The Death Bridge

_____________________________

'Raven'

Raven heard a voice call out to her. She found herself standing in the strange ruins again. She walked into the ruins and found herself standing in the big room again. She saw the large stone with strange patterns in the middle of the room.

'Raven', the voice called.

Raven tried to ignore the voice and walked towards the stone.

Suddenly Raven saw a movement in the shadows against the wall across the room. She stopped in her tracks. A figure emerged from the shadows and walked towards her.

"Who are you?", the figure asked.

"I…I'm…", Raven wanted to answer but couldn't bring herself to do it.

Suddenly the strange patterns on the stone started to glow. Raven felt it call out to her.

'Raven', she heard the voice call her name again. 'Raven…Oh, Raven…you are not worthy…not worthy to touch the stone…not worthy of the power in your veins', the voice said.

"What power, what are you talking about?", Raven asked.

The figure came closer to Raven and softly asked "Who are you talking to?".

But Raven barely heard the words.

"Why? Why am I not worthy?", she asked the voice.

'You know why Raven…you left your parents to die…all those people…you could've saved them', the voice's words echoed in Raven's ears. 'You could've saved them all...', the voice said accusingly.

Raven fell down on her knees as a dark mist engulfed her.

'But you didn't!', the voice said, suddenly angry. Raven fell to the ground when a sudden and violent gust of wind struck her.

The figure stumbled backwards at the force of the wind. Raven grunted as an unseen force picked her up and hurled her away and she collided with the figure. They tumbled to the ground. Before she could get up she was yanked backwards.

'That beast should've killed you!', the voice screamed in anger.

She felt a hand close around her neck, choking her. She grabbed at where she thought the arm would be and she found nothing but air. Her panic level rises as she frantically tried to pull the hand away from her throat, but there was nothing. Her face became hot as she struggled to breathe.

The figure rushed towards her but was stopped by an invisible wall. Raven saw the figure trying to get past the wall but in vain. Suddenly the invisible hand let go of her throat and she found herself being hurled away. Raven felt something hard slam against the back of her head and then everything faded away as the voice's words echoed in her ears.

'You are not worthy Raven!'.

For a split second, she saw a familiar bright light coming from an object and then everything turned black

_________________________

Raven woke with a jolt.

"Easy lass!", Brongr said as he rushed to the bed.

Raven looked at him as she sat upright, pulling the blanket closer.

"Why are you still here?", she asked.

"Well, it's nae like we'd leave ye here aloyne lass", Brongr said in a soft tone.

"Wow…honour amongst thieves I see…", Raven said as she c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Brongr.

"Firstly, I'm nae thief. I'm a bandit…Secondly, who said a bandit must be cold-hearted?", Brongr said defensively.

Raven chuckled.

"Is there a difference between a bandit and a thief?"

"Aye…", Brongr said hesitantly.

Raven looked at him with an amused look on her face. She chuckled and sighed.

"Well, kind bandit, don't bother yourself about leaving me here. This is my home, I'm not leaving", Raven said as Brongr sat down beside the bed.

She watched a frown appear on his face.

"Who are ye lass?", Brongr asked.

Axil opened his eyes. He laid on the ground with his back turned towards Raven and Brongr. He silently lay there on his side, listening to the conversation behind him.

"It doesn't matter who I am…", he heard the woman say.

"Lass, we saved yer life. I'd say ye owe us. At least tell us yer name", Brongr said in a firm tone.

A long silence followed and Axil finally heard the woman sigh.

"I guess you're right. My name is Raven", she said softly. A comfortable silence followed her words.

"Raven…I like it", Brongr said after a while.

Raven smiled at the big man sitting beside her bed. "Thank you for helping me", she said.

Brongr chuckled.

"Don't worry abit it lass. Besides, I didn't do much. If it were up tae me tae help ye aloyne, ye would probably nae be alife now", he said.

Raven let out a soft laugh.

"If ye want tae thank someone, thank 'at lad…he took care of yer wound", Brongr said as he gestured to Axil.

Raven's eyes fell on Axil's back.

"What's up with him anyway? I mean, the strange robes and long white hair? Is he a scholar or something?"

"I don't know lass. He's as much a mystery tae ye as tae me. He's-"

"Not open for discussion", Axil suddenly said as he sat upright.

The sudden sound of his voice made Raven and Brongr jump.

"Wazzock" Brongr mumbled under his breath.

Axil glared at him before looking straight into Raven's eyes.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do", his deep voice entered Raven's ears.

She looked down.

"There's nothing to explain", she said as she avoided Axil's gaze. She suddenly felt feverish and uncomfortable under Axil's gaze and tried to break the uncomfortable silence "So how did you two end up together?"

There was an awkward silence before Axil spoke.

"Oh, Brongr here wanted to sell me at the slave markets", he said, his eyes accusingly staring at the big man.

Surprise flashed across Raven's face.

"What! You…sold as a…a slave…", she said, laughing.

But the look on the two men's faces quickly made her stop her laughing.

"You…you're serious?", she asked, looking from Axil to Brongr. Brongr just stared at her silently. "Oh, come on! Really? Who'd want him as a slave?", she asked as she looked at Brongr.

"What's that supposed to mean?", Axil asked, his voice dangerously low.

Raven looked at him.

"Well, you don't exactly look like the slave type", she said.

Axil c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Raven.

"You asked", she said with a shrug, seeing the look on his face.

Brongr sighed.

" Aye, I guess I realised 'at too late. So I kept 'im around because I didn't know what to do with 'im. I didn't want the others tae know because 'en they would've wanted tae kill him", he said as he glanced at Axil. His gaze was met with a cold glare.

"So, what did you come for?", Raven asked.

Two confused pairs of eyes stared at her. Raven sighed.

"Come on…What did you come for?", she asked, annoyed.

"We didn't come for anythin'. We came 'ere tae find shelter from th' storm", Brongr said.

Raven glanced at him suspiciously.

"Is he telling the truth?", she asked as she looked at Axil.

"Yes"

"Good. Then you can leave as soon as possib-"

"But, that's not the case anymore", Axil quickly interrupted Raven.

"What do ye mean, lad?", Brongr asked with a frown on his face.

"We can't leave…yet…", Axil said.

"Why not?", Raven asked, confused.

Axil silently held Raven's gaze for a few seconds before answering.

"Because of you..."