Free The Mystical Knights: The Sword of Dreams by K.A. Robertson

sense of what she had just seen—making sure the bizarre shape wasn’t just from her slight head rush—and then she heard it; a sickening, slurping slimy sound—a sound that was very similar to the sound of wet smacking lips slapping loosely together.  A low guttural growl made Nia’s heart thunder in her chest so hard, it ached.  The growl ripped and rumbled, blowing hot and sticky breath across Nia’s face as she tediously strained to see into the gloom.  Every hair—every fiber of her very being—stood on end as she came to face the horrible truth that she was not alone—and whatever was in the house was standing merely inches in front of her face.

Chapter 6: The Girl in the Mirror
     
    Nia’s breath hitched high in her throat while the dark ominous shadow loomed forward, its ugly snarl intensifying.  Its putrid breath smelled nearly rotten and sticky like sour milk. It towered above her, rumbling dangerously.  Eyes wide, Nia slowly slid her left foot backwards and then proceeded to do so with the right.  She shuffled back across the carpet, careful not to trip and fall over any of her father’s knickknacks that were cluttered across the living room floor.  With every step she took, her breaths became more shallow and heavy until she was gasping for air.  The shadow creature advanced quickly, its shapeless body spreading out widely like a black mist.
    Nia’s back slammed against the wall.  Her fingers desperately gripped the small grooves between the separate planks of wood as if she could simply pry away the wall and run away into the night.  The shadow creature hissed, rearing back what looked to be its head, and swung its left willowy mist-like arm high above its head, its see-through fingers shimmering in the dark.
    Nia cursed inwardly as she fell to her knees, crashing into the floor with all of her weight as the shadow creature narrowly missed her head.  A painful, tingling sensation travelled up and down her legs while she pushed forward and into the creature in an attempt to get away.  Nia breathed in the misty black fog that surrounded it; it tasted like dirt and putrid smoke.  Nia coughed, becoming dizzy and lethargic almost immediately as she army crawled underneath the shadow creature.  She could feel her limbs weakening slightly as she fought to stay conscious.  What’s happening to me ? she thought woozily.  The creature roared loudly and Nia felt a brush of cold air hit her back as the thing spun around.
    Help!   Nia weakly grabbed her amulet and squeezed it with all of her might.  You said...you’d be there in battle... She coughed again, her eyelids fluttering heavily as if someone had attached little weights to her lashes. 
    Nia...Nia...Come with us... This strange voice reverberated through her mind...low, monotone. Where was it coming from? Go where?
    Her hands feebly squeezed the amulet again as her head slowly slipped into the crook of her arm.  The monster was inches over her now—she could feel the frigid air wrap tightly around her thin frame, breathing in and out with raspy breaths—and a dark chuckle sounded from its invisible mouth...
    The amulet, weighty and lifeless in her hand, jolted.  Nia’s half-closed eyes opened wider, trying to see through the smothering smog as it hungrily pulled her back into her dull stupor.  The amulet began to pulse wildly, as if its own tiny heart had been surged with adrenaline.  Nia tried to stare at it, watching in awe as the amulet began to grow hot and unfamiliar in the palm of her hand, its amethyst eyes glowing brightly through the oncoming darkness...
    Call my name...and I will guide you... This voice was different than the one she had just heard. It was warm, comforting. Like an old friend. The amulet...
    Nia struggled to think through the haze as it pushed her own conscious thoughts away. She struggled to sit up but her arms and legs suddenly felt like heavy lead.  She lightly squeezed her amulet again, willing it