Broken footsteps

-=Chapter 12=-

My thoughts are like a journal, scribbled down will all effort then long forgotten, it seems interesting to begin with, but once read or experienced it gets put to the back of the pile, taken for granted; like a lot of things in life. It's like dreaming, when you dream and remember it you think it means something or is special. Sometimes it's just your self conscious talking to you, telling you things that your mind doesn't want to hear. When you dream it is pure bliss, but things like nightmares always come to destroy what you want, it's like the nightwalker being the nightmare and I dream. Sometimes you can get so caught up in something that you don't realise the world around.

I woke up my eyes sharp yet blurred, everything was dim, where was I? Was I home? Was all my past just a dream? Slowly my eyes became accustom to the light and I soon realised that this wasn't my bedroom but a room at the inn I had hired with Rhydian.

Quietly I sat up and rubbed my tired eyes pulling back the blanket I slowly setting alight the oil lamp, I got up and walked over to the wooden bath and filled it up with clean, sparkling, refreshing water. It looked so clear and beautiful, I couldn't wait to bathe in it, I clearly remembered the words Rhydian spoke of about the water, he said something along the lines that the water did not just cleanse you but heal any cuts and wounds.

I honestly found that fascinating, when I had got out and changed I stared at my arm where a old graze used to be, I say used for a reason it was no longer there. Shocked and dumbfounded I decided to grab some of the water and place it I a flask, for emergencies.
I walked down the rickety staircase and came out in the bar, both men and women sat huddled around tables, drinks in their hands muttering about all sorts of stuff. My eyes flickered around the room looking for Rhydian, he sat in a corner a pint in one hand and a book in the other, both of his hands were clean for a change yet very pale and rough; age was visible in them yet his face was young and youthful. I slowly ambled over and poured some water out of the ceramic jug into a wooden mug, "morning," I muttered and took a mouthful of the refreshing water like everyone else here.
"Likewise," replied Rhydian not looking up from his book.
"You can read?" I asked, it may sound weird but in this world we live in it's very backwards, many people can't read, nor is there many schools around so being tutored is very special.
"Yes, I have been able for quite a few years now," this time he looked up but avoided my gaze.
"Who were you taught by?"
"By my tutor, I know oh wow I had a tutor, he was a family friend and looked after me far more than my parents ever did, anyway are you ready?" I nodded my head slowly one eyebrow raised in confusion of where we were going.
"How come?" I looked into his eyes and saw excitement in them.
"Your going to meet a good friend of mine, come on, I know you want to destroy whatever it is that is causing dismay, I know someone who can help and bring us a step closer to finding how to kill it," I smiled happily and stood up grabbing my bag and looking around the busy room.
"Where to?" I let out a small laugh and waited for him to get out of his seat.
"Follow me, off we go," we both marched out the room into the lovely courtyard full of blooming flowers. We made our way out through the gates and down a small dark ally, it may have been dark and unwelcoming but it still had a sense of pleasantness about it. I followed Rhydian up to a deep plum door and knocked quietly in a repetitive pattern.
Within a few seconds the door gently creaked open and an old man appeared in a long purple robe, it was worn and aged like himself. He had a long white beard it was knotted and tangled most likely full of wisdom and knowledge.
"Yes what do you want you filthy little... oh Rhydian it's you, who's this girl?" His voice begun impatient then soon grew tolerant when he knew who it was.
"Um this is... Dawn, she's a friend, we um... Can we come in Uncle Tunde?" Rhydian's voice was hushed and serious, he stepped backwards and pushed me into the doorway. The old man smiled kindly and helped me inside along with Rhydian.
"What is so important that we must talk in silent grounds?" Asked uncle Tunde sitting on the large patched armchair in the corner of the clattered room by the hearth.
"She's the one you were on about, the one to kill the darkness, she knows him, he feeds off her, she's the one," I tensed up at his words, quietly I turned my head to face Uncle Tunde to see a hand swiping across his face with mixed emotions.
"Finally someone found them, where did you find her?" He spoke of me like a thing and that is where I butted in,my teeth gritted and I walked over to the large pile of books and sat down.
"He found me in the woods a couple of miles back, in the woods of Libra we just so happened to stumble upon one another's paths." I nodded my head and straightened up.
"An intelligent child, most likely well educated but from a hard background hence her slight bitterness. She is the one the prophecy stated," he gazed towards me and gave a small smile.
"Sorry, the prophecy?" I asked feeling slightly uncomfortable as when I spoke all the attention drew to me.
"The prophecy, oh where do I begin?" Queried uncle Tunde, "oh it was only about 18ish years ago I have lost track of exactly when but anyway, one of my friends came over for a good catch up."
"When he says catch up he means reading books with his friends and gaining wisdom," laughed Rhydian rubbing the back of his head.
"Well at later on my friend began muttering some weird words, I asked him what was wrong but he just ignored me, anyway he continued to mutter strange words they went something like this:
The darkness will only grow,
Stronger and stronger till the edge of time,
But the one will come,
With a harsh background,
And stories to tell,
They will come,
With the empathy towards their suffering,
They will come to end it all with just as mere stone and knife,
Both made of special origin,
Of which it is unknown,
Man of flesh,
Heart still feeble,
They are the one no who hides in the shadows." His words rung in my ears, that was a deep but small description of me, it was all so carefully placed. I could feel my heartbeat pick up instantly as he spoke, now I was almost certain I had gone pale, I had no clue why I was like this, it was just the words he spoke; they just made something inside me jolt, maybe it was because I was one step closer to stopping the darkness, one step closer to killing him - the nightwalker!
I could feel the darkness breathing on my neck as uncle Tunde rambled on, was I even here safe?
The wind shook violently and I heard the familiar calling shouting out my name, I was drawn to it but at the same time fear was warning me this wasn't just the whistling of the wind. I looked around and saw Rhydian and uncle Tunde stop talking and look in my direction as I grabbed a nearby bow from the bookshelf.
"Dawn...." The voice called followed by the footsteps, the broken footsteps...

-=END OF CHAPTER=-
Hey guys just if your wondering the book is set in a slightly more advanced version of the medieval era.
Luv ya
pinky2423