Page 18 of One Last Promise
“Raiden!”I sobbed, touching his blood covered chest when I reached him.He was still alive, but I could tell he didn’t have long left in this life.“No!Raiden.Please.Please, don’t leave me!”
“A...Al...Alora.You...need to...run!”
“No!I won’t leave you for that beast tofeaston!”
“Th...there...is...something...m...more...dangerous.”
“Save your energy.I’ll get you out of this.”It was a lie.We both knew it was hopeless.All that was left for Raiden was to pass on from this life, knowing that I was thankful for everything he had done for me.
Fighting in the distance caught my eye.Was that a glimmer of a sword?Shadows moved swiftly around the creature, injuring it as it lunged at the darkness.Somethingwas clearly fighting it.Could I drag Raiden away and hide us while the battle raged on?Why was I fooling myself?I’d never be able to drag him with my slight frame.
“I’m...fading...A...Alora.R...r...run...now!”He began to spit up blood, and I knew there was no hope.I clutched his chest, my hand becoming drenched in his blood.
“Raiden,” I sobbed.“Bask in the light of Holy Ether.You served my father and me well.”
“F...fear...Nox...No...Noxlin,” was all Raiden could force out as he tried to point his hand into the darkness before he took his last breath.
“Raiden!Raiden!”I cried, grabbing his chest.I willed him to come back to me, but it was too late.He was gone.
Stretching, I reached for my bag and took out one of the blessed flowers that were meant to be an offering to Nantu.Placing it on Raiden’s still chest, I closed my eyes and prayed to Holy Ether.
“Take his soul, Holy Ether.Bless Raiden in the eternal grace of your arms.Let him feel no fear, and know that the Dylin royal bloodline commend him for all that he has done for our kind.Allow his body to be given back to the earth.”Picking up a handful of dirt, I scattered it across his body.“Be at peace, brave, loyal, Dylin warrior.”The blessed flower glowed brightly, pulling Raiden’s soul from his body.Holy Ether had him now.Tears trickled down my face.
Goodbye, friend.Go to Holy Ether.May you live peacefully in her loving embrace.
The beast distracted me, its roaring was closer than before.I had taken my eyes off the creature and the figure in the shadows for too long while helping to send Raiden’s soul to Holy Ether, which was a mistake.The noc beast appeared to be making a beeline for me again.Taking Raiden’s light sword, I lifted it as high as I could.If this was how I died, I would go down fighting.I held my ground, watching the beast as it closed the distance between us.The voice in the darkness must have been killed, too.It appeared that this monster would takethreelives tonight.
I willed my power into the light sword.Holy Ether, grant me my powers just once.Allow me to defend myself.To my surprise, my arm began to glow and channel power into the sword.Was this to be the firstandlast time I would witness my power?
The creature was almost on me now.Swallowing, I lifted the sword a little higher, which wasn’t much off the ground.Closing my eyes, I channelled my power and gave it everything I had.Bolts of light charged from my hands through the sword, dazzling the beast as it leaped for me.The light made it stumble and fall backwards.Did I dare try to make a kill?I knew how fast these beasts were.
Before I could move, the monster was back on its feet, lunging at me.This was it!Bracing myself, I waited for the final attack.Suddenly, a figure of pure darkness slid underneath the beast and gutted it from belly to chest with a silver blade edged with shadows.
The creature fell at my feet, almost sliced in two.Dead.
“Well, that worked better than I planned.You work well as bait,” a voice called from behind me.How had the figure gotten around me?My eyes strained to see in the darkness.The light of the fire allowed me to finally take in the face of the dark figure more clearly.He was a male.Averyhandsome one at that.His cheekbones were high.His nose had the most perfect curve that drew you towards his mouth and complemented his well chiselled face.He could have been carved by Holy Ether, herself.Gazing down at his mouth, I had never been attracted to such a soft, full set of lips in my life.Holy Ether!What was happening to me?I needed to collect myself.“What’s your name, boy?”Boy?Oh, I was holding a sword.He must have thought I was male.“I do not wish to spill any more blood tonight.I mean younoharm.You can be on your way.”Taking him in more closely, I noticed the slight curl on the ends of hisdark, black hair.Hisdarkeyes burned into my soul.He wasNoxlin.The information I had been told about these creatures was false.They weren’t beastly at all!“Are you mute?”His tone was annoyed.Anger raged through me: anger for Raiden, and for being slightly mesmerised by this vile creature!
“I’m not aboy,” I seethed, pulling the hood of my dark cloak away from my face.His eyes were startled as he got his first good look at me.“I should strike you down where you stand!”
“What is a Dylin female doing out herealone?”The shock hadn’t faded from his face.He seemed to be studying every inch of me, probably contemplating whether or not to defile me before killing me.I would run the blade into my own stomach before he ever touched me!
“I wasn’t alone!”I motioned towards Raiden’s lifeless body.“Come any closer and Iwillkill you!”I threatened, lifting my sword as high as I could.I was ready to battle.
“Oh, please.I have no wish to fight you.You can hardly lift that sword.”
“Do not mock me!I knowwhatyou are!”
“It’s good to see that your eyes work, but youarealone now.The Dylin male is dead.”His face almost looked amused as he spoke.Tears began to stream down my face.Raiden had become my friend during our journey.Losing him hurt.The male in front of me was right, though.I was completely alone.How would I finish the pilgrimage now?My life lay in the hands of this Noxlin scum.If he could kill a noc beast, he must be a fairly powerful warrior.“You should leave before more creatures smell the blood.It’s breeding season.Many wander farther than they should at this time.”
“I’m not going anywhere withyou!”
“Do whatever you want.I don’t give a fuck.I’m not particularly concerned about helping aweakDylin.”Blasphemy!Now he was showing his Noxlin tendencies.“All I’m doing is advising you to move away from yourdeadfriend.Beasts will come for his carcass soon.”
“You animal!How dare you speak of him that way!Raiden was worth a thousand of you!”I spat, angered by his cruel words.
“I’m not sure you can make that judgement when you’ve only known me for a matter of minutes.I was merely stating a fact.All this blood and fleshwillattract many creatures.”He gave me a long look before placing his sword in its holder on his back before he started to walk off.“You’re welcome, by the way,” he called over his shoulder.
“For what?”I yelled, collecting my things from around the fire.This male was infuriating, but he was right.I couldn’t stay here with all this blood, but I had nowhere else to go.
