Bond of the mind - part two - chapter 2

"In the name of the orders and the community of men, you will come with us," said Anaydal, who was still watching the stranger. The stranger just sneered. He held the girl in his arms. She was clearly tired. Anaydal and the others ran towards them to stop them. But it was too late. There was a snap of fingers and both were gone. Only the group of three hunters remained. Anaydal was clearly dissatisfied with the turn of events. He looked at the trio in front of him.

"You three will come with us," he said. They couldn't disobey him. They were all clearly exhausted, and they could tell from his tone that there was no room for discussion. Members of the orders helped them to their feet and then led them all out of the palace. Outside, the city had been almost completely cleared of the Darkness. They carried the bodies of their enemies outside the walls. Several soldiers were sent out to announce their victory everywhere. The Knights of the Orders of the Sun and Moon decided to stay in the city for a while. After all, they didn't want the situation to repeat itself anytime soon. The hunters were dismissed and everyone could go their separate ways again. 

Soon, the king returned from Lantu with all those who had traveled there.

It took a few days, but the people finally began to return to Rhád. There was plenty of work to be done in the city. The city was quite damaged, but the Army of Darkness had not damaged it as much as the children of Darkness had done elsewhere. So it was mostly just minor repairs. Life in the city slowly but surely began to return to normal, except for the lives of those in May's group. Senna, Mirthana, and Tragir had been sitting in the deepest dungeon of the city for three days without anyone noticing them. The only person they ever saw was the jailer, who brought them water twice a day.

"I'm sorry I got you involved," Senna finally said after three whole days. Tragir was pacing back and forth in the cell. Mirthana just shook her head.

"It's not your fault. Besides, we made a free choice," Mirthana replied. She thought for a moment and then continued, "I just didn't expect the knights of the order to treat us like this. Now I'm not sure who's good and who's bad..."

Not much was known about the orders. Once you joined them, it was impossible to leave. In addition, all members were sworn to secrecy, and even if there were those who wanted to talk about it, they were prevented from doing so by the oath they had to take. Those who spoke about it died on the spot. That was all that was said among the people. No one knew anything more about them. 

That same evening, two knights of the Order of the Sun arrived at the cell. 

"The elf will come with us now," they declared.

"How can she go alone? She can't go anywhere without us," said Tragir, who didn't like this at all. Meanwhile, Mirthana moved closer to Senna.

"If you plan to resist, we will have to show you your place," said one of them in a raised voice. Then the other entered the room and began to drag Senna out. She did not resist. She knew that would only make things worse. Especially for her companions.

"It's okay. Don't worry," Senna said, forcing a smile. Mirthana and Tragir now had puzzled expressions on their faces. They knew this wasn't going to be easy. After all, given how the knights had treated them so far, they didn't trust them at all. But they figured that Senna didn't want any trouble for now. The important thing was to get out, and this would only prolong their stay. Besides, escape from the city was impossible as long as the knights were there. 

It took almost an hour, but soon the same knights reappeared. 

"You two are free to go," they said.

"Where is Senna? We won't leave without her," Mirthana said angrily. It was perhaps the first time she had ever been truly angry. She was usually the calmest of them all.

"The elf won't go with you. We're keeping her here," came the reply, and it was clear that the knights weren't going to argue. Tragir pulled Mirthana by the sleeve and nodded toward the exit.

"Let's go," said Tragir, pulling her out. Together they left the prison. The knights accompanied them to the exit and watched them for a moment. Tragir and Mirthana headed towards the hunters' guild.

"Why did you do that?!" Mirthana was still angry.

"How would you help us, locked up in this cell?" Tragir asked her.

She had to admit that he was right. They had a better chance of doing something outside than in a cell. Even though she knew that, it wasn't enough for her. So she lowered her eyes and followed the dwarf into the guild. 

Sennu was now accompanied by a group of knights. Her eyes had been covered the whole time, so she had no idea where they were taking her. Now they all entered some kind of hall. She recognized it by the creaking of the doors and the various voices discussing among themselves that could be heard all around her. Now everyone stopped. They forced her to kneel, and then she felt chains being fastened around her hands, feet, and neck. She struggled as if she were some kind of wild animal. Finally, they removed the cloth that had been covering her eyes. She was in the middle of a huge hall. All around her sat the most powerful people in the city, as well as knights from both orders. In front of her, on a raised platform, sat a small, fat man behind a huge table, which was laden with all kinds of food, and he was stuffing himself. Then Anaydal stepped forward with several knights. Several men stood next to the king.

"Now the interrogation and then the trial of the elf named Senna will begin," said one of the men.

"The final verdict will then be delivered by the king himself as the highest authority," said another.

She knew that the man before her was the king of this kingdom. Anaydal nodded after these words and stood in the center of the hall so that he could be heard clearly.

"I hope you will answer all questions to the best of your ability, and the king will then consider what punishment to impose on you, depending on how cooperative you are." He took a breath and continued, "First, tell us something about the girl with white hair. Who is she?"

"I have no idea," Senna replied immediately.

"Are you aware that we witnessed you calling her by name? If I remember correctly, you called her May. Are you sure you really don't know anything about her?" asked the knight.

"I really don't know," she replied with icy calm. Anaydal nodded toward the king before continuing.

"Then, what can you tell us about the little girl who was there with you?" he asked her, sounding more serious.

"I don't know her," Senna replied.

"And what can you tell us about the cloaked man?" he continued.

"I've never seen him," she replied.

"Are you aware that this little girl is the most wanted child of the Darkness, and that the cloaked man was, and most likely still is, one of the three highest heyens and leaders of the Darkness?" asked Anaydal, still staring directly at her.

Senna looked a little surprised after hearing this. "I really don't know them and I don't know anything about them," she said.

"If I understand correctly, you refuse to tell us anything. Is that right?" The knight sounded very threatening.

"That's correct," nodded the elf.

Debate erupted among the people around her. Some even shouted threats at her or demanded the highest punishment for her. Anaydal looked toward the king. He was still eating. With his mouth full, he said nothing, but gestured with his hand for them to continue.

"Very well. In that case, if you wish to conceal the identities and information about these members of the Darkness, we will treat you as one of them. For aiding members of the Darkness is the greatest sin in this world. We will proceed with the interrogation," the knight announced to her. Several men then entered the room. They carried a portable brazier and set it up near Senna. Then they placed several pieces of iron into the fire.

"So you still have nothing to tell us?"

"No," came the reply again.

"Good. Undress her," Anaydal ordered the knights standing around her. She tried to resist, but in this situation she was helpless. They tied a piece of cloth over her mouth. She knew very well why. The elf felt terrible. Everyone was staring at her, and she was standing there naked. She tried to cover herself as best she could with her hands. She never would have thought the knights would do something like this. 

"Are you still not going to speak?" asked Anaydal, and it was clear from his tone that he was asking her for the last time. Senna just shook her head, which was bowed toward the ground. Then the knights grabbed her again so she couldn't defend herself. Anaydal pulled the first red-hot iron out of the fire. He came up to her. She closed her eyes. She knew what was coming. Then came the pain she couldn't bear when the red-hot iron touched her body. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't. Tears streamed from her eyes in the pain.

"Where are you... May..." was the only thought in her head. The knight always put the iron back into the fire and pulled out another one. They didn't spare any part of her body. This process lasted almost five hours. When they knew that the elf was unconscious from the pain, because she didn't make a sound when the red-hot iron touched her, they decided to stop. Then they left her in chains where she was. This happened twice a day for three days. During that time, Senna suffered incredible pain that no ordinary person could ever endure. No living creature. At the end of the third day, the elf still said nothing. Her once beautiful green hair was now beginning to fade under the onslaught of pain and exhaustion. Anaydal realized that this was going nowhere. So he turned to the king.

"I ask Your Majesty to pass sentence," he said.

The king took his time finishing his meal. Then he stood up so that everyone could see him.

"Since the elf Senna has refused to cooperate, thereby proving her guilt and complicity in aiding the members of Darkness, she will be burned at the stake at high noon, exactly seven days from today."

But Senna could no longer hear him. Her senses were so weakened that she could not even open her eyes. She could not even hold her head up. Her sentence was therefore more for the public, so that people could see that even those who were on the side of Darkness would get what they deserved. 

Tragir and Mirthana kept returning to the building where both orders were now based, demanding information about Senna. But no one ever answered them. Three days later, when they woke up, there was a flyer on the board in their guild. They were horrified by what they read. They now knew that Senna would be publicly burned in seven days. 

"What are we going to do?" asked Mirthana, and it was clear that she was on the verge of tears.

"We have seven days to prepare. If there's no other way, we'll fight them," Tragir tried to calm her down. But he himself didn't know exactly what they would do. After all, it was unlikely that they would be able to free her, but hope was the last thing they had left. 

That evening, as they sat with their heads bowed over their dinner, one of the guild's administrators approached them.

"Are you Tragir and Mirthana?" she asked them first. They both just nodded without looking at her.

"In that case, I have a letter for you. It arrived today," she said and placed the letter on the table. Then she bowed and left. Mirthana took the letter in her hands. What was interesting about it was that only their names were written on the envelope and nothing else. She decided to open the letter.

"Not that," Tragir stopped her and continued, "Open it at the top."

Then they finished eating and headed upstairs to their rooms. They had separate rooms, so they went to Mirthana's room first. There, they finally opened the letter. First, they made sure no one was listening. Then Mirthana read the letter. She handed it to Tragir. He stared at the piece of paper for a moment. After a while, he looked at Mirthana.

"Well... I can't read," he said.

Mirthana raised her eyebrows when she heard this. Normally, it would have made her laugh. But now she was in no mood for laughter. She just nodded and leaned toward Tragir to whisper what the letter said. He nodded and looked as if he was thinking about it.

"All right. Let's do it," said Tragir. Then he wished Mirthana good night and headed straight for his room.

It was strange for the forest girl. For the first time in a long time, she was alone again. Her room seemed so empty. She couldn't fall asleep for a long time, but finally, when she could see the sun rising in the sky through the window, she managed to do so.

During those seven days, Mirthana and Tragir busied themselves gathering and preparing everything as instructed in the letter so that everything would be ready. The days passed quickly, and the day came when Senna was to be publicly burned. From the first rays of sunlight, soldiers built a huge pyre in the middle of the square. The purpose was to make it as theatrical as possible. Above all, it was meant to show everyone what fate awaited them if they consorted with someone from the Dark Side, and also that the orders, and above all the king, must not be disobeyed. Soon the pyre was ready, and as noon approached, more and more people gathered around it. 

There were also many soldiers, especially knights of the orders, who stood at the edge of the pyre so that people could not get close. This was also for safety reasons, in case anyone tried anything. Most people even left their work to come and watch. All citizens were advised to attend. After all, it was a big event, and something this big rarely happened in the city. But it wasn't just citizens who were there. There were also various merchants who had just arrived in the city, as well as hunters who were currently in the area. It was almost noon. Mirthana and Tragir arrived at the square.

Soon the sound of drums began to be heard. The gate to the building where the orders were currently based opened wide. Then the knights began to emerge in rows, carrying the banners of the sun and the moon.

There were many of them, forming a long procession. They marched through the city to the center of the square. At the center of the procession were the two highest-ranking knights, who held Sennu under their arms and carried her the entire way without her touching the ground. After all, she was not that tall, and she was not conscious enough to understand what was happening. She was so exhausted and her whole body was still in pain that even her regeneration was not working as it should. She was dressed in white clothes, which were soaked with blood from her wounds. She was a truly terrible sight. It was impossible to compare it to anything else, because people in such a state would have been considered dead long ago. They carried her to the border, and all the knights in the procession formed another circle around it. Now all the knights standing around turned their backs to the people. Meanwhile, the two who had carried her tied her to the center of the border. Then, finally, the king and his advisors stepped onto a platform near the border and sat down comfortably. Anaydal and his deputy Raithor stepped forward in front of the people standing below the platform.

"People of Rháda. We have gathered here today to witness the end of a treacherous elf who joined forces with the Dark Ones and helped them destroy your homes and kill innocent people," Anaydal began his speech. After these words, most of the people began to shout and yell hateful words at Senna. The people clearly approved of this execution. This was exactly the reaction the king and the knights had hoped for. 

"Nevertheless, as those who stand by you, the innocent people, we gave this elf some hope in case she cooperated with us. However, she refused and decided to protect the secrets of the forces of Darkness. Therefore, the king has decided to punish this crime against humanity with the highest punishment, namely death. For this reason, this treacherous elf, who decided to join forces with our greatest enemy, will be burned at the stake today to make it clear to everyone that anyone who aids the Darkness will be punished severely, without exception." With these words, Anaydal ended his speech. The crowd roared again. They called for it to begin and for her to finally get what she deserved.

Mirthana and Tragir stood in the middle of the crowd, unable to comprehend what was happening. The people had allowed themselves to be so easily influenced. Anaydal now looked toward the king. After a moment, he finally rose from his chair.

"Give the people what they want. Light the pyre," he said. Then he sat back down in his chair and began to eat the food that had been prepared for him. Anaydal lit the torch and slowly approached the pyre. After a moment, he was there. He threw the torch onto the edge, and the fire quickly spread. For Mirthana and Tragir, this was the signal to begin. They had been preparing for this moment for seven days. Mirthana bowed her head and closed her eyes. She placed her palms on her chest. After a moment, she bowed to the ground and laid both hands on it. A series of explosions began to echo through the city. Panic seized the people, and some of the knights and soldiers split up and ran to see what was happening. Meanwhile, one of the guards ran up to Anaydal.

"Sir, we are under attack at the south gate," he reported.

"Raithore, keep an eye on things here," he ordered his deputy. Anaydal then took some of the knights and ran towards the gate. The fire continued to spread along the border and was quickly approaching Senna.

"We don't have much time, Tragir," whispered Mirthana. The dwarf nodded. As soon as Anaydal was out of sight, Tragir decided to take advantage of the panic. He approached Raithor, who soon noticed him because he knew he was the elf's companion.

"Not another step," he warned the dwarf and drew his golden sword. Tragir rushed straight at him. He swung his hammer. Raithor decided to dodge the blow. At least, he tried to, but his feet wouldn't move. He looked down and saw that his legs were bound by roots. Tragir struck. It was a powerful blow that sent Raithor flying through the air. He didn't stop until he hit the first house. Finally, no one stood in their way. The remaining knights and soldiers also began to be bound by roots, and they were unable to free themselves. A large, arched root rose from the ground at the border. Tragir ran towards it and jumped onto the border where Senna was tied up. He quickly untied her. But now he didn't know how to get her off the border without hurting her.

Meanwhile, Anaydal and the knights had reached the south gate. The soldiers were fighting the child of Darkness there. 

"We've finally got you!" he shouted and rushed straight at her. Yin immediately became alert and looked in his direction. She smiled and stuck her tongue out at him. This provoked the knight even more. He was almost upon her. Yin ran towards him. Anaydal was already swinging his sword, but then the girl disappeared in front of him. She began to reappear behind him. Yin was smarter. She knew very well that she had no chance against Anaydal. He turned his blow and aimed behind him. But the little girl had no intention of letting herself be caught so easily this time. She disappeared again. Anaydal was unable to stop his blow completely and struck several of his men. The girl now stood in the middle of the gate, still smiling. But a golden glow appeared around Anaydal. He reached out his hand toward Yin. The girl realized she was trapped. She noticed a small glowing layer around her that held her in place. The knight slowly walked toward her. 

"Looks like you've had enough," said Anaydal, looking triumphant. He was almost upon her. He began to reach out to her, intending to grab her by the throat. Yin smiled again. Before Anaydal could react, he found that part of the hand he had reached out to the girl was missing. The girl had disappeared. He looked around. All his men were lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Standing among them was a stranger holding the girl's hand. He snapped his fingers and they both vanished. The last thing the knight saw was the smile on the girl's face. Enraged, he began to scream. 

"Next time I'll get you both!" he shouted, but those to whom he was referring were no longer there.

The flames spread further and further into the center of the border. Tragir began to despair.

"Quick, Tragir," Mirthana called out to him. It was because the knights who had gone to investigate the explosions were already returning. Lesoženka kept her hands on the ground. She couldn't move, because otherwise the soldiers would have been able to break free. In the chaos and cries of the confused people, Tragir and Mirthana heard something familiar. Something they hadn't heard in a long time. It was Spark's bark. The dog jumped from the root to the edge. She looked at Tragir's face. He noticed that she was somehow bigger than usual, but they didn't have time. He laid Sennu on Spark's back. Although the elf was still unconscious, Tragir noticed that she was clutching the dog's fur tightly. The dwarf knew that he didn't need to hold her anymore. He nodded to Spark, who jumped down from the border and ran towards the gate. Tragir knew that their mission was accomplished. He jumped through the fire and rolled down to the ground. He was lucky that his beard was only slightly singed. There was no time to worry about that. Together with Mirthana, they ran toward the gate where Spark was heading. But as soon as the forest woman got up, the roots binding the other knights and soldiers began to loosen. They soon broke free and were already at their heels. They ran through the gate. Tragir knew he had to slow them down. As soon as they ran through, he stopped. He swung his hammer again and the gate wall shook. Then came the second blow. The gate walls began to collapse, quickly blocking the passage. Tragir and Mirthana then ran after Spark, whom they saw standing in the distance. It didn't take long for them to catch up with her. She was still carrying Sennu. There was no time to stop. The group planned to continue away from the city. When they looked back, they saw that the knights on horseback were already riding after them, planning to catch up. Suddenly, a dark gate appeared in front of them and began to open. Now they felt like they were trapped again. When the gate swung wide open, Yin ran out. This was the first time they had seen her, so they were very surprised. 

"If you want to live, come with me," said the little girl, motioning for them to follow her through the gate. The group was not sure what to do, but they could either go with her or wait for the knights to catch up with them. In the current situation, the second option seemed definitely worse. So they gradually entered the dark gate, which closed behind them immediately. They no longer had to fear the knights.

They found themselves in a land that was completely unfamiliar to them. The sky was beautifully clear, without a single cloud. All around them grew various kinds of trees, and all kinds of animals ran freely, paying no attention to them. Birds sang and a pleasant breeze blew.

"Is this it?" Tragir asked. Yin just smiled.

"This is the world inside the mind of a stranger," said the little girl. Tragir and Mirthana were speechless. This was something they had never heard before.

"In any case, you have nothing to fear. Darkness and nothing else can enter here on its own. Now you can take care of the elf," added the little girl, watching Senna, who was still out of it. Mirthana and Tragir carefully laid the elf down on the grass. Then the forest woman stuck her staff into the ground and sat down next to her. She closed her eyes and placed her palms on the elf's stomach. Soon, leaves began to swirl around them again, and the top of her staff began to bloom. Spark and Yin stayed with them. Tragir, however, went for a walk to look around the area. There was nothing else he could do here anyway. 

"I hope you understand that you can't go back to Ronos," Yin said after a while, then continued, "The orders of the Sun and Moon won't rest until they get you."

"Probably not, but I don't know where else we could go..." replied Mirthana, who was still concentrating with her eyes closed. She was well aware of that. They were now outlaws in Ronos. Soon there would be posters with their faces all over the kingdom. There would certainly be a hefty reward, so other hunters would probably turn them in. But she didn't know what they would do. They had to discuss it. The most important thing now was for Senna to wake up.

"I was also hunted... until I met a stranger. Now at least I can hide here and rest," said Yin. For some reason, her voice now sounded content. Safety was probably the most valuable thing one could obtain in this world.

"When I heard what he said in the palace, I wanted to know more right away. But he won't tell me anything. I understand that he wants to protect me... but I would like to know if that woman is really my mother. Unfortunately, I only remember my name since I came to this world..."

Disappointment was evident in her words. Mirthana also began to feel a certain curiosity. She knew almost nothing about the little girl, yet she had saved their lives several times.

"Don't worry. When the time comes, she'll tell you more. When the time comes, you may even remember. We can only hope. The stranger must have his reasons. He must care about you if he won't let anyone else near you," said Mirthana. She hoped that these words would at least comfort the little girl a little. 

It took hours before Senna finally showed signs of improvement. Yin noticed that her eyelids were moving. In a moment, she was able to open her eyes and saw Mirthana kneeling over her. Now Mirthana opened her eyes and noticed that Senna was looking at her and smiling. 

"You're finally back. I was starting to get worried," said Mirthana. Senna said nothing. She didn't have the strength yet.

"Now get some rest," added the forest spirit. She was tired herself, so she lay down in the grass next to Senna and soon fell asleep. Yin sat next to them the whole time, watching the sky. It was a soothing sight. Soon Tragir returned and noticed Mirthana sleeping. He wasn't surprised that she was tired after everything that had happened. After all, they hadn't had much time to rest lately.

The dwarf noticed someone approaching them from a distance. It was a stranger, dressed as always in black with a hood hiding his face. Soon he was with them. 

"Welcome back," said Yin, then she stood up and hugged him, just as children hug their parents. After all, he was the only one who had cared for her since they met. 

"How is she?" he asked when he noticed Senna and Mirthana.

"Better. She was able to open her eyes, but she's still weak, so she's still sleeping," replied the little girl. The stranger just nodded. He had only been there a moment when Senna began to wake up again. She was now able to sit up, but she still felt pain throughout her body. After all she had been through, it would take time for her to recover. It was worse than if she had just suffered injuries in battle. However, she felt a pleasant breeze and the day seemed endless. It was as if the world never slept here. Even though it had been daytime the whole time, there was no sun in the sky. It was incomprehensible. Soon Mirthana also began to wake up. She immediately noticed that Senna was able to sit up.

"Are you feeling a little better?" she asked her. 

"Yes, but everything hurts terribly," replied the elf. 

"After what you've been through, that's normal. It will take a while before you fully recover," said the stranger, joining the conversation. 

"It's as if you know what I've been through," said Senna.

"Yes, I do. In my world, I can see all your thoughts and memories. After all, you are now in my mind. Well, between worlds, basically," continued the stranger. Senna had to think about that. She couldn't imagine how everyone, including this world, could exist in one person's mind. She had never heard of anything like this before, and she had lived a very long time. 

"In any case, it is no longer possible for you to return to where you were. There is no place for you there anymore. But if you want, I can take you somewhere else. More about that later. Now follow me, everyone," concluded the stranger. Then he turned and headed toward the nearby forest. The little girl followed right behind him. 

"I don't think we have a choice," said Tragir, getting up from the ground. Spark nudged Senna with her snout. The elf knew why. She was trying to tell her to climb back on her. 

"Thank you," Senna said, smiling. Spark then crouched down next to her so that the elf could climb onto her back more easily. But she couldn't do it on her own. Fortunately, Mirthana noticed right away and helped her get onto Spark's back. Then all four of them could finally set off toward the unknown, but they were out of sight. The group entered the forest. Although it looked like a small forest from a distance, they had the impression that when they entered, the forest grew larger. Inside, it seemed endless. There were even lots of trees behind them, and they had only just entered. But Spark continued forward. They decided to follow her. After all, she had the best senses of them all. After some time, they reached a clearing that seemed to be the center of the forest. There was pleasant shade thanks to the tall trees all around. In the middle stood a multi-story house. It was clear at first glance that it didn't fit into this environment at all. They walked up to the house and decided to knock on the door.

After waiting for a while, a little girl opened the door.

"That took you long enough," said Yin, inviting them inside. Once again, it was as if the situation was repeating itself. The house looked much more spacious inside than it had from the outside.

"Is everything so expansive here?" Mirthana had to ask. 

"Um... he explained it to me before, but I'm not sure I remember correctly. Basically, the world changes depending on how you move. It makes you feel like you're always in the center. So where you were before no longer exists, but the world has expanded in the space where you moved," Yin tried to answer, but she seemed to be getting quite confused herself. They decided not to ask her any more questions about it, because it seemed that the girl was struggling quite a bit to answer.  Then she led them down the hallway to another room. There they found a table with lots of food. 

"Sit down and eat your fill before you continue," Yin said, then turned and left. Senna hadn't eaten in so long that she wasn't sure she could manage it now. In any case, everyone did as the little girl told them. Tragir ate the most, of course, tucking into the food without hesitation or embarrassment. Soon everyone was full. They didn't have to wait long before the little girl entered the room again.