Aetheria's Enigma: The Lost Traveler

Chapter VI

As we approach the stretch of road the bandits have been attacking, Memories of my time overseas come to mind. I've led a few ambushes just like these guys are running. We got lucky more than a few times. No use dwelling on the past right now. I have to focus.

Kaori interrupts my thoughts "William?"

"What?"

"You said earlier you were responsible for people's deaths."

"Yeah?"

"You also told me you were a soldier. Isn't that a soldier's job?" She looks down like she's afraid.

To be fair, I never told her the whole story. Just that I was a soldier. She doesn't know what happened. "That's not what I meant. Good people, my friends, could have survived if I had acted sooner." I push back the guilt. "It doesn't matter right now. We have a job to do."

She looks at me but doesn't say a word.

I hold out her sword. "Here. You should probably take this back before they show themselves." I fake a smile, hoping it'll raise her spirits.

She smiles back. "I'm happy I met you." She takes the sword. "Let's do this!"

It's been about an hour since we got through the gate. We've been riding on the edge of the forest for about the past 10. Then I see someone, just standing in the middle of the road. I look at Kaori. "Get ready."

She nods.

When we get up to the man, the merchant stops the cart, and says, "Sir, can you please get out of the way? We have a schedule to keep."

Two men step out of the forest and stand on either side of the man. "How about you all get out of the cart." He smirks.

"Sir, please. These herbs need to get to the capital imme-"

The merchant is cut off by an arrow flying past his face from in the forest. The two bowmen step out, arrows ready to fire, and stand at the edge.

The man says to all of us, "I said get out of the cart."

I stand up. "Not a problem." I look him dead in the eyes and smile. "But I do want to warn you, This is gonna hurt."

Kaori stands up and grabs me. "What are you doing?"

I push her back down and nod at her, then look back at the man. "I'm gonna count to three. When I'm done, everyone's weapons better be on the ground." I look at the bowmen. "One." I can see fear in their eyes, almost as if no one had ever fought back. "Two." I see one of them begin to release the arrow. "Three!" I jump to the ground as he fires the shot. It flies directly over my head. I grab the lid of a barrel and charge towards the bowmen. As I run I feel the ground getting slick under my feet. I see the ice forming ahead of me. Arrows shooting towards me, hitting the barrel lid. When the ice reaches the bowmen, I grab the knife from my waistband and throw it towards them. They both try to run out of the way but slip on the frozen ground beneath them. My knife slices through the bowstring on one of their bows and sticks into a tree behind them. I begin sliding my feet across the ground as if I'm skating, charging at the bowman who still has his bow intact. "I said weapons down." I reach him as he pulls back another arrow. I kick the bow as he fires causing him to shoot towards the cart. I bash his head with the barrel lid, knocking him out. I turn back to see the arrow flying straight for Kaori. "Kaori!"

She looks towards me as the arrow hits her, knocking her behind the cart. She screams

I stand there staring, waiting for her to get up so I can see she's okay. I feel a hand on my leg. I look and see the man whose bowstring was cut, struggling to get me off balance. I glare at him. "Don't touch me." I kick him in the face, knocking him into a tree. I turn to face the man who stopped us.