Back To The Past

Chapter 1

The sky above his head was filled with dark, angry clouds. Drops of water was constantly falling into his eye blinding him. He could hardly see the slippery ground. His skin caked with mud and his shirt under his armour was so plastered against his body that it felt like a second skin.

Running under such conditions would be hazardous in itself. With Shadow Knights chasing added to the mix, Zane was surprised to see them within this deserted forest and yet he was still be alive... Well as alive as a dead person could be at least.

How The Dark lord's minions had managed to find him, he did not know. He has been here for months, and not once had he gotten so close to being caught by one of those things. They had not encountered much success, but they had found ways to get to him. Beforehand he was able stay out of the Dark Lord's reach. Until now.

Perhaps the quest to find a way out had tricked his attention.

Tiredness. . . Irene, he was so tired, exhausted, and sick of the constant fighting.

Faltering and almost falling Zane did not hear one creeping twords him over the loud thrum of the rain.

Pain exploded on his back, agony blinded his vision and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth when he bit the inside of his cheeks to keep from crying out, but he kept going. If he stopped now, he was dead. That thought was encompassing his head, willing his body to move, faster.

His blood was washed away as soon as it left the wound. He knew he had other injuries, but he could not feel them anymore. His burning muscles, his ragged breath. . . None of it mattered. He was just running as fast as his tired and underfed body would carry him, occasionally dodging and avoiding their deadly attacks

He knew he had lost. Save for a miracle, he would be either killed or captured in a matter of minutes. His whole being was screaming in denial and desperation. Survival instinct was the only thing that kept him running. 

. . . But for some reason, he did not think it would be quite enough, not today.

It was the middle of the day, but Zane could not see five steps ahead of him. The world seemed to have been swallowed by the heavy rain.

Draining his last reserves of energy, Zane ran faster.

The maniacal laugh of the Dark Lord rang behind him. Zane's guts twisted at the sound. Unmasked prince revelled in the hunt, in the scent of the blood that would be spilled, and he hated him for it.

Rain was coloured red and black shadow flew. Zane's blood froze in his veins. Rushing down a slope his path was now blocked by a large bluestone that he saw earlier when he was exploring.

He was running so fast to avoid being found that his feet were barely touching the ground.

Shit.

Zane glided to a stop, turned around and he could see black and crishapes moving through the thick curtain of rain now, and for the first time since he had started to run, cold, heart-stopping panic sized him.

They were coming and he wasn't able to move.

Breathing hard, he waited until he could see each of the Shadow Knights' face.

There were enraged roars and swearing. Zane did not wait for the Dark Lord's henchmen to attack before he ran towards the center of the valley.

Orders to surround him were shouted.

Zane crossed the two circles of stone unhindered, but Shadow Knights appeared in front of him before he could go any further. They had trapped him in the center of Valley

Zane ran a hand over his eyes in a vain attempt to clear his blurred sight. His head swivelled from side to side, looking for an escape route. There were none.

Slowly, the young man backed to the middle of the circle, until his calves bucked against a hard surface. For some reason, there was a boulder lying in the center of the valley. Zane jumped on top of it.

His right hand tightened around his sword. He felt eerily calm. Not resigned, just. . . Calm. Detached. With one resolve pulsing through him: that if he were to die, he would do so fighting.

No more fighting, no more war. No more losses, no more torture. No more running. This has to end.

Death did seem to have its advantages.

He raised his sword.

AN:
Love it? Hate it? Want more? Leave a heart and comment! Hope you liked it! I worked hard!