-{Ark II-Beldon: Chapter VII: The Runaway, And The Black Blade}-

What if ya 'ad two paths to go down; one bein' good, an' the other bad, unknowin' how they'll end... What would ya choose? - Old Testament from the entrance exam of the Divine Guard.

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"Ugh... my head is killing me..." I put, and rub, my hand down my face in a lazy manner.

Yet, when I come to, I realise that I'm neither in the Rebellion's fortress nor was I in the alleyway.

"Where... am... I?" I slowly mumble to myself.

The room I awoke in was quite spacious and there was actual colour to the walls, them all being a simple beige, but still. Although silence left the room filling empty, that was until I go to stand.

The bed creaks as the blankets fall from my shoulders revealing several cloth bandages wrapped around my arm, chest, and thigh. What...? When did I get hit in the chest?

– Must of not noticed the strike in the heat of the battle... – Demoros sighs – The leader, as you've named him, sliced your chest when he dove at you the second time. –

– Really? – I ponder, – huh, I guess I didn't even feel it? –

– Guess he could stab with a scimitar after all? – Demoros jokes.

– Yeah, yeah, – I roll my eyes.

I try to stand, however, find my legs wobble under my own weight. And once my head seems lighter than it should be, I plop back down onto the bed.

– How did I die exactly? – I question more to myself than directly towards Demoros.

– Ah, odd one that is... – He chuckles.

– Odd...? Why's it odd? –

– Well, cause you never actually died after that fight, hence you have no scar to mark it. –

– Oh... well then... – I was taken back by his statement, – so, what did happen to me? –

– You fainted from blood loss... again, – He sarcastically jokes.

– Wow... I really need to work on that don't I? – I smirk.

Yet, before Demoros can follow up on another response, voices from behind the door echo throughout the room.

"How is he?" A familiar feminine voice asks hushed by the barrier of the door.

"I'm unsure why someone of your stature would even condone yourself to the well being of this... this Cursed!" An older man grumbles in response to her question.

"I know what he is, but he's different... he saved my life, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him!"

"Elizabeth! A Cursed is a Cursed!" He almost shouts throughout the building we were in, "Once they make their decision, they can never change. Once a Cursed chooses to be a Cursed, they can't go back!"

"But he isn't evil like you say... He's different!"

"It doesn't matter, I've already sent word to the Divine Guard... they can do with him as they please!"

"You can't be serious..."

Their words drown out as I recall what I've just heard. The Divine Guard? Here in Beldon? I can't let them take me, again.

I then look around the room, and all of my gear lays present before me. Did they really not trust me as a Cursed... Then decide to leave all my belongings with me? I mean at least take my weapon if you're so afraid of me?

I rise off the bed then a thought hits me, How would I be able to see her again? She saved my life, I at least want to thank her, but how?

A sharp pain makes me grimace as I place my hand near where the pillow lay. I yank my hand away and see the dagger that had been drived into my leg. Is this just a coincidence or did she mean to leave this in case of a situation close to this one?

I quickly pick it up by its handle. Blood writing isn't the best of my abilities, but when push comes to shove...

I slice the palm of my hand before I walk over to one of the walls and begin to paint out the message I want. Although with my lack of time, it had to be 'cut' short. I did manage to get, Meet me at the place we first met, and ending with a smeared period.

I then cut off a piece of cloth from one of the cotton blankets I had been covered in. I cover my little wound before equipping the rest of my gear. And once I open the window, with a loud enough creak to wake the dead from their slumber, I go for my escape.

The door bursts open as too heavy set guards enter in with a rush. I smirk before leaping out through the window, unfurling my wings as soon as I was able. Then immediately gliding my way to the next roof, although my landing was rough, I was still out of that situation.

I stubble as I cross over the triangular shaped roof. Then once I reach the other side, there was an alley dividing the next building from the one I was now on. I leap down to a crate that was conveniently placed in the alleyway below.

Although I bust it once I slam into it; I still manage to crawl out from it mostly unharmed. I pop my joints as I get back to a stand, and furl my wings in so that they can vanish from the public eye. Then I leave the alley by slipping into the crowd of wandering everyday folk like me.

I then follow the signs through the city to lead me back to the beginning of all this mess, where the fight began.

I wait for what feels like hours, but in actuality, it was still around maybe three? Reading the time from the sun's position was a harder task than lead on...

A silhouette appears in the alley before I can actually realise anyone walking up to me. Although it only takes a few seconds to realise who it was, by the frame of her body.

"You weren't followed, were you?" I question with a grin on my face.

"Shh..." she put a finger to her lips before grabbing my wrist and dragging me further down the alleyways.

We walked mainly in silence, and I finally realise what was happening... We're being trailed.

I grin before I speak, "I have a plan..."

I silhouette myself before we reach an intersection. Then before she can respond, I pull her into one of the turns, then cover her from sight.

I watch as two guards walk into the intersection, look down both the directions, then continue on with a new haste. I grin as my plan works out in our, or at least my, favour.

Then I look down at the woman I was now pinning up against an alley wall. Her eyes were widened and a tinge of fear struck through her as I stared down at her. Although blush rested itself upon her cheeks...

I back away and almost immediately release my darkened form, while scratching the back of my neck.

"Sorry... it was the only thing I could think of..." I put a slight smile on through my embarrassment.

"I-It's fine, I... I just wasn't expecting it... th-that's all..." She stutters.

"So, where do we go now?" I get us onto another topic.

"Well, I'm not really sure... What were you doing before you found me?" She answers my question... with another question.

"Right... I was actually looking for a new sword... or well, I guess I have this one, but I don't have a scabbard for it," I look down at the scimitar haphazardly strapped to my belt.

"Well, I guess our first stop should probably be the weapon shop, then...?" She folds her arms and pulls off a smug look.

"Right..." I nod, "well, would you be so kind as to show this newcomer his way to your local weapons dealer?"

"'Your'... what makes you think I live here?" She smiles as we begin to make our way out from the alleyways.

"Well, by the way your dressed, the lack of travelling equipment, and the knowledge of the city's layout... And the fact that you know a store owner... Yeah, I would say you live here," I reply.

"Alright, alright, I'll give you that one..." She responds with a slightly amused giggle, "So... how long have you been in town?"

"Ha... long enough to almost get killed... twice..." I grin back at her.

She just shakes her head, "And neither of those were my fault..."

"Oh, really now...?" I cross my arms as we walk side by side.

"Okay, okay, I was partially to blame..." She admits while rolling her eyes.

I didn't realise until now, but she's a little shorter than me... Enough to just barely see over the top of her head. Either I got taller, or she's just really short...

It took a little while, yet we were back at the area I had first entered into the alleyways.

"Are they always like a maze, or is that just me?" I question my thought aloud.

"What?" Elizabeth turns to me with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing... just thinking out loud..." I shake my head.

"Oh... kay...?" She turns back to the pathway in front of us, "Anyway, from here we will be going straight then in a block or two, we'll be there."

"Ah, so if I had of taken a right instead of a left I would've actually found what I came for, but..." I grin mischievously.

"But... what?" She questions me once more.

"I wouldn't have found, and the totally rescued you," I put emphasis on my words.

And yet I didn't notice the blush appear on her face as she looks away from me before continuing on. I smile as she practically drags me down the street.

And then before I knew it, we're standing in front of her 'recommended' weapon shop. I open the door and a small jingle chimes from small bells alarming the store owner a customer has arrived. I hold it open as Elizabeth walks in and a smile grows across her face.

"Ah, Elizabeth..." A cat-folk grins from behind a counter, then he peers at me, "And who be this lad?"

"He's actually your newest customer," She smiles back at him.

"Wonderful, wonderful!" He slightly cheers before walking out from behind the counter and towards us, "So what is it you think would be your ideal blade, hmm?"

I hesitate as I ponder on the question for a minute or two. Then I pull the scimitar from its haphazard straps and present it to him.

"I like the balance and weight of this blade, however, I'm more of a straight sword wielder..." I try my best to get what I wanted out.

"Let me take a look at this..." I hand him the sword and he observes it for a moment, "Do you realise what kind of blade this is?"

"Not really... no..." I raise an eyebrow.

"This blade was dipped in adamantite before it's final forging..." He begins to explain, "It's almost indestructible... and it not only be extremely durable, but it has been augmented with."

He looks at me and I nod in response, "Yeah, I kind of found that one out the hard way..."

"Well, well, well... to equal the blade of this, none of the swords here will do..." He ushers to the swords on display around the shop, the for us to follow him, "My reserves will have to do... that is if you have the coin, or are offering to trade?"

I pull the pouch from the back of my waist and present it towards him, and a smile grows across his face, "If I don't at least spend a bit of this I'll regret it later..."

"Good choice..." He nods before stopping in front of a wall filled almost to the brim with racked weapons of various kinds.

He grabs one of the candle holders and pulls it with a mechanical click. Then the wall groans before slowly sliding open, and with a low rumble, it comes to a halt revealing the contents stored within.

He begins sifting through the clutter of not only weapons but boxes upon boxes of other random things. Elizabeth and I were both standing with new found wonder as we look into the small hidden room.

"You never told me about this place?" Elizabeth asks the store owner.

"That's because the need never arose!" He yells in a cheerful manner as he threw a box to the side of the room.

He then made a slight gasp before pulling something out from the clutter. Then he turned to me with a sheathed sword.

The sheathe was a solid black with small silver details for lining and such. Then there was the hilt; it was made from some kind of black crystal-like material with a black leather strap wrapped around the handle.

He then places the sword in my hands and ushers me to pull out the blade. The sword had a bit more weight to it than what I thought it would've. Then I pull it free from its scabbard; revealing the pure black straight blade.

A grin appears on my face before I ever realise it, however, I didn't let it slip as I test for the feel of the sword. Its balance was amazing and it seemed to just about flow perfectly with my movement.

"How much?" I question him.

"How much do you have?" He counters with a smirk.

"Ah... right," I state with a nod before I resheathe the blade and hand it back to him.

I pull open my coin pouch, yet he stops me before I begin to count out the coins.

"Why not do this at the counter?" He suggests, "and I'm not one for unwanted interruptions to poke their noses into somewhere they don't belong."

He motions, as if implying, that he doesn't want anyone else to see inside his 'secret room'.

"I understand," I close the pouch as he closes the door-like-wall.