Find me

Chapter 85

Alice

We spent the night in the cave as instructed by Dorian. The night felt so long for me. It's like time has stopped. Earth stopped its rotation. Snow swirled outside in the wind. Once the sun rose, the chill became bearable, but before it was freezing to death. This little fire was not enough for three of us. Sometimes I sparked the fire in my hand but was unable to do that for a long time. The tree boughs gleamed in white, bunches of pine cones hanging from the branches, and I spotted a narrow ravine on my way here, don't know where it will take you.
"We need to keep going, it's not safe to stay in the same place for a long time" Edwin announced.
I stood up, "But we have to wait for Dorian. He said that he will meet us here".
He sighs "He will catch us later. Sun is already raised, don't waste your time".
Laura joined me, "I don't think he'll come. If he had to come, he would have come by now."
I look around, hoping to see him somewhere or at least get some sign that he's coming.
Nothing.
Tightening her shoe lesh, she grabbed her backpack, "Come on, let's go".

A sad feeling makes my heart hurt. He can't just leave. The way he always protects me proves that he's not a person who runs away from the battlefield.
I glance at them, mumbling, "Can't we wait for a little while?".
They stared at me for a moment, and then Edwin was the first one to look away.
"Okay," Edwin declared. "But only for 15 minutes then we will head toward the west".
I close my eyes. Thank God.
Without another word, he darts inside the cave to grab his stuff.
"So you are back to your old track" Laura's voice came from behind. I veered around to watch her.
"What?" I questioned. I don't understand what is she talking about.
"Dorian".
I was about to speak when an arrow from nowhere came and hit the branch beside us.
"What the...." Laura cursed.
I darted my eyes toward the source, and within a second, we got surrounded by royal guards. There were so many of them. They were visible as far as the eye could see.
"Run!" A voice roared behind me-Edwin's voice.
And we did.
We run toward him and so do they, throwing arrows again and again on us. We speed up, pushing our legs to their limit, dodging their every hit, and we reach the top.
Half panting, I speak, "What do we do now?".
Edwin glanced down at every soldier and without looking at me, he replied "Fight".
Laura and I jerked our heads at him at the same time. There is no way that we can win. There are so many to fight against the three of us.
But running is not an alternative. Better fight or die.
I straightened my shoulder "Okay, let's kill those bastards".
For a moment, nothing existed but the sky and the light and the roar of those royal dogs. I craned my neck up to the sky that was barely visible over-bright sunlight.
They moved so fast that I couldn't count them- so fast that they crossed the river in the time it took me to blink. More than five. Less than ten.
Edwin tossed me the sword.
I had no time to think when one of the guards lunged for me. I rolled out of the path but something stopped me from moving. It's like someone grabs my whole body at once.
I glanced down just in time to see the woman meet my eyes, red mist around her raised hands, her magic in my blood. She smirks at me as if she already win this fucking war which is yet to start.
Who is she? She looks familiar.
Black long hair, big eyes. Her milky white skin gleamed under her black long dress. She looks so young. She can't be queen.
Move move move-
Pain skewered me. The moment I broke free of the magic hold, I grabbed one of my swords and plunged it into the heart of this man. I glanced down again at that woman and was surprised to see her struggling against the pain of the arrow in her arm.
I looked up, and Laura was there holding another arrow in her hand.
"Thank you," I say.
She nodded.
I yanked back my sword from his flesh.
Damn, this shit was strong.
On the opposite side, Edwin went after one of those men with sweeping strikes of his sword. An impressive weapon, even from a distant glimpse. He plunged it into his stomach and then immediately pulled it off to strike it again on another one on his left.
Unnatural goosebumps rose on my arms, a burning sensation ghosting inside me. I haven't seen anything like this before.
Laura had risen to the top of the cave and shot an arrow at the soldiers below, lurching and dipping to hide from them.
Three. Three of us fighting.
I fought until I couldn't feel my own body anymore. But there are countless, no matter how many of them are killed by us. Still, they keep coming.
Laura with arrows had more and more difficulty in dodging. Even Edwin's seemingly unstoppable blows appeared to be slowing. My hands were so slick with their blood that I struggled to grip my sword.
I saw that woman again, smirking.
I rolled out of the way of another attack, one eye still on her. And unexpectedly another woman came and stood beside her, having the same face. It's like they are... they are twins.
Fuck.
Petra and Malissa.
They are not fighting, just watching us. Like they were waiting for us to lose, or die.
I watched Edwin plunge, watched him thrust his sword into the ribs of the guard.
Another one is diving for me- the one who attacked me earlier in the forest. I could never forget his ruthless face.
I stop his hit in the air but he keeps pushing down his blade.
Fuck, he's strong. But I can't back off. Losing is not an option here. I keep pushing his blade away from my face. When an arrow hit my left arm.
I flinched.
Pain exploded through my hand.
My vision blurred. But I can't move back.
I didn't realize, I hit the ground until I saw my hands braced against the dirt. I looked down at myself. An arrow protruded from my arm.
I look to my right, four of them have grabbed Edwin on the ground, hitting him over and over.
I saw Laura struggling, hanging in the air, someone was holding her by the throat and hanged her in the air.
No no no...
"Stop" my voice is barely audible. "You want me. Let them go" I glanced up, glaring, and I said again, "Let them go. Your fight is with me".
I hear a soft chuckle but don't know whom.
"I never thought you would give up so soon" a voice came.
I glance up, and that same woman looks down at me with some amusement in her eyes, beside her, her twin is standing, holding the same look.
I glared at them. But unable to speak anything.
"You remember me, don't you?"
After a few seconds, "You were there at our house" I growl.
She laughs. "So you do. Lovely." She looked at her twin and then back at me, "I'm Petra and this is Malissa, my sister. I'm the older one, you know".
"Well, thanks for the info but I'm not fucking interested".
She licked her lips, and silently watched me for a moment, before speaking "You are just the same as I have imagined you".
"Glad to hear that".
She kneels to watch me closely, "I promise I will end this without causing you any pain".
I stay silent.
She smiled as she stood on her feet. She opened the palms of her both hands and so did Malissa. They both encircle me.
I couldn't move and red mist started spreading from their hand. I could see nothing but the red smoke coming out of my body.
My pathetic magic sparkled at my fingertip, a useless fragment of red-violet light. I couldn't hear anything.
Time slowed to a crawl as they kept taking my power out of my body. Tears falling from the corner of my eyes.
I closed my eyes, and unexpectedly the image that came in front of me was him.
I saw him smiling at me, whispering something that I couldn't hear. He came closer, holding my face in his hand when I saw- a girl, dancing in the rain. Her lime yellow dress was soaked completely in water. But she's enjoying every moment. Her leg slipped and she was about to fall when one hand grabbed her. She looked up and smiled at him, "You always saved me".
"And you always jump into trouble" he replied. He chuckled, "But I will never let you fall".
"That's why I love you, Mr.Dorian Wilson".
His smile widened "I love you too, Miss Alice Stewart".
He held her hand, pulled her closer, and kissed her, "Happy Birthday".
She kissed him back, "Thank you".
"It's time".
She looked up, a little confused.
"Your mother is coming" he replied.
A voice forces me to open my eyes, "You can't do this as long as I'm here".
My eyes settled on him, trying to focus on what they were watching right now. He's standing between me and her.
"You want to protect her?" her statement is more like a question. "You are going against your family. You know where you belong. Together we rule this kingdom".
"A little correction, sister". He walked closer, "We used to be a family. But not anymore" he whispered.
"You are making a big mistake".
"Without any regret".
I eyed both of them as she gave a sign to their guard to attack him.
And they all did at once, giving him no time to think. They attack from every side. His sword is moving as fast as his leg.
He swings his blade in the air and a huge bright green light emerges from it. It was so powerful that all the soldiers threw back at once.
Petra's face screwed up into a twisted mass of rage, "I will kill you, Tyler Luke" she groaned.
He smirked, "Be my guest".
She rushed toward him, giving him no chance to react before her sword was in his face.
"Get off my way".
And immediately, her sword was met with a thud as he stopped her attack with his blade.
She was furious.
Up close, she might've been the most powerful woman I'd ever seen, nearly as tall as Luke. She deflected the full force of Luke's blow.
"Don't be like Dorian" Petra snarled.
"I'm not like him. Because he might let you live but I don't if you touch her".
"She's Orion goddammit. Daughter of Orion Queen. Our enemy.".
"Right now I'm your biggest enemy here".
I hovered near them, holding my blade, ready to kill whoever came near me.
Apparently, Petra didn't especially want or need an answer from Luke, because instead of waiting for one, she struck. And Luke was ready for it. He deflected her every blow and used the force of it to push both of them away from me.
Luke's eyes turned green, bright green just like his sword as he stopped her again in the air.
When they fought, it was like watching two forces of nature collide. Petra was vicious, every moment woven with sheer power. Her magic is so powerful and can be seen on her every strike.
And Luke was a breathtakingly skilled warrior. Damn near an artist. I haven't seen him fight before.
He moved with incredible grace. Each strike dodge or step blended into each other like steps to a dance. The puffs of light around his sword intensified with every swing, leaving streaks of dusk behind every blow and wrapping the two of them in ribbons of cloud.
Yet, Petra was just as good, just as strong, just as fast. They were evenly matched, both trembling under the force of each other's power.
With one forceful thrust against her sword, Luke pushed her away. "Don't be stupid. The Petra I know is not like this."
"I'm tired of being a puppet of her" she shot back. "This time I will take what I want."
"You know I can't let you, not until I'm alive".
"Then die" She pushed back him with a strong thud. Another attack but Luke stopped it again.
"You know this isn't going to end until one of us dies".
Another blow, "I'm gonna miss you little brother" she says in sarcasm. "But you know what you might save her from me but you can't save her from our mother".
Luke had been ready to strike again, but at this time, he paused. Lowered his sword, just a fraction of an inch.
Petra did not lower her. But she didn't strike, either. "She is coming, brother".
His face slackened, brow furrowed. "Let her go".
"I wish I could say- yes" She smirked as her eyes met mine.
Trembles travel from my legs and vibrate up my neck. They are not going to stop until they get my power. They will not even flinch while killing others who come in their way.
And they left like shadows.
"Is it finally over?" Laura asked.
Still watching them go, Luke replied, "For now".