Fate's Forge

Chapter 10

The world reformed around Jas Cutter in a dizzying swirl of color and disorientation, the colony emerging from the haze like a painting come to life. His heart thudded in his chest, the sound deafening against the silence that blanketed the air. In his arms, Alix Cutter was a dead weight, her vibrant red hair now matted with blood, her face ashen, the rise and fall of her chest barely perceptible.

"Help!" Jas's voice shattered the stillness of the colony, raw panic sharpening each syllable. "Tovan! I need help!"

Feet skidded across gravel and dirt as Tovan burst from one of the low-slung buildings, his eyes widening at the sight before him. Alix, the beacon of empathy for all who knew her, lay broken in the arms of her adopted son, her life seeping away onto the ground.

"Jas, what happened?" Tovan gasped, already rushing forward.

"An ambush... on the wagon train," Jas managed between strained breaths. "She's hurt bad."

Without another word, Tovan turned on his heel, his movements swift and deliberate as he sprinted toward the doctor's quarters. Time was slipping through their fingers like grains of sand in an hourglass, and every second wasted was a second Alix didn't have.

Jas knelt, cradling Alix closer, trying to stem the crimson tide that marred her once-pristine healer's robes. His mind raced alongside Tovan's retreating figure, urging him to move faster, to bring back the miracle they desperately needed.

The suspense hung thick in the air, a tangible force that seemed to press down on Jas's shoulders, heavy with the weight of impending doom. The colony, the place that was to be their refuge, now felt like a stage set for tragedy, the potential for loss lurking in the shadows of each quaint cottage and winding pathway.

"Stay with me, Alix," Jas whispered, his voice cracking with unspoken fear. He could feel the cold tendrils of danger encroaching, reaching out from the past to threaten their fragile present. And amidst the chaos of his racing thoughts, a singular resolve took root-the unwavering determination to protect those he held dear, no matter the cost.

As Tovan returned, breathless and with the doctor in tow, Jas could only hope that his silent prayers would be enough to keep the darkness at bay.

Jas stood motionless, a sentinel beside the now still form of Alix, as the doctor's practiced hands moved with a haste that spoke of life hanging by a thread. The air in the room was thick with the coppery scent of blood and fear. In the midst of the urgent flurry to save Alix, Jas's mind was besieged by a tumultuous storm of thoughts.

The people of the wagon train... they were out there, unprotected, vulnerable to the merciless clutches of the slave traders. He was safe. But safety felt like betrayal when it came at the cost of others' peril.

"Jas," Seer's voice resonated within him, tinged with a grim warning, "returning to the wagon train is a path paved with your own doom."

He knew the Seer spoke truth, yet the image of Tia's wide, terror-stricken eyes haunted him, propelling his resolve. They needed him. He couldn't shake off the heavy cloak of responsibility that destiny had draped over his shoulders.

"Seer," Jas murmured, barely audible above the soft rustling of the healer's robes, "I can't leave them to those monsters."

"Your bravery is commendable, Jas Cutter, but it will lead you to the grave," Seer persisted, the ethereal voice laced with concern for its bearer.

"Then so be it." Jas's tone was quiet but firm, resolute in the face of his looming fate. His gaze lingered on Alix, the woman who had shown him kindness when he expected none. She deserved peace. They all did.