GG1 GG2

The night become still, as if frozen in time. My heart was racing with rage and my fists were clenched to the point my knuckles were white. The burning pain in my side had subsided, but even if it hadn’t it wouldn’t stop me from getting my answer. “Why!?” I roared again. My voice echoed in the air, and even I could tell why Steve had gone silent and was standing still. My voice was so enraged and so loud it almost sounded beastlike. The scent of burning grass and smoke filled my nostrils as I glanced over to see Laura and Emma had set the prairie on fire. I walked over to Steve and ripped my swords out of their sheathes with little care; Steve just stood there in fear and I could tell by his wide eyed expression that even he thought I wasn’t capable of this kind of fury. I started to advance on where the woman’s voices were coming from.

“Stop” A high pitched voice squeaked through the night. I continued my advance, the grip of my swords would not be broken, and my thoughts all raced with what I was going to do. I’m tired of being betrayed. I started to sprint now, and I could tell by the trembling voice that told me to stop again, was owned by a woman who was frozen in fear. I stopped short, just in front of the two to see that they were wide eyed and staring at me. I glared at them and let out a more bestial growl as I turn abruptly and walked back to Steve. The sound of my feet on the dry dirt of the land was the only sound that broke this hollow silence.

“We’re leaving.” I commanded of Steve as I returned my swords to their sheathes. I looked over my shoulder to peer through the dawn light to see two small figured silhouettes standing in the dark. I began to walk away but Steve stood there, and my anger burst momentarily in the form of my bellowing voice. “What?!” He pointed to my side, and that’s when I realized the severity of my wound. Blood was spilling its way down my blood and the skin was raw and pink, some of it even burned black. All the rage and anger left my body as I fell to the ground as all the pain adrenaline kept at bay now overcame me and swallowed me whole. Steve ran over to my side and rolled me onto my back.

“Jack, Jack stay with me alright man?” His voice sounded calm, but it was hiding something. Sadness? Fear? I don’t know. My breathes became ragged, and quick. I started having trouble breathing, and that’s when I heard the sounds of footsteps coming towards us. I turned to see Laura and Emma; glossy eyed and saddened looking at me. I glared at them, and tried to sit up. Steve kept me lying down and roared at the two. “Leave before I murder you myself!” They remained standing, and Steve rose up and shoved them, but they remained in the area. “Steve, leave them..” My voice trailed off with my raspy breathes. “Let them know that acting on emotion is different than acting out of defense.” I exhaled and closed my eyes.

“Jack!” Steve shouted. I raised my hand with a hard amount of effort and waved him off lazily. He chuckled, and by the sounds of it. He started pulling out remedies and healing supplies. “You’re crazy and dangerous, but a tough nut to kill apparently.” It seemed all his anger of the two woman near-by left him. They almost left my mind as well until they spoke. “I’m sorry…” Laura said. That’s when I opened my eyes to look at her.

FF1 FF2

I awoke in the middle of the night, and rose slowly. Steve was asleep near the dim embers of the former fire, but he was the only one here. My body rushed with adrenaline and I scanned the area for Laura and Emma, but did not see them. I slowly walked towards Steve and jabbed my heel into his shoulder. His body rouse with almost inhumane speed and he slashed at the air in front of him, he looked at me and by the look on his ace I could tell that he was not only mad but confused.  

“We’re being watched, and or hunted.” I whispered.

“Ugh..” He groaned and held his dagger in a back handed style. The silver’s blade glinted and there was this harsh, scratchy sound that I couldn’t place it. My right side erupted in a large mass of pain and I sailed through the air, my nostrils burned with the smell of burnt flesh and I slammed into the ground mercilessly. Steve rolled forward in the nick of time to dodge my rag dolled foot when I sailed through the air. I growled and slowly got to my feet, forcing my body through the searing pain. My hands curled into the ground as I forced myself up and dirt found its way into my fingernails and a mound of it lay still in my palm. I managed to get to my feet while Steve scrounged up the supplies we had at our camp. He ran over to me hunched over and his eyes were wide with fright.

“We gotta go! We’re no chance for them especially now!” He gestured to my side and my face contorted. As much as I hate having to run from a fight, I had to on this one. I threw the dirt I had in front of us and formed a sad excuse of some cover to let us have an escape. We ran toward…what? I don’t know. It was definitely not back towards the mountain, that’s for sure. My side burned with pain at every step, and my throat went dry from the running, but we kept going. We heard yelling not far behind and that just drove us farther and farther.

“They’re not letting up!” Steve yelled through his gasps for breath.

“Get down!” I blurted out as I rolled into the dirt and tried to get as close to the ground as possible as another ball of fire surged its way overhead. Steve lay face down; his face was covered in dirt for the few seconds I could see as the fireball provided a quick burst of light in the still dark midnight. The lancer yelled again, but that was no soldier’s voice. I got up much easier now, the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

“Get down!” Steve shouted from the dirt.

“Laura! Emma!” I bellowed into the darkness, and then the sound of grass being stampeded on ended, and all noise fell to a dull silence.

A cool night breeze flew across the plain, and the scent of grass and a summer’s night filled my senses. Steve got up roughly and left a small cloud of dust in his wake. “Wait, THEY’RE using magic?!” I nod, but wince remembering that my right side from my waist up and neck down is raw from a burn.

“What do you want?” A female voice called out. I can’t tell which is which because I only heard their voices in a whisper or barely at all.

“I want to know why you are betraying us. Why you have not only kept the fact you’re a lancer a secret from us, but why you were with us in the first place. Obviously my father knew about this and lacked to tell me. So please enlighten me as to why my father arranged this small group of people, because clearly everyone knows more about my father’s actions than me!” My voice was like a roaring beast, expanding its sound far and wide.

EE 1 EE 2

My thoughts scatter and I barely think. In an instance my swords are drawn and I take my stance. I dart my gaze to the left and right quickly and notice Steve has done the same, and Laura and Emma have separated and are in their own stances.  The first man I see is one with a heavy silver Ax. His face is scruffy and dirty. His eyes filled with something wild, and he’s aiming to implant his ax into my skull. I never gave him an option.  I spin on my heel and bring my right sword in an arching dive to where I would assume the man would have landed, and I was right. My blade finds its mark in the man’s upper back and he freezes in pain and lets out an agonizing yell. I roll over the man’s back and rip the sword out at an angle, causing more damage. I plant my feet on the crunching snow and fall straight to a kneeling position as I duck a Great sword that sings through the empty space above me. I shoot my arms out forward and push off my feet and in an explosion of motion I find myself face to face with my opponent. I can see the tips of my blades from over his shoulder, his face is younger and he appears to be in fear and in pain. I slam my foot into his stomach and kick him off my swords, that’s when I notice that the fighting around me has stopped. The thugs have stopped and are slowly retreating into a group, all their eyes fixated on me. I turn to Steve, he gives me a quick grin and laughs. “Nice job.” I relax when the men have left and laugh myself.  I look at Emma and Laura who return to their stuck together position. I see that Laura’s Azure eyes are filled with fear as our eyes meet for the split second before she shuffles past me quickly, Emma following.

A few hours pass and we are just making it to the bottom of the mountain. Ever since that fight I have felt so terrible, like my insides are twisting ever since Laura looked at me in fear. “Don’t beat yourself up about it, just know that you did the right thing and saved us all.” Steve said reassuringly as he put his arm around me, but I felt anything but reassured. I glanced back just above Steve’s hand on my shoulder to see Laura and Emma, talking quietly to each other. I have the strangest feeling they’re talking about me because when they notice me staring they look away and go silent, as do I. I let my gaze set on the dirt as I weight myself, a murderer? That’s the first time I’ve actually killed anyone, and I didn’t have a second guess about it.  A protector? Did I save us? I don’t know. Steve squeezes my shoulder once and keeps his arm around me. He stopped attempting conversation with me as he noticed my grimace.  I don’t remember how we got to our campsite, but all I know is I’m on a log next a fire in the middle of a prairie and the cold mountain is now in the near distance, but far enough for us to escape the cold. “Where are we going?” I ask without thinking. Laura and Emma look up at me almost agitated, but something about their gaze sets me on edge. I almost see a grin on their faces. I turn to Steve to see that he is looking at me, he notices it too. He laughs to confuse the girls and it works. “We’re off to the nearest village ya dolt!” I put my head down and laugh. “Yer one to talk ye gingerbeard!” He quickly and over drastically runs a hand over his chin to feel the slightest hint of stubble and pretends to faint. I can’t help but laugh, now genuinely. I peer at the two girls who have now decided to laugh themselves. I walk over and pick Steve up from the ground where he ‘feinted’; his back is covered with dry dirt. A good sight to see considering all we saw in the mountains was white snow and gray rock. He gets up rather quickly and stumbles forward, I have to take a step back to regain myself from him. He chuckles, but speaks quietly. “Remember those daggers when we were ambushed? Where are they now?” He stands straight now and smiles at me. I laugh pretending I heard a joke, but the thought now corrupts my mind.  Do those two have knowledge on how to sue daggers? If so why? A dagger is a mischievous weapon and has always carried a negative reputation for its actions.

DD 1 DD 2

I know he can feel the tension in the tight air of this cave between me and him. He knew what my father would do? He knew he would just throw himself out towards those lancers and basically into his own death and didn’t tell me? I can’t stand it anymore, I walk up to him when I’m sure Lora and Emma are asleep and look right in his eyes. He looks away at first but then looks at me, fear in his azure eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me what he was going to do? Why didn’t HE tell me?” I say, quiet, but with a furious harshness in it.  His face is damped with sadness, and he keeps his voice down. “He knew you would be mad, and he knew that if either of us told you you’d charge after and chase him. He couldn’t have that.” “Why?” I blurt out a bit too loud.  “He couldn’t tell me why…I’m sorry Jack.”  I glare at him without meaning too, and he dodges my gaze. I can’t think straight, I’m not sure what to do. Why did he do that? There has to be a reason somewhere, but I can’t see it. I decide to sit down against the stone wall near the fire and try to contain myself; anger is the only thing I feel.

I must have fell asleep because when I wake up, the blizzard is still raging on, but it is brighter outside. I rub my eyes to get the rest of the sleep out of them, and look around. Emma and Lora are still at the back of the cave talking about something and Steve has found more wood for the fire and is cooking something.

“What are you cooking?” I ask tiredly, my voice more of an exhale.

His eyes meet mine and he shrugs. “The last of what we’ve got before we have to leave.” I turn my head to the mouth of the cave and notice that the sun is shining, but there’s no blizzard. I stand up with an urge of effort, my legs still asleep. I walk outside and step on the packed snow. It squeaks under my feet as my weight pacts it down more. I cover my eyes when I turn to look at our path but the snow is reflecting too much light and my eyes are blinded by it. I retreat back into the cave, and have to wait for my eyes to readjust and then I see that Laura and Emma have moved, and Laura is looking at me.

“You alright?” She asks me just a bit louder than a whisper. I’m surprised she even said anything and I pause for a second before I respond.

“What? Oh, yeah..yeah I’m alright.” I look at her quizzically but she turns her head back to the fire quickly. Emma’s caramel brown eyes are fixated on my. I shift my feet and walk closer to Steve, but they follow. “Come now Jack, don’t seduce the poor girls with your looks.” He whispers then laughs. I turn to him and clearly my face looks stupid with the combination of confusion, and embarrassment because he laughs louder when he looks.

By the time we pack up what we unpacked, the sun has barely moved and the snow is still as blinding as ever. Steve takes the lead to lead us on the path through the confusing mountains, our feet crunch the snow under our feet almost in a pattern, but then I here another beat; footsteps in the snow that sound like someone is running. I look at Steve who has already stopped, and before we know it a pack of men jump from the ridge above, weapons held high.