normal light that is Reyla's.

Guardian Priya begins to question Reyla about where she was cut and how. Reyla tells her about being captured by the Capote. "I was trapped under some kind of thin but heavy cloth that fell on top of me as I walking patrol. The more I struggled to get out of it, the tighter it seemed to cling to me. I managed to draw my boot dagger and stabbed through it and rip downward. As I was cutting an opening, something hit my head. After that, I awoke in the Capote camp. The smell was enough to make me wretch. I was held inside another woven tent like structure. There was just enough room to stand up."

  "I watched the guards and noted that there were other tents in the same area. I could not see inside them but I felt fellow villagers were being held in them. The Capote are hideous with their claw like hands with razor sharp fingers and pointy teeth. Their eyes have a bright yellow glow and dominate their faces. Their bodies seem to stretch and bubble as their shapes shift." Reyla continues describing her capture.

"Let me out of here", Reyla screamed, more to get a reaction out of the guards so I could see if there were other guards hidden from my sight. Two guards approached, growling and hissing. One shouted at me to be quiet. Of course, I did just the opposite. "I demand to know why you are holding me here," I said. That seemed to anger them. Two of the guards quickly grabbed my arms and pulled me forward. Suddenly, I felt this searing pain in my right chest. I screamed in agony as tears ran down my face. The guards released their hold on me and I crumbled to the ground. I had never felt such intense pain. I curled up in a ball and tried to breathe. I felt as though I would lose consciousness again. As I looked up, I saw the sharp finger of one of the guards dripping with blood. He had stabbed me.  The pain was intense and I passed out again. "