Dying Light

Chapter 3

Grant could only feel the overwhelming pain in his arm and chest, as he opened his eyes. The first thing in site was a wooden sealing, long slender boards reinforced by four-by-fours. He instantly grunted, and hesitated for another painful breath of air. He must have busted a ribe

"Aah, Sir knight, you awaken. I was able to mend your wound in your back. Though I must inform you, your lounge was damage, it would be best not to move."

Grant instantly paused in his motions, not sure how to proceed.He laid on a decently soft bed, though it felt full of hay. He wondered what had happened once he had fainted.

"Why am I here? Were you the one who healed my wounds? Where is Captain Ryan, does he yet still live?" Grant asked, wincing with every breath.

"Mh", the voice replied, "I cannot say your captain was as fortunate as you."

"Then he has passed on?"

"Yes, it was a miracle you are alive. It was mid-day when I found you."

"Mid-day?" Grant replied with regretting surprise, "impossible, I remember it being barely past the twelfth hour of the night."

"Then maybe it is not your time. It seems that God still has need of you."

"So you are of faith?" Grant questioned.

"It would be a crime to tell you otherwise. At that point does it matter?" The man replied placing a cool cloth on top of Grant's head.

The man wore a straw hat, and was chewing on his pipe. He gave out a breath of smoke, going around his crooked nose. He licked his lips, as his brown eyes glanced towards an unknown object. He scratched his brown beard as he walked away, out of Grants sight.

"Do you work with herbs?" Grant asked, as he swallowed.

The man suddenly stopped in his tracks, his boots no longer making noise against the creeping floor.

"I'm just a farmer."

Grant felt a ominous mood in the air. Tension was rising between th two. The man had something to hide.

"What is your name?" Grant demanded.

The man hesitated, "J-Jones. Henry Jones."

"How do you know the art of healing, if you be but a simple farmer, Mr. Jones."

The man didn't reply. Staying quiet.

"You should rest, you'll need your strength."

Grant pushed through his pain sitting up in his straw bead. Jars full of human organs where scattered across the wooden room. The farmer was no simple man, he was an alchemist. A man who collected body parts from dead humans. A human skull laid on the table the man was now standing near. The alchemist's hands reached forward, closing a book lying next to the skull.

"Alchemy is unorthodox, and illegal." Grant said sternly, getting his body out of bed.

Grant leaned his body against a nearby wall. He looked around the room for his sword and armor. The only thing he wore around his torso were bloody bandages. He pushed against the wall his body wavering for a split second.

"Captain Ryan's remains are here, aren't they, alchemist."

"No, I couldn't use any of his remains. I burred him."

"And do ye still think that makes everything else you have done okay?"

"I have done nothing wrong, rather then save lives! I study the deceased to save those who still live. It is science! How can studying God's laws be such a grave sin, to be considered an abomination! It was my Alchemy that saved your life."

Grant took a step forward, his aching muscles rippling with the motion. He took in another painful breath, uncertain if he could take the alchemist in his current state.

"I saved your life knowing it might come to this. I will not fight you, Sir knight. I will not take a life."

Grant, flinched in pain as he took another step forward. He spotted his sword leaning against the table with the skull. As he walked past Henry Jones, he picked up his sword in his left hand, holding his ribs with his dominant.

Grant stood there a second, both men having their backs turned against each other. What the alchemist was doing was illegal, but he had saved his life and treated his wounds. Could such a man be left to his immoral cause?

Grant drew his sword placing the tip into the wooden floor.

"Under the order of the king, you are sentenced to twelve years on prison." Grant said, with authority.

Henry looked at the ground, as he thought about running.

"Don't run, or I will have to use my sword." Grant replied, "I would rather not do that, believe you me. I wish I could let you go Henry Jones, but the law is the law."

"I understand, we all have things we can't help but do."

Grant pointed his sword towards his armor, signaling for the alchemist to carry it as they walked. Henry gently carried the armor, as Grant rushed him through the door. The door swung open revealing the world beyond the cabin. Grant Leaned on his sword as his eyes swept across a new and foreign land.
It was a vast forest in Autumn's Eva. Leaves of brown, orange, red, and yellow gentle fell to the ground and blew in the wind. The Sun's red and orange light seemed too perfect to exist in the beautiful setting. Grant would have wanted to stay forever if not for his aching body, and the alchemist in front of him. In the distance two silhouettes could be seen, both having manly figures.

Grant continued down the cobble stone stairs, each stair dealing a blow to his rib. He just hoped the men coming closer were going to turn away, but he knew better. The men drew weapons when their bodies could be well seen.

One had a barreled belly with a ax in hand. His chubby face proved that he was no warrior. He had short hair and whiskers, his eyes a cold brown, as if he meant business. Beside the fat man, was a skinny lean man. He had a clean shaved face with a nose like as sparrows beak. his brown curly hair fell to his shoulders, a style that hatted him.

Granted sighed as they were now only an arms length away. He knew what was going to happen. He was in a bad shape and was probably going to die.

"Hello old man. I think you owe us something, don't you?" Said the fat one.

"Yeah! You think you could just higher a goon to get rid of us?"

Grant places his hand on Jones's shoulder, and rested his blade against his own. He stepped forward ignoring the pain.

"This man is under arrest gentlemen, and if you are going to interfere in this process, then you are considered enemies of the state, and will be sentenced to death" Grant said confidently.

The only one who was going to die, would most likely be Grant.