Tales of Harmonin

Chapter 10: A moments rest

Chapter 10: A moments rest

Leo was still in shock from the action he had just committed. It was an accident, but he had taken a life, even if it was in self defense. He stared down at his stained hands and a sick feeling started to develop in the pit of his stomach. Joseph knew all too well the look Leo had on his face.

Joseph: "Leo just breath, listen to me and relax."

Leo: "No! Stay away from me!”

Monica: "He's going to throw up..."

Shana: "Leo listen to me, please calm down."

Leo's world started to spin, his vision worsened and his friends were mere blurs in his path. He stumbled backwards before pulling his hands up to his face. "Hey pull yourself together man!" said Hector as he walked towards Leo slowly. Then just as he predicted, Leo threw up and tried to hold it back with his hands, but to no avail. He leaned forward, walking towards his friends but then started falling, passing out from exhaustion, mental shock and loss of blood. Joseph picked Leo up into his arms, "C'mon we need to get him to a clinic! He's lost a lot of blood!"

Hector: "Where the hell do you expect us to go man?! The nearest clinic is probably 5 hours that way and like 16 this way! Don't you know how to give him basic medical attention?!"

Joseph: "I'm bandaging the wound right now, but this wound is serious! Its cut into one of his main arteries and his tendons have been cut! He'll be lucky if he gets to use his arm again!"

Shana quickly rushed over to Leo's side and noticed how pale he was, "Isn't there anything we can do?!" Joseph finished bandaging the wound and lifted Leo up into his arms, "Yeah I know a place nearby we can go." Hector gave Joseph a doubtful look as he walked off into the woods, "Where?! The map says there's nothing nearby!" Joseph looked back at Hector and said, "Trust me, I know a place..." Everyone uneasily followed Joseph, but what choice did they have if they wanted to save Leo's life. They went deeper into the woods as the bloody red sun disappeared below the horizon.

Leo woke up in an unknown room. He was groggy, but aware of his surroundings. He got out of bed, looked down and noticed the bandages around his body. He tugged them off slowly and noticed that he was healed. He slowly got up and walked towards the door on the far side of the room managing to get halfway when Joseph entered, "Hey, I can see you're feeling better. How'd you sleep?" Leo gave Joseph a suspicious look and puts his hands in his pockets, "Fine, I guess... Where am I? Where are my friends?!"

Joseph: "Still with the questions I see... *sigh* you're in my home and you're friends are outside taking a tour of my hidden village."

Leo: "Hidden village?"

Joseph: "Yes, we're a secret village uncharted on any map and concealed  from any kind of satellite. The Imperial Kingdom established this village, and many others like it, in order to protect the capital... we're the last line of defense if the capital were to be attacked. Everyone in this village is a knight in the Imperial kingdom or affiliated with it in some form."

Leo walked back to the bed and planted himself on it. He analyzed his surroundings, his eyes eventually reaching his armor and katana sitting in the corner of the room. A shiver ran down his spine as his mind flashed back to the carnage the day before, "So did I really kill someone? Or did I imagine that?" He looked at Joseph with a worried look in his eyes. Joseph stared back in silence seeing that Leo was looking sick again, "Yeah, you did... You had no other choice though. It was either going to be you or him. Your instincts took over, and you pierced his heart." Leo could only stare at the floor as a knot developed in his stomach. He took in a few breaths and started to speak again, "I can't believe I took that man's life. I know he was bad and he was going to hurt Shana if I didn't do something, but I didn't want to kill him..."