ANGEL OF JUSTICE (2014 revised)

Chapter Twelve - A moment back in time

Fates

One thousand years in the past.

Lady Eren looked across the campfire to where Jarron, wrapped in brown robes, was sleeping against a boulder. The flickering firelight played across his sweat, matted golden hair, deepening the frown that portrayed fevered dreams. He had collapsed unconscious soon after arriving through the time portal and had slept for the past half day. Although he had woken two hours ago, Eren was now worried for he had quickly fallen asleep again and was not responding to her healing efforts.

Since their arrival, they both realised the spell had gone awry, and now they were in a time and place unknown. The scenery was utterly unfamiliar, and they certainly had not been delivered to Keltin's cottage as the spell was supposed to. An owl's screeching departure from the nearby trees caused Eren to jump. Trying to peer into the thick trees blanketed by night only brought imaginary foes, leaping out from the deep shadows.

Now would be a good time for you to wake up, Jarron.

A twig snapped loudly bringing Eren to her feet and at Jarron's side in a heartbeat where she roughly shook him to consciousness.

"Who's there?" she called out to the darkness.

Three men in long dark travelling cloaks appeared out of the trees and walked towards the campfire. Weary travellers, by appearances Eren thought briefly taking in their dirty faces, long beards and heavy backpacks in the firelight. However, the sight of silver metallic devices in the middle of their foreheads sent a shiver of fear running down Eren's spine. She called out to Jarron using their mind link with as much force as to raise the dead.

Jarron finally groaned. When his vision started to clear, he saw the intruders on the other side of the fire and drew a knife from his robes. "That's far enough," he stated as he got to his feet, shaking the fog of sleep away. "I think you should leave for we have nothing of value if you think to rob us."

The intruders laughed, and two of them raised their hands in mock surrender. The other man, no doubt the leader of the trio, stepped forward his hand resting on the sword hilt at his side.

"I'll leave when we've taken what is ours, since you're trespassing on our lord's domain. And what is his, is ours for the taking." he sneered, taking a long leisurely look at Eren. "Including you sweetheart."

Jarron stepped in front of Eren. "I don't think so."

Seeing the delightful woman hiding behind the priest, whose knife hand was trembling badly, the leader half-turned to his companions who now stood a half dozen steps behind.

"It looks like we have a timid mouse and a priest prepared to die protecting her, gentlemen. How heroic. Now, what should we do about this poor man's nerves?"

The group of men chuckled as the leader turned back to see Jarron lower the blade.

"How about you drop the knife before you cut yourself or worse, hurt your lady friend? I wouldn't like to take damaged goods back to my lord."

The man walked over and suddenly reached out to grab Jarron's hand. Jarron responded instinctively, blocking the leader's hand with his left before thrusting his knife forward and up with surprising speed, across the leader's throat. Jarron dropped the bloodied weapon and watched in mortification as the man sank to his knees, gurgling in blood. The other two men stood momentarily stunned at the swift attack on their companion and oblivious as Eren slowly drew a blade. Dreading what she was about to do, but knowing any hesitation of their instinctive training would cost her and Jarron their lives, Eren took a breath to calm her nerves and let the blade fly. The blade struck one of the other swordsmen high in the shoulder, knocking him off balance.

The third man turned to see his friend drop to his knees in agony. "You will regret that!" he stated, drawing his sword and rushing forward.

"Get her, Gant! Damn bitch cut me!" the injured man grabbed the knife and yanked it from his shoulder as he staggered to his feet staunching the wound with his free hand.

Seeing the man in pain, Eren instinctively summoned her healing powers and stepped beside Jarron, the green-tinged ball of light hovered in the air. The sight of what the attackers thought was spellcraft caused further hesitation and they stopped in their tracks. 

Jarron reached down and withdrew the dead man's sword from its scabbard. "Stay where you are!" he stated, holding the sword level at the men. "As you can see, I am no longer shaking. Now perhaps you should withdraw as I asked, unless you want my friend to unleash fire upon you?"

Eren responded by gesturing the ball of healing light to shine brighter and sent it floating towards the men. After seeing his two companions downed by these seemingly harmless and inexperienced strangers, the last of the attackers hesitated. He glanced at his wounded friend, who shook his head. Now it was unlikely they could help dispose of the priest and capture the girl without one or both of them being further harmed or killed. And if the girl were a sorcerer, they certainly would need help.

The wounded man grunted in agony. "Leave them, Gant, they already got Roe. Let's get back to the camp and get the other men. There's nowhere on this island these two can hide where we won't find em'."

Gant nodded once then smiled. "Let's have them running scared across Darleay, so we can hunt them down like the pigs they are. We'll teach you both a lesson for killing Roe."

"We'll be waiting," Jarron stated with more bravado than he felt. "Be warned; if you return to bother us, it will be at your peril."

The two men melded back into the shadows leaving Jarron and Eren, shaking at what just happened.

"We have to leave Jarron; they will return."

Jarron nodded. Feeling Eren's warmth nearby, he turned and reached out his arms to embrace his trembling friend. "They are gone at least for the moment."

"We're lucky they lost their leader first, Jarron. The last man was a follower radiating great fear. He chose the easiest option; to go and get help. They will return, though."

"Threatening them with your power was the trick though. I took a gamble assuming sorcery might be feared here. And thankfully it is, which is good for us to know."

"Except there is no sorcery, Jarron, just the power of my healing concentrated into a ball of light."Eren smiled.

"It worked, this time, that's the main thing. Now let's get out of here. I don't think I can do that again." Jarron stated feeling the bile rise in his throat at the sight of the dead man.

The friends gathered their things before kicking dirt over the fire to make sure it was out. After retrieving the blades, Jarron cleaned them both and handed one to Eren. Now armed, they headed off in the opposite direction to that of the attackers. As they continued across the island, the first of the twin full moons began to glimmer through the trees, offering them valuable light. Twice throughout the night, they saw the distant orange glow of campfires through the trees. Suspecting nothing but trouble from more men like those they had encountered, Eren and Jarron change directions often so as not to chance being discovered. They chose not to stop until they found a shallow gully, where they spent the rest of the night sleeping in the undergrowth.

With the sunrise, they set off again without breaking their fast, mostly due to the fact Jarron had not thought to pack food when he was assuming the spell would take them directly to Keltin's home. They travelled in silence knowing that Keltin's island lay to the north, but their travels were also taking them ever closer towards the forbidding mountain stronghold that was the home of the attackers' lord. Neither had to voice the fact that they preferred to be safely within the presence of the historically famed keeper rather than tramping across an unknown continent with a horde of killers looking for them.

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