Chapter 8

Two Faces

We set out after Zephys finished packing up the campsite. I felt bad making Zephys carry all the supplies, but there wasn't much I could do to help. He still was able to walk faster than I could, though.

"Keep up, Luna." I could tell Zephys was anxious to see his comrades again. "I want to cover as much ground as possible before nightfall."

"I'm sorry…" I breathed, tired from running after him. "You're just moving so fast!"

"Keep your hood up, too," he cautioned me. "We don't want anyone to think you look weak from your injury. That can leave us susceptible to more… bandit attacks."

"But you put those men in their places so easily back by the mountains!" I tried to smile encouragingly. Why was he suddenly worried about it? I sighed and said, "You can just handle them like you did before."

He stopped so suddenly that I bumped into him.

"Ow…" I moaned as my head hit his back.

Zephys remained silent.

"Zephys?" I whispered, trying to look at his face.

"I don't enjoy taking anyone's life," he growled, turning to glare at me. I flinched at his cruel gaze as they pierced into my eyes. "How narrow-minded of you to say such a thing."

"I…" I was at a loss of words. I had expected that it didn't bother him to take out those men back on our way to the City of Kadri. I walked silently, ashamed of what I had said. Zephys had looked at me with such cold eyes I couldn't help but shiver. Now, I was too scared to say anything again because of the new fear of retribution.

Hours of silence passed and soon, the sun was falling below the horizon. It was getting really dark, and I started to worry. How did he plan on setting everything up if it was pitch black?

"There's a cave up ahead," Zephys's voice made me jump. "We can sleep there so we don't need to waste time setting up the tent." At this point, I wasn't even surprised he could answer my question without me even asking it.

I nodded and after a couple minutes, he led me into a small cave. He took out the bedding supplies from his large bag and laid them out on the rocky ground. I stood silently while he quickly gathered materials and lit a small fire. Once the fire was strong, I sat on my bed, staring into the flames. They danced around then floated towards the ceiling. On the other side of the fire, I saw Zephys prepare himself for sleep. He turned his back to me.

"I-I'm sorry…" I finally said. My words had been tugging at my heart for a while now. "About what I said…"

"Go to sleep," he muttered back.

I sighed, staring at the back of his head through the dying flames.

A few weeks passed, the same routine every day. We would walk for most of the day and then set up camp for the night wherever seemed safe. Zephys often complained that we would have already arrived at the base if I didn't walk so slowly. My head still bore the scare from my fall, and my wrist was still wrapped tightly. The pain was significantly less, however, and my wrist was no longer in a sling around my neck. As more days passed, I become more and more impatient. I wanted to see Kayif and the others again. Moreover, I wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't instantly snap back at me…

As we walked along a dirt path, I heard the sound of horse hooves coming towards us. When I looked, a young man with dirty blonde hair tied back into a ponytail was riding in our direction on a stunning brown horse. I couldn't help but stare at him as he slowed to a trot next to us. His pleasant green eyes looked Zephys and me over and then his gaze locked on me. He had extremely well defined features; I was almost stunned by his beauty.

"Milady," he said and nodded his head to me respectfully. "Are you lost?" He flashed me a playful smile.

My cheeks turned red and I held a hand to my face, keeping the hood of the cape up. "N-no," I stammered. "We're just on our way to—"

"To Hamsen." Zephys interrupted, taking a step towards me.

"That's quite a long walk for a woman so delicate as yourself. More than a day's journey." The man dismounted from his horse and walked closer to me. "You are very beautiful, won't you show me your face?" He reached out to touch the hood of my cape, but I stepped back. The man chuckled and eyed me admiringly. "I would love to offer you a ride to town. It would be an honor to help out such a lovely woman."

"Oh, I—" The deal sounded enticing, my feet were killing me. But Zephys cut me off.

"We'll be alright, thank you."

"Please." The man's eyes were soft, staring into my own. "Let me assist you."

"Thank you for your kindness," I tried to say as politely as possible. "But we're okay."

"At least tell me your name, sweetheart." The man extended his hand to grasp mine.

"Luna."

I noticed Zephys flinch slightly.

"Luna…" the man said warmly. "Such a beautiful name." He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it softly. I felt my heart skip a beat. His eyes drifted to the pendant around my neck and then met mine again. "You are so divine," he murmured amiably. "Are you sure you don't want a ride to Hamsen?"

"It's quite alright." I looked over at Zephys.

"That's a shame," he sighed. "I was hoping you would come willingly." He pulled hard on my wrist and held me against his body. A knife flashed underneath my throat.

My eyes widened with fear, and I frantically looked to Zephys for help.

"Luna!" Zephys took a step forward, drawing his sword.

"Stop!" the man growled. "If you come any closer, I'll put this knife in her throat."

Zephys froze, staring at me.

"Now put down your sword," the man said slowly. "And no one will get hurt."

Zephys blinked and slowly placed his sword on the ground. He maintained his eye contact with me, making sure I was okay.

"Now, Luna," the man murmured in my ear. "Get on the horse."

I stood still, refusing to move, only to gasp as I felt the knife break my skin slightly.

"Don't hurt her!" Zephys spat furiously.

"Zephys…!" I winced, my eyes watering.

His eyes were pained. Then, suddenly, he looked like he came up with an idea. He placed his hand on his hip, and then looked down at my own.

The knife! I remembered instantly, He had given me a knife a while back for my own protection. I used my uninjured arm to carefully reach to grab the hilt of the blade. With as much speed as possible, I slid the knife out of my belt and jabbed it into the man's thigh.

"Agh!" The man cried out in pain, and his grip loosened enough for me to wiggle free.

Zephys bent down and grabbed his sword from the ground. He charged at the man and they met blades. "Who are you?" He shouted at him.

The man twitched a smile and pushed back at Zephys, who stumbled backwards. The man drew his longsword and dropped his knife to the ground. "You will not survive if you try to fight me, stupid boy."

"You barely seem a worthy enough opponent for myself." Zephys growled back. He regained his composure and charged at the man. They're swords danced about each other, the material ringing in the sky. The man slashed down at Zephys, who sidestepped and delivered a blow with his hilt to the attacker's wrist. The man snarled and was instantly back at Zephys. He darted swiftly side-to-side. Zephys's eyes tracked him easily, and he blocked a slice towards his leg.

My heartbeat quickened. Zephys was on the defensive now, and it worried me. The man began slamming more and more attempts on Zephys, driving him back against a tree. With swift movement, the man drove his other hand against Zephys's wielding hand harshly. Zephys cried out in pain and his sword was knocked out of his hand. It clanged against the ground, ringing through my ears like a sound of coming doom. The man drew back his sword to deliver a lethal blow to Zephys.

I inhaled sharply, fearing the worst, but Zephys kicked the man firmly on the thigh where I had stabbed him. He let out a groan and fell back to the ground. However, he was back on his feet again in an instant. Zephys bent down rapidly to pick up his katana again to face the man.

"Who are you?!" Zephys snarled, breathing heavily.

The man was silent. Then, he held his sword in both hands and charged at Zephys again. Zephys's eyes narrowed. The man swung his sword and Zephys just barely dodged it by stepping to the side. I held my breath as the man continued to take swings. With each swing, Zephys evaded them with grace by either twisting out of the way or bending down.

Eventually, I realized that he was just waiting for a moment of weakness in the man for him to strike him down. Finally, the man took a powerful swing upwards and Zephys seized the opportunity to deliver a deadly slice across the man's chest. He stumbled backwards, holding onto his torso, and fell to the ground. He winced at the pain.

"Damn you," the man said, looking up at Zephys. When he tried to stand, Zephys placed his foot on his chest, holding him down. The man turned his head to the side, reaching for his sword just inches away from his grasp. Noticing this, Zephys bent down and picked up the sword, pointing it at the man's throat. The man slumped back, defeated, but, when he looked at Zephys again, he seemed almost like he was admiring him. "What is your name?"

"I am Zephys," he leaned down and struck the man forcefully across the face with his fist. "Who are you and why are you trying to kill Luna?"

The man sat silently, blood trickling out of his nose from the blow Zephys had given him. His eyes flashed to me briefly. "I am Izoltz." He gazed back at Zephys, who still had his foot on the man's chest.

"Why are you after Luna?" Zephys asked again, moving the blade closer to Izoltz's throat.

He didn't respond.

"I'll spare your life if you give me the information I want."

Izoltz turned his head and spat out blood. He blinked and grinned at me. "I do not know anything."

Zephys bit his lip, upset about this response. He frowned and kept the sword in the same spot. "I know you know something."

Izoltz once again was silent.

"Please," I spoke up. "Why are people trying to kill me?"

"I told you I don't know!" Izoltz snarled, "I was just hired to bring you to a cottage in the Central Empire and, if you wouldn't come willingly, to kill you and bring your body."

"Who hired you?!" Zephys roared.

"I don't know his name," Izoltz sighed. "In my line of work, names are just a liability. I was just told that it was a high ranking official and that I had to get the job done."

Zephys withdrew his sword and stepped off Izoltz.

Moaning, Izoltz sat up slowly, blood still falling heavily from his wound.

"Let's go, Luna," Zephys muttered to me, sheathing his katana, as well as Izoltz's.

"But if we leave him here," I said, looking back at Izoltz, "he'll die."

"He just admitted to planning to kill you!" Zephys sighed, "I could kill him now if that would make you happier."

"I—" I cut myself short, not knowing how to respond. If we helped this man, he could come back for us again. "We can't just leave him here to die alone." I turned around and walked to Izoltz, lowering myself to my knees beside him.

He looked up at me. "What… what are you doing?" he asked, confused by my return.

"Treating your wounds," I said, not making eye contact with him. I grabbed his arms and moved them from his bloody chest. My stomach tightened when I saw the cut up close. Although it was disturbing, I turned to Zephys, holding out my hand impatiently. "Give me the supply bag." When he handed it to me, I took out gauze we had bought and a canister filled with water. I removed the cap of the canister and poured the water onto the wound.

"Ah…" Izoltz cringed at the pain, turning away slightly.

"I'm just cleaning it out," I said reassuringly. "Stop moving or you'll make it worse." Next, I firmly wrapped the gauze around his chest, pulling it tight to apply pressure and stop the bleeding. My hand moved quickly and efficiently. I must have been taught in the past how to do this but I couldn't remember when. I treated the stab wound in his leg as well, applying all the same treatments. Once I finished, I helped Izoltz sit up and then I stood up and joined Zephys at his side.

"Can we go now?" he grumbled, annoyed.

"Yes." I looked at Izoltz and then turned to walk off.

"…Thank you." Izoltz's voice surprised me. "You truly have a heart of gold, Luna."

I stopped in my tracks, taking in his words. "Get well, Izoltz," I murmured, and then continued to walk away with Zephys, leaving Izoltz with his horse.

Next chapter is probably my favorite :)