33 - The Innocent

We got away from the scorpi-snake as quickly as we could. Thankfully, it paid no mind to us, instead breaking into its new meal.

I was nearly out of mana a few minutes later, so Katie scouted out a tree I could land in to recover my mana. Once she found a good one, I landed, and set down the child.

She spoke again, but again, no sound came out.

*I can hear her. Would you like me to possess you?*

"I guess so," I replied.

I felt a whoosh of wind as the Ancient's cloak wrapped around me.

"Can you try saying that again?" I asked the girl.

"Thank you so much for coming to save me."

To think we had almost left her to be monster food by waiting until morning. "You're welcome. Do you have a name?"

"A name? I think I did, a very long time ago. But now... I don't remember."

Katie hovered nearby, unspoken questions on her face.

"My name is Marcus. What would you like me to call you?"

"I... I am called Innocent."

"Innocent?"

"Yes. I don't remember why, but for some reason, I remember being called the Innocent." Her white dress, still perfectly unstained, swayed in the wind.

"Are you... a soulblade?"

"I don't know what I am. I don't remember."

"Perhaps you may remember after some rest," the Ancient interjected kindly, "we can finish the journey to camp."

Katie, who heard the Ancient, let the Angel repossess her, making the white wings reappear. I picked the innocent up in princess carry again and stepped into the air.

Jack was keeping watch on his half-built tower when we arrived at camp. Katie nearly collapsed when she landed. The Innocent hadn't said anything else the remaining trip back.

I set the Innocent down. "Go ahead and get to bed, Katie. I'll handle getting her settled in."

Katie nodded, and stumbled into the women's barrack.

The Innocent looked at me expectantly.

"I'll get you some bedding." I said, before entering my own barrack. She followed me closely, grabbing my arm under the Ancient's cloak when she saw the men, who were all asleep. I led her to my bedding, which I had her help me carry outside.

"Is it really okay for me to take this?" she whispered.

"Yes, it is." I answered.

We started on our way to the women's barracks when I had a thought. The Innocent seemed to have been honest to me, and truly as her name implied, or it could all have been a lie - even down to the name and we would be at risk by letting our guards down. She wasn't a part of the Temple of Swords, not yet at least.

She noticed that I had stopped. "Is something wrong?"

"Just had a thought," I shook my head and turned to the watchtower, "let's set up there."

"Okay."

I led her into the tower, setting the bundle of bedding I held on the floor in the corner. She set her bundle next to mine.

"Go ahead and lay down here. You must be tired. I need to go talk to the watchman."

She nodded and did as I suggested. I went up the stairs to the incomplete second floor. Were the walls higher?

Jack turned to me as I approached. "You are darn scary with that cloak at night."

The Ancient unpossessed me. "Sorry. We couldn't hear the girl we saved, but the Ancient could." I joined him at the wall, overlooking the three barracks.

"Does that mean she's a Soulblade?"

"I assume so, but she doesn't remember much. Like total amnesia. Just remembers she's called the Innocent."

"A Soulblade in human shape? I didn't know that could happen."

"I don't know. But just in case she is malicious, I had her rest here."

"Thats fine. You didn't take my bedding for her, did you?"

"Of course not. I gave her mine. I'll make do tonight and get some new stuff in the morning."

"Alright," Jack said, "I hope you can get some sleep. You look like you're about to collapse."

"I'm fine. Thank you for the concern though."

I pushed off the wall and returned downstairs. I almost left when the Innocent sat up.

*She just asked you to stay with her for the night.* the Ancient noted.

I sighed, and let the Ancient repossess me.

"I can stay with you." I replied, moving to the wall by her pillow and sitting down.

She laid back down and smiled. "Thank you."

I watched as she fell asleep. My eyes were getting heavy too. Finally, I drifted to sleep sitting up.

The fact that I woke up in the morning was proof of how tired I was - that I missed the guard switch - and also proof that I had survived.

The Innocent was still asleep, her knees tucked up against her chest, arms wrapped around the bundle she was using as a pillow. Her golden hair was splayed like beams of sunlight around her head.

I felt guilty distrusting her, but I just had to be cautious. Fifty people relied on me.

One of the men, Greg, poked his head in the door. "There you are. Most of the men are gathering to find the girl... Wait, is that her?"

I nodded. "Katie couldn't wait, so we looked for. It was just the two of us, since she can fly and I could kinda keep up with air walking."

The Innocent stirred, but didn't open her eyes.

"You should probably come tell them. They seemed about ready to head out." Greg added before leaving.

I stretched, and went to stop my people from going on a fool's errand.