Survive As The Brute's Wife

Gritting her teeth to bear with the pain in her head, Felixa turned and ran away from the monster. The wails became more unbearable and she thought more spirits joined in the wail fest. The caked earth beneath her feet started to shake violently, throwing her off balance. The cracks widened and the wails of the spirits seemed to get closer to her.

Resting her hands on the shaky ground to have balance, her eyes followed a crack that formed right under her feet. With a sound similar to the crackling of firecrackers, the thinner cracks on the caked ground joined together to form a deep crack and traveled forward.

She noticed other such cracks forming all around her and converging at one pit on the ground twenty feet in front of her. She sensed something going wrong and stepped back.

*Thud*

The dead monster that was killed by Maximus fell to the ground displacing air. The hair at the back of her neck stood up and her loose hair floated high up along with the dirt that rose with the wind. The smell of the monster's blood was unbearable.

*Boom*

Another monster popped out from the ground to her front. That was followed by loud cracking noises and more monsters popping out Like little sprouts of seedlings emerging from the ground.

{Kill… Sacrifice… Blood… End…}

Those monsters each said something and lunged towards her. She could feel it in her bones that the monsters are targeting her. It hurt her to see the land that was once fertile and was home to a lot of little birds, insects, and worms now under the terrorizing evil of these monsters.

Felixa turned and looked at Maximus as the monster in front of her wriggle its head and the muscles of its compartmentalized body tensed as if it is preparing for an attack. Her hands fisted and she felt the itch of wanting a sword to hold.

But no, she cannot. Maximus brought her here for a reason and she would assume that he knew of the presence of these monsters if not for the significance of this place in her heart.

But what is the reason?

If he knew of the significance of this place, did he bring her here to get it from her mouth the truth of her past life? In that case, should she fight?

No.

Or should she? If he brought her here knowing of the presence of the monsters, should she fight to survive for Maximus' plans to kill her?

She was confused.

Yes, he promised and she has an odd peace when he is near her. But when everything in her life is uncertain with her not even living in a body of her own, and when she learns of the evils in the place she is sent to, what should she believe? Who can she trust? Are man's words worthy? Is Maximus an honorable man who keeps his promises?

"Here!" he threw a little dagger he kept in his armband at her. "Stick it in its mouth!" he shouted but he was still standing beside the dead monster and was not going to help her.

Felixa saw the little dagger sliding through the dirt and it stopped right by her side. The sunlight made a glint on it as it stopped and her hand tingled to hold it. The ground trembled and she lost her balance and fell on her knees.

She took another glance at Maximus and he looked at her with pressed lips and a hand over his chest. His grip on his sword was not tight as if he was not willing to fight anymore.

[He wants to watch me fight? I am not going to give him what he wants!]

She saw the monster in front of her turning its head as if it is leaving. It wriggled back inside the hole it came out of and she heard the other monsters' wail getting louder.

{Coward…Kill… Sacrifice… End… Protect…}

"Ahhh…" she held her head and started to scream as she felt like her head would explode with all the screeching.

*Thunk* *Thunk*

The monsters from the side all landed on the ground and started to wiggle towards her. The ground started to shake and with the wail of the monsters, she could hear nothing else. Her hands subconsciously reached for the dagger on the ground.

The place that was once grey now turned dark as the monsters approached her, covering the sun. Dark clouds formed in the clouds imitating the darkness on the ground. 

As she reached the dagger, the shaking ground made the dagger jump aside and she ended up grabbing the blade of the dagger.

She hissed as the sharp blade sunk into her flesh but she didn't relent the grip. With the pain in her head, the sting in her hand didn't seem much for her. 

The screams got louder and she covered her ears once more with the dagger in her hand. A drop of her blood trailed through the length of the blade and dripped on the ground.

{Scree… Run… Coward… Curses…Sacrifice…}

The monsters started to fight among themselves as each one pushed the other one to the front while trying to get back inside the ground.

[What is happening?]

"Ithildin!"

She heard the roar of Maximus and from the sky fell a lightning. Felixa couldn't keep her consciousness as the screeches got so high-pitched and nauseating. Her eyes darkened and she slumped on the ground still holding the dagger.

"Lexa!" she heard Maximus' voice. "Come on!" 

[What does he want me to do?]

She closed her eyes. She didn't lose her consciousness entirely but she couldn't keep her eyes open. She could hear the tremors in the ground and the wails of the monsters. What followed was a loud neigh of a horse and heavy wind.

She tried to open her eyes and she saw a white horse glowing like the moonlight standing beside her.

"Lexa!" she saw Maximus' shoes reaching her and he bent over her. She swung the dagger at him as he reached for her dagger.

[Stay away!]

"Lexa, it is me!" he cried and grabbed her wrist. "I am Max!"

With difficulty, she opened her eyes. The amber eyes looking at her were filled with worry as evident by the furrowed brows and trembling lips.

[Max… Who are you, really?]

She loosened her grip and he got the dagger. Picking her up, he got on the white horse.

"Ithildin, ride!" he commanded and the horse galloped towards the sky.

"Are we…" she clung to his chest as she saw the great distance to the floor.

She thought she'd be scared but she wasn't. At least not that much. Thunders rolled and and the dark clouds started to precipitate forming raindrops. He covered her with her hood and kissed the top of her head.

"You're safe, Lexa," he pressed her head on his chest and patted her back. "I am sorry, but they are gone."

[Sorry? For what?]

Felixa nodded nonetheless.. After all, her life still is in his grace.