Unending Battle: Living Past

Demigod rode through the night. He didn’t know where he was or where he was going. He only knew that if he was captured, he would be forced to slaughter more people for the enjoyment of others. He only fought to defend others.

Demigod was beginning to tire. Actually, he had begun to tire several hours ago. He had a three huge claw marks running across his face and his back and upper shoulders were badly burned.

Demigod saw lights up ahead. A village. Demigod urged the horse on. Fatigue started to close Demigod’s eyes. He fought to keep them open.

Demigod’s horse trip on a rut as it charged into the village. Demigod was flung from the animal. His eyes closed and didn’t open.

When Demigod awoke, he saw Jae.

“Jae! But your.... dead.” said Demigod. He sat bolt up. his burned back screamed at him.

“Who is Jae? My name is Adaldrida.” said the girl. Demigod could have sworn it was Jae. Same auburn hair. Same green eyes. The only difference was that this girl’s hair was longer than Jae’s had been.

A man and girl walked in the room. The girl had blond hair and the man had light brown  hair. They both had blue eyes.

“I see the stranger has awakened.” said the man.

“Yeah, and he’s delirious. He thinks I’m some person named Jae.” said the girl who was obviously named Adaldrida.

“Well, it would make sense that he would be delirious. He is exhausted and has serious injuries.” Demigod did not like the way that these people were talking about him like he wasn’t there.

“I am not delusional. I am fully conscious.” said Demigod. He struggled up. His burns raged at him.

“What village am I in?” asked Demigod.

“Aurel.” said Adaldrida.

“If you are fully awake, then tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?” asked the man.

“Two. Three is you're going to count your thumb as a finger. Who are you people?” asked Demigod.

“Well, I’m Adaldrida.” said Adaldrida.

“I am Bryen, a local physician. This is my wife, Demetry.” Said the man. Demetry gave Demigod a little wave.

Demigod felt like his hip was extremely light. A sudden thought hit him.

Aurel means “Heavenly Realm” in elvish. The girl that looked like Jae. Could Demigod be dead?

Demigod knew that there was one way to find out. He leaped out of the bed. His wounds set messages of extreme pain into his system. His body shut down and he collapsed. Demigod tried to shrug off the pain and struggled to his feet. He had to find Fandril.

“Where are you going?”  asked Demetry. Demigod pushed past her. Bryen tried to grab, but Demigod twisted out of his grip.

“Don’t let him leave!” yelled Bryen. Demigod left the room. He saw Fandril leaning up against the threshold. Demigod rushed to the weapon and pulled the blade out of the sheathe out just a little bit, afraid of what he would find. The blade was the color of hard steel.

“No.... No! No! No! I can’t be dead.” exclaimed Demigod. He stood up and looked around. Two large men were grabbing him. He felt them club him over the head.

Demigod awoke. It had been a dream. He saw the three people from his dream. Adaldrida, Bryen and Demetry. He had a splitting headache. His backed felt like it was on fire. He gingerly felt his face. It seemed that the Dragonfire had cauterized his facial wounds.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, stranger.” said Bryen.

“Land of the living?” asked Demigod in a daze. He tried to sit up.

“Don’t sit up. I just saved you from the clutches of death.” said Bryen.

“Thanks, where am I?” asked Demigod.

“Aurel. It a village near the Myanam Delta.” said Adaldrida.

“Where is my sword?” asked Demigod.

“Why?” asked Demetry.

“I need to see the blade.” Demigod tried to get up again. He succeeded, but his nerves yelled at him. He was not being nice to his burns.

“Lay back down and I will get your sword.” said Demetry. Demigod did as she asked. She brought in the sword. Demigod had felt a relief from his headache when she had left, but now it was back. It was strange.

Demetry pulled out the blade a little bit. Black as midnight. Demigod let out a sigh.

“When can I leave? I am on a time sensitive mission.” said Demigod.

“Not for a while. You burns will take a long time to heal fully, and excessive movement will just reopen them and make them heal slower. You will always have those scars on your face. I hope you didn’t leave a girl at home.” said Bryen.

“Did indeed, but she will not notice, seeing as she is no longer on this earth.” said Demigod.

“I am sorry for your loss.” said Adaldrida.

“She looked just like you.” said Demigod. He did not make eye contact with her.

“What?” said Adaldrida.

“She was an orphan. I too was an orphan. Her adoptive sister is now the queen of Sanim Htirit. Auburn hair. Green eyes.” said Demigod. his eyes were closed.

“I was an orphan....” said Adaldrida in an odd voice.

“I know I’m not dead. I accidently killed her, hence the darkness of my blade. I know I’m not dead because if I was, my blade would be purified. I am indeed alive. Either the love of my life is not dead, or she had a sister that looked just like her.” said Demigod.

“I don’t remember having a sister. I have lived here my whole life.” said Adaldrida.

“Well, this conversation has been interesting, but I need to apply some salve to your back...” said Bryen

“Demigod. The name’s Demigod, son of a unknown man, brother of a lost sister. Wielder of Fandril. Slayer part of his own heart.” said Demigod.

“Sounds like you’ve had a messed up life.” said Demetry. Pain seared in Demigod’s brain. It felt like a magic trick he had seen once. To peices of metal were attracted to each other, but they couldn’t get to each other because there was a sheet of wood in between.

He felt like there was too things in his head trying to get to each other, but they couldn’t because of a mental wall.

The girls left to  prepare some food and Bryen asked Demigod to remove his tunic. As soon as Demetry left the room, Demigod’s headache subsided.

Bryen covered Demigod’s back in a greasy slave that did not smell too great. Once he finished, Demigod’s back felt much better and less like a piece of bacon.

The girl’s returned and Demigod’s headache came back quicker than he could scarf down a hearty stew.

“I need to move around. Take a walk or something.” said Demigod after he thanked Bryen and the women for the meal.

“You may, but not long. Try not to move your back much.” said Bryen. Adaldrida showed Demigod to the door. A stiffness invaded Demigod’s legs as he began to walk down the road. He realized that he had left Fandril at the dwelling.

Three times had Demigod felt truly lonely. Once when his sister was sent away. Once after Jae’s burial. And right now. He did not have Fandril. He did not have his new friends. He was lost.

Demigod had to get to the sea. Adaldrida had said that this place was near the Myanam Delta. The Myanam emptied into the sea.

But, he still had to find his friends. He couldn’t just leave them.

People moved around Demigod. It was like a joke. He was stuck while some many people around moved freely. They were not lonely. They did not have dead weight on shoulders. In the midst of his crisis, life moved on, not letting him catch up.

Demigod turned back to the house. He stepped over the threshold. Demetry walked past.
Pain seared over Demigod’s mind. The five minutes without a headache had made Demigod’s mind let down its guard and as a result, the pain was so great that Demigod collapsed.
Demigod writhed on the ground, his hands clasping his head. Demetry gasped and tried to help him up.
Demigod pressed his hands against his temples, a silent scream of agony issued from his lips. Blood trickled from Demigod’s ears. Demetry was taken by a odd form of shock, making her unable to move to help Demigod.
The pain began to subside as Demigod’s mind became accustomed to Demetry’s presence. Demigod  took his hands off his temple, blood stopped pouring from ears.
Bryen came into the room. He helped Demigod up and handed him something to lean on. It was Fandril. Bryen ordered Demigod up to his room. Demigod stumbled up the flight of stairs. He felt something warm and sticky running down his back. His writhing had upset his burns. Blood and pus trickled down his back.
Demigod flopped onto the bed. He thought about the odd way that Demetry brought on a headache. Two distant memories were triggered when she entered the room. Somehow, they were connecter, Demigod knew it. A strange thought came into Demigod’s head.
Demigod had only seen his own reflection a few times. Every time, he hadn’t lingered, so he did not have a good picture of what he looked like.
Demigod grabbed Fandril. The obsidian black blade allowed him to see some form of a reflection. Demigod tried to imagine Demetry’s face. He saw only the face, no color, not the volumouse blond hair or vibrant blue eyes.

He looked at the face. It held many similarities to his own. High brow, sharp nose, curving jawline.

A the searing headache persisted though Demetry was not in the room. Demigod tried to make a connection. He had to pull down the mental wall. Demigod flicked through his memories. Had he seen this girl in his travels? Or when he was growing up. Demigod heard an argument outside his door. He pulled himself to his feet and pressed his ear against the door.

“You saw the blade! This man is a murderer!” hissed a male voice.

“I am trained to take care of the sick and wounded. I can’t just turn Demigod away! He has serious burns!” whisper-shouted Bryen.

“It is my duty to investigate these things! Where do you think he got his burns? Or that nasty scratch on his face?” the other male voice was raised.
“I do not inquire, only heal. He is obviously not proud of the color his blade. The man seems downright depressed!”

“I do not believe his story. Accidentally killing his fiancee?” said the voice. Demigod backed away from the door. He was not welcome here. He would not stay long.