He moved swiftly through the alleys, hood pulled low over his face so it could not be seen. If he were to put Maria’s silver ring he had just received in to his cloak, it would certainly fall out, he promised her to keep it safe. He thought for a second, then wore the ring on his left pinky finger. Shopkeepers were already opening their shops, voices soft with sleep. He couldn't afford to be seen. 58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2HGfWHIZG
The stables lay quiet. McCarth asleep, slumped against a hay bale from a night spent tending the horses. M, without waking McCarth up, with practiced silence, he silently unlatched the stall door, led out his black horse by the reins, and swung onto the saddle. The horse’s hooves struck the mud as he spurred the horse towards the northern gate. He wouldn't slow down. He couldn't.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fP4ejCcIJ
His horse tore through the muddy street, it had been raining a few days before. Hooves flinging the mud as pedestrians scrambled aside.
"Slow down ya thunderin' fart!" a man bellowed, leaping back just to avoid the black beauty.
M didn't slow. He needed to escape this town, and fast. Houses and shops made of brown timber blurred past on either side as he drove toward the northern gate.
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It took him a good few minutes to ride to it. It stood open, M knew he couldn't stop and had to bypass the gate by force. Two massive wooden doors reinforced with iron scrollwork stood open just ahead. But two guards were in front of the entrance. While three others were to the side of it, among them was Llyn, lecturing a guard who had probably just enlisted.
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M couldn't hesitate. He dug his heels in, and the horse shot through the gate like an arrow loosed from a bow. The two guards who had been in front of the gates couldn't react in time and were flung aside as they landed on their backs in the mud.
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Llyn was the quickest to react, his head snapped up. Something was wrong. The rider's cloak was green, not black, though the sheer speed reeked of flight.
"Alert Captain Xander!" he barked, vaulting onto his white stallion in one fluid motion, which was right beside the gate. "That could be him!" he shouted over his shoulder as he spurred after the cloaked figure. Snapping the reigns of his horse. One of the other guards scrambled onto his own mount and galloped towards the garrison to inform the Captain.
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A chase had now unfolded. Both their horses drumming against the earth, wind screaming past their ears. Llyn rode hard on a majestic white stallion, its long, silken mane moving rapidly in the wind.
"Stop!" Llyn's voice cut through the rush of air.
M didn't look back. Didn't slow. He drove his horse forward with full power, urging it to outpace the guard. But this escape wasn't going to come easy. Llyn was a master in not just sword fighting, but also horse riding. This wasn't just a random guard pursuing M. This was a professional, and M realized it as he finally glanced back. The white stallion was now gaining speed on K.
M quickly understood he couldn't outpace the white stallion on open ground. If he rode straight, he'd be caught before the sun cleared the rooftops. He quickly yanked the reins left. His black horse veered hard off the path, hooves tearing into the wet grass. Llyn quickly did the same, not letting the cloaked figure out of sight for even a second.
He's fast, Llyn thought, gripping the reins tighter. Most riders would have been caught by Llyn, yet the distance held.
Neither had expected the other's skill to be this good. M on his pitch-dark horse, Llyn on his snowy white stallion, they were both masters of the saddle. And now they were heading in the direction of Blackvein Forest…
And so it was. Llyn and M's thunderous horses charging onward, hooves pounding the earth relentlessly. Llyn was still behind M, though he was slowly gaining speed on him. M quickly veered toward the massive forest to his left. He had to lose this exceptional rider.
"Stop!" Llyn shouted once again. His white stallion showed no signs of slowing down. The chase had been going on for more than ten minutes.
M burst into Blackvein forest. As soon as K's hooves entered the forest, M felt a strange presence, something was watching him. Trees swallowed the light from all around him, but the green-cloaked figure couldn't stop to see where he had entered. Someone was still on his heels. Wind tore across Llyn's wrinkled face as he followed close behind.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpoSubdzIp
"Faster… boy," M whispered to his coal-black horse.
Now the forest had surrounded them both. They both dodged tree trunks at full speed, swerving left and right. K moved like a shadow, his rider elegantly guiding him, a sight to behold. Llyn did the same, his reactions was slower. Though It was like his white stallion had a mind of its own, avoiding the tall trees effortlessly as the hooves crushed the lifeless twigs, leaves and mud.
M did not reply. He kept riding, whipping the reins on his horse, signalling it to go even faster. Both their horses could go on for another ten minutes. It had been a long time since Llyn's horse had ridden this fast, its powerful strides eating up the distance. M's eyes as always were unmoving, emotionless, though, if one looked closely there was a flicker of surprise on his face. He was amazed at this guard's speed and handling of his horse, the guard wouldn't let go, chasing him like a hungry dog pouncing on food.
M's dark green cloak flung from side to side, the wind guided it as K kept going. But in the distance, a formidable obstruction appeared, its distant roar growing louder, accompanied by a swooshing sound that made M realize what it was… a massive waterfall, its mist slowly floating upwards as the water thundered down, branching to the right and left. His horse wouldn't be able to pass this treacherous waterfall, it wouldn't be able to jump over the water which was to the left and right. M pulled sharply on his horse's reins and it skidded to a halt. He had no choice but to face this excellent rider.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdANOjcIlh
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