The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 316

Chapter 316

An ox was bellowing nearby . A distant bird cried angrily, our battle likely having disturbed its peace . My own heart was banging against my ribcage audibly, but I could hear Tessia’s and Curtis’s as well, which felt wrong somehow, almost like an invasion of their privacy .

Underneath these noises, there was something else . A thin, fearful voice whispered a prayer to the Vritra .

I spun, an arrow already on my string, and loosed it just past Curtis’s hip . My arrow thunked into a young Alacryan soldier who had hidden, playing dead, behind one of the cart wheels . He had been preparing a spell aimed at Curtis’s back .

Tessia and Curtis both turned, mana condensing in preparation for their spells, but the soldier was dead .

Curtis turned back to me and ruffled his hair, looking a little embarrassed . “Thanks,” he said quietly .

Tessia met my eye and nodded sharply .

By now, most of the other members of our assault force, those who had survived, were coming out of the trees .

“We’ll be sure to celebrate later,” Tessia said, her voice carrying clearly as she cast a hard gaze at her soldiers . “For now, let’s get these people free!”

Just like that, everyone burst into motion, breaking the locks, releasing the prisoners, and shattering their manacles .

Tessia hesitated before stepping away to oversee her soldiers . “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I said, letting my beast will fade . For a moment, it was like someone had pressed a blanket over my head, but my senses adjusted quickly . “Their attacks never even got close . ”

Tessia smiled her warm smile, saluted me, and said, “Well fought...soldier . ”

I returned the solute awkwardly, and Tessia marched away .

Boo nuzzled me, and I leaned forward and pressed my forehead to his .

“Looks like we’re getting closer, aren’t we, buddy...” I said with a sigh before my gaze wandered past him, to the young Alacryan I’d just killed .

I tried to look away, to distance myself internally like I’d been doing ‘til now .

But I couldn’t . I kept staring at the man, who looked only a few years older than me... Arthur’s age .

It was when his body was getting carried away by our soldiers, though, that I saw them . The blank, lifeless eyes that were still wide open in shock .

I tore my gaze away, stumbling onto the ground in the process . I crawled to the nearest tree I could find and heaved out my last meal as tears blurred my vision .

Boo sat behind me, comforting me and hiding me from everyone else as I sobbed and threw up at the same time .

How did Arthur do this? How did Tessia, Curtis, or anyone do such a gruesome thing like killing? Like murder .

And yet, here I was, after having killed multiple living people, more worried that everyone would see me crying like a child .

A delicate touch on my shoulder made me jump . I spun around, coming face to face with Kathyln, whose cool gaze was uncharacteristically sympathetic .

A loud hiccup interrupted my sobs and I could taste the acidic remains of my throw up . I hurriedly wiped both my eyes and my mouth, while trying unsuccessfully to rearrange my facial features into a less embarrassing expression .

“How do you do it?” I let out another sob . “How is it so easy for all of you to do this?”

“It’s never easy and it should never be easy . ” The once-princess held out her arm for me to take . “As for how I do it, I’m afraid everyone’s answer is different . ”

Kathyln gave me a solemn smile as she looked at me . It was the same kind my brother often had... a complicated smile that I didn’t get until now .

How many enemies had Arthur killed?I wondered . How many allies had he watched die? He always kept going .

Wiping my tears once more, I took Kathyln’s arm, and she led me away toward the rear of the caravan where the prisoners were just starting to be released .

As we passed by the other carts, each one surrounded by a handful of our soldiers helping people out and trying to remove the mana-suppressing shackles, I watched the freed elves . Many threw their arms around each other and their rescuers . Many more cried, letting relieved tears run unabated down their faces . Others gazed about dreamily, as if they’d just woken and were still unsure if what they were seeing was real .

A frightened bellow drew my attention to the helpless looking moon ox still stuck in the ground in front of one of the carts, its legs trapped within the dwarves’ spell . It gazed back at me forlornly .

We were passing by the third cart in the caravan when a tall, shirtless blond elf with dark bruises discoloring his face fell to his knees as his manacles were released . From nearby, I heard Tessia exclaim, “Feyrith!” and I stopped, forcing Kathyln to release my arm .

She turned to watch with me as Tessia ran to the kneeling elf and leaned down to wrap both her hands around his . Kathyln brushed my shoulder as she rushed past me, crouching down next them, one hand resting gently on Feyrith’s back .

I took a few steps closer, curious who this elf was that he could call both of these princesses his friends .

“Feyrith, what did they do to you?” Tessia asked, her voice strained . Not only was the elf bruised across his entire face and most of his torso, he was dangerously thin; his cheeks were gaunt, his shoulder blades jutted from his back, and his ribs were clearly visible .

He tried to speak, but the effort caused him to cough, which must have been painful because his face twisted into a grimace . I quickly withdrew a drinking canteen from my dimension ring and handed it to him .

His pale green eyes lingered on me for a moment before he accepted the canteen and took a long drink from it . “Thank you,” he said hoarsely when he handed it back . “You seem... familiar . ”

“This is Eleanor Leywin,” Tessia said softly, still half holding the emaciated elven mage .

Feyrith’s brows crinkled . “As in...”

“As in the sister of Arthur Leywin,” Kathyln confirmed, glancing at me .

Feyrith’s eyes went wide and his tortured expression broke into the ghost of a grin . “Is he here? Arthur?” Feyrith looked around hopefully, as if expecting to see my brother appear through the mist, grinning and rubbing the back of his neck...

“He’s gone,” I said, my voice as cool and emotionless as Kathyln’s .

Feyrith’s momentarily hopeful expression crashed . His eyes closed, his shoulders slumped, his face dipped toward the ground . “I’m sorry,” he said, his lips barely moving, the words no more than a whisper .

The four of us were still, sharing a spontaneous moment of silence for my brother . Above us, the tall trees leaned inward in a bow, as if even they felt sorry for us, while all around our soldiers were freeing the imprisoned elves .

Then Tessia spoke again, and the spell was shattered . “Come on, Feyrith, we need to get you ready to teleport back to the sanctuary . ” The noise rushed back in, and we were returned to the chaotic scene of the elves’ hurried emancipation .

“What?” Feyrith asked, his eyes narrowed in confusion . “No, we have to save the rest!”

“The rest?” Tessia asked, standing up and helping Feyrith get to his feet beside her .

Feyrith tried to take a step and stumbled . He was forced to lean back against the wagon just to stand . “We came from a staging camp to the north . One of the villages—it’s been handed over to some Alacryan noble . ” The battered elf paused, his eyes losing focus, but after a moment he shook his head and continued on . “There are dozens—hundreds—more prisoners there, waiting to be sent to other holds . Our people are being divided up like livestock and gifted to high-ranking Alacryans . ”