Finding Escape

Evarh awakened with a mouth full of dirt and a twinge in her leg. Sputtering, she pushed herself onto her knees and looked around. Nothing was familiar to her. Yet another place she knew nothing about. Albian and Foxfire lay a few feet away and seemed to be awakening as well.

The sun was low behind the staggering trees surrounding them. Here and there you could hear the early rustling of the night animals creeping from their dens into the shadows. Night birds began their melody, coaxing day dwellers to sleep and alerting the night walkers, the all was clear.

Evrah dusted herself free of the dirt and grass. For the first time, she noticed that her body had been healed and her clothes looked brand new. Even her worn-out dirty boots were as shiny and tough as the day she received them seven years ago, yet they still had that well-worn comfortable feeling.

Her focus went to Albian when he spoke.

“Evrah, we must be going. We cannot linger here.”

She glanced around, searching for a threat that warranted the fear in his voice. She saw nothing.

“Where are we?”

She watched his face turn ashen, “This is the Knightmyre's dwelling. We must go now. The Knightmyre's will be out as soon as the void of darkness shrouds the landscape.”

“What are Knightmyres? I’ve never heard of such things.”

“It is Vhalos' doing.”

“Who is Vhalos?”

She sensed real fear in his voice when he spoke, but it was Foxfire's reaction that spooked her. Her hair was standing as tall and straight as late autumn grass, trying to soak in the last of the summer sun before Winter slaughtered them all. Her gaze darted to every shadow, every flash of movement beyond the trees. The beast, as tall as a man on all fours, was shrinking in fear.

This was as serious as it sounded.

Evrah went to Albian's side to speak to him, but before she took a step, she felt them. She knew they were coming, just as Foxfire did. Albian was wrong, they would appear before the light was extinguished. Albian's voice was in her ear, whispering.

“Go now! There is a cave about half a mile from here, to the East. Run, do not stop until you reach it. Look for painted wings, that will be your safe haven.”

He didn't get the chance to say anymore before Albian pushed her in the direction she needed to go, and Foxfire took a spot in front of her, nudging her as well. She had no other options, as her sword did not return with her.

She bolted, smashing through the underbrush of trees and hopping over vines, threatening to drag her back. She ran past several rows of the natural sentinels when a voice she didn't know, but had heard before, stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Albian, it is nice to see you again...AH! What is this, you have brought my pet with you.”

It was the voice of the man from Forrest Keep. The one who had given the order to slaughter her people. The man who said he was looking for someone. She stayed where she was, rooted in place. Her chest took heavy blows from her pounding heart, causing her vision to swim in and out of focus. Beads of sweat began to cover her frame, as fire burned from within, making her skin hot to the touch.

Fire! Somehow she knew she needed fire.

Crazily, she scanned the area for anything she could use to make a fire with. She had plenty of wood tinder, but she was fresh out of flint. She searched her pockets only to find empty disappointment. Her new digs didn’t come back with the full pockets she had entered with. Albian's raised voice caught her attention.

“...You can kill me right here, and now, but you will never have her.”

“I will have her, Albian. I have seen it. It was revealed to me. I will have her, by my side. She will agree. You are wasting your time trying to find her old man.”

“We shall see, Vhalos. We shall see.”

Tears welled up in Evrah’s eyes, as she heard Albian cry out in pain. Her mind told her to heed Albian’s warning, but her heart...couldn’t stand any more death. Her decision had been made before her tears dropped from her cheeks. It was foolish to stay, but either way, she was as good as dead.

Death was coming for her, as it comes for all. At least, this way, she would decide how he would be greeted. She could die running, or she could die fighting. Dead was dead, no matter how it happened, but to die defending someone would allow her soul to depart in peace, rather than roam in grief.

Evrah wiped her face and began hunting for something to use to attack. Weapons of all kinds ran through her mind, yet she saw nothing she could use to fashion one. Arrows, spears, and sharp wooden knives, all required a blade to shape them.

She was fresh out.

Albian’s wails were almost masked by the sinister laugh of the one called, Vhalos. His voice made her skin crawl and hurried her along. With no better option, she decided to hunt him instead. Evrah crept through the dense vegetation making her way back toward them. It wasn’t long before she spotted a line of soldiers blocking her view.

They were death among life.

Sunken eyes, rotting flesh, armor made of dragon hide. Death didn’t hide the fact they were generals. High-ranking ones from wars long gone. She understood, or at least guessed, at how they got the name. It was nightmarish to behold. Shivers shook her frame, dotting her flesh with goosebumps.

Their mere presence triggered images of dark deeds, inflicting paralyzing fear. Evrah shook herself free of it, but she didn’t know how long she had been frozen in place. She dropped to her knees, checking the scene before she made her move.

She would occasionally catch a glimpse of movement, or the swish of black fabric, between the guards. Red fur, the tips of grey hair, and a black hood were all that could be seen between the shoulders of the men blocking her path.

“Be smart, Albian, this can end here and now. All you must do is answer my questions.” Vhalos said calmly.

“I have answered your questions...” Albian shouted, “You just didn’t like my answers.”

“Lies!” Vhalos yelled, “You tell me lies. You know who she is...I can see it in your eyes, Albian...” his voice dropped low, “You were never a good liar Albian. That is why I chose you as my apprentice. Not because you were talented, smart, or even worth your weight in usefulness. No. I chose you because I would always know the truth of your words.”

For a moment, everything was quiet. Too quiet for Evrah’s comfort. She needed to know what was happening. Death hadn’t taken Albian at the hands of Vhalos, she was certain. The fact, he hadn’t moved, proved that. She knew he hadn’t killed Albian, or he and his horde of men would be leaving.

They weren’t.

It was eerie how still everything became. Even the wind was gone. It was almost as if everything but her was frozen in place, by something unknown. She could only stare in wonder and curiosity.

What could accomplish such a thing? Who has that kind of power?

She knew it wasn’t Vhalos or Albian, both of them were unmoving. Soldiers wouldn’t be allowed that kind of power with their master in tow. Who was it?

She blinked, trying to clear her vision. The world around her seemed to blur, slowly tilting in one direction. It wasn’t until her head banged on the ground she realized, it had been her that had been falling, but darkness overtook her before she did anything about it.

She was once again within the grasp of something more powerful than she. Perhaps this time, answers would come with the light of dawn.