Good to see you! If you are just stopping in for the first time, go check out parts one and two. Otherwise, enjoy part three!
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The light had almost completely faded away as she reached an open expanse on the mountain. She stopped for a second to catch her breath and look for the passageway to the next level of the mountain. Smooth cliff walls surrounded her almost completely on three sides. Within a few minutes she found the worn away path that she was looking for. When she started over a fallen cluster of rock and debris, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Something was travelling alongside her in the rocks off the side of the trail. She could not make out what it was exactly, but it seemed much larger than her. Maybe it was just casting a shadow, she thought. But how? There is barely enough light to see, much less to cast that large of a shadow, she thought to herself. Ever so slowly, she moved forward, looking from side to side, trying to catch a glimpse of her new companion. Suddenly it lashed out, seemingly from nowhere, throwing her off balance and sending her crashing into the cliff face behind her. Again, the shapeless form shoved her from below, throwing her uphill onto her stomach. She scrambled, desperately clawing at the brownish black moss that covered the rocky terrain beneath her. She couldn’t move fast enough to get away. The shadowy beast hovered over her. She could feel its breath raggedly washing over the side of her face. As it lit down on her back, her skin prickled as if she was being shocked. She felt her lungs pushing their contents out completely; and she was unable to take any air back in. She panicked. The beast uttered a low guttural growl as it constricted her. In an act of desperation, she pulled a short dagger from her leather belt and stabbed backwards toward the figure. She did not feel the blade take home. She thought she had missed, merely swiped at the air, but the dark creature emitted a high pitched wail then vanished. Air forcefully rushed back into her chest, causing her to cough uncontrollably. She quickly gathered her wits and sprung to her feet, running as fast as she could up the trail before her.
When she reached the top of the mountain, she collapsed. Tears streamed forth from her hazel eyes, mixing with the layer of grime on her face from the struggle. Little trails of white skin shown from beneath the grayish dirt that covered her face, making her look like a fierce camouflaged animal. After a few moments, she calmed. Her breathing became more normal, although her chest still burned horribly. She collected her thoughts and shook off an overwhelming feeling of disparity. Once again, she had let her guard down and been nearly killed for it.
“Enough of this nonsense!” she exclaimed.
She stood tall, pinning her shoulders back and slapping the dust off of her clothes. She grabbed the leather saddle bag she was carrying from the ground and reached inside. Confident that she had found what she needed, she closed the case and began to walk quickly.
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I’ll see you back here for part 4 tomorrow!
Dragon image retrieved from https://www.pittsreport.com/2010/07/the-testimony-of-an-8-year-old-girl-who-encountered-jesus-christ/
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