Warrior - Cursed by Birth

Chapter 2 - Sacrifice/Suicide

Chapter Two

Sacrifice/Suicide

From the top of the rocky hill, she could witness disaster with perfect view. Hiding in the dark woods, Alanis could see her Kingdom burning. It was a breathtaking vision of destruction, the deadly light and infernal red flames made a beautiful contrast of color and chaos against the cold and darkness of the night sky.

And still, no matter how sad the scene was, Alanis' mind was only focused on her defeated King. The thought of his imprisonment and the knowledge of her ultimate failure was beyond painful, the memory of his disappointment was agony.

You failed me.

Those words would haunt her to her grave.

She had to go back. She had to save him, before it was too late.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of a dry leaf cracking. Her instincts went on overdrive. In a second, she grabbed the long knife she had sheathed on her leg and turned around, ready to battle.

"Whoah!"

In front of her, standing just a few feet away, was a young man, smiling with his hands raised on the air, in a position of surrender. He seemed startled at her reaction, but she suspected he really wasn't, she had the feeling he had been watching her for a while and that he had kept the safe distance precisely because he knew how she'd react.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," he said, holding a smirk. Alanis snorted.

"I'm not frightened."

His smile grew. "Well, then you have no reason to point that thing at me." He looked at her knife, which was still stained with human blood.

"That's my decision to make," she replied. "Who are you? Why were you watching me?"

"I was just admiring the catastrophe," he answered, his eyes moving towards her falling Kingdom bellow, in the distance. "It's a terrifyingly beautiful sight, isn't it?"

Alanis didn't answer. Instead, she frowned and kept her stance. Despite his words and charming smile, she could feel he was dangerous.

"Was that your Kingdom? Is that why you are so distressed?"

"It's not your business!" she replied, anger betraying her attempt at looking cold and focused.

"Touched the wound, huh?" He grinned. "I knew there had to be a reason."

"A reason for what?"

"Why you didn't see me. You're too unfocused. Otherwise, I am sure you'd recognized me as one of your own a long time ago."

Alanis, caught by surprise, couldn't help but relax her stance and features a little bit. He opened his arms, as if expecting an embrace, and smiled again.

"I am kin, sister."

It took her a few moments to confirm his statement. He was speaking the truth, she could feel it. He was her kin. And she should've been able to tell at a distance, if only her King wasn't taking a hold of her mind and body.

After the slight shock of that realization though, she frowned again and went back to her fighting stance.

"You say that as if it means I shouldn't be wary of you."

If anything, it just meant she should be even more.

"You really shouldn't," he replied, taking a cautious step forward. "Not because we are kin, but because I really wish you no harm."