Fallen Souls

Chapter 3: More than just an old man

                                                           

       Patricia stayed up the whole night. She couldn’t sleep because of the previous events that happened. She told her sister Marianne to rest and told her repeatedly that everything will be alright but deep inside she wondered if what she was saying is true.

       She is afraid to close her eyes because every time she does, she sees their burning house and she could hear her mother and her older siblings calling for help. She also saw her father fighting with his life. It was kind of traumatic for her but then her mind drifted to the part on how they came to the old bookshop Patricia went in earlier in the day.

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       As they rode fast on their horse away from their burning house and the guards, both Patricia and her sister, Marianne thought about their parents and siblings who were left behind. They were not sure if they will be able to see them again but they didn’t lose hope.

       The night air was cold as it passed  their faces. Patricia’s hand started to get numb but she still remained a tight grip on the reins. After a while, they heard noises behind them and as they looked behind, they saw three guards pursuing them. One of them raised his bow and aimed at their back. Patricia tried to swerve to the right and the arrow luckily passed them at the side. That continued for a while until their horse was shot on its left leg. It staggered for a little but luckily kept its balance.

       “Sister, what will we do? The town is still far away!” Marianne said.

       “Don’t panic. I will get us out of this.” Patricia said as she continued swerving the arrows shot towards her back. Inside her mind, she was already panicking and was just trying to stay brave for her younger sister. She couldn’t let her see how scared she also was.

       At that moment she was already feeling so hopeless. Their pursuers were gaining speed as they sped for their tail. There was no one to help them but themselves and the town was still a few kilometers away.

       The thought of them dying there came into her mind. She at least hopes that she can help her sister survive but she didn’t know how. They now came to a rocky landscape with trees. The full moon above was shining brightly and was lighting their way.

       Out of the stillness of the night and only with the sound of the hooves of their horses, Patricia heard something else. It was a screech of an eagle. It circled up above and started making loud noises like it was telling someone that they were there.

       “Patricia, what is that eagle doing?”

       “I don’t know…”

       Right on cue, as the eagle continued to circle above them, an arrow suddenly shot out of nowhere and into one of their pursuers. The guard was immediately killed and fell from his horse. His two companions looked around but saw no one. Another arrow was fired and it shot the second guard. The remaining one figured where their attacker was and also shot an arrow at him. Their savior jumped out of a tree, his sword raised and slashed their last pursuer with a deadly attack.

       “That was easy.” He said while Patricia stopped their horse.

       She turned towards the man who saved them. He looked like he was already in his late fifties. His black hair already had a streak of white hair and so as his moustache. The man’s eyes were gray. As Patricia stared into them, she somewhat knew that the man in front of her has passed through a lot in his life.