The Dreamer And The Deceiver (Book 1) (5 page)

Chapter 6: Death March

Emil and Marona paced themselves well, but the trek back to where Emil’s village once stood was a tedious one. He knew that they were after him so he wanted to take the most obscure path possible in order to avoid any threats that may have otherwise come his way. They treaded carefully, both he and Marona, not wanting to bring any unwanted attention to themselves. He could have opted to use his powers, but the last thing he needed was for him to be spotted with Marona. She had a good heart, but her skills in combat were yet to be tested. If they got a hold of her, they’d be ruthless. After seeing what happened to his people, he was sure of it.

Though she was safe at the moment, d
eep down he had the unshakable feeling that he was marching her to her death. So far they had yet to stumble upon any resistance, but he knew that everything could change in an instant. His guard remained ever vigilant, as did hers. Whether it was guilt, love, hate, or revenge that kept them going, it didn’t matter. As long as it kept them alive. He had his reasons to return, and so did she.

S
uddenly his footsteps stopped. Emil paused as he mapped out his surroundings, carefully analyzing the forest terrain.

“We’re close.”

The words were sharp and concise. In the past few hours that Marona had known him, she had grown used to his dialogue.

“Yeah…
how did you know?”

“I know this place. It took me awhile to get my bearings, but I know the way from here. Before I lived in Nerai
, I used to live out in the woods.  I was constantly on the move.”

He studied the area as he spoke, weary of any nearby guards.

“Because of the Vanguard, and those others guys too, right?”

“Yeah…
follow me.” His words drifted behind him as he began walking astray to the path they were previously on.

“Where
to?”

Emil turned back to her and pointed ahead of him towards a waterfall that wasn’t too far from where they currently stood.

“Back when I was on the run, I had a series of camps I made up around the outskirts of the forest. Every couple of days, I would change locations just to be safe. Behind the waterfall, there’s a cave. There’s food nearby as well as a water source. You can rest if you’re tired or eat if you’re hungry.”

“I told you already, I’m going with you. I can tell you’re not at your full strength yet
. You need me.”

“You didn’t let me finish. There’s also some weapons stashed there as well. I need to get some things if we plan on doing this.”

“Right.” Her cheeks flushed red at the thought of her sudden outburst. “I’m sorry. I jumped to a conclusion an-”

“It’s ok. We’re both on edge. We’ve been walking for awhile now… come on, we don’t have much further to go.”

The two of them journeyed deeper into the forest until they reached the base of the waterfall. The rushing water provided a soothing ambience, uncommon to those accustomed to life away from nature. The water flowed freely, descending down several cases and branching out at the bottom. At the base there was a particular stream that flowed further inland away from the others, presumably where wildlife would drink and bathe.

“So your home is somewhere up there?”
Marona pointed towards the top of the waterfall, meticulously searching for an entrance among the scattered rocks.

“More towards the middle. It’s perfect
, really. If you were to go behind the water from the base, you wouldn’t see it. You weren’t too far off, though. It’s actually right there.” Emil pointed his finger out to a location not too far from where Marona’s were.

“Hm. I still don’t see it.”

“It’s just a little ways up. Come on.”

Following his lead, Marona and Emil climbed up the rocky terrain until Emil suddenly stopped.

“Here.” 

From where he stood, it was still
not evident
that behind the veil of water, an opening existed. Emil was the first to enter. He came from the side and slid beneath the rushing water before he disappeared. Marona shimmied behind the water as well till she found the opening that Emil had went through.

The inside of the cave was hollow, more so than what she expected. It was simplistic in nature. A sheet or two was in the corner, a lantern, and a wooden box was all there was to his place of refuge aside from the cold stone walls. He was outfitting himself when she saw him, tucking away shuriken to a belt he had put on moments before.

He spoke with his back to her as he heard her come closer to the cache.  “There are some weapons over here if you’d like to take a look. I don’t know what you can use but you never know.”

“I’m good with my crossbow.
I’ll stay at a distance, remember?” she said as she approached Emil’s side.

“Yeah, but you need something in case someone gets past me. Can you wield a sword or anything like that?” He curiously turned to Marona who was now examining the conte
nts of his armory. In her hand she held one of his shuriken, studying its design.

“Not particularly well, but a dagger, that I could work with.” She said, still transfixed by the throwing star she held in her hand. “Why these?”

“They can hold a charge and I can throw them… saves energy and has range.” Emil extended his open palm to Marona, asking for the throwing star she had taken a liking to. Curious to know what he had in mind, she willingly handed it over to him. Emil gripped the star firmly between his thumb and pointer finger and raised it to eye level. A crackling stream of blue energy encompassed the throwing star as he held it. “And imagine having a couple of these lodged in your chest.”

“I’d rather not, but I get the idea. I’m not as gifted as you so I’ll stick to what I got and this dagger over here
. It should be enough.”

“Take two in case you get in a pinch. Hide one somewhere on you that wouldn’t be too obvious but easy to reach.”

“Right,” she said as she browsed through Emil’s assortment of daggers and knives.

Emil watched her as she looked over his collection before finally tossing the shuriken back with the rest. Rather than going to the makeshift bed he had arranged, he propped himself against the cold stone wall
of the cave. He repositioned his sword and rested it between his shoulders and neck. The rushing waves that echoed from the opening of the cave provided an ambience that put his mind at ease. Before long, his eyes were closed. The break was welcomed. Even though he put up a strong front, he knew he hadn’t fully recovered; physically or mentally. In his passive moments, memories of the village that he fought for plagued his mind. The fate of his family being left up to speculation gnawed at his psyche as well.

“You Ok
ay?” Marona asked as she folded her dress underneath her and sat directly in front of Emil. His eyes hung low but slowly widened at the sight of her in front of him.

“Yeah, just thinking… got everything you need?”

“Yeah, I think so. Two daggers. One at the hip and another one hidden in my boot. It should be enough.”

“Good. We leave tomorrow,” Emil responded before closing his eyes once again.

“I have a question
.  Earlier, you said that the king was doing something and you were shocked that I didn’t catch what was going on. You said that you would tell me, but it wasn’t safe where we were. So what’s going on?”

Emil pressed his head against the stone wall before looking up at the ceiling overhead; bracing himself for a truth he himself had barely come to terms with.

“They’re hunting us.”

“Hunting…
you?” Marona whispered silently to herself as she tried to process what she had just heard.

“Yes. Hunting us. It’s been
like this for awhile now. The king has been hunting us down like wild animals, picking us off one by one. That’s why you see The Guard everywhere. That’s why the taxes have been through the roof. That’s why it’s been harder to find food. It’s the reason behind everything. He’s trying to flush us out.”

“Us?”

“People like me. People who are different… Abnormals.”

“Why?” Marona asked, faintly, still somewhat in disbelief.

“I’m sure he has his reasons… the most obvious one is that he is afraid of a rebellion. He’d rather have us on his side than trying to tear us down. Usually when they find you, depending on how high they rank you, they’ll make you an offer to join them. Legion. If you’re not worth their time, they’ll kill you without hesitation. Join or die. It’s the surefire way to ensure information doesn’t get out about what they’re doing.”

“Is that why you’ve been on the run?”

“Yeah. I’ve been running for as long as I can remember. I thought I did well, though. I settled down in a small village and made peace, but they found me. I was living with a family in Nerai. Good people. But then they took everything away from me. I was careless… selfish. And now they’re all dead. Every last one of them. They’re dead because of me.”

His eyes drifted downward at his fee
t as Marona sat speechless in front of him.

“How stupid was I to think that I could actually live a normal life? I killed all of those people.”

“Emil…”

“They want me, so that’s what they’ll get. I can’t run anymore. They won’t stop till they have me. I know that now.”

“What if they think you’re already dead? What then?”

“They don’t.
They’re extremely good with tracking once you’re on their radar. They wouldn’t even consider it unless they found a body, and even then they have their ways.  I took out one of their members and a fleet along with him. That’s not something you can just forget. It’s been three days now. They’re out there. I understand if you’re afraid.  Just know that tomorrow I plan on killing them before they kill me.”

Chapter 7: A Fate Worse Than Death

That night, Emil stood guard outside the cave
, watching for nearby threats. From the opening of the cave where he stood, he could see where his village once resided. The moon up above dimly lit the forest grounds. From where he stood, nothing was visible of what used to be the village. There was just a patch of darkness, devoid of any life. In a flash of rage, Emil swung his fist into the side of the cave’s wall.

Come on. Show me something. Anything.

He intently scanned the forest for any sign of life. He had been doing this for the past couple of hours, determined to find a pulse somewhere down below.

Nothing.

When morning came, he found himself against a stone by the opening of where he once hid.

He stood immediately, shaking
off any sense of sluggishness he had before. The sun stung his eyes as he focused in on the horizon of the brightly shining star. The light that it bore was skewed, misrepresented by a thick ominous fog that hovered only slightly above the tree tops.

The hell?

Immediately, Emil doubled back to the cave and peered over to Marona who was still sleeping. Without a moment’s hesitation, he left her and pursued the fog that hung over the remnants of his village. Emil raced down the waterfall and deep into the forest, paying no head to the repercussions of his actions. If it was a trap, they’d get what they wanted, but they’d have to kill him first.  Emil gracefully dodged the low hanging vines and branches as he ran through the forest, determined to find his answer. As he drew closer to where his village once stood, the fog became thicker, forcing him to slow to a crawl. His feet skidded across the terrain as he came to a sudden stop. His breaths came slow, but not forced. The air was denser inside the fog than anywhere else in the forest. Slowly, Emil walked in the direction of his home town; fully aware that what he was witnessing wasn’t nature’s doing.

Emil walked through the forest, unnerved, sword in hand, mentally prepared for the ambush that was sure to come. As he ventured deeper into the forest, the king’s men never came. Instead, on the outskirts of his home
, a charred body hung loosely by the neck from a withered rope.

“Beth?”

There was no mistaking it. Her limp body was clothed the same as it was when he last saw her. Her frayed maroon dress eerily complemented the reddened flesh hanging from the exposed parts of her lifeless body.  She damned the whole town, her people, and ultimately herself all for a few coins. The assorted pieces of gold were scattered beneath the leaves directly under the tree where her body silently swayed.

Damn…

Emil tried his best to leave her body where it hung, but it didn’t sit right with him. He drew his sword and cut through the rope that suspended her, allowing him to gently lay her against the base of the tree.  His fingers ran lightly over her eyelids, finally putting her soul to rest.

Not too far
from his position, the sound of a cracked branch echoed behind him. Immediately, Emil turned his head over his shoulder and saw a familiar silhouette running deep into the woods. A numbing chill gripped his body as he felt the blood in his body ice over.

“R...Ren?”  He said softly to himself as he gazed deeper into the disorienting fog. “Ren!”  Emil sprang to his feet and called once more before rushing in after her. “Ren! Ren! It’s me!”
he yelled as he desperately tried to track her trail. “It’s not safe here! Where are you?! Ren!”

He stopped and searched the surrounding area for a sign, waiting for her response. “Taeo! Mom! We
have to get out of here!” 

“Emil, I’m scared!”
he heard her voice faintly in the distance.

“Ren!
I’m coming. I can’t see you. Stay put! I’ll come your way!” Emil paced himself in the direction of her voice until he found her waiting for him on a patch of charred earth. She stood alone, surrounded by the aftermath of the initial attack.

“Ren… are you ok? Where are the others?”
he said as he slowly approached her. Before he could touch her, her body faded into a silver stream of dust that dissipated into the fog.

Legion.

Emil quickly twisted his body and grimaced at the sight of a figure solidifying behind him. Without hesitation, Emil lunged towards the silver specter, piercing through its heart with his crackling hand.

Ren?
 

The head of the being bore a spitting resemblance to Ren as it morphed into a more solid form. Taking advantage of Emil’s shock, the specter retaliated, seemingly un-phased by the crumbling crystal-like material that fell from the hole in its shattered chest. From its mouth, a sickle emerged and fired at Emil from point blank range,
cutting him on the cheek.

“Gah!”

Emil winced in pain as the crystal spire drew blood as it traveled alongside his face. Using his free hand, Emil swiped clean through the neck of the crystallized figure, causing it to crumble immediately. The head of the figure rolled beside him, its mouth still gaped open, bearing the face of the one he trusted most.

Illusions.
Emil thought as he watched the head disintegrate into the ground.

His train of thought was halted by a swarm of footsteps encroaching
on him from amidst the thickening fog. Emil readied himself, drawing his sword and sending a charge throughout his blade.  From all directions he heard them. The constant pattering echoed in the void in which he stood. The grip on his blade loosened as he found himself leaning slightly to the side.

Wha-?

A sudden pulse ran through his body, momentarily immobilizing him. From the shadows, a crystal specter dived at Emil from above, aiming to incapacitate him in his moment of weakness.

Come on,
move!

Anticipating the surprise attack, Emil twisted his body
, narrowly dodging the set of silver tendrils that lunged at him. As the creature hit the forest floor, its tendrils shifted into a set of blades. Unable to land a counterattack, the beast leaped back into the cover of the gray mist, unharmed.

A shape shifter?
He thought as he shakily fell to one knee, planting his sword into the earth for balance. His vision blurred as his unfocused gaze began to slowly be consumed by white.
My head…

The footsteps circled him again, this time, louder. Emil sluggishly stood, disoriented by both the blinding haze and his unknown symptoms. He gripped his blade tight and drew it closer to his body.

Two…Three…Four?

It was impossible to determine their numbers with the fog masking their movements. From the haze, two specters sprang from both sides. Emil parried both of their attacks but was once again unable to capitalize on his opponent’s mishap. Another one landed behind him and swiped at his back. 

“Ah!”
Emil screamed as the blade tore through his flesh, the pain jerked him forward but his tenacity willed him to stay on his feet. Unrelenting, Emil turned and cleaved through his assailant’s face. Its disembodied carcass shattered and melded with the still, cold air.

As if fire was set to his back, Emil keeled over, stunned from the searing pain.

Tired already? The fun has only just begun.
An unfamiliar voice echoed in his head, momentarily blocking the pain of his injuries. Her tone, soft, deviant, akin to that of a seductive whisper. From above, the same two specters dived in on Emil. He dodged, pushing off of the terrain, propelling himself backwards. Still suspended in mid-air, Emil chunked a pair of charged shuriken at his attackers, both missing considerably.

Oh, I think you made them angry. Better run
, the voice sang.

As he flew through the air
, Emil watched as the already grotesque beings shifted once again. Fragments of crystal broke off from their exoskeletons as they shrieked feverishly in ecstasy. Their bladed hands curved inward and downward, forming perfectly proportioned scythes. Their bodies dropped, altering their center of gravity, forcing them to hunch over. The excess crystal that had fallen off, re-adhered itself to the base of their legs, fortifying their would-be calves.

Emil landed shakily, barely sticking his footing.
Poison?
The ground beneath his feet shook unevenly even though the earth remained still. His body drooped, unresponsive to his commands. 

Something like that,
the unfamiliar voice answered with a sultry laugh,
details are irrelevant at this point. All that matters is that you submit to me.