The Crimson Prince： Awakening 37 Chapter 8: Blind Step Forward

The last time Bianca was cast into darkness, she was chained to a wall with dozens of wraiths around her waiting for Will to come for her. The sense of importance hit her finally as she realized this time she was on her way to rescue Will.

As the darkness subsided, they found themselves within a green wooded area. Bianca saw Leo blink in disbelief. She may have had his feeling towards the experience had she not felt it once herself. Smiling, she took a look around.

"Will rested at this exact spot." Leo stated as if it was a fact.

"Is your aura responding to remnants of his or something?" Bianca figured that was the case, they had just gotten there. How else could he have known?

Leo raised an eyebrow and pointed to the ground. As she followed the direction, she saw an empty pack of jerky on the ground. She resisted the urge to laugh.

Bringing herself further on into the densely wooded area, the smell of oak a.s.saulting her nose, she and Leo found a gravel road.

The road was surrounded by trees on either side, as Leo looked around he saw something that didn't belong. A tree that had a fist sized hole in it stood out amongst it's brothers.

Walking over to the tree, Bianca noticed the hole was singed on the edges. "I think it's safe to say he used this road." Leo said as he continues down the road a ways.

"Will must have started out here when he first got to Crystallia." Bianca said as she looked back at the tree.

Looking around, she could see the battle that must have played out in the area. Even though it must have been half a year ago, she could still see the scorch marks on the ground followed by a crater in the center of the road. This is where Will's power came to life, she thought as she looked at the wall scorched platform within the gravel.

"We probably have three hours of daylight." Leo said as he checked the suns location in the sky. Bianca silently thanked Leo's dad for giving him even menial survival skills.

As he walked side by side with Bianca on the gravel road, Leo surveyed the area. The road gave no more clues of Will's pa.s.sing. The burn marks on the trees had already stopped or any other signs of his brothers fight.

Though the indicators of Will's pa.s.sing had long but disappeared, Leo kept his eyes open on the road. So far as Will had told him of his travels, he has woken up in Maya's cottage. If that were true, she would have had to take him there himself. Unless this girl is more burly than I imagine, she wouldn't have had to take him far, He thought as he kept his eyes open.

A few minutes later, Leo found a break in the wood line. It only looked like a small path, wide enough for two people to walk side by side. He motioned Bianca to take the trail.

As they turned, both Bianca and Leo noticed two straight lines within the trail which looked as though a cart had been through it.

"It almost feels like we are watching the remnants of Will's adventure play out in front of us." Bianca said as she looked at the wheel marks. It was almost as if everything had been preserved for months just for them to follow. She figured the weather would have washed the tracks, or brush grown over the marks. It made her wonder what Crystallia had that was different from their own world.

Following the path for ten or so minutes, they stopped at a small cottage. It looked inviting enough with one window in front, a stack of wood stacked at the side and a well on the other side. If Maya did live in this small homey little house, Bianca figured it was a comfortable life.

"You check the inside, I'll look around out here." Leo said as he nodded to the cottage. "If everything turns out clear, we'll bunk down here for the night."

"Shouldn't we keep going?" Bianca asked, she was anxious to keep searching for her boyfriend. Who knew what was happening to him while they were sleeping. "You said we have at least a few hours left of light, we should use it."

Leo shook his head. "We should be rested for tomorrow, besides we would have to follow the roads and I have no idea what the guards patrol time is."

Bianca raised an eyebrow. Of course she knew that the crimson knights patrolled the area, but if Will could handle them, she could as well. "You're worried about a few knights?" She huffed sarcastically. "If Will could send them running, don't you think we could?"

Leo chuckled as he adjusted his gla.s.ses. "That's not the point." he said while scanning the area. "The point is that no one knows we are here." He a.s.sumed that was obvious. Looking at bianca, it was clear she didn't understand. Letting out a sight, he continued. "Sure we could take out a few guards, but if we did that and the patrol was late it would be reported. If we scared them away, they would inform their supervisors and our element of surprise would be gone. We could kill them, but then the patrols would increase. The best way to go about this is to keep invisible. Use the wood line in the day time so we can see without our aura and sleep at night to avoid detection. If Will is here, I'm sure he will find a way to tell us what he wants."

"We already know what he wants Leo," Bianca was getting annoyed. "He told us to find him." She waved a hand at the cottage in agitation. "Is this finding him?"

Rubbing his temples, Leo looked at Bianca with a tired expression. "What do you plan on doing when we find him?" he stared her down. Bianca s.h.i.+fted her feet uncomfortably. "Do you know how many enemies there are? Maya isn't an original corrupt flame user, couldn't that be proof enough that they can make more?" Leo paced back and forth while lecturing the girl who seemed to be losing her previous determination. "Would you be willing to risk Will's life by jumping into a fight you know nothing about? We only have one chance you know."

"Fine!" Bianca shouted, her patience finally broke. "You win, we do nothing then. Enjoy your nap!"

"I didn't say we would do nothing." Leo said as he turned towards the cottage. "How strange would it be to see two people traveling at night wearing the get ups we have on right now?"

"It would be like a spot light pointing at us." Bianca sighed, she was utterly defeated by Leo's logic. Looking down at her shoes, she thought about what would happen if they continued. No matter what She thought of, the result was the same. "So what should we do?" Bianca looked up at Leo and brushed her hair from her eyes, determination s.h.i.+ning once again from within.

"Like I said, go to the cottage and check it out." Leo said as he smiled at his friend. "Tomorrow, anyone who sees us will only see another two peasants traveling."

Walking to the cottage, Bianca turned around to see Leo searching the area. She sent a silent thanks his way. Thinking of what it would have been like if he hadn't been there made her shudder involuntarily. She was glad to have a friend along on this incredibly insane journey. Shutting the door behind her, she got to work. "We're coming Will." she said to herself as she set to work.

Miles away from the two companions, a dark door opened on an empty road facing a village. Two dark shapes emerged as the door slammed shut.

Will looked in front of him to see Two rows of cottages which closely resembles Maya's old home. The sun had just finished setting as the last glint of light fell off of a nearby roof.

Looking around outside the village, Will noticed fields of wheat on his left and corn on his right. In his opinion within a mediaeval period, the village was quite prosperous.

"So we finally made it." Will looked over at Maya who had a small smile on her face as she looked over the town. Nostalgia filled the void of her dark eyes. "This is Nearwood Village."

Understanding hit Will like a baseball bat. This was the place Maya was planning to take him when they were on the road. It was a crop port in some ways he supposed. It also happened to be the halfway point to Ebonhart.

"So you are here to collect taxes?" Will raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, the guard is a little understaffed?" he let out a little chuckle at the thought of Maya knocking on doors to collect money.

"No Will." she said in a small voice. "I'm the insurance policy for the kingdom. I'm the one they send when people don't pay the tax." she said with a look of defeat.

"You don't mean what I think you do I hope." he said, his eyes narrowing as he started to see the full picture. "Maya you hated those tax collectors, I saved you from them." he tried to see her face, though she kept it facing the town.

"Don't you think I know that?" she was almost in tears as she looked over the cottages. "Turning me into the one thing I hate most, fitting punishment don't you think?" Maya looked at Will, a tear falling down her cheek.

Seeing that Maya was still allowed to show emotion, Will decided to try his luck. "Then don't do it." he said with a small voice. "Don't become something I have to stop."

She only smiled at the thought. "Instead of thinking of stopping me, think of how to help these people." Will's eyes went wide at her thought. "It isn't me who kills these people, but the one who holds the strings." Looking away from Will, she continued. "I don't mean that metaphorically, as soon as the last rays of light fall from the sky," she looked up at the purple sky as the sun disappeared. "My captors take over." she returned her gaze to Will as darkness descended. "Don't waste the time I give you."

Maya's features darkened as the stars became their only source of light. She was no longer looking at Will, instead she started towards the village.

Not knowing what else to do, Will followed. If he abandoned her, she would forever be lost to the corruption which consumed her. At least this way he could figure out how to save her.

Maya stopped at the first house. Opening the door, Will looked over her shoulder to see a man and his wife huddled in the corner. His two young sons of which one looked to be fifteen with shoulder length brown hair. The other was a head taller with shorter hair, both of them shook at the sight of Maya. They stood defiantly in front, trying to s.h.i.+eld them from Maya.

"Please no!" the younger of the two pleaded. "We have the rest of the money see?" he took out a few pieces of copper and presented them to her.

Within moments, it seemed the pleading fell on deaf ears. It didn't matter that the teenagers were standing in front, Will could hear a shriek behind them. Looking at Maya, her hand was slightly raised with a darkness surrounding it. The sons turned around to see their parents withering to ash before their eyes.

As fast as the deed was done, Maya was turning to leave. Will watched the two sons. The youngest seemed to be scooping up the remnants of his parents, holding them close. The second only looked at Will, a defiant look of rage adorned his tear streaked face.

As Maya turned the corner, Will knelt by the two kids. "Do you want a way to ensure this doesn't happen again to someone you care about? Answer quickly I don't have much time." he said as he looked towards the door.

The oldest was the first to nod followed by his brother. "Good," Will said as he reached out his hands. "What are your names?" he asked as he placed a hand on a shoulder of both of the boys.

"James." the oldest said without blinking. "This is my brother Benjamin." he looked at his brother.

"Good." Will said as he looked at the kids. "My name is William Ragnos, the Prince of Crystallia. As his name was voiced, his aura s.h.i.+ned within the cottage. The boys eyes widened at the name as well as the light emitting from within him.

"I give you the power to fight back." he said in a quiet tone. "Soon some friends of mine will be here to show you how to use it. Just know that you will not be shackled to this life forever." he said as he stood and went for the door. "Stay strong." with that, he left the small home and trailed off after Maya leaving the boys to mourn their loss.

Maya stopped at the next door, only taking a moment to look back at Will before entering.

The evening was spent going to each home. With every death, Will gave the village the spark of defiance. Though this wasn't the initial plan, he had to improvise and leave his friends the army they needed as he went.

Looking back at the village as they finished the last home, Will took out his phone and sent a flame into it. Thinking of Leo, he only could think of one thing to say. "Find them." he whispered as he followed Maya back through the door of darkness to his new home.