The Keeper: Ancestors' Knives

Chapter Two - Shadow

-Chapter Two-

Shadow

The southern forest was called the Spring Forest. In each of the four corners of the world there was a forest for every season. Together they were the Four Season Forests. To the west was the Summer Forest, the north was home to the Winter Forest, the east was where the Autumn Forest stood.

            The Spring Forest was by far the most beautiful; stretching out for miles, filled with flora and fauna of all shades of colour. The stunning flowers grew wild and untamed. It was almost impossible to navigate through the trees, which made it perfect for Ashe to hide.

            As she sprinted through the forest, she pulled off her brown jacket and shoved it into her satchel; revealing her tight leaf green top that exposed her pale, slender figure. She tugged her hair-tie out, letting her long scarlet hair fall from her bun. The hair flicked down near the bottom of her short, white pleated skirt. She ran through bushes of lavender, her tan knee-high boots leaving behind a trail of purple petals.

            Looking behind her; she traced the soldiers’ movements with her bright green eyes. They followed her into the forest unaware of the dangers; tripping over, struggling through the bushes and getting caught on twigs and vines. Ashe smiled at their pitiful efforts to catch her.

            She ran at high speed; flowers and fruits fell in her wake. She turned to see if the soldiers were still following – no one there. She turned and stopped abruptly when she saw a soldier standing, ready to attack. His red armour shone under the few rays that penetrated the thick foliage above. At once Ashe pulled the Ancestors’ Knives from her belt and assumed her own attack position. The soldier stepped toward her, his sword shimmering in the light. She gazed at him, thoughts and battle plans flashed in her mind. She raised her knives, charged at the soldier and in turn he charged at her. The soldier swiped low at her stomach. She jumped back in surprise, the sword skimming her left side. Ashe didn’t have time to tend to the wound because the soldier swung his weapon again, this time at her head. She managed to dodge the attack by rolling along the ground. The soldier turned and Ashe threw her knives at him. They hit their mark dead on, but were reflected by his spiked armour.

            “Damn!” Ashe pounded her fist on the ground.

            Usually her knives, sharp steel combined with ancient magik, would have pierced the soldier’s armour. But now they were like her; slightly better than ordinary.

            The soldier glared at her, hoisting his sword. Ashe's gaze darted from left to right, she was defenceless. He pointed his weapon at her throat, ready for the kill. Ashe kicked her legs up and knocked the sword from the soldier’s hands. The blade flew through the air and pierced a nearby tree.

            She leapt up off the ground, spun and kicked the soldier in the stomach causing him to fall backwards over a log. She used this opportunity to grab his sword, a much larger weapon than her own. She jumped over the log and past the soldier, who was still trying to get off the ground. She gripped the sword’s hilt with both hands and pulled with all her strength.

            At the same time, the soldier was back on his feet. He removed his helmet, letting it clank onto the ground, revealing dark shaggy hair and a worn face.  The soldier charged towards her, his eyes filled with revenge. As he seized her shoulder, Ashe yanked the sword from the tree. She swung it and smacked the soldier in the head; slamming him to the ground once again. She dropped the blade and as it pierced the tree before, it now spliced through to the ground.

            The soldier was out cold and Ashe dragged his unconscious body into a nearby rose bush. She carelessly tossed his helmet in as well, flinching at the sound it made against his armour. She picked the soldier’s sword up and stashed it in the spare sheath attached to her belt. Gathering her knives, Ashe dusted them and traced her fingers along the blades. A tree rustled behind her. She turned, knives in hand, only to see a blurred shadow jump away. She stared off for a while, searching for danger but none came. A sharp pain caught her by surprise. She clutched her side remembering the wound the soldier had given her.