Collided Fate: Book 1

Chapter 8: Campfire Mark

I fell onto one knee.

"Hopefully we got them all," I mumbled weakly as I forced myself to stand.

I looked at my feet, I was standing at the edge of a canyon that stretched out all through Evergreen field, as far as the eye could see. Boulders rained down from the sky to find their place back in the earth. Some of them fell into the canyon and almost a minute passed before I heard a crash.

"Asher." Aegis said gently.

I stood up straight and kept my arms to my side, "Sorry. I'll get on it."

I lifted up my arm and the canyon filled itself up and Evergreen Field, the boulders and rocks that fell on the canyons edge began to merge with the ground as if they were melting. Evergreen turned back from being a canyon to being a plain once again, but there no longer was as much greenery as it would've been even without my intervention.

"Good." Aegis said.

I relaxed a bit. I thought she was going to push me into the canyon. I turned around to face everyone. They were all silent.

"What?" I felt the ground shake and before I knew it a shadow loomed over me.

I rolled to the side then looked to see who was my attacker. His body was full of light brown fur, his teeth sharp, he had claws, a tail with a sharp end made of what looked like metal., he was a Uten. He was missing an eye two fingers in both hands had and a campfire mark on his right shoulder. This guy was the one that killed Keandra.

"You managed to survive by going underground and getting lucky, huh," I sighed.

The monster swung his axe and I parried it. I used my other sword to knock the axe out of his hands, before turning around and cut his hand off. I kicked him in the stomach then trapped him in a bubble of water. I pulled my arm back as my sword changed into a lance. Electricity crackled around the lance as I threw towards my target.

The lanced pierced through the monsters flesh, it's blood turning the bubble's color to a bright red. I froze the water before the blood spread completely. My lance, now stuck, in the frozen ice along with monster turned back into a sword.

He is still alive, I melted the ice where his head was at, while I pulled out my sword.

I swung the blood off before they both my swords faded away.

"I know you're alive, so talk." He laughed.

"I might as well. I'm dying anyways and can't be revived," He looked at me and smiled, "You look exactly like how our lord has described you. If you are him, our lord has nothing to worry about, wonder why they are so obsessed with you. You are nothing compared to them. You're weak."

"It didn't take me that long to beat you though." I laughed.

His eyes were still full of relief.

"You will met them eventually but don't underestimate them they could kill you in seconds. Especially my lords right hand. He stronger than my lord is." His body started to fade.

"If I have to be honest I'm glad I'm dying. I'm no longer bound to follow my lord's orders. Something was off about him and I never like what he made me do. The more I continued the more I regretted my actions but I had no control over what I was doing. If I was going to die here I wish I died before I helped burn that village down. Maybe that girl could've lived." All that was left of him now was his head.

"Wait who is this girl you're speaking of." I asked.

"I believe they told me that you know her. I tried to help her but there was no point, he was too strong." He paused for a bit.

"You may not forgive me but know that I am sorry. They have taken from--," He wasn't able to finish his sentence, and I watched as he disappeared completely.

He seemed to be at peace.

"I'll forgive you," I mumbled.

Asurmaru put her hand on my shoulder.

"You're a very forgiving person. You know that right?" I shrugged.

"I forgave him only because he wasn't the one that killed Keandra." I said, "Besides I believe in second chances."

I walked back to Lord Gilbert.

"Asher, I think Gilbert's men are scared of you." I looked at them and they flinched.

Fear came from them but the greatest came from the other generals who have woken up. Aegis stepped up.

I guess that's a natural reaction, I sighed.

"You guys don't need to be afraid of him. Asher only acts like that when he is fighting. Don't worry. He's on your side." Her words seemed to work.

The army calmed down a bit after a bit more convincing. I suddenly heard a sound and noticed a duck was staring at me. My body moved on its own and jumped back. I moved behind Lady Julie. She was the farthest from the duck. Asurmaru nodded at Aegis. She nodded back.

You two are really going to do this, I thought to myself.

"Oh yeah I forgot to mention he is loved by animals but for some reason he is scared of ducks." The duck came closer and closer until it started running.

"I am not scared of ducks!" I stumbled, got up and ran.

I had no control over my body's actions.

"Yes you are!" The duck chased me around in circles.

"Asurmaru I know your controlling me!" I yelled.

"No I am not." I jumped onto a tree branch.

"You are moving your fingers as if you're controlling a puppet," I retorted.

Asurmaru put her hands behind her back and shook her head. Everyone still seemed to believe her and started laughing at me. The duck eventually left and I had control over my body again. I jumped down from the branch. Everyone was still laughing. Aegis and Asurmaru put their hands on my shoulders.

"Your punishment isn't over yet." I felt a chill going down my spine.

"I can't believe a man of your caliber is scared of ducks." Gilbert said as he came up to me on his horse.

"Like I said. I am not scared of ducks." I insisted.

"Well you saved us. For that we must thank you. Please I must ask you to follow me to the castle." He turned to Lady Julie.

"Julie, how is the royal family? How did everything go?" She pointed at me.

"We took care of the Angel Slayer and rescued the royal family." Aegis said confidently.

"Isn't that right Asher," Asurmaru jeered.

"They are safe, and should be heading back to the castle," I answered.