I should have posted the chapter yesterday, but I ended up falling asleep, well, I was a little tired. So I apologize.
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Leah's Point of View
Francis's lifeless body lies on the floor, his head now disconnected from his body is turned towards me frozen in an expression of horror. Fear rises through my body, with each beat I feel the end coming but I can't give up, I have to protect Gabrielle.
I take Francis' cane and try to attack the nearest monster but he grabs my hand tightly, I try to pull my hand without success until he with the tip of his finger cuts my wrist. Along with the pain, blood drips from my wrist and tears begin to fall.
-"Look at the snack, its crying, better to hurry up so it doesn't get sour hahaha!" Says one of the monsters with a laugh.
-"BROTHER, BROTH... ER , PLEASE COM...E!" Léa screams as tears fall all over her face.
While I scream, they laugh as if we were worth nothing, until the laughter stops and they begin to look around. Complete silence, with no sounds of animals or insects as if we were disconnected from the world. In the silence, footsteps begin to be heard approaching the door until a figure comes closer.
-"Looks like I'm not late for the party." says the new visitor.
Just like the monsters and my brother, he has the same red eyes and pale skin, with coal-black hair down to his waist. He came alone, but just by looking at him I feel a terror at the very core of my being.
-"He seems to match the person we are looking for!" says one of the monsters.
Before the other can speak, I see the visitor appear behind one of the monsters and with both hands pierce the chest, splitting the body in two. The second tries to escape but suddenly his body freezes. Slowly, the visitor, no, the creature approaches the last one with a smile on its lips and grabs his head. Very slowly, it begins to pull the head until little by little the head separates from the body.
-"What do we have here?" says the creature now, looking into Léa's eyes.
I try to respond, but my body is frozen from fear.
-"Afraid? It's okay, does it seem like you're hurt?" says the creature while looking at Léa's wrist.
He approaches me slowly, I try to move away but my body doesn't respond. He pulls my hand and with the other he lightly touches the cut, and when he withdraws his hand there is no more cut, blood, or pain.
-"Everything is fine now, it doesn't hurt anymore, right?" says the creature in a softer tone.
The creature stands up and begins to head towards the door, when I finally speak for the first time in his presence.
-"Thank you, sir!" says Léa as she swallows hard.
The creature stops and looks back.
-"Sir? No, no. Do I look that old?" asks the creature.
-"Brother?" asks Léa with doubt and fear.
-"Hm, better, you don't need to thank me, Léa!" says the creature as he disappears into the forest.
The moment he calls my name, my body freezes.
Kael's point of view
As I approach the cabin, I begin to smell blood. Panicking, I quickly enter the cabin and see Léa holding Gabrielle in her arms, leaning against a corner. Francis's body is on the floor lifeless, with two dead vampires nearby.
-"What happened here?" Kael asks with a hoarse voice.
-"Monsters appeared and killed Francis!" Léa says in tears.
-"Who killed them?" Kael asks.
-"He was like you, he had hair… hair, I don't remember. He healed me and left, but I don't remember him!" Léa says, confused.
I look at Francis's body and feel anger, not just anger at those who killed him but at myself as well. If no one had saved them, it wouldn't just be Francis's body on the ground. I tell Léa to rest with Gabrielle. While they rest, I take Francis's body and some tools that were in the cabin and bury the body. "Life is really beautiful, but also short, my friend."
After cleaning the bodies, I return to the cabin and approach Léa, sit beside her, and she lays her head on my lap. For the next few minutes, no one speaks until I break the silence.
-"Sorry!" says Kael, remorseful.
-"It's not your fault, you said it was going to be dangerous! And now?" says Léa as she wipes away the tears.
-"Francis had a grandson waiting in Rouen, right? Let's go to Rouen then, I owe him at least that!" says Kael, sad.
As soon as both of them rested, we packed our things and continued on our way. Now, without old Francis's help to guide us, we had to ask for directions whenever we met someone, until we found a cart going to Rouen that offered us a ride.
In the cart, there was only a man around 50 years old and his son, about 30, both simple people. They were going to Rouen to sell goods and make some money to survive the famine.
When we arrived in the city of Rouen, Léa and Gabrielle were amazed. The city was larger and had many more stone buildings, especially the great wall. Upon entering the city, you could see many soldiers scattered around and people gathered near the square.
I approached a small stall to buy food for Léa and Gabrielle and asked the owner what was happening. He looked at me confused and said:
-"You don't know? The Saint of Orleons is going to be burned alive!" said the vendor.
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I was delighted that someone wanted old Francis to be saved, Kael didn't make it in time but he will stay in our memories.
I know that everyone knows who saved Léa and Gabrielle, but since we are from Léa's point of view, she does not know the identity. Now whether it was with good intentions or not, I leave that to your interpretation.