Chapter 11 You're Insane

I thought I was going to fall down the cliff and die.

The rope system swayed violently beneath us. My hands burned from gripping the rope, and my feet searched desperately for something solid to stand on.

Then I realized someone was holding me, a strong and fim hand was holding on with everything he had.

My heart skipped as I looked up and saw the quiet guy. He was hanging from the rope system, one hand gripping the rope and the other locked around my wrist.

His jaw was clenched tightly. The veins in his arm stood out from the strain. 

He was the one holding me? 

"Don't let your master go!" Rowan screamed.

Fear spread across everyone's faces. The quiet guy tightened his grip immediately.

The rope creaked and his arm trembled.

I could feel his fingers slowly slipping against mine. He was losing his hold.

"Let me go," I said.

He didn't answer. His eyes remained fixed on me.

The stubborn idiot was still trying to pull me up and suddenly a sharp tearing sound echoed through the canyon.

In a second, everything became still then his rope snapped.

We both screamed as we both fell into the abyss.

I thought it was over. I thought we were dead.

But somehow, I survived again.

Why do I keep surviving anyways?

I honestly didn't know how or why. The fall had thrown us into the river hidden deep inside the canyon. The impact had knocked the air from my lungs, and the violent current dragged us away before I could even understand what had happened.

The water tossed us around like broken pieces of wood. By some miracle, it eventually pushed us toward the shore.

When I finally crawled onto land, I was soaked, bruised, exhausted, and coughing up water.

I rolled onto my side and coughed again then I saw the quiet guy lying motionless nearby.

My eyes widened. I immediately got up and ran toward him. Honestly, I was angry.

Why did he save me?

Why did he have to be so stupid?

Why risk his own life for mine?

He didn't move at all, I tapped his cheeks trying to wake him up but he didn't move.

I placed my hands near his nose, I could feel his soft breathing.

I looked around helplessly before my eyes returned to his face.

I knew what I had to do. I leaned closer, hesitating.

This was ridiculous. Why was I even doing this for him?

Just as I lowered my head, he suddenly coughed violently.

Water shot out of his mouth and splashed across my face. I jumped back immediately.

The quiet guy opened his eyes and stared at me. For a moment, neither of us spoke, then I wiped the water from my face.

"You did that on purpose."

The quiet guy blinked. "I was unconscious."

I clicked my tongue in annoyance and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Why did you do it? Why didn't you let go? I'm not even worth it. You should just let me fall!" I screamed at him.

The words burst out before I could stop them. What was the point of letting me live? I was really angry. A part of me wanted to die and another part just wanted revenge.

"It is my duty to protect you with my life. Even if I have to die, I still have to protect you."

His voice was calm and soft like he had simply stated a fact. There was no hesitation in his eyes, no regret.

Just that same reserved expression he always carried. I slowly released my grip.

Gabi had said something similar before about dying for me.

Was that how things worked here? People were expected to throw their lives away for those they served?

I couldn't understand it, I wasn't worth dying for. What's the point of risking his precious life?

"You shouldn't have done that," I said quietly.

The quiet guy simply stood up.

"How do we reach the others? This place is crazy," I muttered.

"You can easily get lost in the canyon if you don't know your way, but I've been lost here a few times. If I remember properly, this place leads to the Coldlands. If we can find a way out and reach the place, we can ask for help and reach the others."

I ran a hand through my wet hair.

This mission was a disaster. I should never have listened.

I was the only inexperienced one here, if anything happened, I would lose my life.

Meanwhile, these men acted like death meant nothing. They would willingly throw themselves into danger to save me and get the mission done.

"Let's go before it's dark. It's dangerous here in the dark."

"Go? Do you even know where we are going?" I scoffed.

"Even if I don't, we can't just stay here and hope help comes."

"I honestly do not care. You can go. I will stay here and wait till help comes. I am not going back there to face any of those beasts again."

One minute I wanted to die and another I was scared of dying. I couldn't even pick a side anymore, I'm confused and lost.

I sat down by the shore and folded my arms. The quiet guy stared at me for a second then he suddenly grabbed my hand.

Before I could react, cold metal clicked around my wrist. I blinked and moved my eyes towards my hands, I saw a cuff before I said another word.

He attached a rope to it and all I could do was stare in disbelief.

The entire time, I had been too distracted to realize what he was doing.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Making sure I get you back to the Barony safely."

"By tying me like a goat?" I raised my voice.

"If that's the only way, then I will do it with gladness."

I stared at him. For a moment, I couldn't even find any words, then he tied the other end of the rope to himself.

Now we were connected, anywhere he went, I would follow.

"What if I have to pee?" I asked.

"You pee. I didn't tie your penis."

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.

"Honestly, if I get out of here, I'll make your life a living hell."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I'd love to experience that."

He pulled the rope and started walking. I followed behind him with a loud groan.

We walked deeper into the canyon. The sun was slowly disappearing behind the cliffs and long shadows stretched across the rocky ground.

The walls around us seemed taller now and the deeper we went, the quieter everything became, then a smell hit us first, it came without warning, rotten.

My stomach immediately twisted. The stench was so strong it felt like it was coating the inside of my throat.

I couldn't even cover my nose because my hands were tied. The disgust on my face said enough.

"What was that?" I blurted out.

The quiet guy didn't answer. We continued walking until we came across a clearing then we saw them.

Bodies, dozens of them.

My feet stopped moving, the bodies were piled together near the rocks. Some had already begun to rot and flies buzzed around them in thick clouds.

The smell was unbearable. I turned around and realized some were missing limbs and something caught all my attention.Their uniforms, they were Bladders.

"What happened?"

The quiet guy stared at them, for the first time, sadness appeared on his face.

"They were the Bladders who were sent on a mission. They didn't make it back. No one knew their bodies would still be out here."

Silence settled between us and he moved closer to the body.

"Help me."

"Do what?"

"I can't leave my brothers and sisters this way."

I looked back at the bodies. He was right.

No one deserved this. No one deserved to be left behind for animals and birds to tear apart.

Suddenly, I thought about my parents.

I never got the chance to bury them or say goodbye.

"My hands."

Without a word, he untied me before he started to move the bodies.

I forced myself to help. The moment I turned one body over, my entire body froze.

Half of the man's face was gone.

One eye had been gouged out and the flesh around his cheek hung loose.

I vomited instantly.

The smell, the sight, everything was too much.

I dropped to my knees and threw up again.

The quiet guy only watched quietly. When I finally recovered, we continued.

Body after body, one after another.

Hours passed.

Sweat soaked our clothes despite the cold air.

Our arms ached, our backs screamed in protest. We gathered stones from across the canyon and carried them one by one.

The work was slow but eventually, all fifteen bodies rested together beneath a mound of rocks.

A simple grave. The quiet guy stood silently before it. He lowered his head and pulled out the Bladder tag on his unform he placed it on the grave we had built.

Though he tried to hide his emotions but I could still see the pain in his eyes.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke.

I just collapsed onto a nearby boulder and my knees were a bit weakednd as the horrifying images still stayed in my mind.

I noticed the quiet guy holding out a bottle.

"I don't want your water." I stood up immediately.

I wasn't trying to become friends. I wasn't trying to get close to him.

I just wanted to be alone and no matter what happen, I would not cross my boundary, we were only workmates.

He simply nodded and took the bottle back.

"Are you coming?" I asked.

I started walking before he even have a reply. He followed behind.

We continued deeper into the canyon. The sky was growing darker and shadows were beginning to dance around the canyon.

I didn't think much of it, I just didn't want to see a Canyon beast again. Anyways, we reached another place. The adventure never ends 

And this one was worse.

Bones were everywhere. I just stood still waiting patiently for what the quiet guy would say.

The bones were in various sizes and forms. huge, tiny, small, broken and piles of skulls rested between the rocks.

Some looked human, others belonged to creatures I couldn't identify. Ribs jutted from the ground like white cages. Skulls stared back with empty eye sockets.

The wind moved through them, creating strange rattling sounds.

It felt like the entire place was watching us.

At that moment, I realized something. We might not get out of here alive. There is a lot of murderous things in this Canyon and it seems like something had killed all these creatures, something powerful enough to leave nothing behind except bones.

"This is the Bone Sanctuary. Normally, humans are not allowed here, but I've heard stories of how its path could lead us straight to a town."

"Stories? And you believe them?" I asked. I knew he would say something silly.

"Stories are meant to be believed."

"Says who? Who knows what ate these creatures and turned them into bones?" My voice cracked.

Fear was beginning to creep in but the quiet guy kept walking. Straight toward the sanctuary.

I stared at him. The man was completely insane.

"You're insane!" I screamed but I still followed him, now we are both insane.

I only followed because it was getting dark and if those beasts came back, being alone would be far worse.

We walked towards the sanctuary carefully, trying not to let the bones touch our skin. The path was narrow.

Everywhere I looked there were bones. Some cracked beneath our boots while others were stacked so high we had to climb over them.

The quiet guy moved carefully, watching every step. I copied him without question.

The place gave me a bad feeling and I hated every second of it. After what felt like forever, we finally crossed.

The sun had completely disappeared and head of us, as we stood on the Sanctuary cliff, a large town stretched below.

"So you believe me now?" The quiet guy raised his brows before I could reply his words I realized his eyes blinked profusely and suddenly he fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"What just happened?"