Eternity

Attacked

We had been travelling for many days, when we came to a small forest. We thought nothing of it, and travelled through. Eventually, we came to a small clearing. Silensunus stopped.

“Shhh,” she told us, “I hear something.”

A shape emerged from the trees, and Silensunus drew her knife.

I had hoped Silensunus’ knife would come to my aid, rather than destroy me, so many times. Now my wish was granted. With a flick of the wrist, Silensunus’ knife, now burning with a deadly fire, flew unerringly into its target like it had so many times before. It didn’t matter to her that, this time, the target was moving. Her senses were acute as usual – for a millisecond I wondered how she kept them that way. But I was distracted by her lithe form moving forward towards the shape that lay on the floor in front of her. She was as silent and as deadly as a snake.

Suddenly I noticed a dark shape detach itself from the forest surrounding us. I was about to cry out to warn her when I was grabbed from behind. Oratus was beside me, similarly bound. Unable to make a sound, I lashed out at my attacker. He grunted, for I was sure it was a man, and Silensunus spun around. She approached, no doubt to rescue me and Oratus. My attacker didn’t have a chance. But the other figure grew ever closer...