VI. The Haunting Echo of Choices

Eksel grunted as he dislodged his axe from his opponent's skull. The battle continued around him, but Halfdan's men were now too few for him to keep fighting.

He inhaled as he stopped his body from shaking. The adrenaline rushing through his veins was intense, sometimes too much for his body to handle. He tightened his grip on the axe, before letting it fall to the ground with a heavy thunk.

Blood covered his chest and face. He could smell it and feel it's tackiness as he moved the muscles in his jaw. He couldn't face Elva like this, he had to go wash the blood off at least.

Heavy feet crunched the ground behind him and he spun quickly, lifting his sword in a defensive posture.

Sten reared back lifting his hands in surrender, only relaxing when Eksel lowered his hands and smirked.

"Halfdan wasn't here."

Eksel sighed, "I'm not surprised."

They both looked to the forest, letting their gazes drift across the darkened wood.

"You think he's looking at us?" Sten scowled as he spoke.

"It's possible."

"I don't get it, why would he send only a few of his men? He must've known they would die."

Eksel tensed, spinning on this heels to look at where he had left Elva. When all he could spot was the bare back of his horse, painful panic filled his lungs.

"Where is she?" He growled, his jaw clenching in anger and devastating shame.

Sten's eyes widened in realization before he shook his head.

Eksel didn't wait for a response before he ran toward the lonely horse. His heart pounded heavily against his chest and he held in the panic from escaping through his chest. If Halfdan got ahold of her, there was no saying what he would do to her, the lengths he would go to to cause her pain.

He only had himself to blame. It was his mistake that inevitably put a target on his back, and consequently on Elva's back.

When he reached his horse, the disturbed dirt made her abduction that much more real.

He closed his eyes, forcing himself to swallow the anger and fear. Raging wouldn't help her, he knew he needed to focus but it took his stomach moments to settle. All the death and gore from the fighting didn't make him feel half as queasy as he did now.

He focused his eyes to the ground, tracking the movement he found in the grass and dirt. Horse prints led him directly into Bloodhill Forest.

He heard Sten calling him, running after him as he sprinted into the cover of the trees, but he drowned out the sound. The thought of Elva in Halfdan's arms was terrorizing, and it was the only thing driving his speed and determination.

He had to get to her.

He ran through the trees, the odd branch scratching his face from time to time. The uneven ground was harsh against his boots, but he only ran faster as he watched for signs on the ground.

Her scream cut through the thickness of the forest like a knife. The fear was evident in the shrillness of the sound and it brought pain to Eksel's chest, lighting his spine on fire.

He could hear his men behind him, their steps heavy against the mossy ground, but he did not care. He quickened his pace, whispering to himself.

"Please let her be alive."

"Eksel!" Sten's panicked voice barely reached his ears and he decided once again to ignore him.

He refused to acknowledge the danger he was putting himself in. He couldn't take the time to think about it now, not when he needed to get to her as quickly as possible.

Another scream broke through his panic and the ache in his chest spiked at the realization that she was near.

With his mind in a haze, he ran toward the sound of her scream without catching onto the fact that he was running into a trap. Pain radiated through him, concentrated on his side and slowly ebbing through his body.

He jerked back, looking down to an arrow sticking from his torso. He grunted, clenching his jaw as he grabbed the wooden weapon and snapped it in half.

He threw it to the ground, coming to a stop as he faced a smiling Halfdan with a fear stricken Elva in his hands.

She looked at him with wide eyes, her chest rising in falling as a momentary flash of relief crossed her eyes. It was quickly replaced by worry and panic when she noticed the blood that poured down his body.

Halfdan looked to Eksel, blood pouring down his chin and onto his chest.

Eksel looked around, noticing the few men that surrounded him. He glared at Kos for a moment, clenching his jaw in anger, before returning his gaze to Elva.

His face softened as he looked at her, trying to communicate that he would get her out of here alive and safely. Even if it was the last thing he did. Even if it cost him his life.

The thought struck him harder than the arrow did. This little woman held power of him he did not know existed. The thought of her pain, or worse yet, her death rattled him with horror. It made him feel worse than his father ever made him feel.

Halfdan barked a laugh as he watched the two look at each other, making Elva shiver. She shut her eyes tight, clenching her jaw while still holding her tattered dress to her chest. Halfdan's hands found their way to her waist, clenching her skin painfully tight.

Eksel hissed in pain as he tried to advance toward them, to rip him away from her and take her far away.

A thud resounded, Elva screamed with tears in her eyes and Eksel grunted. It took him a moment to register the sound, and even longer to feel the pain in his shoulder.

He fell to knees, breaking the arrow that now stuck out from his arm.

"Please, no," Elva whispered, her voice breaking with her soft cries.

Eksel closed his eyes, trying to swallow the pain and keep himself awake, trying to keep himself strong. For her.

Halfdan spun her in his arms, now tightening his hand around her neck, bringing his face inches from hers. His eyes widened in angry craze, his face turning red and his veins popping from the skin on his forehead.

"You beg for him?"

Elva whimpered and Eksel forced himself to his feet, hissing as pain radiated through his body. He just had to hold out a bit more.

Halfdan's eyes roamed down her body and his lips lifted in a scowl, "You beg for a murderer?"

Elva gripped his wrist, trying to pull him away but his hold on her was unyielding.

Eksel brushed his fingers on his knife's handle, breathing in deeply through his nostrils. He would kill Halfdan.

"Ask him," Halfdan spoke, nodding his head toward Eksel.

Elva frowned, confused as Halfdan let go of her neck and spun her back to look at Eksel. She reluctantly drew her gaze away from the crazed man to look a the man who bled.

His knife felt heavy tucked in the waistband of his pants, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Not when she was too close to his target. Self-doubt of his skill ate away at his mind, dwindling his confidence as time ticked by.

"Ask him why I hunt him," Halfdan pressed his cheek to hers, watching Eksel with a hateful gaze.

Elva watched as Eksel suddenly looked unsure of himself, one arm twitching, while the other remained hidden behind his back.

"Ask him!" Halfdan's patience dissolved into nothing and he pressed a sharp knife to Elva's neck.

"Why?!" She asked, flinching from the blade.

She looked at Eksel with such hope and vulnerability that it killed him inside to even open his mouth and tell her. He didn't want her curiosity to turn into fear. He didn't want her to hate him like everyone else did.

He looked to the trees behind them and knew he would have to stall just a bit longer. He looked back at Elva, flitting his gaze to Halfdan, who laughed at him in self-satisfaction.

Halfdan pressed his blade harder against her skin, causing her to gasp, her eyes pleading with Eksel.

"I killed his son," Eksel muttered.

"Killed my son," Halfdan repeated.

Elva whimpered.

"He was just a boy," Eksel whispered hesitantly.

Elva inhaled sharply, and for a moment Eksel saw that doubt and hatred he caused in everyone. He had wanted to save Elva from it, at least.

Halfdan shook with rage, tossing Elva back and advancing to Eksel as he lost control of himself.

And hell broke lose. His men came from their hiding spots in the trees, attacking Halfdan's men.

Eksel didn't hesitate in thrusting his knife through Halfdan's neck, watching as he realized that he would be the one to die, not Eksel.

"I would have let you live," Eksel whispered as he laid him on the ground, grabbing his arm that still held his knife and placing it on his chest.

Blood sputtered from Halfdan's mouth, relief flooding his eyes when he could still grasp the handle of his weapon.

Elva's scream broke through the fog of the moment and Eksel looked up, struggling to find her as his men and Halfdan's men fought.

"Fuck, Eksel, you're bleeding," Sten appeared beside him, his own body covered in blood.

Eksel grunted in distress, still trying to scan the forest for a wave of almond hair.

Another scream brought him right to her as she struggled against Kos's hold. He held her tight on his horse, making his way to escape the fight.

Before he could move or even utter a word from his mouth, Sten thrusted the reins of his horse into Eksel's hands.

He quickly mounted his horse, pushing its speed. The pain seemed to go away, his wounds forgotten as his desperation took over.

Kos would be the next man he would kill, and he would kill him slowly.