The Blinding

Chapter 63 - Samakaab

I hastily wiped the warm, sticky blood from my face, casting a wild gaze around the battlefield. The absence of immediate threats allowed me a brief respite to assess the situation. My eyes darted toward the spot where Hani and Elmi stood, and a rush of relief surged through me as I observed them unscathed by the relentless chaos of battle.
However, my fleeting sense of security crumbled when I turned my attention back to the duo. To my shock, a second man had materialized beside Elmi, an exact replica down to the very clothes he wore. I blinked rapidly, uncertain if this surreal apparition was a manifestation of the countless horrors I had witnessed, or perhaps a head injury I hadn't registered. Desperation clawed at my psyche, compelling me to close my eyes tightly, hoping that when I reopened them, the mirage would have vanished.
Yet, when my lids fluttered open once more, the enigmatic doppelgänger still remained, an ominous presence that defied rational explanation. Elmi had never mentioned a twin, and I was certain of that. The eerie truth gnawed at me, signaling that something profoundly sinister was afoot, and it demanded immediate intervention before Tissa's safety was jeopardized any further.
Just as the gravity of the situation weighed upon me, another volley of arrows descended from the heavens, their deadly trajectory targeting me like a malevolent rain. My Bilao was hastily raised in an attempt to shield myself from the aerial assault, but before I could fully react, Hibo and Aweys surged to my side, their sweat-soaked faces reflecting the unyielding battle they had waged.
Together, the three of us swatted at the incoming arrows with our swords, rendering them harmless. A sense of urgency etched across my features, I shouted to my comrades, "Go on! We can handle this from here!" Without affording a second glance, I propelled myself forward, racing against the unforgiving sands of time. To my left, another figure mirrored my haste, and the realization hit me like a thunderclap. I needed to reach Tissa before Loyaan did.