The wind blew and the lightning’s thunder cracked and split the sky. The battle field, even though small and crowded with trees was alive as magic and bodies swam through the trunks of trees like fireflies being chased lightning itself.
The lone combatants blazed from the trees as sparks of fire raced behind them. The beast now rolling on the wet grass howled and whimpered as it extinguished the licks of flame from its back. Gathering itself to its feet, hatred and malice growling and erupting from its throat it pawed forward, eyes deadlock on its opponent.
The sorceress now breathing as equally heavy as the maned creature, stepped back, holding her staff in front of her. “I will kill you!” Her voice cracked as she yelled.
The beast seemed to grin as it approached further. It’s stepping taking longer strides slowly closing the distance between them. With little warning the beast heaved its great body forward throwing itself into the sorceress and sending her hard into a tree.
The rain began, never slow, only hard and sharp pricks bringing the woman to her senses. Opening her eyes she found herself staring into the black eyes of the beast. She shook as they sent chills through her body. “Magic can’t save you now.” The beast said with its snarling throaty voice. “See you in the next life Zelain-” The beast stopped and snatched a blur right out of the air with its teeth.
It growled biting through the wooden arrow. “I’ll kill them next.”
The beast looked back to Zelain and found her expression from before was exchanged with one completely different. Hesitating a second Zelain thrust a dagger into the neck of the beast, it glowed with dark magic and cut through fur and flesh with ease. The beast reeled back in shock throwing its body every which way in attempts to breath through its wound. With the last of its strength the beast irked forward spewing blood and gore from its mouth and wound before collapsing on the ruined grass.
“Good bye.” Zelain whispered standing over the creature.
“Cut off its head Barein, the quicker we get this beasts head the faster we get that gold promised for it.” A voice called as two figures stepped into the clearing.
Zelain looked at the woman in disgust, and then to her partner who knelt down and unsheathed his knife. Waving her hand Zelain’s staff came to her with diligent speed and settled firmly in her grasp. “You won’t touch him.” She growled causing the gems mounted on her staff to sparkle and radiate.
Zelain turned to see the bow of the woman stretch back. Her green eyes pinned on the back of Zelain. “Touch him in any shape or form sorceress, and you’ll join your unusual friend here. Get cutting Barein, she won’t bother us… will you?”
“Have a look at your feet.” Zelain grinned as the woman glanced down. Leaning to the right she pushed the bow towards her partner and arrow flew into his shoulder.
Barein screamed in pain as he fell on his back, twisting the arrow back out. He grasped at the feather of the arrow and broke it with his good arm. Zelain smiled at the woman very pleased with herself. The woman lashed out with lightning speed, slashing at Zelain with a curved blade. “Kill her Dawn! And we can take both their heads to Lorn!”
“You aren’t very good with that knife are you?” Zelain laughed as Dawn thrust the blade forward.
The knife stopped dead in the air as blue energy rippled through the air. The enraged woman pulled an arrow from her quiver and aimed her bow. She launched the arrow only to find it slump to the ground after making fresh waves of energy bounce around the sorceress’s body. ~Wrong arrow.~ She reached back and felt the feathers. “You’ll like this one I think.”
The arrow was drawn back and with an ear-splitting whistle shattered the field and into Zelain’s staff sending it to the ground. “Okay.” Zelain shrugged and shot forth a burst of dark magic, sending her attacker across the field. Zelain walked over to the man as he got to his feet. Reaching down she picked up his knife and settled herself beside the beast. The knife began to emit pulses of energy as she removed a foot from the beast. Standing she drew back her staff and sent forth a wave of fire, completely covering the doglike creature. “I’m taking a foot, and you can take me to this Lorn so I can collect this gold.”
“I’ll take you nowhere.” Barein spat soon regretting his sharp movements as he dropped to a knee clutching his bleeding shoulder.
“You’ll bleed to death you know? I can heal you if… you take me.” She looked at him credulously expecting another ‘no’.
“He’ll take you nowhere! Nor will I, but… you will give us that foot-”
“Or what? I’m the one who killed it, you did nothing but hide in trees and now you’re worse off then when you began. I’ll heal him, you both can take me to Lorn, and I’ll give you some of my gold, does that sound fair?”
“Half..” Zelain rolled her eyes at the woman and agreed. She walked over to the man and ripped the arrow from his back.
“Now use one of your little robe things to tie around his arm and keep pressure on it.” Zelain stated waving the bloody arrow at him.
“That’s it?!” Dawn yelled rapping her cloak around Barein’s wound. “Aren’t you going to wave your wand and heal him? That’s what you people do isn’t it?”
“First of all, it’s my staff, not wand. And secondly, do I look like a monk? Really girl you aren’t too bright for a rogue or bounty hunter. I can never get you people straight.” She said accusingly leaning on her staff. “Hurry up already, I have someone to see, get him fixed and lets go!” Zelain demanded as Dawn grumbled and secured a piece of her cloak around Barein’s shoulder.
“That should do until we get to Zerman town and get you to a real healer.” She muttered glaring over at Zelain who looked as bored as she was dirty. The two got to their feet and began walking out of the clearing. “I guess we better get to know each other then. I’m Dawn, of the Valkery tribe in the west. This is Barein.”
“I’m Zelain, good to know you, I’d say more if we were on friendlier terms, or met differently.” She smiled quickly at the two while she fitted the beast’s paw into small bag tied to her belt.
The three entered the forest, neither of them spoke, it would be a two day journey to Zerman… and the woods are never friendly at any distance from a town. Keeping their senses calm and their mouths closed they strode through the forest and watched as the leaves danced under the red sun. If there were anymore surprises lurking in the forest, they hoped it would not come this night.
“We’ll camp here for the night.” Dawn ordered and set down her pack.
Zelain looked around and set down her large pack, the ground was littered with roots and jagged rocks. She knelt down and slowly picked up and threw away all the rocks in a clearing large enough for her to rest comfortably. “What are you doing?” Accused Dawn after helping Barein to the ground.
Throwing a few more rocks and twigs from the site she sat down and yawned. “Making a place to sleep, I don’t really like sleeping on rocks… do you?” Zelain asked honestly staring intently at Dawn for a moment.
“Doesn’t bother me.” Dawn quipped trying to look as uncaring about the rough sleeping arrangements as possible. Kicking some of the jagged bits or rock away Dawn sat down and dug into her own backpack.
From it she pulled an untidily wrapped bundle of food and a box. Opening it she leaned over and dug a small hole before her and tossed sticks and leaves into the pit. From the box she took out a handful of black powder and let it sift through her fingers and onto the kindling. “Hah, I’ve never seen it done like that before.” Zelain blurted out staring at Dawns hand as she flicked it to get the remaining bits of powder off her hand.
Dawn smirked and picked out two rocks from her bag. Hitting them together a single spark danced down into the pit and through the kindling. A split second later the area was a glow with dim yellow light. Putting more wood into the pit the light grew and brightened until they could see through nearly half a dozen trees. “So.” Zelain stared at them with dark and curious eyes. “What’s it like in Vala?”
“Warm.” Dawn uttered after she packed everything back in her bag.
“Bluest skies.” Barein spoke, his eyes closed with one hand on his injured shoulder. “Fields on fields of golden agrice, the trees are stiff with age and bark still falls when the children play around them. The towns and cities are like any others you’ve seen, littered with life and activity… and what is hidden.” His eyes cracked open slightly, the light of the fire glinting off his barely visible eyes.
“Go to sleep Barein, you’ll feel better in the morning.” Dawns voice entered soothingly as she put a cool hand on his warm forehead. She smiled as he closed his eyes again and moved into a more comfortable position.
“What was hidden?” Zelain asked, her violet eyes peering over her arm.
“Truth.” Was the only thing spoken for a long time. “Our leader thought it necessary to lie to her people that the ties between Vala and Beatro had healed and that no more fighting would ensue. Barein and I had too much to risk, just because we’re middle class warriors doesn’t mean we’re idiots, and too much was on the line.”
Zelain’s eyes continued to stare ever intently at the woman. “That isn’t it.” She spoke, never moving.
“We were exiled okay? Trying to kill your leader of kin doesn’t really bode well.”
“Why did you try and kill her?”
“Why do you care!?”
“Because I am bored, and this fire is keeping me awake-”
Dawn snatched a rock up and heaved it at the fire pit, knocking around ashes and burnt wood. The bright yellow light extinguished leaving the pit to glow red between the women. ‘Witch…’ Dawn thought as her eyes forced themselves down and sleep overcame her.
“Sleep well?” Dawn asked filling in their fire pit.
Zelain pulled herself up and look around, ‘Damn.’ The forest was alive with beasts and critters of all sorts and sunshine sprinkled through the leaves. She could see Barein hobbling around, his leg looked like it was in pain but she dismissed it. “Fine. So are we having anything to eat or are we just moving on?”
Dawn cracked a wicked grin and wiped her mouth. “We’ve already had breakfast. But we’re heading out soon, so unless you have something already made no.”
Zelain shook her head and carefully folded up her blanket, putting it neatly into her pack. She shrugged back not caring about the situation and caught a glimpse of an annoyed Dawn. “You tree weren’t ‘eaving were you?” A low, dark voice questioned from nowhere.
Dawn and Barein looked around furiously for the voice. A hefty figure landed to Barein’s right and struck him square in the chest, sending him hurling into a tree. The man was dressed in a crimson leather suit of armour, around his waist rested a golden belt with a curved sword sheathed and hanging from it. “Gutsy of you to come alone.” Dawn grinned drawing her short sword.
“He isn’t alone.” Zelain replied picking up her staff.
Swinging the staff as fast and hard as possible, Zelain smashed a orc in mid fall and hit the ground hard. “Leave us and you won’t get hurt.” Zelain almost snarled at the large man now grinning from ear to ear.
“Adies pease. All ah wan is yer money and vaslubles. Den me ‘an ma boys will be on ar way.” Stepping into better view the man’s face was green and his teeth long and chipped. As he approached smaller, thinner orcs shambled to the ground, drawing daggers and swords of all sorts.
“Well? Have at him.” Zelain ordered continuing to pack her things.
Dawn’s face contorted hearing the words and glanced back to see Zelain kneeling by her pack. “Why don’t YOU have at him?! Blast him like you did me!”
Zelain paused for a moment, considering the advancing orcs and shrugged. “If you want my money, you’re going to have to work for it. Sure I could just ‘blast him’ but if you’re such the hunter then I’d like to see you do something aside from complain.” Her voice sharpened as she pulled on her pack. “Don’t take too long.” She added as an orc bound at Dawn.
She met the blow with her sword and tossed the ugly beast to the ground. ‘Bitch!’ She screamed inwardly charging at the orc boss. Cutting through four of his bodyguards she leapt high into the air and thrust down.
The boss raised his arm and grabbed the sword in mid thrust. The blade faltered for a moment, penetrating his skin a second later. Dawn stood in his hand with one foot and pulled out her sword. Leaping to the ground the Boss caught her foot and drove her into the dirt. Dust clouded around her blurred vision and could feel her armour jabbing into through her clothes. “Stupid ‘uman!” He laughed drawing his sword.
The blade was brown and discoloured, and looked like it had tasted many foes. The dry blood chipped off as he raised his arm into the air, readying the final blow. As his swing came down an arrow flew off and whirred through many trees. Barein let go of the bow and unsheathed his blade. He lunged off hand killing the smaller orcs who’d been cackling and shifting about. A smaller orc leapt over his boss’s head with a knife and drove it into Barein’s bandaged shoulder. Without armour the knife went straight through and with shrieking cackles the orc plunged it in again and ended by cutting open his belly. Barein’s screams filled the forest as he went down hard, hitting the ground with a wet thud.
Dawn, still on the ground managed to catch her breath while everyone was attracted to Barein’s killing. She stood and thrust her short sword into the boss’s neck. The other orcs scattered hearing their boss’s cry of death. He too hit the ground hard and lay still as Dawn sprinted to Barein. ‘Well, she is pretty good. And that was pretty quick.’ Zelain mused walking over to the pair.
“Barein!” Dawn screamed trying to think of a way to help her companion.
The man’s eyes had glazed over, all he could do was look mindlessly around as his blood spread quickly over the roots and grass. Dawn held on tightly, try to stop the bleeding, and in the process covering herself in sticky red fluids. “I can help him.” Zelain said, a hint of caring in her voice.
“Don’t touch him! You bitch! Leave him alone!” Dawn cursed back remembering what Zelain had done with his previous wound.
As Barein sunk further into his death he uttered three words. Zelain’s ears perked and turned to see Dawn break down over his limp corpse. Her eyes frowned and she took off her pack.
“What are you doing?” Dawn asked hearing a lot of clatter coming from behind her.
Zelain looked over for a second and went back to stripping the orc boss of his weapons and cloths. “Thought I could sell some of this at a market. I’m sure a few people would pay quite a bit for a boss’s weapon and armour.”
Dawn stormed over and landed a lightning fast slap across Zelain’s face. “That’s all you care about is you isn’t it!?”
Zelain went to open her mouth but Dawn continued. “It’s YOUR kill, it’s YOUR quest, it’s YOUR money! No one else matters but you!”
“I never asked either of you to come. He’s dead because it was both your choices. If anyone is at fault, it’s you. I’m only trying to survive, and if that means taking a loss and pillaging pirates, then so be it. But you have no right to accuse me of anything.” Zelain cursed back locking eyes with Dawn.
“At least help me bury him.” Her eyes softened glancing back to Barein.
“No.”