Burning Hearts

Chapter 2.1 A Desperate Run

I was starting to get tired. We've been flying for about 5 hours now and yet I don't even know where we are going. This is just stupid. Just as I was about too say something, the girl spoke l asking the same question she had the last hour.

"Odelius"

"Yes my lady", the young boy in the robe responded.

"Is it still there?"

"Yes, it's location has not yet changed. However I just received word that a small enemy force has gotten through about 30 minutes ago."

"Well, that's going to be a problem."

"Wait, what's going to be a problem? What did they get through?" I asked

"Well," Dalabar began to speak. "We came to this world through a portal. This portal will change to random locations at random times. Since it hasn't changed locations after we came through it, Every enemy that comes through after us will be standing between us and the portal. If the enemy got through, then the few we left behind to guard the entrance to the portal are dead."

I looked around at everyone. The girl looked relaxed, yet her hands were red from squeezing the reins. Dalabar was looking dead ahead with his hand lightly placed on the handle of his axe. Odelius was what looked to be chanting into his hand.  The other girl was still carrying her bow and kept looking behind us as if she was checking to see if we were being followed.

They were nervous. Each on of them. Why? Why are they nervous. We shouldn't have to much trouble getting past whoever is between us and the portal right? . I mean, Odelius is like some wizard. Dalabar is a bit old, but he looks like one of the strongest people i have ever seen. And i'm going to assume this girl is good with a bow. I mean, what i have seen these guys do is incredible. 

I wonder if we have more troops on our side. Or if the people left at the school can help. That's it the people at the school!

"Don't you guys have more men?" I asked. "What about the rest of you guys back at the school? Won't they come help us after they have stopped the enemy at the school?"

Odelius burst out laughing and then all the sudden went silent. His smile faded and there was sorrow in his eyes as he spoke. "Silly kid, our men back at your school aren't going to make it. The army they face back there is probably ten times the size of our own."

"What?" I asked. "There all going to just die?"

Odelius voice became a whisper and I strained my ears just to hear him. "Yes, they are going to die; and they all knew it when they came to this world. Their job is to hold off the enemy as long as they can while we take you and escape."

"You're saying they all knew they would die? They would die just for me to live?

"Yes, you're that important," the girl said with a straight face.

"What makes me important, huh?"

She tilted her face a little to the left, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Well, you're the new Guardian."

"What?... Guardian?... What exactly am I the Guardian of?"

"My lady." Odelius cut in. "We have incoming enemy's dead ahead."

"What are we up against?" she asked.

"One flyer squad and one air infantry unit my lady."

"We'll take box formation. Dalabar you're up front with me. Odelius and Valcura in back. Dalabar, your task is to hold back the infantry. Valcura, your task is to assist me with their flyers. Odelius, try and take out their infantry carriers."

"Yes my lady," the three said in unison.

"I won't be able to do much fighting while Ryder is with me due to space issues. So I apologize in advance if I am lacking."

"Yes my lady," the three repeated.

The girl pulled a knife out of its sheath and held it out to me. "Here, use this if you need."

"I, umm..." I said quietly.

I've never used a knife so big. Its blade was blue and 3ft long. Its handle was small and also blue. I took the knife from her and was surprised how light it was. Am I really going too have to use this. I never killed someone before, let alone was ever in a fight.

My hands started to shake and the rest of my body began to freeze up. This whole situation had starting to sink in. My vision blurred and I nearly fell off of the Pegasus. The girl reached behind her and grabbed my hand holding the blade. My vision returned to normal and my hands stopped shaking. She turned her head to look me into my eyes and smiled.

"You're going to be ok. Just don't stab me with it."

"Thanks," I said with a half smile.

I felt much better and very confident.

"So exactly how much people are we about to face?" I asked.

Odelius responded, "Well, a flyer squad has 8 Pegasus flyers and an air infantry unit contains 30 close combat troops, 6 archers and most of the time 1 mage that creates a thin barrier for them to stand on so they can be airborne​."

"Wait, so it's the 5 of us against the 45 of them? That's insane."

Dalabar started to laugh, "maybe a bit. Though things would be a lot easier if we weren't in the air; but we'll be fine."

The girl reached to each side of her saddle and attached a small chain to her belt around her armor. She then pulled another chain up from the side of her saddle and handed it to me. "Put this over you and attach it to the other side. It's going to be a little uncomfortable but; we are going to be flying in all sorts of motions and I can't have you falling off."

I did as she said and attached the chain to the other side of the saddle. She was right. It was little tight and uncomfortable.

Everyone else also connected to their saddle. Though Valcura was standing up on her Pegasus with a rod and chain on each side holding her to the saddle. She held up her bow and pulled three arrows back into the string and took aim. I looked forward and I could see the enemy coming into view. They were still very far away and I started to get the chills. I took a deep breath and began to settle my mind as best I could to prepare myself for what is about to come.

Three arrows flew past the left side of my head and straight toward the enemy. It made me jump a little and everyone had a small laugh. I  turned to look back at Valcura.

She was just looking past me with a smile on her face. I knew she did that on purpose.

"Well, here we go," Odelius said. "Time for us make them bleed."