It was the first time Ines was fighting side by side with an elf. She was making history. They were doing pretty good, taking down their opponents one by one, covering each other when they needed it. They had killed more than 25 of them, but the lack of sleep was slowly creeping on her arms and legs. She hoped there weren't many more, or else they would have to follow a different tactic.

They moved in sync. Rakron bended their weapons, and Ines made the final blow. They were doing a fine job, until the last ones arrived. They saw the end of the battle was near, and they overestimated their powers. As they charged against them, Ines struck the enemy without a second thought, without protecting her blind spot. She fought carelessly, believing she could easily outbrave them.

She didn't pay attention to one of them who sneaked behind her, holding a dagger in his hand. It would have succeeded if Rakron hadn't stepped in. Before the dagger could pierce her armour, he took the hit and killed it.

'Rakron! Oh no, no, no,' she trailed off in panic. She swiftly killed them off and rushed to him, but it was already too late. Rakron fell on the floor with a thud. He touched the knife that was stuck in his chest and pulled it out. Ines knew the wound was deep, and they would need Landos' magic to stop it from bleeding. 'We will have to move. I will help you,' she said, grabbing his arm.

Rakron shook his head and gently pushed her away. He might have been in pain, but his expression was calm. He looked at her like he had been prepared for something like this.

'I will not leave you here,' she insisted, and went to lift him up again. 'Maybe Landos can help you.'

Again, Rakron refused to move. He stopped her and held her hand. Go, he mouthed at her with a stern look.

'I'm not gonna leave you alone!'

Go, he moved his lips once more, signaling at her with his head to leave. Ines stood beside him; she should at least be there for him in his final moments. She held his hand tight and spoke. 'Thank you for everything. I will never forget.'

His lips curved into a faint smile, and Ines watched as his eyes gradually lost their light. She should have screamed or cried in pain, she should have wept for his death, but the tears never came. She didn't deserve to mourn him; she wouldn't do him justice, only the people whose hearts beat in the same rhythm with his. Instead, she prayed for him to find happiness beyond that world.

She stood up, lifted his body with care, and positioned it on her horse. She pulled the reins, guiding the animal to the direction they had gone off. She needn't walk for long; she found the others waiting for them by a small river that glided amongst the forest roots, shining blue amid the leafy green. Under the steady rising light, she saw the relief on their faces. When they noticed her horse, though, and specifically what was on her horse, the smile left their lips.

Inerma gasped in fear, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth. They neared his body without saying anything and put him down on the ground.

'I am so sorry. I did everything I could. I'm sorry,' she said in a small voice filled with regret.

'He accepted the risks, and he decided to protect you,' the old replied, more like to remind himself.

'Why risk his life for me?'

Landos knelt over him, his eyes welled up. 'Cause he's a fool,' he said harshly. 'I told you to not light that fire!'

No one spoke; they knew it was pointless. Words could not make the pain go away. Landos touched Rakron's chest and started mumbling a spell to prevent his body from decomposition. Their mourning came as a sad song, soft and low, a lullaby that spoke of the time of healing to come, of a road that must be travelled one step at a time.

They gathered their things and carried on their journey. She knew they were nearing the wall that divided the two kingdoms. The elves remained silent. They never expressed their sadness, but their solemn expression was enough for Ines to know they were hurting inside.

. . . . .

'We share the hope that you will play a vital role in future events,' the old elf's voice startled her. She turned to her right and looked at him. 'Someone has tampered with powerful forces, and we will need all the help we can get.'

'Me?' she raised a brow. 'Very hard to believe.' She couldn't even protect her partners, let alone fight for a great cause, having people depend on her. She couldn't endanger others' lives.

'Sometimes others' faith in you is enough,' he reminded.

'The balance of this world is threatened. We must put our beliefs aside, and do what has to be done,' Inerma said.

'Those people that attacked us, were they hypnotised?'

'Not in a sense that they will return to normal,' the old elf explained. 'They are completely possessed by magic and their souls are diminished to nothing. A few started to show up in our realm. At first, we tried to cure them, but in vain. They became ashes.'

Ines nodded. What he was saying was true. When she had fought against them, everyone she killed immediately turned into ashes. 'So, you kept fighting them off?' she asked him.

'It required a constant effort which we could not put. And so, we erected another wall, one that would keep them away for good.'

'If their goal was to attack your people, why aren't they doing the same to our cities?'

The old elf stared ahead, rubbing his beard in contemplation. 'I believe they quickly learned from their mistakes. A straightforward tactic did not work before. What else remains?'

'A gradual infiltration in the cities.'

'Precisely.'

So, whoever was behind all that, they had a plan. They imported the weapons in the city in order to create such creatures, killing machines with no remorse.

'Have you found out who is planning all these attacks?'

'Not yet. We are still working on it.' The old elf kicked his horse and rode ahead. 

Ines remained in the back, keeping an eye on Matthew. His comatose state only made her worry, but she tried to stay positive. The group rode through the dense forests, over low hills, and past mud and snow. The cold froze her fingers, making them stiff and unmovable, and the icy wind whipped her cheeks relentlessly.

As the sunlight drained away, the view slowly faded to blackness, and the dusk came as a promise of starlight.

'From this point on you stay close. There is strong magic beyond the wall, in order to drive away human intruders. If you stray from the path, you will get lost and walk in circles. We will not be able to track you down,' the old elf warned her.

'Okay.'

They moved on carefully. The fog was so thick that Ines couldn't see anything beyond her nose. Her horse was a bit agitated, his breaths ragged, his ears perking up with the slightest sound. There was complete silence in the woods, the trees lied still. Ines let out a slow controlled breath and attempted to loosen her body, but the feeling of being watched wouldn't leave her. She looked around her. There was nothing there.

Suddenly, a chilling shriek hit her ears.

'I heard a scream!' she shouted to the others with wide eyes.

The others didn't even turn around and rode on.

'It's the magic working on you,' Inerma reassured her.

Ines gulped. It would be more difficult than she had expected. She kicked her horse to follow behind the elves, but her horse started acting strange. He stood unmoving, his eyes fixed on something Ines couldn't see. She stroked his neck, and whispered soothing words, trying to calm him. Her actions had no effect on him, and the others were drawing away. She had to force him to move on.

She tightened her hold on the reins and kicked him once more. The horse took off, and everything around her became blurred. She didn't even have time to react when she realised he was running the opposite direction, away from the elves.

'Stop!' she yelled desperately and pulled on the reins.

Her panicked voice unnerved the animal more, and he frantically raised on his hind legs, neighing in fear, foam coming out of his mouth. Ines' body fell back, the reins slipping off her fingers. Her back painfully hit the snow, and her face twisted from the excruciating pang in her neck. She scanned her surroundings. Her horse had bolted to some direction she didn't know, and the others were nowhere to be seen. She was alone in a place she might never get out of.

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A/N:  Dear readers, if you are interested in sharing your opinion, I'd appreciate the feedback. Vote to help Ines find her way back!

Phrase of chapter:  ἐλπίς ἐστίν ἐγρηγορότος ἐνύπνιον / hope is a waking dream  - Aristotle