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The Lost Age of Men
Chapter 5
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Kardi paced the room furiously. Where could they be? What could have happened? Is it possible…No, they could not have been killed. The three Proxian chidren, Sattimen, Achad, and Kalie, along with Lydia, watched her from the beds of the room they had rented in the local inn. It was a small room, with four beds and a bathroom. But, Kardi knew that they shouldn't have to be there long.
Where are they? Kardi was getting anxious. A small pack of Fenrirs against powerful fire adepts? It shouldn't take this long, she thought. It should have been no problem. But she had a feeling that it was just wishful thinking.
"Can't we go look for them?" Kalie, the youngest, asked in a small voice.
"No, the Fenrirs may have found our trail. If we went out, they would find us. It won't be safe until dawn." Kardi wished that weren't true. She desperately wanted to go out and find her companions, but she knew that the children must be kept safe, because they were the last hope for the world. She sighed, and continued pacing. Lydia glanced out the window. It was pitch black, with not stars or moon to guide anyone out there. She wondered what was going on out there. What would they do if the worst happened?
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The sun was setting as Hamar, Sam, and Jake were setting up camp. Sam was trying unsuccessfully to start a fire. Jake went over to him
"Need some help?" he asked. Sam looked up and smiled
"Go ahead." Jake quietly said, "Flare," and fire burst from his hand onto the dry wood. Soon enough, the fire was crackling with a large flame. Hamar approached them.
"There are monsters about. I can hear them. Whoever is on watch must be extra careful," he said. Jake and Sam glanced at each other. Monsters? Neither of them had any close encounters with monsters since they had both lived in a city for most of their lives. Hamar seemed to sense their anxiety.
"You needn't worry about fighting them. Most are not particularly dangerous, we just wouldn't want them to attack us while sleeping. There are very few dangerous creatures out here." That still didn't assure Sam. He was still worried about Lydia. What if she and those Proxians were to encounter some of those dangerous creatures? Would they be able to protect her? Hamar's voice interrupted his worries.
"You should get some sleep. You'll be taking the midnight watch." Sam lay down under his blankets, not wanting to sleep. But finally, the day's exhaustion caught up with him and he drifted into sleep.
He was awakened abruptly by Jake shaking him.
"Shh, quiet. Hamar says some of those more dangerous monsters may have come across us." Sam sat up strait. He heard some howling not too far away. They both stiffened. Hamar came bursting into the clearing.
"It's a Fenrir. Just one, luckily for us." They hear some crashing coming through the trees, along with another howl, much closer this time. Hamar held up his sword…and a man with greenish skin staggered through the trees, followed closely by a Fenrir. It was a ferocious looking beast, with two heads and razor sharp teeth dripping with drool lining each mouth. It snarled and began to leap at the man. Quick as lightning, Hamar thrust his sword into the beast's chest, right where the heart was. It stopped in midair, and fell to the ground at Hamar's feet. He took his sword out and wiped it on the grass. Then he kneeled down to where the man was lying, bleeding profusely from multiple bite and scratch wounds.
"Hello, Agar."
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Dawn quickly approached the restless group in the inn. Neither, Lydia nor Sattimen had slept all night, though the younger children had drifted off from exhaustion. Kardi kept her vigilant pacing all through the night. The sun was shining though the window, oblivious to the horror that might had happened the night before.
"Something must have delayed them. There's no other possibility!" Kardi refused to believe that they might have died. It was impossible.
"We can go look for them now, right?" Lydia also desperately wanted to believe that they were still alive. Kardi nodded. They got the younger children together and left the small village. The morning was beautiful, but Kardi only hoped that it was a promise of life. It was mid-morning by the time they arrived at the woods they had been traveling in, and there was still no sign of Agar or the others.
Then, the scene changed from one of the morning's beauty to one of gory death. Both Proxian and Fenrir corpses lay on the ground, bloodied. Kardi fell to her knees.
"No…it can't be….NO!" She slammed her fists into the ground. Kali's eyes filled with tears as Lydia wrapped her arms around the small child. Sattimen bowed his head to hide his grief. Achad just stared ahead, unbelieving. Lydia held Kali as tears filled her eyes as well. All of them, dead. Kardi sobbed. She had nothing left of her family, friends. Just the children, and none of them were her own. The small group just sat there ,unsure of what to do next.
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So, there it is, Chapter 5. I'm so happy! It's finally the weekend!! Anyways, thanks to my reviewer Maddiemaia. I haven't forgotten you.
Saturos: Yeah, right.
Really! But, the most important thing, kids, is to review. So stop, drop, and review for me.
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