The Duration Saga: A Crossover Series

The Hunters

In the making of these final two parts, some author tears were shed. 

Tw: Violence ahead in this one.

Athelyna's form shook, and she gritted her thin fangs painfully hard. She swallowed down the sobs crawling achingly up her throat and struck the tree trunk with her fist, scouring her knuckles.

"I must be strong for them, mother," she whispered shakily, blood trickling over her lips and down her chin. She hastily wiped it away with part of her cloak.

"I promised you I would protect them," she groaned. "Thus far, I have failed you, and all that I can muster is the will to continue forward. Someday, I pray you will forgive me this great sin."

She gasped and turned sharply around as a hand landed on her shoulder.

Cabadath reared back, raising his hands in passivity as her hair rose, surrounding her body protectively in a half embrace.

"Easy, Athy. I did not mean to startle you, but we must run again. There are soldiers in the forest...I could hear the hoof-beats from where I was moments ago." he removed a scythe from where it was secured in place on his belt. "Just in case. Yours is in my bag."

Athelyna took this news in and sighed heavily, accepting the next wave of destruction that was pursuing her. The levitating silvery locks of her hair collapsed with her breath. Reaching back, she grabbed part of the bow and its quiver that were secured against her back, their presence reassuring her.

"How far off?" she asked.

"I'm estimating about 80 paces," he said. "We must leave now and head on toward the mountains just like we discussed. Should not be much farther...I would know," his cheekbones rose into a knowing little smile as Athelyna shook her head and forced a laugh.

"I would hope so, you've hunted out here for so long," she said, leaning forward and bumping her forehead against his. "Let's get the horses and go."

Cabadath lifted his hand to hold her, as if he were about to say something else, but Athelyna sighed gently and drew past him.

"If we try to discuss what's happened now, we'll lose all sense," she said solemnly. "For now, all we can do is keep going until we are far enough away that we can finally breathe."

They found Warner tending to the horses by a creek. He glanced back upon hearing their approach, and quickly mounted his horse, bones clacking together at the swinging motion.

"I told him already--he was just waiting for you to come back," Cabadath helped Athelyna mount her horse, and laid a hand on its side. "We'll be fine."

Athelyna nodded, grasping his hand briefly with one, and the other grabbing hold of the reins.

"We will be."

Everyone froze as a piercing whistle sounded behind them. Athelyna gripped the reigns a bit tighter.

Something sharp sliced across Athelyna's cheek. She winced as it stung, and tried to soothe the biting pain. Her fingers came back with droplets of blood.

Images shoved into her mind's eye, of Mahald, screaming in terror as flames licked at the edges of her skirt, of Cabadath, pushed away from her by armed knights, and Warner in chains, arrested.

She felt something hot stir in her chest, and found that her heart was pounding in an almost nostalgic way. That near primal rush of adrenaline riling her up for battle.

She reigned in her horse, and had it step around Cabadath, to stand in his way as he rushed to mount his horse.

"Go, you two!" she shouted, as another arrow whizzed by her head, only to be caught by a lock of her hair.