The Trees Up North

Chapter XIV

The closer I got to the door, the more voices I heard. Panic really started to set in when I could hear the women from the bar through the door. Their laughter and chatter grew louder, making me wonder what they were talking about. As I reached for the doorknob, my heart raced with anticipation and fear of what I might find on the other side.

"Well, that hunter could help us!" She chuckled. I took a deep breath and reached for the door handle, hoping that I hadn't made a terrible mistake. My hands shook in front of me.

The doorknob was warm on my hand. I carefully opened the door, trying my best not to make a sound. The cabin fell silent. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster.

"There he is!" A deep male voice called out. Opening the door all the way, I found about 20 people standing around the cabin. Some had weapons; others had nothing. Small splashes of blood could be seen around the walls and floor. Fear washed over me as I cautiously stepped into the room.

"Cedar!" The woman called out, rushing over to me. She jumped up and gave me a bone crushing hug. I was taken aback and surprised at her joyous welcome.

My arms hung from my sides. Nothing seemed to hurt anymore.

"We have a job for you, young man!" An older man called from near the back of the room. "And it will clear all of our problems!" A few people laughed at his remark.

My eyes scanned the room for Pine. Maybe he had left the cabin. Maybe he was safe out in the woods.

A few men left the center of the crowd gathered around the room. My worst nightmare came true. With his arms bound behind his back, Pine sat in the center. His shirt was bloody and torn. Blood spilled from the vampire's wounds from weeks ago. Blood poured from his nose. He didn't look away from the ground. He had a deadly look in his eyes.

I wanted to say something, anything, but I couldn't. A small noise came from my throat. It felt like the air was frozen and my feet were stuck to the ground.

"Look who we found!" The man with a beard spoke out. "The last Rivus!" The crowd around him cheered. The world around me slowed. I shouldn't have brought Pine with me. I should have left him safe back at my house.

I took a deep breath. "Rivus?"

The skinny man from the bar chuckles. "Yes! Rivus!" He kicked Pine while talking, causing him to flinch. Pine didn't make a noise.

"He walked right into his house," a deep voice muttered. "Luckily, I was here to catch him!"

I picked up the sword from the man's hands. The crowd let out a yell of happiness.

"You've got this, Cedar!" The skinny man patted my back. I held the sword in my trembling hands and surveyed the crowd. The woman with the corset clapped her hands eagerly.

I slowly walked over to the center of the room, where Pine sat. Not once did he look up at me. I could see him shaking and trembling. Tears filled my eyes. I reached out to touch his shoulder, my heart heavy with sorrow.

Kneeling down, I said, "Pine."

His soft blue eyes looked at me. I could see the tears that filled his eyes. My grip on the sword was heavy. He had done nothing wrong, and yet here I was, poised to end his life. I hesitated, feeling the weight of the decision I was about to make. Pine's eyes searched mine, silently pleading for mercy. My resolve wavered as I struggled with the conflicting emotions swirling inside me.

A heavy voice broke the silence: "You know Rivus?" It was a woman. She stood behind me, watching me closely. She was clearly a warrior; scars littered her arms, and her hair was up in a messy bun.

My throat let out a small whine. I returned my focus to Pine, who grinned and gave me a nod before turning his head to the sword.

"Yes," I answered. "I do know him." My breath quivered as I spoke.

I heard a chuckle from behind me. "Witch! Kill him!" Someone called out. Pine nodded again, seeming to agree with what the others were saying.

My shoulders fell. "I can't." My voice broke the laughter in the crowd. "I can't kill him."

I looked up from my hands; a mix of emotions was swirling in my chest. Pine stared at me in disbelief. He shook his head over and over again.

"He's human." Anger seemed to take over my voice. "He's human," I said, my voice becoming increasingly louder and angrier.

The warrior women hit the back of my head. "Traitor." The word danced around my head. I was a traitor to the town's people. I was a traitor to man-kind.

My knees wobbled as I stood up. The sword was held in my left hand, dragging across the ground. I turned around to face the woman who hit me. She stood strong, her arms crossed. I could feel my heart racing as I stepped forward. I watched slowly as I brought the sword up across my body. lifting just above her stomach. And just like that, I dropped it across her stomach.

The sword ripped through her shirt and skin, and blood poured out in torrents. My heart felt like it stopped in my chest, and I felt a chill run through me. I had just hurt another human being.

A scream came from my right. The warrior woman staggered, reaching for the wound on her stomach.

A man out of the corner of my eye reached for his sword. I turned to face him. It was the same bearded man from the bar. I kept my stance near Pine.

He wore a scowl on his face as he yelled and cursed at me, "I knew we couldn't trust a hunter!" The man ran towards me. I brought up my sword once again, causing our swords to crush into each other. I held my stance and focused on my next move. I swung my sword at his legs; he jumped in response, the blade barely missing his feet. He threw his sword over me. I ducked out of the way, hitting his sword out of his hands. In that moment, I had the upper hand and felt a surge of confidence wash over me. I let out a chuckle as I pushed him over. The man laid on the floor behind Pine.

"Distract him." A man shouted. A group of people suddenly rushed over to me. Shit. I had to move quickly. I quickly fell to the ground and rolled between the legs of some men. I quickly swung another sword, striking a pair of legs with it. Blood rushed down the man's thighs. He fell to the ground, screaming in pain, and I ran away, my heart racing with adrenaline.

I felt a tuck in my shirt. Someone quickly pushed me to the ground. I got kicked in my arm with the open wound from the werewolf, causing me to scream. I reached my arm, carrying the sword, and hit the woman who kicked me. My sword struck her jaw, causing the tiniest of injuries. I jumped to my feet, ignoring the searing pain in my arm. I watched as the woman staggered away, her mouth bloodied.

My head spun around aimlessly—where was Pine? I had lost Pine in the battle; he no longer sat behind me or around me at all. I rushed over to the spot where I had last seen him, desperate for a glimpse of him and forlornly hoping he had not been harmed. His old spot stood empty. A man jumped onto my back, causing me to get knocked to the floor. A mix of blood and spit flew from my mouth. The wood floor was hard and cold under me.

I kneeled down, only to have a blade slide across my cheek. It was numbingly cold and stinging. I observed as my face's blood spattered the floor. I quickly got to my feet, stumbling and moaning in discomfort. Around me, nothing but chaos was occurring. People jumped at me, but I managed to avoid them. Others were yelling and cheering, and those who had been injured had left the cabin. My eyes scanned the room briefly, looking for Pine.

Three men were gathered around something on the ground. I just stood there and stared. When I made eye contact with them, the men laughed.

A small voice left my throat: "Pine?"

There, in the centre of the men, lay Pine. Blood flowed from his scalp, his soft blue eyes were closed, and he was motionless.