The Fallen Throne

Chapter 11.1 ✦ Puzzle Pieces

"Do you know what's worth fighting for,
When it's not worth dying for?"
~ Lloyd (Green Day, 21 Guns)

♚♚♚♚♚

Through what Kai believes to be unwilling and draggy footsteps, Lancaster and Lloyd slowly disappear, Lloyd grumbling about something he can't make out. He is only able to faintly make out some dark trees overhead through the opening, but by listening closely, he knows the two has set off.

"Those two don't get along or something?" he raises a brow, turning his face slightly in the direction of Alaina but never taking his eyes off the opening of the hole, their only escape, as if he's afraid something might cover it and burry them alive.

Kai finally draws his eyes away from the opening when he realises Alaina is no longer beside him. He doesn't get a reply from his previous question, instead, she suddenly knocks into him lightly, her back against his.

"Hey, don't touch --" he says, taking a quick step forward, away from her.

"Kai."

"What?"

Her eyes still sticking to the darkness ahead, she backs further away from it, only to be back to back with Kai again. Hearing the same dirt scratching, growling noise for at least the third time now, Alaina no longer believes it's a mere hallucination or imagination of her mind.

Something shifts in the dirt, and Alaina holds her breath upon hearing louder growls. She finds and grabs Kai's gloved hand from behind her without even realising it, and holds it tightly with her sweating palm.

However Kai feels about her sudden, unpredictable actions only flashes by briefly and doesn't linger. He doesn't even have the time to blurt out 'don't touch me' like he usually does -- in fact, it doesn't even cross his mind.

He, too, notices the strange sounds ahead, where Alaina's gaze is fixed.

"We have a problem."

Heart beating fast, he grips Alaina's hand tighter as he finally turns around to face the darkness. Taking a step forward, he stands in front of Alaina as he ignites a flame on his free palm.

However, the moment he lights it, he extinguishes it almost immediately as he stumbles backwards, pulling Alaina with him. Unfortunately, they hit soft dirt behind them as they back against the dirt wall of the hole.

With no where to run, Kai is still reluctant in believing his very own eyes. What he'd seen is too absurd.

Faces of men.

"Did you see anything?"

"Stop fooling around," Alaina says sharply, yanking Kai's arm for emphasis. "Those are manticores."

There is another faint growl. Holding his hand tightly, she pulls him and breaks into a run along the dirt wall of the hole, just as something smashes into the dirt behind him. "Fire, Kai!"

Snapping out of it, Kai pulls Alaina back and makes sure she's safely behind him before flinging off his gloves and brandishing a wave of flames, covering a large radius before them. Now that the flames are flickering on the ground dividing them and the manticores, the creepy faces are clearly illuminated by the fire.

Yet the faces aren't attached to normal human bodies; they are attached to bodies of lions, with venomous looking scorpion tails.

Watching the manticores from behind the fire, Kai says, "well, this oughta be fun."

*****

Heavy footsteps echo through the quiet forest, shaking the ground. Lancaster and Lloyd run as fast as they can, sprinting for their lives, away from the threat closing in behind them.

"How," Lloyd pants, trying his best to keep up with Lancaster speeding ahead, "does one so gigantic run so fast?"

"You think its size matters? The minotaur crushes anything in its sight -- you shall be next if you do not pick up the pace with those clumsy legs."

Immediately after Lancaster's comment, Lloyd jumps and skips a few steps forward just as the minotaur behind him slams its horns into the tree beside him, barely missing him. Lucky for him, because of the minotaur's careless actions, it is stuck in the tree, allowing them to run ahead.

He hates to admit it, but Lancaster is right -- though he could have used better words.

Lloyd knows very well this isn't the right time to start another fight, but he can't control himself. He feels the need to defend himself. "What do you expect? I'm not a bird that can fly so freely and effortlessly away, I'm human; yet I'm not like you, gifted! Talented in swinging that sword of yours without even trying hard... Born with a spark or even better, a fire that's already burning within! Unlike others, you --"

"What?" Lancaster says suddenly, stopping abruptly ahead of Lloyd, making Lloyd bump straight into him.

It is only then Lloyd realises he's been ranting breathlessly, because he inhales deeply, both from running and from talking nonstop without a pause. When he finally replenishes the air lost from his lungs previously, he straightens himself, ready for another rant.

Unknowingly, Lloyd has unleashed his envy towards Lancaster. He's always felt overshadowed. Lancaster is always one step ahead of others, more skilful and more talented than anyone. He's a natural born genius.

Lloyd opens his mouth to say something or perhaps to even complain about the forest and their dire situation in hopes of trying to cover what he'd just said, but he realises Lancaster isn't even paying attention. He's trapped in a daze, deep in thought.

"Lancaster?"

The voice lingers in the air. Lancaster has other words occupying his mind to notice anything else. Clyde's words swirl endlessly in his mind as reality begins to betray his senses.

An uncaged bird is one that flies the highest, towards the sky and beyond.

He shuts his eyes.

Caelus, ruler of the skies and deep within; amidst the skies there's a heart of fire, and the spark lies within.

Why are the words so familiar? Other than the words belonging to the Anthem, Lancaster swears those words do actually ring a bell, now that the memory is brought to him suddenly.

Heart of fire -- amidst the skies -- spark --

He doesn't have more than a short moment to think, though, as Lloyd jerks him by his collar, bringing him back to reality.

Lancaster tries to push him away, but Lloyd insists on pulling him, hard. With a huge amount of effort, Lloyd yanks Lancaster from his position and the both of them stumble to the side.

"What is your deal?"

"Do you have a death wish? I just saved you, you're welcome!"

Lloyd's eyes are wide, sharp. Lancaster turns to follow his gaze, only to find the same minotaur staring at them as it gets ready for another charge.

Both of them exchange glances, and they need not say another word to each other to know they would have to run.

And they do. They take off just as the minotaur charges, speeding through the forest but not drifting from their trail.

The minotaur is huge, and they both know it's only a matter of distance before they lose it. But as they put up speed, Lloyd is suddenly interrupted by a small figure, a blur of brown -- speeding towards them and finally knocking directly into him.

He falls and rolls in the dirt, but he hasn't the time to look around for the minotaur, for what comes to sight first surprises him enough to lift his previous fear and panic.

"Rose?"