Chapter 53: They're Safe

Unclear skies from above. No hues or any such, just the fog smoking his view and brushing through the thick fabric that was on his body. The sun has set and it was dark as he went back to his cave slowly.

They did long a walk and it might take him hours to reach. He wanted to rest but his body was pulled back in with a gravitational force dragging his flesh to his origin.

His breathing was unsteady, the lousy walk was vivid, and the constant support he yearns on a tree as his vision turned blurry. Hazy and erratically aiming him in a pathway. He was only forcing himself to stay still but his body was encountering its painful point. Never had he ever felt this way for years, it's far from the curse, it's the same when compared to the time he tried to escape the land but failed. Turns out, these trees were the goddess's eyes. It served her as a vision of this world.

He grunted and groaned. His feet were playing huge derision to his pride. It was weak and he wasn't able to bear the throbbing and whining of it.

After a few of this manic feeling, he heard loud murmurs from his head rushing through his system. It was whispered that he barely understood, but the more he focus on it the more it gets angry and agonizing for him.

"Ggaaah! Stop! I get it! I know my boundaries by now! A-and I am heading back to my dwelling! Stop bugging my head! Can't you see?!" He shouted and gripped his chest. Now, he wasn't able to hold it in, to his emotions. "I am in deep pain right now, stop adding into it!"

He shouted and shouted until his voice has gone rusty and shaky. His knees dropped to the ground with that odd voice still in his head.

The poor man maintained to hit his head hoping for it to get fixed but it seems nothing was working for him. Everything was a casual mess. So, his body finally gave up to that pain and it lay down on the ground, slumping harshly and giving him the urge to faint.

"If I was a human, I'd be dead by now..." He murmured, gasping for air each time he blinks an eye. "And that would be great. Dying like this without a problem, my soul disappearing and with no one seeing me. That would be a fancy way to end one's miserable life. Or? Is this still what you could call life? When in fact, you hardly even breathe."

He was suffocating. Odd how he normally faints even after staying inside a huge forest filled with enormous sources of air.

"Aranyani, give me a chance to die. I have none left anymore." He begged and punched the ground.

But, the whispers faded and the pain he felt slowly paved away his. The swish of the night's forest silence the fog and the mountains. Ambroz sat and tightened his stomach but he never had to. The pain was gone and he was rested.

His hair was brushing the ground so he took a tie inside his coat. He stared at it and gripped it in his hands. The man ties it with his hair and twisted it. He stood up and continued to walk.

Ambroz furiously stood up and stumped his way back. The animals saw how mad the tension was and they scattered away.

"If I can not control myself in this cursed form then I might as well push through. I know what you're planning, witch." He exclaimed, ambling through the woodland. "I have seen you manipulate the canal of my life but will you do now. Now, that I have this?" He opened his arms to see the stuff he got in his hands. It made him remember Theon.

"I am no longer selfish. If I die, it's for Theon now."

-

That same night, Theon sneezes as he shivered crossing through whichever was called the borderline. He was walking through the lake with algid waters covering to his waist. The invigorating breeze made the night even more so, rigorous.

He was trembling still while gripping the bag he was carrying that was filled with the fruits Ambroz gave him. Theon, who was always too jolly and innocent for his own good, now is numb and confused. He kept on thinking why Ambroz would ever turn his back on him.

'Why would he ever plan to just end his life without even thinking it through. After all that, he was conclusive to the point that he never let me think it. Am I just too unreliable?'

While he asks himself thousands of questions k

of 'Why?', tears started racing, dripping to the lake, and droplets resonated in the water.

"He... He hated me? W... When all I ever did was to take c... care of him?" He stuttered, muttering the words he thought that was the point. "Was I the only one who battled back for him?"

At some point, he was scooting too far from the main significance of the problem. But what can he do? When he was wrapped with this sorrow that slowly kills his heart? The ache would not flutter to stop and it only propels the bursts to flow.

With his blurry eyesight, he saw light in front of him. It was still vague and the reason would be is that it is to far still. So, he wiped his tears and sniffed along. He steadily walked and add up to his speed. Since he finds it hard to run in the water while it is freezing cold. He can only ever stride.

There were a lot of trees and roots growing in that lake, weeds, and greens to distract his feet. But, the moment the lake has finally come to an end. He remembered what Ambroz told him.

"This. I am no longer in our land. This is passed the borderline. How many jiffies was I walking through that lake that I haven't even noticed that it is already midnight." He whispered.

In front of him, was another forest of sort. But, far from the deep forest of the lands of Aranyani. This was more tonic to look at. It was hard to tell at night but he knew that it felt safe.

"My people, Mikka, are you here?" He mumbled before walking in.

He was still wary while attempting to verge inside this land. He kept his guard up in case something alarming would happen to him. Now, he remembered that he doesn't even have a sword or a weapon of some sort. He was an open prey, but is he? If this place really is safe then he has nothing to worry about.

'Nothing to worry about? But, there is a sharp thing on my neck? This is something to worry about!' He panicked inside his head.

"Don't move, lad or you would miss the fortress of your future. I won't even hesitate to pierce this on you." Whispered behind by a man who was the one steadily holding its hold on the knife. "Who are you and why have you crossed the borderline?" Asked by the man.

The worry inside his head snapped, now he has finally known that he is not in the same land anymore. But, another worry burst in.

"I am Theon Bartleby-Everson, I am no enemy." He answered back to the man with honesty.

He then heard the man scoff. "No enemy, you say? Knowing you cross that line with fuming confidence. That alone is creating a crevice of doubt in your tactics. You are not to trust. Let us see if you can still remain yourself together when you are faced with the judgement of our people." He muttered behind his ear.

Theon never struggled nor did he resist as the was still marked by a sharp weapon. He heard the man whistling. Not long after, a few men came barging in and one by one looked at his face.

"What a handsome fellow but eyes full of distrust." Someone commented on him, it was a new lad.

All of them were wearing silver lining and was covered with their silver or iron armour. They were men of righteousness, he supposes, and thereon, instead of worrying about his awful threat as the danger was surrounding him. He remained calm and in composure. He trusted these men already knowing that they know about the war inside the other land and they opposed to it.

"So, what is your name again?" A man who was walking ahead of them asked him.

"Theon." He answered firmly.

They all looked at each other before one asked again. "Why have you come here? The feud happening inside that land never stops, are you aware that you are a threat to our people?"

"A threat, rather than that. I came here for the purpose of escaping." He responded with a bit of hesitation only he knows what.

Somehow, he can not come to tell them anything about his people. When he should be telling them but, he is not even sure whether his people survive or not. That doubt inside is scary enough to accept. He needs to back up himself concurrently or he will lose it completely before they even arrived at whatever place they are heading.

"Do you know how to fight? You look really kin with that face of yours and with that skin on top of that." The one who asked him a while ago why he was here was the one who spoke now.

He looked at that man and he seems to be enjoying it. "I know my way around the bow. Sword is a second choice." He exclaimed.

"Ah, I see, you're the type to keep its distance. But, you're close to the bait now, right Luca?" The man looked at his back, he assume it was to this Luca lad, and burst into a wave of waves of laughter after that.

The man in front of them faked his cough and it was to shush the man who never even stopped laughing.

"Ah, man, pardon me horrid jokes. Anyhow, what is inside that bag? Mind if we open it?" He looked at him for assurance.

"Serve yourself." He uttered back making the man scoot over to his position and opening the bag with all the fruits inside.

"Woah, he has a bunch of mangoes here. We hardly even have mangoes around and this lad comes in for treats? Luca, Waidner, you should eat. It's midnight and my stomach is shouting." He was about to take a mouthful of the mango when he halted.

"Don't you dare go buddy-buddy around him eating his suspicious fruits, Rubin. What if it's poisonous, huh? With no weapon around carrying with him, that must be his trap." Luca said with his assumptions and false accusations.

Theon remained silent but his thoughts came around. "What poisonous fruits is he going on about?"

"Really now, Luca? Then, Theon, you should have a mouthful to confirm it for us, don't you?" The man placed the mango in front of him to eat.

He never hesitated and took a bite to prove that everything was fine and that he was to trust. When he munch on that mango, he gulped it and they were all waiting for his response.

"It's delicious." He said without any emotions.

"Ah, see, Luca? There is nothing to go on about. You should let him go and make him eat these fruits." The man went in and gave his fellow guards each mango and they all gave in to eat.

"No, he's still not to trust. These fruits he has with him? He should be full already. Don't you men let your guard down or you would regret it later." Luca said and he was still calmly silent.

There is no point in debunking his words.

However, he heard few men chuckle at what Luca said.

"Don't mind him, Theon. He's just jealous because someone beat his handsomeness. It makes him insecure." The man who was already eating his mangoes said to him.

"Will you shut it, Rubin?" Luca exclaimed.

"Alright, alright, Luca. Whatever you say."

Theon pressed his lips and observed where they were going. The trees were lessening every step they consume and every distance they surpassed. The grip in his hands tightened and he knew why.

'It seems we're close.' He thought. 'Where are they taking me? To their people? Their leader or king? Their armour says that they are the noble's guards. But, who are they truly?'

It was just a glimpse moment, but that tiny light he saw when he was just climbing off the lake became more explicit and it strikes to his eyes. It was the brightest light he saw in the night.

"Freedom?" He muttered and only he heard it.

But not long after, he was forced to kneel and with that light was huge houses and structures. Nothing like their village from a while back. These felt like a town of an area. Theon has never seen like it, but, those guards push him inside a huge house where it has an open area. He was shocked to see how much people there is inside that house and they all looked at him suspiciously.

And there was one bearded old man sitting in front of all that people, it was like a huge thrown but more tense and it wasn't a palace.

"We found him near the borderline. Unarmed and alone." Luca explained and he was bent on his knees.

This time of the night and people were awake?

"Hmm," the bearded man stared at him.

He was intimidated but he kept his eyes open and wide.

"How about you start speaking, lad. We don't have all day here. Are you one of those evil conquerors' spies?" He asked.

The people surrounding him started creating a huge fuss after Theon said this, "I am no spies of some sort. I have also come here to escape from that land."

The bearded man scoffed. "It seems he prefers it the hard way," he exclaimed. "Get him out of here and placed him with those people. Therefore he is forced to speak up on why he truly is here. Lad, you are not convincing enough."

He grunted when Luca pulled him up in a harsh way.

"Take it easy, Luca. What if he really is innocent?" Rubin whispered.

"Chief's orders, we can not let this side off so easily especially when he came out of the wrong time," Luca answered back and pushed him hard.

Theon only grunted and groaned quietly. It seems he is suspected pretty badly. If his people were here they could have convinced them but seeing none of these people is familiar makes him worry even more.

'If I die here it means that my people have also died already. What will I do if I won't even find out where they are and what happened to them?' He thought t himself.

Now that they were finally outside. The light flashed through his eyes and he was placed in the middle. Somehow, he saw a whipping rope used to scathe your back with its hit. He saw people slowly coming closer to them and their violent faces.

"Citizens of our village, we have found a man who snuck inside our territory. However, he speaks of suspicion and his words are misgiving. He has urged us to say that he is innocent but should we believe him?" Luca exclaimed out loud to introduce him to the people.

Then from that, people looked at each and started shouting at him.

"He is a threat! He should be punished for he would spout the truth of his arrival!"

"It's midnight and he snuck in? He deserves a stern on, I bet ya'!"

"Sir, he needs to suffer for the consequences of his controversy start!"

"He is the reason why this world is cruel! He is truly a man from the enemy!"

All the rambunctious noises coming out of there as they surrounded him made him dizzy. His eyes were swollen still from earlier's sorrows. But, they kept attacking him with pushes and loud nagging. The guards, especially Rubin looked at him and shook its head.

They were busy with their noises when Luca looked at the bearded man and the bearded man signalled him something.

Theon's eyes were already hazy and the noise was vague to him. His head was spinning and all he ever heard was a voice of a woman.

A woman whose shouts became clear to his ears. He was about to be whipped when a loud "STOP!" banged up his eardrums.

Theon opened his eyes up and tried to look at the owner of that woman's voice.

It was Mikka. And somehow before he closed his eyes, he felt relieved. That they were safe and alive.

"Stop it! I beg you!" Mikka shouted at Luca and the other people, he laid down and embrace Theon's body that was lying down on the ground.

They were silenced but Luca looked at her with question in his eyes. "What are you doing, Mikka? You should be sleeping by now, why are you here? Are you related to this man?" Luca looked hurt.

"He is innocent! You were all about to punish him, won't you?" Mikka glared at them.

"Well, he snuck in in our territory! He deserves it!" One man let out in the crowd.

"He!" Mikka referred to Theon. "Is my brother from our village! He is my family! We both escaped the same day but he got lost! He doesn't deserve any of this!" She shouted, her voice wasn't trembling rather it was firm and stern. "Luca! You should've known! I told you about his name, have you not asked him?"

Luca gulped when he remembered. "It was beyond instinct. He was suspicious! Indeed, his name was Theon but nonetheless, there might be of the same name with that enemy."

Theon heard them fight and Mikka kept on protesting for him. But, he held Mikka's face and made it face him.

"M-Mikka, you're safe. H-how are the others?" He asked.

Mikka the verge of tears and embraced him. "T-they are all safe and sound. I am more worried about you, I thought you already died and got caught, Theon!"

Theon sighed. "I am fine, don't blame these people. Everything is fine..."

Before he got to finish his sentence. His voice halted and his body fell into the darkness of oblivion.

He fainted.

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ABYSSCESS