Shawn lay in his bedroll, thinking about the Longstriden. They were close, and they’d reach it come tomorrow. When they arrived, Vena said he’d be brought to meet the Masters, delegates from the five realms who believed in the prophecy. In…him. What if he didn’t meet their expectations? All that he wanted was to get home, and maybe the Masters could send him. His thoughts swirled around and around in his mind.

  And then there was Vena. At this point, they’d been travelling for nearly a week, and with no one else to talk to, he found himself opening up more and more to her. He glanced over to the other side of the now-merely-embers campfire at her sleeping form. He caught his mind straying to her features, her freckled face, bright green eyes, and her sarcastic, yet somehow endearing personality.

  He’d had a couple of relationships in the past, but nothing of real significance, and though she was a denizen of a completely different world to his own, he felt a connection to her that he’d never felt with anyone in the past. Although, based on what he knew of her, she probably wasn’t interested in anyone like him anyways. His thoughts chased each other one by one in his mind, as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

  Thunder echoed through the clearing, and Shawn jolted awake. Thunder? There aren’t even any clouds in the sky…

  The sound got louder and clearer as he awoke, and he realized, his face paling. That isn’t thunder. That’s…hoofbeats.

  The Inquisition!

  He tore back the flap of his bedroll, jumping to his feet.

  “Vena! They found us! They’re nearly here!”

  Vena blinked groggily. “Wha…”

  Shawn shook her by the shoulders. “Wake up! The Inquisition!”

  Her eyes snapped to Shawn’s, then darted to her sword. He let go of her shoulders, and she rolled to her feet, strapping on her sword. “Leave the bedrolls, leave the packs. We have to reach Longstriden tonight.”

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  Shawn didn’t hesitate, grabbing up his rune pouch and throwing on his cloak. “Which way?”

  Vena set off, sprinting between the trees. Shawn followed, small branches whipping at his face and his cloak, with the sound of horses swelling behind him. It was all he could do to keep up with Vena, and he quickly found himself flagging. He focused his energy down from his core to his legs and cycled it, forming a circuit between the two legs

  Suddenly, he felt less tired. It was much easier to keep Vena’s pace, and he barely seemed to be using any energy at all, just moving it around.

  Good to know, he thought.

  Unfortunately, as far as Vena and he could run, the Inquisitor's men had horses, and Shawn soon heard the strikes of their horses nearly right behind them. Vena darted to the right, jumping off the trail, and then turned towards Shawn.

  “We have to make a stand if we want to make it. Just get behind me!”

  Shawn’s heart dropped. He'd been hoping that they could reach the Longstriden before the inquisition caught up to them, and they had been so close. Just one more day and–

  The air went out of his lungs as Vena shoved him into the bushes behind their camp. He started to get up, but his instincts told him: Stay here. Stay alive. You can help her as long as you're hidden up until then. So Shawn peered through the leaves at the scene unfolding.

  The first soldier thundered into the clearing, charging at Vena with a longsword drawn. He was only wearing simple greaves and a leather chestplate in the way of armor, and so she easily darted to the left, slashing upwards at the man's knee as she did so. He screamed, falling from the saddle.

  Another man reached the clearing, leaping off his mount. This one approached carefully, having seen how quickly his comrade was dispatched. He twirled his double edged sword with an experienced grip, calculating and precise, and was obviously an experienced fighter. When he lunged at Vena, he was fast. But somehow she parried him, sliding past his guard to leave a perfect slash across his chest, and finished with a cut to his back. He glanced down at the bleeding slice with a look of surprise, then toppled.

  The rest of the soldiers ran into the clearing, some with swords, some with spears, and a couple in the back armed with crossbows. Vena flicked her sword, an elegant, curved saber, to the side, preparing for another exchange. For a moment, both sides stood, motionless. Then the full might of the Vallenar Inquisition charged at Vena and Shawn.