Avi

Chapter 3: Torches and Old Allies

Maik woke up to different kinds of pain. His right arm was broken, and a metal cord stabbed him through his abdomen. He couldn’t feel his legs, and his head was bleeding from the side. Thankfully, Sterne was approximately three feet from him, and not mutilating his body. He let out a cough of blood before letting his left hand touch the bleeding part of his head. Jumping off a cliff was never the safest thing to do.

            He was just thankful he was still alive.

            Maik couldn’t move, of course. He refrained from letting out any audible moans, making sure nobody from those after him would see where he was. If he was going to overthrow the assailants of his family and destructors of peace, he needed to be alive and well.

            As of that moment, he was far from being well. “At least I’m in Gaeia,” he thought as he let his left hand touch the wire protruding from his side. “This is not good.”

            With all the strength he had in his left arm, Maik tried to pull the wire out of his body, wondering where it came from in the first place. He traced it until its tail, and realized it was a metal arrow, probably fired by one of the soldiers he jumped from. He bit his lip as another gush of blood left them. “Good shot, son of a-“

            His train of thought was halted when he heard a drifting sound from the Blue River. He wondered how he had drowned out the sound of the rushing water, and concentrated on listening for clues on who was approaching. Maik felt pathetic; if it were one of his probable killers, he’d be too weak to even throw a punch. Honestly he hadn’t felt that helpless ever since the day in his childhood when he fell into a comatose. It was very much like his current state; it was dark, but he could hear everything, he was conscious, but he could move nothing.

“Louise, looks like we got ourselves a survivor.”

            Maik spat out the blood preventing his speech and said, “State your identity; are you from the troupes of Ternet Inuser?”

            He felt a gun pointed to the tip of his hat, and Maik gritted his teeth. He couldn’t die there.

“Quite a big mouth for someone who’s ridiculously impaled; but to sate your curiosity, the name’s Vash. Vash Constantine Belheart.”

            Another set of footsteps caught Maik’s ears. They were lighter, and he assumed they were from a female. Vash came closer.

“Don’t move him just yet; we need more able hands.”

            “What,” Vash interjected. “You expect me to leave this guy impaled by who-knows-what? And you, guy with the big mouth, why don’t you state your identity?”

            The woman suddenly lit a torch and shone light towards Maik, who used his left hand to cover his eyes from the blinding fire. He assumed the woman was Louise. “I see the Brightbord insignia; intriguing, I thought you were all dead.”

            “How on earth did you know that?” Maik growled weakly, wondering if the two were from the Trojan Worm. He painfully turned his head towards the sheen of Sterne, but was helpless as to getting it. Louise sat beside him and Maik felt the brush of her hair on his face.

“Not to fret, royal one; I am Louise Alexandria, tenth colonel of the King.”

            Maik instantly recognized him. “Maik Brightbord, military prince, heir to the throne.”

            “C’mon now; do you have to tell me you’re royalty? Makes me want to pick your pocket,” Vash jested as he sat down beside Louise. “You seem to be in real bad shape, though. Did you get into a fight and jump off this cliff?” Vash then let out a resounding laugh. Maik cringed at the noise, and wondered if it was safe to be making such sounds that could easy attract the enemies.

“Yeah, just that.”

            “You damn serious?” Vash asked, his voice becoming serious. He turned to Louise. “I’m telling you,” he said, “people these days get crazier and crazier. You out of your mind?! Do you know how high this ravine is?”

            Maik was about to answer with a theoretical figure, but Vash continued his litany.

“Too high, that’s what! And what’s this? You got this stick thing sticking out of your stomach!”

            Vash paused. “You’re suicidal, boy.”

            Louise let her gauntleted hand move gently along the metal arrow. “Mind if I try pulling at it?” she asked softly. With less energy to talk, Maik simply nodded her to do so. With all her might, Louise pulled out the arrow, earning a quelled scream from the military prince. Vash let out an obnoxious laugh.

“You know, you should’ve given him something to bite on,”

            “I loosened it up for you.” Maik whispered tiredly. He felt himself passing out of the pain, but did his best to be awake. “I need your assistance,”

            Vash threw his hands up in the air. “See, Louise?! What arrogance! Why I should just shoot his brain out-“

            “What is it, Your Highness?” Louise asked courteously. Vash couldn’t do anything but scratch his head in frustration. Maik nodded her on.

            “I need to find someone from here.” Maik sighed as he felt his eyes grow heavy. “Nayateri… Yula-toori… that’s her name. Take me there as fast as you can; I need to see her.”

            “Yes, my lord.” Louise said and motioned Vash to carry Maik. Vash looked at her in disbelief.

“I am not carrying that piece of-“

            “You are and we are going to find Miss Nayateri.” Louise said. Maik watched them as they argued, a bit annoyed that his meeting with Nyu was being stunted by their petty argument. But since he was incapable of locomotion, all he could do was wait.

            “Bah, fine, just because it’s you.” Vash said to Louise and hauled Maik carefully on his back. “Be thankful, royal buttwipe; Miss Nayateri’s quarters aren’t far off.”

            But Maik was already asleep and his breathing evened as he rested on Vash’s back. Vash, for the first time, refrained from saying anything.

            “He’s an orphan now too,” Louise said softly. Vash didn’t look at her, but nodded. The woman put her hand on Maik’s armband, where the Brightbord insignia was sewn. “I knew his family; they were good people.”

            Vash recalled his own family, his parents.

            He remembered the fires in his house, and the numerous bombs thrown into his room. He was lucky he had escaped out of the window with his mother and father. It was several years ago, when Ethereans and Humans were against each other, and the passivity of the Ethereans brought them to their demise.

            “We love you, but you have to go,” his mother told him as she let him run away like a stray animal. Next he knew, fires engulfed what was his home, and warm iron-smelling liquid splattered onto his back. He did not dare look back, because he knew what kind of sight would welcome him.

            “Vash?” Louise said, interfering with his flashback.

            “Nothing,” Vash whispered. “I’m just wondering how lucky this idiot can get.”