Nusac

Chapter 13

Faith’s POV

The wind whips past my face and through my ears creating a storm within my own mind. I duck as a low branch threatens to throw me out of the saddle and onto the floor. I can’t waste time. I need to get back.

The borrowed steed beneath me huffs as I pull it left to avoid colliding with a tree. It can’t be much further.

Right about now I think you want to know what’s going on. What’s with the mad dash right? Well I followed this vamp. Found out why he was running from me. He went to get his friends. A whole army of them. When did vamps get smart?

So I got into a little bit of a tumble with a few of them. Managed to dust about a dozen before I lost my sword. Bastards stole it from me. Along with my pride. My ass still hurts from landing on it after flying through the air.

The tall and short of it is there is an a army of vampires camped just outside of Agrarius. I take that to mean not good for the villagers. Some of them can fight but none of them have weapons. It’s a peaceful place. Not a lot happens just the odd vamp now and then, so no one bothers. Which is fine apart from times like right now.

So I need to get back. I need weapons.

I push my heels deeper into the beasts sides to push it into a faster pace. I’m galloping as it is which is not very safe in a dense forest but I don’t have the time to be safe. Lives depend on me being reckless so reckless it is. I hug my body closer to its neck getting myself as low as I can, trying to avoid the low branches threatening to dislodge me.

As I pass the waterfall close to the house I marvel at how much faster it is to get anywhere on horseback. I’ve only been riding for three hours. Makes my walk seem kind of pointless.

On the upside at least I know exactly where I am now. I can see the edge of the trees up ahead and pull the horse around the way which I know is the easiest way out of the thick mass of trees.

As I come to the edge I can see the house further up and I pull up by the side of it. It would be wrong to come in grab the weapons I need and just leave again. I should at least check in.

I dismount the horse watching it pant from the exertion. He’s going to need a long rest after that. I pat the side of its neck and lead it to the trough to drink its fill. I leave it to begin its recuperation and push open the wooden door.

Sitting at the table calm as can be with an open book is Namine. Her eyes flick up, which is followed by the rest of her face. “I was worried about you.” Yeah she looks it. It would have been nice to come back to her having organised a search party. I’m being stupid and I know it. The amount of time I’ve told her I can look after myself I would probably be more pissed off if she had organised a search party after only two days.

“I’m sorry.” I am really. I didn’t want to worry her I just wanted know, I needed to get away from everything including myself. Know what I’ve learned? Can’t run away from yourself you’re always going to follow.

She closes the book on the table and gives me her full attention. “Did you figure out what you needed to?”

How does she know that? I give her a confused look and she does nothing but smile at me. I shake it out of my head. I have more pressing matters to attend to than my fucked up feelings. “No but I have to deal with something more important.”

She stands from the table going into all business mode. “Vampires or demons?”

“Vampires and lots of them.” I look at my feet as I say my next sentence. “They look as though they are going to attack Agrarius.”

She nods at me. I was expecting at least a little scolding. “Is that where you ended up?”

I nod at her not wanting to look up into those eyes just in case I see disappointment. She’s the only person who has never looked at me in disappointment and if she is now I don’t want to see it. “They need my help.” Can’t say I haven’t told her where I’m going this time.

“When do we leave?” There is only one word in there I don’t like.

My head snaps up. “We?” I shake my head letting her know I do not like that idea. “Not we. Just me.” I put my hand on her shoulder. “And I might not be coming back.” How dramatic was that. I can’t believe I said that. Fuck.

She smiles and laughs. “You’re going to fight an army of vampires and are very likely going to die and you’re not going to let me come and have some fun? I don’t think so slayer.” Every time I think I’ve got this woman pegged she comes out with something just like that and surprises me all over again.

I’m still gawping like a fish out of water as she walks past me and out of the house. Hold on did I just lose this argument? This is far from over.

I turn and stride out of the house after Nam. “Hey wait just a second.” Why is she not stopping? Between her and vampires no one will just stop and let me have my say. It’s getting frustrating. I have to jog to catch up grabbing onto her shoulder and spinning her in place. Ha now you’re facing me. Try ignoring me now. “You’re not going.” I state.

She raises and eyebrow at me. Hey that’s my party trick. “I’m not? And why might that be?”

Why? Is she really asking me why? “Because it’s dangerous!” Great and now I’m yelling.

She throws her arms out to the side. “And just standing here isn’t?” ok that’s a fair point. But is there an army of vampires here. I didn’t think so. I really, really hope that one doesn’t come over the hill and prove me wrong. She takes a step forward and invades my person space looking up at my with her head tilted to the side. “Why is it that I can’t go but you can? It’s dangerous for you as well.”

Ok I really want to kiss her. Am I a bad person? Why do I care? I’ve never cared about this kind of stuff before. Did I just get asked something? She’s looking at me funny I must have taken too long to answer. I remember. “I’m the slayer. It’s my job to go on suicidal missions.”

The other eyebrow shoots skywards to meet the one already in her hairline. “And you have to do that alone right?”

“Yes!” I realise I don’t need to shout. She’s standing right there. “One girl!” I bring my hand up to her face with only my index finger extended. “One girl in all the world. She alone will stand against the vampires, demons and the forces of darkness!” I take a few steps back throwing my arms around. It doesn’t do anything to help me explain but I need to expel some energy. “Key words in there. ‘Alone’! And ‘one’!” I again hold one finger up to her to emphasise my point. ‘Cause at the end of the day Nam. I’m always alone.”

“Maybe back on Earth, but back on Earth you didn’t have a rather talented friend to help.” She replies. So a couple of things wrong with that sentence, one; yes I did have some kick ass people to help but maybe friends is too strong a word… and two;… friend! Friend! Well excuse me but I never had a friend who did that thing with their tongue before… well maybe once… although we didn’t really stay friends much afterwards… that is so not the point! “And now the allowed time to protest is passed so lets go.” With that she strolls off into the storage room where I keep the weapons, comes out with a couple of swords and walks past me before I can even protest.

I sigh, roll my eyes and walk over to where Namine has dropped her weapons on the floor so she can saddle her horse. “Listen Nam…”

She cuts me off before I can finish. “I am coming and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Again with the rolling of my eyes, I’m going to strain them if I’m not careful. “No, we need a cart or something I need to get some weapons to these people, they have nothing they are a bunch of farmers unless they know how to brandish a scythe then I very much doubt they can look after themselves. We need to take some stuff to them.” And here I am being all smart and sensible girl… yay for me.

So as I haul everything I have out of the storage room Namine gets a cart from where I do not know then she attaches the horses as I load up. “We done?” Namine asks pulling herself up onto the seat at the head of the cart. I nod and pull myself up on the other side. I don’t know if I should be offended or not that Namine grabs the reins and decides without asking that she is ‘driving’.

The trip back is a lot slower than my gallop through the woods but Namine promises me we will be there by nightfall.

Nightfall is our time to attack. I’m certain that the vampires will not attack today. They don’t have enough time before the moons come out to play and turn them to stone. No they are not stupid. Not like most demons and vampires I’ve come across. They’ll wait till daybreak. I aim that none of them are alive at that point.

They are held up in a cave not far from Agrarius it must be big inside to hold the sheer numbers but the entrance is only tiny. Only enough room for maybe three bodies standing together. From my vantage point I couldn’t tell how long this went on for but I don’t intend to go that far in. I’m going to use the moonlight to trap them inside. Forcing them to come to the mouth of the cave to fight. This gives them no room. I love advantages. Look at me I’m almost a military tactician. With big words like, ‘tactician’ and everything.

We pull into the tiny village with half an hour to spare until the sun dips over the horizon. It takes me ten minuets to explain my plan… several times. Honestly how many times do you have to tell someone that the fact we attack at night and moonlight turns our enemies to stone, is a good thing? I was reduced to simple saying “Bad for the bad guys. Good for us.”

So this is how I ended up here. Alone. Sharpening my sword. Like I said. Slayer is always alone. Well until someone sits next to her. Like right now for instance. “Hey.” She says as she takes her seat.

I stop running the stone up the blade just for a second. “Hey.” Then get back to work. Gotta keep all confusing emotions hidden. Stone-y face slayer is back in town.

She takes a few seconds to say anything but I can feel her gaze almost burning me. “The villagers aren’t too sure about your plan.” Sticking with the neutral topics. I like it.

The stone scrapes against the blade as it travels to the point. When it drops off the end I take a minute to admire to glint it gives off in the retreating sunlight. “They don’t have to be sure about it. As long as they stick to it that’s fine with me.”

I see her smile at this. “Told them that’s what you would say.” Why does she know me so well?

I put the sword down at my side. “There’s something else you wanted to talk about.” It’s not a question it’s a statement. Two can play at that game missy.

“Yes I do.” That doesn’t answer me. She fishes into her inside pocket and pulls out a small pendent on a long thin chain. Made of what looks like some sort of ruby type rock the fading light reflects the deep red running through it. I take the pendent into my hand rubbing my thumb over the smooth surface of the teardrop shaped stone. There’s what looks like a grain of sand in the core.

“What is it?” I ask turning it in my hands

“It’s an amulet.” Well I had figured that out by now. Anything else to add? “It blocks my gifts when it’s touching your skin.”

“And that’s a good thing?” From what I’ve seen her ‘gifts’ usually help heal me. But she has only done that the once.

She nods at me. “I have many…” She seems to be searching for an appropriate word. “Powers, which I haven’t told you about. One of which is uncontrollable. But this will stop that from happening.”

Ok so now I’m really curious. “What power?”

She digs her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose. “I don’t like people knowing.”

Now I’m more than curious “My lips are sealed.” How have I gone from military tactician to the phrase ‘my lips are sealed’?

She takes a deep breath and I can actually see her mentally preparing herself. “Ok. Here’s the thing. When I touch someone I can feel what ever they are feeling.”

I can feel the confused look running all over my face. I hate being confused. “You mean like emotions?”

She holds her hand out flat palm down, and twists her wrist from side to side. Like the tipping of scales. “Kind of. Well mostly.” She takes another deep breath and I can almost see the words arranging themselves in her mind. “When I touch someone’s skin I can feel their confusion, their fear, even their arousal as if it were my own.” That’s how she kept up with me.

“Isn’t that a good thing? You know what someone is thinking before they say it.”

“Not thinking, feeling. There’s a big difference. Like the other day I felt your confusion but I didn’t know what your confusion was.” She’s trying really hard to dumb this down for me. “The thing is I can feel pain as well. Not emotional pain, well I can but I can feel actual pain as well. Like if you were hurt I would feel it as if it was me.”

I take a few moments to process this. “That could be bad.”

“Yeah. But if you wear that.” She indicates the talisman still in my palm. “It stops me being able to do that. The problem is it also stops me being able to heal you with my powers.”

“Catch 22 huh?” That was said more to myself than anyone around me.

“I’m sorry what?” Aww she looks so cute when she’s confused. Ok back to the confusing emotions.

“Don’t worry just an Earth thing.”

The conversation is cut short when Reg comes over carrying the new sword I gave him which is much lighter than the one he was using. “We’re ready.”