Tenebris Renasci: A World of Magic and Gunpowder

The bullet Grazed Alexander's cheek, and smashed against the ground, sending grass and dirt upwards. 

The sound of the gunshot rang out, followed by a deafening silence. 

Alexander with his eyes still closed, felt a burning sensation on his cheek along with a warm liquid trickling down. 

Slowly opening his eyes, Alexander was greeted with the same nightmarish world he had hoped to escape from. 

He slowly reached a trembling hand for his cheek, gently tapping his fingers against the warm, crimson blood. 

Then, slowly bringing his hand down, he looked upon his bloodied fingertips. 

Alexander's expression was blank as his golden eyes scanned his hand. 

He had been shot, yet he hadn't awoken, the pain was as real as ever, the sensation, the blood, all of it was real. 

His one hope of escaping this godforsaken reality was nothing but a fluke. "Why?" Alexander whispered softly under his breath as the wound on his cheek began to heal.  

Alexander would have rather died believing reality to be a dream, that to survive and know that it wasn't. 

"Why didn't you just… kill me?"

Antoinette frowned as she holstered her gun. "Because you're an idiot, and death isn't going to solve that."

She turned to Ben, who was now standing on his feet, his legs still trembling from Alexander's earlier stunt.

"From now on I'll handle the children, you just drive, got it?"

Ben looked to Antoinette with a relieved yet slightly concerned smile. "Yeah, I'll do that." He then lowered his head, "T-thank you… for not killing him."

Antoinette sighed. "Don't thank me until we're on the sea." She replied, before turning to enter the carriage cabin. 

Inside the carriage a little after Alexander's suicide attempt, Alexander sat quietly beside Antoinette who kept a close eye on him. 

Across from Alexander was Louise, who glared at him with anger and frustration. "Honestly," she began, her tone full of resentment. "I lost both my father and sister, yet you don't see me trying to kill myself!" 

Alexander remained silent, his gaze lowered as he studied the wooden floor beneath him. 

"I despise people like you." Louise continued, "Something vile happened to you once, and now everyone else has to bear the consequences?" 

She then frowned as she crossed her arms, her red eyes narrowing as they traced Alexander up and down. "How pathetic of a person can one be, you are selfish, rude, and ignorant!"

Antoinette sighed as she turned to Louise, raising a hand she slowly shook her head. "My lady, Lord Alexander wasn't raised as you were, I understand your anger but–"

"No!" Louise shouted in anger as she turned her attention to Antoinette. "This ignorant, asinine, imp has done nothing but make a difficult journey more burdensome!" 

Tears began to well in Louise's eyes as she turned her ire to Alexander. "You should be ashamed to call yourself a noble when you're anything but!" 

Her lip began to quiver as her finger extended towards Alexander. "It should have been you who died instead of my father!" She cried out, "You worthless bastard!"

After Louise's outburst, the tension within the carriage was palpable. 

Alexander continued to remain silent, listening to Louise's pressing words while he inwardly cursed himself. 

"What?" Louise taunted, her tears continuing to flow as her anger remained. "Do you not have a witty comeback, or any charming words to say now?" Louise asked. "Perhaps now you realize how idiotic you truly are."

With those final harsh words, Louise fell silent. 

She turned her attention from Alexander and towards the window. As she raised a hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, Alexander leaned his head back. 

She's right… I really am a Worthless idiot.

Alexander couldn't shake the deep sadness that settled in the bottom of his heart. 

He had never been one to get irrational or emotional when it came to losing loved ones or facing setbacks. 

In fact, when his parents died, the most he felt was a pang of sadness and a little regret. 

It wasn't because he was heartless, moreover, it was just that had accepted that death was a part of life. You can dread it, fear it, hate it, but death arrives all the same, no one is safe.

But if he didn't panic when his parents died in his previous life, then what caused him to panic now?

After taking a moment to consider everything, the answer became glaringly clear.

He was scared and dependent on those around him for survival. 

That coupled with the fact that he had the mental capacity of a child, was a recipe for the panic episode he had just moments ago.

But just because he understood what caused his panic, it didn't change the fact that he lost a lot of people who he cared for.

He barely remembered it, but he remembered Marcia being thrown through a burning carriage.

He remembered his father staying behind to deal with the mages by himself.

And though he didn't see it, he knew that his mothers were left behind. 

The same could be possible for his siblings as well.

Alexander had lost his entire family, friends, and servants. 

All within hours.

It was sad to think about, especially with how much he cared for them. 

Alexander sighed as a teardrop streaked down his cheek. "Where are we going?" He asked softly, looking over to Antoinette.

"Foca." She answered, giving Alexander a brief side-eye. 

"Oh," Alexander said with a nod.

"Do you know where that is?" Antoinette asked.

Alexander shook his head, he never really studied any maps. Between struggling through training and wishing for modern conveniences, he didn't have much time for other things.

"It's a coastal city, about a day and a half away from where we are now." Antoinette explained, "We get there, and we'll be on a direct path to Ambur."

Alexander nodded. "Is anyone coming with us?" He asked.

A pang of guilt washed over Antoinette's face, her hard gaze softening slightly. "You mean your family, right?"

Alexander nodded, he knew the answer, but he just wanted to confirm it.

"No." Antoinette Answered, "We can't risk the trouble they would cause." 

She turned to face Alexander. "You understand that right, that we can't save everyone?" Her tone softened slightly, becoming less stern.

Ahh, she's trying to make me understand her reasoning. 

"You don't have to convince me," Alexander answered. "I just wanted to know."

Antoinette sighed as her gaze fell slightly.

It seems like she wasn't happy about abandoning Alexander's family, but that made him curious. If she was so adamant about survival, why did she bring him and Ben along?

Wouldn't it have been easier to just leave them behind?

"Can I ask you one more question?" 

"Yeah."

"Why did you save me and Ben?" 

Antoinette turned to look towards the window as she reclined in her seat. "Two reasons." She said, raising up two fingers. "It was easier to take him with me, and because I like him."

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean like?" he asked curiously, "like romantically?"

Antoinette nodded. "Yeah, he's the only guy I've ever met who had the balls to approach me." She began. "That, and he knows how to make me feel like a woman." 

She turned her attention to Alexander. "That's something I like, even If he's naïve."

Alexander nodded. "I understand." He then sighed as he rubbed his hands together in his lap. "You're a really honest woman, I appreciate that."

Antoinette smiled softly. "The truth always comes out, so it's better not to hide it." She explained, her expression becoming serious. "But, with the truth comes pain and suffering."

"Most people don't want to hear it, they would rather hear lies and be cuddled. They want to believe everything is okay even when it isn't, and when confronted with the truth they panic." 

"It's like Her Majesty says when dealing with the masses, ignorance is bliss, and truth; is chaos."

Alexander couldn't help but agree with Antoinette.

I had forgotten that growing up in the modern world, my everyday problems were what chick I wanted to sleep with, or what I'd eat on a Sunday night. 

I don't think I ever had to make a hard choice on my survival… not up until the moment I died.

And even then, I only did that off urge alone.

The rest of the ride was filled with the quiet rocking and creaking of the carriage. 

Each person is lost in their thoughts.

After about seven hours, the carriage rolled to a halt parking in a nearby forest. The sky had gone dark, as the chilly night winds began to blow. 

Antoinette stepped out of the carriage and walked toward Ben on the driver's bench while the children slept inside.

"Why are we stopping?" Antoinette asked as she reached Ben, her arms outstretched wide. 

Ben pointed towards the black Windwalker that pulled the carriage. "He needs a drink and rest, and quite frankly so do I." He answered.

"We can rest later," Antoinette said as she moved to climb the driver's bench. "For now we keep moving."

Ben sighed as he handed Antoinette the reins. "I don't know if you've ever dealt with an exhausted Windwalker, but it's not fun."

"I've dealt with windwalker's Ben, Ambur has them just as the Fallen kingdom." She said with an annoyed confidence. "Besides, a windwalker's limit is 15 hours, it's only been about 13."

Ben simply shook his head as he crossed his arms. "Then be my guest, Antoinette, I won't stop you."

Antoinette rolled her eyes as she pulled on the reins. 

The Windwalker responded with a deep growl as it turned its head towards Antoinette. Its eyes narrowed as it stamped its paw on the ground.

"Hup!" Antoinette commanded as she flicked her wrist again. 

The Windwalker lifted its snout before wanking it forward, pulling the reins away from Antoinette. 

The windwalker's defiance was palpable, and as a result, Antoinette grew impatient. "Move you stubborn beast." She grumbled as she tugged at the reins a final time. 

Ben chuckled softly as the Windwalker stared Antoinette down. "Just give it up Antoinette, he's not in the mood for travel." Ben said as he grabbed Antoinette's wrist, "besides, you could use some rest too."

Antoinette sighed deeply as she released the reins, "Fine, let's just sit here like prime targets, that definitely won't backfire, right?"

Ben sighed. "Look, we're ahead of the enemy by a day at least, a few hours here wouldn't hurt." He then brought his hand to Antoinette's, intertwining his fingers with hers. 

Antoinette began to blush, yet her frown remained. "How can you be so brash in this situation?" She asked, watching as Ben rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "Aren't you angry with me for leaving behind Alexander's family?"

Ben's expression softened as he turned towards the forest outstretched before him. "Of course, I'm furious about leaving them behind, it was my duty to serve the Daname house."

He then took a deep breath. "But… you were right, it's not realistic to try and save all of them, especially since I'm not that great of a pathfinder."

Ben then lowered his head as he tightened his grip on Antoinette's hand. "I just hope Elise and Frank can save them, and that our kingdom doesn't collapse." He then slowly shook his head. "But what are the chances we could set up another defensive line?"

"Not great," Antoinette answered honestly. "They could set up another defensive line near the river that splits the kingdom in half, but… you'd be giving up territory, people, and resources." She then sighed, and that's if the Grand Mages don't just break it like the first one."

Ben looked at Antoinette with a small smile. "I didn't want a real answer, you know." He said with a forced smile, yet the tears that formed in his eyes told a different story. 

He was hurting.