Ashen Reign

Chapter 7 - Revised

She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She knew she should go. Every second counted, but she couldn't stop herself.

"What is wrong with you?" She shouted, grabbing his arm to stop him from leaving. "You're supposed to be a Guardian." Hailey jerked his arm towards her, her nails digging into his arm, but he wouldn't budge. Her eyes bore into his back. "Does that mean nothing to you?" She could feel the muscles in his arm tighten at her words, but he refused to face her.

"There's only one thing I care about and my role isn't it." He sighed. She didn't know if it was because of the roar of the rain, but she thought she could almost hear a hint of exhaustion in his voice. Before she could respond though, Grayson snatched his arm out of her grasp and walked away, leaving her standing in the rain.

Hailey faced away from the town and looked towards the Guard Posts. Darkness crept over the horizon as the evening set in and the encroaching storm gradually worsened, the overcast sky hastening the darkening of the sky. Swearing under her breath, Hailey took off towards post seven. She had wasted too much time. All she could do now was hope that she could still make it in time. Hope that it wasn't too late.

Becca had Guard duty. She loved her, but Becca was desperate and too trusting for her own good. Or in this case, everyone's good. Chances were she let Joel in without a care in the world. Either too relieved to see or refusing to see that it wasn't her Joel. It wasn't the man she loved who left to go foraging. It wasn't even an empty shell of him. It was worse. Hailey could only hope that those on duty were able to hold the ashen back, that she could find Becca and Joel, and that the barrier was just damaged and not destroyed. She had the strongest faith after all, she could fix it right? She had to be able to fix it. It couldn't be a question. The Guardians made their stance clear. She was alone.

Rain pelted against her face, each frigid drop searing her skin. The swirling air around her was frigid and turbulent carrying her away from the drowning town and towards the darkened woods. Her lungs screamed for her to slow her pace, but she willed her legs to move faster. She had to get there in time. She had to. She couldn't lose the only part of her life that she knew. She couldn't.

Within a matter of minutes, she could see the faint outline of the collapsing Guard posts through the shroud of mist lying heavy on the ground. It hadn't been raining long and yet the numbers on the posts were already washed away, leaving only faded white stains in their place. She swore aloud. Her heart pounded against her chest as her mind struggled to grasp the reality of what was happening around her. She hoped it was her thoughts that were drowning out the sounds of fighting, but a part of her already knew that there was nothing to drown out. The Guard wasn't strong enough to hold the ashen back for long. There weren't enough of them to have a chance. All she could do now was find Becca and try to repair the barrier. If they could do that, those sheltering in the Sanctuary might still have a chance.

Focus. She shook her head as if that would help to clear her thoughts. There was no way she was going to find Becca if she was panicking. Closing her eyes, she pictured the numbers etching themselves back into the wood, willing them to reappear. When she opened her eyes, the numbers were back, barely visible, but just decipherable enough for her to get her bearings. She scanned the signs in front of her. "Seven" she read aloud scrutinizing the worn sign. Without hesitating Hailey forced her body to move forward, ignoring the burning in her legs.

She didn't know what she expected, but something about the post seemed wrong. It looked the same except darker; haunted somehow. She knew she should be cautious. That the ashen could appear at any moment. But despite that, she couldn't stop herself. She didn't slow her pace. She didn't even bother to draw her sword. Instead, she threw herself through the Guard tower door; stumbling as the weakened door gave way and broke from its hinges.