The Shattered Soul

No Escape

Chapter Four – No Escape

Blissfully they walked down the trail to the fort. The passage dry and dirt ridden, surrounded by trees and the river that supplied the village. If one’s eyes followed it back to the East they would find the waterfall near to Jaro’s home, to their home. With unfortunate circumstances comes a blockade. Jaro did not particularly feel hurt by the slaughter of the village. He had not shed a tear, not felt guilt in the morning, not even thought about the state it was left in. Seemingly somewhat alien to Cherrie, as running through her mind was the fact that most of the people in her lift were dead and they had just left their lives.

They were to leave the village that day however this didn’t not feel how it had been dreamt. This however was the reason why Cherrie was following her other half; she knew Jaro had changed overnight. She could see it in his eyes, watch it in his stride, smell it in his breathes and she just knew that something was different. Jaro did not feel afraid or hurt, or pretty much anything the soul, the demon inside of him was removing the feeling. The man dare she says was not the man she promised herself to.

The Valley they stood in was far wider than it may had seemed from the view, and the fort stood dramatically to the West due to the river Dinmond flowing through, and a crying cloud constellation raining twice a week. Saddened by the heartbroken Sneras the God of air the clouds constellation cry rain on the land, it was this rain that made the valley such a good place to live. There was never a drought to crops or live stock. It was this rain constellation that was now raining upon Jaro and Cherrie as they both ran to the nearest settlement.

Through the forests and down a now muddy path the Storm it battered the sky with it’s clashes and lashes. The rain came down heavy as the two of them saw the wooden logged walls of the settlement. It looked more like a wall of wood with towers along it and in the centre of two towers the front gate. Soldiers stood in both of these gates and although it was raining no less than three were marching at all time above the gate. They wore a glossy armour, it looked more like shinny paper than tough armour but looks can be deceptive. The armour looked see through and as if the solider was burning however it was stronger than a mountain Hilk and gave them the endurance of a valley trooper.

The two of them were spotted between the two towers and were called on to stop where they were, feet from the gate. They were asked to identify themselves; Jaro and Cherrie pulled their selves up and showed the guards their hand. On the back of their hand a Blue symbol was cryogenically tattooed. The guards opened the gates and the two entered. The symbol was that of the Fort and the colour blue the colour of the west. Inside the village was built around the trees and bridges were layered in order to access other parts of the forest, tree to tree in the air. The horizon seemed close to them but this was due to the large drop 100 metres from the entrance. The fort could be seen in full view because of the drop. They stood on a platform off the side of the cliff. It was a wooden carriage, built quite primitively, with a roof and a driver. The gate swung shut as he closed the door and after the driver signalled the lower carriage by shinning a light they begun to descend down the hill.

“Jaro...” Cherrie began the conversation by drawing his attention. The two of them were leaning over the barricade toward the fort.

“Yes” Jaro answered looking into her eyes.

“Do you think the Elders were right?” Cherrie asked him, her voice sounded slightly groggy and she coughed a little before Jaro continued.

“That I’ll be the saviour?” Jaro enquired looking back at her, Cherrie nodded. The lighting boomed and shattered the sky a moment after. “I don’t think anything of what we are doing is normal not now. Neither of us knew our parents and I’ve lost my last connection to my side. I wouldn’t say I agree though. The elders don’t see the future, they see the echoes of the future. It’s like what my uncle tells me, they see pieces of a jigsaw, we have to complete picture.” Jaro philosophicated to Cherrie looking out on the village. They had almost made it to the bottom.

“We could do with a savoir in all of this mess” Cherrie concluded as they reached the floor. They were now  in the lower village which looked similar to the upper village only more than double the tree’s and people. All inside of their houses or out with Unifix shelters above them. As the barricade opened and they hurried off to the inn which was roughly five doors down and to the end of a street, they both noticed the people who had to be out. The mothers with laundry, the mail people and deliveries and the soldiers protecting the people. All other than the soldiers had cast Unifix, a basic spell that costs little more than you could buy a snack and made a blue circular shape remain above your head to shield you from the rain. It was an almost regular sight, but rare revision for Jaro and Cherrie whom had only seen these when visiting the fort or village.

They both walked into the inn and attempted to get dry however it seemed unlikely until they were able to change. They stood in the Lobby lit by candles around the room and behind the counter. Upon the counter a carved face stood with a candle inside, it was the God Eliazla and foretold to bring healing. After a minute Jaro and Cherrie walked to the counter and booked a double room for the night. They had both been walking for over 5 hours, the journey from the village to the fort is 2 hours via horse –it was safe to assume they would had happily slept on a concrete bed at this time.

They were directed to their room which was up three set of stairs. The first lead outside and circulated the tree in the centre. The rooms were within the trunk which was essence in size compared to what they were used to back home. They climbed the stairs until their room which was on the top floor. This offered the advantage of being a double room due to the side cavern. The tree top kept them dry as they entered and Cherrie walked over to the window. She took out a scroll from her pocket and read it aloud. It made little sense to either of them but it was not something they were not used to because soon after she finished the wardrobe and chest draws glowed as her and Jaro’s clothes from the house appeared within them. The two of them changed in to dryer and more comfortable clothes then sat on the edge of the platform outside of their house. A wooden barrier stopped them from falling but they could put their legs through. Hershi made herself known.

“Do you want to know the plan?” Hershi asked the two of them, Jaro looked back at him with slight resent.

“I know the plan. We’re going to go in and use their church.” Jaro forcefully suggested with a slight anger in his voice.

“I saved your life. I could have let you die” Hershi responded in an offended voice.

“You said that they were after you. So you ultimately killed me and everyone else in the village and then saved me” Jaro explained his thoughts to him.

“I couldn’t help being, dead and all. Anyway I need you to find me something” Hershi explained to them looking forward. The rain was still pouring but now was less heavy and the air smelt more like the rain forest.

“He’s right. We can’t just expel him.” Cherrie added leaning forward to look at Hershi, “What do you want us to do?” Cherrie continued, Jaro turned to him

“Consider it a dying wish.” Jaro interjected with. Hershi lent back and crossed his legs.

“There’s a court yard, a court yard that the Fort could not build on. It would look like a normal grassy area but no flowers grow, no water interjects and the grass does not get longer. To everyone else it looks like that, however to I it looked like it used to. It looks like a lake, only a small one mind. When I died and was taken to the underworld I was told to find that place again.” Hershi explained his deathly wish staring forward.

“Why that place?” Cherrie slightly confusingly and with a high pitched voice asked him. Hershi looked at Cherrie and starred at her for a moment or two then turned back forward.

“That was where I died.” Hershi answered her and did not look back for the rest of their conversation. It lasted until the hour was late enough for the sky to turn black and then they slept in the room. Hershi slept on the arm chair after an instance by Cherrie.

Hershi was left with his thoughts for the night. The thoughts that were not those of positive thoughts and memories. He thought about the reason why he was killed and the actions that took place 2 weeks before leading to his death. They were burnt on to his mind for all eternity, even in death these haunted his mind and even in death Hershi could not escape his crimes.