Chapter 20 Life

Chapter 20

Life

 

 

“We’ve been walking for twelve days already. Knight, are we anywhere near where we are heading? I’m tired, my feet hurt, and I could really use a good night’s sleep on something other than dirt.”

 

                He just kept on pushing, ignoring Bri’s comments. He was starting to regret allowing her to tag along, but he couldn’t just let her go. With the forest so dense, it was at least a bit comforting to hear something other than silence. The heavy humidity was starting to soak in to his clothing, weighing him down more than he would have liked it too. Bri picked up the pace and caught up with Alessandra, who was only but a few feet from Knight. She pulled on her, telling her she wanted to talk a bit more privately.

 

“How can you deal with him? He’s going to kill us unless we take a break.”

 

“How, He’s the father of my child, nothing he would do would harm me. He loves me too much, but what you’re no seeing Bri is that he’s more fatigued than both of us. When we are sleeping soundly, he’s up watching over us. He’s not slept once since we left Masilen.”

 

“What? How! There’s no way in hell he can keep going like that. It’s not human.”

 

“Well he is gifted which makes him able to much more than those without it. But he’s not immortal, not any more. Which means it’s getting to him too. Haven’t you noticed, he’s starting to stagger a bit more? That he’s not walking as swiftly as when we started. It’s getting to him.”

 

“Then tell him to stop. And take a break.”

 

“It’s not that simple. He’s pushing for a reason. I’m not sure what the reason is, but I know not to question him when he’s worried.”

 

“How do you know he’s worried?”

 

“For starters… His left hand hasn’t been lifted from the swords pommel once.”

 

“Ladies, keep up, were almost there.”  

 

                The two of them quickly looked up to notice a bit of distance was between them and Knight and they quickly sped up to match him. It was odd to see that he was slowing down, somewhat, testing the area. Soon he was at a brisk walk, his eyes darting around.

 

“What is it my love?”

 

“Beyond here is a massive field. We should have seen wild horses or something about now. But I’ve not heard a bit. Something’s wrong. Wait here.”

 

                Before she could even muster up a word of protest he was gone, in to the shadows of the forest. It was eerie… not having him near now. Alessandra sat down on a fallen log, not far from a small steam and rested. She opened her bag and took out some dried meat and handed some to Bri. The two of them eat in silence, waiting for him to return. Something didn’t make sense. Why was he so determined to move, yet at the same time, suddenly ask us to stop? What could it possibly be that drove the horse out, even if they were still here a time before?  It seemed odd to be left out here alone with a child of an assassin.

 

                Bri turned and poked the heel of her boot in to the water of the steam. She smiled as the little guppies in the water swam up and started to nibble on her boot. Only a few of them were there at first, but soon she had many, all of them nibbling at her. She watched for a bit, enjoying the entertainment.  Her mind was clear, not a care in the world. It was rare for her to have these moments, but she loved them more than anything else. As she watched, she kept eating, smiling as some of them started to fight over the heel.

 

                He moved swiftly and stealthily, observing the trees as they started to spread out more. Nowhere did he see any animals. It was odd that nothing else was moving. As he turned he ran in to something he did not expect at all. A wall was steel. It shone in the sunlight, just a few feet from the boarder of the trees. A flat steel wall, that really bothered him. Calmly he walked to it and observed it, odd indeed. No cravings, writings, pictures, nothing, just a wall of steel. His weariness was starting to set in and he walked closer to it. As his hand moved to touch it, he felt warmth from it. As if it was alive… The touch was so sweet that he laid his back against it and slid down, sitting up on it. The warmth was amazing on his damp clothing… He was quickly lulled to sleep.

 

“Alessandra… where Knight?”

 

“I’m not sure, it has been a while. Maybe we should go look for him. Are you rested enough?”

 

“I can make it another few miles I guess.”

 

                They both gathered there bags and headed out again, this time searching you there leader. Alessandra lead, her hand resting on her dagger, hoping that nothing would come their way. Ever step she took, felt wrong. She was heading north, the way they had been going, but it felt wrong. She turned a bit, to the east. That felt much better. Her pace quickened as if something was pulling her, drawing her to a place. The trees started to space out more, and she could have sworn she would see a plain of some sort. The two of them kept pressing. The tree’s then just disappeared. They were in a field. It would have been fine, other than the metal structure across the way.

 

                Carefully they both walked to it, watching around them to make sure no one was around. They crept ever so slowly. Bri’s heart was pounding but she said nothing. Her free hand gripped her knife while the other hand help on to Alessandra pack. She thought Knight left her to protect Alessandra, but in reality, Alessandra was to protect Bri. Alessandra could feel not only Bri’s hand tighten but the tension around them to thicken. As they approached the structure, they noticed it was moving. They moved around it, trying to get a better look at the other side. Maybe something there would help them. But then they saw him. Knight, was sleeping, as the steel structure was engulfing him.

 

“RICARDO!”

 

                Alessandra’s scream had awakened him for his trance. Only, as he started to stand up, the steel snapped down on him, sealing him from her. The steel started to move faster now, looking more like liquid metal, only it looked like it was alive. It slowly slipped up to them, moving around them, not quite touching them. Bri panicked and stabbed at the liquid, only to have her knife melt away in to it. She staggered back in shock and fell. The liquid metal noticed her fall and rocketed at her, engulfing her too, in to the mess of silver. Alessandra stood alone now, watching as it crept to her now, somewhat, taunting her.

 

“Wh… What… have you done to them?”

 

                It only moved closer to her. Lapping at her legs slightly, moving up along her, touching ever so slightly. She stepped back and threw her dagger at it. Sadly it too melted in to it. Nothing was working and it seemed that they were all doomed. The liquid lunged at her, and in reaction she threw her hands up.

 

                A bright light shone and the liquid froze in place, then as if by its own accord, it slipped away from her, leaving Bri and Knight, lying on the ground. She rushed over to them both, and turned them over as metal kept slipping away from them. Knight was first to move, he groggily pushed himself off the ground, and as his feet stabilized, Alessandra went to help Bri. Both of them looked over to the liquid as it moved back on itself, taking some type of form.

 

“Knight, what is that thing?”

 

“I don’t know to be honest… But Alessandra seems to have pushed it away.”

 

“Can you kill it?”

 

“I can try.”

 

                Knight pointed with two fingers at the creature. His mind focused and he fired lighting as dark as the night itself at it. The impact was deafening, but it was still there. With an open palm, he fired a blast of light at it, again no effect. Flames, water, wind, earth, even eclectic, but none of it worked. It was as if it was immune to all attacks. He looked back at the two of them smiled…

 

                The metal lunged at them again, but Knight was smarter this time. He stepped forward and grabbed them both, and then quick as he could he ignited his spell and sent the three of them flying in the air. The two of them started to panic. Knight turned and released his gift in to his cape, turning it in to a large bit of fabric, and pinning the two free ends to his boots. Wind quickly was trapped in it and they fall slowed drastically.

 

                Alessandra looked down at the field, noticed the liquid still there, only it was growing… She looked at Knight who was tilting himself to the side, trying to drift them to a safe place. The three of them all leaned trying to guide the fall; slowly they fell to the north east. Then I happened. The liquid wasn’t growing; it was forming something, something to fire a bolt at them. A massive ballista spike impaled Knight in the right shoulder. Then a second shot hit him dead center of his chest. His eyes rolled back in to his head, and the cape released. Falling faster and faster to the ground bellow, Bri and Alessandra screamed as the hugged Knight.

 

                Just then a shadow came and all of them disappeared from the sky.