Rowan

Chapter Sixteen

Sorry, I had a hard time writing this chapter so there was a little wait. But I've finished the next chapter as well. A lot has gone on recently so I apologize for the lack of updates, as usual. I hope you guys still enjoy!!!

Chapter Sixteen

Chaos is a man of moment. He blends in with the crowd, as normal as you and I. You pass him and smile or perhaps do not even realize he's there. He does not allow anyone to see through his veil until the time is precise.

It was then that he appeared. What once blended in with the crowd was now larger than you, louder than your eardrums can handle, and more powerful than your mind could fathom. He was surrounding you, more than you could manage.

It was then that Chaos stopped strolling among us and revealed his true persona, the hunters shouting nearby.

Sage was quick to react, yelling, "Down!" But it was too late.

The King's once calm demeanor changed as he growled, the sound as authentic as a wolf's own, his body still.

Where the King had once stood there was now a black-furred wolf, slightly bigger than average. Sooner than my mind could process the situation, the wolf sprinted away, disappearing.

"Damn it," Sage snapped, running a hand through his hair.

His eyes found mine before they widened as if something was wrong and he muttered once again. "Sit down," he instructed calmly, walking towards me.

It was not reasonable to sit down when we had just been shot at with an arrow, yet my body listened to him, leaning against a nearby tree.

"I will be right back, do not move," he instructed, once again glancing at me before running off in the direction of the hunters.

For the moment, the only sound was that of my breathing, loud and echoing throughout my eardrums. Time seemed to be moving slowly, as if I would never run out of it. My vision had become blurry, everything blending in with one another.

Sage finally returned, a worried look in his eyes. He knelt down closer to me, talking, but I could only see his mouth moving, the words hidden.

He was then moving once again, taking off the upper part of his uniform. It was odd seeing Sage in a regular shirt and to find that his face wasn't always hidden.

His hair was much paler than I remembered when I met him the first time. The hue was between that of white and blonde, a beautiful blend of the two. It was tied back, appearing fragile on such a resilient man.

He began talking once again, yet the words were still lost upon me, sinking away.

He then started taking off the thin shirt, but the action did not seem out of place. I could see that Sage's years of working as a knight had paid off physically.

His body was toned, firm yet I imagined it to be soft. His torso was a piece of art that had been carved by a perfectionist, defining lines separating each ab. I found myself wondering what it would be like to trace each line and recreate him.

He knelt down towards me, crouching with his shirt in hand. Once again, he talked, yet it was a soundless noise that escaped his lips.

No sooner than my thoughts ended, my world exploded. Everything came back into view, my vision and hearing sharpening, along with my mind. But what was the first to return was the pain.

My teeth had clenched themselves, holding back a cry. What I hadn't felt at first was now revealing itself tenfold, Sage's shirt pressed tightly against my side and held there by his hands.