The Nameless Saviour

Keisha jerked awake, pain shooting down her back as she shot up. Her entire body was aching terribly, and as she took in her surroundings, she realized her body ached from sleeping on the hard ground of the forest she was currently in.

What in the hell was going on?

"You're awake."

The hoarse voice startled Keisha and she jumped to her feet, holding out her fists in a defensive pose as her eyes fell on the owner of the voice, eliciting a gasp – it was the archer from that night.

"I apologize for scaring you," he spoke calmly, not moving from where he stood a few feet away from her. "You can put your fists of fury down."

"Why? So that you can attack me?"

"If I wanted to kill you, don't you think I would've done so while you were asleep?"

Realizing he had a point, Keisha lowered her fists, her cautious gaze still on the man. "Who are you and what do you want from me?"

"Who I am is irrelevant," the mysterious man said, his voice altered by the mask on his face. "What I want is your help."

"Me? Why?"

Keisha didn't trust the inscrutable archer, watching suspiciously as he paced about rather calmly. Everyone related to that night had turned out to be some kind of monster, and she wasn't about to fall prey to another one.

Sighing, he proceeded to explain, his gruff voice sounding unnatural. "You seem to have an involvement with those vampires despite the fact that relations between supernaturals and humans is forbidden. I don't know why they are interested in you, but what I do know is that it makes you an asset."

Keisha rose a puzzled brow. "An asset?"

"Yes, an asset," the man reiterated, turning his back to her as he stood a small distance away from her. "You can bring me information, be my spy."

"Spy?" she questioned in disbelief. "What makes you think I'll work for you?"

A small chuckle left him, his broad shoulders shaking slightly. "Firstly, I saved your life twice, so you are automatically indebted to me. Secondly, if you choose not to do it, I could always return you to the vampires to do as they please."

"No!"

"Exactly. You work for me now."

"I don't think I'll be very useful," Keisha explained, trying to reason with the stranger. The last thing she wanted was to get entangled with another creature. "I'm not exactly close with those vampires, I doubt they'd tell me any kind of valuable information. They'd just kill me instead."

"That's for me to decide," he said curtly, turning to face her. "I am curious though, how exactly did a seemingly normal girl like you get caught up with creatures like them? Are you some kind of pet?"

"Pet? No! To be honest, I don't know. It was a very strange turn of events."

The man simply nodded in acknowledgement, leaning against a nearby tree. "I suppose I should let you rest now. You've been through a lot, Keisha."

"You know my name?" Keisha was shocked, and the man shrugged casually.

"Of course, I do. I tracked you down after saving you last night and overheard everything at the shrine. By the way, I gave you the antidote to the poison. You're welcome."

"Wait a second, shrine? Poison? What are you talking about?"

Letting out a deep sigh, the man crossed his arms. "Temporal amnesia – a common side effect of ghoul poisoning. How typical."

Seeing the look of confusion on her face, the man sighed again. "Let me refresh your memory."

Ten minutes later, Keisha sat on the ground across from the archer, her mouth agape in shock. "The shaman would've killed me?!"

"If I hadn't stepped in, yes."

"Whoa," Keisha gasped, unable to process the nightmare her life had suddenly become. "And what about my powers? Did she say how they came to be?"

"She lied about the reason you can't be compelled so that she could get one of them to mind-link with you, rendering them unconscious so that she could poison the other person. Really, resistance to compulsion is just a rare side effect of ghoul poisoning. You should be fine now, since I have given you the antidote."

"And what about the mind-link? I thought you said it was dangerous?"

"It is, but I believe I successfully broke it so you'll be alright."

Nodding, Keisha ran her fingers through her hair, the golden light of the late evening sun bathing the forest and sky in a magical shade of orange. She had been through a lot in less than twenty-four hours, and she struggled to wrap her mind around it. Ghouls, vampires, murderous shamans; what was supposed to be a harmless college party had quickly turned into a horror story, and it terrified her. If it weren't for this mysterious archer who had saved her life twice now, she'd literally be dead.

The thought sent chills down her spine.

Feeling immensely grateful, Keisha bowed her head to the archer. "Thank you so much for saving me, Sir. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you."

"No need to thank me, it's my fault you were poisoned in the first place. I shouldn't have aimed for the ghoul's head when you were within such a close range."

"Still, I'm grateful, Sir."

The man simply nodded in acknowledgement, bringing out a small piece of cloth and handing it to her. Gingerly, Keisha took it, carefully unfolding it. Inside was a small pendant in the shape of a cross.

"What is this?"

"It's called a Klypeus. It'll protect you from vampires so that they can't compel or harm you. Put it on"

Obeying, Keisha gently wore the metal trinket around her neck, muttering a small 'thanks'.

"Keep it on at all times. It's the only kind of protection you have against those vampires."

"I will."

"Good," the archer said, glancing up at the setting sun, the darkness of dusk beginning to settle over the forest. "Let's get you home."

Nodding in agreement, Keisha stood up from where she sat, more than ready to return back to the safety of her friends. Deciding to thank the stranger one last time, it suddenly dawned on her that she didn't know his name.

"Excuse me, Sir. I don't know your name."

"You don't need to," the archer responded curtly, getting off from against the tree. "I would've told it to you if it were important."

"But what will I call you?"

"Whatever you like, Keisha. Now come along, the forest isn't safe at night."

-

By the time Keisha made it back to Shalini's dorm room, night had already fallen. Opening the door to see her friend, Shalini threw her arms around her, relieved and excited all at once.

"Keisha! Where were you? We were all so worried about you!"

Returning her embrace, Keisha spoke. "Sorry for disappearing on you guys. I'm okay."

"Thank God!" Shalini exclaimed, breaking away from Keisha, tears trailing down her cheeks. "I thought you were gone forever."

"Gone forever? Isn't that a bit over the top?"

"No, it isn't, Keisha," Lin cried, leading her friend into the room. "I was afraid your name would show up in the official body count."

Confused, Keisha cast her friend a quizzical glance as she sat in her bed. "What are you talking about, Lin?"

"What do you mean what am I talking about? I'm talking about the campfire murders."

The look of bewilderment on Keisha's face gave her cluelessness away, and Lin gasped at her friend's ignorance. Rushing to Keisha's side, the thick-haired girl contemplated how to break the news to her friend.

"Keisha, people were viciously murdered at the campout. The forest rangers found five bodies in the forest, all mangled beyond recognition."

"What?"

Shalini nodded gravely, her expression grim. "Some students are still missing and there's search parties out looking for them. I was so scared something had happened to –"

Lin burst into tears before she could finish her sentence, pulling an astonished Keisha into another hug. "I'm so happy you're safe."

Meanwhile, Keisha was in shock at her friend's words. People had died in the forest that night, people like her; undoubtedly by the hands of the monster she saw. The memory of its haunting eyes and dagger-like teeth flashed in her mind, and she shuddered, her heart breaking for the students for whom that was the last thing they saw. The thought of the monster sinking its sharp canines into their flesh made her blood run cold, and she could almost hear their screams of agony as it tore through their bones.

That could've been her. That would've been her.

"Oh my God!" Keisha cried out, breaking into a sob. "Oh my God!"

Squeezing her friend tighter, Lin offered her comfort as both girls wept on the bed. "It's okay, Keisha. Let it all out."

And that was exactly what she did. Cried her eyes out.