The Fifth World

Cynric: The walk is long and it feels as if it is getting colder and colder each hour. It shouldn't be that way, it is the early hours of the morning, it should be getting warmer. Felicity walks ahead, I try and keep up with her but her three paces are probably half of my one pace. She is fast and definitely strong.
Janine, Nancy and Bo stay behind us. All three of them, especially Bo, trudge behind, slowly. Neither of them speak to Felicity. They remain quiet. I only speak to Felicity - on the odd occasion.

"When you went down towards the mountain," I say to her, "what did you see?"

She turns to me, her eyes cold, "that woman with the bow and arrow from last night was down there with others. She is some sort of servant for the government, right?"

"Her name is Namara and she is a Justice Agent."

Recognition appears on Felicity's young face, "Solomon told me about Justice Agents. A lot of them show traits of Thornes, don't they?"

I shrug, "not exactly." Angelicans are determined, honest and will give their life for the government. They are athletes, they can run fast and are strong and whatever else. They are natural athletes but they must work hard to stay that way. They exercise regularly and train a lot. It is a difficult life for them but then again, they basically have no life. They dedicate their entire life to working for the government and tracking down criminals. "They are nationalists and are blinded from seeing what the government really is. Justice Agents dedicate their entire lives to the government. They work to be where they are. A Justice Agent doesn't make them who they are."

The hours go by, we have reached the other side of the mountain quickly and now we are crossing onto another. There is little conversation. Felicity leads, as always, and is struggling to stay slow keep at our pace.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I hear Nancy say. I turn around and sigh when I look at her. Everyone stops. I notice that Felicity is not impressed.

"I'm tired," Janine complains. It is quiet as I look around to find somewhere where Nancy can go to the bathroom.

"Why doesn't she just jump somewhere, such as the Average Human World? I'm sure that'd be a lot cleaner," Bo says to me. She sounds tired and is definitely not enjoying today. The sun is high in the sky now but it is still cold. It will not surprise me if it snows today or within the next few days.

"Fine," I say but there is strange sound that catches everyone's attention. A weird sound, as if something is flying and catching the wind. A shooting sound.

"Everyone move!" Felicity yells very loudly. I stand up straight, look around and see an arrow flying through the air. I take a step to the side and it just misses hitting my shoulder by half a second. I look towards Felicity who has half a smile on her face. I then look down at my bandaged up leg that Janine wrapped up last night. It'll be hard to run with this. Or fight.

"Nancy," I hiss, "get Bo out of here."

"No," Nancy replies to me, all of the girls move forwards towards Felicity and I, they drop the blankets they have wrapped around themselves to the ground, "I am not going anywhere, Cynric."

"Neither am I." Bo says. They want to stay and fight? There honestly is no time to even talk. A large group, or mob, I might say, approaches. They are not even eighty metres away from us. They are dressed in dark apparel, faces grim yet plain. Angelicans. Time Jumpers. Shape Shifters. Even some Thornes. Namara is easy to spot. She holds an Angelican dagger in her hand, determination on her frighteningly beautiful face. I hear a sound, a sword being drawn. I look around and see Felicity, one in her hand.

"You had enough time to save us and bring a sword?" I ask her but expect no answer.

She shrugs and smiles, "I'm a Thorne."

Janine, Nancy and Bo all stand behind Felicity and I. I pull my Angelican dagger from my pocket. Janine joins my side and does so too.

"We are no match for them, Cynric," Janine says, panic in her voice. I'll die trying. They keep moving and I look back at Bo and sigh. I try to remember her face, imprint her beauty in my head. If this is one of the last of the few minutes I have with her than I shall make time to see her. She stares at me, her face utterly afraid but I know that she is thinking the exact same thing. She then ties her black hair up with an elastic band and her eyes flicker towards the many servants of government.

"Bo," I say quietly, "what are you doing?"

"I'm not going to stand here and watch, Cynric," she replies. I notice Nancy step back slowly. She wants a weapon. Nancy has always been skilled in warfare. For years she has been learning different areas of it and training herself to be the ultimate female warrior. Combat is what she has been waiting for for years, even if that is a little strange since it is out of character for her. I immediately run over towards Bo and put an arm across her chest as if I am going to block her from running forward to fight.

"What are you going to do, Bo? This is crazy. You're unarmed."

She smiles softly at me and then vanishes. Shock sweeps over me and then I look over towards Nancy, she simply shrugs and picks up a large rock about the size of her fist. Don't do anything stupid, Nancy. Bo reappears right beside me. There is a kitchen knife in her hand. I look up at her in shock.

"This is ridiculous!" I hiss at her.

She narrows her eyes at me, "I'm not running, Cynric."

"Don't be stupid," I say to her, I then look at Janine or Nancy for help, they both stare back at me but don't say a word. I can feel my face turning hot, my hands curl into fists. What do I do now? I can't let Bo stay here, she doesn't know how to defend herself. I also can't take her away myself because I know that Nancy, Janine and Felicity will need my help. I sigh and hear a high pitched grunt. I look towards Janine who has just had an arrow land barely a few centimetres from her foot. She scowls into the distance as the many servants approach.

I notice how her eyes begin to widen slightly with each person coming towards us. Her fingers tighten around her Angelican dagger. We cannot take them. If we fight them, it is suicide.
There is a thumping sound and I turn my head towards the mobs of people who are now running towards us. I quickly stand in front of Bo. She does not know how to fight. I promise to protect her. I keep a hand in front of her just so she won't think about moving away from me.
Sounds of swords sliding together are ringing through my ears. Janine stays beside Nancy, completely aware that she is unarmed. Felicity is no where in sight, somewhere among the many people, she is probably driving her sword through a chest.

"Cynric!" I hear Bo yell out my name. I look at her and see the fear in her eyes, even when she does have a knife in her hand. She is pointing her finger, the finger of the hand that has a cast around her wrist. I look forward and see a man coming my way, anger present on his face, he carries an Angelican dagger and prepares to speak a spell in our ancient language. I jolt forward to meet him and he scowls at me and swings his dagger towards my face. I block it with my own and flick my wrist towards his cheek. The dagger slices a clean, cut streak through his cheek, leaving his scarlet blood dripping from his face. He moans loudly and begins to speak a spell, his words are quick but clear and as I listen, everything around me stops.

I see Janine, dirt in her bright red hair, concentration but exhaustion in her eyes. Her dagger slits the throat of one servant and then moves towards another. Nancy is behind her, gathering rocks and stones to throw at the enemy. Everything is moving in slow motion. I do not see Felicity. This is it, we are done for. There is no leaving this place.
I feel a surge of force, pushing me back, flinging my entire body and Bo too, we fall back towards a rock side. She yells in pain. I can feel my head stinging, towards the back. My eyes roll a few times and I look to the side to see the knife Bo was holding in her hand on the ground. She is behind me, her entire body pressed up against the rocks. I am not even sure if she is conscious. I am barely. I look ahead, see the man coming towards me, his dagger between his fingers, fury in his eyes. I grip my Angelican dagger, prepare to open my mouth to speak our ancient words and then everything turns black.