Read the prologue here:https://redd.it/fl3goq

Previous part:https://redd.it/fm4buv

His armoured feets stomped through the forest, not caring to be silent anymore. Curiously, that sound was reassuring. It made more sense to her, more natural.

“I-I am sorry again for caring me.”

His head turned to her, his eyes turned blue now for some reasons. Probably because he was not in a fighting stance, she thought.

“The muscle in your leg have been severed. It would have been slower to reach the carriage if i did not carry you. Beside, you are of too much strategic importance to me now.”

“I guess…”

“Oi, who’s there? With those big shiney eyes?”

He had blood splattered on his tunic. Five bodies littered the place around, which unfortunately included the coachman and the horse. Obo was still ready to fight to the death, which pleased Daelus.

“It’s me, Aelisia! I bring an ally to our cause! He saved me from the marauders earlier and tended my wounds.”

The Marine entered the range of Obo’s night vision spell. The sight unnerved him but he did not lose it to fear completely.

“Obo, are you hurt?”

“Nay, me fine miss.”

“Not many people would have the strength to stand their ground against three foes alone with superficial damage. Even less were able to keep their composure when they first saw a Space Marine. Queen, you have some fine warriors at your disposal.”

“Of course she does sir, there are no better ax wielding maniac than meself on the whole continent, I’ll tell you as much.”

He smiled, proud. His face then turned a bit more serious and looked over the carriage.

“Now there’s the problem of that. The wheel’s still fooked up melord. I may be strong but not strong enough to put the wheel back.”

He brought down the warrior queen and let Obo handle her. “That will not be a problem for me.”

He took the wheel, lifted the whole carriage as if it weighted nothing and simply put it back on its hinge.

“Miss, could ye tell me where you found a big lad like this? They don’t simply fall down the sky do they?”

“Well… actually he did.”

“Indeed, I was in stasis for the last 43 years in space. I was brought here by pure luck.

“43 years?! How is that possible?” Aelisia was shocked. This was an old man habiting the body of this… giant.

“Stasis? Space? What in the hell are these?” Obo was completely confused by this new vocabulary. Let us say, he never laid eyes in the interior of a book other than the sacred texts.

Daelus sighted. Their knowledge was a way behind typical Imperial worlds. At the very least, they spoke low gothic.

“Stasis is basically a technology that allows a set area to be unaffected by time. Space is the region between stars and planets, basically a big space of nothing.”

He took the front pole of the carriage with one hand.

“Now get in the back. I need to take some of the parts inside the pod.”

The two mortals did not pressed their questions. That sight earlier was more than enough to shut them up.

“Brace, this will not be a smooth ride.”

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He did not exaggerated his claim. The giant ran, or more like leaped his way, all the way back to pick up Gunthar’s body, a demand from both of the mortals, and to his pod, where he took very carefully more pieces while he was muttering something in another language that Aelisia could not understand other than some words here and there. It felt like a prayer, a bleak one, full of sorrows.

“I am done. Show me the way to your castle, Queen.”

This calling started to rub her the wrong way. It was almost condescending.

“You know, I have a name right?”

His eyes laid down on her. Even if she was in the carriage, he was still way taller than her.

“Very well, Queen Ael-”

“Just… Aelisia.”

The giant of iron did not answer. He looked back on the road, still hauling the carriage but this time more carefully, as to avoid Gunthar’s body to slip from the back.

Next part: (soon)