The Guardsmen

Chapter 19: Burning Reunion

A couple of days pass, and everyone is completely healed after the attack. Evander, though, has gone without sleep for a while and has very limited energy.

Acacius gathers everyone and says "Okay. These enemies are only getting stronger. We have to leave this 'safe house' and find a place to take refuge. Does anyone have any ideas?"

Everyone looks at each other when Eden suddenly shoots up her hand. "I know! We can go to Fort Dunmar! It's completely abandoned and is only 50 miles away or so. We could travel there!" She exclaims.

Everyone stares at her not knowing whether or not it was actually a good idea. "That sounds perfect. It's secluded, we have enough people to guard the walls as we develop a plan, and we can easily fight off an attack" says Andrus.

Acacius nods his head and agrees with the suggestion. He quickly glances and blushes at Eden. She blushes a bit and gets a big grin on her face. Evander looks at her completely confused.

"All of you, go ahead and begin packing. I'll find out which way we need to go" Acacius orders.

Everyone leaves the room and begins to pack everything while Acacius makes his way to the roof. He can see over the forest. He takes a look at a map and determines where the fort is located. He looks back up and carefully looks around him in a full 360 scope. Acacius's eyes suddenly widen and his breath cuts short. In the distance, a large dark clump slowly makes its way towards the house. Acacius looks closer to see a banner of the king wave from a spear being held by a foot soldier.

"He sent the military..." Acacius mutters. Acacius quickly marks the map and runs back into the house and yelling "Everyone! We need to leave now!"

"What?? Why!?" Eden asks.

"The king sent the military here. We can't stay here for much longer" Acacius replies.

Acacius explains that the king has officially sent the military to their door. "What do we do?? We can't fight off the entire military!" Yells Kokuro.

"It's not the entire army. Only a fraction. I doubt that the King would send the entire army over some bounties. This may be all of them right now" says Acacius.

"Then we should just crush them! It won't be much of a fight if we catch them right!" Andrus retorts.

Acacius says "No! Those are just soldiers following orders. They have families to fight for. We cannot do anything to them"

Eden looks down and softly smiles as she admires Acacius's morality.

"Okay! We need to head to the fort, now! Let's go! 50 miles East. At best, we have an hour before they're on us!" Says Acacius.

Everyone finishes packing up and begins to run outside. One by one they disappear into the forest. After about 30 minutes, Acacius walks outside and looks back towards the forest in the direction of the soldiers.

"The traps there should slow them down enough for all of us to get away and cover our tracks," he thinks to himself.

Eden stops before she reaches the forest and looks at Acacius. Everyone else is already gaining distance from the house. She walks up to Acacius, holds his hand, and says "C'mon! We have to go now! You said it yourself!"

Acacius looks down with concern, then back at Eden and softly smiles. She returns a grin. Her grin slowly begins to fade and her eyes widen. Acacius turns around and he does the same.

"That's impossible! They should have been slowed down!" He says.

The dark outlines of the soldiers begin to become clearer as they march through the forest with ease. Eden pulls Acacius's arm and shouts "Now! C'mon!"