Tales of Aridia

The village

Jayden propped me up onto my feet, and helped me walk. My leg ached as my weight fell upon it. Max stood behind me, holding his arms out in case I fell. I rested my arm on Jayden's as we waddled over to the flicker in the distance. We broke away from the jungle and appeared out onto a field. In the centre was a small brick wall lined with torches. The tops of huts poked over the walls and to the centre was a large brass gate. Two men stood still, each one holding a torch in their hand. We were spotted almost immediately and the men came running at us, holding a torch to our throats. Elliana cowered behind me, peering through the gap in my legs. The men grimaced, eyeing us up and down. They parted to allow an elder to step through. "I apologise, this is only for our safety." He said, pointing at the men as they lowered their torches. I smiled timidly, gripping onto Jayden. "I see you are injured," He said. I nodded slowly, still cautious. The man bent down onto his knees. "And who are you?" He asked. Elliana walked to my side, "My name is Elliana, daughter of..." Max nudged Elliana before she could finish her sentence. Elliana dropped her head to the ground and gulped. "Well you look friendly," The said, climbing to his feet. "Please, stay a while. Enjoy our hospitality!" He exclaimed, leading us through the gate. 

We followed the three men slowly, keeping our heads low. "Welcome to our village!" The elder said, gesturing to the huts made of mud and stone. Children peered out of the windows curiously, some trying to run outside but being restrained by their parents. "Stay close," I whispered to Elliana. A small boy bounded down the path holding something. He approached me nervously, "For you," He said. In his hands was a small bouquet of flowers. They were tulips of many different colours, "My favourite," I smiled, pinching the boy on the cheek. He blushed and then bounded away from the path, into one of the huts. The men lead us to a small shack in the corner of the village, away from the crowds. The roof was collapsing inwards and the stairs were made from piles of mud. A door half hanging on its hinges opened to a small room. In the corner was a bed and a drawer with no handles. The elder smiled, "Have a lovely stay!" He said, seeming impressed with himself.  He bore a long white beard and a long gown that scraped the floor. He wore no shoes but a piece of cloth to wrap around his feet. Elliana jumped on the bed, which made a loud bang as her body slammed on what now appeared to be a slab of stone. 

The elder nodded, closed the door, and let us be for the night. Max and Jayden laid themselves on the floor, preparing for the cold night ahead. A small pile of towels were left in the corner of the room, to be used as bedding. Soon Max and Jayden were asleep while me and Elliana sat silently on the bed. I undid the braids in her hair as the sun settled behind the horizon, casting a shadow into the room. I thought about the little girl sat in front of me. She seemed so innocent. I knew that if she was given back to Abraxas he would turn her into something like him. "Do you think your father is right?" I asked, trying not to provoke her. Elliana lowered her head in thought, untangling her hair from the braids. "I'm just trying to stay alive," She said eventually. "Do you think humans should be enslaved?" I asked, prodding further. Elliana frowned, her head In thought. "I think they have hard lives, we shouldn't be making it any harder than it needs to be." She said. I smiled and pulled her closer, placing my chin on her head.  "You've been human, tell me what it's like!" She said eagerly, sitting upright. I laughed, "Well, everything is an adrenaline rush. You aren't immortal so you could die at any moment and you wouldn't even know it. " I explained. Elliana sat back down again, resting on my lap. "Sounds exciting," She replied, smiling at the idea. 

I rolled up my sleeve and stared at the wound, another ring had formed around it. Elliana stared at me, "You'll live." She said. I nodded doubtfully, rolling down my sleeve. "I had this friend once, she had a disease. I thought she was strong enough to live, but eventually...it killed her." I explained, my face drooping in pain. "What was her name?" Elliana asked, slowly drifting off to sleep. "Her name was Hope." I replied. Elliana smiled once more, "pretty name..." She said quietly before her eyes shut, and she slipped away.