Chapter Eleven

      A month and four days had passed and everything was settled perfectly. Tomorrow night, they will breath no more squalid air and this unhabitable place will claim its peace back, again. For a long time, they had caused enough disturbance here.

       "Are you sure that man you saw was with me before?" Méah asked Bek.

       Bek nodded. "Absolutely," he shortly replied, inhaling a smoke from the pipe on his mouth and then released it on his nose.

       "But how can you be so sure? Are you telling me this so that I would agree that you'd bring him out with us tomorrow?" She narrowed her eyes.

       What if this man would be a burden to them? She alone is too much of a burden already, the reason why she's trying her best to recover faster. Though it turned quite the opposite. There was barely no progress in her recovery. That's why she had to be smart enough to think ahead of what may possibly happen. At least she had done everything to avoid any loopholes in their plan.

       "No. It was him who helped us complete the plan. The food. The clothes. He was the one behind all of it  Not to mention the town's map from Lady Shiah's private belongings." Bek looked at her, waiting for her response.

       Shocked at the revelation, a little hint of guilt pinched her heart.

      "Why didn't you tell us before? We could've asked him everything in one go. We wouldn't have stayed here for too long," she asked trying to ignore the feeling.

      "Because I've been testing him how trustworthy he was. I wasn't planning to hide this from both of you. But I have to. If ever he'd betray me, I'd be the only one in trouble," he explained, releasing white fume from his nostrils.

      "You mean, you didn't tell him about us?" Ferlah sprouted behind her.

       The smell of boiled potatoes hovered in the air as soon as she put a bowl of it above the massive rock that had served as their table since they don't have any. They don't need it anyway.

       Bek just nodded again. "It was the best choice. I've lived long enough. You're still young. Both of you. There's still more wonders in the world that you ought to explore."

      Another pang of guilt hit her. She shouldn't have talked about him that way. She shouldn't have doubted him—and that man whom he talked about. After all, both of them were of great help.

      "So where should we meet him tonight?" Méah asked, completely giving away her doubts.

       Ferlah was just listening to them, stuffing herself with her boiled potatoes. She had been on the neutral side, though. 

     "Eastern Wall," Bek replied with a serious expression.

     Time flew swiftly like how the dark clouds fade after pouring down its heavy weight.

      With frail, careful steps the three of them sneak themselves out under the night's shadow.

     Getting out of the graveyard was effortless. The patrolling guards were on their shift and they had to hurry for minutes later, another batch of shift will replace their posts. Thanks to Bek's effort on risking his life every night studying their time of shifting.

       But as they were about to turn to the right intersection for the Eastern Wall, luck betrayed them. It came earlier than they expected. Though they thought less about their plan might be ruined but they have been aware of the possibilities. They've prepared.

      Surrounded, none of them move a muscle, each backs facing each other. Spears and various kinds of sharp tools of metals glimmered upon the gleaming lighted torches attached on the towering walls nearby.

       They would've ran off freely if this walkway wasn't made between these high wall of bricks. Not to mention its narrow width only fit enough for a small carriage to pass and for the guards to stand on both sides.

       "Shit!" Bek cursed under his breath, raising his daggers on both hands waiting for a chance to attack. "I never thought we'd get caught. Not even as untimely as this."

      Méah just concentrated on her own, eyes grown keener as though thoroughly taking down each enemy's moves. She clutched the curved sabre tighter between her hands. It seemed like its weight had doubled as fear made her guts trembled up to her cold, sweating hands.

      Although she wanted to scream her lungs out what her thoughts this time, she remained silent. Only one thing disturbed her mind—that man whom Bek talked about! He must've sold them out! He must've betrayed them! All of this must've a part of his little show to manipulate them and lure them out! There was absolutely no one who ever knew their existence in this town but him!

       "What are we gonna do now?" Ferlah whispered just enough for the three of them to hear.

       Same as Méah, she barely held her knives in a steady poise. Drops of sweats glistened in her damp forehead.

       The smell of death flung in the air and there were absolutely no words spoken on both parties. Silence met silence. As if they're holding their breaths like once if they let air enter their nostrils, they'd die.

      Just then, one guard stepped a foot closer to them and the rest followed and so on. Now their backs were rubbing against each other as they tried to maintain the distance between the attackers.

     Until the space became narrower and narrower...

      "Well I say we fight!" Bek initiated the fight.

      Both women was left with no choice but take the signal.

      Weapons clattered here and there. Wind swooshes as they were thwacked against each other. Blades sparked as its edges clashed with one another. Blood splattered everywere.

     The enemies were not that numerous but they barely defeated every single one of them. And the victory is theirs.

     The scene ended with all the guards laid lifeless on the ground. Splashes of blood left crimson arts on their clothes. But that's not the case anymore. What's important was that they had earn their first victory on their escape.

     "You alright?" Bek asked them both.

      There were horizontal cuts on the top of his brow and on his wrinkled cheeks. Blood dripped on the edges his daggers.

       Méah and Ferlah nodded with exhaustion. There was a long slit of opened flesh cut along Méah's cheeks down to her jaw. Nonetheless, she was too overwhelmed over what had just happened, letting blood pour down to her clothes.

       Ferlah laid her back on the brick wall, chasing her breath and pale as a ghost. Knives made a clattering sound as she loosened her grip on them, disturbing the after war silence. Soon, she slid herself down, holding her wrist. A huge sliver marked above the edge of her sleeve. Under it was a deep laceration that almost showed the bone out. Her teeth chattered from the excruciating pain, eyes shut trying to cope it.

       "Ferlah!" Méah rushed towards her.

         But Ferlah was already numbed and wasn't moving anymore with her mouth opened halfway. The grip that she had on her injured wrist had loosened.

        "Bek! It's Ferlah! She..." Méah panicked, hands searching the hem of her garment. "Come over here, Bek!"

         She immediately ripped its edge and wrapped it around Ferlah's wrist. But still no Bek had come to help her.

         When she turned to him, he was just standing feet away from her, staring at her with blank expression. His daggers where nowhere to be found in his position.

        "Bek, come on!" Méah raised her voice thinking that maybe the old man hadn't heard her call.

         But still, he remained where he was standing—nailed and motionless.

       "Bek? What's wrong?" The fear in her heart grew stronger.

         Still no response from him. But as the wind fanned playfully on the huge trees standing outside the wall, the old man fell on his knees before falling flat on the alluvial ground.

      "Bek!" Her terrified voice echoed in the narrow walkway.

      Running towards him, she could see something sticking out from his back. She could see the reflection of flames from the torches on the wall on it. And that finally answered all the questions in her mind.

       "Bek! Wake up! You can't leave us!" Tears started forming on her eyes.

       The sword fell off his back when Méah pick him up. She held the old man on her lap, trying to wake him up by shaking his shoulders lightly. Blood soaked her clothes underneath.

       'Don't cry...'

       She was taken a back when those words echoed in her mind again. Just then flashes of vague images coiled inside her head, followed by the same skull-splitting headache.

       Her hand slapped the ground, supporting her from falling. But she couldn't held on to the old man anymore, thus, his unconscious body rolled down to the ground. With that, her free hand automatically acted on its own, grabbing a full grasp of hair on her head out of pain.

       She growled countless times from the torture she's experiencing. At this point, she just wanted to die to escape from it.

       'Méah, you're our own. You don't need to listen to them.'

      'Your mother's right, Méah. We're always here for you.'

      'But...the kid...they said...they said you just found me somewhere.'

      'Silly. That's never true, my dear. They're just jealous because you have us.'

      'True. How about we play hide and seek in the backyard and pick your favorite pears after?'

      'Really? Thank you, father! Let's go!'

      'Hey, wait! Be careful not to step on my strawberry crops! I've just planted those yesterday!'

      The attack from deep within her continued. However, her ears managed to catch a whistling sound and a sudden explosion from up above. Her attention was drawn despite with the headache and a hazy vision. Soon as she looked up, her tears backed off.

     There were fiery embers released after which eventually vanished into thin air. A sulfurous smell supervened, entering her nares.

       But something moved from her peripheral view. A silhouette.

      Méah blinked several times trying to clear the mist in her sight. And suprisingly, it somehow worked unlike those past times.

      It was one of the guards. An injured one.

     She thought they had killed every single one of them. Supposedly, this might be the one who released the signal.

     Just then, a realization hit her...

     "You!" Méah grabbed the blood-coated spear beside her.

      Her vision swayed a couple of times but with all her might, she managed to threw it to the struggling person who was trying to escape from the place. Without a second, the spear pierced on the same spot as Bek's. The helpless body thudded as it fell above a dead one.

       Too occupied to be bothered by guilt and regret, the torture was overpowering all her random thoughts.

        Suddenly, she heard footsteps pattering nearer and nearer. It sounded like a battalion of it but she couldn't see them because they're probably behind the walkway's intersection.

       Earlier than she thought, she was right. A group of soldiers showed in front of her with armors made of metal and leather. Weapons clunked as they swiftly surrounded her.

      And there was no more hope in her heart. Both Ferlah and Bek had drifted off to sleep. Now she was left alone with not only one enemy but two—the torture happening in her head and these humans around her.

      Méah could only grunt multiple times trying to endure the pain. She couldn't even take a steady look on her enemies. Her sight was hazy and rippled.

      But as the enemies closed in the gap between them, a commotion from the back of them sprouted.

     

          After four days, Prince Zaeius had arrived at Beggar's Town but instead of finding a way in, magnificent brick wall behind the towering trees greeted his eyes. Compared to their castle, it was thrice way higher. He had never seen such wall. Though he didn't want to have a proper entrance anyway. Of course, why would he even do that if the purpose of his arrival there is illegal and no business at all?

         In fact, he had just escaped from 'hell' and was sure that everyone back at Noartias were dying to search for him!

         He scanned his pack but couldn't find a rope or anything needed to get himself up there. Looking for a way up the seemed to be never-ending wall in front of him, an idea sparked in his mind.

     The trees. They were much taller than these walls.

     He wasted no time and quickly climbed up but outbalanced himself as he crossed the distance between the trunk and the top part of the wall. A loud gasp escaped from his mouth and he had to cover it in an instant.

     Good thing that its width was twice thicker than the length if his foot. And those average-sized branches that were draping down the wall like a water fall, played a great part, too. It looked like it was purposely made.

      Up there, he had a great view of the town's night life under the sparkles of the stars. Kerosene lamps illuminated the houses' windows. And at the opposite edge of the town was an eye-catching house—no, more like a mansion instead, stood proudly and unmatched. He's sure that its owner could be of high position in the town.

     Not long after he could savor the view, something brought his attention below him. Down there was not only a silent and  dim-lighted walkway, but a shadow lurking here and there like it was waiting for something or someone.

     Prince Zaeius was alarmed. He walked silently on the top of the wall, to avoid being noticed once he's going down. Surely, he'd never head his way there. What if it was one of the guards? He wouldn't allow himself to be caught that easily!

      He walked and walked carefully on the wall's edge until he heard metals clanking on the intersection part, just several meters away from his location. He couldn't see it but it should be behind that part. Just then, he finally realized that the walkway was built in a crossed-like design.

   

       

        "Hey, are you alright?"

         Méah raised her head. Everything was still swirling and the torture hadn't subsided yet. But the war had ended. Pale corpses piled up in the narrow space.

        She saw a shadow looming in front of her. Scared of whoever this shadow was, she waited for a while trying to figure out what was its purpose of approaching her.

      Was this person here to kill her, too?

      But how did he defeated all those soldiers? Is he some kind of an immortal god of war? Why did it felt like she just lost her focus on the chaos and everything ended up already?

     After seconds passed, she stood unsteadily, wanting to have a clear view on the shadow standing in front of her.

    As if it knew what she's doing, it picked a nearby torch on the wall and held it beside his face.

     "I've been looking for you..." the shadow spoke who turned out to be a man.

     What? This man had been looking for her? For what reason? Did they even know each other?

     As his face flashed in front of her, a similar image in her mind popped, matching the actual one.

     'Stop it. You're too old to cry'

     'Be careful. The soup's hot.'

     "Aw..." Méah grunted as the pain doubled.

      This time, she's sure that her body won't be able to handle it anymore. Patches of black marked in front of her vision. Her breath became shorter.

     "Are you alright?" The man shook her shoulders lightly.

      But no response came from her. Instead, her legs weakened causing her to fall on the ground.

      "Hey! Can you here me?" He held both of her shoulders so that she won't roll on the thirsty ground.

        She did hear him but she was too tired to speak a word. But either way, the pain wouldn't let her do it. It was like it had conquered every nerve endings of her body. Her teeth gritted inside her cheeks as though it would lock anytime, jaw clenched intensely. Her knuckles froze and her body was cold inside out.

        As darkness was about to engulf her,  the undying torture disappeared. At first, she felt dizzy and lightheaded like she would threw up any minute now.

       It took her a moment to recover herself.

        "What's wrong? Are you sure you're alright?" he asked when she saw her standing up like nothing had happened.

       Still not a word escaped from her dry mouth. Her mind just stopped working and went blank suddenly.

       Without her knowing, her eyes had turned into a jet black pair again.

       The man in front of her was perplexed of what on earth was happening to her.

       But he must do what he should do. And they must leave this place as soon as possible.

      He grabbed her wrist and started walking away. Méah was just following his lead, expressionless and disoriented.

     It only took them a few steps when another batch of footsteps drawing nearer and nearer. This time, he's sure that they were larger in number compared with those he killed a while ago. They we're both from the direction where they were heading to and same goes from behind them.

      "Shit!" he cursed almost in a whisper. "Seems like tonight's not a lucky night for me."

      He unsheathed his sword from his back and held it in front of him. He hid the motionless Méah behind him, protecting her from any harm as she was the more vulnerable one between the two of them.

      Fires from the torches beamed as the soldiers came out from the three intersections, fusing themselves together as soon as they saw them. But this time, unlike the previous troops, they had maintained enough distance from them.