MYSTERIES OF NO-LAND (Chapter 2.1)-Fantasy

Chapter 2

Salen proved to be a great fighter despite the bulge he carried like a pregnant woman. The dagger went slashing as he swung. There was pure adrenaline in the air.

The guards too were as tough as they looked matching strike for strike and blow for blow.
Their curved blades were causing the duo of Salen and Bolwart real problems.
George, not used to seeing much blood was shaking. He could see that no one was even paying attention to him. This might be his chance.

He looked around and was glad that no one even cared to steal a glance at his direction. He had the feeling that there was bad blood between these sets of men, not just because the lady had given the order.

Where was the lady by the way?

One of the guards came tumbling down on him and as his hands were still bound, he couldn't parry his wounded body away. He fell against him, pushing him to the floor and they both landed on the hard-baked floor. He seemed to have taken the best of it as the guard was up in split seconds and was back attacking if only with more intensity and ferocity.
Vince crouched behind one of the cushion, his back resting against the back. He closed his eyes wondering how he got into such predicament.

“Come this way, quickly!”

He opened his eyes to see a lady, not much older than himself, a brunette with her eyes the color of Sapphire. With even the dark creases on her eyes, she looked beautiful,almost as beautiful as his sister had been

“Who are you?“
“How about we keep the questions for later and get you out of here! “

Vince nodded and taking that as an affirmation, the lady held his hand and led him out bending low so as not to be seen.

“You must do as I say so as to make it out of here alive,“ she said once they were out. He could see she was struggling to hide the fear in her eyes. He wondered who she was and why she had come to his rescue barely knowing him.
“Vince, immediately we walk pass that door, you must run as fast as your legs can carry. Down the corridor all the way to the undergraduate channel. When you exit, you'll see a horse waiting for you, propped up against an olive tree.“

Vince didn't know how he was going to cope with such instructions, and worse even, he had no training riding horses.
“But I… “
“There's no time… “ She dipped her trembling hand into her blouse and produced what looked like a crystal ball. This should guide… “
Just then, a hooded man came into sight. He had two swords tucked at his sides.
He unhooked them and twisted them as he approached them.
“Take this and go now.“ She handed the crystal ball to him and turned to face their assailant.
He hesitated, not sure what he needed it for.

“I don't...“
“Go now…run!”

As though propelled by her bellowed order, he ran for the door. Just before he got out, he heard her shout ‘chaksak!’ and heard what sounded like thunder follow. He couldn't go back to see what it was as he sped into the darkness.

He ran not knowing where he went allowing his intuition to guide him. He wished he could just awake from this bad dream.

The crystal ball suddenly lit up with a bluish flame and he stopped in his track. One more step and he would have fallen into a deep pit,chasm, whatever it was.
He bent low to catch his breath, his palpitations already threatening to burst his chest.
I could have died there
He wondered how he was going to cross over without falling, no bridge visible. Or so he thought.
He looked at the far right and saw what looked like a step that led downwards. Some pieces of rock were breaking off the walls and falling into the pit and taking like forever to get to the bottom. Cold shivers ran full length from his head to toe. He imagined seeing the guards picking his bones and trying to fix them together.
Why didn't I die with the others? Why wait till now?

Well, there was only one way to find out. All through his fourteen years, he had often hear people say his diehard determination will be the end of him but it seemed to have been his saving grace. He had, against his parent's better, or clearly worse judgement, not drank from the costly wine sent to them from the king of Oreon. Had they had their strength, they would have been able to escape, as he had, from the invasion.

He ran towards the step, the bluish luminance lighting his path. He steadily but carefully climbed down the step not stopping even when as it began to fall apart, not able to support his weight. He managed to make it down to the level floor just as some guards came into view.

They stopped when they saw that the steps had collapsed. He didn't wait to see what they would do next as he scrambled away towards the exit. He saw the horse tied to the tree and it seemed unaware of the danger, eating away at the luscious, green grasses that had been unfortunate to be found where it had been tied.

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Quickly untying it, he climbed up without even checking the saddle. He had hardly climbed up the horse when it cantered off as though enchanted. He held the reins feeling weaker the more distance they covered. A sharp pain from his back kept rising. Looking back, he saw a masked man letting down a bow. Just before he blanked out, he saw the head of the arrow protruding from the small of his back.

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PROLOGUE

Chapter1