Another Lost Soul

Chapter 18

Atticus stuck my by side throughout our journey, attached to my arm. He held even tighter when we heard a scary sound in the woods. "So, have you always been so strong?"

"I'm not strong."

"You have muscles."

"Everyone does."

"But yours are hard." He laughed a bit. "How often do you train to fight in that arena?"

"Every day."

A familiar wave of red hair flew past us, a deep voice whipping through the cold air. "Ease up, Atticus. He's not from where we are, so he's not like us."

"Oh come on! He looks young!"

"You're barely an adult. So let go of him already. He's tense."

"Atticus is a bit intense. That's why he has trouble making friends." Alenor grabbed my hand and pulled me to his side. "I hope it doesn't bother you too much, people of their kind are very open and touchy."

"I noticed. It doesn't bother me too much."

"Really?!" Atticus ran up to me and grabbed ahold of my arm again. "So I can stay?"

"If you want."

"You even smell sexy." He sighed deeply. "To be honest, I was a little scared of you when we first met, but you held me so gently!"

"You were a snake..."

"It was so touching."

I slumped a bit. My body hurts.

"I hope Han fed you well. You look a little sick." Alenor saw the way I began to slow down and tried to ask why in his own way. "Are you tired from fighting all day?"

"Of course I'm tired." I spoke breathlessly.

His reaction to my exhausted words was nothing short of understanding. "You know, Amir, you're allowed to not believe everyone. You don't have to go along with everything people say."

"Oh, I know." I scoffed. "I just-....I thought maybe I'd have at least one person that would be honest with me after Han took me in. I know he's not a great person but I really believed everything he told me."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I'm sorry I lied earlier. I didn't know it would effect you so much." Atticus finally let go of me and stood up straight. "People make me nervous, so I'm used to lying at random. I used to hide from everyone but my master. I even hid from my parents. I know it won't excuse the fact that I lied, but just know that I'm truly sorry."

"You're quite comfortable with me."

"I want to be like you." He walked a bit behind me. "To be honest, I don't really feel like I can be as confident as you, but I want to try."

I turned to him and eyed his shaking hands, "Don't be nervous around me. I'm not a god."

"I don't think I can keep going." He bent down to the ground and took a deep breath. "Just leave me here, please."

"Morla." Alenor eyed his friend, who smiled softly and grabbed Atticus' hand.

"Are you trying to run away again? One thought at a time, alright? Let's move."

In a short amount of two days, we arrived in a different city. It seems more advanced than the one I came from. The electricity is more than just candles. "Where are we going exactly? This place looks like a maze."

"Actually, your very own general is from this city." Morla smiled at me. "He left to help fight in the war."

Atticus stopped in front of a large house, staring at the door and listening to the voices coming from inside. "Don't be fooled by this city's appearance." The voices grew into screams, that were quickly cut off with a loud crash. "It's called the City Of Snakes for a reason."

"But-" as soon as I take my first step onto the city's path, my stomach churns and I can barely move.

"You feel it, don't you?" Alenor eyed me. "They grew up in this place, so they can't."

"What is this?" I look down at my shaking legs and then back to Atticus and Morla.

"The dread will pass in an hour or less. You just have to bear with it." Morla looked aside. "Mind your step and don't let strangers pull you aside. You're human, so they'll be curious."

"Ah- I thought you were human!"

He smiled, his eyes less soft than usual. "Please..." he laughed. "I eat humans for breakfast."

"He'a not speaking literally, don't worry." Atticus smiled and grabbed my hand. "Let's go!"