Chapter 4

They reached the top of a hill quietly before it dropped off vertically leaving little pebbles and loose rocks tumbling down the cliff face. She could feel the wind on her face, gathering speed and caressing her.

She shivered. It was still cold even in the summer as dawn approached. Only her cloak kept her warm, as her usual light armor garments was barely useful in covering her body.

The smell of fresh grass greeted her as the sun in the east slowly awakened, like a lazy fire elemental. She lifted her head just enough to take in the horizon before them and her breath caught from the sight.

The softly lit clouds glowed with a pinkish purple hue at the furthest point in the horizon, at the base of the sky, lifted up by faint shapes of a mountain range. From there, the light scattered and filtered through, blending into dark blue. The sky stretched up and up, a sea vast and mysterious.

Above her head she could make out a remarkable blanket of white dots twinkling and winking at her, millions upon millions of stars. Never had she seen this many before. Divinity's Reach always had a lot of city lights that drowned out the night sky. The only errands she had done outside of the city were well lit by caravan escort torches and road lamps.

From town to town, they would travel but here, she could see the rest of the land. Everything was still dark but the villages glittered with lights, a cluster here and there, like little bonfires. Towards the north, there was the greatest bonfire of all. Shining like a bright beacon, standing tall and mighty, countless spires pointing towards the heavens. Even in this distance, she could make out many details of the city. Divinity's Reach, the very place she had to escape.

Reina for a brief moment thought they were planning to dispose of her right there. An easy job to do, she was merely a defensiveless young girl between them. Then they could bury her body in the river that flowed below them towards the lake.

Even if she were to be escorted back to the city, there was no telling whether centaur patrols would intercept them.

But the guardian broke the storm of her thoughts.

"Beautiful isn't it?" He said, a voice hush and gentle.

It was starkly different from his authoritative tone from talking to the Sylvari before.

She ignored him and lifted her chin defiantly.

He leaned in closer beside her ear. "Don't worry." He whispered softly.

She shuddered. His voice was too unnerving, speaking right into her heart.

Don't worry? How could she not worry?

He seemed to have read her thoughts as he caught her eye and smiled. Bile immediately rose in her throat and she wanted to slap him for making a fool of her in this situation. But he had already spun his heel-

To swing a giant hammer, sweeping into the remaining three Seraph guards. She gasped in shock. They never even had a chance lift their weapons before their winged helms dented and their bodies crumpled into a heap. After the deed was done, he set the hammer on its head on the ground nonchalantly, as sudden as he had swung it.

Without a word, the lieutenant came behind her and deftly loosened her bindings.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

She was speechless and made no attempt to reply. At the sudden turn in events she was clueless as to what to feel. Instead, she flexed her wrists silently, wincing from the pain.

She studied her savior, captor and now traitor to his own unit. How many more identities would he acquire? He stood a head taller than her at almost six feet, broad shouldered and held an air of dignity, his back gracefully straight, as if he could stand and move swiftly with no effort. He wasn't too muscular but enough to assert his authority and strength, with matching short cropped golden hair to prove his solemnity. His expression was soft, calm and composed despite his tough chiseled features that stared back at her.

He smiled again as she looked away to avoid his eyes.

"Lieutenant Nathaniel Arai Hirano, at your service, Your Highness." He tipped his head in a polite bow and crossed a fist over his chest.

For a moment, she stared at him blankly, confused.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness?"