Rise Of Pandora

Rise Of Pandora: XVIII. Tides of Fear

"This is how an angel dies!"

-Pandora

IV. Poet

Sitting down with his back against a tree, he gazed down at the rippling muddy puddles as raindrops fell on his dark hair. Exhaustion and despair rife on his face.

He swirled a dagger in his hand, a different dagger with a hole at the bottom of the handle where he could slip two fingers inside. In his left hand were ripe bilberries which he was juggling between his fingers. His lips and tongue were blue from eating the berries. He looked discouraged and beaten. Still staring at the ground, he unintentionally let slip a few of his berries from the buildup of rainwater in his palm which seemed to subtly snap him out of the disconsolate daze he was entangled in. His mask was hanging on a latch attached his hip now.

To his left was Maddard who lied stiff on the wet ground. Chilled breath escaped from the stranger's lungs and whirled in the air. He raised his left hand and dropped the berries in his mouth and gobbled them. He dragged himself from the muddy earth and leaned against the tree. He pushed his hand against the rough bark to get up. He attempted to overcome the strain he was in. He was not looking forward to lugging Maddard, however. He stood up and stretched his body. He did well to endure the cold, shivering only seldom. He swooped low and pulled Maddard up. He tucked his dagger into his sheath and took out his dark blade. Walking around he remarked how quiet the forest was.

Despite the ever-strengthening rain, the wildfires still raged. He was careful to avoid those areas because he suspected Deathknights may be roaming in those areas or that the flames would possibly attract them. He consigned himself to the dimmest parts of the forest, wishing to remain undetected.

He clenched his bottom lip and dragged it along his teeth, trying to hold back the frustration he had been feeling. He rolled his head up and gazed up at the snowy branches which dripped rainwater and mushy snow. He looked around warily. He looked at Maddard, a dull gaze brimming past his eyes. He squatted down and lifted Maddard, whose burns blistered black and red.

He partially recognized where he was and he knew of a place nearby where he could find rest. Pacing himself, he worked his way across the forest. Hearing bellows and screams, he knew there were Deathknights approaching in the area.

He rushed east. Panting heavily, he trudged through the dense snow. He had not noticed how alive the forest was until now. He could hear the birds amongst many of the critters in the forest. There were many fires in the south direction. Much of the snow had melted down there.

Trying to drown out his concerns and thoughts, he spoke aloud to Maddard. "Maddard, I am a soldier who was sent by your brother and I want you to know that I will deliver you to him. I don't need any more problems, understood? In some time, you'll be moving again, so I want to be clear now. You don't run from me. You don't fight me."

Normally he would be more sympathetic, but this situation was not normal. He was submerged under tides of fear, it was showing past his face.

After minutes of stepping over snow and twigs, he approached a small cave that was surrounded by a cluster of trees. He looked at it with a queer eye. He walked inside with absolute concern and caution.

He could hardly see inside of the cave other than what the scarce shafts of sunlight revealed to him. He walked just inside of the cave, careful not to go further than necessary, for he knew anything could be lurking within it. He looked up above. He glared at the few stalactites hanging precariously from the ceiling. Dripping wet, he held onto Maddard until he knew where they were was relatively safe. He wiped his face and squinted at everything, attempting to adjust to the dusky cave.

Other than a few troublesome insects, he evaluated no immediate concern. He sat Maddard down near the entrance where no stalactites hung overhead.

He sat directly near Maddard and folded his arms over his sword. He embraced the mix of cold air and rain that breezed into the cave. He was relieved to be out of the rain even just for a while. He lied still and shut his tired eyes. Seconds seamlessly fluxed into minutes. He felt less tense now. He could now relax his aching body with less tension.

There were times where sounds sprang from deeper within the cave. His heart had continually pounded at each odd sound he had heard. He knew better than to investigate. He kept quiet and still as if he were struck with the same paralysis as Maddard had been. He was soon fast asleep and remained that way for some time. Feeling small insects sprawling on his hands and face, he woke up feeling partly refreshed but still weary. He decided it was time to leave.

Before fully rising to his feet, he placed his hand against the rocky wall and reared his head outside to take a peek. He scanned the area.

He did not know how long he had been in here for. He became ever-increasingly concerned, turning his head in several directions.

He noticed that the rainfall had severely lessened, so he was fearful he had overslept. He pounded his hand against the wall in anger. Pressing himself away from the cave, he turned around and yawned with his arms stretched out whilst patting his mouth. He took a moment to recover Maddard from the ground.

Finally, he felt ready to face the world beyond the cave again.