Rise of the Fallen

Chapter 22: The Battle of Paris

As the days pass by without any sign from Tianna or the Fallen, the tension in the air still lingers and clings to us all. It's almost suffocating. The feeling that something can happen anytime hangs over me as I walk through the forest of the Nether

As I make my way through the dense vegetation, a branch snaps to the right of me. Crouching down, and take an arrow out of the quiver and nock it as I slowly make my way through the forest. Listening for any sudden movements, a buck explodes out of the brush as I draw back on the bow. Before the buck vanishes back into the forest, the arrow pierces it through the lungs. It runs a few more feet before collapsing.

After dressing the buck, I take what I can back to the base camp. When I arrive, all the tents are set up, students are training and sharpening their skills for the inventible battle to come. Walking, through the camp, I see Jaq and the Headmaster standing and talking over a table.

"Père," I say as I walk towards the table as he and the headmaster turn to me.

"Oh, your back." He says as he walks over towards me, "How was the hunt?"

Putting the bag of venison on the food prep table and say, "It was ok, but I could only carry back this much."

Jaq rubs my head and says as he takes the meat, "This is perfect we can make a stew and feed everyone."

"Ok," I say before I ask, "How are things with the weapons?"

As Jaq starts to prepare the meat to be cooked he says, "I think the blacksmiths dropped off the last of them."

"That's good," I say as Jaq starts to cook, "Did, you see Skinny by any chance?"

Jaq nods his head and says, "Yea, he said he had something for you. I think he should be in back in the forge."

"Thanks pop." I say as I turn around and leave to go to the entrance to the Nether and walk up the stairs to the fourth floor.

As I walk down the hallway, the door to the forge opens and Skinny walks out looking down at a clipboard.

"Hey, Skinny!" I call out.

He lifts his head up and waves. "Hey Danny, perfect timing,"

Skinny gestures his hand for me to follow him back into the forge. He opens the door and a blast of heat and the smell of iron and steel hits my face as we walk in.

"So, I finished the glove you asked for." Skinny says as he opens the door to his office and walks in.

Walking in after him he sits down and reaches under his desk. He pulls out a white box, sets it on the desk, pushes it towards me as I sit down.

"Go ahead and open it." He says

I slowly reach for the box and open it revealing a pair of black archery gloves. I take one out and try it on.

"How does it feel?" Skinny asks, "Is it too small, to big?"

Shaking my head, I say, "It feels great, thanks Skinny I can't wait to try it out."

He grins and says, "Ok, great. Oh, and here, I just got finished engraving those symbols on Julius' guns. Could you take this to him. I didn't see him earlier."

"Sure, no problem." I say as Skinny takes out a good sized gun case and hands it to me.

I take off the glove, put it in the box and grab the gun case. Skinny stands up and opens the door for me. As I leave the fourth floor, Skinny says, "Let me know how they work."