Age of Darkness

Chapter 33: Escape

I wake to the sound of birds chirping in the trees. Wow, what a night... I almost wonder if it was a dream, when I realize Elizabeth has her arm wrapped around me. She must have gotten cold...

I silently get up, being careful not to wake Elizabeth, and start up a fire. I stand at it for a while, before going for a walk to the crystal clear lake that the two of us were at last night.

I stare at the sparkling water for quite a while, daydreaming. I don't want to leave. To Zaria. To Zirkon.

''What's up, hero?''

I jump, startled at Elizabeth's surprise appearance.

''I thought you were sleeping!''

''I was,'' she shrugs. ''Now I'm not.''

I chuckle.

''You almost scared me to death.''

''We're going you die anyway, so...''

''Not the most positive thought,'' I sigh.

''It's hard to stay positive sometimes... Sleep well?''

''I slept great. I dreamt about you.''

She smiles knowingly, and then gets serious again. That's Elizabeth...

''So what's the plan?''

''Well, we must be pretty close to Zaria, and Zirkon-''

I'm cut short as my mind explodes. I fall to the ground, images racing through my mind, and then I see Zirkon standing in a throne room. He turns to me, or should I say, my line of sight, and smiles.

''I've been waiting for you...'' He vanishes in a swirl of black smoke, and I'm suddenly back in the forest with Elizabeth.

''What?...'' Begins Elizabeth, but I jump up, and cut her off.

''No time to explain! We need to go now! And don't speak his name! He's coming!''

We quickly gathervour stuff, extinguish and hide the fire, and run through the forest as fast as we can. I ignore the tiredness, and it hardly affects me. I have more things to worry about. Like Zirkon...

Soon, the forest thins, and then disappears altogether. The feeling of sleep drifts away, promising to get me next time. We're out of the forest. I look over the horizon, and see what our destination. Our goal. The shining city of Zaria.

But it shines no longer.

A dark aura comes off it. It is tired and quiet. There is no noise or excitement coming off the once great city. Just a dark, depressing feeling...

I look to Elizabeth, and she nods grimly. She takes my hand, and we walk towards the eerie, fallen capital.