Heed My Warnings and Survive (Second Draft)
Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

As soon as we saw it we turned away. But behind us was Zander. He was alone, no men around him, and he had a deadly look in his eye.

“Draw your sword,” He growled, drawing his own. I didn’t move, I don’t believe I could have even if I wanted to.

“Zander, think about what you’re about to do,” I said. He charged at me. I dodged. “Zander think about Neireida, and Thomas.” he let out a cry, and charged me again.

“She took them,” He yelled, and anguish filled his voice. He lunged at me. I drew my sword, and parried, he knocked me back, and I stumbled cursing my actions, because now I was stuck, locked in a sword fight with my friend, who I once saw as a brother. Our fight seemed endless, and truthfully it lasted a long while. I didn’t know how but I held my own. Albeit sloppily, mostly because he wasn’t thinking straight, he was fueled by a blinde rage, but I was tiring, and he showed no signs of wavering.

“Fin. I can’t,” I said panting. I fell to my knees after a particularly hard blow, sweat dripped down my forehead. Zander came in with another hard blow, my sword slipped, and his sword slashed my arm, just inches above the cut my mother had given me so long ago. I grunted. Blood began running down my arm, and the arm would now be almost useless, but I would not let him defeat me, I would not allow my blood to be on his hands. I stood, and raised my sword once more, ignoring the stinging in my arm.

“Just give in Draven. You can’t win. You’ve never even come close to beating me with a sword. You’ve barely ever even held a sword.” Zander practically yelled. I gritted my teeth, but I didn’t say a word back. I lunged at him this time, trying to catch him by surprise, like I had with Phonwhin, but I couldn’t deliver the same amount of force as I could then, and he parried it easily. I was careful not to let him know I was disappointed, I wanted him to think everything was going exactly how I wanted it. It didn’t take much longer before Zander disarmed me. I had been knocked to the ground, only supported by one elbow.

“Zander. Please don’t do this,” I pleaded, backing away from the point of his blade.

“You can’t escape this. I have to save them. I can’t let them die again,”

“But you would let your friends die?” Finley asked. Zander looked at him. “What happened to you? You were our brother Zander, you can’t possibly want to do this.” Zanders face softened.

“I’m sorry. I-” tears started in his eyes. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t me-” He was cut off by an arrow piercing his chest. I looked at Kiara, who had dropped her bow, and placed her hands over her, and tears had come to her eyes.

“It. It slipped. I- Draven I promise. It was an accident. I’m sorry. I-” I ignored the rest of her sentace, and rushed to Zander. He was lying on his back, breathing shallowly. Panic filled my chest.

“Draven. I. I’m sorry,” he said with labored breath.

“It’s ok, it’s ok, we need to focus on getting this arrow out of you,” I said, busying myself with assessing his wound. Zander grabbed my arm.

“Focus on your wound my friend. Please, there’s no saving me. Your friend is an excellent shot.” I wanted to glare at Kiara, but at the same time, I knew it wasn’t her fault, and I didn’t want to make her feel any worse then she already did.

“No I can’t, I need to help you, I need to save you. I need-”

“No. Just promise me one thing.” I nodded. He grunted. “Kill. That. Witch.” he let out labored breaths between each word. I nodded once more, the lump in my throat not allowing me to speak. Finley was on the ground on the other side of him, tears streaming down his face.

“Zander. You can’t leave me, please,” he said pleadingly. Zander gave him a weak smile.

“I’m sorry Fin. I’m sorry I betrayed the both of you. And I’m sorry I have to leave you, but you’ll be ok. And her. Who is she?” he asked, looking at Kiara.

“Kiara, our friend,” Finley told him. He gestured for us to join him. She shook her head.

“I can’t.” She wrapped her arms around herself. I thought she was only regretful, but then I caught her eyeing me, with a hint of fear. My face softened, and I held my hand out to her. She walked forward slowly, and took it, kneeling beside me. She looked at Zander, her eyes also filling with tears.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, fear, sadness, and regret filling her voice. My heart ached worse as I heard the tone in her voice.

“I know. I understand, and please take care of them for me.” his voice was getting weaker. “Let’s not talk now, let’s have a moment together. We can look at the stars.” We all complied with his last request, laying on our backs and watching the stars, until our friend let out his last breath. There was an ach in my chest and an overflow of tears running down my face. The lump in my throat felt like something was trying to scratch its way out. I wanted to scream, to let my pain out through my voice, but I held back, I didn’t want to attract unwanted attention.

We buried him as the sun rose, and Kiara insisted that I patch myself up. Which I did as my feelings began to numb, and I didn’t have to think about facing them. I tied a bandage around my arm, and ignored it for the rest of the day.

We left shortly after, not wanting to stay there longer than we had too.

Once we left my friends seemed to remember that food was a necessity, and they both started grumbling, and groaning about their empty stomachs, and it was really starting to annoy me. I couldn’t even think about eating, in fact the thought of food made me sick. I took a deep breath. My mind was overflowing with so many different thoughts, but there was the overwhelming image of Zander’s broken, bleeding body.