Chapter 7

A large crowd came for the funeral. They crowded around the front of the barn. The morning air smelled of sorrow, and the light hid behind grey storm clouds that seemed ready to weep for him just as we all were. Before the crowd was a pedistol where Otlam had placed Kruk's hammer and armor, along with flowers that had been placed by all his closest friends. Mili and I stood with the others and watched Otlam go before his new people.

He stood by the pedistol and looked at us somberly. "We are gathered here today," he said, "to remember our fallen leader, Kruk. In the real world, I know him as James Roftin. We are gathered here today to remember a just and honorable man that has helped to provide us with all we have here. We owe him our lives, and he gave his for us. He was a true friend, a loving father, a faithful husband, a great leader, and he will always be remembered."

His speech was commendable, and although I had only known Kruk for a short time, I knew he would have been pleased. Some people clapped, others wept. Rain began to fall softly, tears from the sky.

The crowd cried out in alarm as a player crashed to the ground with an arrow through the back of his head, killing him in a burst of light. Everyone screamed with panic and scattered in a hurry, heading for their cottages.

Otlam picked up the hammer from the pedistol and looked around frantically for the hidden assailant. More arrows shot through the air, killing more of the scrambling villagers unlucky enough to be in their path.

Down the road I could see two men, both wearing the same cowls as the bandits. I grabbed Mili and shoved her behind me to shield her with my body. Everything seemed to slow in my mind for a moment and I could see it all happening as if it were in delayed motion. I could see Otlam duck beneath an arrow that would have pierced his throat. One of the bandits drew a sword and began rushing toward me. Mili tightened her grip on my arm. My heard pounded like a drum and hot blood shot through me. Adrenaline slammed into my muscles.

Then it all sped up again and my shock subsided. I let go of Mili and drew Nightfang from his sheath. The bandit came at me fast and all I could think of was that Mili had to be safe. I attacked with my blade, causing a spray of sparks as it met with the sword of my masked opponent. We clashed and hit in a blur of motion. I activated my Seismic Slash ability and my blade came to life with shimmering blue. I slashed at him and he blocked, but a wave of explosive energy threw him back nearly twenty feet. He smacked against the ground and rolled back into upright position. Nightfang returned to its normal state.

An arrow soared through the air and came straight for my stomach. I dodged to the left and it passed by me. It had missed by only an inch, but I realized my mistake as it pierced Mili's right shoulder, knocking her to the ground.

The bandits began to glow with orange light and in moments they vanished altogether, teleporting to someplace unknown to us. I felt my heart drop inside my chest as if it suddenly weighed a thousand pounds.

Otlam rushed over to us and I knelt beside him, scooping Mili into my arms and holding her on my lap. She was weak, her skin turning an alarming ivory white.

"It's a poisoned arrow - King Poison. I know it well." Otlam had his hand over his mouth and he had a look of torment in his eyes.

My mind was blank, shocked, filled with a fear and supreme agony that froze me to the core, colder than ice, numbing all but my shaken emotions. Tears streamed down my cheeks and my hands were trembling as I stroked Mili's hair. She stared up at me in silence, but her heart was still beating. I knew King Poison. It was lethal, incurable.

My head throbbed as the demons of my failure clawed my soul to shreds. "Mili...."

"You don't have to be afraid," Mili said softly, "it's okay."

A knot formed in my throat, nearly preventing me from speaking. I didn't know what to say, my mind was void.

"I'll tell my big brother about you. And one day, maybe we'll see each other again. I'll tell him what you've done for me." Her lips strained to smile.

"Mili...." I choked.

She smiled and repeated, "You don't have to be afraid."

Her body began to glow, giving her an angelic aura before she burst into shards of light that scattered and vanished into nothingness. Tears fell from my chin and my hands fell to the ground. I raised my head to the sky and cried out with all I had. My agony, my failure, all compressed in a single wail that echoed through the air, bursting from my broken soul.