Second story up today. Another short one, however, this one has more of a finite ending, and a bit of the next chapter is written. Not sure where I'm going with this really...Nobody has read over this for me, so again, my apologies for any mistakes. And in the past few minutes, no, I have not come into ownership of any Blizzard-ness. But boy do I wish...
"Come on Aiden, how far is it?"
My foot slipped on a cobblestone, and Aidens hand wasn't very helpful. I itched my head where the blindfold bunched my hair. He said it was pretty close to Falconwing Square, but when could you trust Aiden on anything?
"Just a little further Venissa!"
I scowled at him, or where I thought he was. I told him not to call me that!
"Shut up Aiden! This is so dumb. You really didn't see anything cool did you?"
We stopped, and I was grateful. Aiden spun me around several times, until I was quite confused, and ripped off my blindfold.
"What, are you chicken?" His green eyes narrowed. Today his red hair was in a spiky ponytail. I almost giggled when I saw it that morning. Of course, that was right before he offered to show me something cool. "You scared to see a real skeleton?"
I rolled my eyes. "Of course not. I've seen several skeletons." Placing my hands on my hips, I gave him a hearty scowl. "However, I am skeptical you saw one move. I mean, come on, it's not like you saw some undead thing. Those guys are in Tirisfal Glades."
He narrowed his eyes. "Are you calling me a liar?" His hand dropped to where his sword was slung on his waist. A fire lit in his eyes.
My heart skipped a beat. O.K, time to calm him down.
"No…I'm just…" My mind raced. How do you cool down Aiden…
I batted my lashes, going for the D.I.D. tactic. "I'm just impatient to see you in action. We train separately…so I haven't seen you use that yet."
There was a pregnant silence, and then…
A smirk crossed his face. Inwardly, I sighed. Note to self; never wound a paladin-to-be's ego. Or question their word.
"I guess I understand. If you want, you can watch me kill it. I'm really good with this thing you know." He winked.
I nodded vigorously. Gag me, please. Like I would be interested in him, the cocky self-righteous-
"Alright then, on with the blindfold. I want this place to be a surprise!"
I swallowed, trying to wet my dry mouth. As much of an idiot and a trainee Aiden was, there was no denying he could beat me with his two handed sword. As the cloth slipped over my eyes, I let my hand brush my short swords hilt. Yea, his blade would slice this thing in half, no doubt.
He spun me around again, but stopped suddenly. The blindfold was ripped off of my head, and I promptly fell on my butt.
"Aiden, what-?"
"Good morning, sir."
My gaze shot to the elf walking down the path. Ranger Selron turned to Aiden, glanced at me, and strode towards us, his gaze questioning.
"What are you two doing?"
I could tell this was directed mostly at me, and my cheeks warmed. Aiden smiled, bowing slightly. "Ah, sir, Venissa here just asked if I could give her a little extra balance training. She's slightly embarrassed about it, so we decided to exercise away from the others. Sir."
Selron looked slightly concerned. "Really?" He turned to me. "Trainee Venissa, is this true?"
I opened my mouth, glancing at Aiden. He was giving me a look that could kill. My teeth were tight together as I replied, "Yes, sir. I asked Trainee Aiden here for a little training. You know how amazing these paladins today are. Sir" Yea, amazing is the exact word I would use.
I didn't think he bought it. His eyes narrowed, and he almost grimaced at Aidens pleased look.
"I'm sure." His eyes flicked to me again, worried. "Well, if that is all, carry on."
Aiden opened his mouth, obviously about to lay on the honey, but Selron wasn't finished.
"And, trainee Aiden, is it?"
"Yes sir! Finest paladin trainee of my class, sir, not t-"
"Don't be too rough with her." I stared at Selron. His eyes were kind and slightly troubled. "She is a good hunter, and I am sure the Rangers will be most upset if anything were to happen to one of their best trainees."
I was quite shocked. Aiden gaped like a fish, before catching himself and bowing.
"Yes, sir, I mean of course, sir. Their best trainee- yes of course. No harm, no harm at all, sir. Rangers- yes, sir!"
Aiden bowed, still grumbling slightly. Selron inclined his head at the young paladin, before stepping over and offering me a hand up. I took it, feeling numb.
"Keep up the good work, trainee Venissa."
He flashed me a hidden smile, before turning and striding off on the path.
The silence that ensued stretched for merely a minute, before Aiden shoved the blindfold back on my head.
"Since when are you one of the best Ranger trainees?"
I shook my bangs free from the headband, turning towards Aidens voice. "I didn't even know I was."
He spun me then. For a moment I thought I was going to be sick. Then we were off, him tugging my hand lightly, me stumbling after him.
"Aiden, honestly. Why so anxious?"
"I'm not. Just…just be quiet."
Silence it is then.
He tugged harder now. Maybe he was eager to get there. Maybe he wanted to get away from the path that other guards and rangers walked. Maybe we were close to the place. Or maybe he was just mad.
I took the last option when he squeezed my hand painfully hard and let go. I stopped walking, expecting him to say something, but heard him still moving away.
Thinking this was the place, I reached up and tugged the bandana.
"No!"
Aiden smacked my hand away. I shook it, feeling the sting. "Don't take that off until I tell you to!"
"Well, are we there?"
"No." He moved away. "But if you are such a great ranger, you should be able to follow me without holding my hand."
The sounds of his walking moved off.
"Hey, Aiden…" No reply. "Aiden?"
"Follow me."
My ears twitched to the sound of his voice. I took off after him, stumbling slightly over tree roots and the like.
"Aiden, knock it off. The farther we go after this skeleton the less I actually want to see it."
"Well…you're my captive now. So…so you have to."
I wondered if he realized how dumb he sounded, right before I tripped on a dirt clump and fell right on my face.
"Ow…" I rolled to me back, favoring my left arm. "What the heck?" I reached over with my right arm, and felt some solid stones where my left arm must have hit. "Aiden, what are these?"
"Stones, idiot. Get up and keep moving."
I sighed, rising, and took off after him, slower, and stumbling less.
Quite suddenly, I stopped hearing his movements. "Aiden?"
"This is it."
I went for the bandana.
"Not yet."
Anger bubbled in me. "Why not?! This is ridiculous!"
"He's not here right now. You stay here, and I will go looking for him." I heard him run off, and before I could start after him, he was gone.
Grumbling, I began scooting around with my right hand out, looking for a tree or a big rock to sit on. I finally gave up; the area Aiden left me in was barren of anything to sit on.
I took a few steps forward, and my foot crunched down on something. Confused, I took another step. Another crunch.
Weird.
I sat down near the crunchy stuff, back on the grass. After about fifteen minutes, the sun broke through the trees, and the air warmed considerably. My leather jerkin stuck to my back like it was plastered there. The backs of my knees were warm and damp.
An hour had to have passed since Aiden left. I didn't know where he went, or how long he was going to be gone, so I didn't take the blindfold off.
On my second search for a tree or something of the like, I found one a ways away. It was probably rotting, since its bark was slightly mushy. But I shrugged and sat down next to it.
Moments later I was up, shrieking and rubbing my arms and back off. I had sat in a spider web! Gross!
My hand swept out next to me, expecting to meet the tree bark again, but I overbalanced, stumbled a few steps away, and fell backwards. Jolts of pain slammed up my arm, and I cried out, nearly missing the strange clinking noise that was emitted at my fall. Whimpering, I rolled from side to side, cradling my probably broken arm. When the ringing left my ears, I finally heard the weird sound.
My senses reeled. Everything I should have noticed on entering the area jammed into my knowledge now.
Death was intense in the air, air that was thick and musky, like a heavy fog was curling among the trees. The ground was harder, as if there was no grass, and the sound…
My hand nudged something, and I curling long fingers around it, feeling the contours of its shape.
Sudden realization hit me; I dropped the femur bone and scooted away, scream still lodged in my throat. My back hit something- I turned, felt it with shaking fingers. A ribcage.
I was frantic now, trying to escape. I finally rose to my feet and took a few steps. I didn't care where it was headed, but I sure hoped it was away from the bones.
I tripped on my fourth step, this time only catching myself with my right arm, and was fully surprised when a splash met my hands and face. Spluttering, I thrashed, pulling my soggy body from the apparent creek. My feet crunched more bones on the river bed. Something warm trickled down my right arm.
Over the sounds of my gasping for air I heard something, or someone, else, moving nearby. My breath sucked in, and I listened, cursing Aiden again and again for bringing me out here.
The sounds of movement stopped, and I took a moment to slowly pull off my bandana.
This time my scream didn't even pause at my throat.
My voice cut through the air, loud and clear, tearing up my throat on its journey out into the deaf ears of an undead that stood directly in front of me. This one looked particularly mangled, flesh still hanging on its bones, hair scraggy and knotted, eye sockets oozing black sludge and yet empty.
I tugged my blade free, slashing the thing before turning and running back the way I had come. A broken down meat wagon loomed in front of me; I swerved to find a new escape route, down the creek. Bodies were piled as high as me, blocking my other getaway.
Turning again, I was faced with the edge of the creek and a short cliff. The river slid through broken boxes and debris, forming a waterfall. Judging by the cut in my arm, bones that were broken were deadly, and a fall was no good.
I faced the mangled undead, hand unsteady and shaky with fear. I had never encountered anything like this…the Rangers slowly taught their trainees the ways of the world, they didn't plunge us into the truth like I was. The undead slashed at me, letting out a garbled shout. I squeaked, backing up and blocking. It followed closely, drool trickling down its face from the gaping, hungry mouth that awaited my soft, tender woman flesh.
I blocked his arm again, and the appendage sliced right off and hit me in the face. I shrieked, turning away as it fell, and the undead took my opened to slice with its other claw. I felt the pointy fingers carve from my sides at the waist down to my naval and opposite thigh. Blood quickly spilled from the wound- a fatal wound, my mind told me, seeing how much blood spilled so quickly.
The blood did something else for the monster. His attacks were eager now, now that he knew a meal was right in front of him. I stabbed through his arm, twisting it and bringing us face to face. It gnashed its teeth wildly, hair flying. I cried out as it pushed my backwards, until I tripped at the debris, and I was suddenly clinging to the undead, lest I fall backwards onto the bones below. It stopped gnashing, looking almost surprised at this turn of events.
Another wave of surprise covered the creature, as several arrows stuck through its chest. A blade followed the arrows, slicing it neatly in half. Arms reached out calmly to retrieve me.
However, with my blood loss and lack of balance already, gravity took hold first, and I plummeted over the edge. Time seemed to slow. I thought about how when I first started on this adventure, I was worried about Aiden being a threat. Aiden, however, would never kill me. I thought about how apparently the Rangers cared so much for me. It seemed like ages ago that Ranger Selron was saying that.
The last of my thoughts trickled away as I blacked out, before I even met the ground.
Yea, I know how lame I am that I am constantly writing about hunters. But seriously, stories just kind of write themselves in my head, and since I play hunters, this is just the way they turn out.
As we all know, fellow writers, reviews are incentive to continue.