Pure Ice

Chapter 7 - Fear and Pain

Krýakardiá ran as fast as he could to get to his horse. "Your not going anywhere," Sheila said, stepping in front of Krýakardiá's retreating figure and facing the men on their rides. Stretching out her arms, she blocked any chance of them getting past her, "your opponent is me."

Those were the last words Krýakardiá heard before rounding a boulder blocked her from view. Running at full speed towards the tethered horse, he could hear metal against metal as Sheila and the men fought. Screams and cries echoed in to the night, clenching his teeth and making a fist, he galloped at full speed and did not turn around.

*****

Sheila hearing the decreasing volume of the hoof beats smiled inside with relief. She would make sure not to let anyone else know about her having any emotions. It was true that she had lost her emotions but since meeting Krýakardiá and the others, lately she had been feeling weirded with herself. She's as not use to this expressing stuff so she kept her emotions a secret. She'll never let anyone find out she had feelings, having feelings shows how weak person could be.

Sheila knew she was outmatched. There was no way she could fight against five assassins, even as experienced and inhuman she was.

Two of the assassins and their pets had already gotten her in the right shoulder and left leg. Sheila had never felt so much pain before but she would not admit it by screaming or crying. She arranged her face so that it showed how bored and uninterested she was. Her mask showing no fear nor pain sent the men into confusion.

Seeing as their prey won't let out a single cry, the found no entertainment. " lets end this quickly." Said the man who was clearly their leader. "The boy and his sister had already eluded our grasps. Let's hurry and return to the lord, we have already wasted too much time. Kill her" he ordered.

Sheila did her best to defend herself but against five men, she clearly outmatched, especially since her fan was already knocked over to the side.

As one of the men was able to get under her guard while the other furiously ambushed her with attacks, he took the chance to strike. Sheila seeing it too late, attempts and unsuccessfully dodged to one side. "Damn!" The man swore, he had tried to strike her in the heart but with her quick reflexes, she had dodged and was hit in the lower ribs instead.

" leave here, " said the leader, "she'll die soon of blood lost anyway, we have wasted too much time. Let us be on our way." With barely a glance in her direction, he stalked back the way he had came. The others sighed in disappointment that they couldn't torture and bring some kind of reaction from her, followed their leader.

Sheila collapsed to the ground when she was sure no one was watching or nearby. Laying in her pool of blood, she looked up at the lonely and peaceful sky. Wincing when she coughed up blood, he wound had opened even bigger.

Hmp! I can't die here. Krýakardiá must be quite frantic and blaming himself for not staying with me. I can't die here anyway, I'm not human after all.

At that moment she remembered the last words Krýakardiá had said to her. You can still die. She laughs. What does he know about me anyway? He must think I'm a cold and heartless person anyway.

Looking down at her appearance she noticed how her white dress had stained dark red while her silver hair had become a light shade of pink with dried and mattered blood in it. Ha! Red had never matched me before and it never will.

*****

Krýakardiá who had finally caught up with Mithios and Lilac was sitting in a room on the second floor of an inn where Sheila had told them to wait for her. Mithios and lilac who found Krýakardiá alone, bombarded him with questions as to where Sheila was. After explaining everything and Sheila's situation when he left her behind.

The other two enraged with the thought that Krýakardiá didn't stay behind and help Sheila started into an argument.

"I don't care about your promise to me! Sheila! You should have stayed with her!" Shouted Lilac, "she's just a girl!"

Krýakardiá looked at her in anger. " I wanted to! I wanted to stay by her side and fight! Did you really think I wanted to leave here?!"

" then why didn't you?" Jumped in a clearly annoyed Mithios, " you can't be that weak!"

Krýakardiá looked at the two in exasperation. Sighing, he said " because of the way she looked at me. It looked like she was pleading with me" he said in despair.

The other two looked at him in disbelief as if he was mad. "Are you blind?!" The two asked him at the same time.

"You should have noticed how emotionless and expressionless she is. I'm pretty sure you were seeing things." Said a very confident Lilac.

"I think you need your eyes checked." Included an unhelpful Mithios.

Krýakardiá looked at the two annoyed. "Then why do you care about her so much?!" He snapped.

The two of them looked at each other.

"Even though she is heartless," said a thoughtful Lilac, "she is a good person at heart." Finished Mithios.

The three sat in companionship silence before falling asleep. Krýakardiá who was still awake looked out at the lonely night sky. Even thought two days had already passed, Sheila still hadn't returned to them.

Sheila, he thought. Please be okay. Please come back to us.

I don't think I can keep my sanity around these two idiots. He smiled at the last thought.

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I apologise if this chapter was short hut it seems with schooldays back with their home works, I don't have much time as I used to.

I truly thank you all for reading this book. I hope you vote for it as we'll. if you have any ideas, please talk to me so that I may be able to add them in if appropriate. Of course, I'll include your name and not take the idea as my own. :)

Thanh Nguyen