Knight of The Lost Kingdom

Chapter Five-The Woman of Time

Finian laid on his back gasping for oxygen that had long left his lungs. He looked up at the sky wondering what it would be like to float up there with them. He heard the distant cheering of people, well actually not so distant, just to him they were the farthest thing from him.

"We will talk later," said a voice. This voice seemed to not come from anywhere specific, from everywhere but nowhere. It was definitely a feminine voice, but it was a little deep and a it had a condescending tone. He couldn't place the accent it sounded French, but he forgot it about it in seconds. He felt the world spinning as he lay there and he had a killer headache. He felt like he was going to vomit if he moved. He timidly turned his head to see the rush of a crowd entering the arena where he lay.

He also saw Xander laying on his back grinning at Finian. In a matter of seconds Charles was next to Xander offering him a hand. Xander took it without any thought and was on his feet, he rolled his shoulders and rubbed his throat. "Jeez, dude where did you learn to fight like that. I love it!" Exclaimed Xander. Finian ignored him, or couldn't make words, he couldn't figure out which to use. He had already forgotten about it in seconds though.

He was now surrounded and saw at least a dozen faces looking down at him. He saw their mouths moving, but could hardly hear the words to make them out as intelligent. Then, he saw Victoria bend down on one knee beside him. Her long black hair fell in front of her jade green eyes, so she pushed the strands of hair behind her right ear. She looked like a goddess, it almost seemed like she gave him life. He no longer felt the spinning or the killer headache or the nausea. He felt normal besides the pain and bruises on his, well everywhere. Although those also dulled in a second or two. "Are you okay?" Victoria asked over the murmurs of the dozens of people looking down at Finian.

"Now I am," he replied with a sly smile.

"Are you sure, cause you look like shit," she inquired with a giggle.

"Wow, thanks."

"Anytime, of course if you need more detail on how shitty you look I can oblige."

"I'm good."

She stood and offered him a hand and he took it. When he stood he rubbed his forehead where he and Xander collided. There was definitely blood, but the place that was bleeding had dried up already even though the blood down the bridge of his nose was still wet. He just shrugged it off though, for Xander already had him in an embrace. "Man that was close, I'm kind of mad I lost for a second time. My little Finny is growing up," teased Xander. "Looks like that head-butt bit me in the ass in the long run."

"Yeah it did," Finian teased back.

*****

Finian then had to endure his worst challenge yet, socializing. He had to endure every pat on the back and "good job man" or a "holy shit that was cool you should keep that up." Surprisingly he got more of the latter. After ten minutes of pointless small talk and conversation, a member of the Queen's Guard stood before them all. He raised his hand to silence them and they all did as he commanded. "Your testing is over, the results will be posted in the town plaza tomorrow by noon. The finalists however, have nothing to worry about they are automatically placed in the top ten. the knighting will take place a day after the results are given. You are all dismissed."

Something nagged on in his head though, it was telling him to stay for a minute. So he waited, he continued to wait when most people had cleared, even waited when Victoria told him to come along because they wanted to go drinking after Xander and him see a doctor. He told her he would be there in a minute that there was something he wanted to do. When she asked what it was, he could only tell her that he didn't know. So she waited with him, just a couple feet behind. Then he saw it, it was a cloaked person. They stood on the edge of the forest.