The Knights of Aragon

Chapter 6

It's been a few hours now, still no sign of any living creature. My body is begging for sleep, and I am so close to giving in. But every time I glance at Draxum's sleeping form, I am reminded why I can't succumb to it. Groaning, I rub my face. I can't sleep. I won't sleep. The quiet isn't as peaceful as many think. For years, the village kept quiet as to not anger the Mist, or Quikas, or whatever it's called. The silent, although it kept us safe, was also eerie and suspenseful. We knew something was watching but we never had the courage to seek it out.

I shift and move Inferno in between my leg as soft breeze slowly lulls me to sleep, like a mother swaying her baby between her arms. My hair dances around in front of my face as my eyes slowly close. The breeze caresses my face, making my whole body relaxes as sleep pulls me under.

Hello, again.

I jolt awake. I'm no longer in the forest with Draxum but in an open field, filled with mist and fog. There's nothing as far as the eye can see. "What do you want?" The fog slithers in my direction with its new form. I just wanted to see your progress, it sneers, Just as I thought, you are nowhere with absolutely nothing.

I scoff at it. "If I was nowhere with nothing, you wouldn't be here Quikas," I confidently say. I see it flinch when I say its name. I see Arathmus has chosen her side, it says to itself. "What?" I step forward. It doesn't answer me. Quikas shapeshifts back to the form that I first saw it in: A faceless body of grey fog. You may call me whatever you like but know this, it stands closer to me, when the time comes, you'll regret leaving your little hovel for this quest.

"Lucky for you, I won't be the one ending you," I retort back. It snickers and pushes me off a ledge. I wake up panting to a forest full of eyes. Yellow, pupilless eyes. Gods no. I slowly grab Inferno and crawl my way to Draxum. "Draxum," I nudge him, "wake up!" He snores softly. "Draxum!" I kick him on his side.

He yelps in response, but I quickly cover his mouth. "Quiet," I hiss, "We are being watched." His eyes widen in fear. "We have to gather our things and slowly stand up. Don't say anything and don't look back." I give him an encouraging nod. I grip Inferno harder as I lift it up. All the eyes are yellow with black slits. They blink slowly, menacing, almost mocking. These are Nightcrawlers. That's why the forest why was so quiet during the day. The information I know about them are extremely limited, but I know that they are cursed souls turned demon that crave darkness and death. Although, the Elders' stories aren't so reliable now that I think of it.

Draxum crawls over fallen branches a few inches up from me. My turn. Crouched low, I make my way over to where he is. Their eyes follow me. Only me. My stomach turns with uneasiness. This is extremely not good. I hear a twig snap from their direction. Gods, they're moving with me. "Val," he whispers, "I don't like this." Me neither, but I don't tell him that. I don't want to scare him more than he already is.

I make it over the same fallen branches that Draxum went over. "On the count of three," I back away, "you keep running east to Axinite and I'll go straight. I'll meet you halfway." From the corner of my eye, I see him hesitate before nodding in agreement. "One," I take one more step a back, "Two," the eyes begin to disappear and my heart speeds up, "Three!" We both take off running in separate directions. As I guessed, they only hunt me and not Draxum. I sent a silent thank you to whoever is listening. He'll be safe for now. Terrifying growls and barks fill the forest behind me, filling the night air. The snapping of teeth near my ankles causes me to scream. I pump my arms and legs to go faster. They are closer than I thought. I take a sharp right, heading east once again. I hope Draxum is well, hiding and farther away from where I am now.

Right in front of me, I see a large trunk laying on the ground. I run full speed ahead, reading for the jump. The Nightcrawlers are still trailing me, so I go for it without hesitation. I leap from one rock and bounce off another; it should give me the perfect boost to leap across the trunk, and it does. I'm flying, weightless. Hope swells in my chest; until I get body slammed mid-jump by a rogue Nightcrawler onto the ground. Its teeth sink deep into my side, tearing my flesh near my stomach. I cry out as the searing pain spreads up and down my body.