‘Michaels wake up’
The sergeant awoke, throwing the blanket off of him, grabbing his sword from the forest floor. He stood and joined the captain on all fours, still fighting off sleep.
‘Where did it come from Captain?’
He stayed silent and surveyed the trees looking for any movement.
‘There!’ he said jumping up from the ground towards the trees with Michaels following suit. They left the small clearing, and entered into the dense woodland. Michaels and Bryant now stopped again; their senses went into overdrive as they looked for signs of movement. A branch cracked metres away, and the two soldiers quickly pounced to the site of the sound. Again, nothing. Bryant stealthily pranced forwards his long sword firmly held between his hands, he looked left and right for anything. Michaels followed feet behind as they advanced. The stars were the only thing lighting the way.
‘Halt’ he whispered to Michaels, and again they stood silently allowing their senses to focus on the surroundings, the only sound was the wind in the leaves. They looked around in the dark, again a sound of foot steps came from metres away, and the soldiers dashed forward to the sound. This time they caught a glimpse of a figure who just evaded their sight into the thick undergrowth. Michaels pointed towards where the figure came from ands again the soldiers advanced quickly and quietly their movement hampered by the thick bushes and trees. Bryant saw the figure again just going out of sight ahead of them and he followed silently. He directed Michaels to go to the left while he covered the right, advancing in unison. If they could flank their opponent they may have an opportunity to catch them.
Separated the Captain and Sergeant continued thought the trees slowly. The silence was shattered as the cloaked figure jumped out suddenly from behind a tree hitting the Captain with a iron short sword. Bryant raised his own blade in defence and they clanged against each other. Bryant managed to use his strength to push the cloaked figure back away. The sword rose once again, but again the Captain blocked the blow, this time returning with a sideways chop. The figure just managed to step back missing the blade by inches, returning again with a strike which the captain skilfully dodged. Bryant reeling from the dodge was hit in the head with the hilt of the sword momentarily dazing him. The cloaked figure rose the sword to the sky and was about to swing when Michaels dived from out of a nearby bush stabbing the cloaked enigma in the lower abdomen. A scream of pain resonated through the forest. He removed his and used the hilt to strike the figure twice in the jaw. The injured assassin fell down in agony, and the Captain managed to regain composure putting the edge of his sword to the figure’s neck that clutched their side.
‘Do not move!’ the Captain demanded as his anger slowly subsided. He wiped away blood from his mouth whilst his other hand held the sword against the neck. Michael’s quickly took the fallen sword throwing it into the dense trees.
‘Take down your hood’ the Captain demanded. The cloaked figure ignored the order, until the captain pressed the sword harder on their neck.
‘I said take down you’re hood – I will not ask you again’
It complied, and the figure lowered its hood revealing a young woman’s bruised face. Her expression was motionless and she looked at the Captain casually. Her long black hair was blown revealing dark eyes contrasting her pale skin. Bryant’s surprise that she was a woman was obvious. His momentary lapse of judgement was costly as the assassin jumped backwards suddenly performing an acrobatic somersault that kicked the sword out of Bryant’s hand. She spun effortless in the air backwards and as she descended she hit the shocked Michaels in the head hard with her boot. The two reeling soldiers watched as she darted back though the trees, still holding her side. Michaels was passing in and out of consciousness as he stumbled, falling again. Captain Bryant gave chase through the thick undergrowth. His metallic armour meant perusing at speed was difficult; especially as she dressed in a thin cloak. Legs tiring he sprinted hard on the forest floor chasing the elusive foe, but she was too fast. His age was showing and as he ran on more, the trees began to thin out revealing a large body of water. His local geography was not excellent, but he knew it was Lake Harad. As he reached the shoreline he could see a tiny craft floating effortlessly away from him. It was hopeless and crouched down regaining his breath. Just behind him Michaels furiously blundered out of the trees and ran partly into the water nursing his battered head.
‘WHERE IS THAT FELCHER? IM GOING TO KILL HER’
A familiar whooshing noise was heard.
‘Careful!’ Bryant exclaimed, but it was too late.
‘ARGH!!! OW OW OW, WHAT THE……. ARGHHH MY LEG!’
Bryant wisely took cover with Michaels hopping behind him, now nursing two parts of his body an arrow protruding from his upper leg. Bryant carefully looked out over the water and he could just see the little craft bobbing away disappearing into the mist. She had eluded them.
Bryant started uncontrollably laughing to Michael’s severe displeasure and puzzlement.
‘What do you find so bloody funny?!’
‘Oh Michaels. When death smiles you in the face, the only thing you can do is smile back’
The Captain stood tall now, stretching his tired frame.
‘Ok Michaels lets go’ He walked to the sergeant and helped support the injured man.
Once Marsha had seen to the sergeant’s leg with herbs from her medical satchel, Bryant decided to depart immediately. There was no saying whether the assassin would attack again, so getting back to the city was vital. Once packed, they mounted the three horses and quickly found the main road again. From here it would take around four hours of continuous travelling, and the Captain insisted that they were not to stop. Michael’s struggled with the pain, but he knew the importance of getting back. This mission had become extremely dangerous as it progressed and he did not want another encounter with the she assassin, something he kept to himself. The stars shone down illuminating the road ahead, and as the hours passed the pleasant sight of the city slowly emerged from over the horizon and meant one thing for Captain Bryant – and that was home. He had lost one of his soldiers but had saved the young girl. What had happened to Atriop was a mystery that created more mysteries. And as he passed over the final bridge to the main gate, the day sun ascended over the Arcrusian Mountains behind him. He looked back at the marvel he had always enjoyed and smiled. He had the will of a warrior, and even though the mission to Atriop was full of peril and heartache he had not been broken; he had survived to fight another day.
The real question now was, would he survive the battles that were to follow? Only Time had the answer.
The air was cold, and the night was still. The imperial guard patrolled the walls as usual watching for any threat posed by the thick pine woodlands that surrounded Ibilis. The large imposing stone walls surrounded the small market town’s buildings keeping all within its stone ring safe. At the main gate it was business as usual as some travellers came and went about there business. The sound of a hand banging on the wooden door connected to the main gate was heard. As usual Dug the middle aged Imperial watchman left his small wooden guard house and responded. He held his torch up opening a small slat in the door.
‘Name please?’
He asked, looking out into the woods beyond. A tall cloaked man stood confidently on the other side
‘Its Gitera, let me in’ was the response in a dry demanding tone, his breath condensing in the cold
‘Are we expecting you? I have the list of after hour’s travellers here’ and tapped the piece of paper he held
‘I don’t see a… Gitera here’.
The cloaked man became impatient.
‘I am not on your pathetic list. I said let me in now you fat ugly man’
Dug was used to rudeness and carried on in his usual manner.
‘Now there’s no need for that tone, you know the rules. You cannot travel between towns without a permit. If you want to avoid the shackles tonight I would suggest you go back to where you…’
He stopped short. The darkness under the cloak suddenly lit up revealing a bright pair of eyes the colour of lightning. The cloaked man raised his hands and stepped back from the door. Dug gulped in fear as a blast of heat and light exploded into the large wooden gate causing it to crumple inwards. Dug’s helpless frame flew backwards from the impact landing metres away with a crunch followed by the cloaked man who strode confidently into the town. As Dug lay powerless under the same door the same door that kept him safe his whole career closing his eyes for the last time, he knew he was not the only one who would die tonight; the rumours were true.
Liberty was aware she was floating, she was floating high in the heavens and she looked around. She could see yet it was not the same as using her eyes. This sight was somehow different, the nature of it she could not begin to wander. The ground was miles below her and she could see a sea of lights that bobbed and flowed for miles away until they were lost over the horizon. She was not in her body; instead she was just an entity that floated amongst all these others. She looked at the lights and smiled at them. She could feel the warmth and energy from every single individual light and she knew she was connected to them bathing in their aura. Each light possessed an entity, an individual. These lights interacted with each other, sometimes new lights would appear in the sea, and sometimes lights would fizzle away into the sky above her to disappear for ever. They all were unique, yet they were all the same. All connected to each other and all to Liberty. She could watch over them for an eternity, and without them she was nothing, and without Liberty they were nothing. They needed each other.
Each one told a different storey, some of pain, some of courage, some of happiness, love but most of all they all held something in common; they all contained a energy that each had for themselves, a life force that was essential for them all to coexist together. They all needed each other, even though most were oblivious. Liberty thought they were beautiful and wanted to know the storey of every single one, which in a way she did.
Far away into the distance she felt something, a disturbance that scared her. She focused her will onto it and than she was hit with a pain. It was not physical or mental, not real yet more genuine than anything else she had experienced. As she looked some of the lights disappeared. She cried out for them but they flew off into darkness away from her, and as every single one did she felt amazing suffering. She tried to chase them, to save them, like a mother for her child but as she chased a new dark entity was felt in this world overpowering her. She felt the raw hate for existence, and as it extinguished each individual entity it sucked the life force from within increasing its own supremacy. She pleaded with it to stop, but it sneered at her. It enjoyed harming Liberty and the life that surrounded her. Than suddenly, as fast as it had begun the dark entity ceased to take life and disappeared away over the horizon. Liberty felt a relief like no other, but the damage was irreversible. It had sucked some of her being away; and she knew it would return for more. It would not be satisfied until this place was devoid of any life force, and was plunged into a darkness that would remain for an eternity.
Opening her eyes widely she creamed out in pain that reverberated around the dark room thrashing her arms. She knocked an extinguished candle and beaker of water to the hard stone floor. Her whole body ached and she was soaked in perspiration that glistened on her skin. A moment later the door was swung open and a familiar frame rushed in holding a torch. She knelt down and held the young woman
‘shhh shhh shhh, its ok. I’m here now’ Marsha declared.
He rocked the crying girl and stroked her glistening hair.
‘Its ok, it’s just a bad dream’
Marsha looked upon Liberty and the moon from the window showed the pain contained on her face.
‘He has done it again’
She said with great effort.
‘Who?’
The healer replied this time holding Liberty away from looking her plainly in the face, her face screwed up in confusion.
‘He has taken life again’
She sobbed, her distress obvious
‘He wants to kill everything’
