Arthur: When A Tree Falls

Chapter 22: The Messenger of Evil

"DANGER" A loud voice, accompanied by the sound of a horse galloping.

Arthur looked towards the gate and saw a white horse approaching, with a young man on his back. He was blond, wore an outfit like the Arborians, yet not quite. His complexion was completely distraught, and he cried out again. "ELLA!" He exclaimed, and the redhead pushed aside Vinchmans and Yorns. Almost automatically the group of Arborians parted, so the young man could halt his horse and was visible to almost everyone. "ELLA!" He repeated. Arthur could see he missed a tooth.

-"Who are you?" Ella responded, and the young man panted in his saddle.

"I come from afar, the other side of Silva. The Silvians are revolting, it seems like a curse has risen up within them. Everything has turned dark, actual dark, not evening dark. They're coming this way." He said, his voice quavering.

-"What do we need to do with that?" Ella inquired. The crowd started to whisper.

"Let them fight themselves. All of them." He answered. His horse was stirring, it seemed to feel the nervousness in the air. "It is their only chance to survival."

Ella shook her head. Finn pushed himself through the crowd towards Arthur and whispered, "I haven't seen her this distraught in ages."

"I can't!" Ella yelled. "They aren't ready!"

At that moment Eylin spoke to Arthur. "I think it's the spirit. It's come back." She hissed. Arthur didn't answer to either Eylin nor Finn.

-"You have to." The boy said. "It's the only way."

"No. I'll take them away, all of them. To the Forest of Hule." As soon as she said it out loud, the crowd gasped. The horse stirred again, and the boy shook his head. He dismounted his horse and took its reins in his hand.

"What's with Hule?" Arthur whispered, but Finn shushed him.

-"If you take them to Hule, they'll all die. You included." He hissed, and he stepped towards her, his finger pointed at her. He was wearing leather riding boots, with spurs tied to his heels. "It's too dangerous."

"I can take care of them, I have done so for years already." She hissed back. "This is my tree, I am responsible for the Arborians."

Arthur turned to Finn. "What about Mrs Phillix and Mr Qillian? Where are they?" Apparently Arthur wasn't the only one who wondered about that, because several people exclaimed that from the crowd.

"They are in Silva, for the celebrations. They aren't expected to return any time soon. It's for diplomatic business. And as you all know I am in charge when they aren't here." She said calmly. And as soon as she'd spoken those words, a second horse galloped into the hall, exclaiming for Ella's name as well.

Another young man, this time someone with dark hair, spoke grimly. "Mr Qillian and Mrs Phillix have been murdered in the revolt. You have to do something." Ella cried out in anguish.

-"No, no, no. This is a joke. Are you serious?" She lashed out towards him, but he was still sitting in his saddle steadily. "This isn't real. This isn't happening." She grabbed herself together and turned towards the crowd.

"All Arborians!" She exclaimed, before taking a deep breath. "We shall be leaving for Hule shortly. All Arborians who are within half a year of their fighting time, or are willing to attempt the fight now, you will follow me. All of you, remain calm."

Arthur looked at Finn. He was within the half year span, if only just. Elice looked at Finn as well and shook her head. She came towards them and spoke. The whole crowd was hassling around again, this time, in a slight panic. "You can't, Finn, you haven't had any classes about the actual fight yet. You won't. I refuse to let you go!" She exclaimed, but Finn shook his head.

"You heard what she said, Elice. I have to." He replied, and Arthur knew he wanted to seem strong for her, but didn't actually want to fight himself yet.

-"Let us help! Please!" Elice cried out, on the verge of tears. She threw her arms around him and let out a sob.

"No, I won't put you in danger, I can't."

-"You're only putting yourself in danger by doing this, Finn, please don't do this." She cried, without letting go of her friend. Arthur cleared his throat.

"She's right, Finn. You know a lot, but you're not ready. Besides, you've just given away most of your Griphlet bars." He said, and Finn shook his head and pushed Elice away from him.

-"I can do this." He said, and walked towards where Ella was standing with a significantly larger group than Arthur'd expected. Apparently, many of the Wulixes, Xinths and Yorns found themselves better than their assigned time, so they were willing to try. Some Vinchmans had the willpower to attempt it with aggression, and the small group of Uphlets that had joined Ella, were quite old, so clearly near the end of their term.

Eylin shook her head. "He's an idiot. Arthur, it's the spirit, I-" She didn't seem to care about the fact that Arthur was a Uphlet anymore, but Elice interrupted her.

"Shut it, Arthur, we're going after him." She hissed.

She took his hand and pulled him through the panicking crowd. The blond horseman was mounting his horse again, and the two of them were riding off again. Some Arborians attempted to stop them, telling them to take them along, away from the danger.

It seemed as though a riot had erupted because Arborians were turning to each other and attacking each other.

Elice pulled Arthur after the crowd that was walking up the stairs to a row of doors. Arthur knew the actual fights would be held in those rooms, generated and kept by Dreamer's Dust. There was a flash of green light and the row of doors was now longer. There were many more doors than before. The crowd thinned out as people stepped into their fighting rooms and Arthur saw Finn enter one, yet Elice pulled him further, towards their stemroom. Once there she gathered some weapons and picked up a paper bag which probably contained more Griphlet bars. Arthur grabbed his bow and more arrows, which he stuffed in his quiver. Elice ran down the stairs towards the rows of doors again, and before she entered Finn's she turned to Arthur.

"We are going to kill the non-Finn, and then we have to get the hell out of here with Ella." She spoke, before pushing open the door.