PART IV: The Beacon of Hope
It only took an hour for Karl to sense something was wrong—the scouts had never returned.
Karl was carrying Amal with his left hand while marching ahead of many with massive effort, tiring him.
He halted a soldier with his right hand. "Wait... Go ahead and tell Lord Pelon I have a worry I wish to discuss with him urgently."
"I don't answer to you, Karl. You have the same status as me now that your father is dead... Or has it not been too long that you have forgotten about that?" He pushed off Karl's hand from his shoulder and kept marching slowly, unbothered by Karl's command.
Karl froze in his place, remembering the sight of his father's death as if it were happening all over again in front of him. A small cry and movement from Amal knocked him back into reality before he let out a smile and started running through the soldiers, trying to reach Pelon.
"Lord Pelon..." Karl screamed out as he spotted Pelon's features through the soldiers, gasping and catching his breath while carrying the heavy metal spear on his back and the small infant and armor on his chest.
"What is it, Karl? I don't have much time to waste on pointless arguments now," Pelon answered unusually calmly.
"It is the scouts... They have not returned yet. We do not know what is happening behind us—we are as blind as a bat. We need to halt and turn back to figure out what happened to them," Karl pleaded with confidence, advising his old friend.
"Halt our march?... For what?... A couple of dead soldiers? Is that scary for you? Someone is behind us?" Pelon asked while slowly stepping up to Karl.
"We don't know that the scouts are dead, my lord... It has only been an hour since they entered the second shift... A shift usually takes two or three before they switch with someone else... They still have a whole hour or two, depending on their stamina... I figure Karl over here is having trouble forgetting he isn't an advisor like his father was... and that his time here is that of a soldier," a soldier said as he overheard them speaking.
"Pelon, I beg you, trust me..." Karl pleaded once more with a lower and more sincere voice.
Pelon stood still, looking left and right as gazes gathered on him... waiting for his command... waiting to judge him.
He gazed at the infant, then locked eyes with Karl, then let out a small laugh.
"As I told you before, it is Lord Pelon... And I suppose this infant needs a rest as well... which must be very convenient for you. As the scouts are missing according to you, we need to take halt... Some might even consider that you might have killed them to get some time to rest."
Pelon stepped closer, putting no space between him and Karl. "If you so much as bother me from now on without proper cause as a soldier and his superior, I will carry out my promises to both you and that child... Do not make me do this, soldier... Me and you no longer have anything in common other than wanting to serve master Andras... and the fact we are both alive and well... Let us keep it that way."
Karl, disappointed, stood and watched as soldiers around him mocked him along with Pelon's remarks and passed him. Some even knocked him from the back, throwing his balance off while he stood there thinking of a way out of this.
"I should flee... this force is doomed with that maniac child in command," Karl thought to himself. "But I can't leave her behind, not after she raised me." He picked up the pace, marching forward just behind Pelon and his guard.
As the sound of their footsteps disappeared behind them, leaving only a trail, Nex followed silently... moving through the darkness unaided by light, making sure to stay out of sight as he finally caught up to the main small force of twenty or less left now.
Nex's midnight blue eyes lit the way ahead of him, His once angelic white hair had faded away, revealing hair as dark as an abyss beneath—the runes that had disguised his true appearance had vanished with his death, unbeknownst to Nex himself.
The force had been marching for over a day, exhausted from their recent slaughter and their third march within two weeks. Their slow, weary pace made them perfect prey for Nex to trail and systematically pick off their scouts one by one. Meanwhile, Achlys—who had been following the potato trail since leaving his destroyed village—continued his own journey along the same road, unaware it would lead him toward the post the soldiers sought to reclaim.
He followed it weakly, taking rests every hour or so, making fire and cooking the potatoes by placing them directly on top of the fire, and after they are done he would impale them with a knife he picked up from the smith's house and bite into them.
He could not sleep but only after passing out from exhaustion, and on the second day on the road he was sitting eating potatoes while gazing up at the skies to ignore the visions he would get from the smell of burnt wood and from the heat of the potatoes.
Achlys's memories were filled with screams and laughter of the villagers and children of Lif as his mind often took him back to the warmth of the children between his hands disappearing with every breath that he took.
As he was unable to rest, the soldiers that took part in this slaughter finally reached the same hill that Tazan and the death company had stared down from, the soldiers took a rest, assessing their position and their orders from Andras... Close behind them was Nex as he watched from afar, patiently waiting for the moment Karl would put Amal down for him to steal her away.
But Karl grew attached to the child, not leaving her even in his sleep as he ripped his red and black cloak from his armor and covered himself and the infant with it while he slept.
Nex was watching his killer hiding between bushes during the day and atop trees at night as even Pelon grew worried about the missing scouts.
"Any word from the scouts?" Pelon asked his soldier beside him as he towered over the edge, watching the post below. While the road and the gate were completely empty, there was movement inside the post itself, making it unclear if the Silver Knights were truly here and, if so, how many they were.
"No, Lord Pelon... But our front scouts have confirmed the western gate is broken—they are unable to close it," the soldier confirmed.
"Broken? Silver Knights do not carry siege weapons... This... Something is not right... Call over Karl for me," Pelon commanded, half intrigued and half annoyed.
"Understood, my lord." The soldier walked away to awaken Karl from his rest.
He opened the tent where only Karl slept while every other soldier except for Pelon slept outside underneath the stars.
"KARL!" he shouted, awakening half the soldiers with his loud voice.
Karl woke up instantly, grabbed his spear, and pointed it at the entrance of the tent.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU YELLING FOR?" Karl yelled back while still gasping for air.
"Lord Pelon requires your presence... Do not make him wait... soldier." He then quietly, and with a smirk just showing, turned and left the tent.
Karl checked on Amal, then he carried her with him in his sleeping clothes as he moved towards Pelon, exchanging glances with every soldier that envied and hated him.
"You wished to see me, my lord," Karl answered with formality, putting barriers between them.
"Yes, Karl, I did. We have been missing five scouts since we marched down south... That puts us at fifteen men marching to retake a post by ourselves... Well, sixteen if you count the infant." Pelon chuckled at his own joke while Karl's teeth ground hard against each other.
"Forgive me, my lord. I fail to see why you have called me over from my rest," Karl answered formally again.
"The front scouts have told me the western gate was broken open... They said the wooden gate had a huge hole in the middle, like it was done by a ballista or another small siege engine... And as you know, the Silver Knights are not renowned for their siege battles. So tell me, what are your suggestions for our next approach?" Pelon asked with a hint of happiness.
"I do not know, my lord. I will, however, follow every order you give... like the soldier that I am," Karl added as he avoided Pelon's gaze.
"Karl... I NEED TO TAKE BACK THAT POST!" Pelon shouted suddenly, then he calmed himself. "We need to take back that post from the Silver Knights to impress Master Andras and finally see him again," Pelon added as his smile grew and he stepped forward in front of Karl.
He proceeded to hold Karl by the shoulders. "You know how much I admire and want to meet Master Andras, don't you? Huh, Karl?" Pelon asked.
Karl snapped from his formality. "THE SILVER KNIGHTS ARE TRULY HERE?!" Pelon did not answer. "What are we doing here, Pelon? We cannot possibly win... Even one of them kills five of our soldiers, and we do not know their numbers while we are being hunted by whatever it is that is killing our scouts... We need to turn back and head to your father's territory—that is the most reasonable option we have," Karl answered as his panic grew louder, revealing itself to Pelon.
"Karl, I can't face Master Andras without an accomplishment as grand as this... I MEAN, DON'T YOU SEE? THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN FAME AND BE FINALLY RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER UNDER HIM!" Pelon shouted out for everyone to hear, unable to contain himself from happiness.
"IF YOU TRULY DON'T REALIZE THAT WE ARE MARCHING TO OUR DEATHS, PELON..." Karl pushed Pelon back while yelling back at him.
"Yes?... If I don't realize it, what?... Hm?... Come on, Karl, say it... I know you wanna say it. SAY IT! Say it and see what happens." Pelon leaned his head in as Karl avoided his gaze again, looking at the grass.
"If you do not see that your orders from Andras are going to get us all—and yourself—killed, then you are crazy, Pelon, and much crazier than I thought you to be," Karl responded as he pushed Pelon back with him towering over Pelon.
Pelon slowly broke down in laughter. "There it is... haha ha haaaa... I knew it would come eventually. After all, you do remind me of your father, Karl... You are free to leave with that infant of yours. But I want you to know, Karl, you will always be indebted to me as your father was before you... You are and always will be my slave, you ungrateful bastard."
Pelon turned away with anger, pacing around the edge as he looked down. "OH, and one more thing, Karl—it was not Master Andras's orders that said to reclaim this post, but the orders said to flee east to the kingdom of Wu while he regains these lands... BUT I WANTED TO TAKE IT FOR HIM TO SEE HIM SOONER THAN LATER, KARL! AS YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE YOUR FATHER, I WANTED TO SEE HIM!"
He turned back and fast-walked all the way to Karl's face again while his hand was on the hilt of his knife before calming himself and moving away before he did anything he regretted.
"I wish you and those poor bastards a quick death from the Silver Knights then, Pelon... Poor bastards," Karl added once more while gazing at the soldiers from afar as he walked away carrying Amal, moving west away from the hunter behind them and the Silver Knights in front of them.
Karl wasted no time putting distance between himself and danger. While carrying Amal, he moved through the soldiers.
"Look, I heard he is leaving... Lucky bastard. If we were to even look at Lord Pelon the wrong way, we would be killed, but he gets to shout at him and be rewarded by leaving the army," said a soldier leaning on his elbow atop the grass, talking to his mate just loud enough that Karl could hear but not Pelon.
"At least we won't be slowed down by that infant anymore" his mate added as they both laughed a bit before returning to sleep.
Karl was not bothered by their words but only by his old title returning to him now that he was no longer a soldier... Bastard.
He paced slowly and carefully down the hill as he spotted a flicker of bushes moving in the distance to his right. He moved between the trees, hiding himself from anyone who could follow him.
With every step away from the soldiers, he sensed something approaching. The sound of wind, smell of blood, and whispering birds made him paranoid about Amal's safety.
Soon enough, after a small distance was covered, he began running, throwing away his chest piece and arm guard to make himself lighter as fear began to flow into his heart.
His rapid heartbeat disturbed the infant, and Amal started to cry, alarming anyone close to him. He looked ahead and only saw more bushes and trees. He knew he needed to do something different, and he looked left and saw the light reflected by the moon glowing on the road. He curved his path to the left, finally stepping out onto the road.
He quickly turned around to look at the tree lines and bushes and saw... nothing. "What was that... There was something definitely following me. Where did it go?" he thought to himself as he caught his breath. Then he looked ahead while stealing glances back at the treeline before marching forward under the moonlight while comforting the infant.
While Amal's cries were silenced with a hug from the very hands that had stolen the life of Varya and her brother—as well as his own—from him, Nex sat behind the treelines, hidden in plain sight with his dark hair and dark clothes.
He was crying in rage as Amal was as close to him as a small sprint, but if he were to fight Karl head-on, he knew Amal would be held hostage, making it an impossible fight for Nex.
Karl moved in fear, unable to rest, his head turning to the right and left, fearing someone would jump out of the tree lines and attack him. With his growing fear and panic, he tripped over something round and hard and fell on his back.
He panicked, standing up immediately and drawing his spear with one hand as he held Amal tightly with the other. He looked in all directions, anticipating an attack, before he looked down and saw a trail of potatoes, one of which he had tripped over. He walked forward, following it, hoping it would lead him toward anyone, unknowing the trail would lead him back to where it began... the village of Lif.
He followed it for a while before he saw someone on the road picking some of the potatoes up. He drew his spear once more.
"WHO GOES THERE?!" Karl asked.
It was a small teen figure wearing torn clothes and a weary expression, with pain in his every step. The figure answered him back, "I am just a villager from a nearby village. I was hungry, so I followed the trail of the potatoes all the way from my village, and now here I am. But what brings you here with your spear, ser?"
"I am no ser—address me however you like," Karl answered.
"But you are holding a spear... Then perhaps are you a soldier?" Achlys asked.
"Not anymore I am not... Now I want you to move back from the road... Go to the trees and wait until I cross," Karl said, with glances stolen to look behind him between every word or so.
Achlys slowly moved aside toward the trees but still on the road and said, "Of course, I do not wish any trouble from you, mister soldier." He stood by, showing both his hands in front of him to ensure Karl would fall for it.
Karl slowly walked forward, observing Achlys as he pointed his spear at him. Then, when he was just in front of Achlys, he heard him whisper, "We never wanted trouble, and yet you brought it to our homes."
Achlys jumped forward and caught the handle of the spear with his left hand as he drew a sword with his right, aiming to strike Karl.
Karl immediately pulled his spear before Achlys could get a firm grip on it... Or perhaps Achlys had grown too tired and weak to overpower a soldier.
Achlys's palm was injured by the blade of the spear, and as Karl lifted up his spear, trying to stab the young kid, he pushed the spear forward with his right hand, only for blood to scatter on the face of the young boy in front of him.
He froze for a second as he looked over to his right arm... His arm lay on the ground from his elbow all the way to his fingers as blood exploded like a fountain.
He screamed in anguished pain as he stared at his own missing arm.
He lost his balance as he held the child.
He tipped over to the left and fell on his side before leaving the child on the ground.
Drawing his short sword with his left hand, pointing it behind him where the blade that cut his arm had come from.
"You... I killed you..." Karl said with panic.
"Yes, that you did, on the orders of my father," Nex replied, his eyes filled with the color midnight blue, towering over Karl almost as a figure of myths standing in front of the man who took his life.
"My Prince, no one ordered me to ki—" His shaky voice was cut off by the force of the blade penetrating his neck from behind him. Achlys's blade.
He fell face-first on the ground with memories of his father, mother, and brother flowing into him... His hand moved toward the infant, reaching out for her as he draws his last breaths, before Nex carried her and moved her away while looking him in the eyes as Karl's vision went dark leaving behind the infant he wanted to protect in the hands of the prince he killed.
Achlys's gaze did not leave Karl's lifeless body on the ground as he licked his lips, drinking the blood on them from Karl's hand. He took a quick look towards Nex holding the baby, then walked forward towards Karl's body and collected some of his blood with a pouch before drinking it in front of Nex and the baby.
A few seconds later, he suddenly threw up and was brought to his knees as his tears wiped away the blood from his face.
He stood up—his eyes were filled with tears and determination as memories flew back into his mind from the taste of blood.
"You... You left us... In that hole, I begged you to take the two kids with you, and you left us to die and ran with Varya... NEX!"
Achlys's voice echoed through the night as Nex had only eyes and care for Amal.
"You are safe now... I promise I will never let anything happen to you... My hope... My Amal," Nex whispered to her with a big smile as he calmly rocked her with blood dripping down the hilt of his sword all the way down to his own feet.
"WHY?!" Achlys asked as he took up the spear and pointed it at Nex with intention to hurt him.
Nex turned around—his smile disappeared as he stopped rocking the baby, letting her rest. His sword was swinging off of his waist. Unarmed, Nex was strangely calm against Achlys's threat.
"Why? Because I saw the flames swallow you and the children whole along with your grandfather... And you know what I thought? What my very first thought was? It was that I did not wish the same thing to happen to this child or Varya.
And that even if by some miracle you and the children survived... maybe, just maybe, it is better you don't... And looking at your newly found habit, I was right... I should have made sure you had a quick death... For that I apologize, but not for fleeing with the life of this child,"
Nex answered back as tears filled his eyes.
"What?... What am I supposed to do... Prince Nex? Everyone I know or care about is dead... And I cannot rest... Nor do I have the power for revenge... And even if by some miracle I took revenge, no one would come back. And I would still be alone... Where is the justice in that... Hmm? PRINCE NEX... Standing there with his majestic wh—" Achlys swallowed his words as he had noticed the change in Nex—his hair was dark as the night and his eyes were completely different from what they were.
And a scar carried along his throat as blood was stuck dry to his black and golden noble clothes. His calmness when killing and the hole in his thigh held together with flesh, as a scar on his shoulder rode all the way down to his armpit.
"You... what happened to you?... Where is Varya?" Achlys asked while staring Nex in his eyes.
"Dead... And there is no justice in that... There is no justice here... Not in this empire my ancestors built and not in the system the nobles fought for and protected. But that will change when I burn it all to the ground and rebuild it... That you can live for—not revenge... But change," Nex answered calmly as his midnight blue eyes captivated and ensured trust within Achlys.
"And when is that change coming my prince? And how? you are a child with a sword and an infant... And you have a villager who is unable to sleep unless he faints... How are we going to burn and rebuild the strongest empire to have ever lived since." Achlys asked with tears dripping down his cheeks.
"Before burning and rebuilding we have to look for Actaeon and Tazan... I doubt they would kill them that easily and once we find them-"
Before Nex finished his words a man walked out of the treelines while barely making a sound, and a hundred meters behind him were ten or more torches lit walking through the trees and bushes.
The man's bald head stood out as a feature to Achlys... But Nex knew who he was it was Pelon the commander of the forces Nex hunted and tracked for days.
Pelon's eyes were filled with happiness as his smile was wide before his eyes found Karl's dead body laying on the ground.
He ran forward without drawing his weapon leaving Achlys and Nex confused as they backed off slowly with their weapons drawn.
"No no no no NO!! NOOOOO! Brother open your eyes karl I am sorry brother open your eyes dont leave me dont leave ME!" Pelon screamed as he held Karl's lifeless head shaking him trying to wake him up.
He hugged him tightly not caring for anything in the world, and he quietly repeated "I am sorry, I am sorry, Don't leave me, Don't leave me brother." As tears ran through his cheeks down on his brother's face.
As the voices of the soldiers crept closer Nex looked Achlys in the eyes and signaled him to run as they both went off the road south away from Lif to their west and the soldiers to their north.
Pelon sat there for a few moments waiting to hear Karl's heartbeat. He waited... And waited... And waited... And nothing. As the first soldier walked out of the woods and saw Pelon he dropped his torch in shock unable to process, Karl Honra one of the strongest knights of the southern regions of the empire was killed effortlessly as his hand lay beside him.
And now his brother Pelon the acting head of house Honra lost his voice of reason... Everyone of the soldiers knew that Pelon would eventually look for and find Karl and bring him back to his side even Karl knew it himself... No one thought of this now Pelon is truly unpredictable now he is truly ruthless and alone.
"Chase them." Pelon muttered with a whispering voice.
"Pardon me my lord?" The soldier asked.
"CHASE THEM!" Pelon screamed out with his tears and spit flying all over Karl's body as he held him tightly.
The soldier did not reply back he just yelled out orders echoing Pelon's and ran south following the sound of the crying baby along with the foot trail they left behind.
Nex ran without effort his healthy and small body gave him an advantage while moving through woods and between trees, But Achlys's tall frame and his weakened status made it hard for Nex to run far ahead without having to pull up and push forward Achlys.
"This way!" the soldiers behind them cried out as Achlys gasps and Amal's cries gave away every direction they ran in.
As Nex was running away he heard.
Leave them...
They are weak...
You need to live.
The voice flew in Nex's head as the eyeless crow flew over their head watching their every move.
Nex ignored it picking Achlys from the ground with one hand and carrying Amal with his other... Nex was tired he had been hunting and tracking for days with little to no sleep.
"DAMN IT Pick yourself up you damn weak man!" Nex muttered to Achlys as he pushed him forward when his hand touched Achlys's back, it came away stained with blood.
Achlys had not found nor was looking for medical treatment he had been injured still from his time in the tunnel and cared not.
Achlys did not let out a sound instead he pushed himself forward despite the pain growing in his back and knees but he did not go far before collapsing again.
"Go east theres probably a warcamp somewhere between the northern farm lands of Stella and the forest of shadows find someone with the last name Loras tell him i sent you and he or she should look for me and explain what you saw... They will help you."
Nex towered over Achlys before he helped him pick himself up and hide in a bush behind a tree.
Then Nex waited a bit until the soldiers caught up to the cries of Amal and kept running leading them away from the weakened Achlys as he was catching his breaths.
Achlys silently laid down dragging his feet into the bush everytime they would slide outside as he was too tall to lay in a bush completely hidden but the soldiers were too terrified to check every bush and tree.
They simply wanted to follow the orders given to them chase them... They did not know who they were chasing so most of them ended up chasing each other hoping that would suffice.
And after five soldiers ran past Achlys he heard a loud and light sound of footsteps, and a few seconds later he looked to his right to find Pelon sprinting past his own soldiers while they were running fast with their light armor on he ran faster with his Useg heavy armor on his sword was drawn as he ran between the trees effortlessly.
Achlys waited for them to pass, and with every second passing his back ached with pain but he had grown accustomed to pain he had barely noticed his back bleeding against the tree.
Now unburdened by a slow and weak man Nex ran with full speed with no armor on, and only a sword and an infant to slow him down he was minutes ahead of everyone and the distance was growing between them.
However Nex's stamina was not that of a soldier and it showed... After minutes passing from starting the decoy act Nex was breathless as he pressed on running.
Closer...
They grow closer...
RUN... Nex...
The crow's worries grew as the distance between Nex and the soldiers was closing fast.
"I... I KNOW!" Nex yelled as he was catching his breaths.
The crow saw Nex stop to catch his breaths and dove down from the sky.
He went to the first and fastest soldier, and he flew down in front of him opening his wings in his face and glaring at him with its eyeless pits.
"WHAT THE F-" The soldier stopped in his place slipping and falling on his back, and when he looked back up the crow was gone.
"What the hell was that..." The soldier slowly muttered as heavy footsteps followed him and soon overtook him.
One more soldier running neck to neck with Pelon just behind him as Pelon is exhausted along with the soldier.
And after a few more minutes Nex was finally in full view of Pelon and one more soldier ahead of him.
Amal's cries made it impossible for Nex to hide, and had he left her she would fall back into the hands of the same enemies he risked his life to save her from.
With every breath Nex took and tree branch he dodged he grew slower.
Pelon had grown as slow as his fat master Andras slow and heavy... He stopped for a moment took off his armor and hand guard and leggings running forward again wearing only cloth around his waist.
The soldier's legs were giving out as he looked behind him to see his lord removing his heavy armor he took a quick decision "He will definitely be faster than me... But maybe not as fast as that boy we are chasing... I will slow him down for my lord." He thought to himself as he dragged his feet a few more times chasing Nex.
He looked at the spear in his hand but then glanced at the distance between him and Nex and decided to go for his dagger instead.
He stood still gathering his last remaining strength before throwing the dagger with all of his strength and concentration the dagger landing in Nex's back right just as he jumped tripping him and making him fall on his face.
Giving Pelon the few seconds he needed to grow the distance back that he lost from removing his armor.
Nex covered Amal with his hands and rotated around so he would fall on his side instead of face.
As he heard the footsteps grow louder from behind he didn't even look back instead he stood up instantly ignoring the pain and reached to pull the dagger as he kept running forward.
Nex's voice was louder than Amal's as he pulled the dagger from his shoulder, and after finally pulling he noticed a fire in the distance as the smoke filled the skies above him.
He had no option he needed a distraction just as he was used as a decoy he needed a decoy himself.
"I... Over there... Right before I reach the fire I need to hold my last stand... It is only me and him left now... I just have to ensure I make it." Nex thought to himself as he ran towards it.
Nex ran between as many trees as possible, and the smaller the gap between them the better as he gambled that Pelon would be too filled with Grief to take an extra second and run around the trees instead of try and go through them exactly as he did.
And it worked... Pelon only saw Nex and heard the voice of the baby and nothing else.
He did not even notice the smoke nor he would have noticed the trees unless Nex went between them or around them highlighting each passing tree with Nex's presence but by then it would be too late, and he would find himself wasting a few moments picking himself up and running again.
Nex had hoped he would lose Pelon between one of those trees but Pelon would only be slowed as Nex's final stand grew closer... Injured and armed with only a sword and needing to protect an infant Nex did not like his chances.
Nor did the crow.
STOP...
NEX...
TURN BACK...
The crow's voice echoed in Nex's head loud and afraid it gave him headache as he approached the fire.
Yet the crow insisted that whatever is ahead is more terrifying than a grief filled Pelon.
HIDE...
DO NOT MEET THEM...
TURN BACK NEX...
The crow's voice grew louder halting Nex in his place holding his head from pain while Pelon was finally almost reaching Nex.
Pelon drew his short sword and went for a fast and effective stab understanding he needs to finish it quickly as he is as tired or maybe even more as his opponent.
Nex recovered just in time tilting over and throwing the baby in a bush to further diminish her fall.
Nex was tired but his legs still had strength to avoid one or two swings.
"I wont win if i dodge he is a rabid dog." Nex thought to himself
Nex did not avoid the stab instead he got stood still almost as if he was waiting to receive it.
And receive it he did... Nex looked Pelon in the eyes as his own watered while his mouth opened waterfalls of blood.
NO...
NOT NOW...
NEX!
The crow screamed in Nex's brain his voice almost breaking through and reaching everyone within the forest... Almost killing them with it.
Nex looked down at the shortsword penetrating his stomach then back up at Pelon, and he smiled a wide smile covered in blood as Pelon tried to pull the shortsword away...
Only for Nex to hold it from its hilt pushing it further inside him.
Nex grabbed the dagger that was thrown at him and tried to stab Pelon in his eye.
But Nex's strength betrayed him as Pelon drew the shortsword just in time to evade Nex's stab but not before it blinded him as it scratched his left eye.
Nex fell to his knees exhaling and unable to inhale his breaths grew shorter as Pelon watched in joyful pain smiling wide as he held his left eye in his hand after pulling it out to show off to Nex.
"Tsk, Tsk Tsk." A voice came through from behind Pelon... Pelon turned around and swung his sword without questions.
But his sword was broken in half as it met the flesh of a noble old woman standing in front of him.
Her hair was Golden and tied in a knot as she wore noble's clothes from the kingdom of Stella.
Pelon stood still unable to process what just happened as he stared at his sword.
"Do you not know where you are... How barbaric of you empire filth." The woman's voice was filled with pain and hurtful to Pelon's ears.
"I will allow you the mercy to leave." The woman leaned in and whispered in the ear of Pelon before grabbing his left eye from his hand and placing it back into his skull... Though it did not work, it was placed as well as it was before he pulled it out himself.
"Now leave." The woman stood tall again as she towered in front of Pelon.
Pelon was terrified and shivering with every word that came out of her mouth almost making his ears bleed before he covered them... Just to hear her voice regardless.
Pelon nodded ready to leave but before leaving he heard Nex's struggle.
Anguished screaming filled the forest as Nex struggled trying to place his insides back while crawling to Amal out of instincts.
Pelon composed himself and took the dagger that Nex left on the ground trying to finish off Amal and Nex before leaving.
He stepped forward only to be halted with two fingers from behind holding him from his shoulder.
"Hold it... I told you to leave... Now! LEAVE." She picked him up from his shoulder and threw him aside as he landed against a tree he lost consciousness from the impact.
"Now what do we have here." She whispered as she slowly walked to Nex watching him crawling with one hand and holding his stomach together with the other.
She reached out for him... Only to be halted by the eyeless crow diving down standing atop Nex staring the noble woman in the eyes.
"You... You are mad... How? no why? why do you care for this human so deeply... Never in my life have i thought i would see the messenger of Death attempt to protect a human... No matter who it was."
The woman stopped her attempt and instead reached out to Amal and took her from the bushes as Nex's vision faded while the eyeless Crow stood atop of him... Not waiting to claim him but protecting him.
The woman on her way back to the fire halted and ordered "Patch him up and take him to the doctor. Maybe he'll survive." And as soon as she finished her orders a young man and a young woman stepped from behind the trees which they were hidden behind.
"Understood duchess." They answered back with the same hurtful voice pulseing pain to the ears of both Pelon and Nex out even if they were not awake to hear their voices.