The river was only a few feet away from me. All I had to do was cross it then disappear inside the woods. I'd have a better chance at outrunning my pursuers there, or at least outsmart them. Tall trees beckoned me to their shade on the other bank of the river. The water flowed quite heavily, and fast. I had a risky cross to make.

Just as I began crossing, I heard the horses' hooves approaching. I looked back. I could already see some riders approaching. I cursed under my breath. I cursed my rotten luck and my previous indecisions. If I'd silenced that old man, I wouldn't be in this f.u.c.king mess.

"There he is!" one guard screamed. He blew on a horn as more joined the party.

"Myles," Raiya's faint voice reached my left ear. "What's happening?"

"We're in deep s.h.i.+t," I said as I battled the current. I had to cross before archers arrived. We were sitting ducks waiting for arrows to drill news holes in our bodies. "How are you feeling?"

"My head's pounding," she answered. "I feel like my heart's about to stop."

"Hang in there," I said. "I've gone through too much trouble for you to die on me here, do you hear?"

"Whatever," she faintly whispered. "Would you at least put me down?"

"Can't you hear them screaming behind us?" I said, outraged. "You don't stand a chance."

"What have you gotten us into Myles?" she asked.

It was hard crossing that river with her on my shoulder already. Answering her incessant questions was making it even harder for me.

"Just hang in there," I said. "And stop f.u.c.king moving. I'm trying to get out of here as fast as I can."

Right before I reached the other side of the river, archers showed up. Arrows whistled past me. One grazed my right leg just before I crossed to the other side. I checked on Raiya to make sure no arrow had hit her. We were miraculously lucky. Another arrow whistled past me again, reminding me to activate my time s.h.i.+eld.

Did I tell you that I hated archers?

Three riders had reached the river already, with many more behind them. There was no escaping them anymore. Two archers remained behind, aiming their bows in an angle that would allow them to reach me. I turned tail and ran toward the forest.

If I were to fight, I'd rather do it on my terms. I activated my third eye as I ran inside the woods and looked for the thinnest tree trunks around. In desperate situations, crazy ideas pop to mind. I was in such desperate moments, and the idea popped to my mind as soon as I saw the horse I stole die before my eyes.

The first three riders were already hard on my heels. I looked frantically around until I spotted one tall tree with a relatively thin trunk. I concentrated on it with my third eye, and its time energy revealed itself. What I was about to do was completely uncharted territory for me, but I felt confident in my chances.

The riders were getting dangerously closer. I had only one shot at this. I reached the tree and placed my right hand on it. I traced the tree's time energy then willed it to speed up. The tree's decay started from the spot at which I placed my hands. Then it started spreading. I stopped the spell at that moment. All I needed was to create a weak spot.

I turned around and waited for the riders to come into view. As soon as I saw the first one, I reinforced my sword with my essence and hit the tree's weak point. It was a strong, clean cut. The trunk cracked, and the tree tilted to the side. I reinforced my right arm with my essence then gave the tree a good push toward my pursuers.

It complained, but obeyed all the same. Horses neighed as they attempted to stop. I saw one rider fall on his back with a loud clank of his iron armor. The other two didn't stand a chance. The tree fell on their heads. Blood splattered as the tree squashed them like bugs. The third rider who had fallen on his back survived, but the manoeuver I tried had obviously shaken him.

I turned then ran forward. I would stop every once in a while to destroy a tree and bar my pursuer's way. If I couldn't run from them, I might as well slow them down until I figured out a way out of this. The sound of horses' hooves and custodians shouting started getting more and more distant. My little tactic was actually working. If I kept barring their way, I might have a chance at completely blocking them off.

I heard a horn being blown in the distance. Then I heard another. The second one came from the other side of the forest though, the side I was heading to. Then I heard a third horn. This one came from my left side. The horns blew once more, almost simultaneously.

I was surrounded. No amount of broken trees could stop my pursuers now. I guess they already knew about the river and decided to trap me in the forest. The f.u.c.kers beat me to the punch. The only side the horns hadn't blown in was my right.

I stopped for a while to a.s.sess my chances.

I didn't know how many men were waiting for me on either side. If I doubled back, I might trap myself inside the maze of broken trees I created. If I kept going forward, I'd run into the ambush. G.o.ds know how many men were waiting for me in there. The same applied if I went left.

I had a strong suspicion that going right would lead me to a dead end, but I had to take my chances. Knowing my rotten luck, I'd probably wind up with a wall on my back, or a cliff. I had to try anyway. Better face my enemies with a wall or cliff on my back than have them come at me from all sides.

I ran right, and soon found myself in a clearing. It was, as I suspected, a dead end. There was an elevation in front of me, with a cave in the middle. I had my fair share of caves ever since I met Abrath, but this looked like my only way out. I could hear the custodians approaching, the horses neighing, their riders barking at them to run faster.

I cursed under my breath then ran for the cave. As soon as I got in, however, I knew that I was doomed. It was but a small cavity that served a shelter for a bear or some other predator. Human skulls, as well as other animal carca.s.ses were the only furniture around. The owner of the cave was fortunately out, or dead.

I put Raiya down against one of the cave walls.

"You rest up in here," I said. "I'll come back for you as soon as I'm done with those f.u.c.kers." I made to run back outside, but Raiya held me by the forearm.

"Who are they?" she asked. "Who's after you?"

"Custodians," I replied.

"f.u.c.k…" Raiya said. "How many?"

"Too many for comfort," I replied. "You stay here. Just focus on recollecting your energy alright? No matter what happens, you don't come out until I say so."

"What are you planning Myles?" she asked in a worried tone.

"I'm the most wanted man in the country," I said. "I might as well give them a reason to believe it."

"You can't fight them all and win," she said. "No matter how powerful you think you are."

"You fought off those Church f.u.c.kers alone," I said. "If you could do it, so can I."

"I had your help," she replied. "Sisha's too. What you're attempting is suicide."

"We're completely surrounded Raiya," I said. "If you have any better ideas, I'm all ears."

"There are plenty of trees out there," she said. "You can control time. Rewind it as you did before. We can do better if we know what we're dealing with."

"I thought you warned me not to do it again," I said.

"Desperate times Myles, desperate times…" she replied.

For a moment there, I considered her offer. Only, I accidentally traveled back in time when I absorbed the tree's time energy. I wasn't sure it would have the same effect this time around. Besides, the tree's time energy almost destroyed me. If it weren't for my fragment acting on its own, I'd be dead by now.

"It's too dangerous," I said. "I'm not sure I can get lucky again."

"It's either that or die against the custodians," Raiya said. "Which is it?"

"Neither," I said. "They only have swords and s.h.i.+elds. They can't use magic, which puts me at an advantage. You rest up, you hear?"

For a moment, I saw grat.i.tude in the witch's emerald eyes. It disappeared as soon as it appeared though. She nodded at me then slumped back against the cave wall.

"Good luck," she whispered.  

I was tired of running. I was tired of being on the receiving end of things. If those f.u.c.kers wanted a fight, I'd give them a b.l.o.o.d.y fight. I had one of the most powerful fragments to back me up. I never even used it for offensive purposes.

I needed to master my powers.  There was no better chance at doing so than now. Backed into a corner, I had but one choice: Fight for my life and never consider losing an option. I'd show them what the power of time really meant.

I left the cave and stood outside. Some custodians had already arrived. They were standing around the clearing, waiting for their friends to show up. More of them showed up as minutes pa.s.sed by. There were at least a hundred of them, heavily armored and well-equipped.

"Zedd Darkstar," one of the riders called out.

He advanced toward the clearing. He was riding a big, meaty war horse. He was wearing steel plated armor. He had a helmet shaped like an eagle. His unsheathed his sword and pointed it at me.

"By the orders of his Excellency, Chancellor Konig, you are hereby under arrest. Resist, and you will be met with overwhelming power."