Chapter Seven.
The rest of the story.
Slevantus looked up from the fire “I suppose you want me to go on”?

Danfare smiled a wry smile,“Of course I do your story is just getting interesting”.

“Very well where was I”?

“At visiting your great Aunt who has the same name as the evil witch”.

"Right so any way".

(We got to the mountains where she had made her home and stayed there for a year and a half by then I was 14 and father was in retirement So I lived on with nothing in particular happening to me.

Then on my 18th birthday my Aunt took me to her room and said to me“Slevantus how would you like to help me with a project I am working on”?

“What sort”? I asked.

“It is very important it will help us become powerful all you need to do is do as I say can you do that”?

“I will if you tell me what it is".

She smiled“I need you to listen very carefully do you know about the forbidden powers” ?”

"I have heard of them never bothered to think on them"

“Well now you will know that they have much more power than the powers of light”!“Now!

And before I could turn I felt it pain in my neck unlike any I had felt before then everything went black.

I awoke to the sound of someone calling my name. Where was I? What happened ?I had absolutely no memory. But I felt great stronger. My senses where sharper and I felt great. But thirsty my throat was dry and as I stood I smelt the air on the table was a cup of something I did not even stop to see what it was I went over and drank it blood! I gasped and backed off what had they done to me I licked my lips and looked around the room and ran to the door. Then I crouched and swiftly turned there in the corner watching my every move was my Aunt !

She smiled a wolfish grin and said to me in a voice not hers“Perfect!

Then without me realizing it I was on my knees staring up at her with admiring eyes I was in a daze and didn’t know what was going on. But I knew I was not myself I felt something being drawn from me and as I watched Aunt began changing into a different person! More beautiful young and evil as she did her surroundings began changing as well.
The walls became Ice the plants Ice.
Everything Ice!The green was gone the servants became dogs groveling at her feet.And in her hand a crystal scepter!

Where was father?I tried rising but as I did a sharp pain rain through my whole body.

My Aunt looked at me cruel smile as she pointed her scepter at me and said
"You have no power I am the snow witch and the spell upon you is powerful I control you and whatever power you hold until the spell is released and I have made you powerful enough to satisfy me and you will serve and make me powerful and in return I will not kill you”.She smile“Go!

I found myself rising to my feet and walking toward the door I was in a daze and had absolutely no idea where I was going but I saw it the cup and drank but whenever I did I shivered. What was I what had they turned me into something powerful something that drank blood and animal like .

I froze drank blood and powerful it dawned on me what I was and from then on I hated her with every muscle in my bones I found the more I drank the stronger I became until one day I found her spell was not as strong as it used to be and I found the stronger my hate for her and the more I drank the weaker the spell became until I found out I could resist it completely .

So I ran and ran until I came to the forbidden forest which was at that time beautiful a forest of fantasy and it took time but soon the creatures warmed up to me and I had a Unicorn named Thimor as my friend .

But all to soon she found me somehow she had become more powerful and put another spell on me this one so evil and strong that it turned the whole forest evil and dark and that is how the forbidden forest was formed .

She took me to the cave and tortured me every day so that I would be too weak to resisted she used a golden whip a death mark to my kind and every time I was too weak to resist so for many days which turned to years I was tortured while evil spread like wildfire! But my will was strong and although I was to weak to fight I did resist. And although it was not enough to stop her evil it did weaken it. So it continued she threatened to kill me if I did not yield horrible tortures were threatened to me but I would not yield and the more I resisted the more anger I gave her until she put me in those horrible pits of darkness trying to break me but I resisted and resisted.That night if you hadn’t come I might have given in but you came just in time. Now she has no power over me because the link is to far.
And you know the rest of the story.)

Danfare listened in silence sometimes breathing sharply but by the end he was shaking his head.I had no idea she was your Aunt and all this time I thought those stories were just meant to frighten us but it is even more frightening knowing it is true.

Frightening indeed!Agreed Slevantus,But now we must go on with our journey it is almost daylight it took all night for me to finish this tale we must press on it will take a few weeks to reach the other side without going through the forest.

We can travel for a few days without stop once the week is over then I will tell you my tale and we shall see if we can show friendship to one another .

Agreed said Slevantus.

And they rose and continued on their journey..

The weeks had gone by and the last week had come both sat by the fire after they both went hunting and Slevantus said it is your turn .

Danfare looked at him and said and I will tell it.
My story is not gallant like yours but it is similar.

( I was born to the chief of the frozen waist My mother died at my birth and although not an only child for my father had many wives was the eldest and next tribal leader.
How I changed was pure accident.
Warewolves rarely come to the waist but because evil had been spreading so far they spread as well.
So I was on a hunting trip with my brothers when a wolf attacked !
I defended and made him flee but in the process got bitten and became unconscious I woke to find the changes in strength and eye color and the truth was soon known to all when suddenly in a burst of anger I changed it sent the village into screaming terror but I did not harm any of them and soon they came to trust me and I lived in peace with them all.
Then this meeting was sent to meet the fairy elf's for help and I was to go along as the eldest. At first they did not want to negotiate but father convinced them that it would be selfish so they agreed and I went on with the three until we found you and that is all there is to tell).

Slevantus sighed“At lest you do not have such a terrible story or horrible ancestry the elves will know that is why I cannot travel up the mountain with you they will kill me and call you all fools for not seeing evil in your mist”.

"But it was not your choice and you are not evil” said Danfare.

“Your creature is evil but you are not just like me we resist. And the good in us is stronger then the evil”.

“So are we friends”Asked Slevantus holding out his hand.

“Friends.”Answered Danfare and the two shook hands in the act of friendship .

Then the two continued on their journey.