The Chronicles of Guertanna: The Sword of Light and Shadow

Chapter XXI

"Leyla!" Rinna yelled happily.

Leyla landed on the ground and looked over her shoulder, "Hey, Rin! Did you miss us?"

Us?

The Gorilla was about to move again, but two purple circles were thrown, wrapping its neck and making it fall again. It was Trey controlling his chains against the monster. Rinna almost stopped breathing when she saw him. His body moving gracefully, his hair flipping over the breeze, his speedy movements. Leyla and Trey made an awesome job fighting together. Trey stopped the creature and she swung her sword. They clasped their hands once they knew they were giving a good hit. Rinna wanted to say she was glad that he was there, she wanted to, really bad. But why she just felt something hitting her chest?

"Stop looking at prince charming and wake up!" Kenor ordered her standing next to her, limping.

She stood up and looked at him, his face dripping in blood from his forehead. "Ken! Are you—?"

"I'm fine!" He yelled and took out his sword, "Move on!"

The change in mood of Kenor was so sudden that it made her shiver. She could just remember some kind smile of him last night, and now he was again the grumpy guy that always is bossy and yelling over everyone. She wondered if bad situations put him in that humor. She started noticing since the first portal, when the heat was so tense that it heated up Kenor's temper.

She used her sword again. She approached the creature and slashed him, with the help of her other two friends, the Gorilla was settled down in minutes. Kenor gave the last stab, and the four of them saw how the creature turned in a matter of one shriek into dark, black dust.

There were slight seconds when all that was heard were their heartbeats, the breathing in their lungs and out their mouths. All staring to what nothing was left anymore. The villagers cheered and gathered together with them, thanking for their help. Rinna nodded to a couple of them, but her mind was still alert, startled, without able to focus on too much excitement for victory.

Leyla hugged her suddenly, "I thought I wasn't going to see you until spring was over!" She said hugging her tight.

Rinna smiled, "It's nice we can see each other again."

They broke apart and she turned to Trey, holding his arms open for her. She hugged him, feeling the warmth, the scent. Yes, it was a glimpse of that feeling again. But why was it feeling incomplete? Why wasn't it fulfilling her heart as it used to be? What changed? Did she change? Was it the distance that made her change?

They broke apart and looked at each other. "Hey milady." He smiled.

She pressed her lips together, holding on of a smile and punched his shoulder, "Don't call me that." She arched an eyebrow and smiled.

Horses sounded arriving, the rest of the Gulders were already there, "From orders of Alice, we must return to the Palace." The leader man said, riding his horse.

Rinna turned to Trey and glanced over Leyla, "I must go now..." She said.

Both just pressed their lips together, trying to not say what they thought. Trying to not get Rinna upset. She walked away from them, back to her horse, and with one last glance back, she rode back to the castle with the other Gulders. She would love to know, though, what they thought when they saw her like that. Were they missing her so much too actually let her go? Do they know how important everything was?

She felt something bumping in her heart, feeling something that was already missing. Feeling that maybe she wasn't fitting in their three-friendship anymore. Feeling empty. She sighed and looked over her shoulder, looking how Trey went on putting an arm around Leyla, without looking back to her anymore. She saw how they became smaller and smaller. Smaller as the care she gave about what they been through. Smaller as the fact that she was losing them.