Don't Destroy the World

Ember was nervous after her talk with Priest Beslen but there was no indication that the priest was going to reveal her secret. In the end, after a simple dinner, she and her family huddled together in the backroom they were assigned. The night was quiet and there was this steady gap that hung in the air. No one spoke about it but Rowan and her found themselves huddled against their mother.

It was a cold night.

The next day, her mother went with Knight Van to collect a few things to take with them. She asked them if there was anything they needed her to pack besides their clothes. Honestly, Ember figured they would buy new clothes once they reached Heklar anyway so she wasn't attached but she did ask for her comb. Her mother got teary eyed when she asked for it but she quickly wiped at her eyes before turning to Rowan.

Ember walked away, letting Rowan and her mother talk. She spotted Patricia who was huddled in a corner. Not far from her was an acolyte keeping watch. It looked like there would always be one near Patricia. It just made her even more curious why an Oracle was so important.

Ember walked over to the girl and plopped on the ground next to her. "You okay?" she asked.

Patricia nodded and then slumped down further.

Ember looked away. "You could have gone with the acolytes or had them bring him here."

"No," Patricia said, her voice tight. "It's better if I don't see him."

"Are you having second thoughts?" Ember asked, looking back at the girl.

"I don't want to stay here, especially not with him. I just..." Patricia gulped in air as if struggling to swallow down her emotions. "He's my father."

Tears began to spill down Patricia's cheek as she wept making soft sniffling sounds. Ember put her arm around the girl's shoulder. She didn't quite understand Patricia's feeling. Her father treated her like crap, beat her, alienated her from the community. What was there to miss? But here the girl was weeping for the man. She really was too kind.

"I'm sorry," Patricia said. "I'm like this and you..."

Ember stiffened and then pulled her arm away from Patricia. "I'm fine."

Ember stood up but before she could take another step, Patricia grabbed at her skirt.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...Are you angry?" Patricia looked up at her with big watery eyes.

Ember smiled softly at her but it felt stiff on her face. "I'm not angry with you."

I'm angry at myself. I'm angry at Lord Felis. I'm angry that I'm too weak to do more.

But she would change that. She had a plan, not a very good plan, but it was a start.

It took another three hours to get everything loaded for the road. Lord Felis and his guards came to see the delegation off though there was no sign of her father. She caught Rowan scanning the crowd before looking away. His face twisted up in anger. He moved closer to their mother, holding her hand.

Her mother, on the other hand, pretended that Lord Felis didn't exist. That was until the man stepped in front of her.

"Don't take too long coming back, Mila."

Her mother glared at him but didn't say a word. Lord Felis looked pleased to get any reaction out of her at all.

A wave of hatred burned in Ember's chest and she felt herself struggling to control it. She just had to be patient. Just a little patience and she'll resolve everything.

They were finally ready to go. She saw Patricia looking out at the gathered crowd. Her gaze searching but whatever she was looking for she couldn't find. Then she was being led into the carriage with Priest Beslen. The knights and two acolytes rode on horses. Ember and her family climbed into the first wagon as well as two other acolytes. Behind them was another wagon filled with their luggage and the items the delegation brought with them.

Then they were off. The ride out of town was quiet. It wasn't until they were a couple hours away that her mother spoke.

"Isn't it dangerous to ride with only two knights? There could be bandits."

The acolytes looked between each other before one spoke. "The knights are very strong and we will help if needed."

Her mother gave the acolytes a doubtful look.

"They're trained in unarmed combat," Ember said. "They're strong fighters."

"Unarmed combat? Will that be enough?" Her mother looked outside, looking nervously at the woods they passed.

"There is a reason the temples aren't attacked," Ember stated. "No one is as strong as the Akashic Order when it comes to unarmed combat."

"How do you know that?" One of the acolytes asked.

"Is it a secret?" Ember shot back.

The acolyte shook his head. "But it isn't common knowledge."

Ember shrugged. The acolyte didn't press her on the subject and she pretended not to notice him looking at her. Eventually he turned away.

One person didn't turn away though. Her brother stared at her with a mix of curiosity and anger. She tried to ignore it but he kept staring at her. She finally looked at him and he immediately turned away from her.

What the hell, Rowan?

"If you have something to say, then say it," she said to Rowan. She was getting tired of his looks.

Rowan glared at her. "You don't want to hear what I have to say."

"I probably don't, but you keep staring at me like you want to set me on fire."

"That's enough you two," her mother cut in.

Rowan turned away, a scowl on his face.

Silence hung over the wagon.

"I didn't steal the pouch," Ember said firmly. "Lord Felis put it there in order to trap us. That's the truth."

"I know that, Ember," her mother said gently, squeezing her hand.

"What about the box?" Rowan said, challengingly.

"Lord Felis would have planted that pouch regardless."

"You can't be sure of that," Rowan shot back, clutching at the side of the wagon. "Dad would still be here if it wasn't for you."

"That's enough," her mother shouted. "Your father was taken by Lord Felis. It is no one's fault but his."

Rowan scoffed and turned away. "Whatever."

Her mother looked at Rowan with a worried expression before turning her gaze to Ember. "It's not your fault, Ember."

Ember nodded, looking out at the forest they passed.

She didn't say much after that.

Mid-afternoon they stopped for an hour to have lunch and let the horses rest. Since there was no big rush, it looked like the delegation would take its time going to Heklar. The knights would most likely not be staying in Heklar since their post was with the royal family which stayed in the capital - Merclen.

She studied the horses. There would be guards at night. More than likely the knights would take turns sleeping so she would have to get pass them. She though she could manage with stealth and an illusion but she wasn't sure about all the abilities the knights had, especially Knight Garrick. And with how low her skills were there was no guarantee that they wouldn't notice. Everything was tricky. She would need a distraction in order to leave the camp safely.

By the time they packed up, Ember had an idea of how to sneak out, so when they went to sleep that night, Ember was ready. She waited for Knight Van to sleep first. She wasn't sure if his truth ability meant he could see through illusions and she didn't want to chance getting caught.

So ,she pretended to sleep until it was Knight Garrick's turn to stand guard. He and two of the acolytes kept watch. Ember waited, and from her spot in the wagon she made the illusion appear. A large wolf walked out of the tree line. It stared at the group. Garrick let out a call to the acolytes and as he did another two wolves stepped out of the forest. They were eerily silent, which made sense since Ember couldn't make sound illusions with her current ability.

"One of you stay with the horses," Knight Garrick ordered

One of the acolytes went to check on the horses while the other two kept their eyes on the wolves. She felt relieved to see they hadn't awakened the camp. It was probably because for the knight this was a minor threat. While they faced off against the wolves, Ember slid out from her bed. Immediately, she used her stealth ability to slip out of the wagon. She cast another illusion, this time of herself sleeping. Right away she felt a strain on her magic but she ignored it.

She began walking to where the acolyte was with the horses. With the illusions of wolves, the horses making noises would be expected. And since they sent the acolyte to stay with the horses, the other two would focus their attention on the wolves with the expectation anything that happened near the horses would be dealt with by the acolyte or at least he would raise an alarm.

Keeping her breath steady, Ember used her sleep ability. It was the first time she had used it since she returned to the past so she wasn't sure how it lowers stats would affect it. The acolyte yawned and rubbed at his eyes. Damn it. It wasn't working. She would have to get closer. She cast an illusion on herself of a young boy with worn clothes and then she crept closer.

Once again, she pushed out the sleep ability. She noticed the acolyte's eyes blinking tiredly. She gritted her teeth. It looked like she would need a bolder tactic. She swiftly lurched forward to touch the acolyte. Even with her stealth, the acolyte sensed her and grabbed her before she could touch him. His hand's grip was strong enough to crush her wrist.

"What..." But whatever the acolyte was about to say was interrupted as he abruptly fell asleep.

Ember grabbed him before he hit the ground, stifling a groan at his weight. Even with her Seedling strength, holding up a muscular fully grown man wasn't easy. She pulled him to the side and sat him down. She glanced to the pair facing off against the wolves. Knight Garrick had moved closer to the wolves. The closer he got the more likely he would notice how strange the wolves were.

She had the wolves step back, baring their teeth. Quickly as she could, Ember untied one of the horses, focusing on one the horses that an acolyte had rode. The horse was docile but she put an illusion of a carrot in front of the horse's mouth and held it back, leading it away and into the woods.

Every time she kept glancing back at Knight Garrick. Once she reached the tree line, she had her wolf illusions turn and abruptly take off into the woods. Ember didn't wait around after that she climbed on the horse with a little push from wind and rode through the woods at a cautious pace. She knew she was probably leaving a trail behind but she couldn't do much about that. Once she thought she was far enough away, she guided the horse back onto the road.

Digging her heels into the horse's flanks, she pushed it into a gallop. She grinned as she held on tightly to the horse's mane. She did it. It was only the first step in her plan but now she was on her way to saving her father. She also was able to try out her sleep ability. Now she knew she would need to touch a person for sleep to work at her current level. It was an annoying drawback but she figured it was still doable.

She rode as fast as she could safely do in the dark road. The wagons moved slower than a single person riding a horse at a gallop, so she knew it would take only a few hours to get to Lord Felis's manor. She was sure she could get there and back to the camp by early morning if she wanted. Though whether that was the best idea, she wasn't sure. She might find a safe place for her and her father to hide out and then after things had calmed down meet up with mom and Rowan.

A whistling sound cut through the air and Ember found herself flying off the horse, landing on the ground. She managed to roll and stop herself from breaking her neck or falling under the hooves of the horse. Pain pierced her shoulder and she looked down to see an arrow protruding from it.

Bandits?

"Well, well, well. It looks like Lady Fortune is on my side today."

The voice sent a shiver through Ember.

From the woods a familiar figured stepped out and walked over to her with a bow and arrow in his hands and a short sword at his waist.

Welks grinned at her. "Now, little girl, why don't you tell me where you hid my soul weapon?"