The leader ignored the taunting tone of the woman and promptly bowed in abeisance to her.
"This lady, pardon my companion. He didn't mean... didn't mean to be disrepectful. If her ladyship has uses for the girl, we'll hand her to you. In return, please let us all go."
The woman still had that lingering trace of smile in her lips which made the emptiness in her eyes look even more sinister. The leader's back was already drenched in cold sweat as seconds ticked by with the woman remaining silent.
"Boss, what do you mean give her the girl? What about-"
The leader shouted at Duff who still insists on being pig-headed.
"Shut up! If you want to die, don't drag us in with you."
A soft yet ominous chuckle floated out in their ears.
"Hmm. Alright. Give me the girl then."
The leader sighed in relief as he heard the woman agree to his condition. He immediately went to get the girl and dragged her nearer to the woman. He was overcame with fear that he failed to see the mocking glint which fleetingly passed the woman's eyes.
The woman went down from the back of her lion, and stood beside it with one hand on her waist while she blew on the nails of the other.
The other men could not do anything but watch their leader give the girl they worked so hard to capture to the unknown woman. They could not comprehend the reason why their captain was afraid of her. But they couldn't do anything but trust his judgement and endure the bitter taste it left in their mouths.
Similar to the other men, Chalice could not make out the reasoning of the eye-patch guy. She just shrugged it off and contributed it to him being scared of Aslan.
Eye-patch guy threw the girl roughly in her direction. Chalice promptly caught her before she even touched the ground. She moved the still dazed girl behind her. Taking the last strip of cloth she had left, she blindfolded the girl. Chalice will not allow her to see the gruesome deed she was about to commit.
"I have given you the girl, my lady. We'll depart from here now."
Urgency was evident in the leader's voice and it did not escape Chalice's ears as well. She smirked inwardly.
"Wait."
Her voice reverberated in the clearing.
"Did I say you could leave?"
Eye-patch guy's exposed eye almost bulged out at her words. The others frowned.
"B-but you clearly said..."
Chalice smiled innocently.
"What did I say? I did ask you to give me the girl. But I didn't say I would let you go. Besides, who gave the right to negotiate with me?"
Chalice tilted her head to the while eyeing the men. A layer of frost laced her every word.
"You...you."
Duff the buff and pigheaded teammate of Eye-patch guy lost it. Without a word he ran towards Chalice, his sword aiming for her throat.
Chalice stood there cool and uncaring. A golden shadow wheezed at her side and met the oncoming attack.
The next thing she and the other men saw was the decapitated body of Duff the buff, three long grisly lines spurted blood non stop. His head rolled to the side, almost sliced into three bearing the same lines as that in his body. Silence pervaded the clearing as the coppery stench of blood wafted in the air.
The men stood petrified in their places. Eye-patch guy fell down to his knees, his intestines had long turned green with regret.
"I'll be merciful. Since all of you did not attack me nor slander me, I'd give you the honor of not meeting the same fate as him. It's either this or you take your lives by yourself."
The sweet smile in her face gave the men the illusion of a demoness. Her devastating countenance only added to the despair they felt.
The first one to move was the leader. His hope of escaping alive had vanished when Duff made his move. He breathed in deep before slicing his own head. The three men left had long pissed their pants. And when Chalice's eyes landed on them, they trembled. With much difficulty and angst, they followed suit and sliced their own necks.
Chalice looked at the corpses littered in front of her. Seems like darkness has a way of catching up no matter where she went. She reined in the baleful aura she knew she was emitting and walked slowly to the girl.
"They're gone. You're safe now. However, keep the blindfold on for now. I'll lead out of here. "
Chalice gently said, trying to comfort the girl as much as she could.
"Thank you, my lady."
She heard the girl's lilting voice. Chalice couldn't help but sigh quietly. She led the girl out of the clearing, away from the nightmare and into the shelter of the tall trees. When they reached an acceptable distance away, Chalice removed the girl's blindfold. Watery hazel eyes looked up at her.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for saving me." The girl repeated fervently. Chalice nodded at her sincerity.
"It was nothing. It's the least I could do. What is your name, by the way? Where are you from?"
Chalice asked. She was secretly hoping that the girl was from Araceli City so that they could travel together. Having a guide won't hurt. She can't possibly just wait for her team to find her. Chalice might as well meet them at the city. They would surely wait for her there.
"I am Feng Mian, my lady. Feng is my surname and Mian is my given name. I am the daughter of the Keyne Tribe Chief. Our stronghold is just past the Cloud Forest."
Truly like a Chinese! Chalice exclaimed.
"You have a strange name. Pardon me, it is only now that I have heard about the Keyne tribe. I'm not really from around here. I just got separated from my companions in the fog."
The girl beamed at her, her eyes looking at her with both understanding and admiration.
"Our roots are not from here, my lady. Our ancestors are from Eashen, beyond the eastern Aegean sea. My clan moved here just after the fall of the Bahamutian empire. It is understandable that you have yet to hear about us. Especially if you're are from the parts near the capital."
Chalice assented. She couldn't help but somehow be thankful she got lost. She had obtained a lot of things on this brief interlude.
"If my lady is okay with, our stronghold is only 20 miles east from here. My father would surely want to thank you as well. You are our benefector. You could also rest there beforw you continue your journey. If it is not too much to ask, where are you going my lady?"
"I'm bound for Araceli City. Before that my team was supposed to make a stop at the gemstone mine of the Amaranth House. My companion was supposed to visit his brother working there."
Chalice didn't want to lie to the girl. But she also couldn't divulge her identity. She was after all incognito.
"Oh, then it is only fitting for us to go to the stronghold. The Amaranth mine is only around 100 miles south of there."
"Alright then. We'll ride Aslan. You lead the way."
When Feng Mian heard her mention Aslan, the girl reluctantly looked up at the lion following her back. Reluctance was in her face.
"Oh, don't worry. He won't attack you. He listens to me."
She clarified. Though still a bit hesitant, Feng Mian conceded. And thus they rode the lion aiming for the Keyne stronghold.