The Rules of Blood

Volume Two ; Chapter 113 (329) - No Rest for the Living (Part 1)

Blanc exhaled sharply, adjusting to his breathing as they began sprinting.

“Do not die on us yet, buddy,” Blanc muttered, looking down at Lendros, “Your business is not done yet.”

But Lendros’s breathing was faint.

All Blanc could do for him now was get him to the boat, although that, too, came with the question of whether Lendros would survive the journey across the open sea.

But such worries were best thought about when not having an army at your back, so with another sharp exhale, Blanc refocused on the road.

Steps turned to miles.

Seconds into minutes and minutes into hours.

And night slowly vanished, replaced by the rising dawn.

With the agreed-upon place that Lucien had set, still a bit of a distance away.

However, they were exhausted. Depleted of any strength.

A break now would, most likely, make them unable to start running again.

And the still-unconscious Lendros, who showed no signs of healing, did not help either, as it shattered any form of motivation they had left.

But they could not go on like this.

“Slow down,” said Blanc to the others, once he made sure the army was not nearby. “We need to walk a little.”

“A great idea,” Velakia exhaled, a hand on her chest, hoping that would somehow soothe her burning lungs.

Silvia came to a slow pace as well, the mare too, showing clear signs of exhaustion. Yet, surprisingly, it still showed vigor.

“Come, you two,” Sera said, moving to get off the horse. “Let’s switch places.”

“Not yet,” Blanc shook his head. “Give your place to Velakia. I still need to carry Lendros properly.”

“Do you think I am not able to?” Sera asked, frowning. “Stop acting so humble and just do as you are-”

“Sera,” Blanc interrupted, his eyes serious. “Do you know how best to put pressure on the wound? Can you carry Lendros for hours without moving him too much else you risk making his situation worse? I assume not. Do not confuse what I’m doing with some form of sadism. I would jump on that horse this instant, but, for better or worse, I have some of the knowledge of an old alchemist in me and know how best to care for Lendros at this moment. Do you?”

Sera looked at her little brother, but remained silent as she began helping Velakia on the mare.

“Then please,” Velakia intervened, sitting in front of Tahreni on Silvia’s back. “Do what you must.”

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“I plan to,” Blanc nodded, turning to Sera, “But I wouldn’t mind if you poured some water down my throat, I’m parched.”

Sera shook her head, chuckling, “Yep, still the same dumb excuse for a brother.”

“Come now,” Blanc sighed, slowly opening his mouth.

Sera could only sigh, but still did as he requested.

Tahreni, however, looked at Blanc and Lendros with sad eyes, perhaps blaming him for what happened to her friend, yet she didn’t voice her complaints.

Or at least, that was how Blanc saw it.

So they kept on walking for another hour, passing any village or city that showed itself in the distance.

What would have been their hope now turned into yet another worry.

Would their garrisons attack them, too? It was heartbreaking for Blanc to think on the matter, regardless of how he pushed aside the grief he had for his old, betrayer friend.

Luckily for him, Velakia robbed these thoughts from his mind as she began speaking.

“My dear,” she said, turning her head sideways.

“What is it?” Blanc asked, looking up at her.

“If you were carrying Lendros on Silvia, would it not be easier for you?” Velakia wondered.

“It would,” Blanc nodded honestly, unable to hide how tired his arms were. “But how are you two?”

“If need be, we can run,” Velakia replied.

Blanc sighed. “Then I would be grateful for lending Silvia for at least half an hour.”

“Granted,” Velakia smiled, before stopping the horse.

She and Tahreni slid off Silvia’s back and, with Sera’s help, eased Lendros out of Blanc’s arms.

Blanc mounted quickly, holding the saddle open for them to lift Lendros onto.

“How do you plan to hold him, brother?” Sera asked, cradling Lendros’s head in her palms.

“Almost the same,” Blanc nodded. “But I’ll use the saddle to press against the wound on his back.”

They exchanged a quick look, then carefully raised Lendros’s limp body. Working together with Blanc, they laid him out horizontally across the saddle.

Now, with Lendros’s head resting against his thigh and the saddle pressing into the wound on his back, Blanc finally had both hands free.

His right hand pressed firmly against the wound in Lendros’s abdomen, while his left kept him pinned against the saddle by pressing on his chest, making sure he didn’t slip, while still keeping a grip on Silvia’s reins.

It was the best option he had, so he made do with this as they resumed their walk.

Blanc focused on all the sounds around them.

The wind was whistling. The now-green grass moved from side to side.

In the great distance, the bustling sounds of civilization echoed quietly in his ears.

But, there was no march, no lizards snarling, no horses neighing, no clanking of metal.

No army.

It seemed as if the army could not keep the same pace that Blanc and his companions had during the night.

But several ambushes over a few days taught Blanc enough not to trust the apparent peace around them. So he made sure to keep the entirety of his mind on their surrounding.

Until a hand weakly grabbed his.

He looked down in a panic and saw Lendros’s eyes open.

“Blanc,” Lendros whispered, his voice devoid of any strength.

Blanc opened his mouth to speak, let the others know that he was awake, but Lendros tightened his hand around Blanc’s, slowly shaking his head.

Blanc clenched his jaw but clicked his tongue gently, making Silvia slightly increase her pacing, until he and Lendros were far enough not to be heard by the others, but close enough not to make Velakia, Tahreni, and Sera start matching his pacing in fear of being left behind.

Blanc sighed, but when he was satisfied with the distance, he looked down at Lendros.

“Uazi nabu,” Blanc greeted him with a sad smile.