The Death Bridge

"W-What do you mean?", Raven asked, taken aback by Axil's words.

Axil slowly stood up from the floor, never breaking eye contact.

"You are the reason I cannot leave", he said as he gave a few steps forward.

He released Raven's gaze and walked over to a bag on the table. He opened it and reached inside, taking out a scroll. Raven and Brongr's eyes widened at the sight of the scroll. It was black on the outside but when Axil opened the scroll they could see it was white on the inside with the words written in gold and black. Axil held the scroll up for them to see.

"This scroll speaks of an evil creature hiding in a forest. A creature that will destroy all of Bregaldia. It also speaks of strange magic. And since we came here, I've seen plenty of strange things", he said.

Raven leaned closer. The words on the scroll were written in a strange language. But what captured Raven's attention the most was the symbols on the scroll. {"These symbols look so familiar"}, she thought as she examined them.

"What kind of language is this?", she asked as she looked up at him.

Axil lowered the scroll, avoiding Raven's gaze.

"It also speaks of an object that contains powerful magic", he said as he walked back to the table. He placed the scroll back inside the bag a turned around. "An object that could destroy the creature."

"What does any of thes have tae do with Raven?", Brongr asked.

"The scroll mentions that the object emits a bright golden light. Similar to what we saw earlier", Axil said as he walked over to the bed. He sat down on the side of the bed and sighed.

"I've been searching for the object for a long time. I believe it could be here, somewhere in the forest. I cannot leave until I find it", he said as he stared in front of him.

"What do ye want tae do with it?", Brongr asked suspiciously.

Axil gave him a cold glare.

"It's my mission to find the creature and destroy it. To do that I need the object", he said.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me", Raven said, a frown on her face.

Axil turned his head to look at Raven.

"You have magic. And it's no magic I've ever seen. But after what I've seen earlier, I believe your magic might be connected to the magic in the object", he said. "Perhaps there is some way you could…sense the object. Or at least its magic", he said as he looked at Raven.

"Yeah, well…I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you", Raven said with a scoff. Seeing the confused look on Axil's face, Raven explained. "I can't control this…magic. I have never even used it before…well, at least not until yesterday. Its always just been a strange feeling".

Axil frowned.

"I know about the creature the scroll speaks of", Raven said.

Brongr jerked his head up and a look of surprise flashed across Axil's face.

"It lives in this forest", Raven said.

Axil's face turned expressionless and Brongr opened and closed his mouth several times in surprise.

"What?", he finally said, recovering from the shock.

"The creature lives here, in the forest."

"What does it look like?", Brongr asked.

"You haven't heard the tales? Have you been living under a rock?", Raven asked, flabbergasted.

Brongr looked at Raven questioningly.

"Seriously? The Blue Death? You've never heard of it?", she asked as she looked from Brongr to Axil.

"No", Brongr said.

Raven looked at Brongr with a surprised and amused look on her face.

"The Blue Death is the most dangerous creature in the forest. Actually no, make that in all of Bregaldia. Many people had tried to kill it. But they all…disappeared…", Raven said.

"Disappeared?", Axil asked, with a frown on his face.

"Your scrolls didn't mention that?", Raven said with a hint of sarcasm.

Axil gave Raven a cold glare as he stood up. He walked to the door and asked over his shoulder "Where can we get some food?"

"You'd have to hunt…there's not much else", Raven said as she pushed the blanket off of her.

"Where do ye think yer goin' lass?", Brongr asked as he got up.

"With you of course. You didn't think I'd let you wander around alone in this forest?", Raven said as she got out of the bed.

"You are in no condition to come with us", Axil said sternly.

Raven looked him in the eye.

"Don't tell me what to do", she said firmly. "Give me a few minutes and I'll join you outside".

Axil let out a frustrated groan and went outside. Brongr glanced at Raven and then followed Axil outside, closing the door behind him.

Raven changed her clothes and grabbed her weapons. She went over to the wall and took her unstrung bow from its rack. Stringing her bow, she left the shack and joined the two men outside.

"Let's go", she said as she walked past the two men.

Axil and Brongr looked at each other and followed Raven. They walked through the forest for a while. Raven could feel the pain in her leg creeping up into her side. She gritted her teeth but kept on walking.

After a while, they reached the bandits camping site. Or, what's left of it. Raven stopped, looking at the scene of destruction in front of her. {"Is this my doing?"}, she thought as she walked between the dead bodies lying on the snow. Brongr interrupted Raven's thoughts.

"Uhm, what exactly are we doin' 'ere? We've already looted what we could..there's nothing else".

Raven turned to face him. "We're going to bury them", she said firmly.

"And how do you suggest we do that? ", Axil asked. "You're not expecting us to dig holes with our b.a.r.e hands, are you?"

Raven just looked at him and shrugged.

"You're kidding…" Axil said with a laugh.

Raven gave him a dirty look. He suddenly stopped laughing. A surprised and annoyed look appeared on his face as realisation struck him.

"You're not kidding…", he said and scoffed. "I can't believe this", he muttered under his breath.

Brongr couldn't believe what Raven wanted them to do either.

"Ye can nae be serious about thes lass! How in the warld are we supposed tae dig graves in thes?", he said as he gestured at the snow. "And with our b.a.r.e hands!", he protested indignantly.

Raven gestured to his sword.

"You can use your sword…unless of course, you wánt to dig with your b.a.r.e hands", she said with a mischievous look glinting in her eyes.

Brongr grunted in frustration and turned around to start digging. Raven chuckled. She turned around and started to examine the bodies.

***

After a while of digging, Axil stopped, resting his hands on the hilt of his sword. He looked around and his eyes fell on Raven as she crouched beside a body. He wiped the blade of his sword and sheathed it. He walked over to Raven.

"Yes, you killed them all", he said as he approached her. "I don't understand how though. Your magic is…unique…I've never seen anything like it."

Raven stood up and sighed. She looked at Axil, but something behind him caught her eye. She walked past him and walked over to the dead animal. Axil turned around and saw the dead doe. He walked over and stood beside her.

"We'll dig a grave for it if you want", he softly said as he looked at Raven.

She had a strange look on her face. Sadness, guilt and something else, he couldn't quite put his finger on. Raven sighed.

"No, I'll do it."

Axil opened his mouth to protest but the determined look in Raven's eyes stopped him. He nodded and turned around, walking back to continue digging.

Brongr looked up at Raven and then at Axil.

"She's a stubborn one eh?" he softly said.

Axil looked him in the eye. "I'm only here to complete my mission, not to make friends with an oversized furball like you. So don't waste your time making small talk", he said coldly.

Brongr just stared at the white-haired man's back.

"I'm nae an oversized furball" he muttered under his breath as he started digging again.