Chapter 7. Ambush from Another Direction

If they had left one minute later, Bal would have caught up with them.

''Bal?'' Chaos asked as they ran the trail.

They had knocked the two guards unconscious earlier at the village entrance. Bal had taken all the guards and even their weapons for his bravery show. That was careless of him. What could have happened if the real enemy suddenly showed up? Would the two incompetent and drunk guards be able to defend the village? Would Bal make up for it?

Earlier, when Carysse heard the sound of weapons clinking and the footsteps together, she could only think of one man that could gather such a force. It would be impossible for a normal child to discern such noises but they were warriors of Thalisse. They trained with nature ever since they could hold weapons. This already happened before when he wasn't in favor of Elder Shimar's rules and she couldn't believe he was actually doing it again. She was late to perceive it though. 

No wonder Elder Shimar and Ashki noticed it first. A renowned veteran and his rumored successor. The two of them had such sharpened senses. Chaos was right to acknowledge Ashki saying that he was in a more suitable place to likely win Gairoshi.

''Bal was the one that disliked your entry to the village. The one that shot the arrows,'' Ashki said.

''Ah.''

Good thing Ashki was with them that time for he knew how to undo the ropes of the bridge and make it also go back without any support from the other side. He was that strong.

But now they were running away from their small land where they lived secluded from the outside world for the past two years.

Even as the rocks that served as the village's entrance were getting smaller and smaller as they ran down the slope, Carysse still couldn't believe they were actually doing this.

She had just met Chaos after two years. Bringing him to the village took a toll on her emotions. Then she hears of this Gairoshi and now here they are, sprinting away like runaway children.

Fortunately, the moon was in their favor. 

Shining majestically in its full bright form, they had no trouble running and evading tangled roots that could trip them. 

The sound of the water running down from the mountains was also their guide. Two more small streams and then they would reach the boundary--the Barren forest, named due to the trees there that never bore fruits nor flowers.

Carysse felt that familiar unease again. The full moon and then the boundary. Unconsciously, her right hand touched her chest where her huge and ugly scar dominated half of her body, covered by her corset and the healing of time. 

She let herself lag behind Chaos, sticking close directly behind Ashki.

She didn't know if any of them noticed it but she didn't care even if Chaos was sincere earlier. Her guard was up and she had every right to do so, even if the Elder just told them that they had to work together.

When they reached the first stream, no one argued when all three of them paused to catch their breath and drink water.

''We are already trudging on a common trail. I'll just scout ahead to make sure there are no thieves or any of the kind. I'll be back in a minute,'' Ashki said and disappeared as he jogged to where the mountain slope made a zigzag corner.

Carysse took off her own bag given by the Elder and opened it. It had rolls of white cloth, empty wooden flask, old cheese, dried cooked meat, and bread. She grabbed the container and stooped down the stream to fill it with water. Was the elder okay? Did Bal hurt him? Although that was unlikely because everyone treated Elder Shimar as the highest in their village, she still couldn’t help but worry if they did something to him.

The cold water hit her skin and she almost retracted her hands but she let it run through for a few seconds until she was numb. It kind of refreshed her, not until she felt Chaos at her back.

''Cha-''

No one was there.

It caused goosebumps on Carysse's arms. She was sure it was not just from the cold water.

''You okay?'' Chaos' voice came from the side where he was just sitting on the rocks. He came from the direction opposite to where she felt that strange presence.

''Oh,'' she said and her troubled look puzzled Chaos. She looked like she had seen a ghost. He stood and walked to where she was while moving his eyeballs left to right, trying to check the surroundings if there was something wrong.

''What? You can't close your flask?'' he asked instead.

Carysse looked in all directions before answering him.

''I don't know. I-I actually thought someone was at my back that's why I was about to say your name earlier.''

She looked again at where she thought someone was standing at her back. It was in the direction where the three of them came from. Weird.

''Did you hear footsteps?''

Carysse nodded her head.

''I heard twigs breaking, you know the usual. But now, I feel that it's weird. Just look at where we are standing. There's only grass and soft soil.''

To her amazement, Chaos didn't tell her that she was being delusional or call her crazy. Instead, he grabbed her out of the stream, picking up her bag also.

''We don't have time to waste. Let's just meet up with Ashki.''

Carysse was about to ask why but Chaos pulled her arm fast. They were about to run when Carysse saw the incoming blade.

''Watch out!''

She pushed Chaos to the side and they fell in the stream, the freezing water washing over them. She saw more flying blades but this time, Chaos was quicker to react.

Chaos held her by the waist and jumped out of the water, immediately taking cover behind a large tree.

''Did Bal just sprinted after us? I thought we lost them!'' Carysse shouted.

''That's not Bal,'' Chaos said with a low voice, his hair dripping wet, water trailing down his serious face.

''What?''

A huge thump struck the tree that protected them. Out of it jutted a huge arrowhead, the largest that Carysse has seen, just a few inches away from Chaos' ear. It was certainly not from their village. She had never seen an arrow that could pierce through a tree trunk in just one shot. Certainly, no thief or bandit also should have that kind of weapon.

Another wave of arrows whistled through them. The tree wouldn't hold. They had to back away further.

Just when the tree was about to crumble, they heard a familiar voice from their west side.

''Chaos! Carysse! Over Here!''

Ashki waved over them. He brought out two wooden balls. Carysse recognized them. They were smoke bombs.

Ashki threw it and white powder filled the surroundings until the substance picked up and finally clouded the area. But the enemy, whoever they were, didn't stop shooting arrows.

Chaos then brought out his sword and with one strong slash, he cut the tree. It went down eagerly. Carysse and Chaos then used the opportunity to crawl towards Ashki's direction, using the fallen tree as their shield.

When they reached Ashki, they ran and he led them to a wall of rocks. He pointed up to the side where there was a hollow part. A high cave.

Carysse climbed first. She was the smallest and lightest so she had no problem climbing such heights. When she reached the cave, she held out her hand for both of them who were having trouble holding on. She pulled both of them inside and the three of them hid in the safety of the shadows of the cave. It was only then that Carysse had the opportunity to catch her breath as well as give space or her brain to comprehend what was just happening.

They are being ambushed. But by whom?

With a nod, Ashki and Chaos both peeked at the entrance side by side, the moonlight shining a quarter of their body.

It was only there when Carysse noticed the damp area like a huge stain covering Ashki's vest, blood pooling underneath his dripping arm.