Left Behind – Episode 20

Left Behind – Episode 20
 
© Happy William
 
Ewan’s POV
 
 
As I slowed my sprint down to a jog, I couldn’t believe what just happened a few minutes ago.
 
To think that I was so dumb to foolishly trust someone like her. I don’t know why I did, I’ve never slipped up about the location of the Horn before.
 
Was it because of that bond s*** Juliante kept pushing into our head? Or because I was distracted by thoughts of k-ssing her?
 
Whatever it was, I messed up big time, and I’m going to clean it up. The Master isn’t going to get the Horn, even if it’s the last thing I did.
 
I walked noiselessly into the entrance of Zenbow which was shaped/carved like a cave. If you didn’t know the place, you could fall in without seeing the stony steps by the corner.
 
I took these steps, two and three at a time, taking light steps so as not to alert anyone of my presence.
 
Harriet.
 
I should never have trusted her.
 
At first I was wary. What would she be doing in the forest during one of the rarest earthquakes, with the Master running amock? Why did she come here? What crazy bond do I have with her, that each time we mind talk it always ends up bad for me, and creates a passage for the Master to come into my mind, to search for the Horn’s locale, and to torture me continuously?
 
I wanted to be angry with her, and I was. I wanted to hate her, and I did. I hated her for lying to me, for being the Master’s accomplice, for making me break the oath I swore on my parents grave in the name of the Spirits.
 
But somewhere, deep in,side, there was this feeling, that kept telling me she was telling the truth, and that I should trust her.
 
The wounds on her body were evidence, but what if it was all a plan? Juliante was right when he said I shouldn’t go along with her. My mind is so messed up right now and I don’t know what to believe.
 
I should be focused on getting the Horn before the Master.
 
“Too late.”
 
My feet was already on the cave floor when I realized that I shouldn’t be distracted.
 
And that the voice that spoke wasn’t mine.
 
“Well well well Hornkeeper, ñíçê of you to join us. You’re just in time to see your beloved City perish.” Then he made an evil cackle.
 
The Master..
 
The Band of Evillings.
 
Rex.
 
They all stood in a semicircle around the rock pedestal where the Horn was placed, shinning in all its harmonic glory.
 
I was far away from the Horn. Even if I wanted to hurriedly grab it, the Master, or any of them will beat me to it.
 
I had to think.
 
“It’s great to see you again, Ewan. And you’re looking good by the way. After the beatings last time, I expected you to look a little… rough.”
 
They broke out into another fit of laughs, except Rex, who had an unreadable look on his face.
 
“I’m not a weakling,” I said calmly. “And I’m not going to watch Amazon get destroyed. I’m going to stop you.”
 
Another laugh.
 
“And how do you presume to do that? The Horn is here, an inch from my reach. And you’re….. waaaaay over there.”
 
He grinned evilly, showing those sharp canines that had pierced countless of women’s neck skin s-ck blood.
 
“And hey…how’s your girlfriend by the way? I’d have loved to thank her in person, but I haven’t seen her…so, my regards to her.”
 
I was right.
 
She played me.
 
I’ll think of that later.
 
Now, I’ll have to get the Horn.
 
I angled closer a bit.
 
“So what do you plan on doing with the Horn after you get it? Blow it, break it?”
 
I already knew what he planned, but I needed to keep him talking so as to get closer to the Horn.
 
“I was thinking more along the lines of destroying. Change the damned place into my kingdom. Get rid of anyone who goes against me. I WILL BE GOD!” he said it so loud that the cave shook, and the minions chattered in reverence.
 
Two more steps closer.
 
“The Amazonians will never worsh¡p you.” I said.
 
“Their loss. I’ll do it the hærd way. Who wouldn’t want to be part of my great and glorious reign?”
 
By now I was within reach.
 
“Those who believe in Goodness!”
 
And with that, I lunged at the Horn, almost feeling it in my grasp, but it was frozen midair, unable to move an inch.
 
“Ñíçê try, Hornkeeper,” the Master said in an all serious tone with his hands stretched to me.
 
 
Black magic.
 
“But I’ve come too far to let you stand in the way of me and ultimate power. I might like your courage, but I like being a god more.”
 
He flung me away, and before I hit the wall, the minions jumped on me and bounded me up.
 
The Master reached for the Horn.
 
“No!” I yelled and struggled with all my might. “Don’t do it!”
 
He cackled.
 
“Oh I will. And I’ll make sure you’re there the see your beloved city crumble under my feet. And after that,” he shrugged like it was a little thing, “I’ll destroy you.”
 
I turned to look at Rex again. His eyes were lowered, and his expression still unreadable.
 
“Rex tell him this is crazy,” I tried talking to him.
 
He lifted his gaze to me and fixed me with a look that said, “I wish I could.”
 
And from my position at the corner, heavily guarded by the Master’s minions, I watched as he lifted the Horn upward, and made sacred incantations.
 
Then, he joined the mouth of the Horn to something around his head, and with his eyes closed, he repeated the words.
 
Then we all watched in wonder as he grew bigger…. bigger….bigger…..until the cave roof broke above us to accommodate his massive size and strength.
 
His skin became black, and scaly.
 
Horns on his back from his head to his tail, whose tip was a sharp arrow.
 
Powerful hind limbs and sharp claws.
 
Great bat like wings with paws at the elbow turned inwardly.
 
He roared, and the forked tongue and razor sharp teeth were visible.
 
And on it’s forehead, the golden Harmony Horn.
 
It was too late.
 
I failed.
 
I broke my promise.
 
Amazon was doomed.
 
Thanks Harriet.
 
___
 
.
 
Ewan’s POV
 
.
 
As the Master, that deceitful dragon flapped its massive wings and took off leaving a cloud of dust and debris in his wake, I lowered my head, struggling weakly with the chains.
 
Then I felt a presence and looked up to see Rex watching me, leaning on the pedestal.
 
“What do you want?” I asked with a frown.
 
He leaned against the pedestal and walked slowly towards me with that strange expression on his face that seemed like a cross between remorse, guilt and bad things.
 
I eyed him warily.
 
“You love her.”
 
I knew he was referring to Harriet, but What did he mean by that?
 
“Who?”
 
He chuckled.
 
“Don’t play dumb with me, OK. You know of whom I speak.”
 
“I don’t. She betrayed me.”
 
“Hmm. So what of when she didn’t? Did you love her then?”
 
Why was he asking all these?
 
I thought about it.
 
Did I? I don’t think so. I’ve always known that she had something up her sleeves. I might have been attracted, yes.
 
But not in love.
 
I think.
 
“I didn’t,” I replied. But why am I even telling him these? Maybe because all hope is lost, and Amazon will be no more.
 
Or maybe because I just wanted to talk about it to someone?
 
I shook my head. I was wasting my time. He was stalling me, distracting me so that the dragon will have enough time to reduce Amazon to ash.
 
I struggled against the chains.
 
“It’s no use. Why do you still fight? You’re still holding on to that thread of hope? When the Master said he’ll be taking you along to watch him destroy your city.”
 
“The Master doesn’t keep promises.”
 
He chuckled again, and stood with his hands at his back, staring into the distance as he recalled something.
 
“I wish she knew that. Maybe she wouldn’t have gone along with the Master’s deal.”
 
“What are you talking about? You keep speaking of love as if you know anything about it.”
 
Rex returned his gaze back to me.
 
“I’m not the emotionless monsters people think I am. Love is a feeling. People feel. I’m a person. I feel. I feel emotions. Sadness, hate, joy, dejection. Love.” He paused and sighed. “I loved her. Against every thing I was trained to believe, I somehow fell in love with her. And I didn’t know it. But when I did, I knew it was of no use. Harriet loved somebody else.”
 
The thought of another guy looking at Harriet out of the ordinary way got my blood boiling.
 
But worse, the thought that Harriet loved somebody else was shattering. Who was he? Was he someone from where she came from, her fancy and modern world? Did she ever think of him? Those k-sses we shared….
 
A familiar wave of feeling which I knew was jealousy but refused to acknowledge washed over me as I tried not to think of her imagining those k-sses with another guy.
 
It’ll break me.
 
Rex’s laugh broke my thought.
 
“You shouldn’t think that far, Ewan. You say that Harriet betrayed you.”
 
”She pried the Horn’s location from me just to rat it out to the Master! ” Each time I thought of how foolish I was to trust her, I always felt so angry. With her, myself. I don’t know why.
 
For trusting her?
 
“She didn’t.”
 
“Didn’t what?”
 
“Betray you. Ewan I’d think you of all people would believe her.” Rex spat, ad if he was disappointed in me.
 
“I made that mistake once.”
 
He squatted in front of me and gave me a punch on the face.
 
“Hey! What was that for!?” I yelled, rolling my chin to ease the pain.
 
“A wake up call. Harriet didn’t betray you. Do you know how much she went through in the Master’s hands? He beat her up Tortured her. Threatened her parents and everyone she holds dear. But she wouldn’t budge. Until he threatened to take your soul, your essence of living. That’s what loosened her. She agreed to get the Horn, in exchange for your life!”
 
She did what!?
 
“The Master used her. He deceived her. You. Me. Were all pawns on the Master’s chessboard. He uses people at will, he calls the shots. Because at the end, he’s always the winner. But will you let him?”
 
I stared off as Rex’s reasonable ramblings sank deep into my head.
 
I’m a monster.
 
A crazy sonofavillain.
 
How could I have not listened to her explanations!?
 
“God I’m terrible,” I muttered.
 
Just then, I felt a sharp and painful contract in my head, and I gro-ned from the pain.
 
Harriet!!
 
I immediately began to struggle furiously with the chains that bound me.
 
“I have to go. I gotta leave this dammed place!”
 
“Hold still,” Rex said. He got out a sword from his sheath and with one swipe the chains came off.
 
I immediately jumped up.
 
“Thanks.”
 
“I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Harriet, me, and my mother’s city.”
 
I was thinking; what the hell!?
 
But I nodded.
 
He I picked my sword from the pedestal, and together, we ran out, mounted horses and rode off.
 
I prayed for Harriet’s safety.
 
If anything happened to her…. if she died, I’ll never forgive myself.
 
I won’t even live to forgive myself because I can’t live without her.
 
I’ve just realized what had been ever since I met her:
 
That I love her.
 
She’s me, and I’m her.
 
“Hiya!” I kicked the horse to go faster.
 
I love you, and I’m not letting you go.
 
To be continued
 
 
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