Light of the Unexpected Adventure

Chapter 22 Big Hill

Leoric's POV

I steady myself for a moment, adjusting the pieces of armor on my body, while trying not to look threatening as I watched her for a moment. I keep doing this until she figures me out, realizing that I am alright and looking back at her, not just adjusting myself. The look of shock is automatically slapped across her face before she instantly turns, then starts to run from me, looking terrified and that is completely understandable for this situation. I find my head shaking instinctively because I don't want her to go further out there alone. I know the dark world that is out there far too well and she does not.

I am worried about what could possibly happen to her for being foolish like this, when she would be so much safer with me or even while locked in the dungeons in the castle. At least there I could try to help her with a more reasonable option if she gave me the proper chance to. Or she would be protected from the beasts further out there into the darkness. But she is far too stubborn and won't even give the idea a chance. I huffed out before starting my rhythmic running, chasing her far from her home in hopes that I may get her to change her mind to listen to me.. Or maybe I will have to make her do what I want.

Either way, I know that she will have to give me a chance out here of all places because the world is far too dangerous for her to turn me away, so one way or another she is going to need my help out here, and I just have to make sure that I am around to help her and prove that I mean well. Whether she wants to believe that or not. It's easy to notice that a lot of distance has been put between us and the village, which slightly worries me since I haven't been out this far in some time, so I don't remember a lot of this area.

I watch as she is running towards an area that is much further away from me than I would have liked. But what worries me most about the area that she is headed towards is that it has way too much terrain to ever properly navigate it. Well, that is hard to navigate without having your full attention on it. Which is exactly what she is not doing. I can see that she is paying too much attention to me, so much so that she is not looking at what is in front of her often enough. But I am not what she should be worrying about in a place like this.

I'm worried she is going to get hurt if she doesn't stop this fight. So, I pick up the pace as much as I can, panting all along the way with exhaustion of the extra weight on my back because of this armor. I know that I would be so much faster without it, but I am far smarter than that. I won't go out into this dark world without something extra to help protect myself, no matter how inconvenient it might be. I keep my eyes planted on her while I watch every move with intense intricacy. I won't be losing her this time around. I won't let her out of my sight, if it's the last thing I do.

I watch as her hair bounces and glistens in the little bit of light that is left from the last moments of the day. The light is leaving quickly but that doesn't stop her movements. She keeps going, not letting anything slow her down. I notice that her stunning eyes stay glued on me more than they ever should, but I somehow love it. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I can see she is panting as her beautiful orbs jump from me, then back in front of her. Her hair shines as it drifts around her face, then back, floating behind her while her feet prance lightly upon the dirt, looking graceful even though I know that is not the case.

It's easy to notice at this angle how her layered tunic fits her perfectly to the point that it is floating easily with all of her body movements, looking almost enchanting. I follow her without hesitation, not a waver in my step. Worriedly watching as her clothing gets caught on the trees she passes, ripping bits of cloth off here and there, but this doesn't stop her. I don't know how this doesn't stop her. I'm sure in this chase she is getting cuts and bruises from those actions alone, and yet she still won't stop. Her internal strength is something I never expected but absolutely admire.

This thought of her strength that is refusing to quit is inspiring, but also worries me, especially since I know there is no way she is not getting hurt, and yet she is pushing herself through the chaos anyway. I know her heart is broken from the betrayal I was there to see first-hand. Plus, she has to be exhausted from the constant fight for her life, which just won't seem to stop for her and, of course, there is no way that she is not terrified in all of this. Most people would be hiding, not fighting as much as she is. Not to mention, all the painful cuts and bruises she is gaining in this trek.

So, for good reason, I am getting increasingly worried that she is going to hurt herself too badly, something that would be beyond repair, no matter how much time she would have to heal. I know I shouldn't care what is happening to her, let alone worrying about her, since this is her own doing and I have more important things to think about. But for some unknown reason, I am worried for her, and I can tell that it won't stop any time soon. I just have to try to make sure that my suspicious feelings don't cloud my judgment when it comes to her. I have to make sure that my task is completed whether she likes it or not.

Gabriella's POV

Bolting through the trees, as fast as my legs can possibly take me. I am forced to dodge and duck back then forth through them if I want to save my limbs a lifetime of hurt. Luckily, this forest is not as thick as the trees I was in yesterday, but I think that there is enough here that I might be able to eventually hide within the layers of them. So I keep looking back, just hoping for the perfect opportunity of him being distracted and exhausted, so I can hide, especially since this is not only giving me a run for my life, but I would like to assume it is doing that for him as well.

So, hiding seems to be only possible if I am lucky enough to take the perfect opportunity given. I quickly pass by one tree after the other, skipping back and forth as I keep looking back, seeing he is still behind me, and not stopping even though he looks just as exhausted as I feel right now. Now that they sun is gone, I can confidently say that I can't see anything in the surrounding distance, not even behind us with the darkness engulfing everything around us, which is terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time.

We are getting incredibly far from the village, so much so that there is no seeing anything from it. No illuminating from the lanturns or the sounds of people talking. Silence fills this area making it more eerie the darker it gets. The last hope for him leaving this area in one piece, will be for him to eventually turn around out of fear of not finding the village again or just getting lost out here. So I keep hoping he will realize this, just as I have.. And yet, for some reason, he keeps following me. He either doesn't realize or just doesn't care.

Exhaustion in every inch of my body gets to be almost too much. I feel my body slowing down in pace, but I never stop moving. I won't stop as long as he keeps following me. I can see he is getting closer to catching up, but I won't let him, if I can help it. "Turn back.. You will get lost out here." I warn over my shoulder as he quickly responds. "So will you." I shake my head as I respond. "I want to never see that place again. So if I get lost, then shall it be so." But this time around, he doesn't respond. I look back, not seeing him, so I slow down as my eyes pan all over, not seeing anything moving before smirking to myself, feeling as if I have won this. It's nice to know that he finally understood what I was saying and turned back.

I start to jog again, that is until I see something moving in my peripherals, before I hear a clinking. My head jolts to the side to see what it is. It's him trying to sneak up on me. I jump into action, quickly picking up the pace. I look back, seeing he is right on my heels again, but as I look forward to help direct myself through this tough terrain, I instantly see a rock right in front of me. There is not enough time to direct myself around it before I feel the tip of my foot catching on the large, hard rock. I trip, yelping out as I fall, but I don't hit the ground as I had thought.

The ground right under my feet, that I had expected to fall on, has ended and is collapsed into itself as if it is some sort of hole that is the size of my village at least. But it is so large that I can't stop from falling into it. I can only seem to tuck myself in as much as possible while I roll down this large and rocky hill. There are many trees that have fallen down this hill long ago or maybe just today. It is not known, but I am not the only one who has fallen like this.

Nature itself has ended up in this hole. The trees are sticking out of the side of it, most of each tree is buried beneath the dirt. But not all of them, which is noticed by the pain of being scratched and hit, battered all around as I pass the limbs searching for anything to grab a hold of, but they are not strong enough to hold me, which is why I have hit many while still rolling down the hill. My foot instantly smacks into one of the tree trunks sticking out. Instantly it's sending a pain shooting through me that is almost unbearable.

I pull that foot up and try to protect it as much as I can with my hands while I continue to roll. Then my arm smacks another limb, along with my head, before groaning out in pain. I can not protect every part of myself, no matter how much I wish that I could. I can only hope that the damage done is not too severe to continue on. I feel scratches and bruises being created all over me as I roll down this enormous hill, just hoping this will end soon enough. I yelp, grunt and groan in pain before coming to a complete stop at the bottom.

I lay there for a little bit, feeling dizzy from all the spinning. The nausea comes to me in a wave that is almost more overwhelming than the feeling of wanting to cry from all the pain inflicted in this short moment. I am hurting in so many ways that I don't think my mind nor body can even comprehend where to start when it comes to consoling myself. I sniffle and whimper as I try to set myself up, looking at my bruised ankle. It looks bad, but I can't let it be. I have to keep fighting. I promised I would protect this stone and this light within me so I will try the best that I can to do just that.

I feel some tears dripping over my cheeks, as I look around just to see a large dust cloud from above me and getting bigger by the second. My heart races, not knowing what is making that dust cloud since I was the one that made the last one. It is much larger than mine, which makes my heart flip within my chest plate. I started to pant and push myself away from the dust storm, but it is coming too quickly for me to get far enough away. I shook my head, pushing myself through the pebbles and dirt until I get a glimpse of the one creating this storm that is heading right for me. It is only a small glimpse but enough to see the metal of his armor. There is no mistaking who it is.