Her consciousness was dormant. Nothing was real to her. The reality turned into a sick joke with no end to it. Fate was mocking her faulty decisions from the very start. Playing with her like a toy in a dollhouse. Leaving only the sour memories of the once-called...
Her friends.
Her Town.
Her Queen...And most of all...
Her Dad
"Come on, dear. Don't do this to me. Don't leave me with that pioneer. COME ON! Wake up!" Louis shook her body in an attempt to break her from that coma.
But she wasn't responding. The shock was too powerful to process and very dark to find condolences to it.
He spent half an hour with her. Seeing his soulmate like this led him to feel the shady side of loneliness. So lost in his path. His journey could have ended right there, with her not opening her eyes once again.
Why they should embrace whatever fate throw at them? What did she do to deserve such mad punishment, to witness her beloved people vanquished and unburied? To see them left perished for a reason that they shall never know?
There wasn't any answer.
Yet...
Among that endless sheets of this abyss. One ray of light emerged. A small. Pitful cries for hope that only the faithful and the closest could hear.
It was the necklace...
She shone with white faint ray, barely noticeable to Louis but its effect was highly needed though the madness she fell into.
Death noticed from the depth. A glowing hand grabbing the sinking girl, snatching the Death's prey right in front of his wicked eyes back to the realm of the non-dead. With nefarious breaths full of disappointment coming from Death, he retreated away empty handed once again.
Slowly and weakly. She opened her cloudy eyes. They had the color of roses, flooding like waterfalls.
"Louis...", she said faintly.
"I am here! I am right here!". He rejoiced, he couldn't hide his sighed reliefs.
He kneeled his head towards her. Half of her body was on the ground and the other half was rested, slightly placed safely over Louis's arms.
For instance, she thought that her town only burned in the fictional world of dreams and at any moment, she will wake up. Surrounded by all who she cared for. Afraid for her, yes. But alive.
However, Fate had already dropped his blow. And after some seconds. The dagger of truth struck again at her.
She exploded.
The boy brought her close to his chest. It was his turn to take her into safety just like when she did the same thing days ago. So that only he could find a way to ease her torment.
Her hot tears came down her cheeks along with her trembling body that was hugged by Louis's arms.
That hug wasn't a solution. It was just a trial of consolation.
"I lost him, Louis. I lost him again! All was in vain. Why couldn't I see it from the start?! Wain put the bounty on your head, specifically. Because he had already destroyed me!!!"
He hugged her with his arms. Making her wary chest rest over his flat broad body. Gently shifting her head towards his shoulder.
"Shh... don't talk. You haven't lost me. I am still here. Rest now. All the past whatsoever doesn't matter. Thank goodness your head didn't crack after that fall"
She cried even more. Filled with pain as it is. It was the best path for her to take. For her mind was so fragile, she had to build herself and alleviate the pressure through tears.
Then, from above Louis's shoulder she spotted her uncle moving to the hugging couple.
"I have mixed news...". He approached with that line bluntly. He had inhuman coldness in his way of talking. He didn't seem to be grieving enough or maybe he ran out of tears. She couldn't figure him out.
"The bad news is, Not a single living being is still out there. Just..." Alfred stopped just before he said the next word.
"...Bodies". She weakly said it for him.
"And her father?" Louis asked. And something inside him condemned him immediately for his rush talk.
"That's the good news"
The girl jumped with alertness. "What do you mean!!?" Her soul flicked while her eye widened more than usual.
"Richard. I didn't find him. Alive or...otherwise. I spent over an hour checking almost everybody I find. He is nowhere to be found in Endora"
The girl stared at the unlikely news.
"Wait". Louis began. "There could be a chance that he was able to escape then!"
"Precisely, and not alone either. See, when I examined the town closely, Most of the people were dead. But there was a minority who are mysteriously missing. Including my brother, the chief of the town, and some other protectors I knew"
"THEN HE SURVIVED!". Diana shouted with excitement
"Likely. Still. Can't say you are right either. There is no evidence for his survivability anywhere. Nothing at all"
She gasped with slight disappointment. But a probability is better than void grief.
"That's promising". Louis gasped with satisfaction. "But what now?". He asked.
"We get the hell out of this cursed land and leave this country for good"
"Do you have a place in mind?" Said Louis. Unsure if his father would approve of such a daring and wild decision.
"My town 'Tagia'. The town where I live in"
"Is it far?"
"Yes, but it's safe. For you and her"
He approached the girl with a spark of care in his eyes. "Listen, my dear, I am here for you. And I promise I shall not stop looking for your father, but now you need a new home. Same goes for you, youthful prince"
"Uncle. I..."
"Just think about it for a while. But please hurry. The dark clouds above us will surely shower us after a bit". He said as he looked at the sky.
The storm was nigh and their situation was critical. Her only hope was in her only family member remaining, who Sadly, was a thief and a bandit. But she really hoped that he may have the same loving heart as her father.
"Where is that town of yours?" Louis asked.
"3 days walking to the east. Across the border. We shall arrive on the 4th day" he stated.
"But we are out of food rations that Zenda gave to us" Diana was worried.
"Don't panic, we will improvise. If I remember well, there's a river not far from here, we could feast on fish tonight" Alfred said with a proud tone...
"But...Uncle. My father could be around-"
Alfred interrupted. "We need to leave! Those maniacs who committed this anarchy could still be around. Are you really willing to take another foolish decision on your own!?"
She remained silent. She couldn't stand the righteousness in his speaking. And even if she was willing to defy him, her spirit is too wounded to convince such a stubborn man to an alternative path.
Louis, however, is prideful, and stubborn just the same. "Hey, easy on the girl. Understand!?". He barked back.
"Then make up your mind already!". He looked at Diana, waiting for a response. Lacking any sign of compassion or love that Diana expected from him.
"Fine. Just give me a moment"
"Whatever, I will try to get some wood for the journey"
He said before turning his back on them, muttering something under his breath that didn't reach their ears.
She watched her uncle descending towards the destroyed Town. He was going to salvage the wood from there.
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Right after he left. She hugged Louis again. Happy that there was still someone who was compasionate enough right there by her side. Attentive and soft on her. Just exactly what she wanted at that moment.
When Alfred returned. They made a campfire away from the range of the terrible smell. As she looked behind one last time. Knowing that her home was not the only thing that will change but a new life will be enforced on her.
After 4 hours.
The wind became furious, the lighting was terrifying in the sky which cause the clouds to provide the rain.
As if what the group encountered so far wasn't enough. Now they also had to face nature's fury to its finest degree. At this weather along with this mighty storm. it became more and more difficult to proceed ahead.
Till Louis saw a potential shelter through the claws of the fog.
"Hey, I think I see a house over there, maybe we could ask its owner to shelter us for tonight," said Louis, pointing at it to the group. A glimpse of hope by which they can escape the fearful storm.
The group heeded and moved steadily with arms wrapped around their faces shielding themselves from the powerful wind that attacked their eyes with dirt and cold. Their clothes were soaked from rainfall while their bodies were swayed from exhaustion and were about to collapse.
Louis, with his undetained determination, took the head of the group and ran towards the door of the house.
Upclose. The house was an ordinary one. It had a chimney and multiple windows. They could see a faint light behind the glass. So, someone was still there.
BAAAAM !!
Louis's head retracted from a wall he couldn't see. Making him stunned both physically and mentally.
"What did I just bump into!?" He said in astonishment, grabbing his aching head. He didn't see anything around the house but he knew he hit something because of the pain.
Alfred drew near and saw that the raindrops were all bouncing off a big dome shielding the house.
"This is bad, that's a magic barrier, we are dealing with witchcraft," said Alfred surprisingly, taking a step back cautiously.
WITCHES...Diana heard about them...
A Common people who mastered magic art across years. Now most of them are outcasts and dangerous criminals as Diana was told.
Stories tell they were once a kind people who were despised by the public and high-ranking people just for their sorcery and differences from normal humans who possessed no such gift. Unfortunately for Diana, she never saw or talked to one for real to judge them
"OPEN UP PLEASE, WE NEED YOUR HELP!" Diana shouted while hitting the barrier with her own fists.
"They won't help us; we need to find another--"
"Are you joking with me? There is nowhere else to go" Diana shouted to protested uncle.
Suddenly, the whole barrier glowed brightly with different colors like a rainbow, and a door figure appeared through the barrier which was opened by a loud squeak.
Alfred blinked multiple times in disbelief. He knew that witches do not trust outsiders. Why the residents of this very house should be different from the general stereotype?
The group rushed to the only safe place from the storm under that dome barrier.
Upon entering, it was obvious that the ground was dry, unlike the outside. It looked like the residents of the house took their precautions before the storm came.
The group tried to take their breaths from all those drops hammering above their tired heads outside, when the door of the house was opened and the two figures came out.
"Who are you people, and how did you find this place?" A man in his 30s with a thin sword impeded in his left side approached the group, accompanied by a woman roughly the same age. She had that beautiful but strange staff, where 3 green butterflies fly endlessly in circles around the top of it.
Suddenly, feeling threatened, the man brought up his sword and his left hand began to form a fireball in his hand.
The woman had a green cloak that hid most of her red hair and had threatening sharp flat lips.
"Tell your bloody king that we just want to live in peace away from his twisted kingdom-". the woman stopped talking and gasped as she was struck by what she had noticed.
The green necklace around Alfred's neck.
"An arc stone!" she stared with her wide green eyes
The woman's face changed from anger to fear, her breath began to race as if she was experiencing a nightmare. "Why you treacherous monsters! How did you get those neck-"
"COULD YOU SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! AND GIVE US A CHANCE TO SPEAK!?" Alfred shouted at the couple with absolute confidence. The woman comedically stopped shouting and a shock was spread all over her face.
After an awkward silence, Louis decided to step forward to speak.
"Madam, Mister. I assure you both. we are very far from friendly with the king. On the most contrary, you see I have a bounty on my head from the king personally and we were running to another town...or that's what we were trying to do since we got stuck in this crazy blizzard outside"
Then Alfred continued "And that necklace I hold was given by my wife and...her name is Marigold".
Diana was astonished, she didn't know her uncle was married. A lot of time had passed indeed.
The lady's expression changed dramatically upon hearing the name. "Wait, you are Alfred! Oh my" she gasped. "Please accept our dearest apology. Marigold is my dearest friend, how is she by the way?!"
"Well, if that's how you treat her husband. Maybe my wife should choose some friends of better quality" Alfred said rudely.
Diana thought about it. All it takes for the couple to say "No" is a mere movement of the tongue. And the next thing they will know, they will freeze their own corpses outside. They won't survive an hour in that storm. They had no food or water left, and they were tired as a turtle chasing a rabbit.
Despite the bad attitude, The woman didn't make a reaction. But her husband did.
"Hey! We said we are sorry. No need to be a Jerk or you could try your luck outside!"
"William! We don't treat our people like this" his wife scolded him.
"I don't trust them"
"Every enemy of the king is a welcomed ally. Do not forget that. Besides Marigold already told me that Alfred had a wild temper when it came to meeting magicians like us"
She faced the group again. "Please, consider yourself part of our family and make yourselves home"
The group accepted and went inside the house. Where the generosity of the couple appeared with their delicious food and kind hearts.
During her stay, Diana knew that the woman's name was "Forestine" and her husband was named "William".
From the talking with a couple. Diana knew from Lady Forestine that during the era of King Alfred, Wain's older brother.
The magic was cherished, learning magic and mastering supernatural skills and spells was truly an art of talent and beauty of all times.
However, the next day his tyrant brother raped the throne. King Wain unleashed a barbaric order to exterminate any person who tried to use magic by any means. Where A lot of public massacres were permitted for those who dared to break the law of the serpentine king.
Such a daring decision led to different reactions. Part of the witches and magicians made their run toward the forests, others fled from the kingdom to where the king's influence couldn't reach them, Far to the east.
And there are the others, those who followed the footsteps of the pioneers. Spreading violence and destruction anywhere they see the Wolf's symbol, the national flag of the martizian empire.
That unlit beast figure held all the evil in a banner. So they sometimes would commit raids over the king's stash using offensive actions by sabotaging and stealing any supplies coming to soldiers and even killing if they were needed to.
"Wow, Dark times.." said Diana.
"Oh, don't worry. All of this is behind us now. Me and my precious William here found sanctuary in this house that we built together.
Far from people, peaceful and quiet place. Growing own food and enjoying the untouched nature. That's why we were terrified when we saw you. Rumours said the king was hunting for the magicians with more aggressiveness than ever. Add to that, There was a fire in a nearby town-"
"HAVE YOU SEEN IT!?" Diana stood up instantly, while she was about to choke with the food in her mouth.
"No, the town was way out of our sight. We just saw the smoke from afar. A big cloud that covered the entire sky for the whole day".
The girl's eyes dropped.
"Wait, Don't tell me you are..!". Forestine voice trailed off.
A small, broken, and grieving nod was Diana's answer.
"God! What happened!?"
" I...I really don't know" Diana's sadness slightly escalated. She shared Louis a look meaning she wanted to leave the table.
And Louis heeded.
"Madam, I don't want to be rude. But Diana and I think we should call it for a night"
An embarrassed face was drawn on Forestine.
"O...of course, my apology. Please hon, show the couple their room" she talked to William.
The two were guided to a simple one-person fitting bed where they cuddled to each other until Diana's eyes were shut down by sadness and exhaustion. Leaning her stiff body to sink between Louis's arms.
Alfred spied on them from a small opening in the door. He didn't approve of such a sight. But what his complaining will accomplish when sorrow becomes the upper hand afterwards?
He closed the door and left them alone.
************
The reign of the sun took the throne of the heavens again declaring the beginning of another morning.
Diana's eyes opened and her stamina was mostly restored. However, when she looked beside her, Louis was already gone.
She searched the house for him till she spotted him outside.
"I didn't know you like blueberries, young boy". Said Forestine with a smile
"Always was. Always will be". He said happily, throwing an unwashed ball of blueberries inside his mouth.
"Phew, you scared me," said Diana coming from behind the two.
"Apologies my dear. I was just helping Miss Forestine here harvesting her crops. And boy you should try her blueberries!
"Maybe another time, have you seen my uncle," she asked.
Forestine began. "He went hunting nearby along with William, he said he would return at late morning"
The girl was confused, wasn't her uncle an arm short?!
"But how-" she began. Implying the previous fact.
"He said he would manage" answered Louis guessing what Diana was thinking about
After another two hours, with the weather at its finest and the sun had already broken free from the monstrous and furious storm the day before. Two figures approached the house. The two men returned victorious. As she saw her uncle lifting a dead medium-sized deer on his back and getting it all the way to the house, walking side by side with William.
It was intriguing that despite his lost limb, Alfred never lost his courage or his strength. The man could be mistaken for the bear he killed with that overpowered vitality.
The group feasted on roasted meat along with some blueberries to add flavour. With all the group laughing and sharing stories during the feast, Diana felt she was at home once again. She felt the same spirit, the same laughs, and even the same topics sometimes.
The few words of her father echoed inside her ears: "Home was never buildings and geographic terrains, it is the people to whom you entrust your heart with them"
A small smile finally reached her lips and her soul started to mend again.
Until...
Suddenly Louis's face began to change. He began to touch his injured very often. His facial features explained how he was in great pain. "My shoulder...something is wrong with my shoulder ... it's...burning".Louis said in agony.
"Easy there, let me check it" Forestine suggested ...She removed the old bandages, and she found out a terrifying sight.
"Boy, your injured shoulder is infected to its core, you need a doctor or a healer immediately. Unless you want the amputation of your whole arm"
Louis was shocked by her words.
"Darn it. Should have stayed in the hospital for the rest of the week as the doctor told me" Louis said to himself secretly, regretting his bad decision to leave the hospital too early.
"Can't you heal me yourself?" said Louis. "you are a sorceress after all, can't you find any relevant spell?"
"I am sorry. I am not familiar with the healing techniques" she sadly justified "All I can do is to clean the injury with water and new bandages which would give you more time to seek help from a healer or a doctor nearby".
Louis began to panic "How much time do I have before it is too late?" asked Louis afraid of knowing the answer.
"can't say for sure" answered Forestine.
A gloomy cloud covered the group. Especially Diana.
"Uncle, How much is left till we reach Tagia? ".
"Half the way. Two-day max"
She protested internally. She felt broken and helpless. If something happened to Louis...
Alfred threw her with some words void of any comfort. "Hey don't give me that look. Will ya? I promised we would reach our destination in time and we will. Now stop complaining and eat"
All the surroundings noticed how his attitude was unusually graceless and abusive. But no one opened his mouth.
Eventually, Louis's arm was irrigated and dressed perfectly, as to his good luck, The couple had some spared clean bandages that they applied on his arm.
The group thanked the couple for their generous hospitality and resumed the journey on the evening of the same day.
The rest of the journey was relatively short but Louis's shoulder didn't stop screaming all the way to the Tagia...