Crimson Guard (Completed)

Chapter 6

I was enclosed in my own personal hell and there was no way out. The being that held me together was gone, his shining soul had vacated his body and left me in this plane alone.

A choked cry of anguish caught in my throat, stealing my breath as I continued to stare at the corpse of my beloved adopted father. Or perhaps grandfather.

I felt a presence slowly creep behind me but I paid it no mind. What was the point now when the only light in my life was gone?

"Fawn?" a soft, inquisitive voice whispered to me.

I slowly turned my head as though it weighed a tonne and looked towards the man. Compassionate cornflower blue eyes stared back at me, and I felt the walls holding back the dam of emotion crack.

But tears did not flow. No. Instead, seething rage flooded my system, filling my vision with red and narrowing my focus on one single detail, one single need that caused me to jump to my feet and stride towards the door.

The soldier, Axel, stepped in my pathway and reached out to grab my arm and hold me immobile.

"Where are you going?" Volorn demanded, his cornflower blue eyes now shuttered and turned hard. His lips were pulled together in a straight line, pulling the scar above his lip in focus. The small imperfection on his face was a stark contrast to the cold, brutal beauty he presented.

"To find who did this," I replied coldly.

He watched me, taking in the silent, icy rage that surrounded me like a second skin. "And then what?"

"I'll kill them," I spat out of gritted teeth, my hands tightened into fists at my side.

"With what? How?"

His carefully placed words failed to penetrate the rage that filled me. His logic only enraged me further as I bit out, "With my bare hands if I have to."

I yanked against Axel's hold, struggling to free myself and hunt down Tawney's killers. To make them pay for what they made me lose.

Volorn grabbed my arms and swung me around to face him. His eyes were hard but his face was wiped from expression. Carefully neutral.

"You need to listen to reason. You cannot hunt them down. You don't know how to fight, you don't know how to handle a blade. You will become injured yourself or even in the same position as Tawney. He wouldn't have wanted that."

I directed my rage at him. "What would you know of what Tawney wanted?! You didn't know him!" I slammed a fist against his chest, taking a small amount of satisfaction as he grunted against the hit and my knuckles erupted in pain.

So I repeated the motion, battering my fists repeatedly into his chest, trying to hit out all my anguish until I broke down and a sob rang out from me.

Then all of a sudden, I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop the grief from coming as the tears fell from my eyes like a waterfall. Strong arms enclosed me and pulled me against a solid chest, whispering soothing, senseless words as they held me tight, and I lost the battle to hold it together.

I felt the vibrations as he spoke, but I wasn't sure if he was talking to me. Nothing could break through the void I found myself in. I cried until my voice had grown hoarse, until my eyes had become raw and I couldn't breathe anymore. Until finally silence reigned and I rested my head against that strong chest, staring into the distance as my mind emptied.

"Fawn?" Volorn's voice rumbled in my ears.

I slowly leaned back and looked up at him, not saying a word.

"I don't think you heard much but I have sent Axel to look for Tawney's murderers. You may not be trained yet but we are. We will try our best to find them."