Steem Monsters Rare Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 3 - Lyanna

Off to start the year with another story! This week, the cutest summoner of them all, Lyanna!

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The woods are full of beautiful, harmless, gentle creatures. But Mother Nature has beautiful, deadly protectors too, and if your heart is not pure... these are the ones you will meet.

---

Evil and beasts

Since very young, I would sneak to the woods alone; I'd spend my time creating tiaras from green branches and leaves, while watching the creatures of the forest play and roam... well, at least until my worried father, or mother, or one of the other villagers would find me and bring me back to the village.

“It isn't safe for you, Lyanna!” My fathers would say, “The woods are a dangerous place for a child!”

“All the animals know me!” I replied “They would never hurt me!”

“Don't be foolish, Lyanna! You can never know for sure!”

But I knew it for a fact. I knew I was safe. I couldn't explain, but I always had a connection to Mother Nature. I could sense life all around, and I even had the feeling they felt happier around me. More alive, more playful, with more stamina.

---

After my 12th birthday, when all sorts of creatures started to visit the village, my fathers finally believed me. Little goblins at first, cunning and tricksters; strange one-eyed mushroom-like creatures, that echoed their voices in my head. The big orcs with the huge battleaxes scared the villagers a little bit... but they just wanted to know me! Probably that visit was the reason why I started getting some side looks from the rest of the village. Hum... that, or the rexxie. She was soooo cute! She was just a baby, she wanted to play with me! I'm pretty sure she didn't tear down that abandoned house on purpose, we were just playing!

Since then, no one came to call me from the woods any more; they just accepted I wasn't like the other kids, and I spent my times playing with the creatures of the forest.

All that changed on my 16th birthday.

My fathers had organized a small celebration, and I had promised that I would spend the day at the village instead of the woods, for a change.

My mood wasn't joyful as it normally was, although I couldn't explain why. Afer all, it was my birthday, I was supposed to be happy! But since I woke up, I couldn't change the feeling that something was off.

“What's wrong with you, girl?” My mother asked. Mother always knew when I wasn't ok. “Don't put that grumpy face, you'll play with your wood friends tomorrow. Ok, sweetie?”

I smiled. “I just have a strange feeling, momma. Don't worry, I won't run to the woods today.”

Maybe It was just that, I thought. Knowing that I would be all day away from my beloved woods.

---

As family and friends started to gather for the lunch, I started to relax. Some had came from the nearby village, it had been almost a year since I saw them. It was so good seeing so many familiar faces together! And for moments, the usual smiling Lyanna came back.

But soon after we sat at the big table, I feel a hand grabbing my ankle lightly...

I jumped with a small scream. I immediatly though in one of my cousins trying to scare me, but when I looked under the table...

“Sigyn, what on earth are you doing here??”

The little goblin came out from under the table, taking off his red cap and bowing to everyone in his clumsy way. How I loved to have that ability to sneak into places, I thought.
“A thousand pardons, Lyanna. I... I wanted to get your attention quietly.”

“And sneaking under the table and grabbing her leg was the best way you could came up with?” My mother asked. “

Most of the table laughed.

But his expression wasn't a joyful one. He seem worried by something.

“You... you have to come with me. Pretty please?” He asked, grabbing my hand.

“No tricks today, Sigyn. It's her birthday!” My mother replied before I could speak. “Since you are here, you are welcome to stay... that way we can keep an eye on you!”.

Poor Sygin. Since the first time he came to the village, he started doing tricks on the villagers, sneaking really near unnoticed and scaring them, and all other sort of innocent deeds; everyone knew him by now, and it was hard not to like him, despite of these pranks. But mother wasn't pleased now, I could tell.

“Please miss, it.. it.. it's really important! The mages sent me!”

“Well, I'm sure the mages can wait until lunch is finished, can't they?” Said my mother. “ Get another chair and make some space from our guest, shall you?”

Sigyn's expression changed as he saw he wasn't getting away with his request. His eyes widened as he turned at me and grabbed my hand again.

“Please, please, please, you have to come! We can't wait for lunch! The mag....”

He wasn't letting go of my hand, trying to rush me to the door. I had never seem him like this, and the feeling that I had woken up with was now even stronger.

And before my mother could scold him again, one loud scream was heard outside.

<

Sigyn's face went blank.

“They... they are here!” He cried, as he dragged me to ther door. “They weren't supposed to be here so soon! We have to go!”

“But who's they??” I asked, while I followed the rest of the family outside.

He didn't need to answer.

Two large dark forms were outside in the central square, a villager at their feet, motionless. Their bodies seemed to be made from a strange kind of smoke, and what seemed electric bolts appearing and disappearing. Never I had seen such creatures, but I could feel the evil within. And as we stood outside, they turned to us.

One of them slowly raised the arm, a long arm with huge claws. And pointed at me.

It was for me they were coming for.

Sigyn jumped forward, and two more goblins appeared out of nowhere.

“Get back”, Sigyn said, as he started to mumble something. A strange light appeared in his hands, and as the two creatures slowly moved in our direccion, Sigyn striked; a bolt of pure energy went straight to one of them, hitting it right in the chest with a loud noise.

But as quick as it struck, the bolt came back, reflected, sending the goblin a few meters back, and me with him, straight to the ground.

“Sigyn!” I cried.

“Our magic is not strong enough for them. You have to run!”

---

The two forms were slowly moving in our direccion. The hole in the chest on one of them, caused by the goblin's magic, was closing. It was healing! I looked to my parents, my friends, my family. All of them stood there, unable to move, terrified by what they were seeing.

Tears came down my face. What was happening? What were those forms? And what did they wanted with me?

I placed my hands in the ground to raise up. And as soon they touched the ground, a chill went up my body. And then warmth.

Between us and the creatures, the soil opened, as two huge beasts made of pure stone rose. Without looking back, they went for them.

“Stone golems!” Said Sigyn. “We might have a chance!”

The other goblins joined the golems in the fight.

But our enthusiasm soon faded.

The golems strucked them hard, the huge stone fists hammering with such strength that it should be impossible for any living creature to withstand. Yet, neither that nor the goblin's magic seemed to hurt them that much. They struck back, reflecting the magic back to the casters, their long arms and claws bashing the golems. It was a titanic fight... but the evil creatures were still advancing in our direccion.

“Take your family and run to the woods!” Sigyn pleaded. “They're too strong!”

Then the earth started to shake. Oh so slightly, but steady and quick. For a couple of seconds, I though I had just imagined it, but the tremor grew in intensity so quick it couldn't go unnoticed. Terror grew on my family faces, but a sense of hope grew in me. I could only think of one reason for those tremors.

A mighty roar was heard just a second before Rexxie appeared, running straight to the fight, her eyes filled with rage. She had probably doubled in size since the last time I saw her, three years ago. And as she rushed to the creatures, her huge jaws clenched in the nearest of them, trampling the other in all her fury.

The healing abilities of those evil beasts was not strong enough for rexxie's powerful bites, together with the golem's fists. And soon the fight was over, two black masses melting formless to the ground.

The forest mages appeared not long after.

“Lyanna! You're safe. We were worried we were too late.”

---

Only later that day, after taking care of some shocked relatives, could I understood what happened.

“You are what we call a summoner, Lyanna.” They explained. “Mother nature only bounds this strong with a few special ones, and you are one of the chosen. That's why you can feel the presence of other creatures; they can feel you too, and know when you need them. That's why the golems appeared. You have no idea how powerful you are, and can become... but there are forces in this world that don't want that to happen. Those haunted spirits came to make sure your path ended today; fortunately for us... they failed. ”

A few days later, I said goodbye to my parents.

A summoner has to learn to control its powers, I've been told. I departed with the mages to the deep woods; sad to leave the village, but knowing that this was the path I had to take. A great power comes with great responsability, and there was much to learn.

If battle comes... I will be ready.