The Amulet

There was no where to hide, their only option was to run. The trees whipped by them, and the path underneath them was uneven. She let herself be pulled along, her hand clasped tightly in her brother's, too afraid to look around. She kept her eyes glued on his back, his torn and threadbare shirt did little to hide his protruding ribs, and while it hurt her to stare at them, she could not look away. She was afraid. No, terrified. She had never been so terrified in her entire life.

She felt her bare foot tangle on something, and she let out a startled gasp as she stumbled forward, her hand wrenching free from her brother's grasp, and her face colliding painfully with the dirt. Her brother immediately stopped running and turned around, his face hidden by the darkness. A beam of moonlight broke through the cloud cover above, and she caught a glance of his dirty and blood-smeared face, before he bent down and pulled her up. Her glasses were crooked, but he did not give her time to adjust them.

The voices were coming closer. They had to run. They had no choice.

Her brother turned away from her and continued running, pulling her after him. Her bare feet scratched painfully at the path beneath her, and she let out a sob as her foot came down on a sharp rock. Her brother cursed under his breath, and only picked up the speed. She could barely keep up, and each step sent waves of pain souring up her legs.

"Brother…" She cried, her voice coming out as a course croak. She was panting heavily, and she was afraid she was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"There they are!"

"After them!"

She let out a sob when she heard their voices, and she cried out as she heard an arrow whiz past her ear.

"Shit!" Her brother yelled, he slowed down, and she could not fathom why, but when he crouched down in front of her, she automatically knew what he wanted. She climbed onto her brother's back and let him pull her up piggy-back style. His strong arms cradled her as he straightened up and started running again. She pressed her face against his back. He smelt like soot and dirt - a familiar smell, a smell of home.

The cries of their pursuers filled her eyes, and her momentary lapse into comfort was shattered. She could almost feel the heat of their torches on her back. She squeezed her eyes shut, crying softly into the back of his shirt.

He was slowing down, and as she pressed her head to his back, she could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and hear him panting loudly.

They won't get away. Not this time.

The scent of the ocean suddenly filled her nostrils, and she slowly pulled her face away from its shelter, and looked over her brother's shoulders. The forest was fading away around them, and they were now running uphill. Before she knew it, their shelter completely died away. There was nothing hiding them, but tall hillside grass, from the people chasing them.

The path here was overgrown. No man had travelled it in a long time - probably because of its remoteness, or because it was so open. Her brother continued to slow down, and even gained a limp in his stride. By the time that the path started to level off, he could barely keep himself in a straight line. She looked over his shoulder, the smell of the ocean clear now. The ocean must be on the other side of the hill…

At the top of the hill rested a large Cathedral - long abandoned and lost to civilization. The tall Cathedral was crumbling, its carved walls covered in thick moss. Carved statues of strange creatures with horns lined the front walls and the steps leading up to it. The front doors had long rotten away, leaving a large black hole. The moon broke through the clouds again, its line shining over the decorative cross still remained carved into the top of the Cathedral.

Her brother weakly let her down, and she stood beside him, clenching his hand tightly.

"Go, hide in there." He panted.

She nodded, and started forward, squeezing his hand, but he did not budge. She stopped when she realized he was not going to move, and turned around to look at him.

His head was bent, casting shadows over his face. She wished she could see his eyes, but the moonlight reflected off his cracked glasses.

"I'll hold them off. You get out of here." He promised.

She shook her head, "We can both hide in there! We can hide, and when they leave, we can both get out of here!"

He turned away from her, removing an old and warn-down blacksmith's hammer from his belt, "I'll hold them off. We'll meet up later - I promise."

"You better keep your promise!" She cried.

He nodded, "Go."

Hesitantly, she backed away, the sounds of their pursuers growing closer, the light from their torches breaking over the side of the hill. With tears clouding her vision, she turned and ran into the Cathedral.

Moonlight washed over the walls on the inside. She stopped on the inside of the doors and looked up. The roof had long collapsed under its own massive weight, taking the far wall with it. The remaining three walls were crumbling - the tops of the walls warn and rounded by the elements and the moss reaching over the walls in places, crawling down between the stones.

She started down the old walkway. The Cathedral was empty, though the eerie chill that went down her spine told her otherwise. She folded her arms, clenching her sides as the shiver passed. Everything around her was weather-beaten. She walked past what would have once been pews, though they had long rotted away, leaving nothing but weeds and flowers in their wake. Plants grew from between the stones, making the path down the walkway tricky. She looked around, the tears finally leaving her eyes and trailing down her cheeks.

A loud crack sounded from somewhere, and she gasped, quickly raising her hands to her mouth to muffle the noise. An old wooden beam had collapsed, landing in the tall weeds. A couple of birds cried and flew up into the air, their feathers flying down behind them.

Her bottom lip quaked, and she squeezed her eyes shut as she heard several yells, followed by the unmistakable sound of metal clashing against metal. She broke into a run, running towards a large platform at the end of the isle. The stairs to walk onto the platform had long rotten away, and she had to climb up onto it.

From the platform, she could finally see the ocean. Past the ruins of the collapsed fourth wall, she could see the cliff-side behind the Cathedral, and the ocean behind it. She looked at it for a few seconds, until another yell startled her out of it. She gulped and looked around. There was nothing else besides a large alter. The alter was nearly seven feet tall and caved from stone and gold. The bottom of the alter looked like four of those people with horns, holding up a large disk, the disk inscribed with a language she could not recognize, followed by two figures of dog-like people with wings, their arms folded, and their wings outstretched to support the final level of the alter, a small disk in the shape of a gear.

She craned her neck to see, something was sitting on top of the gear, resting nearly out of sight. She glanced back at the door, but it was pitch black past it. The shouting could still be heard clearly through it.

Hide… she must hide. Whatever was resting on the alter could wait… she had to hide. She looked around, but there was nowhere to hide…

Sup? Want to live?

She jumped at the strange voice filling her ears. She had never heard the voice before. It sounded ghostly, yet powerful, it sent a shiver straight through her entire body.

Take the object on the alter.

She shook her head and looked around, "W-Who's there?"

Just take the amulet.

Amulet? She gulped and turned around, pressing her back against the alter, "Who are you? Why should I listen to you!"

Just chill and take the goddamn amulet.

"Swearing isn't going to make me get it." She could hear her voice quaking as she talked, and pressed herself harder against the alter, "Where are you?"

An unnatural wind blew over her, and she shivered. A couple birds cried out and burst forth from the weeds, flying up with a flurry of feathers. She gasped and slid down, crouching on the ground and covering her head as the feathers rained down on her. The birds circled up and around the alter, before flying off into the night.

She gulped and opened one eye, half of her mind expecting to see a ghost or something. But there was nothing there.

If you and your brother want to live…

"I know." She cried, "Get the stupid amulet."

She turned around, thinking how someone only four or so feet tall could reach the top of the alter, "How is an amulet going to save us?"

Just trust me.

"How can I trust something I can't see?" She asked,

There was no answer.

Swallowing her fear, she began to climb the alter. Another clash from outside rang out, and a scream followed it. She cried, losing focus for a moment, and nearly losing her grip on the alter.

Careful.

She wanted to strangle the voice… whatever it was.

She continued to climb, her tired and sore muscles struggling against her. She fought against the fatigue, using the curves of the carvings as natural footholds as she pulled herself up. She stepped on the dog-person's snout, and pulled herself onto the gear-platform. Sitting in the center of the gear, was a stand about eye-level. She walked over to it, and saw a large amulet hanging from it. It was strange, and looked like a semi-circle. It looked like it had been broken in half, but where the other half was, she could not guess. Examining it, she thought it could be half a record or something…

"What will happen when I grab this amulet?" She asked,

Hopefully set me free.

"You're not some sort of evil demon are you?" She gulped,

And if I am?

"Then I won't help you get free!" She crossed her arms.

Another clash… more screaming. She cringed. Was one of those screams her brother's?

I don't think you and your bro have much of a choice. Set me free, and I will save you. Nice and simple.

"You promise to save him?" She asked.

It's a done deal.

With a shaking arm, she reached out to grab the amulet, her fingers numbly wrapping around the odd shape. A burst of red and orange light came forth from it, and she gasped. A surge of energy burst forth, and she screamed as it threw her from the alter, her body hurled towards the ground below. The alter before her cracked, and she watched helplessly as the orange and red light engulfed it, before it shattered.

She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for the inevitable pain, or worse. But after a few seconds, she realized there was no pain. She could feel strong arms cradling her, and she opened her eyes with a gasp.

An orange spirit floated behind her, his arms cradling her bridal-style, his large, angelic wings spread wide, flapping slowly. She turned her head and stared at his face. His blond hair whipped around in the wind generated by his wings, though his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, a giant sword was shoved through his chest, the hilt resting just above her stomach. He lowered her slowly to the ground, and she clenched the amulet tighter. It was glowing dully in her hand. He placed her gently on her feet, before turning and taking off into the air, his powerful wings beating through the air, and sending him speeding out through the collapsed roof.

She gasped as she saw him fly up, and over the walls of the Cathedral. Without thinking, she placed the amulet around her neck, and ran out towards the door. Startled screams and cries rang out from outside. She stepped outside to see her brother, bleeding badly from multiple wounds, but still standing upright and fighting - the blacksmith hammer smeared with blood. He had a startled look on his face, and was looking up in the air, along with their enemies.

The orange-spirit-guy was floating above her, he pulled the sword from his chest and held it in his hand, the light around the amulet burned her chest slightly, but as it glowed, he glowed brighter. She gasped as he flew down, charging at the enemy.

The moment her brother saw that he was on their side, he turned around and continued fighting. She could not pull her eyes away as the two of them fought. All of these men that were attacking them were just villagers from the village that she had grown up in. These were people she had seen every single day of her life… it hurt to see them attack them…

Luckily, most of them turned and fled the moment the Spirit joined them, their frightened screams replacing the battle cries. Her brother raised his hammer and slammed it into an enemy's side. Two more turned and ran away. The Spirit sliced off the head of another, sending five more men running. It did not take long until the three of them were the only ones standing in front of the Cathedral.

"Wow!" Her brother grinned, sliding his hammer back into a loop on his belt, and looking at the Spirit, "That was so cool! What is this thing?"

"Hey. Not cool man, I am not a thing." The Spirit snapped, "What are you?" He asked,

The Spirit shrugged, "Shit if I know. I can't remember fuck all."

"How did you end up trapped in the amulet?" She asked,

"I just finished saying I remember fuck all, didn't I?" He snapped.

"Amulet? Trapped?" Her brother asked.

The Spirit sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "I don't know. All I know is something is fucked up. This is not my true form."

She gasped as she saw the light from the amulet start to fade, the light around the Spirit disappearing as well.

"Not your true form?" Her brother asked, "What happened to you?"

"Some dickwad decided to seal me inside a crummy amulet." He shrugged, "That's all I remember… I don't know. Maybe if I find the second half of the amulet, I'll get my true form back, and my memories."

"Do you remember your name?" She asked,

He looked thoughtful for a second, "Dave."

"Dave?" She repeated. He nodded.

"Sweet! Thanks Dave!" Her brother smiled, "I'm John! And this is my sis, Jade!"

He looked at Jade, completely ignoring John, "Jade…"

"Yes?" Jade asked,

"You know what you have to do now, don't you?" Dave asked,

"Um…no?" She asked, "What do I have to do?"

"My spirit is trapped to that fucking amulet around your neck." He pointed out, "I probably can't be free unless we have both halves."

"So, your stuck as a orange-ghost-thing until the other half of the pendant is found?" John asked, he was still panting heavily, and Jade looked at him with worry. He was still bleeding badly, and his eyelids were starting to droop.

Dave shrugged, "Guess so."

"So… what do I have to do?" Jade repeated,

Dave looked at her as if she was an idiot, "We have to find the other half to set me free."

Jade felt herself pale, "W-Why me?"

"Because you have the amulet." Dave shrugged.

"Sweet!" John cheered, "Come on Jade! It will be an adventure!"

Dave turned to look at John, "Who say's your coming?"

"Wherever Jade goes, I go." John stated, "And if you want Jade's help, then your stuck with me too, bud."

"Who says I want to go!" Jade gasped, "Can't we find someone else to go?"

John pouted, "Its not like we have anywhere else to go."

"About that." Dave asked, "Why were those dicks chasing you?"

Jade sighed and turned around, "I don't want to talk about it!"

"Ah come on." Dave continued, "If I'm going to be stuck to you, I might as well know if you've done anything terrible."

Jade felt her face heat up, and was suddenly worried if it was red or not. She let out a cry and wrenched the amulet off her neck, "I said I don't want to talk about it!" With a cry, she threw it on the ground.

Almost instantaneously, Dave disappeared. Jade watched with wide eyes as Dave's body turned into mist, and the mist was sucked into the amulet. She gasped as the red and orange light disappeared, leaving the amulet still.

John frowned and stepped over, picking up the broken necklace. Nothing happened when he touched it. He looked back up at her, "…Jade…"

"Don't 'Jade' me!" She cried, "I don't want this! I never asked for this! I just want to go home!"

John frowned and walked over to sit in front of her, "Please Jade… you and I both know that won't happen, and Dave just saved both of our lives. I think it would only be fair if we help him out in return… don't you agree?"

Jade pouted and looked away, "I don't know… we don't know anything about Dave! What if he's some evil Demon or something? Isn't that where they lock demons? Seal them away in churches?"

"I don't know Jade." John shrugged, "But don't you think its worth looking into some more?"

Jade sighed. She knew he was right, but she was tired and sore. She looked up at him, and he smiled at her, reaching over to wipe some of the tears away from her face. She giggled as she felt his thumb smear the dirt on her face.

"Yeah… your right." She sighed, "It is worth looking into some more. But you hold onto the pendant… it doesn't seem to react to you. And only after you get some medical treatment."

John nodded, slipping the amulet around his neck and tucking it under his shirt, "Ok. First things first, I get patches up, we find something to eat, a place to stay for the night, and then we need to find out more information about this Cathedral, and why Dave was locked away in it. Then, we decide whether or not we want to help him get free. Sounds fair?"

Jade nodded, "Ok. Sounds fair."

A/N:

I was walking the dog on an abandoned stretch of highway today, and the highway was over grown, and every time I walk down it, it makes me think of a haunted place or something.

I decided that may be my last time walking my dog, but instead of enjoying his company, my mind wanted and I thought up this. This could be a one shot, or this could be a fic… what do you think? Do you guys think I should continue this, or leave it at that?

Sorry for the lack of updates/comments. I am now to sick to take care of myself, and I have to move. So I am slowly packing up my stuff to be moved into a special home. Yeah… I am downsizing from a three bedroom house, to a room in a place with other people. There are four other people on the flour I will be on, but at least I get to keep one of my cats… not sure how I will choose between them, though I am going to try and get it so that I can keep both of them. As for the dog, I cannot keep him, and I will have to rehome him and sell most of my stuff… so its kind of a depressing time for me right now. Its proving to be a hassle to sort through all my stuff. I am only keeping stuff that is absolutely necessary and throwing out the rest… I already have 4 garbage bags of my belongings that I don't absolutely need D :

Next month, after I have moved and settled in, I promise I will start updating more frequently again. I just decided to take a break from packing/sorting to write what I thought up on the walk… I play way to many video games… D:

Anyway, I digress.

Anyone interested in reading more, or should I leave this as a one shot?