A Spark Against the Shadows (Book Two) Fully Released

Chapter I - A New Trail

Alexis placed her gloved left hand against an enormous tree trunk as the sounds of the pounding storm around her raged. Breathing lightly, she focused on the sound of the rain bouncing off her silver armor over her chest before flipping her right hand. Examining the scar on the inside of her wrist, Alexis took a deep breath as she exhaled. She watched the crystals in front of her mouth freeze, allowing her to see her breath, even in the warm air.

She moved her hand to her forehead before swiping the strands of her brown hair out of her face, back into her hair above. She took a deep breath, examining the forested path ahead as she took her braided hair and rung out the water from her hair.

The leaves above stopped most of the rainfall as it continued to pour down onto the land, making their travel more difficult by the hour. The clear path through the forest they once had was no longer visible to them as the pathway disappeared under their feet in the rain. Alexis glanced back while Lukas continued up the small hill behind her. He still wore his silver knight's armor, including his sword and shield. She gave a small smirk, watching him struggle against the terrain.

Looking behind him, she saw Sonya keeping a good pace behind Lukas. Alexis noticed that Sonya still wore her light chain-mail over a brown cloth shirt beneath it. She moved easier than Lukas, as she wore lighter materials, including her leather bracers and shoulder piece for limited protection. Alexis paused as she watched the rain hit Sonya's flesh on her arm before a small amount of steam flickered off her body with every drop of rain.

Alexis took the time she had gained by moving ahead of them to listen to the sound of the forest as she closed her eyes and rubbed the scar on her wrist. A sudden flash of lightning and the following pound of thunder made her come back to the world as she watched Lukas lose his footing before falling into the mud below.

"Damn this weather! Do we even know where we are?" asked Lukas, while he shifted his body in the mud.

Alexis moved her hand to her mouth as she covered a small laugh from escaping. Sonya quickly walked behind Lukas and positioned herself against the terrain before helping him off the ground. She directed him away from the muddied area to a small rock as she reached down and rubbed the dirt off her black pants with the help of the rain. Sonya glanced up at Lukas and shook her head at his earlier comment. "The mountains are to our west, so we are still traveling in Mara. Just try to keep your—"

"I did not intentionally fall in the mud, Sonya," said Lukas, interrupting her as he reached down and tightened one strap of his armor around his ankles. "I am just curious about why are we not heading back the way through Pasea?"

He stared at her before Alexis headed back down the hill behind them while she stopped while the two turned their attention to her. Crossing her arms, she smirked. "Our goal is the Capitol of Damira, which is north of here. It would have taken us longer to travel all the way back to Pasea, time we do not really have."

"I know the destination," snapped Lukas as he walked past her, avoiding contact before turning his head back to the two of them. "If we were traveling through Damira lands, then we would not need to avoid towns on the way to Baris."

Alexis watched as he continued to move up the path as he slipped slightly again, this time catching himself against a tree. Tilting her head a bit, she smiled before Sonya moved next to her while crossing her arms. Sonya turned her body towards Alexis as she reached up and moved a strand of her black hair from her left temple. The two watched as he muttered something under his breath before Sonya asked her, "You have known him the longest. Is he always like this?"

She nodded while meeting her gaze before Sonya added, "Do not get the wrong impression. Lukas is a capable fighter. He had my back in the prison and did not miss a step against those guards. He just complains a lot."