Inferno

Chapter 6

P.O.V- Taryia

She blinked, colors still swimming in my vision. The world was mostly white and blurry. My vision was slowly returning, and the first thing she could comprehend was Cole's pale blue eyes.

"What are you doing?" she yelled as she shoved his face out of hers. He blinked a few times then took a few steps back. Suddenly another older man filled her vision. He smelled like dirt and mold, and his eyes were so light that they were white. He pulled some sort of root out of one of his many coat pockets, and tried to shove it into her mouth. She tried to push him away, but he was relentless and just kept coming back for more. Finally he got the root in her mouth, and an awful taste filled her mouth.

"What in the world is this stuff," she mumbled through a mouth full of the root.

"It is weed,"the old man said.

"Wait what!!" She yelled although it was muffled by the food in her mouth.

"Yes. It is weed that grows in my patch of plants," he admitted glancing about the small hut. Dried plants hung from the ceiling, and a long strips of dried grass hung in the doorframe. Cole who had been standing of to the side finally approached me.

"Um...Taryia we need to get going" Cole said.

"Ok. Just let me get my bag first," she replied just about it stand up. When she tried to stand up an intense pain flared up her spine. She immediately fell back on the pallet, and cried out in pain.

"What's wrong Taryia?" Cole asked obviously in a panic.

"I can't stand," she replied looking a little sad.

"No, no she can't stand for many days," said the old man who was still in the room, although not noticed.

"I have to get to the mountains before next full moon or the people that killed my parents will leave," she said worry laced her voice.

"No, no you can't leave till me say so," the old man said.

"Cole can you put me on your horse, so I don't have to stand, or walk?" She asked.

"Yes I can," Cole replied.

"Thank you old man, but we really need to get going," Taryia said, acknowledging the old man. Cole walked over and picked her up, and carried her outside to where his horse was. Just as he was about to set her down the old man came out carrying a crude looking spear.

"You will stay till me say you can leave!" he yelled running towards them.

Cole threw her onto the horse, and jumped on behind her. Her back was hurting her, and it took all her willpower not to cry out in pain. The horse took off towards what she presumed to be North. The ride was painful, and a few times she lost consciousness. Cole tried to be gentle with her, but the horse had other ideas.

After several hours of riding, she decide to ask Cole a question.

"Cole why did you help me back there? I know that you know that elves and humans hate each other," she asked thoroughly confused

"Well at first I helped you because I thought you were human, but then when I found out you were an elf I almost didn't. When you were standing in the lethe I was happy you were going to die, but then when you turned around you looked a lot like my mother," he said his eyes looking vacant. "Well you reminded me of her, and I remembered the stories she used to tell me when I was young. The ones about how the elves and humans used to be friends. She also had me promise on her deathbed that I would help those in need, not just humans." Taryia was silent her thoughts kept swirling in a never ending loop. How did his mother die? Was she close to Cole? Her thoughts always came back to one though, Why is Cole here and not with his father?

She decided to voice her thoughts, "Cole?"

"Yes," he asked.

"Why are you here and not with your father?" She asked. She turned her head, she wanted to see his face even though it hurt her to do so.

"He is dead," he replied monotone. They continued silently neither wanting to converse anymore. The only sound was leaves crunching under the horse's hooves, and the sound of the awakening forest.

By nightfall they had reached the bottom of the Aldrich Mountains.

"Let's break for camp here," he said sliding of the horse.

"Ok," she said yawning. Cole slowly unrolled the one bedroll on the rocky mountain base.

"Here you can have the bedroll because you're injured," he said not sparing her a glance. He walked back over to the horse, and lifted her off of him. He gently laid her on the bedroll, and took the saddle of the horse and set it on the ground. He pulled out a couple of matches from the saddlebags and struck them against some dry wood he must have picked up sometime when I was unconscious.

After the fire was lit, he grabbed a couple of items from the saddlebags. "Her eat some of this," he said shoving some sort of meat in her face. She greedily took it and ate it in a matter of bites Next he handed an apple to her, again she took it and scarfed it down.

Her stomach, no longer hungry, didn't give her any more problems as she was going to sleep. Although she noticed that Cole was not laying down, but instead staring blankly into the fire.

Taryia rose early the next morning because she had slept facing where the sun would rise in the morning. "Cole what time is it?" she asked squinting, and trying to roll over. Her eyes flew open and pain raced down her spine, and she couldn't feel her legs. She screamed loudly and birds flew out of the few trees that were there.

"Are you ok!" Cole's voice was laced with concern. His black hair was messy and tangled, and it looked like he had aged overnight.

"I'm fine, but what happened to you last night?" she asked a little worried.

"Nothing happened I was just thinking about something," he replied not looking at her. She decided not to press matters further, so she kept quiet.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, she tried to move around a bit. She was not used to traveling with someone else, so the tension was a little weird. She tried to push herself up, but again pain caused her to collapse. Cole took notice to this, and worry filled his face.

"Her let me help you," Cole said reaching for her.

"Thank you," she said, "Cole when do you think I will be able to walk again?" A look of pity filled his face.

"The truth is, you may never walk again," he said his voice sorrow filled. "But let's not think about that. Instead let's focus on getting up the mountain," he said trying to lift their spirits. "But I do have to ask, why do you need to go up the mountain?" he asked.

"Because I need to see the sages," she replied nonchalantly.

"The what?" he asked.

"The sages are a group of beings that are very smart, and have lived for eons," she replied her voice filled with wonder.

"Well then let's go meet these all-powerful beings," he said trying to be funny, but his humor fell on deaf ears.

"They are all-knowing, not all-powerful. Now get me on your horse," she chastised.

"Okay, okay fine, but at least you can get something out of me trying to lighten the mood," he said raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Ha ha," she laughed dryly, "are you happy now?" He shook his head, but laughed nevertheless. They started to pack up camp, and the solemn mood had lightened somewhat.

Soon after getting on the horse, and getting the camp cleaned and packed up, they left for the summit of the Aldrich mountains.