Chapter two

The manuscript

Memories of old, I would call them now. Although they are no older than two years. But back then peace was still a thing to touch. Now it is just like those dreams from two years ago. Things had should no have happened, happened. Peace does no longer exist. War is the reality. Night after night, day after day we have to fight. We fight creatures that are not supposed to exist at all. Our people have set hope on us. We do not know if we will find something. We hope so, but still. All depends on how reliable the manuscript is. If this fails, everyone is lost. But if it is true than they have to leave. Leaving this world, going to the other and hoping they will help. If only it was true.

It must be.

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'They are coming!' yelled one of guards. The others graphed their weapons. The creatures approached raptly. One minute later the sound of gunfire from their side was heard, killing as much of the creatures as there were bullets.

They hold them for now, but she knew they could not hold them off forever. Luckily the little ones were already to England, the only save place near the Netherlands. The creatures were not able to cross the water or to come near it. That was their luck, but one day the creatures would find a way to cross and even England would not be save then. They would trapped on the island. No way to turn to except open sea. Or perhaps, she thought hopefully but as soon as the thing passed her mind, she threw away as fantasy.

'Mariona, the ship is ready!' yelled Jasper. There we go, she thought. ' All right,' she screamed back and turned to the defence wall, ' everyone, to the ship!' Weapons were thrown away and every one on the walls ran for their lives to the last ship that was waiting for them.

Mariona started running when the gate broke. She looked back to see if there was anyone left and saw Him, standing in the opening of the gate. The bastard himself had come. She ran harder, while arrows flied over her head.

Miranda, who was in front of Mariona got hit and fell. ' Mariona, go!' she spoke softly, bleeding heavily. Mariona ignored her, lifted her up and ran to ship, which started to set off, on her heals followed by Him and his creatures.

'Jasper, where is Mariona? ' yelled Alex from the bridge and the same time seeing her running on the docks with Miranda in her arms. 'Jasper look!' Both men ran to the railing on the back of the ship.

' We must stop the boot, we can't leave without them!' Alex said with fear in his voice, for he knew that was impossible.

Jasper looked at the distance between the dock and the ship, now three meter, which Mariona could jump, but not with Miranda in her arms. Then he saw the rope, graphed it and made a loop in it. Alex immediately understood his plan and together they threw the heavy weighted rope to the two women.

Mariona looked to the ship and realised she would not be able to make the jump. She looked back again. They would not have Miranda or me and prepared herself to jump in the freezing water of the Maas. Then suddenly she saw a rope flying from the ship. Looking to who was on the other end, she smiled inwardly. Idiots, she thought but was grateful. She graphed the loop, holding Miranda tightly.

Alex and Jasper pulled with all their strength. Though the two women were not what you call heavy, the fact that they had hit the water before they hang in the air along the side of the ship, made their burden a lot more difficult.

A hand appeared on the deck of the ship, followed by an arm both covered in blood. Alex ran forward as Jasper hold on to the rope. Alex took Miranda's body out of Mariona's arms and pulled Mariona further on deck.

Mariona coughed and whispered to Alex 'She is wounded.'

'Kin'd figured, seeing the blood and the arrow.' Alex said sarcastically and walked away bringing Miranda to Rosanne, who was more or less the healer.

Mariona sat back, looking at Jasper who was catching his breath. They were out of reach of the arrows and on their way to England. With a grand smile she said 'You will have to train harder, Jasper. I would like to do that again, you see.'

Jasper looked at her and laughed and with a deep breath he said ' Next time it is Alex his turn, then I get the girl.' Mariona and he laughed and she shivered. 'Come, we going to get you some dry clothes. We cannot have you sick.'

Jasper supported her and they stumbled to the sick bow ' First we have to see if the manuscript is not a fake. After that, we will have to see.'

'Yeah, yeah just trust Joanna, Ditmar and Dorien. They should know when something like that is real, shouldn't they?'

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The night fell. I knew He knew of the manuscript. He wanted it. It had to be real. Stars glimmered and we approached England. Alex sounded the horn and a light, flickering three times, answered it. Soon I would know if my dreams and fantasy were not fake. If this was really an NĂºmenorean manuscript or even an Elvish one then there would be hope. My head went up to Orion. The last battle, I thought. And I prayed to God that he would help us find the help we so desperately needed.