Keryan
Isle
- Distant Star
Dragons
| -Lahranne -Mezanine -Renoud -Tokei -Ruben -Wernyv -Sezanee -Jonayk -Sophia -Arrenji -Kuruma -Sekai -Barune -Thekardien |
KSG!
The Second Movement
Chapter 8: Collapse!
It was nighttime when in the distance a sudden stop of trees and bushes
arose. Just like the forest had started, now it ended without so much as a
slowly diminishing thickness in vegetation. The rich soil gave way to
stoney cliffs and the view for a moment became more open than it had been
for the past 5 days. In the West the sun was setting, shedding it’s last
rays on the rapid flow of the river beneath them. In winter, this river
rose to edge of the cliffs and rampaged through the country, but now, in
summer, it’s waves and splashes didn’t even reach the humans standing
on top of the river bed. In the East only darkness remained. But what
everyone looked at was the bridge, a constellation of ropes and wood that
did noseem as if it was used often, that led to the other side of the
river and from there, back into shadowed forests.
"We have to cross that?" Mezanine asked.
"Yes. Don’t worry, the rope might look worn but it is capable of
holding the weight of 10 grown men."
"Who said I was scared?" Mezanine asked with a grin on her face.
"This is just like the adventures we dreamed of when we were
small." Lahranne added.
"You often climbed in trees then?"
"Yeah, but I only fell once."
"Just my luck." Ruben smirked, making it seem as if he regretted
saving the young princess when he had first seen her. Though in his heart,
he thanked whatever spirit had made them meet like that.
"Do we make camp here, or do we pass on?"
"I think it’s better to cross. The roads get better and safer on
the other side and this is the only point were they could actually stop
our progress."
Tokei and Renoud shared a knowing look at the bridge and at Ruben. They
both realised the young man feared that the bridge might be a trap. Just
how fast could one get to this point from the other side? Seeing Ruben’s
troubled look it wouldn’t have taken more than the couple of days they
struggled through the forest itself. Still the other side of the river
looked calm and deserted.
"I’ll go first," Renoud decided, "Mezanine and Lahranna
will follow and Ruben will take Tokei over. That’s probably the safest
way."
Tokei didn’t look happy but he knew he would be of little use if the
bridge was rigged. In his current state he would only tumble down in the
river and drown as he was swept away with the current. In the same logic,
Renoud had made Ruben stay with the girls since he was the guide and the
only one who knew where they were headed. Grim as it sounded, Renoud was
expendable and the man knew it.
"Wish me luck." He smiled, and embarked on the bridge.
Halfway over, a man ran from the forest on the other side, making Renoud
stop dead where he stood. As the rope bridge steadied, he heard a ripping
sound and felt a sudden shift in the balance of the bridge. Immediately he
realised that they had walked in a trap and that his future seemed grim.
Trying to grab a hold of something, he felt his footing twist and try to
shove him off, into the hungry waters below.
It was at the last possible moment that strong arms grabbed him. The man
that had come running had left Renoud’s train of thought as soon as he
had realised the danger he was in, but now memory returned quickly. When
the motion stopped, Renoud noticed they were hanging from the cliffs, held
by a single rope that was twisted around the man’s wrist. His other arm
was locked securely around Renoud’s chest and the man smiled broad when
Renoud met his eyes.
"How many times do I get the chance to rescue a beauty like yourself.
Aren’t you happy I came to save you. I would have come sooner, but I
didn’t know I had this little time after I saw that creep cut the ropes
this afternoon."
So much for leaving the castle unseen. That a member of the other team had
gotten here this quick meant the other side knew of their plans. That
would prove difficult.
"Aren’t you getting a cramp or something?" Renoud asked.
"I can keep this up for a while to come. But we’re being pulled up
as we speak."
"Oh, yeah." Renoud felt his body being dragged up. He hadn’t
noticed it before because he was shaking, his legs felt like jelly,
swinging in mid air and his hands felt like they couldn’t even hold a
cup properly.
"Are you alright?" Ruben’s voice came from on top of the
cliff.
"Just fine!" The man called back up.
"Just who are you?" Renoud asked.
"Just a lowly and loyal forester. The name’s Wernyv. You can just
call me Wer if you like."
"As if I would." Renoud hissed, but he couldn’t suppres a
relieved sign, anyone this obnoxious and flirtatious would not be on the
bad side long, surely he’d been killed of long ago if that had been the
case.
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