The stable air was filled with the still cold morning air, blowing right through to both Alexander and Yoldru's bones. As the vaporous mist swirled in the shade, Alex and Yoldru donned their armour and began fixing their horses with saddles. The Mirosian outpost wasn't exactly comfortable, but it got the job done. Right by where the outskirts of the village once were, it was where they had first signed into the army.
"Well, at least we've got horses this time." Yoldru said as he wrapped a saddle onto a beast. "Last time they sent us scouting, they made us go by foot didn't they?"
"Yeah, all the way across the country. I mistook a blister for my little toe that time, didn't I?" Alex said. "And I almost popped my toe instead!" He secured the saddle onto the horse's back, then rubbed its snout. He popped a sugar cube into its mouth. "There you go… hope you don't want another. I don't have any more." he said as he secured the reins. The horse seemed to understand. Yoldru tightened his stirrup to fit his boots, then climbed on. The horse stumbled, but regained its balance quickly. "Whoa… thought I might break my head there." Yoldru said, adjusting his seating. "Well, I'll take this bad boy for a little run, you go meet the Drotari, listen to the crap he says for a while, then come on out and we'll be off eh?"
"Tell me how it's my turn to meet him again?" Alex complained, picking his sword from the floor and tying it to the horse. "It was me last time as well!" He secured his rucksack, but held onto a piece of parchment in case the Drotari said anything important. Yoldru did a figure eight on his horse, then put on a really serious face. "I might get myself killed if I talk back to him, which I would love to do, but not followed by dying. Hence, you, who can hold your tongue better, are more suited for the task at hand." He said in a very formal accent, which sounded like a dog coughing.
"How the hell is that a good reason?" Alex said as he finished securing the last of his belongings. He glanced up at Yoldru, who was very actively ignoring him. "I'll do it this one time for you! You owe me, understand?" Alex said as Yoldru stirred his horse forward. "You owe me one!"
But Yoldru was out of earshot, and very evidently laughing. What a jerk. Alex thought to himself as he left the stable and took in the camp once more. It looked exactly the same as it had been, the same the barracks, the armoury and the well surrounding the main office. From the stable, Alex could see silhouettes of a few men walking past, but their forms shrouded by the thick mist. Alexander sighed and made his way to the main office. It had rained that night, and the ground was slippery and sludgy, making it harder than ever to walk, but Alex managed to wade past the thick of it with relative ease thanks to his boots.
The small guard outside the office held out his spear, blocking Alex's way, before twirling his large moustache and yelling, "Cleaned boots only." Alex looked down at the guard's own boots, which were muddied and filthy. "Yeah right." He obliged and sat on the steps before scraping off the mud with a twig. His fingers were shivering from the freezing cold. Not as bad as yesterday at least. Alex thought as he finished and walked into the building, cutting left before knocking on the grandest looking door. "Come in." A calm voice said. Alex did one final check of his attire, straightening a few folds before opening the door and walking in. He stood rigidly before the seated man. "Drotari. You'd asked for me."
The man wiped some dust off his desk before speaking to Alex, his bald head reflecting the morning sun's rays. "Take a seat, Alexander Torman. Any feelings about leaving the army again?" Alexander ignored the jibe. The man motioned to a shabby looking chair beside Alex, which looked like it could not hold up more than a sack of potatoes, but Alexander wordlessly obeyed, taking a seat and pulling the chair to the desk. "You know why you are here, Torman?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Alex simply nodded. The man launched into an explanation. "It is required that all persons of Sonari rank, such as yourself, survey and relay back information to the army about the morale of our districts. Whether they view us as protectors or antagonists, do you understand?"
Yes, of course I know that Baldilocks! Alex could almost hear how Yoldru would have sworn at the Drotari if he were here. The man cracked his knuckles and continued. "However, the reason you have been assigned to Arolus today is not just reconnaissance." He pulled out a piece of heavily yellowed parchment from under the desk and spread it open. On it was a detailed diagram, filled with measurements and inscriptions, all surrounding a vague cuboidal figure at the centre. "Do you see it?" the Drotari asked. Alex didn't understand what the man was saying. Of course I see the parchment. But whatever was drawn and written were faded, as if the parchment was very old. "This." the man pointed to the shape at the centre of the sheet, his forehead slightly sweaty. "Is what I am looking for." He paused, clearing his throat. "This is a matter of utmost importance in fact, and I feel thoroughly disgusted by the fact that such an honourable duty rests upon your filthy shoulders. However, I entrust upon you the responsibility of bringing this property of Miros back to the army."
Alex ignored him once more and looked closer, taking in the more minute details. There were designs along the edges of the shape, with circles at the centres of each face, but at the top, was a tree. It's some kind of box. Alex understood as he swept his hand over the drawing, now looking at the half erased words and letters, trying to make sense of what was written. But before he could read, the parchment was ripped from the desk and rolled up. The Drotari gave Alex the thinnest smile he'd ever seen before telling him to be off. "Oh, and if you find armoured folk like you, look for a crescent tattoo on their shoulder. Give the box to them…" He paused again as his voice cracked, then wiped his sweaty forehead. "They will er… give the box to me in a much er… better condition than you would." He smiled awkwardly, then exhaled deeply. "And, the allowance for your journey was ten gold, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind me buying a nice chain for my wife with that. Thank you." The man said as Alex left the room.
He sat outside and tried to redraw the box from memory with charcoal, but all he could think of was the words around it. What was it that the idiot didn't want me to read? He finished his drawing and stepped outside to see Yoldru waiting for him, "I brought along your horse as well. To get us even. Didn't screw you alot did he?" Alexander shook his head, still thinking about the box. Alex must have been staring blankly, as Yoldru frowned at his expression and demanded, "Then what the bloody hell did he tell you?"
Alex narrated the ordeal about the box, while Yoldru made strange expressions of rage and confusion, before silently staring into Alex's drawing of the box. "Was the actual drawing just as shabby?" Yoldru asked. "It was really worn out, but it looked like it was made of wood." Alex replied. Yoldru took one last glance at the drawing before mumbling, "Didn't even answer the question."
Alex folded the parchment and put it into his rucksack, then straightened up on his horse's back, patting the animal, signalling it to walk forward. "Anyway… what did you tell your parents?" Yoldru asked as he turned his horse to follow Alex down the mud road.
Alex thought for a bit. "I told them I'd be back in two days, then I'd be gone. Took it pretty well actually, better than I expected."
"That's nice to hear… I had a harder time at my house. My mom just broke down, and Julia couldn't stop hitting me for the rest of the day." Yoldru tried to hide the sorrow behind his voice with a chuckle. "I think I shouldn't have registered all that time back, you know?"
Alex sighed, remembering Julia, Yoldru's sister, who was normally very calm and collected. Seeing her break down must have hurt Yoldru quite a bit. He tried to regret his decision to enrol but couldn't. "You know, I think that to safeguard the nation and build a better life for the people, a sacrifice from our end is needed. Trees have to shed their leaves in autumn so that they bloom brighter in the spring, right?"
"I think the sacrifice should be from the people who are getting protected, not the people who protect. And also, trees grow their leaves in summer, not spring." Yoldru said glumly. "I mean, we do get paid by them, but still, what the Drotari is doing is outrageous, heck, I don't even know that bald ass's name yet!"
"Yolds, let's just focus on Arolus right now, eh? Let's think about everything else later… alright?"
Yoldru looked at Alex, his expression all too sad. "Yeah, let's do that." He replied, his voice too fragile, quavering and breaking.
Alexander cringed at his tone. He stole another glance at Yoldru, who was now staring off into the horizon. What should I say? Alex thought, trying to find something that would cheer Yoldru up. His eyes scoured the camp, then finally settled on the armoury. "How about some archery practice on the way? Take your mind off some stuff?"
Yoldru's face immediately brightened, but the solemn look was still visible.
"So which bow do you think is fine?" Alex asked, looking around the room. Made out of only wooden planks, the room smelled of earth and rain and creaked whenever either of them took a step. Yoldru examined a deep brown bow, while gesturing toward the feeblest and oldest bow in the room. "With your skills, the quality of the bow wouldn't matter." He said, mocking the Drotari. "And I also rearranged your yearly bonus for a very fine suit. I knew you wouldn't mind."
Alex chuckled, picking up a white coloured bow. He weighed it in his hand before declaring, "I like this one. Hope I don't break it."
"Then you'll owe me two summer's salary, Torman." Yoldru imitated the Drotari again. "I'll go with this one. I feel it suits my heroic will and attractive face." He continued sarcastically.
Alex picked up a drawstring and began tying it to the bow. "So how are we going to Arolus?"
Yoldru shrugged, "I don't know… going through the plains would be boring… let's go by the forest?" He asked, successfully stringing his bow. Alex struggled to get the last knot in. "Fine by me." He said, jerking the string by his side. " Lot's of those two headed dogs though."
Yoldru raised an eyebrow at Alex, a look of utter disappointment on his face. "You're really considering going around the forest because of a couple of dogs?" He smirked. "Two heads or a thousand, dogs love me!"
"Dogs love bitches." Alex snorted.
"Hey!"
"By the way. Give me a hand on this. It's really tight." Alex wheezed, trying to secure his bowstring. Yoldru held the frame, steadying it so that Alex could use both hands to tie the string. "Try the normal knot. Maybe that will fit." He suggested as Alex pulled and heaved. "Yeah.. I'll… try… that…" The bow creaked as Alex got the knot in place, massaged his fingers and tapped the bow. "Well, that was harder than I-" He was cut off by a loud CRACK! As the bow snapped in half. Yoldru, still holding it, yelped in pain as the string whipped his shoulder.
They both looked at each other in silence, then together spoke, "Hide it."
"Good riddance." Alex said as he finished burying the remains of the broken bow. They were well outside the camp now, and he had gotten another dark brown bow just like Yoldru's. "May the whipping bow rest in peace." Yoldru said as he caressed his still sore shoulder. "You're completely at fault here, Alex, you strung up the bow all wrong."
"You know the type of bows we get here. Touch them and they break." Alex tried to justify, but deep down knew that it was indeed his fault. "Bah, this death shall be put down to total ignorance and utter foolishness!" Yoldru mocked the Drotari once more. Alex got back on his horse. "I was more of a sword person anyways."
Utter foolishness. Total ignorance. Wasn't that how every soldier died? Because the people he fought for were foolish and ignorant of the true damage they were causing? "What's the point of having two heads when you can have three anyway?" Yoldru asked, extremely sarcastic. "And how haven't I seen any of them before?"
Alex looked behind at the trail they were leaving in the thick mud. "I saw one, although that was years ago, right before the war. They're just like hyenas, but packed with teeth. My father thinks they came from the east trying to escape the war."
"Man, the East is really freaky, huh?"
"If you find the east shitty, what will you make of the West?"
The West didn't refer to a direction. It was a continent. The continent of Submordia. "Must be a really good reason why it's forbidden, eh?" Yoldru asked. "Trying really hard to keep us from going there."
"Or trying really hard to keep whatever's there from coming here."
"Gosh, Alex, don't scare me! You should try telling ghost stories for a living, you know?" Yoldru said as he delved into his rucksack. "I wanna show you this… it's coming along really great…"
Alex watched as Yoldru pulled out a wooden tablet and showed it to him. I was completely blank. "Oh wait. You can't see this side." He turned it around to show Alexander a carving. Only half completed, it was of a warrior in massive plates of armour. The helmet was a complex network of plates with only two horizontal groves near the eyes. The breastplate had an insignia of a stag, which made it recognisable everywhere around the world. "Woah. That's the White Knight?" He said, taking in what little Yoldru had carved in the tablet. "Amazing right? I'm still not sure how to carve the great sword, but otherwise it's fine." Yoldru said as he proudly examined his work.
"Anything with the White Knight is fine." Alex replied.
"The White Knight of Carlurion. What a legend." Yoldru said dreamily. "I wish I was half as good as him. Remember the time when he single handedly saved Carlurion from the Tessanian invasion?"
"I heard that he runs as fast as a horse with his armour on. That's kinda superhuman." Alexander replied. He'd heard so many tales of the White Knight, most of them stupidly unbelievable, like the one time he'd lifted a boulder the size of a cow off a fellow soldier.
Yoldru smacked him on the shoulder. "We're almost there. Look, that's the forest." He pointed to distant trees between two massive hills. "Straight ahead is the forest, but if we go around the hills, it's the plains. It just feels odd doesn't it? Don't remember-"He looked up at the sky. "IT'S NOON?"
Alex mimicked him. The sun was straight above them. But when he returned his gaze to the ground, he could still see wisps of mist clinging onto trees and obscuring the horizon. "That's weird." He said, stopping his horse and turning a full circle. "It doesn't feel like we've been moving all morning has it?" They definitely hadn't been travelling for over two hours, and they had left by daybreak. "This is messing with my mind. You think I've been possessed?" Yoldru asked.
"You wouldn't be so dumb if you were possessed."
"Shut up. When was the last time someone got possessed anyway?"
"Wasn't it Trud Berson? I think he smashed his skull open on a rock. Poor guy. I remember meeting him a few days before he died. Seemed fine enough. The others told me he kept blabbering about eating a flower, arguing with himself about it for hours." Alex said as they entered the forest. "The misery of gardening. Even I would have gone mad and eaten a flower if I had to grow plants for the rest of my life." Yoldru said. "And what is wrong with these trees?"
Alex looked around. Most of the trees had shed their leaves and their branches, the whole forest looked dead. "It must be the Cold. It's killing the trees as well." Alex hoped that no one had poisoned the soil.
They continued through the road, looking through the dying trees and listening to leaves crunch under their horses' hooves. They crossed the occasional carcass, teeming with flies and half decomposed, rotting away with a smell so bad it made Alex gag. Yoldru pitched his nose, "Kinda smells like the war barracks. Nostalgia's just coming in wave after wave,"
"That looks like a deer doesn't it?" Alexander pointed to some skeletal remains. "With the skull being narrow and hind legs so long." Yoldru spat. "I'd say it's a dog. They're rather similar. And I reckon that if there are single headed dogs, we might find those precious double headed ones as well. I wanna try to shoot one down."
Alex's gaze shifted from the pile of bones to something more alive right on their path. Its gold hide and long antlers seemed ordinary, but the feathery wings on its sides made his hair stand on end. "Speaking of deer… that's a winged stag!" He pushed Yoldru in its direction. "Crazy isn't it?"
The animal finally looked at them. Its black beady eyes showed no emotion, yet its stature tensed. It stared for a second then took off into the trees. "Didn't think they were real. Almost got me believing about the two-headed dogs."
"Wait. You don't believe what I said about the two-headed dogs?" Alexander asked, perplexed. Yoldru shot him an equally confused look. "I thought you were joking about them as well." Alex narrowed his eyes. "Are you serious?"
Yoldru looked away, scratching his head. "I mean, if you believe it, then I do as well…"
"But you didn't believe it when I said my dad told me. You know he never lies."
"Two-headed dogs don't exactly sound real."
"So do winged-stags!" Alex almost yelled as he looked away from Yoldru. He couldn't believe his best friend hadn't trusted him. He hated having to survey random towns while his boss was laying back, drinking and buying jewellery for his wife from Alex's money. He hated having registered with the army. But he knew deep inside that there was something wrong with the reason he was sent to Arolus. He could feel the anxiety in the Drotari's voice when he'd asked Alex to look for a box. What was he hiding?
The question pestered Alex for the rest of the ride through the forest, leaning him deep in thought, only interrupted by Yoldru's sly remarks on the surroundings. "Doesn't that rock remind you of Buldor Hark's forehead?" "Why does that tree look like it needs a hug?"
Yoldru somehow managed to keep up a conversation with himself for the rest of the ride, and by the time he was beginning to run out of topics to scrutinise and criticise, they had reached Arolus. Unlike Gatria, Aeolus wasn't walled or guarded in any way. The mud path turned to cobble and the scrunching of soil became clopping on stone. Stone and wood houses made up most of the trading town. There were no fields visible. Multiple chimneys billowed black smoke and a town hall was visible, jutting above the shorter buildings surrounding it. Alexander looked at Yoldru. They stared at each other, trying to find out what the other was thinking, then shouted in unison. "You're filing the report!"
They both lurched back, disgusted at the idea of having to do it themselves. "No, you do it!" They said together again. Alex had had enough. "Oh, grow up! I just endured that disgusting bald idiot back at camp today!"
Yoldru shot him a look of utmost loathing. "Fine. But next time, it's you."
"Only if you talk to that bald fart-breath!" Alex shot back.
Yoldru gestured at a small restaurant. "Wait there for me there, I'll find that office, I'll get the approval and report and I'll be back." He dashed off toward the town hall.
I'll take a look around before I go in there. Alex thought as he watched the receding form of Yoldru hurtling away. Tying his horse to a streetlamp, he began walking in the opposite direction. All he could see were butchers and greengrocers. He had barely taken three steps when he saw a large crowd gather around an old man who was waving his hands wildly. He seemed to say something, and after a moment's pause, the crowd murmured in agreement. Curious, Alex squeezed into the crowd to hear what the man was saying. "All is lost!" He shouted. "Everything you know, everything you love, all you desire, all you need, GONE!" The crowd waited anxiously. "Miros is losing the war! Tessania is usurping our noble land!" The old man's face was red and purple from the screaming. "If we want to win, we will have to give it our all! Every young man will have to spill his blood for his country! Every single one! It is their duty!"
A cheer went through the elderly in the crowd, who nodded and encouraged the old man to go on. The man coughed out loud, then began again. "Who will guard the country if not you?" He scoured the crowd, looking for eager volunteers. Alex decided that it was a good time to leave and promptly began retracing his footsteps. But before he could slip away, the man had found him. "You!" He pointed eagerly at Alex, who cussed himself for still wearing his armour. "We need more like him! Good men willing to pick up the sword, slay our enemies, and attain glory and status beyond measure!"
Alex winced. The words that the man spoke were too familiar. It was the same trap that he'd fallen for six years ago. The old man continued. "Fight against Tessania, destroy their Queen Asteria, make our Emperor Stallion's glory known to them!"
The crowd went berserk, everyone clapped and cheered, pushing Alexander like a ragdoll. Calling for quiet, the old man took a much quieter, mournful tone. "If the Tessainians win, Dominia will go to dust. Or even worse, it may turn into another Submordia."
Alex could hear people catching their breath. A woman let out a wail. Another began weeping. The old man simply shook his head, then continued. "All we commoners can do, is pray. Pray for our sons' and brothers' victory, pray for our bounty, pray to our god, Halose."
Halose? There was the word again. Alex looked around. Everyone clasped their elbows and put their head down, as if praying. "Lord Halose." The woman beside Alex whispered. "Guide us through these times." She cried softly, but turned to the old man almost immediately. "Our young warriors have the courage, the strength to destroy the obstacles in their way. It's time we do as well!" The old man raised his hand, and the crowd went berserk. Everyone rushed to the centre, attempting to grab him and speak to him, but all Alexander could see was two boys sitting with smiles on their faces. They looked at the old man as if he were a magician.
"I wanna be a soldier as well!" One said. The other laughed, "Me too!" They mimicked swinging swords at each other, then ran off. Alex followed them with his eyes, but didn't make an attempt to stop them. They will find out in time. He told himself. With the war over, they may not even get enlisted.
Alex escaped the crowd and walked back to the restaurant. He patted his horse on the way. I should name her shouldn't I? He thought as he brushed her mane. Sighing, he entered the small shop, with two tables, one already taken by a light brown haired woman holding a large bag. He sat at the other table, not wanting to disturb her, and noticed her take a glance at him. At that split second, he registered her dark eyes, sharp nose and thin lips. Wearing a thick cloak, underneath which Alex could just make out a shining silver glint. When she noticed him staring, he looked away, tucking his sword into the other chair. Whoa, she's beautiful. He thought as he straightened his posture and fixed his hair with his hands, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He cracked his knuckles as he looked out, waiting for Yoldru to come, but hoping he would take his time, letting Alex steal some time looking at the lady.
Carts rolled along the street outside. Sounds of people talking, the occasional bird chirping interrupted the silence of the restaurant. Alex had asked for some lamb stew, with a side of bread, and made his wait interesting by observing the dark haired girl sitting on the other table. He noticed a glint of silver by her ankles as well. Strange. He thought, but didn't think a lot about it as anklets were rare but not unheard of in Miros. As his lamb stew arrived, a man entered the shop. Tall, bulky and blonde. He wore a strange coloured metal armour, covering his shoulders and neck as well. He looked at Alex, then at the woman, who hadn't seemed to notice the man enter, but her cloak now concealed her head as well.
The blonde man walked straight toward the woman, then tapped her on the shoulder. Alex noticed a flash of black below the man's shoulder, shaped like a talon. Nice tattoo. He thought. "Ma'am?" The blonde asked. The woman did not respond. The man now held her shoulder, much less gently than before. "Ma'am?"
Alex saw the man's hand reach for his belt, where there was a knife. Alex immediately stood up, almost knocking his stew over. His hand grasped his sword firmly. The blonde man merely looked at Alexander and removed his hand from the knife's blade. Just as the man was about to turn toward Alex, the woman caught the blonde man's arm and flung him over her onto the table. The man smashed the through bowl on the table, holding his back and howling in pain. The woman hastily tried to get out of the shop, but Alex grabbed her arm. "Wait. You can't leave. According to the law-"
"CASSANDRA!" Came a great bellow from the man as he rolled off the table, now brandishing a sword. Alexander's instincts kicked in as he unsheathed his blade as well, while still holding the struggling woman. "I'm not running." she growled at Alex and shook herself free, pulling out a knife. "Whoa… you guys, look, you can't kill yourselves here-" Alex tried to calm them down, but neither of them listened, they charged at each other, the man swung his sword at the woman, Cassandra, Alex assumed, who stepped out of the way and jabbed at the blonde, but the man had caught her arm and she ducked under a powerful elbow which smashed the wall behind her.
Alexander rushed to pull the fighting pair off each other, grabbing the man by his waist and tearing him off Cassandra, who tried to stab the man. "Knock it off!" Alex yelled as he pushed the man away and held Cassandra back by her arm once more.
Cassandra turned to look at Alex, definitely about to swear at him, but the blonde charged at both of them, raising his sword for a horizontal slash that would knock off both their heads. "DUCK!" Alex yelled as he pulled Cassandra to the floor, and tripped the already off-balance blonde man, sending him stumbling into a wall, which he smashed against with a sickening crack.
Alex got up and offered Cassandra an arm, which she rejected. As she stood up, Alex saw the same hooked black tattoo on her arm as well. "Uh, Cassandra…" He said as he pointed to her tattoo. But before he could say another word, he was tackled into a table by the blonde man. The table broke under the force, showering them both with lamb stew. He hit his head on the floor with a thud that made his brain rattle. Alexander could hear the workers in the store trying to stop the commotion. He got up quickly, but had to take a second to let the drumming in his head subside. He rolled off his back onto his knees as he saw Cassandra launch a kick straight to the man's abdomen, sending him into the wall, which he replied with a viscous swing from his sword, catching the edge of her cloak and cutting straight through it. As her cloak fell to the ground, Alexander realised that the silver on her ankles and neck weren't necklaces or anklets, but steel plates of armour.
Alex grabbed his sword and ran toward the blonde man, who had sent Cassandra flying into her table, knocking over her bag, and upsetting its contents onto the floor. Alex swung his hard, his blade smashing into the man's, both blades interlocking, grinding on each other as Alex tried to push the man off balance.
But before he could, his adversary had landed a kick to his knee, sending a shock up his spine that drove him back to the floor. He noticed Cassandra tackle the man, throwing both of them into the far wall of the shop. As Alex lay on the floor, he noticed a large wooden box that had fallen with the other items in Cassandra's bag. Its edges were carved with twines and leaves, each centre engraved with a circle, but its top face was adorned with a tree-like drawing. He dragged himself toward it, admiring its beauty, a hundred times greater than the drawing he'd seen. He felt his hands numb from the cold just by holding it, but didn't care. An urge to open the box took over him. An urge so powerful he couldn't breathe. He couldn't think of anything else. The fight seemed distant, as if the blonde man and Cassandra were fighting a hundred miles away. All he cared for was the box. All he needed was what it contained.
His hands slowly drifted to the lid, slowly prying it open, a gust of ice-cold wind escaping from it, and a faint glow emanating from inside.
"The BOX!" he heard the man roar from behind him, and all the hair on Alex's arms stood up. He left the box and rolled to the side, dodging the sword that smashed through the spot where he once was. His hand tightened on his sword, and Alexander locked blades with the man once more, again trying to drive the sword into the opponent's neck. Cassandra sprang from behind and locked her arms around the man's neck, who immediately jerked back, stepping back and slamming Cassandra into a wall. But she didn't let her grip die. The man was turning a shade of blue, and Alex grabbed the plates of armour on his chest and pulled him forward, stopping him from crushing Cassandra, whose nose was bleeding badly.
The man fell to his knees, and with one well placed kick to the head, Alexander knocked him out. Cassandra let go of the man's neck and fell onto the floor beside him, panting and breathing hard. Alex picked up some water, holding it out to her. "Are you alright?" He said, looking at her nose, caked with blood and bent at an angle. She nodded and got to her feet holding her nose. As she packed her things, Alex picked up fallen chairs and sheathed his blade before tying the man to one. "Ma'am, what was-" He saw her hastily shoving the box into her bag. She looked up at him, suddenly tensed again. Alex took a step forward, but Cassandra kicked a chair into his legs and began running. Alex pushed aside the chair, looking at the shop's owner. "Wait. Wait for me. I will come back! Watch that man!" He yelled as he ran behind Cassandra, fervently pointing to the blonde man. Alex charged as fast as he could out onto the street, looking around for any sign of her. He walked across the street, looking for her light-brown hair or her dark green cloak.
The ever increasing crowd made it almost impossible to discern individual people, light brown haired women were everywhere. He took one last look around frantically, finding nothing of interest other than an old lady walking with a giant jackfruit in her arms.
He dashed toward his horse, determined to find Cassandra with the extra height he would gain by mounting it. He set the saddle, but found the stirrup hopelessly tangled and knotted. He cursed under his breath and hastily began to undo the twists and knots. He looked back up, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of the box. In his desperation, he tugged at the stirrup, causing it to snap and fall off the saddle. He stared at the piece of rusty metal and swore loudly, throwing it as far as he could. Two women passing by gave him a weird look.
Just then, he caught a glimpse of green fabric on brown hair. Then he saw it. The same, beautiful face, the sharp nose, the thin lips. She locked eyes with him for just a second too long before taking off again, this time, with Alex tailing. She ran across the street, gracefully jumping over a horse cart, while Alex jumped onto it and stomped his way through. They weaved between the fruit stalls, Alex's dangling sword knocking over a few wooden poles. Cassandra was fast, but Alex was gaining. He could see himself ten feet away from her. Eight feet. Five feet. He stretched out his hand, his fingers brushing against her flowing hair, but just before he could tighten his grip, she abruptly stopped and stepped aside, immediately running the opposite way. Alex wasn't so agile, especially with thirty five pounds of armour on. He tripped on his own foot, stumbled for a few steps, before crashing head first into a cart.
Planks and cooked food went flying as the cart collapsed under Alex, splinters covering his bare palms. "AHH SHIT!" He yelled before picking himself up. His right wrist bent awkwardly, sending a wave of pain through his body. Alex was limping forward when he heard a familiar voice. "Alex! What the heck?" Yoldru looked beyond confused, still sitting on his horse.
Alex panted, unable to form a sentence. He frantically pointed at Cassandra's retreating figure. "There… Green cloak! Catch the brown hair!"
"Catch the hair? Why?"
"The box! That box! Get it from her!" Alex yelled, and Yoldru suddenly went rigid. His eyes scanned the streets for Cassandra, and in a flash of brown, he took off behind her, weaving through the streets. Startled people barely moved out of the way before they were trampled. Adjusting his armour before checking for injuries, Alexander patted himself down. Nothing more than a sore wrist, he told himself, pulling a few splinters from his palm, now slightly bleeding. Alex dashed through the crowd, slamming into people, running through carts, his eyes set on one thing. The box. He could see Yoldru on his horse, slowed down by the thick crowd on the streets, but he definitely had his eyes on Cassandra.
Alex pushed himself harder. Just a little faster. He had crossed Yoldru, and now could see the bag dangling from Cassandra's shoulder, rocking and slamming into everything around her and she ran as fast as she could through the crowd.
Alexander was catching up. He knew it. Once again he found himself within arms reach of her. Her hair was now tucked into her armour, not trailing behind, her eyes momentarily looked behind at him. Alex's fingers scraped the back of her armour. Not enough. He ran harder. Not enough. His legs screamed under the weight, they couldn't keep up the pace much longer. Just a little more… he was losing speed. Cassandra was moving further. NO! He screamed to himself. One last effort. One last push. He leapt at her with all his might, catching her around the waist, bringing both of them to the ground. Alex's armour slammed against his chest, knocking the wind out of him, his helmet pummelled his face as it found the floor. He could feel Cassandra roll away and collapse beside him.
Alex got on one knee, shaking the dizziness from himself. He could feel warm blood trickling from his shoulder, wetting his shirt. He took a deep breath. They had rolled into an alley. The street still moved busily behind Alex, who realised that Cassandra was cornered between him and a dead end. She realised this as well, drawing a knife from her belt.
"I don't want to fight, girl." Alex said, immediately regretting his choice of words. Girl? What is she, five? I'm such a moron. Cassandra simply sneered back. "Really? You chase me into an alley, slam me onto the pavement, then you don't want to hurt me?"
Good point. Alex stuttered as he searched for words, his eyes darting from Cassandra to the bag. They both stared at each other, making Alex feel rather stupid for not having a fitting reply. "Ma'am, just hand over the box, please. It's the property of Miros."
Cassandra glared at him, incredulous, then suddenly burst out laughing. "You really think your army has some foolish claim over this?" He held up the bag by its straps, still smiling.
At that moment, Yoldru appeared, coughing and dusting himself. "What happened to you?" Alex asked, looking at the red and yellow powder coating his side and face. Yoldru coughed once more. "I stepped on a plate of spices while trying to squeeze through the crowd. It sprayed all over me. I think I got some in my eye…" he began vigorously rubbing his eye.
Alex looked apologetically at Cassandra. "Sorry for that." Cassandra looked stunned. "It's alright." she murmured, then came to her senses. "Wait… who sent you after the box anyway?"
"None of your business, lady…" Yoldru shouted, blinking and rubbing his eyes. "Alex you don't happen to have some water do you?"
Alex handed him a pouch of water. "Well, I can't say who sent us, but I can definitely say that we're Mirosian military, and we've been ordered to retrieve that artifact if we ever come across it." he explained.
Cassandra stared at him, then spoke slowly. "The box isn't Mirosian, dog."
"Doesn't matter. We want it, we take it." Alex sneered back. Cassandra simply took a step back and lay the bag behind her, spinning her knife around her fingers. "Listen, I don't have much time, and if you keep stalling me, I will have to kill you."
Yoldru let out a wail. "Oh please lady, hand over the box and leave us alone. If it's your family heritage, we can compensate you."
Cassandra's face flushed crimson. Alex could see her grip tighten on the knife. He reached for his own blade. She looked at Alex, "Didn't you feel it? When you held the box? The freezing numbness, the sudden temptation?"
That caught Alex off guard. He remembered it. He knew what he had felt. But now, he felt no need to even be near it. Cassandra saw it in his face. "The box isn't meant to be found. Much less used by your army, Mirosian."
Alexander could feel that she was telling the truth. He could almost understand why. The way that box had drawn him in…
Yoldru however, seemed unimpressed. "Ha! Very funny. You don't believe that, do you, Alex?" but when he saw Alex's face, his tone changed. "Alex?"
Alex did believe her. "I think she's telling the truth, Yoldru."
A relieved expression washed across Cassandra's face. Yoldru however, was still unsure. "You're certain?" He asked.
Alex nodded. "We'll let you go, but only after you tell us about that thing." He pointed at the bag behind Cassandra, who was now grim. "I can tell you all about the box, soldier. I can leave, but they will find you. They've seen you. You've assaulted a Crescent. They will never let you be."