The Crest of Darkness [ON HIATUS]

Chapter Five | Daya

 “His leg was broken. The injury was infected, and he was malnourished, so he had a fever. He should be fine now.”

Doc Cormac handed the pup over to Daya. He took her hand and kissed it politely. She blushed.

“Thanks for your help,” Shim said, taking Daya's hand. She glanced at him, somewhat giddy.

“Yes, thank you.”

“No problem,” Doc replied. He winked at Shim. “You should get him checked out by an animal specialist, just in case. What's his name?”

“Uh...” Daya hesitated. “I just found him. But... I'll call him Echo.”

Doc smiled. “I like it. Take care!” He gave them a wave and headed off.

Daya was alone with the soldier, Shim, again. While she was more comfortable around him than any of the other soldiers, she wasn't sure how to be around him. She'd always had the impression that soldiers were men you should stay away from. They were dangerous. But so far, Shim hadn't made a move toward her.

“I suppose you would like to return home?” Shim said.

Daya smiled to herself. Yes, he was okay. “That would be nice. My family might worry if I'm gone much longer.

“Come, let's talk to my father.”

Shim led Daya back through the camp. Everyone was pretty much settled in for the night. Their speed amazed her. It wasn't long before Daya was standing in front of the general again.

“You promised her safety,” Shim said.

General Tsunai smiled. “I assume you are ready to leave?”

Daya nodded. “Yes, I am.”

The general nodded to his son. “Shim will escort you home.”

Daya couldn't tell if he was happy or upset by that. She hoped it wasn't the latter. He turned to her. “Don't worry, you'll be safe with me. I'll be back tonight, father.”

“See to it.”

And they were off, just Shim, Daya, and a horse for both of them. Night wouldn't be upon them for a few hours, but the fog made Daya nervous. She wondered what lurked behind those clouds. Her earlier experience wasn't a good one. At least she had a soldier at her side, and he seemed honorable enough.

At the forest, the fog started to lighten up. Daya hoped that Shim knew where they were going, because she realized she was lost. She had been on a road the last time she went through the forest. She hesitated to suggest it, fearing it might insult him.

Shim pulled the horses to a stop. Daya wondered why. She was about to ask when she noticed a figure approaching. Shim pulled out his sword, and Daya's horse backed up a step or two.

“Who's there?” State your business.”

A boy appeared. He couldn't be much older than Daya. He looked pale and very scared. Daya felt nervous again; he wore all black, like a thief... or worse.

At the sight of the sword, he stopped in place and raised his arms, eyes wide.

“Oh, no way! Don't kill me, please 'cause I'm lost and I don't know how I got here but maybe I'm hallucinating or maybe I'm in a dream. I don't know, it's just one minute I was in the library, and then I was here. There was this cold, dark thing, like Lucifer in Supernatural or the gaiaphage—”

“Stop,” Shim commanded. The boy had been talking very fast, but now his jaw clenched. “What about a 'dark thing'?”

“I don't know, really. I swear, I have to be hallucinating. There hasn't been a cloud in the sky, well, not where I was. The room got all cold and dark and I froze up and then the librarian came in and asked what was going on and I regained my senses and ran and now I'm here and I don't even know where here is—”