A Crimson Tale

by K. L. O Johnson

  “So, you want to stop this game of chase?” he taunts and I glare. What I wouldn’t give to make him my bitch? I think. “No? Fine, I’ll be sure to make you suffer.” he states and I wonder what it is I’m supposed to suffer for? Taking all the lives like his and making the universe safer. Killing a few to save many is something that is done; we knights I guess are similar to Assassins in that sense. Never kill those innocent. The corrupt must perish. He stalk towards me and stands, towering over me. I look up. He smiles down. At that moment—I’m not scared. I’m not even intimidated. At times like this, I wonder if I’m decent but that is all gone. When he grasps my wrist his voice returns to my mind. “Did you hear what I said Nephalem?”

  “Yes, I heard you,” I say as I lock a small gadget to his wrist. Electricity shoots through his body my suit isn’t a conduct of heat nor electricity—I’m untouched and unharmed. His body soon lights up on fire before its scorched. I draw my forearm blade and arch it around slicing off his wrist. With the way he held my wrist only made it the easier. He stumbles back clutching his wrist. He throws curses my way and I brush them off. “I didn’t give you permission to touch me, now did I?” I ask and he glares at me, I repeat, “Did I?” He pulls out his large iron hammer he had strapped to his waist and I sigh. He’s bleeding and he still has the energy to fight—doesn’t his body scream out pain? Or has his way of primitive living shriveled his brain?

  He charges for me and I drop down before he brings his hammer down and jolt my blade through his scrotum before slicing him in half—our blades are sharp but not as sharp as our fangs and claws, our forearm blades were forged from the strongest metal on our world and pulsate with our power making it an indestructible weapon. “That’s what happens when you touch me without my permission.” I say before turning my heel and walking away.

  I walk through the silent forest when I hear a voice call out. “Kal!” I turn to see Altair slowly floating down to me, where he stops before abruptly pulling me into an embrace. He pulls me away from him as his eyes scan me. “Are you okay, that bastard didn’t touch you did he?” His eyes are full of concern and I felt almost happy to have someone care about me like that. Living your whole life when it was just you, kind of puts you into survival mode.

  “He’s over there.” I nod my head to the side, Altair glances and I know he sees the slit meat of the Ogre. “Yes, he did touch me but paid for it in the end.” I say.

  “Serves him right,” I shrug.

  “Is everyone all right?” I ask. He nods.

  “Fine, they were pretty easy to take on.” he states proudly and I raise my brows. He took them all on and walked out unscathed. Now I’m beginning to wonder how strong this man is but then again it only makes sense Tylif wouldn’t partner me with a weaker man. Still, he’s nowhere near my father’s power. He smiles a small smile and I return the gesture which only makes him smile more.

  “Let’s go.”

  *.*.*

  The town is quiet as the towns’ people stare at us as we walk by. I can’t help but glare at them; pleased to know I still wore my helmet with my faceplate covering my upper features. The eyes and brows were the most common way to communicate without the verbal communication people use in our days. I can’t help but glare—I don’t even understand why I’m frustrated better yet I don’t understand why I am frustrated. I open my door and storm inside. I wonder if I’m mad at myself for allowing myself to become yet another victim to that hideous Ogre. I still can’t quiet put my finger on why I’m so mad. I plummet down on my bed and place my head in my hands. Why am I mad? I think to myself as I try to put together these bits and pieces. I can’t allow my enemies to exploit my emotions—that which they know is our kryptonite.

  A knock on my door sounds and I crane my head to the right. “Come in.” I call and the door is pushed open revealing Varden who looks down at me with concern. I turn my gaze from him. Why am I annoyed? Why am I frustrated? Why do I insist on kicking myself for things I’ve done or said when others have forgiven me? “Varden?”

  “You okay?” he asks, not giving me a chance to question his presence.

  I nod and he moves to sit on my bed. “You don’t mind, do you?” he asks, I shake my head. I don’t mind. How can I? It’s just like having John in my bed when I know Varden isn’t him. Still, the resemblance is striking even at the thought of it I find myself staring into his pale blue eyes I have to say I loved on John and love on him also. It’s like he was born to look so striking. I pull my eyes away and lock them on the wall opposite my bed that tucks against the wall and a small window. “Everyone is fine, no one is seriously hurt. Just a little shaken.” he states and I nod. He continues, “The towns’ people are grateful for you and Lifet’s help.” I turn to him with shock he gives me a blank look. I curse inwardly.

  Why do men seem to give me such unreadable expressions at times?

  14:Internal Chaos

  © 2014—All rights reserved by author

  “He’s the man that accompanied you, right?” he asks and I nod. The air is still as it is filled with an apprehensive muteness. “We’ll…I’m glad.” I continue to gaze at him unsure how to react, a smile stretches across his now red tinted face. “No need to look at me like that. I’m not mad. Just wished you’d share stuff with us. Both Altair and I feel the same.”

  “Really?” I ask, he nods.

  “Also, we kind of want you to describe the situation with the Assassin. You know the one that tried to kill me.” His eyes are blank and I nod in understanding. Better get this over with.

  *.*.*

  “I told you. He isn’t going to kill Varden.” I say to Altair for the hundredth time and can’t help but throw my hands up for more of a dramatic effect. In the presence of people I feel safe and comfortable with my real personality seems to surface not that I mind.

  “You don’t know that.” accuses Altair.

  “Yes. I do.”

  “No. You don’t.” Varden sits adjacent to us while Altair sits directly opposite me at our table in the tavern at the Inn. People seem to become more familiar with us, since we’ve been here for three days now and managed to ward off danger and demons. Even though we need to move on.

  “Ah. Yes I do.” I declare and I hear Varden sigh but ignore it. I’m not too sure about how long Altair and I have been at this but he’s really being difficult—if this is what I have to be married to I think I would take Varden over him not that I would voice that or think that out loud. The last thing I want is for Varden and Altair to have a smack down of their own and I know who’s going to win, that.

  “You’re being difficult right now.” he states.

  “I’m being difficult. Me! Really?” I question as I cross my arms and lean back in my chair as I cross my legs. He seems to continue this debate even though Lifet was the one that helped me save the women and strategized a way to protect the town. He’s a hero and yet Altair is treating him like some outlaw. I won’t have it. It’s one thing when people do it to me it’s another when they do it to someone who is worthy of a medal.

  “Yes you. You’re always so—” Altair is cut short.

  “Enough!” snaps Varden. “You two have been at this stupid debate for three hours. I really would like some peace and quiet if it’s not too much to ask. Please!” Altair and I fall silent and slouch lower in our seats not looking at each other. “You two can be such children.” I glance at him with a risen brow. “Don’t you dare give me that look Missy you know it’s true, you too Altair.” He points an accusing finger at Altair as if he were telling off a child for playing with paint and spreading it inside the house. His voice is form and face is hard. I glance at Altair we’re both surprised by his action. ”Okay, now what?” he asks and I turn away and feel Altair do the same.

  “Nothing,” I quickly retort.

  “Nothing,” Altair quickly adds, as fast as mine had come.

  The next day we leave the town of ’Avengald’ behind as several Knights arrive to fill in fo
r us while we continue on our journey. Gustof had said that there would be other Knights arriving we just had to hold out until they made it through the mountains in the north. “You know with all that’s happened I’ve never been more looking forward to arriving at Midra.” states Varden as he leads our horses east—the direction where Midra is expected to be. I glace at Varden’s back feeling a pull of guilt weighing down on me. He’s such a good guy and I feel like I’m playing around with him. It honestly didn’t feel right.

  “So, Kal, what’s up with you and that Assassin?” asks Varden raising a brow. I give him a side glance. “Don’t play innocent, is he your new squeeze?” I can hear Altair growling. His hands grip the reins tightly as he clenches his teeth—his jaw muscles contract in accordance, Varden has his back turned on me but appears so what cocky and confident. I really want to slap him off his horse right now. Instead I tried to act casually.

  “I have no squeeze.” I comment and Varden gives me a blank expression from over his shoulder. Seriously what is with these men? Varden returns his gaze to the road on ahead and I regard his back—questionably—analyzing for some sign that will indicate his and Altair’s odd reaction. Altair clears his throat effectively drawing my attention. “What’s wrong now?” I ask.

  “Nothing.” Now, why do I not believe that?

  “Okay, than.” We sit in a clearing by the frozen river, choosing this area as our camp for the night. Altair and I had handed our cloaks to Varden who may freeze to death without it. If he is the long lost Prince of Zylaria we just might to have to go a little bit further to keep him from the hands of the enemy. The leafless branches stand out against the white light blue background of snow and ice. I place my hands over a fire as I ensure it lasts through the night. Varden is right beside me, with his hands over the fire. “This should do.”

  “Man. I’d die without heat out here.” declares Varden.

  “What about us?” questions Altair as he drops a clutter of fire wood he carried over his shoulder.

  “Oh yeah and you guys too.” I roll my eyes. He only just added that because Altair made him. Varden is really starting to become very comfortable with us. Varden ends up falling asleep faster than Altair and I this time we spend our time sitting around the flickering fire where Varden lies directly opposite us should anything happen.

  “Look at him, he’s out cold.” teases Altair as he pokes the burning wood with a stick of his own. The wood crumbles slowly to ashes while ember floats away.

  “Leave him alone.” I say.

  “What you’re sticking up for him now?”

  “I’m not sticking up for anyone.” I reply.

  We glance at the frozen forest that stretches away from us to the plains in the distance with its own gray mountains. “Does that mean you’re on my side?”

  “I’m on no one’s side.” I laugh.

  “Sure, you’re not. I find that hard so to believe.” he says and I push him with my shoulder where he only moves a bit but other than that is a sturdy as a rock. That’s how we spent our night, looking over the distant forest in the east, talking about the future and the past and what to do if Varden is the long lost prince. “If he is you know who then we’ll have a real fight on our hands.” Altair had said before he retired.

  The air is silent as the cool wind swings around us—it is the only noise other than our horses and their hooves trotting along the snow covered path. I see my breath and only than realize it. I’m not too sure how long that has been happening for but it is something that everyone has in this type of weather. Nephalem included. The next town is days away.

  I find myself staring off into space—so much on my mind. Staring off into a world of my own I had not known then if seconds, minutes or even hours had passed before Altair stands before me with a forcibly blanked expression—his very common expression when he is annoyed, serious or trying to detach himself from me. Why is it always me they do that to? Surely there’s more to me than disappointment? I made sure to conceal my mind from Altair before I think. My betrayal is just that…disappointment.

  “Yes.” I say, stretching out the word in a higher octave.

  “Are you coming?” I stare at him unsure of how to answer. He sighs, “To hunt.” I rise from my seat on the ground—silently I begin to follow Altair on his endeavor to find Varden food, I know now I will go on a hunt with Altair after Varden has had his feed. The beast within us is hungry, it has been deprived of its iron long enough. I don’t blame it, just like everything else we need it and if we are deficient in our iron we’ll become sick.

  Altair and I venture through the frozen woodlands. Why he would want to hunt in the season of sleep and death? There will be nothing—well almost, count the winter tigers, bears and birds. Guess that’s better than earthworms. The winter mammals migrate further north when it becomes warmer elsewhere. I don’t blame them—their thick fur coats will be the death of them. They are also rare. A familiar sound of snapping twigs calls for attention from behind us and I drop down beside a boulder. Altair kneels beside me as we watch and wait for the source of the noise to reveal itself when it doesn’t Altair and I share a glance of confusion.

  We slowly rise from where we knelt.

  Altair slowly aims his crossbow at the far end of the tree and I pull an arrow from the quiver on my back. I had borrowed his bow and arrow, with a catch—that I bring back something for us to eat. I don’t like leaving him alone in the woods. To quell my fear of him being killed, I had lent him one of my daggers. We’ll be quick and he’ll be okay. I repeat like a prayer in my mind. I relax the bow string and I place my arrow in its quiver.

  Nothing.

  ‘You heard it, right?’ questions Altair through our telepathic link.

  ‘I did.’ We approach the bend of the tree to find nothing but it cast in frost and ice. “Looks like nothing.” I say in a whisper and Altair holds up his hands to silence me. His eyes slowly dart around the trees and its still branches, I too become on edge. Something didn’t feel right. The sound of an arrow sores towards me and I roll, pulling out an arrow, I shoot. Two men fall down Altair over powers them sending them across the clearing. My momentary distraction is what caused a man with crooked and missing teeth to punch me, he smiles at me—greed fills his expression.

  I stick my arrow I never had a chance to string into his stomach. He falls to the ground. A humanoid-roar calls from the left of me and I spin stringing the bloodied arrow and fire it at the man’s throat where he falls back off his feet from the arrows’ force and momentum. I turn to Altair to see three men at his feet. He drops one with a thud and strides towards me. “Nice shooting.”

  I smile, feeling slightly flustered at the compliment. “Thanks, I’m a little rusty though.”

  Another snap of a stick catches our attention.

  I string an arrow and fire, a clang catches my attention. I turn to Altair who moves towards it. I take aim with another arrow should he be in trouble but knowing Altair, he’ll cause trouble. Altair is definitely someone without a doubt who would win in any fight unless the man is a Kryptonian my reference to Superman many years ago on Earth. Still I find it funny but comforting, at least he won’t need my help and I don’t need him doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t want him around.

  “Please put down your weapons, I mean no harm!” calls a voice and I see Vedric rushing out of the tree line. His head ducks down as if hoping that would throw off our arrows, that’s partly true though—I’ll just string another. I relax the string and place the arrow in my quiver and rush over to him.

  “What are you doing here?” I growl a little confused as I brush off the snow from his clothes. He is a wreck I wonder what had happened to him. Altair appears to have the same thought as he relaxes and places his crossbow on the side of his thigh where he slowly but carefully places it. After he’s done he pulls me from the ground and forces me behind him. He growls down at Vedric.

  “Altair?” I question.

  “He’s not who you
think he is.” I turn to Vedric. Altair’s words flood my mind. This is strange, his sudden change in emotion. One minute he’s relaxing in Vedric’s presence the next he’s being: “I’ll pull you away when I please”. There are times like this I have to say, he’s just as bad as some women prior to their period not that I would voice that out loud. The last thing I need is for him to be mad at me as well. “Who are you really?” Altair growls his arms crossed. From this angle he does appear rather intimidating.

  “I have no idea what you mean?” asks Vedric confused. He glances to me with pleading eyes and I shrug my shoulders; unsure if Altair has lost the plot or not.

  “Don’t play stupid. Don’t think I didn’t see the way you looked at her.” Okay, now I’m lost. If Altair is playing the protective husband. I’m not in the mood and attempt to brush past him but he holds me in place, with, now, one of his free arms.

  “Altair, you’re being ridiculous. He’s Zylarian!” I growl but his hold doesn’t waver, instead he’s glaring down at Vedric. I honestly feel sorry for the poor man at the moment, Altair and his alpha male charisma is overwhelming at times. I glare at Altair since he refuses to release me and pushes me further behind him. Doesn’t he know I can fight my own battles? Still I don’t try to fight him otherwise I’ll be probably locked in his arms and that’s the last thing I want at the moment. In my current form I’m no match to go up against him.