The Blade Of God-Chapter 65: The Bridge (Slash I)

The knights follow where Jeremiah’s focus lays, in front of the knights and through their scattered vision filled with dust and gust of red sand. There is a figure that is within the sandy, barren fields, covered in tattered robes and thick pants and boots, that approaches the knights through the sandy storm.

The figure lofts their head, their covered hoodies head and face blurred through the sand, but two bright orbs stare through the dust, eyeing down the knight’s every move.

Before Jeremiah can open his mouth to comment, the figure quickly flashes away. Jeremiah blinks, watching as the figure closes in on the knight crew with each blink of the eye. By the time Jeremiah can register what kind of magic even is that--the figure is standing in front of Jeremiah, there glowing bright blue eyes focused on Jeremiah’s wide green ones.

"It appears as you have survived thus far." The figure said, their voice sounding like it’s been cut through by static. The unknown figure--man-- raising his bandages hands to pull of his hoodie, revealing a bald head covered in scars and stitches. "I congratulate you on not losing a life thus far."

"We...thank thee..." Jeremiah confudsely said, his hand hovering around his swords’ handle. "And if I may ask, who might you be, sir?"

The man sways, turning his head to examine the wary crowd of knights. His bright eyes slowly maneuver the group, but his eyes stop at Zayn’s, who’s watching the strange man watch--well her--through his bright, beady eyes.

The man quickly flashes away from Jeremiah, causing Jeremiah to flinch, quickly turning his head to see the man stand far too close to Zayn’s face, sniffing her neck and licking his chapped lips. Jeremiah frowns, feeling a sudden wave of annoyance and protectiveness as he quickly moves in front of Zayn, holding a hand onto the strange man’s chest to push him back.

"You smell powerful." The man said, a gummy smile making its way to his face. "You smell like-like royalty. Like a God."

"U-um-." Zayn stutters, quickly side stepping to hide behind Jeremiah and away from that creepy big, burly man. "Must be Excalibur, hahahahahaha."

The man blinks, tilting his head as he stares at Zayn before he grins, his gummy smile looking even more creepier than the first time he--well--smiled.

"It smells so familiar." The man said. "Like a king-."

"Are you here to smell and make my knight uncomfortable," Jeremiah said, his green eyes blazing with emotions, "or are you here to do something more meaningful?"

The man flinches back, clearing his throat as he looks over the knight crew. He rolls his shoulders, pulling his hands behind his back as he stares at the group of knights with a odd, emotionless face.

"Right, yes I-I was here for something more meaningful, I suppose." The man said. "I have been told to provide my guidance to those who survive through the phase of the bridge. Not many do, so I believe the Gods were surprised to summon me."

"So...they thought we’d all die, ain’t that right?" Amur asked, raising a thin eyebrow and folding her arms on her chest.

The man clears his throat, looking away, but making no room to respond, which answers the question for the knights.

"The Gods never play fair." The man suddenly said. "And kings only remember what it feels like to be at the top."

The man’s eyes blaze, meeting eyes with Zayn, offering her a small, gummy smile.

"I am the Guider of the Tower." The man said. "From here, I will take you to the Tower of God and direct you through each stage of the tower. We will part once whoever remains and I reach the room of the Council of Gods, where the Gods will meet us outside and greet you before directing you in the council room."

"Whoever will remain-stages-excuse me, t-this is quite a lot to process!" Mill said, brushing past everyone to stand in front of the short but burly man. "Are you telling me that we may die in that stupid dungeon tower thing-b-but aren’t you here to protect us-?"

"Protect-you?" The man said, barely acknowledging Mill. "I am only here to guide you. Plus, even if I was told so, I rather be fed to the lions den. You smell weak."

Mill gasps, his face bright red as he staggers back. The short, burly bald man huffs, focusing again on Jeremiah.

"Captain Jeremiah of the Black Fawne, correct? I’ve heard much about you during the Gods chatter, of course, also with the fact that some of them dislike your half-dragon ancestry...an interesting fact, mind you." The man asked, offering a wide, gummy smile at Jeremiah, who doesn’t react, just watches the man twirl and point a wrinkled finger his direction. "I’ve been expecting you, along with your party--or at least some of their body parts--and of course you-."

The man points to Zayn, a wider smile makes its way to his lips.

"It’s been a while since I’ve seen a woman warrior." The man grins. Jeremiah flinches, pushing Zayn further behind him. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss-."

"The point." Jeremiah said, eyeing down at the man with bright eyes. "Get to it."

"R-right, yes of course." The man said, clearing his throat. "Since you all made it thus far, shall I should you across the bridge, to where the Tower Of God resides?"

Jeremiah looks to his side, where Clarke stands straight by him, meeting eyes with him before she nods, her small earrings dancing with the wind, followed by the ends of her short, red hair.

"Please don’t delay us further, sir." Clarke said, her usual warm eyes narrowed, eyeing the man hard enough to blow bullet holes through him. "We must reach the Tower Of God."

The man clears his throat, quickly scanning the room of very annoyed looking knights before he awkwardly smiles, lifting up his barefoot feet, raising his legs high enough that the knights can see his tattered pants.

"Then so shall it be." The man said. "I will break the bridge open and take you there. Be ready, as the magic often has effects-."

"Effects-?" Jeremiah begins to ask, but the bulky man grins, plummeting his raised leg to the ground, causing the earth to quake. Jeremiah jolts, staggering back with wide eyes as the ground under him breaks, along with the knights around him.

Jeremiah looks behind him, watching Zayn trip backwards and twist her feet around her long fur cloak, attempting to gain balance before the ground breaks under her oto, along with those surrounding her. Jeremiah grits his teeth, reaching his armored hand to grab her own as sand smacks him in the face, soon being replaced by the bright sun, and then a bright, white light surrounds the knights, replacing the once dessert-like world into a realm of just pure white.

...

By the time Jeremiah opens his eyes again, Jeremiah is staring up to a bright blue sky, the sun blooming over the bright sky like a flower, and the many trees that surround his vision sway with the cool wind.

Jeremiah turns his head, his eyes wide when he meets Zayn;s helmeted face turned his direction, her helmeted head laying gently (or as gently as it can) on his armored arm while she holds her plated hand to her chest, her exposed legs touching Jeremiah’s hips and her breathe is very, very close to Jeremiah’s lips, enough that Jeremiah blinks, feeling his ears burn a bit by the closeness.

"W-what the fuck happened...?" Lia asked. Jeremiah jolts up--not enough to push Zayn off, but enough that he’s awkwardly turning around to see Lia holding her head in pain, her usually cute face morphed into a scowl.

"No idea..." It’s Chase that speaks next, rubbing his butt as he bites his lip in pain. "But whatever that was, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy...and I have a lot of those."

"Jeez...I never teleported like that before!" Shaka said, rubbing her head, "Li-Li-how are-oh no!"

Li-Li waves Shaka off, quickly turning away and puking her little guts out. Aliane soon after lazily stirs, waking up to Li-Li puking beside him, too close for comfort, enough that he shows her a look of disgust, raising his foot to kick her over and roll her away.

"Well...that doesn’t look good..." Amur mutters, watching Li-Li throw up. Amur rummages through her pockets, handing Li-Li her handkerchief out of pure pity, to which Li-Li accepts almost too eagerly.

"You could have told us about those side effects!" Mill yells, holding on of his ears in pain as he squeezes his eyes shut. "Isn’t that your damn job!"

The man barely entertains responding to Mills nagging, his bright, beady eyes more focused on moving his gaze from the knights to above, where a large, gummy smile makes its way to his face.

"That isn’t quite my full responsibility, no." The short, burly man said, smiling and nodding his head up to something behind the knights. "But yes, yes-! That is what my job is-to guide you to the tower-the Tower of God!"