An Unexpected Tragedy, Part 46

We'd stopped after a few hours of flight. I dunno why we didn't just travel by portal, but there was something relaxing about flying Harx. Adrienne was tired, though, and she asked to stop and rest a while. We were in a big forest in Alabama, and honestly I had no idea where I was supposed to go. I knew only that I had to consider the dreams I'd had a while before. They were more on my mind than anything else, even in this frantic time in my life. Adrienne was good at taking my mind off of it, but nothing could keep it away forever.

"You okay?" she asked. "You look worried."

"It's nothing," I said. I was still in my armor--the truth was it was more comfortable than any other clothes I had. Besides, I felt pretty damn cool, and I had a pretty bad feeling about where we were, like something was watching us.

I heard something move behind me and turned around like lighting, my swords already in my hands. There was nothing there.

"Adrienne we need to leave," I said.

"What?" she said. "No! I'm so tired, why don't we just... rest?" She came up and rubbed my chest. I pushed her away.

"No, I'm serious."

"What, you don't want me? That's pretty me...." She was cut off by a sword going straight through her stomach. blood splattered me on the face, my jaw dropped, and we both stared at each other blankly. The sword withdrew from her back with the worst noise I'd ever heard. Harx, who was tied to a tree, pulled madly at his ties. Adrienne fell, making a noise like "keh" as she fell.

"No!" I managed. It was the best I could do. Standing behind her was a large man--about eight and a half feet--wearing shining purple armor. His sword was huge--taller than me--and his face was obscured by a heavy purple helmet. Everything except his mouth, which was spread in a huge smile showing sharp, sharp teeth.

I lunged with my swords, moving as fast as I could imagine anything moving. The purple beast moved faster even than me, though. It dodged, but made no attempt to attack. It stood still.

"Now now, dear boy." The voice was familiar, it sent icy chills down my spine. I strengthened my grip on my swords, even though my left hand was still sore.

"Rakasha," I growled. Indeed I could see the waving mist that was the demon lord.

"This is my most trusted man, the purple knight. He's something like an executioner, I guess you'd say."

Adrienne stirred beneath us. "R-r-run! Get out of here!" She coughed up blood. The purple knight took a single step and crushed her head beneath his boot.

It was too much. It wasn't real. Very funny god--I'll wake from this dream now. But there was no waking. Nothing moved but Harx, stirred by the smell of blood. I fell to my knees at Adrienne's side--her body didn't move. I dropped my swords. They didn't matter now--nothing mattered now. There was a pressure rising in me that had more to do with anger than sadness--my whole life was flashing before me like in a dream, but this wasn't my death. It might as well have been, though. Why couldn't it be? What does it matter? But there was that purple beast, his skin crusty beneath his bright armor. Whatever there was within me that was holding my anger, my power back, snapped. I felt my body changing--growing in size. I was all of a sudden taller, stronger, much, much more powerful. The look on the purple bastard's face was that of pure amazement. I moved, and this time he couldn't even attempt to match my speed.

I punched him three times before he could move, and each time I felt bones break beneath my hands. But he countered quickly. His sword came up and met my midsection. The armor saved my life but the impact was enough to break two of my ribs and knock the air from my lungs. It wasn't enough to stop me, though. I rebounded with a punch to the mouth which shattered most of the vile thing's teeth. I wanted to destroy him, to take him and break him like he broke her, but Rakasha had other plans.

"Come, minion. This is a fight for another day." A portal opened and the two of them went through, and I was unable to follow. I was left alone with nothing but the body of the girl I think I'd started to love. Harx was laying down now, and it looked as though he may have been crying, but the tears that were already flowing down my eyes were too much too deal with. There was nothing... nothing... that I could do to make any of it bearable. If you'd been looking on at the scene you'd see a boy who used to be just short of six foot, brown haired and skinny. That boy was now a man nearly 6'5'', with huge muscles and solid white hair. The limit to my power was now broken, and I could feel it coursing through me with every breath. The only thing that kept me alive in that moment was the thought of holding that purple bastard's heart in my hands. The idea of finding a way to kill Rakasha, and avenging the death of Adrienne.




-The Knight