Shattered Conduit

His steps echoed throughout the cavern. The autumn leaves flew from the mouth of the cave. It was as if the outside world danced in a longingly gleeful attitude he could not be a part of.

Behind you.

The voice echoed in his mind.

"I know."

He picked up the pace and darted into a sprint, keeping low as to not completely alert the entities chasing him. He pulled his darkened lavender cloak closer to keep warm from the cold of the cavern. He stopped. Waiting. Listening and examining his surroundings. He hadn't realized it sooner but he found himself within a large chamber with only two entrances. He scoffed.

"Xanul."

He said with a grim determination and rage.

He sensed them and they sensed him. He knew why they were after him and he was glad. 

Let them come. We know how to deal with them.

"For now we'll wait atop the ceiling," He scanned the cave ceiling with more scrutiny and recognized two stalactites parallel to each other. It was the perfect position, all he needed to do now was scale the cavern and he did just that.

You'll need my aid. The voice said flatly.

"As if. I've told you this before I don't need help from your luminescent ass." 

He rubbed his hands together, bent his knees and dashed forward to the wall. Before he smacked into it however his last stride was much wider than the previous strides and he jumped. As he did this he twisted his body mid air towards the ceiling and began to run, but this time on the wall itself. However he knew that would last for two-maybe-three steps as like everybody else he still obeyed the laws of gravity.

He fell but slipped his hand into a crevice in the wall and the momentum forced his back on the wall with him facing outward to the rest of the cavern. He turned back and took his left hanging arm and found a rock to grab hold of. 

By the time he was barely able to reach the actual roof he realized there was no feasible way to get to the stalactites without the wraith's help and in this realization he could almost hear him chuckling.

"Yeah yeah yeah, laugh it up lightbulb."

Without a moment's hesitation his forearms began to glow. However, it was a type of glow you'd never know. Alex felt the energy of his body pulsate and his blood boil, the glow became brighter and his arms looked almost transparent, and the veins of his arms supported that glow with an even deeper shade of blue. Then he exploded with a burst of energy quickly climbing to the top until he heard footsteps. He sat between the stalactites listening, waiting, trying to be patient with sweat on his brow.

 Before Alex could gather his thoughts however, they came into the cavern.

Xanul. The Wraith spat with disgust.

Alex ignored the comment reminding himself he needed to stay focused lest he die in the next five minutes.

These creatures were covered in cloaks with scimitars drawn, one had a miniature crossbow in his left hand, Alex knew it had to be loaded with poison. 

Now. 

As if he'd been doing this his entire life Alex let go and fell towards the creatures. He blacked it all out and felt the rage cloud his mind and that familiar glow appeared around his forearms. He intended to smash in the head of the creature with the crossbow but the creature saw him first and narrowly escaped the ensuing attack. Alex landed on the floor cracking it in the process and drew his own sword.

Using the momentum from getting up off the floor Alex swung his sword at the crossbow wielding creature whose hood fell off in the process. It revealed a ghastly pair of Laenings. It hissed at Alex and tried to sweep his feet. In retaliation Alex released an abysmal scream after realizing what he was fighting.

"Damn monsters. You're all gonna die till dawn, over and over again till I'm finished with you."

He snarled, beaming with hatred.

Calm yourself young Achilles.

"Shut up wraith."

He swung his sword again and the Laening kept his back towards his partner who nodded when they locked eyes. Alex's rage began to burst and his blood boiled at the sight of them. The pair switched places and the Laening with the crossbow loaded a cartridge into the mechanism under the strings and released a few bolts at Alex. All the while the Laening in the front tried to strike at Alex, although clumsily, he managed to get a few shallow cuts in. 

Alex had enough of this and decided to end it, he focused himself and centered his anima to try and release the Arcane on the creatures. However, that was cut short by the crossbow repeating Laening, Alex thought screw it and decided to rely simply on his own blade, Cascade.

One swipe of the blade and the Laening's arm was gone. Its piercing lavender eyes were filled with fear as it gazed at its dismembered limb and it squealed with pain and dropped to its knees clutching its arm. The one with the crossbow was shocked but kept its guard up. He removed the cartridge and replaced it with another. He fired again, then again but each time the bolts bounced off of Alex's blade.

Alex's eyes were dead. His stance relaxed, and he walked slowly past the bleeding out Laening, his mind blank filled with nothing but bloodlust for the creature.

"Xanul eshpak, eshpak!"

It pleaded.

He begs for his life. He heard in his mind.

Alex got the notion but didn't care. There was already a hole in the thing's chest before it could continue speaking and a hole in the wall behind it. Alex's palm still had the faint incandescent radiance. He turned towards the bleeding out Laening and suddenly the Wraith appeared as bright as a lightbulb and much faster than he usually did. 

Stop. He could be useful.

"You know I don't speak the language, why should he live?" Alex scoffed at the notion. The Wraith's eyebrow shifted upwards.

How many times must I remind you that in order to achieve our objective you need to learn everything about our enemies, including their culture and language. Let him be an example for others who continue their hunt. Let him crawl back to his decrepit masters he'll suffer a fate much worse than you could ever give him.

Alex chuckled at that statement, "Wanna bet?"

Telimbyr smirked, Alex considered the notion carefully and saw that the Wraith did have a point. Alex thought it would be nice to finally get some sleep without worrying about being attacked.

"Fine. Send him off as you wish Wraith."

Telimbyr wasted no time and merged with Alex quickly enough to produce a thick mist around his body. He squatted down to the lizard's eye level and held his head mockingly and simply told the Laening, "Alqec."

The laening turned and scampered away in fear clutching what used to be its arm. Alex felt his body come back to him as he fell to the ground.

"I'll never get used to you doing that, wonder if he'll even make it."

He let out a sigh.

In due time Achilles, in due time.

"Can't you ever just call me by my name? I Still don't know why you nicknamed me like a pet."

Alex still had a rough idea where it came from but he was testing his wraith.

You do know I still hear and see everything Achilles, even your thoughts but if you insist.

Alex's vision blurred until the scene of a battlefield appeared before him. Telimbyr was by his side and a man with an arrow in his Achilles tendon was being dragged by a chariot, his body, lifeless and barely recognizable. The vision went as quickly as it came.

You let the tiniest things destroy you, you focus on miniscule problems and distractions. Things that should be beneath your focus, young Achilles. Do not let a single arrow distract you from what you need to do. From what WE need to do. Do not be overwhelmed by everything at once. Compartmentalize yourself if you must but never forget your promise and the resolve you've shown ever since that day we met. Do not let a single arrow be your unraveling like the great Achilles himself.

Alex was dumbfounded and in complete shock. Telimbyr rarely gave more than an unemotional response, let alone actual life advice. Alex laughed, having his hand cover his eyes in disbelief.

"You know what Wraith? Maybe this life isn't as bad as I thought it would've been. Maybe eternal suffering with a much too bright ghost of an Elf could be fun after all."

An overexaggerated simplification of what's happened but yes you might be right.

The Wraith disappeared as quickly as he came and Alex quickly wrapped himself in his cloak and pulled the hood over himself. He snickered and walked out of the cave. He slept peacefully for the first time in a very long time. Even if it was in an autumn tree.