The Dark Sun

Chapter 12: Exceptional Loses

     The wind blew my hair behind me. Water filled my constantly dried-out eyes. Hooves slammed onto the ground. The smell of wet mulch filled my nostrils. The large blue sky, dotted by clouds, covered my blurred vision. The pants of the horse beneath me pushed against my legs. My dress flowed behind us, picked up by the wind.

Even in the cold air, I felt warm and fuzzy. I basked in the joy I felt, bounding on horseback by the shore of Lake Eoeauni. I laughed. I laughed harder than I ever had before. Pulling up the reigns, I brought the horse, who I'd named Bolt, to a slow trot. Trying desperately to catch my breath, I inhaled sharply. Calming down, I looked out ahead at where Lexula was in the distance. The main city, named White Cove after the first generation, led by Queen Ontari, made refuge in a cove on White Bay, was a tiny dot on the horizon. Several smaller towns and cities dotted the grassland.

I continued down the main road, passing dozens of off-roads along the way. Eventually, I slowed down at the entrance to one of these towns. It was a large, wooden building that arched across the road. It had a stone base and big, candle-lit lanterns hung from the bridge. Beyond that, the rest of the town sprawled out. I could probably be out of the town before I needed to inhale again. Trotting through the town, dozens of townsmen scurried by, only to be stopped by the appearance of an Adruvalonian royal horse with the Lexulian queen riding it.

Before long, almost the entire town was surrounding Bolt. He seemed nervous, moving unsteadily back and forth and turning in circles. I knew he was about to panic.

"Citizens!" I called out. The loud murmur traveling across the town immediately died out. "Everyone back away from the horse, for your safety as well as mine."

The crowd shuffled backward, making a path out of the town towards White Bay. After a moment of letting Bolt calm down, I tugged on his reigns again with a "yah!" and we set off towards home.

We steered clear of most towns and villages on the rest of the way home. The scenery passed in blurs of blue and green. I had never felt as free as I had at that moment; my hair pulled back by the wind, sun on my face, dress flapping behind me.

I closed my eyes and smiled. Laughing loudly, I felt the cold wind push me back. Bolt let out a screech. I felt my heart drop as he reared up. I started to slide backward. My heartbeat shot sky-high. Panicking slightly, I desperately grabbed at the reins. One moment I was flying through the air, and the next, I felt the ground slam into my back. The oxygen in my lungs fled out my mouth. I lay there, stunned, for a few moments.

When I was finally able to catch my breath again, I slowly sat up. I was careful to check myself for possible injuries. I had none other than a dull headache. Crawling to my feet, I glanced around for Bolt. I noticed him dashing away, back towards the Adruvalonian border. I frowned. What the hell was that for? I wondered. I was still standing there when I heard what sounded like waves crashing against rocks. I'm not near the coast, why am I hearing the ocean? I asked myself, worried.

After a moment of regaining the rest of my senses, I smelled something too. It reminded me of the smell of smoldering firewood after the fire was put out. Turning slowly, I gasped in shock. Fire covered the area for as long as I could see. It had sprung up very quickly, not being visible when I entered and exited the first village close to the border. It spread quickly, eating everything in its path. Underneath the roar of the fire, I also heard the faint screams of men and women, accompanied by the clash of metal. Oh my god's, I thought. Krepheneia is here...

I attempted to back away, knowing that I -the sole monarch of the kingdom- was the main target. I glanced behind me. The road was open. Luckily, there were no trees or bushes along any of the main roads. This was put in place so that no one could hide behind said tree or bush and assassinate the monarchs while they traveled. I was about to turn and run when I heard metal clanking from the fire. Whipping my head back around, I found myself looking into the eyes of a VERY large Krepheniean warrior.