The Youngest Ro'meave/Minecraft Diaries Fanfiction/

Chapter Three

Annie's POV

Grabbing the thin wooden bow from where it was attached to the quiver that rested on my back and loading an arrow quickly, gripping the end of it with my fingertips. I didn't dare lose eye contact with the man in front of us, even if his eyes were the most terrifying aspect of him, other than the whole threat thing. I could see Vylad out of the corner of my eye, him looking ready to fight in a heartbeat, his sword drawn and feet in position.

"Well, aren't you two ready for a battle? Do you really think you can take on someone like me? Do you even know what I am?" Gene stated as if it wasn't obvious.

He was a Shadow Knight. One of the scariest things that is known to this world. I swallow hard, trying to hide my fear and panic behind a brave face. The man's eyes shift to me, smirking, he laughs,

"Someone's not as great of an actor as they think they are, Princess."

I decided it would be a great time to keep my mouth shut.

"H-hey..." Vylad stuttered. I glare over at him. This is not the time to stutter. This was probably the best time to show off your strength...or how badass you can be, but, then again, I don't blame him for being scared. We both are, we've trained for something like this, but not against a Shadow Knight. "We don't want any trouble."

"Oh, believe me, I'm quite aware of that," Gene remarked, an evil glint in his eye. "But...ah...ya see that really doesn't stop me from...oh I don't know...killing ya?"

After those few words, in that instant, Gene took the chance and lunged at us. Dropping the arrow my bow was securing, I use it to block his strike, his sword meeting the front edge of my bow with a thud.

"Annie, run back and get help! I can hold him off until then!" Vylad shouted, turning my way, looking as if ready trade places.

I think about it for a brief moment. I was sure I had him, I didn't need Vylad to stick up for me anymore. I shake my head, pushing with all the might I had.

"I-I can take him!" I stuttered as I tried to push Gene's sword back even further, feet digging into the dirt. I looked to see Gene's sword no farther back than it was moments earlier, in fact, it was getting closer.

"Annie, DON'T!" Vylad screamed before Gene knocked my bow out of my hand, it almost snapping. A deep cut runs across my cheek with the edge of his blade, him kicking me so hard that I was thrown into a tree, sliding down the trunk of it.

Falling to the bottom, it running sparks of pain throughout my body, it instantly causing me to go limp for what felt like a year but, in reality, was only a moment or two. Everything hurt. My chest was on fire, my cheek burned, my whole body was aching from the shock of the impact. Adrenaline running through my veins, the only action I was strong enough to accomplish was to turn my head to see Vylad, holding off Gene from striking me with his blade again.

"SOMEBODY! ANYBODY! HELP!" I screamed as loud as my lungs were able, me still trying to gulp down as much air possible. Come on, at least one guard had to be close.

A few seconds passed before I heard someone yell back.

"I'm on my way Annie, hold on!" It was Garroth. Oh, thank Irene that he was born. Turning my attention back to Vylad, who was struggling to keep his footing, I watched with hurt and fear in my eyes.

Then...it happened. Vylad lost his balance and fell. What happened next seemed to happen in slow motion, Vylad's sword went flying across the sky to the ground across from me. While falling, Gene stabbed him in the stomach, twisting it with a horrifying snap that made my eyes glaze over with tears as Vylad's face scrunched in both terror and, for lack of better wording, excruciating pain. I screamed out, voice echoing throughout the forest silent forest, only to be returned to the owner.

The man turned to me smiling before slowly making his way over to me. I had managed to get to my feet, my eyes reflecting nothing but fear. His face is blurred from my tears, but the maniacal smile is clear on his face. Fear paralyzes me as he takes a hold of my chin, forcing me to look directly into his blood red eyes, 

"I'm going to leave you alive Princess, but that's only because it will cause you more pain," He scoffed, kicking me in the stomach hard. 

I crumbled to the ground, watching him run back across the bridge and into the dark forest on the other side. 

 Falling over to my hands and knees after my attempt to stand, I stagger over to him as Gene ran across the bridge once more and disappeared into the forest. He was lying on his side on the ground. I turned and took this one chance to position him onto his back and hug him gently. He winced in pain causing me to frown.

"H-hey, Vylad...y-you're going to be okay, ok-kay? G-garroth is almost here, j-just hang on." The hot sting of tears in the corner of my eyes.

This can not be happening.

I look at his wound. The entire middle of his t-shirt is soaked in blood. I let out a shaky breath as my eyes widen. I placed my hand over the wound, applying pressure to it. He winced and squeezed his eyes.

"I-I know, shh, i-it's okay, I-I'm sorry, I-I'm so, so sorry," I say as I place his head in my lap.

"A-Annie... I-I...I...I wa-ant-t." His sentence is paused by a deep breath and a gulp only to be responded with him spitting out blood, him trying to avoid me as best as he could. Heaving follows as my hand darts to my mouth, tears falling freely. "Y-you d-do know that... y-you are th-the be-est sister a-anyone could e-ev-ver ask for." Vylad said weakly, tears falling down from his eyes. There are fewer than mine but seem to be heavy...as if...he was trying not to cry.

"P-please don't leave me," I practically screamed, the tears flowing freely, with no restraint and hitting his cheeks. The tears cause the gash on my cheek to burn, but I barely feel it mix with blood that begins to drip alongside to his cheek.

He lifted his hand up and placed it on my not damaged cheek, wiping the tears from it.

"D-don't cry A-Annie, I-it's o-okay," he says, his voice barely audible.

"I-I, I can't help it, I d-don't want to lose you," I say in between my sobs.

"We're almost there!" I heard Garroth yell nearby.

"A-Annie...heh..I...I...g-goodbye...the-this is g-goodbye," Vylad said.

"N-no, N-NO PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T GO! I CAN'T LOSE YOU!" I yelled as I pulled him into a hug, hunching over him, the tears painting his coat with a new memory, the familiar scent of it filling my nose.

"D-don't f-for-g-get, O-only t-the str-stro-ng sur-v--i-ive..." he whispers to me.

Then I felt it, his breathing stopped and he went limp and his arm that was around me falls to the ground. I pull away and all I see are his cold and lifeless green eyes, the warmth of them that I had known my entire life, completely gone.

I let out a choked sob as I close my eyes and lower my head.

My brother. Was. Dead.