Page 22 of The General’s Captive (The Rift #1)

“RUN!” I screamed trying to get her to come to me but her crying was uncontrollable as her little shoulders shook.

Chaos erupted all around me as more Myths made it over the wall, but my single focus was on her.

Even the sight of the next wave of the General’s army approaching wasn’t enough to get me to leave her, even knowing that it meant much stronger Myths were coming.

Each one seen easily as they stood out against the darkening blue sky as the last of the sun’s rays were starting to fall from the horizon.

But the second I finally reached the girl before they could get her I realized my efforts had all been in vain.

It was a trap! One I only realized the moment my hand swept straight through her just as she turned her head to look up at me, an evil malicious grin on her face as she disappeared completely.

After this a sinister laugh came from beyond the gates as the Spiked Uglies started to fall back, the damage on the gates was already done. Long wide splits in the chain links that were as wide as my thighs. Stood there now facing me was a creature I had never come across before.

A small goblin like creature with glowing red eyes was standing there with a long thin knife in hand, coming at me through the gate.

The feel of the very tip making me cry out as it pierced the top of my thigh.

But it didn’t manage to go in far enough to do major damage as it was suddenly ripped from me along with the goblin, who flew backwards and was tossed at least fifty feet from where I stood.

My mouth dropped open in shock asking myself what had just happened.

Then my eyes scanned upwards to the dark Gryphon about to swoop down when suddenly a second one appeared.

Only this one wasn’t like the other as I had never seen anything as majestic in all my life.

The legendary creature with its body, tail, and back legs of a lion was a deep golden colour.

Whereas the head and wings were that of an eagle and had feathers of the purest white.

Its long black talons on the front legs held open at the ready for its attack.

But it wasn’t picking up the soldiers like the other one had… it was aiming at the darker one.

And I couldn’t understand why?

I was then left staring in awe at the sight.

My eyes grew wide in utter shock asking myself over and over again why…

why would it do this? But then more Myths appeared and again I didn’t completely recognise these beasts as they were nothing like the ones I was used to seeing.

It was like looking at good versus evil.

Hellish creatures against heavenly ones.

Even the harpies that followed the change was remarkable.

Well, I assumed they were harpies as they had similar physical characteristics like their winged backs, but these ones were beautiful and not the haggard old crones that usually attacked us.

Not just your typical beauty either as these winged women were ethereal.

Their perfectly brushed hair, rounded firm breasts, and slender hands complete with perfectly manicured nails.

They differed a great deal from those monstrosities Riley and I had fought together.

Yet, I knew in my gut that these were still harpies.

And the second the music suddenly died they were able to get closer.

“Alex!” I heard Riley scream my name and I looked his way to find him fighting against a winged creature I didn’t recognise as he tried to reach me.

“RUN ALEX!” he screamed and then his eyes went past me making me turn my head back to the gate, gasping in fright when I saw him as if he had suddenly appeared out of nowhere,

The General.

He was even taller than I remembered now making me feel so small and insignificant.

His dark armor covered parts of him with his cloak covering the rest. Black leather that molded over his large frame infused with plated metal.

All of it looked as if it had been dipped in ink giving it an otherworldly appearance like some hellish warrior that had risen from the Rift with only one purpose.

To Conquer.

The most frightening of them all.

It was like staring your own death in the face just waiting for the last seconds of life before they were taken from you. A life he had the power to take you from with just a whispered word, a nightmare, a fabled dark knight. The dream I couldn’t ever seem to escape from.

One who for the first time finally said my name,

“Alexandra.” The second my name left his lips my fight or flight response kicked in and I turned to run.

I didn’t get far as like a lightning strike his arm was through the hole in the fence grabbing me.

His gauntleted fist twisted in my t-shirt making me wonder how it didn’t just tear straight from me with the force.

Then again, doing so would only mean allowing me to escape his grasp and that wasn’t what he wanted as he pulled me closer.

I swallowed hard with the sounds of Riley trying desperately to get to me secondary to the pounding of my own heart.

Those dark eyes narrowing slightly on the one calling my name in desperation before they then lowered to me.

“You wish this to end Little Warrior?” he asked, his voice like a warm blanket luring me under with a promise of safety before I suffocated beneath it.

I could barely move as I looked down at that metal hand that had me in his clutches.

Those interlocking plates were each etched in beautiful swirls and intricate patterns, that held symbols I didn’t understand.

Each finger tipped with a deadly claw that could have cut my skin to ribbons.

“Open up the gates and let in my army.” He told me making my eyes snap to his dark eyes that showed a moment of shock before narrowing in question. He had seemed surprised by what he found in my eyes as if they had just changed colour or something.

“No… never.” I told him vehemently, finally giving him my voice.

“Then they all die.” He threatened.

“We all die if I do.” I retaliated. He released a sigh and told me,

“Remember that I gave you the choice Alexandra.” The way he said my name, Christ but it felt like a weapon he used against me.

I wanted to shake myself or have someone slap me just to wake me from the spell it put me under.

I could barely think but it was the sound of my name coming from Riley once more that had its desired effect as I tried to fight free of his hold on me.

His eyes raised from mine to Riley’s once more and hardened.

“How touching.” He sneered making me shout,

“Let go of me!”

“I think not.” He said now pulling me closer until only the fence was between us, my hands had lifted to push back and his keen eyes snapped to my wrists. This time the shock in his face was far more obvious.

“What is this?” he questioned, one spoken more to himself as he reached through with his other hand and tried to grab them, something that quickly made me pull my hands out of reach. His hard expression looked set in stone as he frowned down at me, his dark eyes flashing in anger.

“Give me your hand, Alexandra.” He demanded making me shake my head but at this he was quick to threaten,

“Give me your hand or I will have my Gryphon fly down here and snatch away your friend.” I gasped, now looking back over my shoulder to see Riley being pushed further back as the last of the soldiers who hadn’t run were trying to hold them off.

“Be quick or I will let them kill him.” He said, now holding out his large hand with the skin at his fingertips looking naturally darker. I closed my eyes before nodding asking him,

“Please save them.” At this his eyes glowed a strange smokey white before I heard the stronger Gryphon of his cry out. I looked up just as I saw it soar directly over us before swooping down and doing as he said he would.

It picked up the dark creatures that were driving them back taking them all in its clutches. Then it dropped them off on the other side of the wall so as the rest of the Generals army could deal with them.

“ALEX!” Riley screamed and after seeing this as his opportunity to save me he started running towards us.

I looked back just in time to see him suddenly come up against the Gryphon as it landed directly in front of him, doing so with a pounding echo against the Earth.

Its large form now putting a barrier between us stopping him from getting to me.

“Don’t doubt me Alexandra it will attack him at my command should you not give me what I want, now give me your hand girl.” He demanded making me flinch.

But fearing what he would have his Gryphon do to him I did as the General asked.

I placed my hand in his, one he yanked through the second hole that was close to the one he still held me through so as I couldn’t escape.

Then he turned it over so as he could look at my scars his eyes widening the second he saw them more closely.

“Impossible.” He uttered making me tense but then he ran his thumb across it and the whisper of a touch became something so powerful, it felt like it lit up my soul!

I cried out as something deep within me ignited making my scars all glow a bright white.

The burn I was used too and had affected me since the fight began now long gone.

Gone and replaced by a feeling of sheer ecstasy.

Like nothing I had ever experienced before, as if this single touch had connected to every part of me.

One that injected me with a feeling of power, of warmth, of a sense of belonging.

It wrapped itself around me like the gods of fate were embracing me.

A thought I knew wasn’t my own.

No… it was his .

One he shared through our connection made.

Because I wasn’t the only one as the second this happened his eyes started to glow a bright white before, he staggered back letting me go.

His shock freeing us both from whatever spell had been conjured between us.

I landed hard on my ass as I watched him now looking down at his hand that had touched me as if I had left something behind.

I looked down at my wrists, watching as the glowing light in the flesh started to die down.

My eyes snapping back to his and just as he started to reach for me once more I scrambled to my feet and started putting more space between us.

His eyes hardened at the sight of me moving away from him before they then snapped to the gate and narrowed.

This time glowing a demonic red, before the metal start to twist and break.

Which was when my senses came back to me and I turned and started running. The last thing I heard was whispered this time directly into my mind…

“Fly away Little Bird…”

“…For I will find you soon enough.”