ALORA'S POV.
I looked back, the guards were gaining on me. At that point, I knew I had no other option, so I took his gloved hand, and he threw me onto the back of his horse with one swift thrust.
"Hya!" He roared, and the horse took off, forcing me to put my arms around his waist. I shut my eyes tightly, tears stinging the corners of my eyes as I thought about the guards that were still in hot pursuit.
I couldn't turn to look at them, instead, I held the cloaked stranger tighter, finding something that felt like peace in him.
We rode into the forest, the horse galloping furiously beneath us. Huge branches clawed at my skin and tugged on my clothes, threatening to pull me down, but I held on like my life depended on it… which it did.
The frantic breaths of the man who had saved me echoed in my ears, but my eyes remained shut in fear.
A few minutes passed, and I no longer heard the raging voices of guards or the sound of their feet and horses charging towards us. I finally gained the courage to open my eyes, and they widened at the sight in front of me.
The horse slowed down, huffing from the intense run. I slowly let go of the cloaked stranger, my eyes flickering in wonder as I stared at the wastelands.
It was a large area of land, acres and acres of nothing but bare soil and rubbish. Bones were scattered all over, trees had withered, and waste products covered most of it. The air was thick with dust, and it smelt like decaying flesh and dread. It was eerily silent, causing shivers to run down my spine.
"Where are we?" My voice came out softer than I had intended.
"The Ember wastes. The land of the dead." He answered, his voice sounding like silk wrapped in steel.
I gasped.
"Dead?
"Yes, but you have nothing to worry about."
I looked back at the forest. "What about the guards?"
"No one comes this far, they won't survive here." He answered, still urging his horse along. I stared at the bones on the floor as we rode past them.
"How can we survive and they won't?" I questioned again, in disbelief.
"They're not like you and me, wildling."
Wildling? Why did he call me that? And why did my heart skip a beat every time he spoke? I was so desperate to see the face of the man who had saved me.
"I don't understand. Who are you? Why did you save me? I don't understand anything."
He brought the horse to the stop, and then he jumped down, landing with a thud. But he didn't let go of the rope.
Slowly, with his free hand, he threw the hood of the cloak backwards, revealing his face. A strange feeling enveloped me, he was nothing short of otherworldly.
He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, with a face fitting for only the gods, and brown eyes so deep that I almost got lost in them. My jaw almost dropped, but I held it together.
"My name is Kyren Rowan. As for the reason why I saved you? You'll find out soon enough."
"I'm.. Alora."
"It's nice to meet you, Alora. But we must be on our way. We have to get to the gates before the curfew."
"What gates? Are we leaving Veloria?" I raised a brow at him.
His demeanor was icy cold, and that drew me to him in ways I couldn't comprehend.
"You'll find out."
Why did he have to be so mysterious? He won't say anything to me and it was driving me insane. However, I cooperated, I had no other option but to follow him anywhere. I had become a fugitive, and returning to Valsus or Cindermere would mean the end of me.
Kyren walked while I remained on the horse. The journey was slow and quiet, he barely said anything to me, only asking if I was comfortable or not.
Soon, we arrived at a hill. It felt like a dead end, because there was nothing but empty land all around us. But then, he did something that shook me to the very core.
He stretched out his palm, and a blue beam appeared. It spread from that point, forming a strong, glowing web that dissipated and revealed a tall, steel gate with carvings engraved boldly on it.
"ASHEN FALL ACADEMY."
I hopped down from the horse, my eyes widened in pure disbelief, and my heart pounding loudly against my chest. I rubbed my eyes, and when I looked again, the gate was still there. This had to be some sort of dream. A hidden school!?
"What is this?" I turned to Kyren whose face held absolutely no emotion, like he didn't just show me the most shocking thing I have ever seen.
"A school." He almost scoffed. "Let's go."
"No," I shook my head, backing away. "I don't know where you're taking me. I don't know who or what you are." I folded my arms across my chest in an attempt to suppress the heat once again.
He watched me keenly, like I was some project for him to study.
"You can turn around and go back to the people who are trying to kill you, or you can follow me and learn the truth that has been hidden from you for years. The choice is really yours." He pulled his horse along, and the gate opened, giving him access.
I hesitated, but I moved, my feet light on the ground. Walking through the gates felt like a release. I breathed in the fresh, organic scent that made my senses feel more relaxed than ever.
"Wait, Kyren. I'm scared."
"You're with me, there's no need for you to be afraid. I was sent to protect you and my mission is not over yet." He looked over his shoulder at me and continued to walk.
"Protect me? Are you one of those kids from my school?"
"Kids.." he shook his head like he was already fed up and my cheeks flushed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you a kid, I just…" I sighed. "I just want to know what's going on here." I stopped walking and he turned around to face me.
We were still on the pathway, but I could see the pinnacles of the buildings ahead of us.
"Alora, you were lied to."
I froze.
"Everything you were told was a lie. The binding trials? It's all an illusion to distract the world from the actual truth; magic was never destroyed, just stolen and contained."
My jaw dropped, and my ears rang.
"You're here because you're a magic wielder, and like every other magical being in this school, you will train, and magic will be set free again."
No.. it couldn't all be a lie.
Magic was destroying the world, it was toxic.. that was what they told us and made us believe. The executions may have left a lingering pain, but we were convinced that it would keep us safe.
My heart pounded, and my palms stung. When I looked at them, they were cracking, and purple light sipped through those cracks. I stepped back, panting, gasping for air ferociously.
"Alora… breathe." Kyren's voice echoed distantly. I couldn't.
And then, the sky darkened into a violent shade of red, like it was going to rain fire.. and then, it did.