My legs could not walk or run fast enough for me to get to Alden as soon as I wanted. There was nothing more I desired than to kill the snake of a man Lesion and have Alden safe and sound, sitting next to me.
I could hear Rhythmus breathing heavily behind me. "Slow down my dear girl! We are all anxious to get to our friend. But my old bones aren't as swift as they used to be." I slowed my pace and turned around to flash him a half smile. His eye contact with me made me realize that he knew what was going through my spinning head and softened heart.
Despite everything I have gone through in the past year, in the short amount of time that I had known him, Alden had kept me from letting my heart go bitter. His boyish ways and shining eyes gave me a glimpse of hope: hope for what was to come and peace because there was still good left in the world. It may be a small bit, but that little ray of sunshine has been my salvation.
We took a water break when we found the river again. "All we have to do is follow this back to Lesion's camp."
Askimi nodded. "It shouldn't be too far from us now. Hopefully they haven't done anything to the poor kid."
That statement made me stand up. "All the more reason to get going as quickly as we can," I stated. Askimi got up and led the way.
Rhythmus kept in pace with me for a good few minutes, and then we naturally started to slip away little by little from Askimi's pace. Still following him from a distance, Rhythmus spoke quietly. "It will be alright, you'll see. You three are doing a marvelous job and have already gotten most to join forces with us!"
"Yes, but we still have to defeat Lesion before his army does any damage," I stated looking down at my trudging feet.
"I know that's not your primary concern at the moment."
I turned to him and saw his slightly raised eyebrows and somewhat of a smirk. "You're a beautiful young woman, Tarka. And a strong one at that. You think you are able to put a mask on and nobody will be able to see you, figure you out. Your eyes speak what the rest of you keeps hidden."
"I was afraid of that. That used to be my worst fear, you know."
"Is it not anymore?"
"No. I mean, not really. I still care deeply if people are able to find things out about me, such as how I'm feeling. But . . ." I turned to face him again. "That's not my primary concern anymore."
The corners of his wide mouth turned upward. "I know your feelings, Tarka. They are noble ones. Do not be afraid of them. But don't act rashly with them either." I nodded in agreement.
We both quickened our pace to catch up with Askimi, who realized we were lagging but didn't give much thought to why. When we got closer to the campsite, we the trio crouched down as much as possible while walking briskly. At the edge of the trees where the campsite started, we stopped and looked around for any potential sign of where Alden could be.
I happened to look over to my left and saw two figures running off to the other side of the tents. Could it be...?
An angry yell came from a tent to my right. "AUGH! Where did the Palkin boy go? Why did you not stand guard like I told you to?!" came an all too familiar voice. A poor soldier was getting lashed out on by the Viridian snake. "I--I'm sorry! I just had to --" A slap reached my ears before the soldier could finish. "You idiot! You let them get away! Go find them, or I shall do things much worse than what I have done to you now." The soldier ran off towards the trees where the two figures had gone.
Askimi, Rhythmus, and I looked at each other in wonder. Who had rescued Alden? Who was running off with him at that moment?
And how were we ever going to find him?
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