Chapter 6

I stared at her.

“Help you?”

She nodded. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t seen it coming, but even so, I didn’t like it.

“What… does that mean?”

“You will act like the Goddess. It will give our people hope”, Uruk said.

“But I don’t know what to do.”

“You’ll learn.”

I stared at them. They really meant it. They wanted me to play the hero everyone had expected to come, just to keep their people fighting. It wasn’t the most ethical job, I thought. But then again, what else would I do? I guess this was as good of a job as anything I could find here.

I sighed. It wasn’t even that I wanted to leave. I had got used to their company and didn’t mind staying with them. After all, they weren’t as bad. At least I would be safe and wouldn’t need to think about leaving any longer. Although the idea of becoming some sort of celebrity freaked me out. I wasn’t good at dealing with people, and the thought of a crowd cheering me on made my skin crawl.

“I’ll think about it”, I mumbled.

I could feel their gaze on me as I left the circle and lay down with my back to them, staring into the darkness. I wondered what they would do if I said no. Probably kick me out. They had no use for me if I couldn’t play their game.

I heard them get up and prepare for the night. Soon, the night fell silent, but I still couldn’t sleep. I lay there, staring out into the night, when a howling suddenly pierced the air. I bolted up and stared wildly around me.

“It’s okay. They aren’t close”, Selene said softly.

I glanced at her, sitting alone some distance away.

“You cannot sleep?”, she continued.

“No”

I sighed. I don’t know how you could after hearing what they wanted me to do. She nodded, and I got up and walked over to her. I watched the night when she suddenly asked,

“Rina… Do you miss your home?”

“No”

The answer came without thinking. She looked at me, surprised.

“You don’t have family?”

I snorted.

“No”

I didn’t want to talk about it. She must have noticed, because she changed the subject.

“How is your world?”

I went silent before I said,

“It’s horrible”

I looked up at the stars.

“It’s not like here, where things want to eat you, or even wars. At least not where I lived, but…”

I gazed at the small specks above me.

“The people… They only care about themselves. You see people living on the streets, but everyone will just pass by, annoyed that they’re in the way.”

I clenched my fists.

“Doesn’t anyone do anything about it?”, she asked.

I frowned.

“No. They ignore it at best, and if they’re the lucky ones, they enjoy it to the fullest.”

“It’s the same here”, she said. “Whenever the Imperium takes control over a place, the Shadow will turn people bad.”

So this world was no different. I sighed. At least at home, I knew how to deal with it, but here... I was glad they at least tried to do something.

“Rina… Have you made your decision?”

She turned to me and I stared at her, not knowing what to answer. What did I want to do? It would give me a job, but I wasn’t sure I would be able to do what they wanted me to. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time I failed them. I stared at her when, suddenly, I remembered the cat. I had a chance to make this world a better place. Was this what she had talked about? I sighed. Was this the chance? I didn’t know how that would make it so, but I had nothing else. I nodded.

“I have. I will do it.”

She smiled.

“It gladdens me. Get some rest. It will be a long day tomorrow.”

I walked back to my sleeping spot and lay down. I didn’t want to be reminded about what would come tomorrow, but at least I got a job, so I could worry about something else than how to survive here.

                                                —--------------

It was almost dawn when I opened my eyes. Someone was singing softly.

Light of the distant stars

gives me hope that I am not lost

as they guide me on my path

shining brightly in the night sky...

I sat up and glanced around. It was Selene. She was dancing at the edge of the camp, her gaze turned to the stars. Her bare feet barely touched the ground, and I stared at her, not being able to take my eyes off her. She must have felt it, because she stopped and turned to me. As her eyes fell on me, she smiled and reached out her hand in a silent invitation. I looked away.

“Did I wake you up?”

She walked over to me and wrapped herself in a blanket.

“It’s okay. It is almost sunrise”, I replied.

She smiled, and we watched the horizon as the night gradually made way for the day. It was strangely beautiful to see it. I heard the others stir, and Uruk got up and walked over to us.

“Be careful today. We are getting closer to the mountains.”

I looked at him, confused.

“They will wait for us there”, he continued.

“Who?”

“The Imperium”, Selene answered. “They know we need to cross the mountains.”

Uruk nodded.

“That’s why our journey has been uneventful so far. Rather than chasing us in the desert, they will set up a trap in the passes.”

I frowned. If they called the Drake uneventful, I wondered what awaited us in the mountains.

“Karim will lead us. He knows his way around those passages, so at least we will have a fair chance.”

Fair chance.. I didn’t like the sound of that. I glanced at Karim sitting at the edge of the camp. His eyes were closed, and he murmured something quietly to himself. Selene nodded at Uruk, and they walked over to Aki. I followed, even though I knew what they would do.

“Be careful, Selene, don’t drain yourself too much.”

Uruk looked at her as she pulled her dagger.

“There is still a long way ahead of us. She won’t survive without it”, she replied with a frown.

“What's wrong?”, I asked.

Selene gave me a sharp look but answered anyway.

“You give away your life force by doing this. But I will not let her die.”

She looked at me.

“We don’t have any other choice.”

I nodded. I got it. One had to do what one had to do, no matter if you liked it or not. No one had said life was fair.

“Why is it only you who does it?”

“Karim... Well, you know. And I would be too weak to carry her all the way”, Uruk answered.

I shivered. It wasn’t fair, but I wouldn’t let them take all the burden.

“Do it”

I clenched my jaw and stretched my hand towards her.

“No”

Selene frowned.

“Rina is right”, Uruk said and put his hand on her shoulder. “We need you to be strong. You know what awaits us in those mountains.”

She nodded slowly, but I was sure she wasn’t happy about the idea. She took my hand in hers and held it.

“Are you sure?”

She looked into my eyes, and I nodded.

“Close your eyes”, she said softly.

“No”

I kept looking into her purple eyes as the dagger cut into my flesh.