Dance of the Damned

Bonds Formed

"We are almost there, ok? Hold on." Briar said as Micah rested his head on his friend's chest. His heartbeat hammered against his chest like those drums Micah heard not very long ago.

The boy ran as quickly as he could when the old man went ahead, managing to borrow a horse for them to use.

He pulled both boys on the horse, Briar holding Micah so tight that he could feel the bruise forming on that spot already.

Even on the horse, his heartbeat did not stop.

"If I don't make it, Bradie." Micah began, voice growing soft.

"Don't you dare say that, Micah." The boy scolded, wiping the tears that ran down his face with the sleeve of his shirt. "You are going to be fine. Ok?"

"It's not your fault, Bradie. You can't be ... everywhere all the time," Micah said, closing his eyes as the blood loss finally got to his head. "W-wake me up when we are there."

"Don't fall asleep, Micah!" Briar shouted, his voice fading away little by little.

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"Micah? Hey, Micah!" Briar shouted, shaking his unconscious friend while they sat at the back of the horse.

With shaky hands, he placed a finger in front of the boy's nose, breathing heavily and then relaxing slightly when he felt a faint breath of air flow out.

"Dad, hurry!" he shouted, gripping Micah even closer to his body trying to raise his temperature. "Micah- Micah is..."

"We will get there, don't you give up yet boy!" The man shouted, slapping the reins to make the horse go faster.

"I won't!" He shouted back, keeping a close eye on the boy's breathing to make sure he is still breathing. How did this happen? How?

I was helping in the kitchen for the king's arrival when I heard that Micah was nowhere to be found in the house.

I thought he was just hiding but I couldn't find him no matter where I looked.

If I hadn't met the servant that told me he was sent out by the lady to the marketplace, and came here with my father immediately, what would have happened?

Even then I am still late. Please, please let me not be too late. Please. I promised that I would be there for Micah but ...

Please. I will do anything if he lives. Please. Please!

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"We are here, Briar!" The man shouted as the boy jumped off the horse, not waiting for it to stop and yet miraculously landed on his feet.

He did not wait for himself to become steady either as he ran into the little building, shouting for a doctor at the top of his voice.

Some nurses came to him, gasping when they saw Micah's limp, bloodied body in Briar's arms.

"He was stabbed in the streets," Briar said as a woman tried to take Micah from him. "Please help him."

She could not pull Micah away as his hand was still tightly holding on to Briar's, now, bloodied shirt.

"Bradie?" He mumbled, opening his eyes and looking frantically as he began to fight against the nurse holding him. "B-Bradie?"

"He is going into hysteria!" The nurse shouted, trying to keep him stable as Briar took his hand in his.

"I'm here, Micah. I am here," he said, voice trembling as the boy slowly calmed down, holding his hand tight. "We are just in the hospital. They will patch you up. Ok?"

"You won’t leave me?" The boy asked, looking at him with fear.

"I won't. I will be right here, waiting for you. So go in and come out fast. Ok?" The boy said tears rolling down his eyes while he tried to keep a steady tone.

Some more people came, bringing a stretcher for the boy and laid him on it, about to rush him into the room but he held fast to Briar.

"Aunt and uncle-? They will be worried."

"I will tell them right away. Don't worry about anything. Leave it to me!" Briar shouted as Micah finally smiled again, letting go of his hand and allowing them to bring him into the room.

Briar stood there, watching until the doors closed and more people entered the room, not coming out except to get more medicines and liquid bags.

“How is he?” his father appeared beside him, hand on his shoulder as the boy turned, burying his face in his father’s chest and bawled.

“I don’t know, dad. I don’t know if he will be fine.” He hiccupped. “What if we were too late? What if he died?”

“Hey.” His father pulled him out and stared directly into his eyes. “Remember what I said before? He is still breathing and still fighting. So don't you give up on him first. You said you would take care of him.”

“I did.” He sniffled, wiping his eyes. “I just … I never saw him look at me like that before, dad. He looked so scared when they tried to take him into the room. I- what face did he make when he was being attacked? D-do you think he was searching for me?”

“Forget all that.” The man said, placing a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder. “He is a strong one that kid. He will be fine. Ok?”

Briar nodded, sniffling as he tried to calm down. “H-he was also worried about his aunt and uncle. I am sure they are having dinner with the king now. But … I have to tell them.”

“I will tell them.” The man said firmly. “You promised him that you would be here waiting for him, yes?”

Briar nodded, wiping a stray tear rolling down his cheek.

“Then be here. I will take the horse.” The man said, determination written all over his face.

“Are you sure, dad? They might punish you for disturbing the dinner.” The boy sniffled again, hiccupping. Like they did to other servants. And Micah might not be able to help you.”

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“If they want to punish me for telling them that the young master was attacked, then so be it.” The man said, something flashing in his eyes as he looked at the door.

An unspoken sentence filled the air. Tonight just might be his last chance to fulfil the wish of the remaining Pober and he is not going to let anything stop him.

Giving his son a nod, and a reassuring smile, he walked out of the building and to the horse that was waiting for him patiently. He climbed the horse, turning to see his son at the door, trying to put on a brave face as he waved at him.

Philip Enger, father to Briar Enger, bit at his lower lip and forced a smile on his face for his son, waving at him before turning and making his way to the Pober estate as the rain began to pour.

Drops smashed against his face and hands as they came down, heavy yet dispersed. He did not want to think about what just happened, he refused to.

Not that his mind ever listened to him.

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The day he met Kail Pober, the young master’s father, was the day his life took a turn for the better. They knew each other from their younger years though he was just a servant boy in the academy that Kail joined.

He would pretend to clean the floors outside the classrooms just to be able to hear and learn something of what they were talking about. But it was pointless.

He was a poor child that could not even read, let alone understand all the complexities of things like history, science, literature. But there is one thing he could do and understand, Mathematics.

They were only numbers that followed a certain formula to get the answer to and he loved doing them. To thin, this love would lead him to change the entire course of his life.

One day, as he was sweeping the stairs, he ran into a student laying on the floor at the top stairs, hidden from sight with papers of the same mathematical problem.

His white hair fell over his face as his eyes remained closed, like the dead.

Every one of the answers was wrong and it seemed like this student gave up trying anymore. That is, until he shot up and pulled out another sheet, trying to solve the equation once again but failing again.

He did not seem to notice Philip standing there until the boy looked at the equation and, in a very soft voice said, "Here. Multiply the x by the dividend."

The boy looked at him blankly as Philip took the paper and began solving the problem, getting the correct answer immediately.

Without sparing Philip a second glance, he took the paper from him and ran away.

Philip only stared after him, sighing. What did you expect from these 'elites? At least I know I am smarter than him. That's all that matters. It's ok