Chapter 3

I wake early the next morning, my breath quickened with fear. It was the same nightmare as before, fire and death everywhere, the terror only ending when I'm left alone to die. It's just after sunset by the time I've gotten ready and the boys are still asleep, I also notice, to my surprise, that Jack's plants are fully grown. I debate waking them, but I figure it's still early and they aren't used to travel yet so I decide to let them sleep. I grab a potato and wait for an hour or two before Jack wakes, and in turn, shakes Ginta and Babbo awake. We get back on the road as soon as we can, and after a few hours, we reach Pazu, a small town where Jack usually comes to trade his vegetables. The three boys decide to go look for the Ärm that can take Ginta home, while I tell them I'm going to look for supplies. As soon as they're out of sight, I tug my hood over my face and head into the town.

Pazu is alive with activity and shops, people shouting prices and holding their wares out for all to see. I don't make eye contact with anyone, but no one seems to mind and barter with me just the same. I do see some shadier characters lurking in the back alleys and around the bars and pubs of Pazu. My mind wanders to Ginta, Jack and Babbo, and I can't help but wonder if they're alright. I don't have much coin on me, 100 puter at most, so I mostly just look at the shops. I find a shop that seems well off, intricate tapestries are hung on gold tipped railings, and the customers look like they've got money to burn. I could just sneak in through the back, take some cash and leave…

"Hey is it true? Did Stanley get im'?" The deep voice catches my attention, so I move to a close by stand to listen in on the two men.

"Yeah, can you believe it, 10 million puter! We better hurry though, everyone else is heading over to get their cut." The other man nods and starts to head off with his companion.

"It's so lucky that the ärm's owner is a dumb kid, apparently, he was just walking around with a living Ärm! He didn't even try to hide it!" The two laugh as they head on their way. I hesitate for half a second before everything clicks, a boy with a living Ärm…

"Ginta!" I whisper in realization and immediately start running, I don't know how long ago the bandits attacked, or if Jack and Ginta are even still in Pazu, but I run through the streets anyway, just in case. After a few hours of running, I over hear some people talking about two kids who were robbed in broad daylight, and were heading out to take down the bandits. My heart sinks, it's getting dark now and it sounds like they left to retrieve Babbo quite a while ago. I take off running again, this time headed in the direction the people said the two boys went.

Please be ok.

That's the only thought in my head when I sprint past the entrance of Pazu.

It's dark when I finally make it to the spot where I sensed Ginta, Jack and Babbo. I skid to a stop, sword in hand and my breathing quick and ragged, in front of a collapsed Ginta. He's beaten and bruised, but he's alive and Jack is nowhere in sight. I slowly take in my surroundings, there's a caged green bird, that oddly reminds me of Jack. Babbo is beside Ginta, as usual, and is looking up at me with a concerned expression.

"I'm glad you found us, but we have bigger problems." He nods to my right, and I turn to see what he's looking at.

A young man with blue eyes and spiky hair to match, and he's looking at me with the same shocked expression I have on my face.

"You… you're the boy from my dream…"

"Light…? It can't be… But that weapon…," his eyes narrow and he grits his teeth. "You're dead! I saw you die!" I feel my heart stop for a moment. Dead? But, that's not possible… I look around me, as if the trees and grass have the answers I'm looking for.

"Hey, who is this girl Al?" The question comes from a small fairy floating by the boy's shoulder.

"Who are you?" I ask him, but the only response I get is an angry glare.

"13 Totem Pole," he says quietly, never breaking eye contact with me. I can sense something moving below me and I jump out of the way just in time to see massive tower-like objects burst from the ground where I was standing. I coat my sword in fire as I continue to dodge his attacks.

"Please help-" I start, but he cuts me off.

"I'd never help a traitor." He yells, fury burning in his eyes. "You betrayed us, we trusted you!" there's a bright glow, after it fades he's holding a long rod. He rushes me, I block with my sword, sparks exploding off my blade on contact. The fire illuminates our faces for a brief moment, then we both jump back and circle each other, our eyes still locked.

"What did I do?!" I yell, but that only seems to make him madder.

"You set us up, we trusted you, and you led us right to them." He shouts as he runs in for another attack. My vision darkens but only for a moment.

"Hey Al, you there? Don't go too far ahead." I giggle while I crawl through a small tunnel.

"Shh! Let's see if we can sneak up on Alan! It'll be payback for his last prank." A boy says from in front of me, he turns to face me and that's when I see his bright blue eyes.

I bring my sword up right as he swings, and our weapons collide once more. I back off this time, pushing him away while I jump back. He continues his attack, this time his attacks come faster and more relentless, it takes all my concentration just to dodge. It only takes a few moments, but eventually his attacks start to overwhelm me and I start to feel cuts forming where his totems are nicking me. Finally, his attacks stop, both of us tired, him from using so much magic, and me from running around since I left town. He composes himself quickly, and I can sense he's far from his limit.

"I think it's time for me to finish this," He gives me a menacing look, pure rage written on his face. A totem appears below me, a second too late for me to dodge, and hits me directly in the stomach. It sends me flying quite a distance, but I manage to land on my feet and skid to a stop. Exhausted, I fall to my knees, panting at the physical and magical exertion, every movement a painful reminder of my injuries, new and old. He walks over to me slowly, and I force my eyes to meet his.

"Please, just answer one question." I say weakly, making one last attempt to get some answers. He hits me in the side with his weapon in response, I fall onto my side and try desperately to stay conscious. Every cell in my body focuses on one thing, those angry, blue eyes. Something in them shifts, a brief flicker of something other than rage and anger, confusion floods his expression. But his eyes, they show something else.

Pity. For a brief moment, the boy pities me. It's just a second but it's enough. He lowers his weapon and looks at me, for the first time, he really looks at me. Dark spots dance in my vision, but I force my question out.

"Who am I?" the words are nothing more than a whisper, but I know he hears me. He looks conflicted, as if unsure of the consequences if he answers.

"You were one of us, a member of the Cross Guard… You were my friend." His voice wavers as he speaks, his sadness all too prevalent in his voice. "But you never were my friend, were you? You were a Chess Piece all along," he grits his teeth before continuing, his previous anger returning. "You lead us to that forest, it was all you. They are dead because of you."

The pieces start to fit together in my head, and I slowly realise what he's saying.

I lead them to that forest, all those bodies, all my fault. I told them to go there, I told them to go through the forest instead of around it.

It really is my fault.

Tears start to well in my eyes as the guilt sinks in. He grips his weapon tighter, his knuckles whitening, but he keeps his weapon lowered. The black spots in my vision grow bigger, and the world fades away as a tear rolls down my cheek.