DURING THE EON OF RAGE
“If we keep following this road, we might end up at Solaire in a week.”
No response. Constance was quiet. She had not said a single word since we left the burning city. Its name soon to be lost like all burning cities before it. But maybe, not to Constance.
“I can hear them.”
I looked to her, waiting for her to continue.
“I can hear their screams before they died. And the sound of blood sputtering in the air after metal touches skin. It’s like the sound of birds taking flight but more chaotic, more human.” Constance muttered, the words coming out with little strength.
I turned back to the road, “Worry your head not of such things.”
“Do you hear them?”
“I don’t.”
And that was a difference we had. The gift to dream, and all that comes with it. For every dream is not a song of melodious harmony. There are some songs composed by those beyond us, songs we follow and perform. Songs in the battlefield ending in the blood gurgling screams of another.
I did not create these songs, and I don’t know how to create others.
But maybe she can.
I reached out to her, grabbing her shoulder. “I need you to keep it together, Constance.”
Constance nodded.
We continued down the tattered path. The breeze continued to push us from all directions. Each step we took was a subtle slice at the wind around us, as the birds chirped in the rhythms of nature and the trees swayed to its diurnal melody.
Something about it must have touched her because she began singing.
In the age of rage, where the phantoms of the past
Hunt the light and leave us scars asunder
Will we live ‘til the sun sets?
Fear not, the soul inside burns
Fear not, the soul inside burns
Like the dawn, the eternal dawn
An eternal dawn. A dream.
Where will we find it?
Can we find it?
For her sake, I hope we do. But in this world, to expect such a thing is foolish. It is lacking of all logic. Lacking of all sense. It is a desperation borne out of a wish with no wings. A disruption to the ticking clock looming over every single one of us. One that consumes us from the day we were created. A09. That is what I am. And I think that is what she is too.
I think.
As a bird sings, a melody entrenched in its fabric of creation comes out. One sang by many birds before it, some whose species do not linger here no more. The same can be said about the forest. It has seen all that there was and felt all that there was.
And when one disturbs the forest - no matter how faint - all you have to do is listen and the forest will speak to you. Granting you guidance in a moment of need.
I didn’t notice it when I should have. Constance’s singing overpowered my senses, giving me a sense of peace that shadowed what we both needed most. No matter, the forest gave me the signal.
The breeze that I had felt overlap us both, pushing with a cold intention was now disjointed. As if somewhere in the forest, there was something or somebody blocking it. And as we continued on the path, Constance still silently singing behind me. I had noticed the breeze dying down more and more. Whoever this was, they were not alone.
I readied myself. Whoever they were, they will not have the element of surprise.
“Constance.”
“Hm?”
“Come closer to me, hurry.”
Constance stepped beside me, matching my footsteps. I looked her in the eyes and made a gesture pointing at the trees. She looked around and as if hit with the same epiphany that I was, a slight amount of fear creeped up to her eyebrows.
“Listen, okay?”
Constance nodded.
A leaf from a tree fell down. When it had fallen to its lowest, the grass beneath it brushed against it pushing it higher. And then it fell again. And then grass pushed it up again. And then it fell again.
Only to be stepped on with the force of leather boots, a sound crunching through the forest almost like bones grinding against each other.
I looked to Constance. The look on her face said it all. We both heard it.
I unsheathed my sword.
And as if reacting to it, the sounds of leather boots stepping on grass multiplied. And they were getting nearer and nearer, and they were coming at us faster and faster.
“Quick, get behind me!” I shouted to Constance. My blade drawn, and my body angled towards the forest.
From my left, the silhouette of a figure appeared and jumped out of the forest with a cleaver in hand. It was one of the demons of the north, they were wearing a light leather armour inked with a black tar. This was what their scouting parties usually wore. And we’ve just found ourselves in the sights of one of them.
I sliced left, bending both of my legs along with it. When I felt the cold sear of metal go on hot flesh, I pulled my sword back and pushed it with the force of my shoulder through the demon’s chest. Their mouth awash with a mix of spit and blood, hurling its way towards the ground.
It didn’t take long for the next demon to come out. This time to my blindspot on my right. I felt them close, jumping out of the bushes. They were twirling their dagger at me, eyes full of a rage twinged with a twisted happiness.
With the force of my entire body, I used my blade as my pointer and slid right, cutting off the arm of the demon. Their eyes of rage turning into a shocking realisation. They screamed.
“My arm! My arm! Where is my arm?”
With another step, I sliced through their neck.
“Watch out!” Constance shouted.
And before I knew it, a dagger was shoved through me from behind. The pain lit a flame in my body that burned. I could almost feel the bloodshot of my eyes nearing combustion. And at this moment, I reacted.
I pushed my body backwards, shocking my attacker who kept their hand steady at the hilt of the dagger. We slammed into a tree, the dagger digging deeper into me. And I turned, blade in hand. Decapitating the demon. Unleashing a fountain of blood from where his head was supposed to be.
That’s when I felt it. The agonising pain like a bolt of lightning surging through my veins, begging me to find a way to end it. There is no end.
As I looked up, I could see Constance with a dumbfounded look. Her eyes watery.
“What are you doing? Get behind me.” I said, mouth filling with blood. I spat on the ground to empty it.
Constance complied to my order.
I can’t let her down.
I can’t die here.
We can’t die here.
I steadied myself, using my blade to support myself.
The sounds of grass rustling echoed from all directions. The melody of the birds now chaotic as they flailed around in the sky, sensing intruders. How many more are there?
One more demon appeared, jumping from the shadows of the tree. They stood on the path, looking at me. Seeing me at such a fragile state must have put them at a state of confidence. They pulled out both of their daggers and smiled at me.
Any moment now they can lunge at me. I need to be prepared.
I must live.
I must protect her.
The demon jumped forward. And before I could even react, they were immediately decimated by a barrage of crossbow bolts coming from all directions of the forest. Twisting and malforming his skin in all directions. The smug look on his face disappearing along with the rest of it.
In synchronous symphony, the screams of demons all around me echoed. They were being massacred. With every moment, I heard less and less screams. The demon scouting party was gone as quick as they came.
“What’s going on?” Constance tugged at me.
“I don’t know.”
We looked around us, searching for our saviours. What we found were emerald laden eyes staring right us from the dark pockets of the forest.
There was complete silence for a few moments.
Until one of the eyes started moving.
Towards us.
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