CHAPTER 5.

Slowly, Londinium vanishes behind them. Solemnly and valour, the horse's hooves dug into the trail they followed. Her eyes traced over the never-ending fields ahead of them, and the hills that towered the forest below it.

A small ember glow came from the distance, smoke tangled within the air. Small silhouettes hung around the small campfire. From what she had observed the thieves were close. Axel could identify those were the bandits that they were looking for. Commonly they camped close by to the road, ambushing merchants and families that were unarmed.

Slaughtering those who opposed them, they fought bitter and dirty. Poisoning the ends of their blades with bacteria. A deadly bacteria that infects the gas it created. Slowly, a fever set in and then kills the infected.

"Bandits, this close to Londinium can become a hazard to our trade. Not to mention a traveller mentioned these outcasts earlier." Gavin pulled his reins back and the horse halted.

"What do you mean?" Axel questioned. She wanted to understand what the traveller mentioned about the bandits, which she can easily keep in mind.

"They fight dirty and it's said they're cursed with dangerous spirits," Gavin warned her. Dangerous spirits? At that point, she wasn't sure if this was a joke or whether he was serious.

But that would all be determined after they meet the tip of her blade. Axel jabbed the horse with the heel of her foot. The glow of the fire began to get brighter and the silhouettes appeared to be four men that sat huddled around the fire. Their weapons were in arms reach. The bandits noticed the sounds of the horse's hoofs roughly ripping the Earth's soil up.

When close enough Axel swung her sword missing the man by inches. They were fast and had the stamina of a demon. Gavin leaped off of his horse and plunged two of the bandits in the chest with his hatchets. 

The third slashed the horse Gavin lent to her. Screams whaled from the horse as it collapsed. Axel was sent flying. She covered her head and embraced herself for the impact. Her shoulder collided against the ground, scraping half of her arm. 

Small particles of dirt ascended into the air. A small whine left her lips. She gripped a fist full of soil and propped herself up onto her feet. Her eyes searched for her sword. She watched as Gavin leaped over the fire and took on two men at once.

At that moment it was almost laughable how screwed those bandits were. But she knew the outcomes of being outnumbered could lead to an easy death. Gavin blocked each of their strikes. He kicked one in the chest and sent him toppling onto the ground.

Axel scanned for her sword. She recalled the moment it escaped out of her hand. She started to search around the camp searching for her sword. She felt a sudden wave of panic wash over her when she couldn't find her sword.

Being unarmed was dangerous, there was barely a chance of survival.

Suddenly a loud horn was sounded from the distance, around a mile away, within the same field they fought in. Their attention withdraw from the fight and followed the noise. The bandits widened their eyes and panicked. It was almost as if they knew what was on the end of the noise.

"Run! The Riders are here!" The bandits screamed, warning the other two that a new danger crept from the distance. Gavin halted and locked eyes with Axel. Sweat dripped down the tips of his hair. But perhaps if Gavin didn't kill one of them earlier, they would've been able to kill the other two. They would be able to flee. His eyebrows raised, his eyes widened. Gavin gave off a horrified look. Axel turned her head and watched the bandits run for their lives.

"What are you doing?! After them! We can't leave empty-handed!" Axel hollered. Gavin shook his head, knowing whatever was after the bandits and possibly them wasn't saints.

"Do you know how long it takes to cleanly remove a Human head?! Come on!" Gavin yelled, motioning her to follow him. She turned her head over her shoulder and froze. Axel became petrified when she saw the riders. The riders were concealed in a thick cloak, dark as the onyx sky at night. It was almost like there was a small barrier of glass between her and escape. She felt a hard tug on the back of her shirt, she felt herself leave the ground. Gavin helped her up onto his horse.

"I hope you weren't playing war hero," Gavin commented. Gavin's held an iron grip on the reins. The horse sensed danger within a fair distance and started to race the riders. His heart started to pick up the pace, as the riders galloped closer. Gavin whispered a small prayer to his ancestors, hoping they would hear his call.

His horse galloped onward. Despite carrying the weight of two people and the danger that the horse sensed. It continued to remain loyal to Gavin. Four hooves meeting the Earth's soil, galloping in full valour.

Axel wondered whether they would escape the riders or not? Whether this was it for them. But she kept faith that they had a chance against them. The riders began to catch up to Gavin's horse. Closer and closer they began to draw their broad swords, intending to only bring death. 

Gavin leaned one-way taking the horse off its course and towards the thick woods that led towards the mountains and the bay. The woods were thick and dark. The trees were what separated the field and the forest, bordering a line of soil between the fields and the forest.

 The forest whispered nocturnal whispers, filled with mystery and the unknown. A steady glow of the moon peeked through its thick branches.

The forest was something else, it called out to them. Gavin predicted this was his only option, even when it was risky.

A loud screech came from the distance, it was blood-curdling and sounded similar to an elk and a fox. Gavin widened his eyes as slender fingers curled around the edge of a tree. 

Boneless and slender. Ever so slowly the creature hid behind the tree, it stood fifteen feet tall and its horns saluted the branches above it. 

The creature looked like a skinless elk, with sharp teeth, and fur hanging off of its back. It stood hunched forward and screeched the same call.

"No! We're not doing this!" Gavin yelled in fear. To her surprise, she wasn't sure what he was talking about, nor has she ever seen a man his size petrified in fear for a couple of seconds.

"Gavin! We cannot fight them! It's either the woods or the riders! Choose Gavin!" Axel hollered. She was clueless about what he saw and expected to see it very soon.

"There is something far worse in that forest, but I guess we have no choice!" Gavin accepted, hollering over the wines the horse made.

"In your words, what is far worse?!" Axel hollered. She felt a chill crawl up her skin.  Was it more dangerous than four riders? The thought made her stomach uneasy about what was fast approaching.

"A Wendigo, they're creatures who are cursed in my culture, by dark spirits that roam the land, for betraying their ancestors. It is said they have the strength of the gods and are impossible to kill. They're cannibals, it's said their sanity is trapped within them. But I have to warn you, we're about to meet one."Gavin warned, meeting the border of the forest. 

Him and the creature locked eyes.

Axel's jaw dropped and her heart anticipate only danger. Her mind could barely process if the creature was part fiction or reality. The riders turned around when they passed the borders of the forest's soil. It was almost as if they knew what Axel and Gavin were up against.

She could barely focus on her objective, other than hoping they were going to survive.

The forest was almost pitch black. A small glow beamed through the branches above, cloaking them in a fair amount of light. Ahead was an endless amount of trees that Gavin strategically avoided running into.

Axel turned her head over her shoulder and watched as the creature followed them on four legs. It was almost like the creature was a part of something out of a story, to scare children to be good. A pit formed in her stomach. She squeezed her eyes shut, horrified at the sight of the creature.

"Where is it, Axel?" Gavin calmly questioned, keeping his focus on moving through the forest. Her eyes fluttered open and the creature was gone. At that moment she felt foolish, she should have kept her eyes on the threat. This was its territory and it knew where to strike.

"I-I don't know! It was behind us a moment ago!" Axel stuttered.

Gavin's brows furrowed before he answered, "Wait what do you mean it's gone?" he questioned. He held a confused expression and knew this wasn't the end. Wendigos were smart, and when they hunted they would take their prey by surprise. Their stealth was incredible and they played a fair game of deception.

"Maybe we lost it?" Axel kept positive. A pit formed in Gavin's stomach as his horse slowly started to slow down its pace.

Gavin licked his lips and heard the same call of the Wendigo. His eyes traced around a silhouette of antlers that masked within a smaller tree. It was almost too easy to miss, if careless.

Gavin passed her one of his hatchets and took one into his hand. He kept his plan concealed. But warned Axel to prepare herself. He premeditated two steps ahead of the creature, determined to outwit it. Making prey become the predator.

"Prepare yourself!" Gavin warned. Her fingers wrapped around the hatchet, she held a firm grip. The horse jumped up on its hind legs and tossed Gavin and Axel off. Its hooves struck the skeleton structure of the Wendigo. Its fingers curled into a talon, its sharp claws scraped against the horse. Axel and Gavin took off in a flash, not giving the care to look back.

Axel had a soft side for animals and hearing the screams from the horse made her heart swell.

Gavin started to notice Axel slowly started to slow down. He wrapped his hand around her wrist and continued to run. Her limbs bounced and her lungs burned. The moment the horse's scream deafened was the moment fear struck the core of her heart.

Her mind was like a flat battery. And her mind refused to halt to the conclusion that death was waiting for them. The two slowed down to catch their breaths. The cool summer air nipped coldly against Axel's fingertips. Axel was convinced that the creature could hear the beats of her heart.

Gavin quietly led her further into the bush. Attempting to find somewhere safe to hold up until morning, then they would be able to collect the remaining skulls of the bandits.

*Crunch!*

A small sound from the distance startled the two. Gavin's feet started to slide and he lost balance. His hip collided with the ground and his hand slipped away from Axel's wrist. He slowly started to slide down a small slope within the forest's ground.

 Leaves and small plants mixed with dirt gave off a tiny trail behind him. Axel slid down the slope, she followed Gavin and gave up on taking a risk of running back. She pictured running into the creature if she wasn't careful. 

Axel jumped up onto her feet and her eyes searched for Gavin. Loud crashes from the falls nearby smashed against the water below the cliff she stood on. She took a step forward and leaned forward, seeing the outcomes of her living if she jumped.

"Gavin?" Axel called out, wondering if he was around. A single possibility slipped through her thoughts. He might have fallen into the falls, or he's knocked out cold.

*SNAP!*

Axel slowly closed her eyes and her breath shuttered. She knew the creature stood behind her.

A small smile formed from the corner of her lips, her heart's rhythm returned to normal. She pictured the faces of her friends, her teacher, and of course her mother. If this was the end, she was going out with a fight. 

She tightly gripped the hatchet and whipped her body around. The Wendigo dodged the hatchet by inches. The creature struck the side of its antlers against her side and sent her flying. Her body spun in the air and her side collided against a tree.

A small growl of pain exited her lungs. She felt her body meet the ground and her ears started to ring. The creature slowly strode towards her. A small amount of drool dripped from its mouth. She propped herself up and quickly backed up, her gaze searched for her hatchet. She turned her head and saw the hatchet a fair distance away from her.

Gaven kept himself concealed within the trees, preparing an apology for using her as bait. With stealth, he moved closer to the end of the thick branch. Balancing himself with two arms, and a hatchet craving the cold blood of the Wendigo. Bellow him he aligned himself with the creature's horns. He leaped off of the branch with faith that he'd be able to distract the creature from killing Axel.

The bottom of his steel boots collided along the area where its antlers were parted. He hung onto its antlers. The Wendigo swung its head around and tried to shake Gavin off of its head. Axel widened her eyes at the sight of Gavin. He gave her time to grab her weapon. Axel crawled over to her given hatchet and armed herself for the unexpected. Slowly, she premeditated its movements. Gaven strikes the creature against its thick skull, attempting to knock it out or kill it.

But how does one knock out a demon?

The Wendigo swung its head for the final time and sent Gavin flying.

"Gavin!" Axel screamed. She watched as time slowed down, she saw Gavin holding his ribs with agony. Raw anger filled her veins. Axel grit her teeth and leaped onto the creature's rib cage. She held onto it like a latter. The beast thrashed around and attempted to draw her off. Her gaze traced over through its rib cage. The muscle was drenched in frost and slowly ascended up and down.

That's why they couldn't kill the beast. It didn't have a functioning brain, but it had a perfectly functioning heart. The most sensitive muscle of its body she stared at. She climbed higher and swung onto its shoulder, ducking her head down as the creature slashes its claw at its shoulder. Closer they reached the edge of the cliff.

She jumped, grabbed the front of its rib cage and struck it in the heart. The Wendigo let out a loud screech and grazed her stomach with its claw. A blood-curdling scream escaped her lungs. She held onto the beast and leaned back, drawing it towards the falls below her. Axel watched as Gaven lunged towards the edge of the cliff. She watched as Gavin reached off of the cliff, slowly, he started to fade away from her sight.

She stared through the creature's hollow eyes and smiled as it didn't make a movement.

"How does it feel?" She questioned the 'almost' lifeless demon before her body struck the water. Axel started to swim to the top, kicking her legs as fast as she could. But she felt something beneath the deep take her down with them. The Wendigo chose to make its final stand against Axel. Its grip clamped down on her calve.

 Its sharp claws curled around her calve. A large amount of air that she kept within her lungs escaped when sheer panic consumed her. Darkness wrapped itself over her. She watched as the light of the moon rippled through the water, and a cloud of her blood mixed in with the light and the surface of the water.

Water started to fill her lungs, as she fought to swim to the top. A weight hugged her leg from the grip of the Wendigo.

She fought to not swallow more water into her lungs, instead of coughing out the liquid. Axel's limbs thrashed against the water, attempting to grasp something over the water, instead the weight of the Wendigo dragged her further down.

Her heart started to race, as the surface started to slowly, escape her. Bubbles rise from her lungs and rise to the surface, that rippled above. It was almost unquestionable how tranquil it felt to be aware that this was the end. Her vision starts to zoom in and out of its focus. Darkness and light, fighting for dominance.

Her limbs and muscles felt like a feather. Her vision fogged as she watched a small silhouette over the water above her. At this point, she wasn't sure if it was real or not. She reached for the surface, believing that it wasn't fiction that something was there.

But that's when she gave up. Tiredness consumed her. The last thing she thought about was Marcus and his fear. And he was right, and she knew that he would never find her.

She watched as the water was disturbed from above, creating a massive cloud of bubbles.

Golden hair and green eyes were all she saw. Before soft, velvety, darkness embraced her from below.