A Goddess Unknown

Chapter Five: Past Mistakes

It was him. It had to be. There was no other explanation. How many people named Miles has she met in her life? One. It had to be him, he didn't kill her. He had plenty of chances to swing his sword at her that day but he didn't take those chances. He waited for her to take the shot at him before he took his shot at her.
She ran her fingers through her knotted, light brown hair. She got up, wiped her bloody nose once more to stop the blood from flowing down and marched over to the gates. A man stood at the exit, raising an eyebrow when he saw Kintau on her way over.
"M'lady, what are you doing all the way out here? Is there a Code Red?" He asked, touching his sword.
"No, Brendan." She said, a hint of laughter following. "I need to go out for a while."
"But, m'lady, it's almost sundown. We are not supposed to leave the village at night. Plus, you do not have a guard with you either..."
"I need to go on a quick trip. Please don't tell anyone where I'm going, I don't need anyone to worry about me. Just tell them I went on a quick run." She walked closer to the gate until she was right next to Brendan. She grabbed his hand and stared at him square in the eye. "Don't follow me out."
She pushed the heavy door open, letting go of Brendan's hand. She tightened the straps on her bag that was strapped on her back, looking back at Brendan who stared at her as the gate closed.
He had to be around there somewhere. If he really was the Miles she thought he was, she had to know. Back in high school, he kissed her. He was her first kiss. They hadn't talked since he was in his last year of college, when she graduated high school and was in her first year of college.
She was in her dorm room, sitting on her bed, doing homework like a normal person would. Then there was a knock at the door. She got up and opened it and, to her surprise, it was Miles. She talked to him last when they kissed and it felt awkward to see him again.
"Hey." He said in that stupid, quiet voice he spoke in when he was nervous. "It's been a while...I know."
"Yeah. I know how long it's been. I know you didn't want to speak to me again. I know you hate me. I know you kissed me for no specific reason and even if you could give me an explanation, it would still—"
He placed the tips of his fingers on her chest and pushed her back, walking into the room and closing the door behind him. "I have a reason for kissing you in high school." He paused, looking down at her. He placed his cold hands on her cheeks and leaned down, staring her in the eyes. "I'm always going to have that reason. I am always going to have that feeling. I want to tell you, but I can't. I just can't." He noticed a tear rolling down her cheek. He rubbed it away softly with his thumb and smiled. "Why are you crying, shortie?"
She giggled, but instead of answering him, she just sat there for a while without saying anything. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize." He held his hands on her cheeks. "I should be apologizing. This is your first day of coming to college and I just came in and sat on your bed with you like some creep." He winked at her, getting her to laugh a bit.
"You should probably go though. My roommate will be back soon and you know she'll say something about this."
"Alright, I'll get going. I'll uh..." His face flushed red. "I'll see you around, okay?"
Kintau nodded, giving him a sly smile before he left.
   She never saw him after that. Maybe a few times in the halls but he never really spoke to her.
   Kintau crawled through the woods, placing her hand on a broken branch. She lifted it, noticing she cut it. Blood gushed out of it, but she had nothing to clean it with. She heard something. Leaves crunching. Sticks breaking under feet. She touched her okay hand to her sword's handle, creeping closer to the sound. Another twig snapped. She hid behind a unusually large tree, awaiting her attacker. A man ventured from the woods, finding his way into Kintau's view.
   "Excuse me," She said calmly coming from the tree behind him. He was startled, he turned around to look at her. He was dressed in a suit and looked a bit too fancy to just be walking around the forest. "what are you doing in the woods in a tuxedo? I don't suppose you're just taking a walk dressed like that."
   "I... I am um... are you going to hurt me?" He asked. He was frightened, he was scared even before he saw her.
   Kintau shook her head, "If you continue to waste my time, maybe."
   "W-Well, I was on my w-way to the Sparrow Ridge formal for its one hundred fiftieth year anniversary since the village was created. We're h-having a party."
   She nodded, but she needed more information. "What kind of party? Like a dance?"
   "Y-Yes, a fifties dance. We dress like they did back in the nineteen fifties. Eliphas is going to be there and host it along with an injured man that is still not healed. He won't be with Eliphas, of course, but he will be around in a room." The man was so kind to have told her this. It was strange he was telling her willingly.
   "Thank you. You are too kind." She handed him a map she kept in her bag. "Take care."
   She sprinted through the woods in front of her until a building came into view. It was dark, about ten o'clock. Vibrant lights flashed from a large building that had to be where the party was. She was behind the gate though which was surrounded with guards. Two at each entrance. There was one entrance where she was, so she pulled her sword from its pocket and snuck over to them. Before one could look at her, she swung her weapon to trip the one closest to her, causing him to fall on his back so she could finish him. The sword sunk into his chest. She pulled it out, blood dripping from its tip, and moved on to the second guard. He was easy to take out. She slashed her sword and cut the side of his neck, blood spilling out. He fell on the dirt, lying lifeless.
She grabbed the first man's ID and held it up to the scanner, a green light blinked and the gate opened.