The Final Push

Chapter Fourteen: Two Hearts

~Sera~

I ran down the streets, careful to avoid the one that probably still had Caiden's body in it. I just wasn't ready to see that yet. If I saw him I would start crying again and probably never stop. I ran down the backroads and made my way to the ruins. I actually heard them before I saw them.

A group of Speed was standing by a large hole in the ground. I didn't know where the rest of Speed were, but this wasn't even a fraction of them.

"Excuse me," I shouted once again. Some people turned at first but not everyone heard me. It took them a moment to quiet and they all looked at me. "Where the hell is Tristen?" I demanded. Most of them just shrugged and ignored me. Okay I needed to get their attention.

I pulled out my sword and walked up behind one of The Speed. I then stabbed him in the foot. He started screaming and swearing and then he fell over.

"What the hell?" someone exploded.

"I want to know where Tristen is," I shouted.

A girl yelled, "He's not here anymore."

I narrowed my eyes, "Where did he go?"

She shrugged, "He left the settlement with the other leaders."

That didn't make sense, "If everyone left, then why are you still here?"

"The master wanted us to stay behind," she explained.

I did a quick count, "There are nine of you here, why would she leave nine of her soldiers here?"

The girl shrugged, "Master told us to stay here for an hour and then follow after her with the rest of The Speed." I rubbed my forehead.

"All of you get out of my settlement," they didn't look very happy, but when I yelled, "Now!" they all scattered. God, I needed something to eat and I needed to get out of these clothes. I had to do something else first.

The Speed had left behind a few shovels near the empty hole and I picked one up. I walked over to the edge of the woods and began digging. The ground was soft and came up easily but it still took me half an hour to get a large enough hole. I kept working and made it just barely deep enough. This was going to be the grave for my dead little brother. I could have just put him inside the already dug hole left by The Speed but it just didn't seem right.

I set down the shovel and walked back into town. There were people out, trying to put out fires and moving rubble. Lots of our homes had been destroyed and I was sure that there were people under the rubble. It was good that people were helping. It would be tough to see, though, because it was just barely dawn. I walked up to some people clearing away a few broken beams from the road.

I walked past them and snagged one of the brown banners that was hanging limply. This should be big enough. I swallowed hard and walked down a backroad that lead to the main street. I was just passing the back of the mess hall when Quentin ran up to me.

"Sera, Caiden is..." he started.

"I know," I cut him off. "I'm taking him out to the ruins." I held up the brown cloth.

He nodded, "I'll help." He tried to take my hand but I shook him off. I didn't want anyone to touch me. He sighed and we walked around the mess hall. There wasn't as much wreckage here but there were more bodies. It took all my willpower to walk past the lifeless forms. I didn't look at the faces. I didn't want to look and recognize anyone. We walked down to where I had last fought Breccan.