Chapter Six: Awoken

The man and I sat across from each other, Laurance out on duty for a few hours. Ever since the attack he hasn't slept; and I haven't been allowed to leave the guard station. The man's kept me company, mostly just having a sitting buddy at the table.

The tower across town chimed, signaling the coming of the eleven o'clock hour. It was dark and staying awake was starting to become more difficult. The man whistled quietly, messing with a couple of the pens on the table.

I looked away from the door, looking over at him. He didn't notice, him continuing to whistle.

I softly tilted my head, listening. I leaned my chin against my palm, looking down at the table, lightly flicking at the journal. I was scared to read it. I wanted it to make things clearer, but I felt like I would have even more questions. I softly bit my lip, looking back at the man.

He was looking up at me, his whistle starting to fade off. He had his bandana around his neck, his eyes looking at my face.

"Yes?" I softly asked, looking over my shoulder to see if he was looking at something behind me.

"You were staring at me before...?" He rose a brow, "Did the whistling bug you? I'll stop if it did. I don't want to impede on your comfort zone."

I bit my lip, turning back around, "Um..."

He looked at me quietly, waiting for an answer.

"It wasn't bugging me, just... I don't know. Familiar?" I said, "Anyway- it's nothing." I turned it away from the conversation. I picked at the book again.

He went quiet, looking over at the far corner, looking out the window.

"He's taking some time tonight, isn't he..."? He said, looking back over.

I shrugged softly, "He's been busy... I don't know what he's up to?"

He rose a brow, "He's normally back now until two so he can relax...." He pointed out.

"It's normally midnight, isn't it?" I asked.

"No... it's eleven..." He spoke. He watched my face, making me frown at him.

"I'm not in charge of him... He's a man. He can take care of himself." I said, crossing my arms.

He rolled his eyes quietly, "If you guys act so close, wouldn't you be a little concerned about his whereabouts when he sticks to a schedule?"

I glared at him, "He isn't always back at eleven! He comes back every night around-" I stopped, before shaking my head, "-y-yeah well! I'm... not supposed to leave here!" I looked away.

"Why are you so offended by that? I'm just saying..." He said softly before the sound of a chair scraping across the floor made me turn around.

"Where are you going then?" I asked, looking up at him.

"I'm gonna go check on him. Something just... doesn't feel right." He said as he grabbed his vest.

I looked at him quietly, looking away when he looked my direction.

"You should get some rest... We don't know if anything's going to happen and I'd rather you're also ready for anything." He looked back over as I looked up.

I shrugged, leaning against the back of the chair.

He lightly tipped his head to me as he pulled his blue bandana up, covering his nose and mouth. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair as he turned to the door. He had a royal blue cape on his shoulders, and before I knew it, he was gone. The door shut behind him and left me in silence.

"Drama king..." I quietly grumbled, looking back at the table. I sighed, opening the journal.

"Now that I'm alone I might as well... nothing else is going on..." I said softly.

The book was tattered along the edges, the very edges had slight water damage and dirt scuffs, but the inside was miraculously intact. I sighed, adjusting myself in the seat before turning to the first entry.

"August 27th, 14XX O'Khasis

I can't wait until the fall festival this year. Right after it we're leaving to Scaleswind for a year or so for father's assignment from the lord! I've heard so many amazing things like the sunsets, the farm fields, and the mountains that surround the area. I can't wait to have a little bit of a change of scenery.

Garroth said that he's been there before for a few days, mainly for an event his mom wanted to attend. It's a winter celebration for the solstice and the thing she noted the most on was the array of goods they make and sell to the attendees. All the sweets and bakery items sounded so good that it was all I could think about for days.

I'm gonna miss him though... We've lived in O'Khasis for so long that change would be welcome, but I wish it were closer so we could visit each other more. It's going to be weird trying to make another friend that likes to climb trees and read and playfight for hours on end...

Maybe we could meet in the middle! There's the island of Raven that's halfway between the land masses. We could send letters and whatnot too if we need to! I'll get to see him tomorrow and we can brainstorm what we want to do to stay in touch.

I'll write it down here so I don't forget again. Can't wait!

-Alaina Corona"

I leaned against the memory man, him looking over at me quietly as I read from the book.

"That sounds like a nice entry, Alaina." He smiled, "did you find any others?"

I shrugged softly, flipping through the pages. "Nothing that really caught my eye. It has entries from O'Khasis, very few from Scaleswind, and one or two that look like they were written from traveling. But I don't get it," I looked up at him, his ocean blue eyes looking down at me.

"Why did I never go back?" I asked, "I obviously wanted to see this person again... but why didn't I get to go back?"

He gently smiled, pulling his arm around, gently grabbing the book from me. He closed it, setting it down beside my leg. "Maybe something happened in the travelling? Laurance and the man both were saying that there were wrecks and they found this book with it-"

"-And the cross," I interjected, ahead of what he was saying, "It still bugs me how the man knew about it. He said he was just at a festival, but if everyone knew about it, how would he know just from visiting?" I gently started to grab the side bag by my feet before he grabbed my wrist softly.

"Sometimes listening to your heart instead of the physical is a way to figure it out." He said softly. His voice started to echo as I looked up at him.

"But... I don't know what my heart is saying... It... I..." I trailed off, moving upwards. He looked at me as I moved, my arms wrapping around his shoulders in a hug.

"You're only in my memory but I miss you more than anything... but I don't know exactly who you are." His arms pulled around me, pulling me down to sit with him. My eyes closed, taking in the feeling. It was warm, almost like a blanket fresh out of sunlight or beside the fire. I breathed out, the heat from my breath sticking to my face.

"Who does your heart tell you I am?" He asked, his head turning to look at mine.

I looked back up, looking at his face. I bit my lip, softly looking at his hair, his eyes, then his smile. I gently turned and grabbed the book, flipping to one of the middle pages.

"Garroth." I said softly, "The person that I-wait what?" I froze, seeing a loose paper. "That-that wasn't there before..."

"What is it?" He asked, letting me move in front of him, the two of us sitting crisscrossed facing each other.

I unfolded the paper: fire seemed to kiss the edges, the corners smoky and ashy.

"It's a letter in different handwriting...

'To Alain in Scaleswind, January 14XX,

Hey! I got your letter the other day. I wish I could have heard you read it since it sounded like you had an amazing adventure. I wish I could have been there. If we didn't have our own celebration going on for my brother's birthday, I would have been there with you.

I... wanted to tell you about something. I'll wait until I see you again because it's too sensitive for a wandering eye to look at. But it's about you and I and I want to share it with you to see your reaction myself. It's been a little longer than we both thought but I know you said it won't last forever.

I got to see the stars last night. I saw a shooting star too and it was the most amazing thing I've seen since the harvest moon the last time we were at the fall festival!

Anyway... what stars do you see there? Maybe we can name groups of stars like the archer or the dipper thing that hangs over the O'Khasis docks? I hope the sketches I have make it to you too... it's easier to describe stars as dots with a line, ha-ha.

Hope to hear from you again this month. I miss you, punk.

Sincerely, Garroth Ro'M----'."

I frowned, seeing the ash start to form closer around the edges. I gasped, my skin starting to burn as the man looked at me.

"What's going on?" He said, "You're glowing...!" He said as I cried out, my skin starting to itch, the feeling of burning spreading up from my legs and head.

"Garroth, help!" I said, looking at him.

Everywhere around us turned into flame, the book and the letter turning to ash.

"Wake up, Alaina! Now!" Garroth yelled, my eyes shutting as I breathed heavier, coughing.

I coughed, the burning and itching feeling not going away. My eyes opened, an orange and red hue surrounding me. I screamed, seeing flames dance along the stone.

But how!? Stone isn't flammable, why is it burning!?

I grabbed the book and threw it into my bag. I climbed onto the table to get higher than the growing embers. I coughed, the smoke rising to my height.

"Laurance!" I screamed, stuck as the flames climbed the stairs and started to slither up the walls like a lava snake. The wash basin began to groan as the metal pipes underneath burst, a dark fluid coming out and lighting with the flame, the entire kitchenette area filling with smoke.

"Laurance! LAURANCE!" I screamed, my voice cracking as I looked around. The windows shattered from the heat, the table starting to crack as the boards underneath started to charcoal at the edges. I looked over at a small clear spot in the corner, jumping off the table and landing on my knees. I cried out, hitting my elbows on the ground to stop my head.

I need to get out of here. I looked around, trying to find a way to the door; to one of the windows; anywhere. The wall I was beside was closed off completely.

I coughed again. I pulled my shirt up to cover my nose and mouth. My eyes watered but the tears instantly dried as the area I was in started to shrink, the fire edging closer as it stretched for more fuel.

My breathing got heavy as I closed my eyes and turned to the door. I started crying, my throat burning as I screamed again.

"GARROTH!" I desperately screamed.

I jumped. My feet burned on the cobble. I started coughing harder. I ran towards the door. My feet landed in the shattered glass. My voice cried out as I fell onto the floor. The flames snaked towards me.

"No-no!" I cried, trying to get to my feet again. The door crumbled to the ground, sparks flying up as the metallic hinges hit the cobble. Everything around me was falling as I tried getting up again to run.

The smoke was thick. Everything was a dark hue on top with red and orange layers underneath.

I screamed, trying again to get someone on the outside's attention. I got to my feet. The moment pressure hit the soles of my feet the glass dug in. Every step sent bloody pain up my nerves. My mind screamed at me to stop walking but to keep running to get out of the fire.

A huge figure came at me, a brown cover dripping as it came towards me. I held onto the strap of my bag, crying as my feet burned. It hurt more to walk with the glass than the burns.

"Laurance..." I said as the cover came around me, a cool feeling hitting me as I realized it was soaked in water.

"It's okay... I'm here... hold on..." A deep, but comforting, voice said, picking me up.

I grabbed ahold of him. His skin was cold compared to mine. The instant evaporation of water hissed on me. I could smell the peach fuzz sizzling off as he ran out with me. The smoke dispersed to the outside air. I looked out, seeing the entire area engulfed in flames. Tree branches and trunks fell in front of us as he pulled back before jumping over. I gripped on tighter as he pulled me closer to his body. He held the cover closer to keep any more flames away from me.

Everyone I could have ever seen was standing in the marsh in the knee-deep water. Elderly and children were held up and carried by the guards. Each looked on as their homes started to burn to the ground.

"Alaina!" Another voice said as heavy, sloshed footsteps ran towards us.

I couldn't see anything, the cloth covering over us as water was creeping up his legs, my feet barely above the water when the two stopped together.

"She's extremely hot..." The deep voice said again before he coughed, the smoke stuck in his throat.

"Oh, my Irene, Alaina... I'm so so sorry..." I heard Laurance's voice in front of me, the cloth slowly coming off me and my carrier.

Laurance was looking at me from in front, his eyes widened as he saw the burns that I could feel. My face felt blotchy as he looked extremely distressed.

"We were trying to make sure everyone was out here when he said you were still at the station. I'm so glad he was able to find you."

I looked behind me as I looked at the man. His dirty blonde hair was now actually dirty, ash and soot covering the top. He looked almost like the fire did- the dark above and color underneath.

He looked down at me before he looked at Laurance. "She has glass in her feet. She was trying to walk but the glass combined with the fire is why she couldn't get out..." He said softly.

I looked at Laurance before my eyes welled up. "I'm so sorry..." I whispered, starting to shake as everything began to hit me.

Laurance shook his head before he breathed in, his own breath shaky, "It's okay, Alaina... you're safe. That's all that matters tonight." He said softly before looking out. "There are a few others with burns. We have one of the rafts out to get them to sit. Let's get her there."

The man nodded before he shifted me in his grip, holding me a little more comfortably than the death grip in the run. I leaned against him, tears burning at my cheeks as I rocked. He slushed through the water behind Laurance.

We could hear the popping of metals falling apart inside homes. Buildings collapsed in big puffs of embers and ash. By the time I could look, every building majorly built of wood had fallen as it turned to charcoal.

"Look!" Someone shouted, pointing at the shoreline.

Laurance, the man, the guards, and I all looked out, seeing a line of people, fire burning around them as they stared out at us. Cheers of guttural victory rang out as fire ran up their raised swords, all but one turning to smoke and blending in with the waning fire behind. The last stood there, the glow of the fire outlined their dark body figure.

They stood taller than the rest, a red and black marbled-like armor was what they wore. They stood to watch us all stand in the water. A smile suddenly shined from their face, the white as snow teeth stood out against their glowing red eyes. Their body began to burn away, those two features staying around for a moment too long before it also faded away.

"What were those things..." I softly said, looking over at Laurance. Every head turned to him before he looked at me. Fire reflected in the pupil of his eyes, his teeth gritting as he formed his response:

"Shadow Knights."