Fruitless Journey, Pt. 2: Encounter with powers Unknown

My head spins; my legs burn. This beast’s too fast, too clever. I freeze, heart hammering, thinking: charge and die, shoot my last arrow and miss, or run like a coward. Curse honor—I bolt, feet sinking in the mud. My heart beats more, and I feel a burst of strength energize me enough to keep running forward.

A chill grips me as I sprint, the beast’s growl fading in the forest noise. Euphoria floods me as I get faster and faster. My senses sharpening like a blade. It feels like I can feel everything; every pulse, the richness of the earthy air in my lungs, the very blood flowing in my veins. Pushed to my limits, a new strength keeps me upright, I feel nothing but pure bliss and vigor.

A profound silence settles. I feel like I'm weightless. Just as I breathe in deep to nourish my body, the scent of blood and smoke choke my throat. The evergreen vanishes. I open my eyes to a burning village, corpses piled and ablaze, their stench gagging me. Hundreds of chain bound women, screaming as bandits brutalize and assault them one to the next. The men in cages, watching their wives and daughters with hollow eyes before they themselves are executed. Children wail—some enslaved, others broken. Panic drops me to my knees; my breathing uneven and shallow, clawing my eyes, screaming. I collapse on all fours, burying my head in the sand to shield my eyes. A bandit eyes me, blade gleaming.

“Wait stop!” I beg, hands raised.

His sword whistled through the air, I thought I was done for. Yet, his sword passes through my body—Unbelievable, I didn’t get hit? Before I could rejoice, a woman’s screams from behind me, shocking me to attention. Shielding her child in her arms as the bandit cuts her down. The child stands frozen, staring at her mother’s corpse.

“Don’t be sad, love. Your wench mother isn’t here any more to keep us apart. I’ll cheer you up and show you lots of love in her place,” the beast sneers, licking his lips as he unfastens his belt.

I lunge, hands phasing through. “Stop this, you beast, LET HER GO!” I yell, unheard, burying my head, cursing my weakness as her muffled screams echo.

What the hell is this? Why am I being forced to watch? Why can’t I do anything about it? It’s not fair! What could they have possibly done? Powerless and confused, I could only beg to whatever higher power would listen; god or devil, I didn’t care.

“No matter the price, I’ll pay it. Someone put an end to this madness. I’m begging you!”

A figure emerges from the smoke. His green, sleeveless robe hangs loosely, torn, scarred. His white hair flows like linen, covering his neck tattoos. Magical scars mark his hands. Blue eyes pierce through a leather mask. His noble air suffocates. He removes the mask, prays for the fallen, and chants in a runic tongue.

The sky twists, a vortex forms as bandits yell, “A mage! His blood will fetch a wonderful price,” gleaming with a lustful greed, charging towards him in unison.

He raises a hand, and lightning rains, reducing all the bandits to ash, but the storm engulfs innocents too. When the dust settles the world around me is still and cold, like ice. The madness turned to eerie silence, the whole landscape desolate, erased like it never was to begin with.

He turns to leave and I make chase. Shouting and hoping to grab his attention.

He turns, nodding silently. I couldn’t believe it, he actually saw me, He saw me! I can talk to this man!

“Sir, please wait. I’m begging you, please help me,” I cry. “Were you the one who brought me here?”

Silence. Enraged, I clench my fists. “If you won’t help me then why couldn’t you help these people?”

My voice cracks. “Are you not a hero? I was certain you could save them after killing those bandits—yet you slaughtered them all! Men, women, children—innocent lives lost, at least just tell me why!”

He finally halts and turns, piercing blue eyes fixed on me. “Those who know nothing should not speak on matters beyond their understanding. If you truly seek the truth, do so elsewhere. Perhaps then, you will find peace... I can assure you that chasing after me will only bring you more suffering.”

I truly didn’t get him, was that even an answer, it felt like he was looking so far down at me it was enraging. Like I wasn’t even worth his time.

“Don’t give me that high and mighty nonsense,” I yell, tears streaming. “I finished living through hell, only for you to come here, wave your hand, and offer your empty wisdom. Even if you won't give me answers, send me the fuck back!”

He scoffs. “How truly ridiculous. ‘send you back,’? How could you be so selfish? Wipe those tears and open your eyes; everyone here died suffering! What makes you even worth helping? Is your life not enough for you? And as for going back, I have no business with ghosts and seers, whatever sent you my way only did so to inconvenience me, so begone!”

I lean back, shocked. Was I truly selfish for wanting to live? What even is my role in this, and why was I sent here? It’s all so sudden I can’t make sense of it. I chose to heed the man’s advice and stopped chasing after him, nothing good could possibly come from hanging around him anyway.

The man chants again; runes encircle his hooded head, glowing a bright blue. I barely caught a glimpse of him before the world around me started to break down, but I saw just enough to clear up one mystery: this man is a conduit—a mortal wielding god-like power. Never did I think I’d see one, much less speak to one. To think someone so powerful walked the same earth as mere men, a shiver climbed up my body as I contemplated how fortunate I was to survive meeting him.

As the world faded I could sense myself returning. Looking back at the village, its horrors clinging to my mind. A blinding light, forcing me to shield my eyes. Once the light faded I found myself in the forest, unharmed. I touch my surroundings, certain I’m back, sighing in relief. But the calmness fades as screams echo in my head. I cry, shaking violently, dropping to the ground and vomiting violently.

I resolved to try and forget, was that even possible? What’s more, returning to the forest isolates me, the crippling loneliness I’d partially escaped now more crushing than ever. The bleakness of my future and the hell I’ve seen leave me desperate for a hand to hold, longing for a way out. Crashing to the ground I lie on my stomach, defeated and awaiting a certain death. Surely the beast would pick up where he left off, I hadn’t outpaced it by much anyway. Just as I resigned myself to being eaten, a woman's voice breaks my calm,

“So even a child such as yourself can glimpse through the eyes of the forest?” a seductive voice pierces the silence, resonating from nowhere.

“Be a good boy and wait for me. I’ll make sure he doesn’t eat you while you’re passed out cold,” it teases, chuckling. Aside its laugh I hear a gut-wrenching howl from some unknown monster, could it be?

I stagger to my feet, swiveling to find the lady’s voice. My legs buckle under my body’s weight. The chase’s toll overwhelms me. I had no choice but to trust that I would be safe, even if they don’t have the best intentions at least I finally found someone...right?

Mentally and physically spent, my body gives out; everything goes black. As consciousness fades, I hope the voice holds answers to the questions searing my mind.