I push my way through the crowd, one person at a time, until I reach the front. A layer of guards face the crowd, encircling us so we may not pass.
“Stay back!” A guard barks at me as I'm shoved into the barrier of his arm. Behind him I see a woman, kneeling over a child. Blood is pooling from his stomach, and he isn't moving. Another small boy clasps her dress and cries.
“Help him! Help him! Why isn't he healing?!” The woman cries, pulling at the red tunic of a guard. Three guards stand over the boy, one kneels down and lifts his blood-stained shirt to reveal what appears to be a stab wound.
“What happened to him?” The guard looks to the woman. The little boy clutching her dress, crying, comes forward a step.
“We were just playing around, it was an accident.”
“What happened?” The guard barks again. The little boy looks down at his feet, then back to his mom.
“Go on sweetie.Tell him what happened.”
“We were playing knights,” the little boy sniffles, “I had a small dagger,” he takes it from his pocket and holds it out in his hand. “We were just playing pretend, honest!” The little boy runs back to the woman, hiding himself with the layers of her dress. The guard tears his shirt, exposing the wound, while another lifts him.
“Carry him inside” He orders. The guards all look identical.
“Everyone else get back inside! There's nothing to see here!”
The ring of guards holding people back begins shoving me, “You heard him!”
I make my way back through the crowd and look over my shoulder to the boy. The guard holds him as another opens the door. A third guard is fastening a bandage out of his shirt to stop the bleeding. People are whispering in quick, hushed tones as they stroll lazily back home, just as curious as I about the events we just witnessed.
“Did he die?” One whispers.
“I haven't seen someone bloody like that before.” Another whispers.
“What does it mean?”
I keep my head down and hasten my journey back home. I am afraid my father might be awake, but it appears this half of the village is too far from the scream to have been disturbed. A lot of gossip is in store for tomorrow. From where I was standing, that boy looked dead. I have yet laid eyes upon a dead person, but I have seen pictures and read books. He fit the description. It appears I'm doomed for another sleepless night, if it's even night anymore. I peel off my black leather boots and crawl into my cold white sheets. So much has occurred in the time span of merely one day. My brain is fried. If I could only sleep...just sleep...
My eyes flutter open. I must have been out for hours. What time is it? My room is not yet an explosion of oranges and pinks from the morning's sunrise, maybe it’s still late night. I get up and pad towards the window, peeling back the thin grey curtain. What is that? The sky appears to be fluffy and...gray. It's as if the ocean, from how I've seen it in books, were transposed on the sky with mixed shades of light and dark grey, a sight I have never bore witness to in my 187 years in the Realm.
Can those be clouds? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me and it's still the night sky somehow? No. There are no stars, and no moon. I throw on my clothes and peer around the house. My father's door is open, but he's already gone. Surely he saw the clouds too this morning? Grabbing an apple from the kitchen, I sheath my sword to my hip, pull up my boots and walk out the door.
Silence. No screams, chatter, or anything else for that matter. I bite into the apple as I jump down the steps to the road.
Ew...what is that?
A texture unknown to me plays on my tongue, something mushy. I spit out what appears to be a brown spot in the apple, then glaze over the rest of it. Is this apple rotting? No, no...it can't be. I throw the apple into the thicket behind my house. It hits the trunk of a tree with force and stops me with some kind of rustling. I look over to where I tossed it, bright green leaves are singed with brown ends, crumbling as they fall. I take off in a sprint towards the house from last night. It appears I'm not the only one, the same scene from last night is re-created before my eyes with a crowd three times as large being pushed back by guards. People are screaming and shouting in all variants. This isn’t a...it's the beginnings of a riot.
“Stay calm! Stay calm!” The guards shove everyone back from the house. A bell chimes, loud and clear in the distance. It's coming from Dragon's Den. The bell hasn't been rung in nearly 100 years, the last time there was a town crisis. Apparently the last time, wolves had been spotted outside and attacked a few couriers. This, this is much more serious. The crowd follows protocol, walking towards the inner circle around the lower steps of Dragon's Den. I spot my father's bushy head in the crowd.
I recall what Fandoor said to me about Connar. I don't need to go to a town meeting to find out what’s going on. That boy had died, and this is just the beginning to something much more complicated and chaotic. With everyone distracted, including the guards, I bolt back to the west side of town, up the hill and past my house into the thicket. I trace my steps back along the stream until I'm well out of the clearing and near the oak tree.
Last night Fandoor had said Connar would be here again, I can only hope he's right. I arrive at the oak tree, gasping for breath from my sprint.
“Lady Jaria,” a familiar airy voice comes. The white and blue silhouette of Connar appears. “I'm so glad you're here.” He offers me a soft smile.
“Me too.” I reply still catching my breath.
“I was afraid you wouldn't come back. Did you get the Guarded Dusk book yesterday from Fandoor?”
“Yes, he told me to come speak to you.”
“Good, good. Have you read it yet?”
“Only the beginning about Guarded Dusk and the training in Fangsun.”
“And what of the other book Helwain gave you with The Writings of Assassination?”
“I wanted to ask you about that, I found it mentioned in two books. Both said it was by you, both had been scribbled over or the pages torn out.”
“Helwain. It figures.”
“What are the writings?”
“The truth. Long before the seventh sanctum existed, I lived in Fangsun. I was one of many young men who joined the knight's at Guarded Dusk. I went through my trails, and after some time the seventh sanctum was formed and needed protection. I was assigned, by the Guarded Dusk, a guard post outside the Realm's gates, before it was "The Realm". I was one of the Seven Saints, the leader, and the only person who was not killed by the blood dragon himself. Due to this, I was doomed to walk in the spirit plane forever, as you can see. Only a few people in the village survived, and with that they were re-born that day immortal. Shortly after the Realm became immortal, the other sanctums deemed the seventh needed protection. Helwain came in from Winterstrand, the third sanctum, to rule. My lady, I have been waiting nearly 100 years for you.”
“Waiting for what? Why?”
“When Helwain first took the throne he spoke of a day when the immortality would cease to exist. He knew the all too real threat that death would once again touch the Realm. Lady Jaria, the blood dragons are back.”
I stop. “How do you know?”
“Trust me. Helwain knows too, that's why he invited you to his castle the other night and gave you that book. He knows. He has likely already gathered that I'm talking to you, or at least that I will, and wants to stop you from working with me. Helwain is not to be trusted.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
“Lady Jaria, look around you.” Connar opens his arms upwards to the slowly falling dry leaves. “Death is already here.”
“Because of the blood dragons?”
“Because of Lord Helwain. He was Akidira's lover when she was in rule, that's how he got assigned here after she passed. He has risen the blood dragons from the dead, breaking the immortality spell on the Realm."
“Good! I think it's more of a curse than a spell anyway. It keeps life dull and keeps us trapped. I should be thanking him for li
fting it.”
“Lady Jaria, you are in grave danger. The return of the blood dragons could mean the extinction of humans. Please, we don't have much time. You must go to Guarded Dusk. They will be expecting you.”
“Alright, even if I wanted to, how am I supposed to leave? I don't even have a horse.”
“Steal one.”
“Steal one? Are you mad? I could never leave the Realm's gates with a stolen horse they'd just imprison me!”
“You’re not listening! They'll imprison you either way.”
“What are you talking about?”
“As we speak there is a town meeting at Dragon's Den, yes?”
“Yes, about the boy who died last night.”
“I'm afraid, Lady Jaria, the blame is on you.”
“What?”
“Look.”
Connar circles his arms in front of me until a small space forms on the spirit plane. I can see the Dragon's Den meeting right now. The whole town is gathered before Lord Helwain. I watch.
“But how could this happen?” Someone shrieks.
“I'll tell you how,” Helwain begins, “Jaria is how!”
The town erupts with gasps, confusion. “A few nights ago she stole a very important book from my palace, it is the book of The Seven Saints. In it is a spell which can reverse the immortality!”
People cannot be believing this, can they?
“Why would she do that?” One shouts.
“We have to stop her!”
“Kill her!”
“She has been trying to get out of the Realm. It is forbidden for the spell is at risk if anyone leaves. She must have gotten out a few nights ago and broken it! That’s why the little boy died. Because of her! Now she wants to break it and leave altogether!”
This can’t be happening.
“Where is she?”
“I'll kill her!”
The crowd begins rioting, heading towards my home and the woods. Connar closes the portal. “Jaria, listen to me. You must leave now, before they find you.”
“What about my father?”
“I will do my best to look after him, I promise. But you must go, now. Take the book from Fandoor with you. Go to Fangsun and seek out the arena. It is the only way to prepare for passage to Guarded Dusk. A man is expecting you.”
I shake my head, hoping to grasp all he’s said. “Will I see you again?”
“If the spell truly is broken, I am once again free to leave the Realm. You will see me again, I am sure of it. But now there is no time. Take your book, take your sword, take a horse, and go. Now.” I hear the crowds heading towards the house.
They're here.
IV: Escape
I run farther and farther into the thicket, until I'm along the wall running south towards the gate. There is a small stand of horses kept near the gate, for the patrol guards and couriers. If I'm lucky, all the guards will be inside looking for me and I can jump over the wall, get on a horse and make a run for it. It occurs to me that I have never properly ridden a horse at high speeds before. Like everything else, I've read books about it. I’ve been on ponies as a kid and short trots through the village. But nothing remotely resembling a getaway.
The woods become less dense and the wall shortens a little steeping downhill. I'm close. The noise of the crowd fades behind me, though I can still hear people running. I hear a guard speak outside the gate. I peer through a small crack in the wall. This is it. The horse stables. The guards speak to one another and head in different directions. I wait before I hop the wall. In one fell swoop I pull myself up and fall over the other side, landing right in the horse stable, unnoticed. I grab the nearest horse by the reigns. She’s a chestnut colored horse with a saddle and bags already fixed to her. I do my best to shush her as she neighs and pulls, startled by me.
“Hey! Whose there?” I hear a guard yell.
“Shhh, girl, shhh!” I stroke her nose as I quickly put my feet in the stirrup and attempt to hop on. The guard rounds the corner and spots me. My foot slips.
“Hey! Stop!”
Fear and adrenaline overtake my body. I put my foot back in the stirrup and heave my other leg over the saddle with success.
“Stop!” The guard yells again, running towards me. I kick the horse in the rear and she high tails it in the other direction, away from the Realm. I smack her on the rear several times, trying to gain speed.
“Faster girl faster!” She obeys and breaks into an elegant stride heading west towards Oakenlich. Since the majority of our sanctum is the village within the walls, Oakenlich is in very close proximity.
I look behind me to see the guards, two of them now, getting on horses. Another guard appears to run back inside the gates, no doubt to alert the entire village of my escape. Would they let everyone after me? They couldn't. Not outside the Realm.
“Yeah! Yeah!” I smack her hind legs harder, gaining considerable distance on the guards. Before I know it, we're almost into the woods. I can lose them in there. Looking back I see the two guards on horses coming after me, though they are well in the distance. Oakenlich, here we come.
The first barrier of trees in Oakenlich are dead. Lanky trees weeping with thick moss and dry leaves greet us. Our pace slows as we begin to wind through the forest. Deeper in the trees seem more…alive. We must be well out of the sight of the guards by now. She's fast runing out of energy as she slows to a trot then a walk. Clip, clop, clip, clop. Owls and crickets begin to illuminate our surroundings with a symphony of sound. We steadily ache forward. The light begins to fade as the trees around us grow more dense. She stops and begins to lie down.
“Woah!” I almost fall as I climb off with her. “Poor girl,” I stroke her nuzzle as she nudges me back. My stomach growls. Hmmm, I wonder if there's anything in her saddle bags? I pry my way through the one nearest me as she lies on all fours, curling her limbs under her like a dog. No sound or sign of the guards. They wouldn't follow us into Oakenlich anyway, unless Helwain gave them other orders. For all they know I'm dead.
I pry an apple and two carrots from the bag. She nudges towards them, whinnying.
“You hungry girl?” I hold out a carrot stick. She laps it from my hand in one bite, crunching away. I decide to save the other carrot for her as I place it back into the bag and dig into the apple, still fresh, unlike mine this morning. Oh no. The book! I was in such a hurry to get out of there when I heard the crowds coming I'd forgotten to take it with me! There's no way I would've been able to go back into the house without the mob seeing me. My father. What must he think? Does he believe Helwain? I told him about that night, and what really happened. Will he be alright? Or are they torturing him in my absence? No, no. He is going to be fine. Connar had said he would look after him. I curl an arm tight around my aching belly as I finish the apple. I hope my father is alright.
A cold breeze gently plays through my hair, lifting it away from my skin. The horse lies next to me, nibbling at the remains of her carrot. I step around her to check the other saddlebag. Yes! Can it be? My fingers unfold the thin, worn page to reveal a map of The Seven Sanctums. What a relief! My eyes glaze over the page. It's filled in with a plethora of details that were absent on any other map of the sanctums I'd seen, including the one in the Guarded Dusk book. I look to the fifth sanctum of Fangsun, right in the middle. It’s much larger than the previous map had indicated. There appears to be a city in the middle...it's huge. I look to my current location of Oakenlich, the forest. A small distance line is drawn on the bottom for indication. I place a finger on the line and trace how deep into the forest I am, and how much further until I reach the Western borders of Fangsun. Far. But with a horse, maybe only a full day or two? I'm not sure it's hard to-
WHIZZ!
Something cuts harshly through the air. I know that sound; arrows.
WHIZZ!
Another flies right past me, cutting through my hair and just barely missing the skin of my left cheek. The horse gets up with a startled neigh.
&
nbsp; “Wait!” I pull on her reigns trying to tuck the map into my vest pocket.
WHIZZ!
I look to the direction of the sound, but see nothing. No guards. No horses, either. Pulling myself up with the stirrups she begins taking off just as my leg swings over her. She's running so fast I never touch the saddle, I just hold on and lean in.
“Woah girl, woah!” I pull on her reigns trying my best to steer her through the thickening trees. The deeper into the forest we run, the more difficult this is becoming. She's operating only on instinct and fear. I have no time to look at the map, we just need to get out of here.
WHIZZ!
A sharp pain strikes my back as my hands lose grip on the reigns. My chest arches forward as my arms fly backwards. For a moment, I'm airborne and everything is perfectly still. She keeps running, running away from me. Before I hit the ground, everything goes black. Warmth spreads through my body as the black of my eyelids becomes a sharp burning purple, flashing to red and orange with pain. I can't move. I feel numb. I can't even open my eyes. The guards had caught me, I was sure of it.
A language I am unaware of brushes my ears. More than one voice is near me. I cannot feel anything. I'm in Dragon's Den being tortured, I'm sure of it. Have they blinded me? Something wet and chilling runs down my eyes. It feels like cold water, but there's no way to be sure. Without trying, my eyes flutter open. Two blurry faces peer down at me. Down. I'm lying down. They speak, looking back to one another then again to me. Slowly, I regain focus. There is a man, and a woman. Both with sharp jaws and high cheek bones; skin smooth and pale. Both with long straight yellow hair, encapsulated by tiny gold leaf crowns. Their foreign language dances upon the air again. I think they're trying to ask me something, but I can't make out what it is.
“What?” I ask, tongue swollen like cotton.
A tingling sensation begins to spread through my face. They look back to one another. The man on my right brings a small gold bowl to my lips while the woman tips my head up to drink. The liquid seeps down my throat like syrup, thick and sweet, something my tongue has never tasted. She eases my head back down and the world fades.
The Writings of Assassination: Book One Page 4
