Blood in the Dirt

Chapter 26

"There's got to be a way to get her to snap out of it." Emmett said.

Helstan sighed. "I'm afraid not. We're going to have to leave her here. We can't cancel the mission just because one of us is injured."

"Are we going to bring someone else then?"

"Well, we should bring a medic. Just in case."

"You can't go without the girl. She's the only hope left in this world." a voice spoke from behind them. They turned, and locked eyes with an elderly man, but took a step back in fright when their eyes fully took in the sight before them.

The man was elderly, yes, but wasn't flesh and blood. He floated in midair. Wisps of light flew around his figure, and reflected off of the marble white floors. Everything about him was peaceful, except for his eyes, which were blacker than death itself.

"Without her you have no chance, and you will fail as you have always failed."

"Who the hell are you?" Helstan hissed.

"I am someone you will never meet again. I have no name, and there is no way for you to find me. Therefore, I suppose I am nonexistent. Yet, I am here, so I must be existing. Correct?" Helstan said nothing, still trying to comprehend what the man had said. "There are many people like me, you see. I am only one of the many nonexistent existents."

The man stopped speaking, having realized he had confused Helstan enough. When he didn't reply, the man continued, "Alright, I suppose I can make this simpler by explaining to you that I am not a who, but I am a what." The 'what' waited, but still Helstan didn't say anything. "Listen, I don't have time to explain my life story to you, so I will simply state what I have come here to say: My kind are unable to live in peace because of you.

"Why?" Emmett's voice squeaked as he peeked his head around Helstan's shoulder.

The man began to move towards Andrea's side. "Due to the war that you have been dragging out for centuries on end. My people have been forced to watch over those living in the seven lands of the Sanctum, but many of us have gone rogue since you don't even appreciate our assistance."

He now stood at Andrea's side, and streaks of light began to swirl around her. "Those who no longer stand with us, stand against us. That is why the Outsiders have become so strong. With the help of those who are no longer on your side, the Outsiders have been able to take over four of the seven lands of the Sanctum."

Emmett was no longer scared of the man but rather curious. He walked to his side before asking, "If you're so concerned about them helping the Outsiders, why not just kill them? Wouldn't that weaken the Outsiders?"

"No, child. You see, they are immortal, as are we. We cannot harm each other, but can only persuade one another to join us. Also, once one of my kind blesses someone or a group of people with a gift, the gift can never be revoked." The man now gestured to Andrea. "Unless of course, my kind blesses someone with the powers to revoke other gifts."

Helstan was finally able to speak and asked, "But she's only a child. I refuse to believe that one child is stronger than an entire army of my people."

"I don't think you quite understand. She has been created solely for this purpose. My people have blessed her, and the Gods have blessed her."

Helstan scoffed. "Blessings can't kill armies of Outsiders."

"Blessings have killed armies of Sanctions." Helstan opened his mouth to protest, but shut it, having nothing intelligent to say. "Besides, she is not to kill them, she is meant to erase them."

"You can't just erase people." Emmett protested.

"You can if they were never truly people." Emmett's face contorted in confusion. The man didn't elaborate, and instead turned away from the two, and pressed his hands to Andrea's forehead. He took a large breath and began to breathe incantations. "Lasu vian korpon esti resanigitaj, kaj via animo estu Benita."

Andrea's eyes closed. Her body relaxed.

"What did you do to her?" Emmett burst.

"I have eased her pain by erasing the memory which brought it to her." The man began to walk away. "She will be fine now. Bring her with you. You and your accomplices are to ride to Yinuz. There you will find a man who can tell you the whereabouts of the portal." He turned to face them one last time. "Bring the girl to the portal safely, and the war will be won."

"Wait!" Helstan shouted, but the man had already disappeared.

Emmett was at the side of Andrea's cot, holding her hand in his. "What if he killed her and we just don't know it yet?"

"Can you feel her pulse?"

"Yes."

"Then he didn't kill her."

"I know that! But what if he poisoned her? Or what if he brainwashed her into thinking she was an Outsider?" Helstan grabbed him by the shoulders, and forced him to his feet.

"You need to get a grip. That imagination of yours will get you killed."

Helstan let go and walked to the other side of the room. "That ugly face of yours will get you locked away." Emmett whispered under his breath. Luckily, Helstan didn't hear him.

The two sat in silence, and waited there for half an hour before a doctor finally came. "So what seems to be the problem?" the doctor asked as he walked in with a clipboard.

"Isn't it your job to find that out?" Helstan scoffed.

The doctor ignored his comment and began examining Andrea. "What was she doing when she fell into this state?"

"She started acting strangely a few minutes after Gino used the machine gun."

"Well, that's quite a sight for a young woman. Why wasn't she in her house?"

Emmett rose from the chair he had slid into. "Why would she need to be in her house?"

"Because, that's where women belong when there is a fight going on."

Helstan began to chuckle, but Emmett just became infuriated. "She's a better fighter than most of the men out there. Maybe it should be the men hiding in the houses, and the women on the battlefield."

"I can't say that I agree. Women should never have to endure that." Emmett opened his mouth to say something, but the doctor cut him off. "Anyways, let's move on to her condition shall we?" Emmett slumped back down into his chair, but listened intently to the doctor's words. "It's quite obvious that she's in shock, and what she saw can be hard to recover from. Although, her breathing is quite normal, which is odd. I think she may be overcoming it already."

"How long until she will be able to travel?"

"Hmm...Hard to tell, but I would guess in about two or three days." The doctor began to pack his things.

"Thank you doctor." The doctor left the room, and Emmett raised again.

"Can we wait two or three days?"

"We're going to have to. We can't leave without her."