The Sins of the God King

chapter 14 : Lest

Lest and Elly stood their ground, their hearts pounding as the three men closed in on them, forming a threatening circle. Elly, her conjuring powers ready to be unleashed, braced herself for whatever may come. The Ughrenian soldier sneered, "Don't do anything foolish, young lady. We're only interested with the boy."

Elly's eyes darted to Sartos, lying unconscious on the ground, desperately hoping for his swift recovery. With a tremor in her voice, she mustered the courage to ask, "Why do you want Lest?"

A wicked grin spread across the soldier's face as he revealed their sinister mission. "You see, the Queen herself has ordered a merciless manhunt for Helias's son. His execution has been decreed."

Lest's blood ran cold, fear coursing through his veins, paralyzing him in place. The weight of the situation bore down on him, threatening to crush his spirit. Panic flickered in his eyes as he struggled to comprehend the peril that awaited him.

A conjured horse materialized out of thin air, its powerful charge toppling one of the soldiers to the ground. "Run, Lest!" Elly's voice pierced through the chaos, cutting through the fear that gripped him. In that moment, his instincts took over, propelling him forward, his legs carrying him swiftly towards the sanctuary of the thick forest.

The chase was on, as Lest dashed through the underbrush, the sound of pounding footsteps and shouts of pursuit echoing behind him. With every ounce of strength, he pushed himself further, driven by the fear of capture and the hope of escape.

As Lest continued his frantic sprint through the dense forest, the relentless sound of his pursuer's footsteps reverberated in his ears. The thick canopy of trees above cast an ominous shadow, making it feel as if darkness was closing in earlier than expected. His body, still weary from the earlier ordeal, strained with each step, threatening to betray him at any moment.

In a desperate bid for escape, Lest's eyes caught sight of two trees intricately intertwining, creating a narrow gap just large enough for him to slip through. Without hesitation, he darted into the opening, narrowly evading the soldier's outstretched hand that sought to snatch him away. However, his respite was short-lived, as the constricting space forced him to detour and deviate from his intended path, creating a significant distance between him and his pursuer.

Pushing forward, Lest's pace gradually slowed as the terrain beneath his feet transformed into a treacherous combination of rocky outcrops and uneven ground. Each step became a calculated risk, threatening to send him tumbling and exposing him to capture. Although the soldier pursuing him remained unseen, Lest knew all too well that their tracking skills were formidable, having witnessed their uncanny ability to locate them earlier.

Lest's mind raced, contemplating his next move. Driven by this newfound realization, Lest sought refuge in a massive tree, its thick trunk serving as his shield. Pressing his back against its sturdy bark, he held his breath, silently praying that he had managed to elude the soldier's pursuit. In the stillness of the forest, every rustle of leaves or snapping of twigs sent shivers down his spine, heightening his senses for any sign of the approaching danger.

With trembling hands, Lest retrieved a vial of ebony ink from his bag, securing it to his belt built with specially designed ink holders. His heart raced as he reached for his wisk, dipping its bristles tip into the dark liquid. Gripping his wisk tightly, he aimed its inky tip at the messy jotter on his wrist.

As he held his breath, doubts and fears flooded his mind, threatening to consume him. Elly's voice echoed in his ears, replaying the teachings of conjuring that he had received in the past. He tried to steady himself, finding solace in the memory of those lessons. However, a subtle rustle of dried leaves nearby alerted him to the soldier's presence, the sound of its breath hanging.