THE NORTHERN KING

Melisa knew she was being followed, from when the final round had started, she was being followed.

Ivo had told her that she was going to be ambushed this round, she still felt embarrassed from the last round. Ivo had told her what he had to do to get her through, promising marriage of his first offspring to another Lord in return he forfeit the round, offering his flags to her.

Her side was still hurting, she had 4 hours to find the silver stag before the moon fruit numbing effect burned off, and she returned to her previous stage. Ethan had packed her full of medication, gave a pat on her back and sent her on the way.

But Ivo had kissed her on the cheek, she remembered when she had kissed him the day he woke up. In fact, she had kissed him every day since he got into the cold sleep.

There were four of them, she could tell from their footsteps. She was herding her toward the others, as long as she was walking down the path they wanted, they won't attack her.

They would probably kill her, not before they raped her first. The game round was the most important. It was a hunt, find and kill any of the mystical creatures, and they become points when you can come back with something that represented them—a tail, fur, a horn, anything.

The most important creature or rather the creature with the highest point was the silver stag, according to legend, the last time one was killed was in the first game or the game began because one was killed. She was getting close to the mountain range—home of the stag, and it was time to lose her new-found friends.

So she ran, she could hear them give chase, but she was faster even with the pain that felt like with every step her ribs shoved into her lungs, but she ran, she had to please Ivo no matter what.

Soon she stopped to catch her breath, it was a complex mountain and the tunnels change shape accordingly, once you are in, the probability of making it was rather low, but luckily Ivo had drawn her the map of the way in and out.

He told her where the stag was nested, how to get there and what to do. It was a simple job, only if it was that simple, they found her again. She tried to run, but her legs lost strength, and she fell face first.

She coughed, she could taste the blood on her lips, time was running out fast. She jumped to her feet, but they were already circling her, cutting off her escape. Melisa knew she was in no shape to fight one man, less four, but she drew her swords regardless. If she was going to die, she might as well take them with her.

She waited for them to attack her, but they didn't, they simply rounded her like they were keeping her here…wait they were keeping her here she realized, she rushed the nearest girl, but she was half dead girl a couple of hours later as she simply kicked her on her side throwing her back into the circle.

She cried in pain, holding her now bleeding side, her limbs lost strength, she tried using her blades as helps to stand up, but another kicked her back to the ground, she closed her eyes. Her heart started to pound when she heard the voice. Rather, they all heard it.

“Four against one injured girl is hardly fair” the voice called out.

“Who is that” one of the four men called out who seemed to be the leader, the cries of one of his companions drew his attention instead, they were three now, soon the cry died down.

“Where are you?” The leader asked again but no reply, the men drew closer to reduce the circle, they were professionals and knew that they had to watch each other's back. “Oh but I'm here” the voice called out as an arrow shot hitting one in the eye. He held the eye, crying in pain as he broke the circle.

Before they could react, there was another shot at the crying man, impaling him through the neck, silencing his cries.

“We don't want attention now, do we?” The voice asked.

“Come down” the leader said as he drew a smaller blade while his partner drew a larger one, the owner of the voice burst out in a sarcastic laugh.

“Wait, is the size of your swords also the size of your manhoods?” The voice asked, the leader, who was had a smaller build compared to his partner, groaned in anger and ran toward the high point where the figure stood.

“You know it's stupid to run towards an archer that has the higher vantage point” the voice called out as an arrow flew by, silencing the running man who dropped to the ground, his face twitching. The last one turned to run off, but an arrow found him from behind.

Melisa was slowly rising to her feet, she could hear the bow draw back, she didn't have to wait to see who it was. “Well, I just saved your sorry self. It would be rude to run away without a proper thank you,” the voice said.

Melisa realized the voice actually belonged to a woman who climbed down from her high point, “you know a good way you can thank me is by showing me where to find the stag” the girl called out. She was dressed in all black covering her face which made it impossible for Melisa to get a face.

She walked toward Melisa as she pulled out a knife, stabbing her in the shoulder. Melisa groaned in pain, trying to fight back, but she simply kicked her knee, throwing Melisa off balance before sweeping her off her feet.

“The queen sends her regards” the girl called out as Melisa slo

wly lost consciousness.