carefully back up the landslide towards Arys.
She begins to walk away from me as I get closer, so I scramble up the rock, tripping slightly.
‘Arys!’ I call out.
I can’t see her anymore and I begin to panic slightly, trying to at least keep her in my sight. Papa’s final words to me come back to me suddenly “ protect her ”.
‘Arys, please!’ I call out again.
The only sounds I hear are the birds. Until a scream breaks that silence. Arys’s. I climb even faster, calling her name constantly over the sound of the debris crashing to the ground. I finally reach the top to find a single Hunter advancing on Arys. Her sword is drawn and the Hunter isn’t armed, meaning there will probably be others in the vicinity. I don’t have time to unsheathe my knife, and so I lunge towards the Hunter, throwing her to the ground. Reaching for my knife, I notice that it is no longer on me. Panicking, I scramble up from the Hunter on the ground and take a step backwards, looking around for anything I can use for a weapon.
‘Arys, your sword!’ I cry.
Turning to face Arys, I see her being dragged by a male Hunter, her sword abandoned on the floor. A third Hunter breaks through the trees and I grab the sword, rushing towards Arys. The Hunter throws her to the ground, his gloved hands around her neck. Arys’s sword in my hand, I swing viciously at the Hunter. His body collapses, and I turn quickly to block the attack from the female Hunter. With force, I kick her to the ground, knocking her unconscious. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the third Hunter reaching me, but I’m too slow to block his attack. His blow throws me to the ground next to the female Hunter. Arys joins the fight and punches the Hunter repeatedly from behind. This has no effect and he effortlessly throws her against a tree. I struggle as I stand up and, picking up Arys’s sword again, I stab the Hunter from behind. Blood splatters me as he falls to the ground.
‘Arys!’ I shout, running towards her.
She sits up cautiously.
‘I’m alright,’ she says weakly.
I restrain myself from my natural response of holding her and comforting her, and instead stand there foolishly. I see the look of betrayal in her eyes return.
‘I...’ I begin.
‘Thanks for saving me,’ she cuts in, getting up quickly. ‘What are we doing with the bodies?’
A little hurt by the coldness in her voice, I also remove emotion from my voice.
‘We could throw them into the ravine; I don’t suppose other Hunters can find them there.’
‘Yeah I guess that’s the easiest plan,’ she agrees, walking to the body of the second Hunter that attacked her and prodding it with her foot. ‘Their clothing... it’s different.’
‘Different how?’ I ask, examining it too.
‘All the Hunters I’ve seen are usually wearing normal clothes. Like the Old World type.’
She’s right. All three Hunters are wearing heavy black clothes. The material is heavy at the front, and stretchy at the back.
‘If they’d fit us, they would be perfect,’ she suggests.
I kneel next to the Hunter’s body, and unstrap the front of his vest. Throwing it on, it’s slightly too large, but wearable and it will certainly protect against knife attacks from the front.
‘They’re great!’ I say, ignoring the wetness of the Hunter’s blood on my back.
Arys walks around me. ‘You’ve damaged it a little, but I reckon you’ll be fine.’
I give Arys her sword back and try on the Hunter’s gloves. They fit nicely, and add instant warmth to my fingers.
‘Try and stab me carefully,’ I request.
‘Carefully?’ she smirks.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she lunges the sword at my chest, taking me by surprise. The sword bounces off without
She begins to walk away from me as I get closer, so I scramble up the rock, tripping slightly.
‘Arys!’ I call out.
I can’t see her anymore and I begin to panic slightly, trying to at least keep her in my sight. Papa’s final words to me come back to me suddenly “ protect her ”.
‘Arys, please!’ I call out again.
The only sounds I hear are the birds. Until a scream breaks that silence. Arys’s. I climb even faster, calling her name constantly over the sound of the debris crashing to the ground. I finally reach the top to find a single Hunter advancing on Arys. Her sword is drawn and the Hunter isn’t armed, meaning there will probably be others in the vicinity. I don’t have time to unsheathe my knife, and so I lunge towards the Hunter, throwing her to the ground. Reaching for my knife, I notice that it is no longer on me. Panicking, I scramble up from the Hunter on the ground and take a step backwards, looking around for anything I can use for a weapon.
‘Arys, your sword!’ I cry.
Turning to face Arys, I see her being dragged by a male Hunter, her sword abandoned on the floor. A third Hunter breaks through the trees and I grab the sword, rushing towards Arys. The Hunter throws her to the ground, his gloved hands around her neck. Arys’s sword in my hand, I swing viciously at the Hunter. His body collapses, and I turn quickly to block the attack from the female Hunter. With force, I kick her to the ground, knocking her unconscious. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the third Hunter reaching me, but I’m too slow to block his attack. His blow throws me to the ground next to the female Hunter. Arys joins the fight and punches the Hunter repeatedly from behind. This has no effect and he effortlessly throws her against a tree. I struggle as I stand up and, picking up Arys’s sword again, I stab the Hunter from behind. Blood splatters me as he falls to the ground.
‘Arys!’ I shout, running towards her.
She sits up cautiously.
‘I’m alright,’ she says weakly.
I restrain myself from my natural response of holding her and comforting her, and instead stand there foolishly. I see the look of betrayal in her eyes return.
‘I...’ I begin.
‘Thanks for saving me,’ she cuts in, getting up quickly. ‘What are we doing with the bodies?’
A little hurt by the coldness in her voice, I also remove emotion from my voice.
‘We could throw them into the ravine; I don’t suppose other Hunters can find them there.’
‘Yeah I guess that’s the easiest plan,’ she agrees, walking to the body of the second Hunter that attacked her and prodding it with her foot. ‘Their clothing... it’s different.’
‘Different how?’ I ask, examining it too.
‘All the Hunters I’ve seen are usually wearing normal clothes. Like the Old World type.’
She’s right. All three Hunters are wearing heavy black clothes. The material is heavy at the front, and stretchy at the back.
‘If they’d fit us, they would be perfect,’ she suggests.
I kneel next to the Hunter’s body, and unstrap the front of his vest. Throwing it on, it’s slightly too large, but wearable and it will certainly protect against knife attacks from the front.
‘They’re great!’ I say, ignoring the wetness of the Hunter’s blood on my back.
Arys walks around me. ‘You’ve damaged it a little, but I reckon you’ll be fine.’
I give Arys her sword back and try on the Hunter’s gloves. They fit nicely, and add instant warmth to my fingers.
‘Try and stab me carefully,’ I request.
‘Carefully?’ she smirks.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she lunges the sword at my chest, taking me by surprise. The sword bounces off without
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