Chapter 24: Pursuit

Renee’s head tingled. Half-asleep, she struggled to understand her surroundings. She was on a horseback. Her pursuers had caught up. She knew it was an emergency. The horse galloped, and the chilly night air hit her cheeks. Vera’s voice was tense, and she listened closely.

“You must hold on tight, Saint.”

“Ah, yes,” she said. His tone was more serious than usual, and it made her nervous. She held onto his waist tightly, trying to calm herself.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I will protect you no matter what. Just hold on so you don’t fall,” he said, his voice reassuring. Renee nodded and took a deep breath. I’ll be fine, she thought. Norn had told her that Vera was one of the strongest knights in the Holy Kingdom. He wouldn't lose.

Badump. Badump. Her heart beat wildly, and she tried to dismiss it as fear.

---

Vera thought quickly as he rode. All we have to do is cross the border, he told himself. He had alerted the troops ahead of time, so they would be ready. At this speed, they should reach the border in an hour.

But the problem was the Followers of the Night, the children of the “Queen of the Black Season,” chasing them through the starless night. A battle seems unavoidable, he concluded. You couldn't outrun them at night. It was only a matter of time before they caught up. All he could do was protect Renee and get them to the border as fast as possible.

Slash!

The horse suddenly lost its balance. “Woah!” Vera's eyes widened. A shadow had risen from the ground and sliced the horse’s knee. “Already!” he exclaimed.

The horse tumbled. Vera quickly released the reins, scooped Renee into his arms, and leaped off. He landed and drew his sword, scanning the shadows that rose from the bushes.

Swish swish swish. The wind howled, and something else, something cold and distinct, joined the sound. They've come, he thought. The Followers of the Night.

“Saint, put your arms around my neck. You have to hold on tight,” he said.

“Yes!” she replied, her hands clutching his neck. He looked ahead, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.

“Norn. Get ready.”

“Yes.”

Norn drew his sword. Shadows emerged from the bushes, taking human form. Dozens of them appeared, raising the tension.

“May I have the Saint?” a deep voice echoed through the clearing.

Renee stiffened. Vera felt her tremble and gritted his teeth. He looked toward the voice. A middle-aged man with red eyes, wearing a large cloak, hovered in the air. A Vampire, Vera thought. A servant of the Queen of the Black Season.

“You’ve shown yourself?” Vera said, frowning. He clicked his tongue. “That’s a ridiculous proposal.”

“This is a negotiation. It's in your best interest to hand over the Saint for your own safety, while we fulfill our long-held desire. It's a good deal, isn’t it?” the Vampire said.

“That’s nonsense. Did the bat get his ears clogged? Or is he still hurting from those broken bones?”

The Vampire glared at him, a humiliating memory flashing in his eyes. Fifty years ago, Vera’s commander, Vargo, had nearly killed him. The Vampire’s ferocity intensified. “It seems those who serve the gods have no manners.”

“You have no idea,” Vera said, raising his sword. He wanted to fight, but his movements were restricted with Renee in his arms. And a Vampire meant there were hundreds of soldiers waiting. The best option was to escape.

He winked at Norn to signal his plan, then looked at Renee, his voice low. “Saint.”

“Ah, yes...”

“Hold on tight.”

He turned and ran toward the border.

Kick!

“Eh... Kyaa!” Renee screamed, and her cries didn’t stop.

---

They couldn’t outrun the Followers of the Night. As Vera ran, he swung his sword at enemies coming from every direction. He covered his back, his ankles, and above his head, but his senses were on high alert as they began to throw shadowy projectiles at Renee.

Still a long way from the border, Vera thought, gritting his teeth. They had to move faster. He glanced at Norn, who was nearing his limit. Norn had no stigma, no way to replenish his strength.

A shadow flew at Vera’s right thigh. He deflected it with his sword and kept running. “Saint, are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes, yes! I’m fine, so don’t worry about me. Just keep running!”

“Then, pardon me,” he said. Renee held onto his neck even tighter as he adjusted his grip. She was quivering, and she tried desperately to calm down, fearing her trembling would worry him. But it was impossible. She was blind, and the unknowns were crippling. She heard sounds of slashing, screams, and the wind howling, and occasionally felt fluid splash onto her. The terror was worse than reality.

Squeeze. She clenched her fists and clung to Vera, a new thought coming to her. Before… Before they left the village, she had smelled blood on him. A battle like this must have happened then. She never knew it was so terrifying.

A wave of regret washed over her. “If I hadn’t made a fool of myself...” This wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t been so childish. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Then came a loud, deafening sound.

Whoosh!

Renee stiffened. “Everything’s fine,” Vera assured her. He turned his attention to the noise. The trees were swept away, and the ground was cleaved with an exposed gash. It’s not the Vampire’s doing, he thought. It was a magical explosion. Magic, he realized.

He looked up. “Screeech!” A group of Wyverns approached. He squinted at them. Dragonians, he thought. They must have noticed the commotion.

Not good. They couldn’t bait them into fighting the Followers of the Night; the border was too close. They would know the Saint was trying to escape.

“Tsk,” Vera clicked his tongue, his mind racing. Should we fight?

“What’s the matter?” Renee asked, her voice worried.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to worry about it,” he said.

“Well, still...”

“It’s dangerous. Would you like to get closer?”

Renee knew from his dismissive tone that things were not alright. She had had enough of his assurances. Her fist clenched. This is it, she thought. She was tired of feeling helpless. A person was fighting for her, and she was just a nervous burden. It was her fault they were in this situation.

She had a stigma, the power of the gods. Although she was blind, there was something she could do. Power! she thought. She didn't hesitate to use her divine power.

“Saint!” Vera yelled.

But she didn't listen. “Run,” she said.

He kept running, and she focused on gathering her divine power. She knew how to use it. A thing I wish for, she thought. She would pray, she would wish, she would twist fate.

What I want most right now is for Vera, myself, and Norn to get out of here safely. To arrive safely at the border.

Her divinity screeched as it surged through her.

“Gua ahhh!!!”

“Ah ahhh!!!”

Screams echoed in her ears, and she concentrated. She didn’t know what her power would do, but she hoped it would work. As she gathered more power, her head felt like it would explode. The pain grew with every surge. She thought of the gods who had given her this power.

If you can't fix my eyes... at least listen to my plea!

The divinity gushed out again with a stronger force, spreading over the ground, the bushes, and the sky. She didn’t know what she was doing, only what she wanted. She drew on the divinity until there was not a single drop left.

Thud.

Her thoughts broke. Her body went limp. The burning pain in her head evaporated. The last thing she felt before losing consciousness was a howl, a quake that shook the world.

Rumble!