Chapter 10: Destiny

Vendus laid still in darkness.

It was nothing as serious as his consciousness waking up in the endless, and timeless plane of death though, he was just under a pile of leaves.

The entire night, reaching towards half the day, was spent in a tense and extremely taxing game of hide and seek.

Whether it was because of Ruby’s enhanced endurance, or her furious conviction to recover her stolen lemoncakes, she had never once stopped looking for him. And that was despite not seeing him ever since he first disappeared.

Even after five straight hours of finding not even a trace, she continued still for another ten, rummaging around the forest and disturbing the ambient wildlife.

While Vendus only moved when he absolutely needed to, amazingly, Ruby was in constant movement the whole time.

The young lady held a strange sense of optimism, that this time, behind this tree or within this bush, she’d definitely find him!

And whether by fate or pure coincidence, she had come dangerously close a dozen times. Vendus had to quickly exit his hiding spot, without audibly disturbing the fallen leaves and creaking tree branches.

He had evaded her numerous times by a hair’s breadth, yet everytime Vendus thought he lost her, and could finally relax, he would hear a familiar feminine voice grumbling, “How is this the duty of an apprentice-knight!?”

She mocked in a high-pitched and exaggerated tone, “Well, young lady, you best serve in the royal military first to even out your temperament.”

“Blah blah blah! Wah wah wah!”

“Those old schmucks!”

…Before he had to quickly distance himself once again.

Like cat and mouse they had done this for about sixteen hours across miles of forest.

When the sun rose across the horizon, Vendus worried his capture would come quick. He could no longer use the darkness like an enshrouding cloak…but luckily, Ruby was no longer ransacking the forest as she was earlier.

Their game of hide and seek played out slower, and yet, was just as tense if not moreso.

Upon the sixteenth hour, on the cusp between afternoon and sunset, Vendus finally came upon a moment of solace.

Thirty minutes had passed by without an ounce of those heavy metal footsteps clunking about, nor the sound of that annoying woman’s grumbling.

If she wasn’t coming now, she wouldn’t be coming later. At least, that was how he comforted himself.

Quickly, he finally devoured the lemoncake that had stuck close to his dirty garments and sweaty body. Each mouthful of the baked treat filled the void in not just his stomach, but in his heart. He relished the delicacy to the point of trembling hands and flowing tears.

Not a few moments later, he fell asleep beneath a pile of leaves.

…When not even an hour passed by, as he awoke to the sound of clunking metal footsteps.

“Tch. Where the hell is he?”

“I’ve gotta be close…”

Instantly he exited his groggy state, thinking, ‘How many times have you said that now!?’

‘You’ve never even seen me this whole time, why would you think that!?’ Vendus was fuming, but instead of confrontation he slunk back subduedly, and stilled his breath.

Afterall, it’d be odd if a pile of leaves were furiously heaving.

Thud thud thud…

The footsteps were getting close, too close, even.

It sounded as if she was only a few meters away from him.

He wasn’t sure whether to celebrate the fact that she wasn’t sweeping through the forest floor like a tornado, as was her previous actions last night, or lament the fact that she might possibly step on him soon.

‘Why did I have to knock out in a place I couldn’t quickly flee!? Are you stupid, Vendus!? You’re useless! Senseless and reckless!’

Thud thud thud…

An iron clunk disturbed the fallen leaves just to the left of his face. Vendus was sure of it, an iron boot was mere inches away!

Though in the midst of a heart attack he couldn’t possibly show, a familiar voice shouted from the distance, “Soldier!”

Ruby turned around, “Huh? Captain?”

“How’d you find me so quick?” Afterall, she had probably traversed quite a distance.

“Your tracks.”

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“Now…return to your post, Apprentice-Knight. I didn’t order you to pursue further ahead of the search party.” Luther said.

“But I saw him! And I know I’m close!”

In fact, within arm’s reach. Or foot.

“There’ve been many people who had seen, or thought they had seen the boy, but he is nowhere to be found.” Luther was lying, straight through his teeth.

“When I was tracking you, I only found your traces and no one else's.”

That too was a lie.

“Regroup with the search party, with their help, you could actually find him.”

She scoffed, “How could any of them help me? Not one of them is my match, in anything really.”

“Haah…” He let out a breathy sigh, while massaging his temples with his fingers.

“Whether it’s strength, skill, mana, looks…” She continued.

“Enough, return.”

“He’s so close! I’m close, to catching him!”

“You know, there's one thing you have in common with the other soldiers.”

Irritated by the comparison, Ruby asked, “What?”

“You all still haven’t found him!”

“Now return, soldier! That's an order!”

Luther left no room for argument, turning his back as he immediately walked away.

Pouting while clenching her fists, the young apprentice-knight grudgingly stomped back as well.

Vendus laid motionless beneath the leaves, listening silently to their heavy thudding footsteps disappear into the distance.

…

A multitude of tents sprawled over a relatively flat clearing in the woods.

Under the setting sun, hundreds of people moved about through the bustling camp site.

There were soldiers, local civilians from villages and small towns brought for questioning, and even hunters, and small-time mercenaries being hired for the sole purpose of finding the traitor’s son.

Yet out of the sea of tents, there was one dilapidated and worn tent that was seemingly ousted from the group, and out of the crowds of people moving about, none desired to get close to it.

Within the worn sheepskin, a tall man sat hunched over, with his hands clutching tightly onto the ground in pain.

Levian feigned his usual cocky and ill-mannered attitude for the soldiers and officers, but now hidden from sight, he revealed all of that contemptible weakness.

Despite his internal injuries, he was forced to rush here by the prince’s command. All three of his precious, and painstakingly cultivated mana nodes, were shattered with masterful precision.

It shouldn’t have been so easy, but not mentioning how he was still recovering from the magical effects of the Nullite, the power gap between him and the crown prince was that of a canyon.

Not only did he lose the strength needed to traverse the Forests of Emiendel if he so wished to flee, he had lost his Nighteye, Arrow-Guiding, Mana-Bow Summon, and many more magical abilities. The fall from Champion level had decimated his strength by at least ninety-percent.

Levian punched the ground, furious of his own powerlessness, and from the constant, trembling pain that came from three areas in his body.

Still…no matter how he wrestled with his circumstances, he wasn’t getting those decades he spent on his mana nodes back.

Though…he might still be able to take back his life.

Furiously he breathed in deep. Enduring the pain, he stood up, and exited the tent.

He was not given any weapons nor supplies, so unseen and unheard he simply took them.

A one-handed steel sword and a rough-made bow found themselves on his hip and back respectively. Throwing daggers hid in his boot, all over his body, while a quiver of arrows hung on his back.

Prowling the night, he would set out in search of a criminal, that was humorously labeled more heinous than him…

‘...But not before I enjoy a meal.’ He licked his lips.

After routine questioning, a single mother and child exited one of the tents, not realizing the hidden eyes that stalked them.

Holding hands, a seven year old boy jumped happily over twisting roots, while his mother followed helplessly with a wholesome smile on her face.

Giggles and laughter filled the air, unaware of their inevitable and sudden end.

…Levian slipped a dagger from inside his sleeve, and into his hand.

In the same way that one scratched an itch, he was going to scratch his. The two did not even get to scream, and yet, their deaths were slow and savoured as he carved them up like fruit.

…

Within certain circles of mysticism and hermeticism, there was a saying: Destiny bestowed encounters and situations, while fate was decided by free will.

Behind him was something known— the coalition army— his pursuers, while ahead was the unknown promise of salvation…which in truth held fatal dangers, insurmountable for a child like him to overcome.

Vendus slowly emerged from a sea of leaves. It was a cautious half-hour after Ruby and Luther left, but it was that balance of daring risk-taking and cautiousness that had prolonged his life.

He looked up to the hanging moon. The bleeding colors of sunset had all but dispersed for the planet to revel in enchanting darkness.

Instinctively, he silently climbed up a tall tree to use as a vantage point. As he ascended, he quietly took note of how the trees were getting taller and taller the more he went south.

“Whew.” He said as he caught his breath, finally reaching the top.

Under the soft moonglow and the high view afforded to him, he saw miles of trees spanning into the distance.

Only difference this time, were that the flames of seeking torches were but mere specks in the far off expanse. They were numerous as the stars, but just as harmless from that far away.

“Pretty.” He even dared to comment.

Vendus then turned his gaze from north, to south.

Looking out into trees that towered even higher, he thought, “I…I’m almost there.”

Vendus wasn’t sure if they’d further pursue him into the forests, but he remembered the map— he was but hours away from crossing the borders, and exiting the Kingdom of Aelin.

The process that followed was more symbolic to him rather than was it practical.

In reality, he would be lugging his feet just a few more miles, but in his heart, crossing those borders and leaving these lands that held so much pain, and grief to him, was a blessing.

Although he knew that his past and his burdens would inevitably follow to haunt him, his heart would nonetheless be soothed in the knowing, even if only momentarily.

“It's the first step…but I've done it.”

Vendus patted his own shoulder, giving thanks, recognition, and acknowledgment to his own self that suffered through immense challenges.

He did not forget however, all the people who died so he could live. His father, the marquis, his land’s soldiers, and even that man named Luther, who despite his allegiance to the crown, extended him kindness.

After a few moments of silence, he finally opened his eyes. A chilling gale blew, and he immediately wanted to climb down.

First he made sure however, that there was no woman in pristine armor dashing through the forest…

…After confirming so, Vendus finally climbed down.

Stepping through the woods, moments turned into minutes that turned into hours. The path walking forward had never been more peaceful, with only dark shadows, and the typical sounds of the forest accompanying him.

He did not need to swing his head, left, right, and backwards, nor jump back behind a tree at every odd sound.

Out of habit though, he kept his footsteps ever silent, with neither the patter of soft grass nor the crunching of fallen autumn leaves resounding.

Yet in that silence…the faint sound of laboured breathing, could be heard louder and louder. As Vendus walked forwards, the sound had grown so audible as to drown out even the whistling winds.

Vendus was curious, and yet the safer choice would be to avoid any and all mishaps.

He should have avoided it, and yet, he walked closer to the source of the laboured breathing all the same.

In his chest…he felt it. The same sensitivity that allowed him to grasp the core principles of silent covertness and sensory evasion, were alerting him to the emotional waves of a creature’s pain, and misery.

Vendus got closer and closer, before he heard tormented whines and cries.

He peeked his head out from behind a thick tree, and there, beneath the moon’s glow…was an unconscious creature.

Its bulk was that of a medium sized dog, yet its form was both chubby and muscular. The creature sported light black fur, but all over its body were blood and bite marks, coloring it red with grisly shades of exposed pink. It trembled as if enduring freezing colds, with its chest heaving heavily up and down.

“A panther cub?”

“What…happened to you?”

Oddly drawn to the pitiful creature, and perhaps ignorant of the danger it posed, the boy’s hand reached out…and touched it.

It flinched. Weakly the creature swung its paw at him, as if trying desperately to stave off the threats to its life. The action was both pitiful, and heartbreaking.

Vendus swayed back just enough to dodge its claws, before looking at its face, seeing its eyes still closed in grimacing pain. Obviously the panther attacked not out of conscious thought, but out of instinct.

Yet as Vendus stared at the creature he began to realize something.

“It's face…”

He knew the face of the creature, more than any other animal’s. It was in his books, upon his House’s regalia, on his very dagger at his hip, and on many of the statues crafted in his family’s honor.

The black-furred creature, was a lion.