Unexpected Presence

Slowly, I opened my eyes, revealing what seemed to be the ceiling of a tent. I couldn't remember what exactly happened during the last night, but whatever it was, seemed to have destroyed my whole body... Not literally, of course, but I could feel the pain in every centimeter of it.

Even try to sit up was a hard task, I could only groan in pain after trying, putting my hand where the pain was worse... Bad idea, the touch of my hands only made the pain a few many times worse than before.

"Ah, calm down Dagger!", a voice said to me and when I looked to the side, Jeffrey and the fox were there, sitting beside me and holding my things for me. It seemed like we were inside a tent, but I don't even remember to have seen one so far... My memory was maybe failing me, I can't even remember what happened for me to have gotten this pain...

"What... What happened?", I tried to ask them in search of answers.

"So... You don't remember? The fire burning the whole city down? You throwing your things on me just so you could save someone who might still be inside the city?".

Just as he said, I started to remember... I didn't really think straight, did I? Jump inside a city on flames isn't really something anyone would do, mainly when it seemed like the city was already lost, the buildings falling and even the wall having a hole. But it was worth it, I suppose... I saved someone, after all... But that's when it hits me.

"Wait... Where's her? I remember to have taken her out of the building, she was in my hands!"

"Oh, so you haven't forgotten... Well, don't worry. When they found you, the girl was still alive, I am sure she must be alright..."

" 'They'?"

"Oh, the townspeople... I warned them that you had headed inside the town to save people and haven't come back yet. They saved you, you should thank them later..."

"Yes, I will... But first things first, can you get the loaves inside the bag? I will need maybe half of one to heal all these injuries I have gotten..."

"Ah, of course...", he said and grabbed one of the loaves from inside the bag, giving it to me and I tore it in a half, eating one of them and starting to feel the healing process... I wonder if it's because of how many injuries I have, but the healing process seemed to be going even slower than before.

"You know, I wouldn't believe it if you died here. You claim to have defeated a goddess and yet the fire managed to kill you"

"But I am alive, am I not?"

"And we're both glad for that, isn't that right fox?", he asked the small creature, who nodded in agreement and started to jump all around me, as if trying to show that it was happy that I was alive.

"Well... I think I can stand up now", I said and attempted to do so... Every movement put pain in my muscles, but it was a bearable pain this time, at least. "I think I will go check the girl I saved..."

"We're coming with you... You still look pretty weak from the wounds", he said and immediately came to my side, making sure to be ready to grab me if I happen to fall or trip.

As soon as we were out of the tent, however, I saw two men wandering among the many tents that were put around the area... And they weren't just any people, I could realize that as soon as I looked at their armor design and colors...

Those were soldiers of Coventry, but why they were here? Aiding the people? They couldn't have come so fast, the fire was just yesterday... I didn't have time to wonder about that, however...

"Hey..." I started whispering to Jeffrey. "Let's avoid those soldiers, shall we?"

"Why? They are helping the people. They happened to be at the city at the time the fire broke out..."

"They were? Anyway, the point is that they are soldiers from Coventry kingdom... If they see me, I won't have a chance to fight back in my conditions..."

"Ah, I see... But it's hard, they are everywhere..."

"Hey, you!", one of the soldiers suddenly shouted to us... It seems like our luck is very high today. "You're Dagger Everblade, aren't you?!".

When my name was mentioned by him, it was just a matter of time... Eyes started to appear everywhere, all of them looking at me and the knight. I side glanced to the fox and Jeffrey when people slowly started to gather around us... And then, without warning, I dashed out of there.

"Stop right there!", he shouted, but of course I wasn't going to listen to him, I continued to run, often checking all my surroundings for any of the other soldiers who will probably try to catch me too.

It was hard to run with my conditions, so the soldier was slowly catching with me... Or at least he must have thought so until I saw a wooden pole with the flag of the town hoisted on it... Summoning my strength and ignoring the pain, I kicked it.

The frail and thin pole didn't resist and immediately fell over the knight. He dodged, but that delayed him enough to lose me from his sights while I tried to escape the encampment before I had to face another knight... But it was too late...

"Oh, hello there!", he said and prepared his spear to impale me. I managed to stop myself and then turn around in another direction... But I knew I couldn't just go back, I would end up being stopped by the first knight, so instead, I decided to enter one of the tents.

"Hey, what are you-", a person who seemed to be treating wounded people started to speak after I entered there.

"Sorry, sorry... Really, I am sorry...", I immediately replied to him and then, using my momentum, I slid under one of the tent walls. This should have confused the knight for a bit, so I took advantage of the situation to escape or find a hiding spot somewhere...

Jeffrey wasn't kidding when he said those soldiers were everywhere... Every corner that I tried to turn in had Coventry soldiers on it... Were there really so many in the city when the fire broke out? I don't know what to think about that, it sounded way too strange...

But there was no time to lose thinking about that... I tried to sneak past one of the guards, but he caught a glimpse of me just in time. And he seemed to have called his friends to corner me this time... In the desperation of the moment and lack of possibilities, I went inside one of the tents again.

Luckily, it seemed like I chose a good tent to enter... The blacksmith who adjusted my armor and sharpened my sword was there, slightly wounded apparently... He seemed to have not noticed my presence at first.

"Ah, please... I need to hide", I said to it and he jumped in surprise when he saw me and heard me. Then he recomposed himself and I thought he was about to help me, but his face turned into sour and pure anger in the following moment.

"Hide? Hide from what? Your crimes?!", he asked, almost shouting...