"I can promise you all one thing. I will die before any of you lay a hand upon those Elves. And… I have a problem with dying."
The very scene would send anyone else running. Or beg for mercy. There she was, the great warrior of Valeria standing firmly planted on the ground. Her sword and shield were both drawn as the dark knight had faced the entire camp of bandits. One to whom was at her side. A laugh came from some of them as the leader, a big and well built man with a bear for a helmet looking down upon her as if she was nothing.
"Is that so, girl? You sure you don't have clothes to fold for us instead?" He mocked.
He even earned some laughter from his comrades as he insulted the woman with his doubts of her sex. Her lips pursed into a frown as she glared at him. There was enough said, it seemed.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Just show her who the man is, Rognir. Your choice as to how." He thrust his hand forward at the bandit at her side.
He smirked and soon began to walk up to her. What a grand opportunity, he must've thought.
"Don't." She warned, sheathing her weapon and shield.
"Oh? And who the fuck are you supposed to be?" Rognir asked as he walked forward, about to grab a good hold of her.
Then, she smacked his hand away. She quite suddenly turned to face him as she brought her knee up in the air and slammed the heel of her boot directly into the side of the cap. With a sickening crack and yell from the man who screamed bloody murder, she twirled around as she ripped the large weapon from him and quite violently rammed the sharply ended bottom point of the waraxe right through the back of his leg, immediately causing him to fall to his knees. Then, she grabbed a hold of his cuirass by the shoulder strap and slammed her gloved knuckles directly into his jaw, temporarily silencing the screaming as his body thudded into the ground. Then, she took a running step towards the top of his body on the ground to brutally plow her boot right across that same side of his face so very much that her leg swung up a bit with dots of blood shooting up in the air and falling as her leg did. Her head remained lowered as she stared down at him, her furrowed brows loosening as she nodded her head once.
"A revenant." She answered the battered individual who was probably unconscious.
She then raised her head up, eyeing the other men who were thoroughly baffled by the turn of events. You could see it in their faces. Especially the leader.
"Kill her!" He yelled, sending his men to charge ahead and forward. Davina readied her sword, swinging it to her side as she stared at the crowd.
"As you wish."
Then, a loud thud was heard as a man suddenly gasped in horror. An arrow in another's throat as he grabbed it as a useless means to defend himself. He fell, blood pouring out with the movement. They all ran at her anyways, soon a young man's voice shouting.
"My Lady!" He announced his presence, with her growing alarmed.
"Stay back!" She yelled.
Then, she quickly drew her shield. Then, she raised it up to bash it into an incoming sword. With her own swinging up to collide with another with a rather loud noise and a slight spark igniting. Then, from behind the men charging her, the Half-Blood emerged and in her sight. Her silver eyes widened in disbelief from the way he did it. Niketas ran off the cliff! He threw his leg forward in the air and the opposing arm. Then, his leg bent as that arm reached back to pull out an arrow from behind him as he drew the bow back quite quickly as his body just slowly drew forward in the air. He released the arrow right into the right hand to the alleged leader. The man fell with a groan as the Elf had landed on the other side of the leader, who immediately yelled and swung his great sword across the air to try and hit the younger male. The tattooed Half-Blood then took a little leap so agile that it was impressive. The Valerian felt her blood run cold in anxiousness for his safety. She pushed back against the two men after her, needing to dig her heels into the ground as she grunted, feeling the force of the others coming at her, most likely so they could get her pinned. That wasn't going to happen.
"For… God's- Sake!" She grunted each word as her boots dug in deeper and she was being pushed back.
Even as strong as she was, she wasn't able to just barrade through them. But, then she saw one more man just run through the gap of the crowd, thrusting his spear forward to try and nail her right in the stomach. Almost subconsciously her boots left the ground. This couldn't drag on. With the jump she slammed the heel of her boot into the tip of the spear to kick it down into the dirt while she then used every ounce of strength to keep them away from the Elves in the carriage.
"You little shit!" The Leader yelled, swinging his massive weapon in the air to slam into the ground with Niketas present.
The small Elf quickly pulled arrows out and shot them right into the man. Some hit his leather and stuck into it, others bounced off.
Then, there was another leap taken to evade the move the Bandit made. But, then, Niketas was caught. His arm holding the bow was grabbed as the Leader then laughed as he had dropped his weapon and grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the ground, winding the Elf with the extreme thud of his back hitting the ground. He squeezed and squeezed.
"First my boys are gonna have you and the whole lot in the wagon, then we're gonna use you for target practice!" The leader yelled as she strangled the poor Half-Blood.
Niketas' eyes widened as his teeth gritted, panicking as he dropped his bow and just clung to the man's wrist to struggle, kicking his legs as his breath was restricted. Davina was truly taken aback by the sudden stressful event. This just all went to shit so fast. Then, the Valerian saw what happened to the Half-Blood and immediately felt the rush. The need to save him. Then, she caught an idea. A slight one, but one nonetheless. She growled as she pushed further, her boots beginning to slide again. This was all before she then quickly jerked both her shield and sword down, ensuring she was spared any damage as she quickly back stepped before sprinting forward. It was then that the warrior had moved within the time they were recovering from diving their swords in the ground and raising them in the air to strike again that she had run forward as fast as she could muster. She was just barely missed by those who were fast enough to strike. Then, she had bashed her shield into the chest of one of them to get them out the way, doing so successfully with a grunt. With that, the undead had eyed the Leader and Niketas beginning to stop moving. She ran and ran, doing so where she sheathed her shield upon her back and had brought herself to then hold her sword upside down as she approached the Bandit leader from behind, raising her sword to brutally stab it through his back. Then, a loud yell aired through it all as the men gave chase to Davina. But, she was quick to act further.
"Stay back!" She commanded, twisting the blade to make the leader groan in agony as she grabbed him by the collar of his armor and pulled him off the Elf and in front of her on his knees. She ripped the blade out, immediately putting the bloodied steel under his chin to his throat.
Some of them looked panicked. Others, angry. Even as her expression showed stress, worry and anger, Davina was quite shocked. There was clear care for these men. They didn't want this man to die. Why was that?
"We're taking the Elves and leaving! None of you are going to prevent that." She stated.
"Niketas, are you alright?" She asked, keeping her eyes upon the crowd.
He nodded, soon to slowly get up with his bow as he rubbed around his reddened throat.
"Y-Yes…" He muttered, soon to raise his bow up and point it at them with an arrow drawn.
It was now a standoff. One that wouldn't end well for one side one way or another.
"You're dead, girl. You and that pointy eared freak!" One of them said.
"Shut up." Davina demanded, pulling the man she had captive up as she began circling around the crowd with the Half-Blood doing the same, keeping his arrow aimed at their throats.
They all circled around each other. The Valerian moved herself and the leader towards the wagon. Without even saying anything, the Half-Blood knew to go and grab some horses. He ran off to quickly do so, leaving her to defend herself. They even inched closer, as expected. Davina scoffed as she had then put the tip of the sword to the leaders back, threatening to take his life as she stepped back.
"Step back unless you want this man to get his heart impaled." She warned.
"Niketas-" She called back for him.
Which, the Elf had brought himself to the wagon quickly with two horses, quickly getting them strapped to the wagon and situated.
"Okay, it's ready!" He shouted, climbing onto the wagon to take the reins.
With that, the Valerian had acted quickly. She bashed the back of the leader's skull with the armor of her forearm and quickly kicked him in the back, her boot thrusting forward and downwards as she quickly ran to the wagon side.
"Go!" She urged.
Niketas was startled by this, quickly flicking the reins as he had shouted a 'Hyah!' at the horses. To whom, had begun to move and gallop with the wagon wheels doing the same.
Davina sheathed her sword for the moment on her back. She took a little leap and grabbed onto the wagon and quickly sat herself down. She quickly snatched the reins and had flicked them upon the horses quite harshly to have them run. Which, they had run like hell. The wagon had been speeding off down a trail through the forests as the two and the Elves could hear the men rage on and yell to mount their horse's. She panted a little, truly being tired of all this drama as she looked back passed the cage, not seeing anyone just yet come after them. She sighed in relief. She held the reins tightly as she stared straight ahead. Things just couldn't have gone any worse for that attempt at sneaking through a camp.
"We did it." The Half-Blood said with a smile at her.
Davina glanced at him, a smile slowly growing as she had nodded a little.
"So it seems." She said.
She kept her eyes on the long trail, knowing she had to get these elves back to the village. Ksenia would probably be satisfied. She could only wonder which one of these Elves was the one the Witch had a heart for. Or, perhaps she just had humanities sympathy deep within. Either way, she had her own for them. She didn't regret freeing them. Well, in the manner that she did. Then, a loud 'thump!' was heard. Then, an Elf from within the cage soon called for their assistance.
"They're coming at us! Help!" One of them shouted.
The Valerian had quickly turned. She saw bolts being fired at them. She knew there was no way she could allow one of the imprisoned Elves to be hit whatsoever.
"Nik, do you know where to go?!" She asked him loudly.
He nodded. She quickly handed him the reins, to which he took, with her turning on the seat and immediately clutching onto the cell bar as she pulled herself up to the side, planting her boot into the tall railing of the wagon, trying her damnedest to balance herself onto it. She released the cell bar and laid her arm upon the top, quickly stepping forward to plant her other boot onto the edge as her silver eyes then raised with her brows furrowing as she glared at the men, her black hair of messy disarray whipping violently in front of her. She then quickly moved forward, leaping to be in front of the cage. She took her shield from her back, putting it in front of her as she blocked the cage, sitting on her knees.
"Kill the bitch!" One of the bandits yelled furiously as the crossbows and bows were being drawn upon the wagon that was barely keeping pace away from them.
They opened fire, shooting a spree of arrows at the wagon. Some arrows bounced off her shield, some got awfully close to the cage. She heard a child scream in fear from it. Davina, hidden and hiding the Elves with the shield as best she could, had turned her head to look down upon the Elven youth clinging to her frightened mother, who clung to her hopeful husband. Her brows creased upwards as she had felt such empathy for them. The child looked up at her with such a want to just be safe. In that moment, it was her at her most human, Revenant or not.
She couldn't allow the child to be lost. Nor the family to be. She sighed deeply as her eyes shut tightly. She moved the shield down from her, putting it lower as she had been knelt down, using her body as another shield to the cage as the arrows struck. She flinched a bit as a bolt bounced off her shoulder guard. Then, her shield. Now, sticking into the wood of the wagon right by her boot. Her squinted silver orbs narrowed, peeking over her arm as her hair whipped all around. She saw quite a few men. Unfortunately more than she would've liked to remember. Then, she felt this sickeningly painful ache bleed into her side. She grunted, feeling an arrow just hit deeply into her stomach as another then was shot successfully right into her leg, hitting just below the armor of her thigh. Her teeth clenched together as she shut her eyes tightly and took the blows as best as the warrior possibly could tolerate. The leather in her gloved audibly stretched as her fists held tightly to themselves. As the pain was as feral as it was, she began to wonder how long it's going to be before she learns she can't take much more of this. Unfortunately, that was about to be the case, where she wouldn't have to for very long.
"Whoa!- No, no, no!" A truly panicked shout emerged from the Half-Blood driving the wagon at such a high speed.
Davina felt her body suddenly get flung into the side of the wagon, suddenly yelping in horrifying pain as she felt the arrow in her side plunge deeper. This blinding, hot pain. She grunted as her back hit the side, her shield clashing against it as well. Suddenly, the elevation of the wagon began to tip with the opposite side going upwards as the Elves began to scream. She mustered up the strength to quickly stand and see the absolutely shocking event unfold before her. The wagon was bumping along the edge of a cliff! Adrenaline flushed up her body and made this chilling cold feeling take over as she stared down at the long fall into a lake within the forest below. Her body was bumped into the side again, seeing as Niketas was trying his best to keep the horses going on running the wagon on land we the wheels creaked, squeaked and spun rapidly as they bumped along the rocks of the edges. She had to think fast. But, nobody could at this moment. Suddenly, the back wheel busted against a rock and immediately slid that side off the edge. She stumbled into the cage, knowing that if the Elves fell into the cage she'd have little hope of saving them. And, plus the bandits were still on their tail. Davina quickly lowered her shield after an arrow bounced off it, quickly drawing her sword to swing at the lock in an attempt to open it in case they all were to sink and drown. But… The Valerian did not act quite fast enough, even with as quick as she was. The wagon bumped, violently shattering the axil to the wheels as it just then slid off, dragging the horses with the stunning fate being sewn. The driver, Niketas, had been dropped off the side. Davina, thrust her sword across the air in the attempt to just cut the lock, missing it by a good distance before her boots left the platform of the wagon. Her body began to turn in the way she swung, her eyes widening as her breath was taken from her. Then, they all began to fall quite fast off the cliff and down at the lake.
Her body simply slowly turned in the air as she tried to see the cage that was falling a bit faster with the wagon doing the same. She heard their screams and the children just cling to who they could. The pain in her body, for a single second, was not there. She only extended her hand out as this desperate gesture at the cage of Elves. She didn't know or care for them personally, but their lives were still valued as unknown innocents. Ones that she wasn't able to save. What a truly horrific turn of events. With a splash, all of them hit the water with a winding impact. Certainly for her as she had been quite injured during the time she was protecting them all. Her body froze in the water for that moment. Then, the urge of surviving came once she realized just how far down she was. With that, the Valerian struggled to even swim. She squinted through the dark waters, feeling the throbbing pain along her side and leg keeping her from swimming properly. She thrust her good arm forward, still managing to be able to swim and bring herself up from the waters she became tragically acquaintanced to. Then, she emerged from the waters, her short hair was still draping over her face mostly as she coughed, her legs splashing through the water as she eventually just walked out, holding arm as she had soon fell to her knees, her emotionless face contorting to a wince as she coughed up water, throwing it up from her lungs as she fell to her knees, leaning forward with her forehead in the grass as she had released a quiet cry. One arrow in her side snapped in half. Davina slowly drew her hand to her side, her gloved fingers just shaking as she had slowly gripped it. Then, tightly, ripping it out with a yell coming from her and a cry of blinding pain. Blood followed, the warrior then going to grip the one in her leg and rip it out with her face changing to look like she was about to sob. Impressively, she managed to do this in the span of a few moments. She had fallen to her side, the one that wasn't hurt as she clutched her hand onto the injury below her chest plate. Her eyes shut tightly as her lips furrowed and parted to show her clenched teeth. Her brows at the inner part creased up as she dealt with the truly terrible feeling. Then, her eyes shot open.
"Dammit, the Elves!" She hissed out, soon forcing herself to crawl to her stomach and then raise herself into a knelt down position before standing.
She turned herself to the lake, moving her hair out of the way as her silver eyes dotted all around the waters. She saw the ripples from so far in the lake.
"Niketas!" She called out for the kind Elf.
She yelled it again, beginning to walk right back into the lake, her boots beginning to sink into the water as she limped with every step used with her left leg. With the silence, she let go of her side and immediately began to rush into the water. She was waist deep in the lake now. She was panicking herself. Severely. She couldn't return with nothing, she just couldn't. Losing them all was such a thing she could never forgive herself for. She began to feel a different kind of ache already. Even with her cynicism telling her it was too late, she pushed forward. Now with her chest cuirass touching the water with her good arm raising up as she was going to go search for them all.
Out of nowhere, once the ripples stopped, she had seen a relieving sight. A pointy haired male with black hair gasping for air as he had swam up, soon to quickly begin swimming towards the land. Towards her.
"Niketas! Where's the-" Before she could even say anything else, Another head emerged.
Then another. A few more. Then, several. All being the Elves from the cage. Davina pants a bit as she stopped in her tracks in the water.
"I got them!" He yelled back.
She watched them all begin swimming. The men and women, carrying some children as a few women and adolescents helped carry some others who were hurt, but alive. She had suddenly released a deep, harshly exhaled sigh as she slouched over a bit, running her hand through her hair as she shut her eyes and truly took a moment to herself to process the amount of gratefulness to the Gods she had. She slowly stepped back, soon just walking her way back on top of land with water still pouring and dripping off of her. She then fell to her knees, her armor clanking as she had just leaned onto her backside and soon just laid onto her back, taking the time to catch her breath as her silver orbs for eyes stared up at the sky. The clouds, the blueness to it above the clouds. The stress was beginning to melt away. Being replaced with mental exhaustion.
"Finally free…" one of the male Elves said.
"Izador!" Niketas called out the name.
Davina's head turned as she turned her eyes to her Half-Blood ally. He was practically clinging to another Elf. One with white platinum hair all soaked in the water with the usual light silver skin. He had hugged the other back. She had watched the two hold each other quite tightly. It was clear they had a deep love for each other. She was glad for him, that he was able to save them. She turned her head away, soon to just close her eyes for the moment. Unfortunately, she couldn't stop here. Even with the good amount of distance put between them and the bandits, she had to ensure they got to the village.
"May I talk to her?" The voice of Izador spoke from a distance, almost barely unheard by her.
"Of course." Niketas replied.
The two Elves then were heard walking up to her. She opened her eyes again, directing her gaze towards them. She saw them look down at her, Niketas wearing a warm smile as the other had a straight face. Izador looked relatively the same as the one he held with an arm around regarding body type. They were both clearly around the same age. However, the platinum haired Elf had extended his hand down and out to her.
"I saw how you protected us." Izador stated.
She scoffed, soon to throw her hand into his as she was then pulled up to her feet. Which, she stood with her weight more so off of her bad side.
"I thank you. May I have the name of the one who freed me and my blood?" He asked.
She got a good bit of respect from the Elf, which was warming to her as well. He held the woman's hand with a firm grasp as a sign of someone who was going to be remembered.
"Davina. Of Valeria." She introduced, returning the firm grasp to accept the show of friendliness.
He nodded and soon the two released each other.
"A human hailing from Valeria? I never would've guessed your blood would risk their lives for one of my own… or, so many." He said, soon to sigh.
"It is clear I was wrong." He added.
She had cracked a smile again before looking down, then down to the side.
"As are we." She retorted, soon to look at Niketas and soon add on.
"Once your reunion is finished, may we talk?" She asked.
He nodded.
"Of course." He said.
She patted his shoulder before she simply began to walk off, limping with each step as she did.
Davina just sat herself down at a tree, leaning back against it.
"Ah, shit…" She then scowled at herself.
Her sword and shield. She just realized she hadn't left the lake with them. She had to get up and find them before it got dark. She just laid the back of her head against the tree and just rested before she'd get to that. The sun was just at midday anyways. She could rest for a good while, at least. There were a few Elves who were to come to her side however. A family, it seemed. A man, woman and their child. She had hoped there wouldn't be too many thanks, for she simply didn't have the energy to keep up with it.
"Hello…" The Elven man greeted.
She nodded her head to him.
"Hello." She said, holding her side.
She noticed his eyes had been drawn to her wounds. Which had brought him to a reason for coming to her.
"Please, as a thank you for saving my family and I, I humbly ask you to let me tend to your wounds." He said, quite kindly.
She was charmed, as much as she felt pain.
"I'll be fine. Doctorine's aren't needed for my kind." She said, simply to save him the trouble.
The Elven woman shook her head.
"No, my husband is a healer. His magic is pure and can help you. Please, it's the least we can do." She said, offering a smile and her husband's help.
She released a little sigh and soon nodded a little once again.
"Fine, I don't mind your help then." She said.
With that, the Elven man had gone to her side, circling around her legs as he had knelt down to her side. He lowered his eyes to her side, then to her injured leg. He then raised a brow, looking back up at her.
"I sensed what you were when I saw your eyes." He said.
He then laid both his hands down upon her, one on her leg and the other at the side, his silver skin coming into contact with the leather covered with a little bit of blood.
"Yes. Gray has been my burden for a little while now. It probably will be for a longer while." She said.
The palms of his hands had glowed as he had then begun to heal the woman. He was allegedly so skilled he hadn't even needed to mutter a spell.
"Yet, you dress in it." He added.
His family didn't say much, aside from just standing there with their gratefulness.
"Because it's what's deserved. Is it working?" She said, somewhat changing the subject.
He got the hint and then pulled his hands away, pulling a cloth from his neck he untied and wiped his hands.
"It is done. You will still feel the pain, of course. Just mildly." He said.
Magic could heal wounds, as it did for her. But, it didn't change the fact of what her nerves had been forced to feel for quite some time.
"Hey," Davina said, gently grabbing onto his forearm.
"Can you speak for me? To your townspeople, I mean." She asked.
He stared at her and soon nodded his head, having a curious look in his eyes.
"I can." The healer said to her, quite certain.
"Tell them we will be moving soon. We can't stop for too long unless we want another ambush." She released his arm.
"I understand. I'll tell them right away." He said.
She nodded, soon to feel the pain in her body lessened by a great deal but also remained as it was mildly painful now. Afterwards, once the thank you was given, the family of Elves went off to simply go do as they were asked. Bringing the message to the others that were there. There weren't many, but enough to where she simply needed to get them moving. And, now, herself. Davina had raised her injured leg up, the heel of her boot dragging along the grass and the dirt as the soreness of her thigh increased as she had put her hand against it, soon to stand herself up with a little grunt. She then began to walk towards the lake yet again. It was time she had searched for her blade and shield.
A mere near an hour later.
"You wanted to talk to me, right?" The Half-blood asked.
He was standing at the edge of the water where it just barely grazed the tip of his boots while she knelt down, waist deep in water yet again with her sword sheathed on her back and dripping of water as she was trying to find her shield.
"Yes." She said, sounding somewhat irritated.
She then knelt down and dove into the water a little to rummage through it to find the damn thing. All before reemerging and cursing under her breath as she moved her hair from her paled face. She stopped for a moment, soon to eye him.
"Tell me about your town's Witch." She said, squinting as she tried to look through the kind of see through water.
The deeper it got the more impossible it was to see. Plus, it was a lake. You probably weren't going to see anything very well to begin with. Niketas' brows furrowed in surprise of the change.
"Lady Ksenia? Uh- What do you want to know?" He asked, crossing his arms.
"Why is she aligned with Salynthra?" She asked, bluntly.
"Oh, I have no idea… I just assumed the Empire wasn't very kind to her since she used to work within it." He said.
She didn't react much, even to the important detail she noticed quite well.
"It's kind to nobody." She muttered bitterly.
She then paused once she took a step back. All before she had heard a huff come from the petite Elf.
"A lot of humans over the years come to the Salynthrian side of Tryphaena in hopes it'll be different from the Empire. But… it really isn't. There's never peace." He said.
She leaned down, ripping an item up from the water. Her shield. Thank the Gods.
"Sometimes I wonder why there can't be." He added.
She turned around, holding her shield under her arm as she had glanced at him, a brow raised as she had remained silent at first because of the question. She had her answer, soon to start walking passed him.
"Because peace doesn't make history in our world for those who want to write it." She said.
She then walked beyond him, him following to her side as she put the shield on her back. She gathered the attention of all the Elves.
"Okay! Let's get you all back home."