The King Of Adventure

Saving Marie

Derek's POV.

On getting outside, I immediately took to my heels and race towards Adern’s alley with just one name ringing through my brain: Marie.

Adern’s alley was the dime collector’s turf: it was where they conduct all their illegal deeds, and ever since I could remember, lord Zanthus and his dime collectors have been ruling and terrorizing the inhabitants of Gardenia, we had no emperor and the people believe it was because of the legend, I continued to race towards the alley and with the passing of each moment, I felt as if my guts were being twisted as my emotions were hitting me at the same pace;

“ please hold on a little Marie.”

On getting there, I quickly hid behind the stable to catch my breath and maybe make a plan, but suddenly I heard a scream, and it wasn't just anybody's voice: it was Marie's, I guess I didn't need a plan then. I quietly moved closer to take a look, I could feel the tense atmosphere surrounding the premises, two guards were standing by the entrance, I quietly sneak behind them: tapping them both on their shoulders and knocking them out before they could make any sound.

On getting inside, the whole place was dark and quiet; suddenly, I heard Marie scream again, I quickly began to follow her voice till I reach the underground, on getting there, the prisoners were staring at me with fear on their faces, I immediately held my finger to my lips to keep them quiet,

“Which way?” I asked, and one of them pointed to a door at the end of the room, I quickly thank him and pick the lock of the dungeon while warning them to be quiet. I could hear voices as I approach the door, I immediately hid behind a pile of wood as I continue to listen to their horrible voices, I peeked in through a small hole and saw two men holding Marie, I balled my hand in a fist as I saw her bruised face, a man was sitting down on a chair and six men were standing by the corner, looking at his position, I guessed he was the leader there, I was suddenly snap out of my thought by a tap on my shoulder, I slowly turn back and saw five huge looking men staring down at me.

“Great! I've been caught,” I muttered to myself as they drag me inside.

“Well! well! well! look who is here, the younger brother who went to the martial arts school, so nice of you to join us,”

“Release her now! you moron,” I yelled as I attempt to stand to my feet, but my effort was futile as the men restraining me held me down. I began to observe the room and noticed there was a door by the side: it must lead to outside, the dime lord made a waving sign with his hands and the two men holding Marie released her,

“Marie,” I called out,

“Come here, it's alright, I'm here," I assured her, but before she could move, the bastard grabbed her by the hair.

“Now don't be too confident, what makes you think I will let her go, she ain't going anywhere: such beautiful thing like her belongs here.” his pathetic excuse of guards erupting in a fit of ugly barks that they call laughter,

“Well you are not so smart, are you? because if you were, you would release her now, but who am I to judge, you are too ugly to be smart: I mean with all the fat and all,” I said, causing me to receive a punch to my jaw, I spit out blood as I watch his expression changed to that of a vulture ready to kill,

“Boy, running your mouth like that could get you killed, don't you know that?” he said as he raised his hands to slap me, I instinctively dodge his hand and headbutt him; causing him to stagger back as he held his now bleeding nose, immediately he screamed in anger,

“Kill him!”I immediately step on the feet of the two men holding me captive and free myself as they all drew their swords, suddenly one of them swung his sword at me and I swiftly dodge it,

“Marie run!” I shouted,

“No I won't leave without you,” she cried out,

“Go now, hurry! get a horse.” I said making sure she had made it out before I turned to face them;

“Now let do this the right way,” I said, immediately, another attacked from behind and I ducked and tackled him and made way for the door, the dime lord lurched angrily at me with a dagger and managed to scrape me on my shoulder, I hissed out in pain and punched him in the jaw, the sound of his jaw breaking was heard as he screamed out in pain, I immediately ran towards the door as I heard the sound of a horse neighing,

“Derek come on, hurry! we need to go.” I jumped out and got on the horseback, luckily for us Marie knew how to ride a horse, I remember before leaving for the master Fung’s my father used to teach us how to ride, looking around I realized the prisoners were already escaping, Marie must have helped them out.

We rode out of the premises and I could hear the sound of their horses thundering behind us as they chased after us towards the mountains,

“Grab on tight, I’m going to lose them by the mountains,” Marie said as she speeds off.

It was almost nightfall when we reached the base of the mountains, we jumped off the horse and hide in a nearby cave and waited till we were sure they were no longer following us, we then decided to rest in the cave till the next morning just in case.

It was so cold inside the cave; every exhalation was a plume of white mist, I decided to go look for firewood to warm up the cave, and as I try to stand, I hissed in pain: I had completely forgotten about my injured shoulder.

“Come on,” Marie said,

“Let me bind your wound for you." she tore off the material of her dress and bind the wound, I stared at her as she concentrated on what she was doing with a blank expression on her face;

“Are you okay?” I asked, she gazed up at me and frown,

“I should ask you that," she said, as silence settled between us.

After she finished wrapping up the wound, she stood up,

“Where are you going?” I asked,

"To get the firewood," she replied,

"Let me go get them,” I said,

“No you are wounded, I'll go,” she said, after some minutes, she came back and started the fire, I continue to stare at her, she looked up at me and said;

“Stop staring and go to sleep," she said and turn away from me: resting her head on the wall, I also rest my head on the wall beside her and fell into the world of the unknown.