Without saying a word Emil, swung the covers off himself and sprung up from his lax position. He cradled his wounded side, ignoring the voice nearby telling him to stay put.
“Where’s my gear?” Emil asked calmly. He scoped out his newly found setting from behind the drapes of the young girl’s window.
“Over there in the chest at the foot of the bed. Do you not trust me? Look, I saw what you did back there to that man. If I wanted to, I could have easily killed you or left you for dead!”
“No, no I do trust you–“
“Marona. My name is Marona.”
“I do trust you, Marona. I’m just trying to make sure that we’re safe.”
As Emil spoke, his eyes were still peering out from behind the drapes, wary of any unknown threat.
“The fire… where is it now?”
“It died shortly after you went unconscious. Everything that was ablaze suddenly fizzled out without a trace. No one has been there since… they say it’s cursed ground.”
“Take me there.”
Chapter 5: On Cursed Ground
“So why do you need me to take you there, again?” Marona asked inquisitively as she walked through the ruffled leaves on the forest floor. It was a cold, dreary morning when they left her home. They left at first light, and had been traveling the forest grounds using only the sun to illuminate their path.
“I need to see something.” Emil answered as he kept his gaze fixated on the foliage ahead.
The metronomic patter of crinkled leaves filled the void between them as they walked. Marona’s ears perked as she hung onto the thought that the mysterious warrior would somehow elaborate, but he fell short of her expectations. Curious for more, her feet stopped behind his as she paused to speak.
“Is...is it your family?”
The words binded the once resilient warrior. A gasp escaped from his lungs as his feet froze to the cold, rigid earth.
“You spoke of a girl named Ren the first night I took you in while you slept. Is she okay?” Marona spoke carefully, unsure if she had traversed into a tender spot of the young hero’s heart.
Emil slightly turned his head to the side, as if consulting an unseen force before finally answering, “I… don’t know.”
The shackles that once bound him dissipated as he forced himself to move onward, adamant to deny any prying into his personal affairs.
“Hey… you can’t be all cold like that. We all have a burden to bear. Three days ago, before you saved me, I was going to Nerai to see my uncle. He ran the local bakery down there. When my parents died, he took me in and looked out for me until I was able to make it out on my own. The day of the fire, I was going to visit him for dinner and to catch up, but then I saw the flames. After that, I just wanted to make sure that he was okay. I ran as fast as I could. I knew it was stupid, but he was the only family I had left. Somehow along the way, one of the guards came chasing after me… that’s where you stepped in. Three days later, I still haven’t heard from him. Last night, I was so stupid… I even waited for him to come miraculously stumbling in like he would always do when he visited, but he never came. He was a good man… did you know him? Mr. Harlan?”
Emil paused as he searched for the words within himself. He was still turned from Marona, but he could still feel her eyes piercing him through his back.
“Yes… Mr. Harlan was… a good man. The night of the fire, your uncle and two others rushed one of the king’s lieutenants, Hugo, while I was pinned down with my family. He gave his life as a distraction so that I could launch a counter attack against Hugo and his army. When you saw me, it was after I had taken out Hugo and his men.”
“So he’s…?”
“Yes.”
A moment of silence passed between the two as Marona came to terms with the fate of her late Uncle.
Emil turned to her and saw her hand clutching the turquoise pendent that loosely hung from her neck.
“I’m sorry…” Emil said softly as he looked on with remorse. The bitter sting of death was something that he had not yet grown use to. No matter how much he tried to harden his heart, the pain always managed to slip through.
“You know… when I didn’t hear from him after the fire, I knew something was wrong. I wanted to go back, but I was too afraid to go alone. Not knowing if he was dead or alive, trapped in the wild these past few days, nearly ruined me. A part of me already knew he was dead, but I couldn’t bear to see him like that.”
“Because of him… he gave us a fighting chance.”
“Yeah, I know. He acted for the greater good of the village. If he knew his actions would save one life, he’d be okay with it. That was just the type of man that he was.”
“Marona… go home and mourn. I appreciate what you’ve done for me so far, but where I’m going, it’s dangerous. I can find my way from here.”
Her forest-green eyes that were once transfixed on the ground before her, shot up fiercely, breaking her from grief. The heaviness in her words had been replaced with a passionate flame from within.
“No.”
“Hugo, the lieutenant I told you about… he destroyed a whole village without breaking a sweat. They’re others out there just like him and they’re looking for me. Chances are the king sent a relay group after not hearing from the main camp by now. Even if it’s just members of the guard, it’s too dangerous to bring you any further.”
“And what do you plan on doing? Fight? Three days ago you could barely move and now you plan on jumping right back in? It’s suicide!”
“What I do is none of your concern. You don’t even know who I am.”
“I don’t need to know who you are to see that you’re a good person.”
Marona’s eyes met Emil’s, but he quickly averted his gaze, causing his eyes to momentarily drift to the side.
“If you want to recklessly rush in and die, that’s your own call, but then what would the death of my uncle and all of the others stand for?! Huh?! Don’t be so selfish!”
The words rushed against him like the thrashing waves of a turbulent storm, each rift resurfacing memories of his fallen village. Marona’s sights softened as she looked upon Emil. The rage that once coursed throughout her body subsided. The tension that made her body rigid was no more.
“I’m sorry…” Marona sighed apologetically. “I know it’s hard on you, too.”
“I wanted to go back to the village to pay my respects and to see if I could gather any clues as to what their next move is. The Guard could be out there so I wanted to do it alone. You’re more vulnerable than I am, and if they do come for me, I don’t want to put you at risk. I don’t plan on having anyone die today.”
“Right… but you’re not at one hundred percent yet, are you? If something happens I can cover for you. I’m a pretty decent shot.” Marona confidently pointed behind her indicating the cross-bow she had harnessed to her back was loaded and primed for firing. “I also gathered some of my medical supplies from back at the house and brought them along just in case. I know you can heal fast, but part of the reason you’re standing there right now is because of my mixes. And look.” Marona reached into one of her satchels that hung from the band around her waist. “Explosives,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Look, I don’t want anybody to die today either, but if somebody does, it’s not going to be me… or you.”
“I can’t tell you what to do. If you’re going to tag along and we come across any of the guard, stay behind me and snipe from a distance. Use the terrain to stay out of sight. If one of the king’s lieutenants comes around, run. You can’t take them head on. Don’t look back. Don’t stop and try to help me. You run. Understand? You honestly have no idea what they are capable of. It could be anything. So don’t try to step in if you’re outmatched. I can handle myself.”
The smile that was once across Marona’s face straightened as her brain began to process what had just been spoken.
“Yeah, I follow… but how will I know if I see one?”
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Emil’s demeanor changed as he continued to look deeply into Marona’s eyes. Her face remained sober, but underneath the stone exterior she presented, she could feel the tension welling up inside of her. A sudden pulse of blue light flickered from Emil’s hand. The reflection only intensified the look in his eyes. Marona jerked back at the emergence of the sudden wisp of light but quickly calmed herself by remembering that Emil was on her side.
“The king’s men… they all have abilities like myself. Exceptional speed, durability, and physical strength all seem to be the common point between us, but we each have our own unique abilities as well. Other than that, the crest that they wear often denotes their power. The common people know them as lieutenants, but each of them are part of an elite group inside the king’s ranks called Legion.”
“How come I haven’t heard of them before?”
“While they do have powers, without them they are still at an advantage when in battle with normal human beings. Aside from that, if they do have to resort to using their abilities, it’s often covered up or left up to speculation. It’s easy to get away with some things in the heat of battle without causing a scene if it involves physical abilities. Even if one of them were to resort to other means, I’m sure The Guard is under an oath of some sort. They’re becoming more aggressive now. I can tell it’s getting harder for them to cover their tracks. That’s why things are the way they are now…”
“What do you mean?”
“They’re expanding their reach. The Legion. The Guard. All of them. You haven’t noticed?”
“Noticed what?”
“Nothing. It’s safer if I don’t tell you everything right away. Not until we’re somewhere private, at least. Just know that we’re the good guys and anything you hear from the king is a lie.”
“What about your powers? Are those off limits too?”
“I have the ability to project energy from my body.”
“Well, what type of energy is it? It looked like lightning,” Marona asked as she carefully examined his hand from a distance.
“Not sure. I just know it comes from me. When I use it too frequently or too much at once, it drains me. Other than that, I can tap into it and use it to fortify my body or enhance my physical abilities.”
“Does it hurt when you use it? I saw you kill a man with your touch alone.”
“Me? No. Them? Yes. And I can change the intensity of it at will. Right now for example, if you were to touch my hand it would do nothing to you.”
Marona cautiously inched her hand towards the light resonating from Emil’s palm, not sure of what to think of his sudden offer.
“Go on,” he insisted as her hand hovered over his.
Marona looked up at him reluctantly before her hand began its descent. A wisp of his light tickled the inside of her bare palm, putting her fears to rest.
“It’s… warm.” The words sluggishly slipped off her tongue as she studied her newly-found attraction. “And… calm,” she said shortly after with more urgency than before. “I… I can feel it.”
Emil watched her as she gazed on with amazement before ultimately clenching his hand, dissipating the energy that freely flowed from it.
“We should keep moving. We’re burning day light. Any other questions?”
“Yeah… just one more.” Marona said quietly. “Your name. You never told me your name.”
“Emil. My name is Emil.”
“Emil…” Marona whispered to herself silently.
Chapter 6: Death March
Emil and Marona paced themselves well, but the trek back to where Emil’s village once stood was a tedious one. He knew that they were after him so he wanted to take the most obscure path possible in order to avoid any threats that may have otherwise come his way. They treaded carefully, both he and Marona, not wanting to bring any unwanted attention to themselves. He could have opted to use his powers, but the last thing he needed was for him to be spotted with Marona. She had a good heart, but her skills in combat were yet to be tested. If they got a hold of her, they’d be ruthless. After seeing what happened to his people, he was sure of it.
Though she was safe at the moment, deep down he had the unshakable feeling that he was marching her to her death. So far they had yet to stumble upon any resistance, but he knew that everything could change in an instant. His guard remained ever vigilant, as did hers. Whether it was guilt, love, hate, or revenge that kept them going, it didn’t matter. As long as it kept them alive. He had his reasons to return, and so did she.
Suddenly his footsteps stopped. Emil paused as he mapped out his surroundings, carefully analyzing the forest terrain.
“We’re close.”
The words were sharp and concise. In the past few hours that Marona had known him, she had grown used to his dialogue.
“Yeah… how did you know?”
“I know this place. It took me awhile to get my bearings, but I know the way from here. Before I lived in Nerai, I used to live out in the woods. I was constantly on the move.”
He studied the area as he spoke, weary of any nearby guards.
“Because of the Vanguard, and those others guys too, right?”
“Yeah… follow me.” His words drifted behind him as he began walking astray to the path they were previously on.
“Where to?”
Emil turned back to her and pointed ahead of him towards a waterfall that wasn’t too far from where they currently stood.
“Back when I was on the run, I had a series of camps I made up around the outskirts of the forest. Every couple of days, I would change locations just to be safe. Behind the waterfall, there’s a cave. There’s food nearby as well as a water source. You can rest if you’re tired or eat if you’re hungry.”
“I told you already, I’m going with you. I can tell you’re not at your full strength yet. You need me.”
“You didn’t let me finish. There’s also some weapons stashed there as well. I need to get some things if we plan on doing this.”
“Right.” Her cheeks flushed red at the thought of her sudden outburst. “I’m sorry. I jumped to a conclusion an-”
“It’s ok. We’re both on edge. We’ve been walking for awhile now… come on, we don’t have much further to go.”
The two of them journeyed deeper into the forest until they reached the base of the waterfall. The rushing water provided a soothing ambience, uncommon to those accustomed to life away from nature. The water flowed freely, descending down several cases and branching out at the bottom. At the base there was a particular stream that flowed further inland away from the others, presumably where wildlife would drink and bathe.
“So your home is somewhere up there?” Marona pointed towards the top of the waterfall, meticulously searching for an entrance among the scattered rocks.
“More towards the middle. It’s perfect, really. If you were to go behind the water from the base, you wouldn’t see it. You weren’t too far off, though. It’s actually right there.” Emil pointed his finger out to a location not too far from where Marona’s were.
“Hm. I still don’t see it.”
“It’s just a little ways up. Come on.”
Following his lead, Marona and Emil climbed up the rocky terrain until Emil suddenly stopped.
“Here.”
From where he stood, it was still not evident that behind the veil of water, an opening existed. Emil was the first to enter. He came from the side and slid beneath the rushing water before he disappeared. Marona shimmied behind the water as well till she found the opening that Emil had went through.
The inside of the cave was hollow, more so than what she expected. It was simplistic in nature. A sheet or two was in the corner, a lantern, and a wooden box was all there was to his place of refuge aside from the cold stone walls. He was outfitting himself when she saw him, tucking away shuriken to a belt he had put on moments before.
He spoke with his back to her as he heard her come closer to the cache. “There
are some weapons over here if you’d like to take a look. I don’t know what you can use but you never know.”
“I’m good with my crossbow. I’ll stay at a distance, remember?” she said as she approached Emil’s side.
“Yeah, but you need something in case someone gets past me. Can you wield a sword or anything like that?” He curiously turned to Marona who was now examining the contents of his armory. In her hand she held one of his shuriken, studying its design.
“Not particularly well, but a dagger, that I could work with.” She said, still transfixed by the throwing star she held in her hand. “Why these?”
“They can hold a charge and I can throw them… saves energy and has range.” Emil extended his open palm to Marona, asking for the throwing star she had taken a liking to. Curious to know what he had in mind, she willingly handed it over to him. Emil gripped the star firmly between his thumb and pointer finger and raised it to eye level. A crackling stream of blue energy encompassed the throwing star as he held it. “And imagine having a couple of these lodged in your chest.”
“I’d rather not, but I get the idea. I’m not as gifted as you so I’ll stick to what I got and this dagger over here. It should be enough.”
“Take two in case you get in a pinch. Hide one somewhere on you that wouldn’t be too obvious but easy to reach.”
“Right,” she said as she browsed through Emil’s assortment of daggers and knives.
Emil watched her as she looked over his collection before finally tossing the shuriken back with the rest. Rather than going to the makeshift bed he had arranged, he propped himself against the cold stone wall of the cave. He repositioned his sword and rested it between his shoulders and neck. The rushing waves that echoed from the opening of the cave provided an ambience that put his mind at ease. Before long, his eyes were closed. The break was welcomed. Even though he put up a strong front, he knew he hadn’t fully recovered; physically or mentally. In his passive moments, memories of the village that he fought for plagued his mind. The fate of his family being left up to speculation gnawed at his psyche as well.
The Dreamer And The Deceiver (Book 1) Page 4
