The House Of Blood and Dust, Book One: Darkness Rising

The Things I Do For Love

The sounds of the woods echoes through the air, the lake rushes downstream, but I cannot follow it for they will capture me,

          “Unidriss, I am lost in Froa woods, I’ve lost Karl, the boy I was with and I’ve been running for what seems like an hour...” I wait for an answer but nothing, not ever static. “Oh come on someone answer me... Unidriss, Commander Arkness is lost within Froa woods in Bjhin... somebody answer me!” I continue to run, vaulting over fallen trees, fire burns through the wood and I’ve met it a few times, my suit is scorched on my right arm, my slacks charred I running with torn clothing and dirt covers my body,

          “Arkness... we...” static enters my ears and men surround me again, their mages circle fire in their hands.

Aurora is on my hip and the nameless gauntlets appear on my hands, claws ready to pounce on the bastards,

“Free... you are under arrest for war crimes on the nation of the Senims.”

“Fuck the Senims.” I bellow at them, “We will stop them... we will destroy their plans and their hopes.” The men look at me the night is a beautiful hiding place but I will have to fight now; I draw Aurora and by command her flames burn brightly creating light for me,

“Mages kill him.” I stand with grace and allow them to get closer, the staffs at the ready, flames flying around the ornaments on the top,

“I would come any closer if I were you.” The mages in their robes “Miranda...”

“Wait, do not kill him... I didn’t recognise you until you’re unwilling to die came out.” Selventine’s daughter comes by the side of the man, he has a well groomed beard his hair falling down just pass his shoulders, his armour is of the paladin’s but the sun is not red, the steel is spattered with blood, his blue cloak floating in the wind. He is muscular; he stands at the same height as me   

“Harquin? What are you doing?”

“What I think is right...” I look into the man’s eyes, his eerie dead, familiar eyes staring back at me, he knows me and I him,

“Do you know who I am?”

“Should I? Because the only thing I should know is why both Miranda and Harquin are here and where the hell am I?” the man laughs and another Senim soldier comes from in-between the trees holding Karl in his hand,

“Un hand me... do you know who my father is?”

“Yes we do... I believe mister Arkness here works with him... Jason your pilot, the master of nothing apart a helicopter... didn’t he nearly destroy a village.”

“His plane was near shot down... he was falling and fast he pulled but the plane stalled... it wasn’t his fault.” Karl yells at him,

“Yes and know he flies a helicopter... something safer.” He turns to face me again, “You still don’t remember who I am do you? Of course not I was nothing but an iron thorn in your side... by the numbers and the fact the Talienti cannot lose... you chose the wrong side, brother.” He chose the right words a flash flood of instant memories collects in my head storming around,

“Robb? How the hell are you alive... you were in half Zack killed you.”

“It would seem he did, if it wasn’t for Harquin and her friends I would have been.”

“You’ve betrayed your clan Harquin, you’ve betrayed Unidriss... you will pay for your crimes.” She laughs and smirks her eyes filled with evil and hatred, she’s wearing her mother’s guard armour, black steel with white skull on the breast, “The Telver insignia... you were all wearing it... Malcolm, Jason, you and Chris... your all working for Shanjin.” She starts clapping,