They saw us. Soldiers run to us with swords in hand, I freeze with my hands up, I couldn't help but laugh and smile, I really wasn't helping them not think that I'm one of the cultists. "I'm not one of them, none of us is, we escaped" I start to cry now, I think about my brother
"Please let us in," the girl said. The soldier gestures for us to follow him, so we do. We are led through the gate. The settlement was walled with wood, there was a castle in the centre. Probably housing a baron, they had the flag of Celesta, Angel of The Above. House Anim. "when is the Meldavorni ship coming?" I asked
"There is no ship, The Queen chose to back Ristikos, a bird was sent to us saying that the ship will be turning around" I repress the urge to scream out. I had to kill my friend and my brother to escape only to find out that there is no escape "follow me to find your chambers" we were led to a house.
I could hear occasional fighting between the soldiers and cult members, I learned to tune it out quickly. I found that there was a library, finally a respite from all the suffering and sacrifice. I looked through the shelves holding histories, stories, legends and myths. I found a book that interested me. Monsters. I flipped through the pages, 'til I find something that interests me.
The Dreamer
A human blessed by the angels Oracleez and Celesta, to see what no other creature sees, secrets of the world, The Above and the future. What is usually not known due to the madness that ensues some time after the gift is awakened. They are known to walk between worlds, worlds that have seemed to be undiscovered.
I change the page
Va'asfiolin
The soul of the High Priestess of Eldraxees, she was burned in the church with her followers. It is said that she stalks Sevalia, steal the souls of people, to sustain herself, to grow stronger. Some believe that she was banished by the Angels, others say that she was banished to The Empty. Some believe that she still roams the earth.
I laid my head on the table, I feel the rough wood on my cheek, I avoid movement to prevent splinters puncturing my cheek. I carry on reading through stories of the deeds and squabbles of the Angels and stories of great heroes. I hear screams and the sound of weapon crashing against wood. I heard the sound of something crashing to the ground. I pull head and thoughts from the book. I get up and leave the library. The first wave was silent, running with swords in their hands. The next wave came in quick succession they charged in with cloaks on their back, carrying fire in their hands they threw the burning cloths on the ground, the house, the crops. I look around for an opening, I was not going to be taken again. I see the girl injured her foot was bleeding, I struggle with the decision, escape or risk my freedom, I remember the horrors I was put through the pain. I was afraid. I wanted to run, but I was done with being scared. I run for the girl. I help her to a standing position. I looked around "just leave me, I'm going to be taken anyway"
"No, you're not," I said
"I'm not going to let you suffer again,"
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that you really have a choice" I struggle with getting my words out as the effort of holding another human up makes me breathless. I look around I see a piece of the wall that has come down but no cultists were flooding in. "Let me help" a boy ran next to the girl, holding her up too, unlike the girl I don't think he came in with us. I was tempted to find the others who had helped me survive, but I couldn't see through the fire, horses and the glint of swords and axes, I just had to hope that they were alright or weren't going to let themselves be taken. "This way," I said pointing to the opening. The people on the horses didn't seem to notice us, they targeted those who ran without thought, consumed in panic.
I manage to get out of the settlements I see a soldier, he seemed younger than the ones that I've encountered. "There's a Chrysian ship heading this way follow me, I'll lead you there" I didn't care to question why he deserted his men, he probably realised that it was a fruitless battle the cult had more men and running was the best option for survival, even if it was the least honourable one. We walked as fast as we could, "I think that we're safe here" the soldier said. We laid the girl down on the ground. The soldier opened a pouch he had, it contained a liquid, herbs and bandages. He puts the herbs in his hand and pours the liquid on it, rubs it between his hands, he rubs it on the wound, the girl winces, I feel her nails dig into my palm. He pulls out the bandages and wraps it around, the burnt wound on the bottom of her foot, he ties it tightly. "This will help her foot heal and prevent infection" he turned from the boy to the girl "you're going to be okay, I promise". We rest the boys started having a conversation.
"After all our travels together, I never asked your name," she said
"I'm Daki of the village Nihifin, and you are?"
"I'm Aclaana of the village Rachian, can I ask you one more question?"
"Go ahead"
"Why did you kill your brother?" she looked at me "I'm sorry, ignore me"
"It's fine," I look at her "I thought that he was dead, then after killing a guard and freeing some people, I found him, but it wasn't really him, it was his body, but he was broken, so I let him find peace" a tear fell from my eye "do you have any family?"
"Yes, I don't know where they are,"
"Then why aren't you trying to find them?" I realised how judgemental I sounded "I'm sorry, I-"
"It's fine, you haven't asked me that more than I have" she tilts her head back, presumably to keep her tears from falling "before my father went out to look for my mother, he told me that whatever happens to him, I had to promise him that I'd get out that I'd escape, find someone to marry and have children I didn't want to abandon him, I didn't understand why he was making me do it, but he told me to fulfil my promise and then I'd understand, I promised him" she explained, "you probably don't understand"
"I do, I remember making a promise like that, my father was sick, the medics said that he was Blighted, his body was made to turn against itself, against him," I said "he made me promise to protect my brother, take care of him," I said.
"You alright?" the soldier asked
"Yeah, we're good"
"I forgot to mention, my name I'm Nolan," the boy said
"I'm Daki"
"I'm Aclaana"
"I'm Sam," the soldier said.
We spent the night and when we woke the next morning. Hunger was starting to set in. I could feel the rumbles of my stomach. "There" I whisper
"What?" Nolan asked
"A boar" I pointed to the animal "soon to be food, if go about it right" I remember my mother teaching me how to hunt "Sam, you will strike the final blow, shove your sword through its eye that'll kill it quickest" I said, I grab a rock and throw it in an attempt to distract the boar, it works Sam sneaks up behind it. I grab another rock, Sam steps on a twig, before the animal could turn around I threw another rock at the ground in front of them. It doesn't look at Sam, Nolan is sticking with Aclaana to make sure she's okay while her foot heals. Sam charges at the boar and stabs it in the eye but not before it thrashes a bit, then goes limp. We walk for a while longer, Nolan dragging the boar. We wait until night before starting a fire and cooking our meat. I relished every bite of food.
We hear a twig break one that "Wait, I think I heard something" Aclaana said, we heard another twig break. I look around, the sky was darkening, darkening the world with it. I saw something move in the trees. I grab a large rock, my hands struggled to keep it in my grip. Someone was running at us. They pounced on Aclaana, somebody came at me, but a sword blocked them from coming at me. Sam was engaged in a sword fight. I looked at the soldier, he was trying to tie Aclaana up, I kicked the guard, the bottom in my foot hurt, the guard got up to attack me, he raised his hands and my mind started to fog, my thoughts broke down into words and blurry images. I saw Nolan hit the cultist over the head with a rock. My mind starts to assemble itself and the world became salient. I heard the sound of Sam collapsing, the cultist turned to me. Aclaana grabbed the sword of the incapacitated soldier she swung it, not hard enough to go through completely, it only dug into his neck. Sam got back up "what happened to me" he asked
"It's their magic" Aclaana explained, "it gives them strength and can take yours away". I look at the weapons left by the guards, "we should grab the weapons" I said to Nolan, I go back to the dead cultists and get the weapons.
Day after day of walking and hunting, sometimes to near death. "Daki, I want you to promise me something" she was limping, now able to walk independently
"Yeah, I'm always happy to help"
"If I'm getting taken leave me behind, I'm not going to be the reason that someone gets hurt," she said, "promise me"
"I promise" I hear the sound of hooves clopping against the ground, "Wait, guys, I hear something" the whole groups "that's not funny," Sam said. I looked at the forest surrounding us, I saw people in cloaks riding on horses "Run!" Nolan said the horses came for us. We ran, I wasn't stood still for long enough to count, I ran, the clops were getting closer. I cling to the sword, trying to not lose grip on it especially when I needed it most. I turn around to look for Aclaana she was the most endangered of us all. I see a horse riding close behind her, I wait for the person to snatch her up, they do, as the horse turns around I strike the horse's leg. The person falls off the cultists were getting closer I kill the person before they could use their magic. I help Aclaana to her feet, Sam and Nolan were already ahead of us. I stood in front of Aclaana "Go"
"I told you!"
"I broke a promise," I think back to having to kill my brother "I'm not letting you break yours, Go!"
"But-"
"Go"
"No"
"But-"
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that you really have a choice," she said smiling at me, she grabbed a sword from the horsemen. They had no form or strategy, I tried to avoid their hands, I tried to kill them before they could get close to me. I thought to keep my thoughts linked, keep them from disconnecting. I had gotten slightly used to keep the bonds between the moving images in my mind, the sounds, sensations and smells that made up my memories. More came at least three more horsemen arrives turning the remaining three into a six. More returned, I heard footsteps I turn around, to find that Sam and Nolan didn't abandon us "what, you thought we were going to abandon you?" Sam asked, Yes. I focus on the coming horsemen.
"Should we run?" Nolan asked
"They'll catch us, we fight," I said. The horsemen charged at us all at once "spread out" we needed to keep a distance from as many as possible while killing as many as possible. The clops louder as the six charged at the four. I struck the horse's knee when it came to us, I killed the person before they could use their magic. Two of them were circling Sam, they were closing in on him, he started to collapse. I charged at them, I killed a horse then I killed a cloaked figure. The other one turned their attention to me, the horse got onto two legs, the other two in the air about to come down on me. I back away before it could kill me, the horse charged, before it could reach a sword punctured it, I look to see that my saviour to see that it was Nolan. The remaining horses charged at us. We charged to them. My thoughts were starting to break, I clung to them, I clung to one of them that was the most powerful. I thought about killing my brother snapping his neck because they hurt. It was time to hurt them. I swing my sword wildly to the point where it was almost throwing me around, I slice through one of them. A jump out of the way of an oncoming horse. Sam kills the man, the horse runs off.
"Just a few more hours and we'll reach the port," Sam said. We walk and male light conversation, after walking through the forest and the grass and then rock, I see it. The port "it's there" I point I drop everything and run to it, the Chrysian had arrived and I didn't know how long I had until it was leaving my feet felt as if they were hammered but I ran anyway all I saw was freedom and that was worth anything. They run with me. Once I reach the dock, the guard saw me laughing hysterically. They let me and the others on, it turned out we were one of the first.
"We actually made it," Sam said
"This is real right?" Aclaana asked
"I honestly don't care, we made it!" I said, I ran to hug Aclaana, she hugged me back "I need a bed" I was assigned one, it was softer than the hard floor of the prison or the dirty ground of the forests. "thank you," Aclaana said
"For what?" I asked
"Helping me keep my promise,"
"Happy to help," I said before trying to sleep. I succeed with ease.
I was lying in the mist, I saw the Above in awe-inspiring clarity. I saw the sun, glowing with its vengeful red. I got up and walked around, I saw people standing around me. A coloured wisp was leaving each other of them and drift into the sky. The thing that was leaving these people was going up feeding the void, the sun's flame was red, the void was inside of it, not consuming the fire. The void grew and consumed the red flame and it was gone, there was no pulsing light it was just gone. There was nothing left. I walked through the mist as the sky was starting to darken. I saw a silhouette of a woman standing raising her arms to the sky, the woman was mangled, limbs too long and some too short. She was unravelling. The Angel.
"Just a few more hours and we'll reach the port," Sam said. We walk and male light conversation, after walking through the forest and the grass and then rock, I see it. The port "it's there" I point I drop everything and run to it, the Chrysian had arrived and I didn't know how long I had until it was leaving my feet felt as if they were hammered but I ran anyway all I saw was freedom and that was worth anything. They run with me. Once I reach the dock, the guard saw me laughing hysterically. They let me and the others on, it turned out we were one of the first.
"We actually made it," Sam said
"This is real right?" Aclaana asked
"I honestly don't care, we made it!" I said, I ran to hug Aclaana, she hugged me back "I need a bed" I was assigned one, it was softer than the hard floor of the prison or the dirty ground of the forests. "thank you," Aclaana said
"For what?" I asked
"Helping me keep my promise,"
"Happy to help," I said before trying to sleep. I succeed with ease.
I was lying in the mist, I saw the Above in awe-inspiring clarity. I saw the sun, glowing with its vengeful red. I got up and walked around, I saw people standing around me. A coloured wisp was leaving each other of them and drifted into the sky. The thing that was leaving these people was going up feeding the void, the sun's flame was red, the void was inside of it, not consuming the fire. The void grew and consumed the red flame and it was gone, there was no pulsing light it was just gone. There was nothing left. I walked through the mist as the sky was starting to darken. I saw a silhouette of a woman standing raising her arms to the sky, the woman was mangled some limbs too long and some too short. She was unravelling. The Angel.