33 home safe

General Erox Lander

I am a general. I have been trained as the top master of each martial art. This assassin may have passed through hard training as well, but I can assure that I am much better than them. However, they were persistent as well.

They didn’t stop until they could get what they wanted. And as of now, what they need is me. And eventually, they could get Margaret if they could catch me now. I ran in the opposite direction of where I was supposed to head. I ignored the someone who was possibly helping me or maybe hunting me as well.

Right now, all I have to do is to survive.

“Split it up. That beggar has some company. Be more sensitive. The attackers were probably like us, a trained soldier or maybe an assassin! They been hiding somewhere using an arrow for killing.”

The voice of the leader of the group that was tailing me. I still could hear them, so it means that they were still close.

I still could hear someone growling in pain, indicating that the other group was still tailing the first group who was hunting me.

I planned to spin around as I reached the edge of the place, trekking at the other part, which was the other route. Hell! I’ll be late, the sun goes down, and for sure Margaret didn’t know how to light those lights that were made from an old-fashioned lamp. For sure, she hasn’t seen one in her world since she’s come from a world where simple things were hard in this era.

I was about to jump into the edge where a lot of people were gathering before I spun into the other part, just to make sure I lost those people who were following me, when an arrow flew, and just a few seconds later, I felt numb in my shoulder.

Damn, someone hit me. I ran towards those people and hid in every corner. I let my blood drop so they could trace it in the wrong direction. While running, I grabbed some clothes that I could grab from where I passed through. They quickly covered my wound, leaving no trace of blood drop when I was about to spin into the other part. I changed my clothes as well to blend in with the others so no one could notice that I was the one who was being tailed. As I was heading in the other direction, I could count those people who were still looking for me, yet they hadn’t noticed me since I had already changed my clothes.

They were following my trail, yet they didn't notice that I was calmly walking right in front of them.

My wound ached, making me wince a bit, yet I had to endure it. As I knew that no one was following and made sure that no one had followed my track, I started to run faster in the direction of the house of my mother where I left alone the woman that surely, by now, was worried sick.

******

Margaret from the future

I panicked because the sun was down, and there was still no Erox to be found anywhere near or even a single move in the middle of the forest.

"Where the hell is he now? Where on earth is that man God put him now? Did he go back to my world without me? Or is there someone trying to kill him? Aishhh, I should have come with him, I shouldn't be worried hell now. God help him wherever he is. Wait, what if he wouldn't come back? What will happen to me? In this world where I couldn't even know how to light a lamp. Is there even a lamp in this place?

Oh, God, help me. I promise to be good to him if he comes back alive.

I once again looked at the dark forest where I last saw him heading, but still, nothing was in there other than a dark raven beyond.

I didn't notice the tears falling down my cheeks while thinking about Erox. He surely got inside of my hard-as-stone heart for sure. I wouldn't be worried sick if he wasn't.

I stood up as I heard something moving at the back of the house.

I suddenly got scared. A fear starting to crawl in my skin as the rustle in that direction was louder and louder, though not enough yet because of the silent night where I couldn't hear anything other than a night insect. I couldn't hear anything else.

I shut my mouth, trying not to make a single noise so whoever was out there might think that no one was here. Besides, if it was Erox, he would talk for sure.

"Margaret... Are you still there?" I jumped in surprise as I heard Erox's voice.

It was him, right? It was indeed him. So I hastily ran toward the back door.

This house was just maybe a hundred meters wide, with two small rooms that I thought were much smaller than my bathroom, and a small kitchen where the back door was.

Then, as I opened the door, a handsome, tired Erox welcomed me. He had a lot of things on his back. However, the thing I first saw in his face was a wince that indicated that he was injured somewhere in his body.

I instantly hugged him tight, while crying.

"Shush, it's okay. I'm here now. Did something happen while I was gone? I'm sorry I was late."

I shook my head. "Thank you because you're okay. Thank God you're back. I thought something happened to you."

I heard him wince again.

"Are you hurt?" I asked and loosened my tight grip over him.

"It's nothing, just someone's arrow landed on my back. Other than that, everything is fine."

My eyes widened. "Goodness, where?" I checked his back and I helped him put down the stuff behind him. I let him sit and check his wound. I was once again surprised. He endured this wound? Good thing it was just in his shoulder and surely no serious part inside of his body was damaged.

I panicked. "What would we do? There's no hospital nearby. Or is there any in this place?"

"Relax, I can take good care of it. Just help me."

Slowly, Erox took off his clothes, which shocked me.