Guarding the Angel

Chapter 17

"Get up," I command again, dragging Cloud slowly down the hallway. 

Cloud doesn't respond, remaining limp in my arms. 

The would-be-murderer watches the display. He begins walking towards us slowly. "Look what you've become, brother," he laughs. 

Cloud doesn't look his direction, keeping his gaze locked on the ceiling. My arms scream as I pick up speed. Even with all of my might, the would-be-murderer walks faster than we move. Cloud wasn't even dropped by pelicans. There is no reason he shouldn't be on his feet, running out of here with me.

"Such a pitiful display," the would-be murderer says, letting out another laugh. I notice that despite the laugh, he seems less jovial than before. A slight crease has begun to form between his eyebrows. 

"Why have you given up on me?" I ask Cloud.

This time, he turns to look at me. "You gave up on me first. Why would you eat the poisoned berry after the guards had all but admitted it was poisoned?" he demands.

My cheeks flush red at his accusation. "I-I couldn't be responsible for another death... one of the guards would've died had the poison failed," I answer.

The would-be murderer's eyes grow larger. Then, a smirk spreads to his lips. "All of the guards are dead anyways. They were traitors to my domain and destined to die no matter what happened," he declares. 

My blood runs cold. I start trembling and almost lose my footing. 

"Don't believe him," Cloud says, standing up at last. "He spent far too long individually picking out his guards to kill them so easily." 

With that, Cloud takes my hand and starts running down the hallway. We make it about ten feet before a circle of white energy snaps around us. 

"I tire of you," the would-be murderer says. His face is hard lines and angry angles. "I may be unable to kill your Sworn Protector now, but this means I have the chance to give you both a fate worse than death."

Cloud's expression remains blank, but he tenses the slightest amount. Perhaps he doesn't know that I survived his brother's sword. 

The energy closes in on us. The edge of the circle touches my arm, causing an instant burn. Whatever protection I had against the sword is gone now, or simply not effective against this energy. 

Why did I get dragged into this? The most danger I should've faced on a daily basis is from the crazy bus driver that always went thirty percent faster than the speed limit. 

Cloud pulls me closer to him, buying me a couple more seconds before the white light encloses further. His expression is blank, but his grip is tight on my arms. 

"The prophecy was wrong!" the would-be murderer cackles, "Let the universe witness this moment when my brother passes on to oblivion long before my rule comes to an end." 

Why does the would-be murderer's voice have to be the last thing I hear? Can't I at least die in silence? 

A loud CLANG echoes down the hallway and the energy circle suddenly disappears. The would-be murderer crumples to the ground. His chest still rises and falls, but he looks a lot less threatening in an unconscious state. 

Velica marches up to Cloud and I. "You used the wrong tapestry," she says to Cloud. "Did you forget that it changes locations once every five stars?" 

I lunge for Velica, anger roaring in my ears. Cloud takes hold of my shoulders, firmly holding me back. I fight against him, but he has strength I'll never have. 

"She killed Pat," I accuse. 

Velica rolls her eyes and snaps her fingers. Somewhere behind her, a figure takes form. At first, my eyes don't believe what they are seeing. Then, with a sickening clarity, I realize I have been fooled twice in the past few hours.

Pat finishes taking form. He is wearing a long cloak of green. For once, his hair is neatly combed and his skin practically glows. "Harimanne!" he exclaims. He runs up to me and pulls me out of Cloud's grasp and into his arms. 

I bury my head into the front of his tunic, feeling all stress leak out of me. No one's dead. Why did I think he was dead? If I had used even a little bit of reason, I wouldn't have accepted Velica's words so quickly. 

"He's going to wake up soon," Velica says, prying Pat away from me. "Unless you all want to die, we need to get out of here." 

Quickly, we follow Velica down several hallways until we arrive at a  large tapestry. She peels it back and taps a pattern that is distinctly different from the pattern Cloud tapped earlier onto the wall. The wall doesn't move. She frowns and tries again. Finally, she gives up and blasts a large hole straight through the wall.

The hole leads inside the wall, where there isn't really a passageway. Instead, there is just a space between the inside wall and the outside wall. Velica curses but climbs into the space between the wall anyways. Pat follows and Cloud guides me in before him. 

We begin to make our way through the space between the walls when our path is blocked by a brick wall between the two walls. "Finally," Velica exhales, blasting through the brick. 

It crumbles to reveal a staircase leading upwards. 

"This way," someone shouts from outside of the walls. The sound of a lot of boots follows. 

"Where did they go?" a second voice asks.

Velica's face pales. "Hurry," she says and then starts running up the stairs much faster than I ever could.