Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 145: The aftermath (1)

ARIAL

TENT, IN FRONT OF DENTED SHIELD

1015 SEEDMONTH

He slowly opens his eyes. The first thing he felt was the wind. It is spring and the wind should be breezy and cool but when it blows, it was like it is the breath of winter.

The coldness of that wind bite his skin like it is a winter kiss. The pain washes over him and he couldn't help but grunt

His head felt like he was being hit by a hammer on top of his head. Even as he is opening his eyes, his entire mind felt groggy

'Where am I?' he asks himself. He looks all around him and as he focused himself, the blurry surrounding slowly becomes clearer.

He saw his armour and shields and his family crest on the other side of his bed.

'I'm in my tent' he thought. Then he slowly remembers what happens. He remembers the battle and he remember the spear that shot to him.

'Ahh' he grunted in pain as the pain strike his body again. He is taking a hard time to breathe. His mind is slowly rearranging itself until he remembers all that have happened before.

'How long was I out?' he asks himself this question before his eyelids feels to heavy and he closes his eyes again.

How many days since he been like this? He starts asking himself in confusion. Everything felt blurry again. And it felt like he was about to fall unconscious once again.

Is he really in his tent? He asks. Then he confirms the answer himself.

Even now, when his eyes are closed his other senses work perfectly compensating the one that he is not using right now.

This is the smell of his tent. The smell of candles and parchment, and new scrolls. This is his tent. But he also smells foreign odour. Medicines and herbs.

'The pain. I remembered. But what comes next. that, appears to be blotted out from my memory'

The smell of the medicine is heavy in the tent, of herbs, of incenses and variety of other kind of medicinal properties that he could smell, some he recognizes and some he does not.

And then he falls unconscious again.

The sleep seems eternal until he was once again awakened by some sounds.

He heard whisper and yelling in his tent, barely a whisper but slowly he can hear better and the sound becomes even clearer

He has already felt energy is returning to him. Time to arise from his slumber and face the world.

He felt that his mind is not as confused as before and he had remembered. The moment he stirred from his sleep he could hear their voices of concern.

'Sshhh, the lord is opening his eyes.' One of them says shushing the others.

And the whispers and yelling in the tent turns to silence.

And with energy that he can still expend, he slowly opens his eyes, slowly and with great effort while the pain washes over him

The pain almost makes him cringe his body but he knew the people in his tent is his vassal lords.

So he bears the pain.

It is the hardest thing to do, to feign being well when you are ill, but no weakness must shine through or they will maw him like a lion preying on a deer.

The union of the lord is not yet stable and while some of them are perfectly content in remaining under his House guidance, not all shares the same thought.

And those people, if they even heard a whisper of his weakness, they would surely exploit to their advantage.

The other reason is because, they are still at war and such news could erode the morale of his army.

'My lord you are awake' some exclaimed in delight. Arial smiles but at the same time he is trying to direct the flow of energy in his body.

But to his shock, he found that the path of energy in his body seems like it is stuck and hard to move. Like it is being clogged by so many things that the flow of energy seems to be stagnant.

But while it is slow, the energy did flow but with a kind of restricted feeling.

'Praise the Light.' Lord Summersill said. It seems he have come from Northcour. Arial could see that days has probably passed since the last battle.

He must have succeeded in his endeavour in Northcour. He looks around and he saw West and Lisa.

'Lord Arial' West said bowing

As West is bowing towards him he could see Lisa rushed toward him and flung herself to him.

She hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her eyes

'Why did you let me worry! I thought you were dead!' She said while looking at his chest with apprehension.

It was like at this moment; she has forgotten there are other lords in this tent. Lord Summersill avert his gaze away while West remain bowing to him.

This was actually inappropriate but Arial and Lisa had known each other for so long that they don't feel it is weird to hug each other even when they are of different genders.

She did not notice the mood in the tent as she traced her fingers around the wound and looked at him. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

With her eyes she is asking him whether he is fine.

He smiles and he only nodded. And she nodded back as she understands. There was a moment when their eyes locked with each other. They stare at each other eyes for a few second before Lisa look down at his chest.

'Did it hurt?' she said as she realized she touched his chest at the point of injury

Any other man would have died after being speared like that. But he survives. The area of the wound is now covered with bandages and healing nicely.

At least it looks like that to other people. But only Arial knows this feeling he felt deep in his heart, that everything is not fine. But he hides it from everyone.

He looks at Lisa and knows she is worrying about him. He only smiles and said

'It is fine, Lisa.'

Then as he was about to say something else, someone else entered the tent. He looks in confusion before he saw Arial.

It was Kyle. His face was of elation when he saw him awake

'YOU SCARED ME TO DEATH!' Kyle shouted. Arial smiles and look at him with appreciation.

So this is how it feels to be cared about? It's nice. He thought to himself

He never forms many bonds in his other life but right now he grateful for the people he has met in this life, those who became his friend and companion, who have supported him, and in certain times, scold him properly when necessary.

His smile is clear to everyone as Lisa distance himself from him.

There is a slight blush on her face maybe realizing the action she just did. She sometimes glances at the direction of the bowing West and she look at him guiltily.

Kyle on the other hand approach him and ask him

'You smile?' He asks incredulous

'How could I not?' Arial answer. Kyle shakes his head looking at his odd behaviour. But there is something more important right now.

'How is the battle?' he immediately asks.

>>>>>>>

This is what happens after Arial get attacked by Alderam. Anyway, like always leaving you with an unfinished conversation. See you in the next chapter. You could comment on the story and leave some votes and reviews and recommend the story to other people if you like it