Fractured Worlds (Worlds Away #1)

Edoline Chapter 47: Tracked

The bark of the tree was rough against my hand. I staggered, stopping only to catch my breath. The eternals would be here soon, when they discovered what I carried.

My hand slipped into my pocket, bringing out the USB. Charlotte had managed to slip me the drive just as Grimtaladar had arrived. She had had two, but how she had kept this one from Dewitt I did not know. I did know though that whatever was on here was important, and I would die protecting the USB if it came to that.

I tucked the device into my cloak, concealing it once more. I could not waste more time. I pushed myself from the trunk and kept moving.

Water sloshed up from the moist moss, and the air was heavy with dew, a grateful relief. I should have taken to the trees, lest to make a track, but my energy was spent. I could barely walk straight as it was.

My rational thoughts were limited in my tired state. I only had enough energy to make a mental list of what I had in my arsenal: daggers and lockpicks. It was not much, but I had done better with a lot less. This time would be no different.

My back was light without my sword, cold without it holding my cloak close. I continued forward, pulling my cloak tighter around me. The chill was setting in, the brisk wind ripping through the moist land with ease. The adrenaline was leaving me, I could feel the little energy I had ebbing away.

I needed to keep on going. I pushed myself further, wobbling on my feet. Overexertion, this was the worst case of it yet. Dewitt was powerful, even more so than me. He did not restrain his powers and used the most dangerous form of mind abilities: mental attacks. They held the most risks for the user, in his case Dewitt's insanity when not using his telepathy, but was by far the most powerful practice. It was also the hardest to withstand.

Zerbelgrim.

His name sent rage pulsing through me. Zerbelgrim standing there had been a taunting from fate itself. How was it fair that he was alive, and that Zyair was not? They had both been caught in the explosion together, so why was he allowed to be unharmed? How could the enemy live through that, and my love could not? Was fate always to be this cruel to me? Was I not allowed to be happy?

No. I pushed the thoughts and feelings aside. I needed to remain focused if I was to avoid being taken by surprise. I could not think of Zyair now.

I kept my feet moving and my head up. Every step was an effort, but I staggered on, leaning on trunks and forcing my energy to last me. The swamp was unforgiving. The once stable ground was becoming harder to walk on, each new step threatening to drag me down into the muck. I was forced to change my route, moving towards the grassy outskirts. At this rate, the eternals would find me with ease. My path was too easy to track, and my moves were too predictable. This was not how I was supposed to be.

I felt the mental attack instantly. It was a sharp spear, trying to get past my defences. I threw my walls up higher, built them up with everything that I had left. I let out a harsh curse; the eternals knew.

Dewitt did not let up on his attacks, and they grew more powerful as he approached my position. I picked up my pace, jumping into the trees and heading towards the outskirts of the swamp. My legs listened enough for me to travel from branch to branch with only enough strength to support my jumps and landings. I did not trust them enough to do any fancy manoeuvres to propel me further. My snail pace would have to do.

Dewitt's attacks grew progressively stronger, numerous spears stabbing at my mental walls. He was relentless now, fiercely trying to find a way in. The only thing that I could concentrate on was keeping my mental defences up. I dropped to the ground, focusing everything on keeping Dewitt out of my head. Even with my mental walls up, he still found a way in.