Chapter 7

When I came to the house after a long day at work, I noticed first, that it was too quiet. Adrianna was never this quiet. Even when she was asleep she would talk or mumble or snore. She fell down and broke stuff with her clumsiness, and she mumbled stuff to herself.

I hesitated as I put my hand on the door handle, a bit too afraid of what I might find in the house.

It’s too dark now, so she hasn’t left on her own. What if she is leaving me? What if something awful happened to her? What if she’s sick and all alone and has been abducted?

… What if Robert has come for her?

I knew all about Robert. My true love’s own personal boogeyman. People as horrifying and deranged as him shouldn’t be able to live. They are a scourge who needs to be cleansed so decent people can continue their lives without fear. Those who don’t see a single problem with a lifestyle profiting off the struggle of others are awful and while they can become better, people like Robert don't even care to think so.

When I threw the door open, I glared at the house. As if I could blame the furniture itself for what has happened to my love. Yep. There was a bit of struggle. The orb of light was even shattered on the floor.

I looked around the house. Must have left some hints right? I believed it because it was easy to believe. Easy to think it would be easy to find what I was looking for.

Luckily, he underestimated how far I would go to save my love. Yes, I am a physician. However, I have no intention of letting the plague that could ruin my life.

He left me a note, how stupid can he even be? Thinking I will just give him what he wanted without a fight. He gave me fourteen more hours to meet him. The place made me smirk. Oh yes, the badlands. Venomous dragons, fire-breathing snakes, and poisonous, man-eating plants. Heh. Like I couldn't fight there.

I used to go there multiple times a day just to collect all the ingredients I needed for more medicines. Hell, that’s where I found my lovely Adrianna.

Collecting a few hidden knives and my trusty blaster, I got ready to go get her. Squaring my shoulders, I trekked to our meeting spot.

I can remember when we first met. Every moment where she was afraid of touch, where she writhed and screamed as she slept, where she distrusted every kind word from the natives because she had been conditioned to believe any kindness meant they were trying to simply take advantage of her.

Those are the things that propelled me forward. The things that pushed my feet forward, into what was surely a trap set by a man who doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as she does.

Adrianna fears nothing. She used to climb on the backs of beasts as if they were domesticated. She once giggled after she was thrown off. She tried to feed man-eating plants. She never showed a single ounce of fear.

Unless she was waking up from a nightmare about Robert finding her.

This is what fueled the fire in my belly, the nightmare that had plagued my true love for years has come to life. It has come true, and maybe now, will finally end. Everything will be better.

I walked through the forest. This was one of the few forests I rarely went down. They had too many beasts. Most plants couldn’t even live here. Constant bursts of fire, and destructive spit destroying their bark.

I fought through every single thing, with only one single thought. I need to save Adrianna. Was this how knights in a fairy tale felt? No… I felt something stronger. I knew this woman. I loved her. She loved me.

There were so many things that tried to kill me. I kept count of them, just to occupy my mind so I didn't use up all my adrenaline and energy on the route there. Eight giant fire breathing pythons, 6 poison spitting dragons, 3 man-eating plants, and 21 small ice-fire rats who tried to freeze and burn me so they could consume my flesh.

When I came upon the camp, I froze. Oh no, Too many variables. Too many of everything. I was expecting a handful of workers along with Robert and a single cargo ship. There were dozens of ships and so many workers. I don’t… I don’t even think I can do this. Not the way I wanted to.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to explore. Upon checking my watch, I saw that I had several hours left to do this. I walked around the camp, looking for something tangible. Some weakness in their defenses to exploit. Some way I can save her with minimal damage to ourselves.

There has to be something.

There has to be something.

…Right?

Wrong apparently. Hours later, and I wasn’t a wink closer to where I was when I first started. “Think Dalen, Think!” I berated myself. “You should know how to get through this.”

All of a sudden, multiple things happened at once.

First, the sound of commotion coming from one of the ships. A shrill screech that embedded itself into my future nightmares. The sound of a blaster being cocked. A gruff voice shouting to stay inside or bad things will happen.

Stepping closer to investigate proved to be a good decision. Out popped my beloved Adrianna. She looked much worse for wear. Bags under her eyes, hair a mess, clear burns on her body and scratches down her skin. Oh my, how could anyone try to harm such a dear angel?

Of course, the fire In her eyes as she sprinted away from one of her captors was, perhaps, the most beautiful thing about her. A fiery spirit that would not quit no matter what happened or who it was that sought to harm her.

The man chasing her down behind her needed to die. I didn't like doing it, but at this point, I have really been left with very little choice in the matter. Cocking the blaster in my hands, I shot the guy right between the eyes. It was almost mercy. I felt bad for the guy because he wasn't the boogeyman, so I made sure he crumpled to the ground dead in the most painless manner possible.

Adrianna didn't know if I were friend or foe. That was clear in the way she picked up the pace and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Maybe in the future, I'll bring up that running towards what you think could be someone trying to kill you is a bad idea. Now is not the time, though.

I ran forward and grabbed her by her wrist. I shot a few more guys who were advancing on us as we ran. We needed to escape the situation right now. No, it’s not a permanent solution. But it is the solution to imminent death.