The leaves crashed too loudly as he ran.

Niccolas tried to minimize the noise by making unbalanced leaps and bounds, only to trip, waiting to hear the sounds of discovery over his own ragged breathing and pounding heart.

Somewhere within the woods was Intulcar. Even thinking about the bridge made his mind reel – passage through death, the road to endlessness. He picked himself up yet again and ran from his pursuers.

A path in the woods reared up suddenly, and he intentionally dove this time, watching for soldiers. Their voices echoes from his left, down the sloping terrain. Were the others waiting for him?

Trees thinned ahead. Raised voices clamored violently. Nic could just make out a small group of people standing-

On the bridge.

His vision clouded, heart nearly bursting as he surged out of safety. Two figures scuffled, then broke away, running across the water.

“WAIT!”

Too late. They turned and disappeared, leaving only the angry soldiers and their unsheathed blades.