Crushing the man's neck, I continue to drag him along with slumped shoulders as I follow the feel of Einervaene's magic. It's gotten so weak, so very dangerously weak, but, I can still feel it. Follow it. Groaning as I touch my wounds, I drop the body and let the lightning give me the insight to my next target.
I think I have dealt with everyone behind me...
"I better have!" I mutter forcefully as I recollect all the unused mine spells and whatever other magic I can get back in my system. Taking a deep breath that clouds up my immediate proximity, I walk on further. Pushing an annoying gate out of the way, I make sure to loudly arrive behind the back of the remaining assassins as they surround a small house.
Its owners armed and prepared to fight off these spear and shield using bloodseekers.
"YOU THERE, GET OFF OF MY PROPERTY WITH THE LOT OF YOU!" the farmer roars as he tests the discipline of the assassins by shooting the far edge of one of their shields. What I presume to be the lead waves his fellows my way and I start to tense up. Watching the approaching spears carefully, my fingers flex.
Moving to catch the first shaft, I snatch it away with a booming snap before slashing at the bare chest with splinters. Bringing that man's head crushing against his shield, I take and let it instead be punctured so I can disarm another. Placing magic on the assassin, I blow a cavity into him that leaves a shower of steaming blood going elsewhere. The sky rumbles, a lightning bolt comes for my foot.
I step aside and let it harmlessly dry the mud to a quickly soaked burnt state. Grabbing an assassin's head, I throw him to the ground and stomp with the foot they all keep referring to. They do not have enough to overwhelm me and I am left infuriated and steaming as the final one turns. He glances around at those he has lost and the farmer steadily locks himself inside his home.
"If you've touched her any more..." I say with a hollow tone as I try to consider why the assassins have gathered here.
"The Lady-Heir must die, but these farmers will not. Hand her over!" the lead assassin explains to me before he likely reiterates his demand.
"I see." I remark before charging in to bring a blow up for his gut. With only a moment left to save himself, he does so and his shield rings as if it is a temple bell. He takes up position and counterthrusts as I make my next attack. Slicing through my armour, down to the flesh as I do so.
This time, he holds his ground and his shield charges with power that drags me away. Tickling me with electricity as it does so. Huffing and puffing as I consider the amount of pain I am already in... I re-sort my posture.
Parrying what thrusts I can, magically enthralled lightning strikes me from the sides and rear. My footwork manages to stay ahead of him, however, and I in turn can keep up the delays. Finding a moment, I swing for his arm, only for a vambrace to meet and check it. His grip nears the tip of the spear and magic covers his fingers.
Without moving his wrist, the spear suddenly goes through my armour, me and out again. Right into the farmland. I roar and kick the man away, snapping his weapon before forcing the other half out with magic. Hissing further, a sword enters the storm light as the rain somehow becomes heavier than it already was. Building up a collection of magic in my hands, I run.
Narrowly avoiding his forward-curving blade with only a clean slice through my armour to come of it. I drop the magic against him, but it's not enough, it detonates weakly and he remains standing. Only a tattered cloak to show for my actions as skilled hacks come back to meet me. Ducking and weaving away, he takes a shoulder plate away as a spinning kick puts me in the mud.
Blasting off with magic, I avoid the executioner's blade and shoot back down, striking his skillfully used shield in the process. He buckles and goes to a knee as my magic roars behind me. I start to go back as his shield arm slowly, strugglingly opens up. His sword slashes again, scraping my armour and exposing more of my body to an unwelcome breeze.
Something clamps around my arm and an unnoticed trap goes off, reeling me through an unoccupied building of timber and nails. Catching his sword-holding arm by the wrist as the other is pinned by his pulsating shield. I squeeze, even as my right starts to feel like it is being cut off. The blade clatters and I break free enough to punch him sky high.
Forcing myself onto my feet, I toss aside my helmet as I begin to feel stuffy. Panting in exhaustion, my injured eye acts up with a sudden surge as the assassin resorts to casted magic. Lighting my most energy-filled arm up, I intercept what spells that I can and the rumble of thunder picks up. My armour is once again punctured and the magic bites deep, making my defences weaken further.
Moving ahead regardless, I try to as carefully as I can apply destruction to the farm grounds. Explosions of wind magic light up the night and the already harsh blows of the night howl louder. The plume of the assassin brushes against my arm with numbing static and I watch as he slips up under my guard. Falling to the ground to avoid him, he retrieves his blade but not his shield.
"Fight on, Jhermonikra." he coaxes as he aligns his body as if he did pick up the shield.
"I..." I struggle to let out as my magic trails after me limply. Reaching deep into the earth, I align it with plentiful arcane explosives closer to the innocent than to him.
"DIE FIGHTING!" the assassin roars as the storm trails after his next swing.
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" I roar with all I have as every bit of magic I can spare is pulled out of the ground with a great beast of a solid metal boulder within it. Swinging it down faster than him, he falls before my silver-emerald light fills the land and explodes. Falling down under the force of my own magic, I rise shortly after with heavy breaths and defiantly steaming blood.
They're all dead.
Walking up to the farmhouse with a dangerous limp as my body starts to shut down. I reach the door and pick up on the sound of a cocked gun. Putting my palm on the wood, I shatter it open and stumble in, bullets pinging harmlessly against my armour. One even strikes the side of my head without so much as a scratch of blood, a strangely comforting reassurance as the rest of me bleeds profoundly from the touch of spears.
Spotting Einervaene, I collapse next to her and pull her in close.
Holding her thankfully sleeping form close, I watch with bloodshot, wide eyes as the rain breaks in after me. I cannot take them off the corpses in the front garden and the sky starts to be tainted by my weakened magic. If anyone remains alive in these Copper Band Terraces, if they want my friend's daughter... Then let them come, let them die so foolishly.
"Don't worry Einervaene... I'm here now... I'm here now... I am staying right here, with you. I will not make you go on your own again. I'm right here..." I let out with struggling breath.