*The Chronicles of F.R.E.E. Atania's Knight - Raquel Festow* Part 2

Chapter 5 - A Fatal Blow

*Darren Hodgson POV*

I don't think any of us expected to be transmitted back to Astrovia at that very moment. Watson and I had been standing, talking to Green and Perkins when a blinding flash transported us back.
The thick, dense, dark forest was enough to send my heart into overdrive with blind panic. Where was I? Where was Watson? Had my mum and dad been brought here? And Danielle?
Knowing that I was about quarter of a mile away from a village, I ran straight forwards, crashing through the trees as I hoped to locate where I was so I could then search for others.
A faint scream in the distance distracted me from focusing on my path and I tripped over a protruding root of a tree. I quickly got myself up when there was another shrill scream, this time a little closer.
My breathing quickened, my heart started to pound against my chest and my blood ran cold when I heard the screams. Who had they belonged to?
Then I heard yelling coming from two voices I recognised.
"Run!" Came Perkins voice. "As quickly as you can! RUN!"
"This way!" I heard Sawyer. "Follow me! I know where we are!"
Forgetting about my original path, I ran in the direction the voices were coming from. They were getting louder.
"SHARON!" A male voice bellowed.
That was Steve! Watson's step dad!
I leapt over a fallen tree and pushed myself even harder to get to them.
"ALEX!"
That was my mum!! Oh fuck! She was here! And so was my dad!
Bursting out of the forest into a clearing, I crashed straight into someone coming from the side of me. We both rolled to a stop on the floor, before both sitting up, patting ourselves all over to check we were alright and staring at each other.
"Hodgson!" Perkins cried out, as we both managed to stagger back up to our feet.
"What's happening?" I asked, hurriedly.
"Coffinhounds! " Perkins wheezed, grabbing my arm and running again.
Ahead of us, I could see five more people running towards a large fence with a single tower at the side of an open gate.
"GET INSIDE THE FENCE! IT WILL BE A SAFE ZONE! HURRY!" Came another voice from behind us.
Loud snarling barks were dangerously gaining on us as we all ran towards the gate. The five people in front of us made it through and turned back to watch us coming towards them.
It was my parents with Watson's parents and Sawyer! As soon as they saw me, my parents started screaming, frantically, for me to run faster.
Perkins and I finally reached the gate and looked behind us to see Xavier and Micha run through too.
"Shut the gate! Quickly!" Micha gasped, trying to push the gate shut on his own against the speed of the approaching ferocious dogs.
Sawyer, Xavier, Perkins, Steve, dad and I all helped push the gates shut and held it there with our backs against it, just in time. One of the bear-sized Coffinhounds collided with the closed gate, jolting us forward from the impact. The hound was whining in pain as the others started scratching away at the fence and gate, trying to get inside.
My mum and Sharon were gripping hold of one another, flinching and cowering away from the banging and crashing of the beasts against the gate.
Micha hoisted a huge bar across the gate and barricaded it so we could step away. He stood facing the gate, with his hands on his hips, a slightly annoyed look on his face. The rest of us tried to catch our breath, all terribly shaken up, and checking each other was ok.
"Well, we're stuck here for a while until they either get bored or we kill them. I'm placing my bet on the second option." He quipped, turning to face us.
"The fuck is going on?!" Steve demanded, holding Sharon closely and looking at us with a furious expression.
"The portal has been transmitted too early." I explained, quickly, as I pulled my phone out of my back pocket. "This wasn't supposed to happen until tomorrow when you had all gone home."
"Hodg! If it's picked up my kids, I'm going to fucking kill her!" Perkins snarled, angrily.
"With all due respect, young man." Micha retorted, calmly. "You'll probably find that viaxaw is likely trying to call Asuna right this minute to tell her what her punishment will be." He gave Perkins an evil smirk. "And I very much look forward to giving it to her!"
Perkins made a low noise in the back of his throat, glaring at Micha, while I tried to call Watson.
"Where are we?" My mum asked in fearful wonder, looking around the circular huts and bare dirt.
"This is just like home!" Xavier cried out, excitedly.
"It's Swindmore." Sawyer grunted. "This is where we were in that memory you saw of Goodwin's."
My phone didn't seem to want to connect to Watson's, for some reason, so I tried calling Asuna, but that just beeped too.
"Fuck sake!" I growled, as I tried Rebecca. Hers just kept ringing. She wasn't picking up.
"No ones picking up at the moment." I said, annoyed.
"We've all just arrived, that's why. They're probably all trying to get to safety." Micha reasoned.
I looked around at the circular huts, that were randomly dotted around the place within a circular fence.
"This is just like Atania."
"Isn't it?!" Xavier said, happily. "There should be a main hut in the centre that should be big enough for all of us."
He bounded off, humming a cheerful tune while Sawyer, Perkins and I exchanged looks of concern and dread with each other.
"I'll stand by the tower on the lookout in case anyone needs us." Micha told us, gruffly. "If you find a crossbow or bow and arrows on your travels, please give them to me. I miss trying to shoot apples off my brothers head, so it'll be fun to kill those beasts with it." He gave a dry chuckle and headed over to the tower.
I looked at my parents, who were frozen on the spot staring at me. I gave them a sheepish grin. "Erm... welcome to Astrovia?"
"Why have we been taken here, Darren?" Steve demanded. "Where is Ruth? And where is Maria?!"
"I-I don't know. I've just tried to call Watson, but she's not picking up. Like Micha said, she's probably trying to locate a safe zone. We'll be safe here, don't worry. And I'm sure Watson, Maria and even Danielle will have found safety by now." I assured them.
"What do we do?" Mum bawled, panicking. "We're stuck here and those dogs are trying to eat us!"
I strode over to her and pulled her into a hug. "Like I said, we are safe here. We need to harvest some food and get ourselves fed first, then we can plan out where to go from there."
"HEY! OVER HERE!" Xavier's voice carried from the centre of the village.
I pulled away and let my dad take over comforting mum.
"We also need to find weapons. We'll be needing them if we were to head to Narthwich." I told Sawyer and Perkins as we started to walk towards Xavier, who was standing waving both of his arms at us.
"Agreed." Sawyer huffed. "We're a weeks travel from Narthwich. If we get enough provisions to last us the trip to Narthwich. No doubt they'll all gather there."
I nodded in agreement, looking around for any signs of the farming fields. But there was none.
"Xavier? Where are the farming fields, do you reckon?" I called out to him.
"Oh they'll be at the back of the village. At home, we try to keep them separate from where we live because of the bugs." He called back, bouncing on his toes.
"Is he... special?" Dad asked, warily.
"It's his Realm, dad. The Atanian community are all like this. They're very positive and connected to the lands." I told him, flatly. "They're also very very loud!" I added, grimacing as I thought of Hunter having Vollang with Raquel and making the entire house shake.
Sawyer and Perkins chuckled a little at what I said. We reached the large hut and Xavier showed us inside.
"Oh my goodness! It's the same hut!" Sharon cried out, looking around in amazement.
Sawyer nodded. "Yes. We all stayed here when we visited after the Mournestrike attack to find some survivors who may have head this way." He grunted, sitting beside the unlit fire and stretching out his legs, his face grumpy as he relived the memory in his mind.
I pulled back the tattered curtain and saw the beds that Watson and the other girls had been getting changed around in the memory.
"How long were you here for?" I asked, looking back into the main circular room.
Sawyer crossed his legs and leaned forward. "A day. We arrived mid afternoon, had the party in the evening then got a rude wake up call the next day." He scowled.
Xavier tutted and folded his arms. "A Tension Release is not a 'rude wake up call'!" He snapped. "It's a way of relieving ourselves of our pent up frustration and negativity!" He unfolded his arms and stomped into a room opposite me.
I sighed. "Let's hope he doesn't do it." I mumbled quietly, pulling out my phone and trying to call Moreno.
It just kept ringing again. She wasn't picking up either. I frowned, starting to get more concerned with everyone's whereabouts.
Perkins noticed this. "Hodg, Green and my kids are out there!" He mumbled, his eyes turning glassy and a very concerned expression on his face. "I-I need to know they're safe!"
I put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "I know, P. I'm trying to get hold of the others now."
I glanced over at my mum, who was crumpled to the floor again with dads arms wrapped around her, looking thunderstruck.
Sharon was weeping into Steve's shoulder as he shushed her and rubbed small circles on her back. He was glaring at me, like this was all my fault.
I hung my head and looked at Xavier as he emerged from the room he had been in. He gave us all a sheepish smile.
"Uh... I would give it a while..." he chuckled, awkwardly.
Sawyer made a low noise in the back of his throat and rose to his feet.
"I'm going to find some weaponry for us. Xavier? Get some food will you?"
For some reason, him giving out the orders felt like a blow to my ego.
I stepped forward, feeling the need to exert my authority over him.
"All due respect, Sawyer. But I think we should all focus on gathering the food together, then we will focus on gathering other provisions required for our trip to Narthwich, before finding the weapons and focusing our attention on preparing ourselves for a fight."
Sawyer cocked an eyebrow at me and folded his arms. "What's the point of that?" He argued, calmly. "We'll get better prepared quicker if we split up and get the jobs done all at the same time."
"Listen, mate." I said, trying my best to stay civilised. "I've run a lot more trips to other Realms than you, so what I say-"
"What you say? You're only a member of FREE. You have no authority, only the doppelgängers do." Sawyer grunted, looking at me as if I was being ridiculous.
"I'm the trainer in command!" I spat, my patience gone in an instant at his insult. "When Watson is out on calls, I'm her second as her partner!"
"You didn't even know about that until Sanford told you when they went missing." He snapped, his arms falling to his sides and tensing. "I'm a general in the army! The youngest there ever was! I have a lot more under my wing than you do, buddy!"
"And how many wars have you led, huh? I was in charge of the entire fleet in Grondon on Atania when the girls were focused on finding Tiana in Wacchica and Alzicante! Have you led an entire fleet on your own? Huh?" I grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked his face to mine, which didn't work as well as I hoped because he was taller than me. "Have you led a war in a continent on your own?!" I challenged him, savagely.
Sawyer pushed me away from him and we both stood opposite each other, puffed up with our teeth bared and breathing heavily. Perkins stepped in between us, his arms stretched out to each of us.
"This, right now, is not helping anyone! Will you two just stop it?!" He said, looking annoyed at our attitude.
"Then make him stand down!" I shouted, pointing at Sawyer angrily.
"You fucking stand down, Hodgson! You are not my leader. You never were!" Sawyer spat at me, taking a threatening step forward.
I reached my arm down for my blade, but it wasn't there. I let out a frustrated roar and leapt past Perkins, pinning Sawyer to the ground and punching him, Sawyer grappling at me, trying to stop me. He managed to punch me and hit my nose, but didn't break it. I felt a surge of triumph there. His attacks were weak!
"BOYS! STAND DOWN!" Came a loud shout, making Sawyer and I freeze.
Micha was standing in the doorway and looking furious.
"The fuck are you two fighting about?! We're meant to be finding weapons, getting resources, and gathering food! Yet here you all are, hiding inside a fucking tent, fighting each other! Get out there and get shit done NOW!" He bellowed.
Sawyer shoved me off him and stood up, holding his aching jaw. I wiped the blood from my nose and got up too, glaring at Sawyer. Micha looked at the two of us, shaking his head with disappointment.
"What is this all about?!" He growled, folding his arms and glaring at us.
Neither one of us spoke, just waited for the other to speak first. Perkins sighed and shook his head.
"A fight of egos, sir." He huffed, casting a sideways glance at us. "Sawyer is a general in the army on Earth and Hodgson is the lead trainer for FREE. They both think they should lead this expedition." He explained.
My mum and dad watched on in silence, shocked at my behaviour towards my friend. Sharon and Steve looked angry.
Micha rolled his eyes. "A battle of the egos, huh?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at us. "Let me guess. The army leader wants to show that Earth is not a weak Realm and to prove its worth. The saltazeeb of the Fourth Knight of FREE, thinks that his relationship with her overrides any other positions. What about the son of the First Knight? The son of the founder of FREE? Where do I stand?"
We scowled back at him, both deciding to remain silent.
Micha nodded, defiantly. "Exactly! If anything, this young man here would be better leading us than you two!" He gestured at Perkins, making Sawyer and I scowl even more. "What would Ruth say about this, huh?"
That hit a core with me, and I hung my head. "She'd tell us to stop being silly fuckers and get on with it." I said in a deflated tone.
Micha hummed in agreement. "That's the one thing I noticed about Ruth, she knows how to lead a team alright. She's authoritative, but she's clever with how she does it. Makes it sound like she needs them to do it, otherwise, the whole system would fall apart if they didn't do it. That's a lot more effective than just throwing out simple orders, don't you think?"
Sawyer hung his head too and grumbled in agreement.
"Right well. Let's work together, get the food, then the other basics, then we will find the weaponry and practise throughout the evening." Micha instructed, turning to leave.
"Told you my way is better." I spat at Sawyer.
"IN SILENCE!" Micha roared, spinning round and glaring at us.
We all followed Micha out of the large hut and round towards the back of the Village. We could see two large, overgrown fields along the back wall. It looked like there was plenty of food for us to feast on, but we'd be vegetarians for a while.
Within two hours, we had managed to collect enough food for two weeks, plenty of spare clothing and bedding, and enough cookery equipment too.
Micha put Xavier on potion duty next, as he was the only one who knew how to make them thanks to being from Atania, while the rest of us started hunting for weapons.
We found plenty inside the barracks, located towards the front of the village near the gates, and we all shared them between us. Mum and Sharon looked extremely apprehensive about being given a sword, but we assured them they would only need them if they got separated or to defend themselves.
The Coffinhounds were still scuffling and scratching away at the perimeter fences, desperately trying to gain access to feast on us.
With some armour and a blade at my hip, I was feeling a lot better! If we didn't have Xavier and mine and Watson's parents with us, we would have left there and then. But we needed to get them trained up on the basics at least.
The light was starting to dwindle, now, as my parents sat with Sharon and Steve to get a briefing on the basics by Micha. I would then be taking over and putting them on a quick course to build their stamina and strength before they practised sword fighting. We were playing to leave Swindmore in two days time, so there was no time to muck around.
"Ok. So, your sword is going to be your only chance at staying alive out there. You will need to block, attack and defend. When using a blade, your best option is to keep going with your swords direction. Spin along with it, keep it flowing, as changing direction slows you down and opens up an opportunity for your foe to attack. This will also speed up your attacks considerably. Imagine it like a dance, if you will. To make the motions more fluid, you need to keep-"
He suddenly stopped when a spine chilling howl reached our ears. Other Coffinhounds began to join in, and soon the whole of Astrovia seemed to be overcome with the sounds of their sinister howling.
I grimaced and looked at Micha. He had his hands on his hips, walking towards the perimeter walls, with a confused look on his face.
Mum and Sharon were on their knees, their hands covering their ears to block out the noise, whimpering and shaking in fear. Both Dad and Steve were holding onto them tightly, looking around in terror at the noise.
Sawyer and Perkins looked around at the surrounding fences, trying to justify why they were howling so loudly.
Then I saw it.
There, in the distance, was a humongous dark shadow, that stretched up into the sky, higher than the mountains. It looked very far away but it seemed to be sending the Coffinhounds into a panic.
I pointed it out to Sawyer and Perkins, who both stared at it in amazement.
"Is that really close? Or is that far away?" Perkins shouted over the noise.
"I think it's far away." I yelled back. "It looks too hazy and distant to be close to us."
Sawyer, however, had seemed to realise what it actually was. He took a step back in horror, his mouth stuck open and his eyes wide.
"MOURNESTRIKE!" He bellowed, quickly grabbing Perkins and I and pulling us towards where Xavier was making potions beside the hut.
"Sawyer?! What the-"
"We need to get underground!" He yelled. "A MOURNESTRIKE IS COMING!"
He frantically ran back to help Sharon get to her feet when a low rumble silenced the howling Coffinhounds dead.
"Come on! We have to go!" Sawyer pleaded, desperately.
Sharon finally got to her feet and Steve started running with her, along with mum and dad, as Micha flew back across the training field and ran as fast as he could towards us.
Another rumbling BOOM came, much louder this time, and it made the ground beneath our feet tremor.
Perkins and I sprinted after Sawyer who had reached Xavier and grabbed him to his feet as he passed.
A huge rumbling BOOM came again, this time shaking the ground so much, we all stumbled. I glanced up at the monster who had been far away a few moments before, but was now towering above us, it's head in the clouds.
It's features were now much more defined than they were a second ago. It looked like a gigantic demon. Grey, rotting flesh were stretched over its huge muscly arms, torso and legs. It's arm were by its side and poised, as if ready to attack at any moment. It had a well defined eight pack and massive pecs. It's thick neck held up its monstrous head, that had horns like a rams, a pigs snout but it's jaws showed gigantic, razor sharp teeth.
"QUICKLY! IN HERE!" Sawyer practically screamed at us in terror, snapping me back to reality, as he flung back the curtain of a large circular hut.
I had been so busy taking in the sight of the Mournestrike, I hadn't noticed everyone else had gone far ahead of me.
"DARREN!!" Mum screeched in a panic.
I scrambled to my feet but before I could take another step, there was such a loud BOOM as the Mournestrikes monstrously gigantic foot broke through the fence at the back of the village, and I was thrown into the air from the earthquake. Landing on my front, I watched in horror as the Mournestrike reached down and picked up a handful of Coffinhounds, flinging them away as if they were a ball, sending them flying into the far distance, howling and whining.
My heart was palpitating in my throat. I couldn't breathe from the fear that coursed through me. I was frozen, laying sprawled on the ground, arching my neck back, so far it was painful.
The Mournestrike took another step and it's foot landed right beside me.
Again I was flung into the air by the shock wave and tremors and landed right on its foot.
An alien scream escaped my mouth. I didn't even know I was capable of screaming like that! I was beyond scared, beyond terrified, by this point. I was going to die!
The Mournestrike let out a heart stopping, thunderous cry as it stepped forwards again, while reaching down and picking up more of the death dogs, throwing them even further this time.
I clung to it's rotting flesh for dear life. I don't know why, but I felt safer being there than on the ground at that very moment. That is, until it lifted its foot for another step.
I lost my grip as it soared high into the air, and plummeted back down to the ground at an alarmingly quick rate, screaming so much, I was tearing my throat. I was tossed this way and that as I bounced downwards through the thick forest canopy.
I finally came to a standstill on the forest floor and slightly lifted my head.
My vision was swimming, my head was pounding and throbbing, angrily, from the fall and my whole body felt weak and aching.
I slumped back into the forest floor, unable to stay conscious anymore.