OUTCAST : THE PATH OF A WARRIOR

28. INFESTATION

CHAPTER 28

Sheanna's warriors left for their village, taking their deceased chieftain to be buried there, while the rest of us left the Arena.

We reached the main square, in the centre, by The Tree of Life, surrounded by hundreds of people. Some of them were beginning to show resentment and bitterness , arguing and shouting, but thankfully we kept hidden in the shadows.

At the very heart, right by the tree, stood a speaker, trying extra hard to be heard. "Please listen to me, we are doing everything we can to restore order, but with most of the guards gone and with only just a few soldiers left, the city is vulnerable to attack from anyone and from everywhere."

"Why did you not do more to protect our lord from these heretics!" Shouted one, as others yelled in agreement . You should have killed those foreigners straight away, now they are free in our city!" He continued, as more and more were becoming belligerent.

" You're not fit to rule." Shouted onother, as it was crearly evident that they were desperate for more blood to spill.

" We demand a sacrifice to appease the Gods, so our lord, the great Felippo doesn't bring his punishment upon us! Bring out the girl!" Shouted the self acclaimed leader of the antagonists .

We watched in silence as two men were hauling a terrified young girl, screaming out for her father.

"No... stop ! What are you doing? leave my daughter alone!" Shouted the speaker in anguish.

"Looks like more shit is about to fall upon these people ! " Said Paulos, whispering.

" More like blood!" Answered The General, pointing at the girl .

"Look... She's only a child!"

"We must do something! Said Sheanna, looking to me for some hopeful answer.

"We have to stop this unnecessary bloodshed from happening... Please Norak!"

I turned to face her, as a tear or two were making their way down her chin, and for the life of me, I wasn't in a position to answer her.

I was desperately in need of a break from all the overwhelmingly strange phenomenon that's been happening around me.

All I wanted, at that moment, was to shut out all the noise and just hold her in my arms, tell her how I felt, and that everything will be alright.

Mother used to do that, hold me tight, she was always good at that,calming my fears and anxieties, and somehow, always found a way to make them go away.

But that was when I was too young to comprehend the tensions and hostilities of life.

But what's changed, now that I'm not considered a teenager anymore, but a full grown adult?.. I wondered.

Something in the air suddenly changed, the wind began to whistle, emphatically, the sound piercing the eardrums of everyone and everything within hearing.

Everyone standing fell to their knees,including my self, trying to shut out the noise with our hands. But resistance was futile.

I noticed all around us, people collapsing to the ground, next to me, the anguish faces of my friends, as I could see the whites of their eyeballs, and on the verge of losing consciousness.

Then just like that it was over, the noise subsided, yet the numbing feeling in my head still felt as though heavy hands were crushing my head like a vice.

I could barely manage to focus my eyes, when I noticed Pietro sitting legs crossed, and hands locked in prayer.

"Is... everyone alright?" I said, barely hearing my own voice.