BLADES AND BONES

Chapter 5: A Time to Fall

This is the end...

Kesk was only a few feet apart from death. Either he jump down the cliff or let himself face the same torment like the knight. It's the same end. Death awaits.

He felt hopeless. But, the creature did not attack. Not just yet. The scared man, though trembling in fear, saw the monster pause. It was as if he was gauging when to attack the man. The horse-like monster must have some sort of intelligence. Their eyes met. And he recognized the face of the horse...

"Kip??", Kesk mentioned the name of the missing horse. Its trademark: a white spot on the cheek. He didn't see it earlier because it was dirtied by dry blood and whatever. The sleipner neighed, presumed as a response to his old master. Kip was the horse that knights often have a hard time riding on but not Kesk.

"Kip, its me... Kesk..", in his nervous voice. It was foolish but he carefully approached the creature. Fear was replaced by deep sadness. The creature was assumed to be experimented. Its body was a mixture of different horses. The human face was a big question mark whom it belonged to.

The horse lowered its hideous face. Kesk saw the cloth wrapped around the neck. It has a design after all and it may be associated with the human face.

He was about to touch the creature's head when he heard a slicing sound. The sleipner shrieked in pain. Someone slashed the monster behind. The albino stepped back and searched who did it. But, the huge monster got wild, kicking its legs in any direction. Accidentally hitting the farmer to a tree in brute force. He saw a blurry fight commence in front of him, then he blacked out.

The man slowly regained consciousness. He saw a dark brown ceiling. Kesk was shocked to know he's inside an unfamiliar house that he sat upright so quick, the blood flow to the brain wasn't able to catch up and caused dizziness for him. "Uhhh...", putting a hand on the head, he felt a bandage engirdled. His head hurts, especially the back part. The sense of pain returns. He began to feel pain all over the torso and the muscles behind, he flinched. The man's vision becomes gradually clear. He realized he was lying naked in bed without any covering, feeling the cold, still air in his bare skin.

"You know, you shouldn't do that." A man in a low pitched voice spoke. The albino immediately snatched the pillow behind him and covered his private area. He recognized the voice but not the face. There was a man a few feet away in front of him, leaning on the wall. "You...?", he looked up to the man who walked closer to him. This person was holding a cup, wearing black gloves, showing his ruffled sleeve from a white garment with collar and buttons in the front. He was tall, with pale skin complexion. Rather having a face with prominent cheekbone and jawline. A smirk escaped from the lips of the mysterious man with a wavy, dark brown hair. "It's no use covering what I've already seen. Besides, I have that, too. We're about even, no, maybe mine's bigger... ", he laughed afterwards.

The farmer's cheek turned red. For albinos, blushing was more apparent for their skin condition. A man who usually wore layers of clothing never imagined he'd get caught in bare skin. He furrowed his eyebrows at the brunet with a noticeably thinner built than his. "Who are you? And where are my clothes and things?", the blond felt humiliated and demanded answers right away. "Ah, don't you worry. Your bag is just beside you." Pointing a finger on the drawer at Kesk's left side where his small bag is. "I washed your clothes while you were asleep. They're outside. I'll go fetch them later." Further moving nearer and sitting beside the blond. He smiled at Kesk.

"You were that voice back then... ", the farmer glared at the man. He didn't trust this guy.

"Ah, sorry. I haven't introduced myself yet." The brunet placed his cup over the drawer first then he bowed his head with a hand on his chest. "I am Ashven at your service."