From The Ashes [#NaNoWriMo16]

Chapter Ten - Arlo Ashryn

Arlo lept out from the room as the two men stood in front of the staircase, and he jumped right in the middle of them with a grin on his face. He kept running up the stone steps and ran right out onto the fourth floor; it was just one big room, this floor, and Arlo had it all to himself.

Well, himself and the human following him.

"Did that psychotic little brat put you up to this?" the human growled, and Arlo frowned.

"What psychotic little brat?" he asked, and the human laughed.

"Don't play stupid with me," he snapped. "The one that just escaped; he ran to the roof. You helped him, didn't you? You put the pumpkin seeds on the ground."

Arlo stared at the human. "You've got a prisoner in here?" he demanded. "Usquener, you are one sick little puppy."

"What did you just call me?" the human sneered as he came at Arlo with his hands clenched into fists at his side. Arlo grinned.

"I called you smelly," he laughed. "Come on, usquener; can you beat me before your stench does?"

The human lunged forward and swung his fists, but Arlo jumped to the side and swung his stick around, whacking him in the back. Growling, the human whirled around with his fists jabbing out, but Arlo jump to the other side and delivered his stick around to the back of the human's knees. He cried out in frustration and went to bring his fists down on Arlo's head, but Arlo jumped back and brought his stick down onto the back of the slow, stinking human's head before swinging the stick around and punching the guy in the face. He wobbled on his feet for a little bit, then fell forward and hit the floor, the dust picking up around his body. Sighing, Arlo slid his stick onto his back and picked up the human's feet, dragging him back towards the stairs. It took him a while, but he manages to get back onto the third floor while only giving the human a few big bruises, which was a good well done. He continued to drag the body to the end of the hall, passing the first door only to see Issey standing over another unconscious body. She glanced at him, looked at the body he was dragging, and was clearly impressed.

"Nice work," she commented, and Arlo flashed her a grin.

"You too, melamin," he shot back, and moved a little quicker to avoid getting punched in the face. He dumped the body in the last room, and Issey dumped hers beside the other one. Arlo was just about to open his mouth and say something when a fist came flying at his face. He shouted in pain as Issey said something else, and he held his nose as it started dripping with blood.

Then, a loud voice echoed around them from somewhere high in the building. It was taunting, and Arlo's eyes widened instinctively as Issey grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room. She pushed him towards the staircase, so he climbed down and sat on the lower part, watching the floor at eye-level. If someone came walking down here, he was going to be caught for sure.

Someone ran down the stairs and Arlo caught a glimpse of white hair as the figure darted into the room at the end. A Keeri man; he looked to be in his mid-twenties, but not quite as old as Arlo, who was twenty five.

"Quinton, where'd you run off to?" the voice boomed, and Arlo flinched. The man was coming down the staircase; he was literally above Arlo. If he came down another floor, Arlo didn't think he could take him. Luckily, though, Arlo saw Issey's shadow sticking through a nearby doorway, and he let out a silent breath of relief as the man paused, then walked along the stone floor towards the door. "I can see your shadow," the man added with a light chuckle, until Issey jumped out with her swords flashing.

"Nope, that's mine," she shot back, and Arlo ducked back into the stairs as their weapons clanged together. They exchanged some kind of witty battle conversation before Arlo heard an unfamiliar voice shouting "Duck!" as a weapon flew through the air. Arlo, kind of confused, jumped out of his hiding spot only to have the same big, bulky man stumble into him.

"Jeez, watch where you're going," he grumbled, jabbing at the back of the man's head with his stick before sweeping it at his feet. The man hit the ground with a thud, and stayed down.

"Want to kill him?" Issey called to the guy who had appeared in the hall, but the guy shook his head with a look of disbelief plastered on his face.

"By Yzther, no," he said with a frown. "I do not want him dead. No, I think I will cut his other fingers off and dump him in the ocean." He paused. "Um, thank you for helping me, but... who are you? No one knew I was here."

"A spirit sent us," Issey replied, pursing her lips. "He didn't tell us anyone was going to be here. I guess he didn't need to."

Arlo shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. "Lucky we got here when we did," he announced toughly. "This guy probably would've killed you." He hesitated. "No offence, or anything," he added quickly.

"He wouldn't have killed me," the Keeri said, glancing at Arlo curiously. "But thanks for knocking him out."

Suddenly, someone burst onto the floor behind Arlo, who yelped and turned around, taking a few steps back instinctively. But when his eyes landed on this woman, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Heruamin, she was truly the definition of beautiful. She had slick, straight black hair that was separated by two magnificent white horns that stood proudly on her head. She had full, dark lips and the most breathtaking white eyes Arlo had ever seen, surrounded in naturally dark eyelashes that defined them perfectly. Her skin was smooth and perfect; she was perfect.

"Marry me," he whispered, eyes wide and full of hope. In the time he had, he pictured his future with her; their children would have his brown hair, but her white eyes, and they would have little white horns that they would stab other kids with when they fought. They would live in Ioven Island, in his big mansion, and he would do all the work in the world, just to make her happy.

She said something else, and Arlo watched the way her mouth moved when she spoke. "I want to kill them," she was saying, and Arlo sighed.

"You can kill me," he breathed, and his breath hitched in his throat as she looked at him. By Yzther, she looked at him; her eyes had actually landed on him. He was suddenly filled with happiness as his eyes took in this gorgeous woman, and he made one promise to himself from that day on. He was going to do whatever it took to win that woman's heart; he didn't care if he embarrassed himself or got himself in trouble, either. As long as he could have her.

"I'm going to say this once," a voice boomed, interrupting Arlo's thoughts. He flinched, looking around with his eyes wide.

"Who the hell are you?" the Keeri snapped, and Arlo dragged his gaze around, confused. There was a woman standing in front of the staircase; she had shoulder-length, dark, wavy hair, and Arlo had never seen her before in his life.

"I am Helio," the voice continued, and Arlo's eyes widened. Oh. "The world is in trouble, and we need your help."

And then, as if he had just willed it, Arlo's world grew fuzzy and the last thing on his mind was his future wife.

Then, he knew no more.