One week has passed since Kaito's first training session with Evis and Scarlett. Each day, it was relatively the same routine, with a few added twists thrown in to keep Kaito on his toes. There was also the occasional scolding from Evis, and the occasional advancements made by Scarlett to embarrass him. A couple of days throughout the week, Abi joined them to watch and assist if need be, but most of the time she would be gone on account of "angel business". Today would be no different, or at least that's what Kaito thought. The young man stands in his bedroom, watching as Abi does her pull-ups. The angel girl joins him every morning now to stretch and workout. To her, it was an opportunity to spend some quality time with her war angel. Kaito studies Abi closely as she finishes her set of pull-ups, the angel struggling as she gets to the tail end of her set. Kaito is amazed at how fast her body adjusted to a morning workout routine. Watching her progress only makes him even more motivated to try harder during his sets.
Kaito: Come on, Abi, just a few more!
Abi can be heard struggling now, and with each rep, her movement gets slower and less precise. Eventually, she lets go and drops onto the floor, but keeps her balance so she doesn't fall flat onto her face.
Abi: Forty-three… ugh!
Abi then proceeds to flop onto the floor, exhausted. Kaito crouches down next to her, watching as the angel girl breathes rapidly from the exercise.
Kaito: You did great, that was five more than yesterday. And you got through all five sets without a break!
Abi looks at Kaito and smiles. While still out of breath, she holds up a thumb and looks up towards the ceiling. The morning sunlight shines through the window and onto the floor. The warm rays hit half of Abi's face, while the other side is covered by the room's dark shadow.
Kaito: You did good today. Let's wrap it up and get some breakfast, does that sound good to you?
Abi looks at Kaito, then quickly jumps up from the floor, the angel girl going from zero energy to a full tank in no time at the mention of food.
Abi: That sounds like a great plan!
Kaito watches her and laughs. He grabs two towels for them to wipe off with. He then walks over to the wardrobe and changes from his workout clothes to his day clothes. Once he is changed, he checks his gear to make sure he has everything for today's training session. The two angels then hear a knock at the front door. Kaito and Abi exchange looks at first, then Abi walks through to the sitting room and opens the door. Once the door is opened, Kaito can hear a heavy padding of boots on the wooden floor. It was a familiar sound to him each morning; however, today it was quite early compared to the last few days. Kaito walks into the sitting room to see Abi and Evis in mid conversation. Evis then turns her attention from Abi to Kaito. She gives him her usual cold glare, before speaking to him.
Evis: Get your gear, human.
Kaito is confused at first, and speaks rather than gathering his weapons and armor.
Kaito: This early? We've got another hour to go, don't we?
Evis: I said GET YOUR GEAR!
Kaito: Yes ma'am!
Kaito returns to the bedroom, gathering up his weapons and armor before strapping them on. Once he is done suiting up, he rushes back into the living room and stands in front of Evis, ready to go.
Evis: Good, let's get going.
Abi looks at them both, then raises her hand like she's a student in a classroom. Evis turns her attention away from Kaito to look at the angel girl.
Evis: Yes, Lady Angel?
Abi: Uh, am I going with you guys too?
Evis: No ma'am. I apologize, but it's just me and the human for today. Elder Keizan and Sir Victus request your presence. They told me it's important, and that you should get to them as soon as you can.
Abi: Oh… OK, well, you two have fun, and be safe!
Evis turns her attention back towards Kaito, then motions for him to follow her.
Evis: Let's go.
Kaito nods and follows her out the door, looking back towards Abi and waving goodbye to her before she is out of sight. Abi waves back at Kaito, smiling at him as they make their way down the hall of the inn.
After a couple of minutes of walking, Kaito finds himself trailing behind Evis, their path taking a different route than usual for today. Both of them had been silent since they left the inn. Eventually, Kaito finds the courage to break the silence, now curious about their destination.
Kaito: Hey, Evis? Where are we going? Aren't the training grounds the other way?
Evis: Yes, but we aren't going there today.
Kaito: Oh… well, where are we going?
Evis: You'll see soon enough, just keep a lookout…
Kaito finds her behavior to be odd. The elf girl is usually reserved around him, none of that is new to him, but today she seems extra defensive. To Kaito, she looks as if she is expecting to be attacked at any moment. The two are walking in a different direction from the training grounds, so maybe this is a new place to train? It's the only thing Kaito can think of at this point. The two warriors continue their walk for another ten minutes, crossing over small pathways and several creeks. The forest is starting to become overgrown with brush and vines. As they travel further in their journey, they come across a hillside, both having to hold on to the small trees and brush for support to keep from sliding down the slope. Despite the terrain, Evis keeps up her stride. Kaito figures that the elf ranger is probably used to traveling through these woods since she mostly likely has lived in them all her life.
The two warriors have been traveling for about an hour now and Kaito notices something strange about the forest. The forest has changed from a dark canopy and dense vegetation to something a lot more vibrant. The leaves on the trees have changed color to many variations of orange, pink, aqua, and purple. The moss-covered stones, grass, and the leaves on the bushes and trees glow with a vivid luminescence. There are flowers whose petals glow so brightly, it is as if they have electricity running through them. Vines wrap around tree trunks like thick rope around a barrel. The area seems lush and dense like an African jungle.
Along the ground runs big patches of oversized roots, like cables running underneath a large city. Kaito studies the forest around him and is amazed by its beauty. He had never seen anything like it before. He then turns his attention towards Evis. The elf ranger has stopped and now stands in complete silence.
Kaito: Is everything alright?
Evis: Shhh… listen.
Kaito looks around and listens carefully. For a moment, he hears nothing but the sound of the breeze rustling through the trees. He even hears the many chirps of birds as they communicate back and forth, but nothing seems too out of the ordinary. After a few seconds, however, Kaito hears what sounds like someone speaking. The language is hard to make out but seems familiar to something that Kaito can understand, but he can't make out most of the words being said. The speech is raspy and screech-like. It is a dreaded noise to his ears. Evis then suddenly grabs Kaito and pulls him into the trunk of a nearby tree that is hollowed out. The tree trunk is large, but barely has enough room for both of them to hide in.
Kaito: What the hell?
Evis quickly covers his mouth with her hand and gives him a deadly stare. She puts a finger up to her lips, gesturing for him to shut his. Evis then turns her attention towards the direction of the voices. Several yards away are two of the reptilian-like creatures, the same creatures that had attacked the town when Kaito first arrived in Foritia. The two creatures look to be chopping down a tree. A wood axe is buried halfway into its trunk, awaiting further use. The two creatures seem to be arguing with one another, rather than continuing their task of chopping down the tree. Kaito looks at Evis and speaks in a hushed tone of voice.
Kaito: Those are…
Evis: The raiders that attacked Arbor. We must be close now…
Kaito looks at the two raiders, then back towards Evis.
Kaito: Close to what?
Evis: Quickly, follow me and stay quiet. We're going to take them out, OK?
Kaito looks at the elf ranger and nods in affirmation. Evis studies the two raiders, then looks around the area, trying to see if she can spot anymore, but she doesn't see any. A low mist has settled on the forest floor and is making it hard to see very far. However, this is good for them, as it will give the two warriors cover for the surprise attack. Evis and Kaito sneak out of the tree trunk and around to the back of the raiders' position. Evis points Kaito to a tree and tells him to stay put, saying she'll give the signal on when to fire his bow. Evis sneaks around to another tree to get some distance between her and Kaito, then pulls out her bow. Kaito does the same. She looks at the two targets, then loads an arrow and pulls back on the string. With a nod of her head, she gives Kaito the signal, and the two archers shoot their arrows at their targets. Evis' arrow is a clean headshot, while Kaito's arrow pierces through the neck of the raider on the right. Once their targets are down, the two warriors cautiously approach the raiders' bodies.
Evis looks over at her target. The creature's body lies still with no signs of life. She then looks at Kaito's target, which writhes around, choking and gasping for air as the arrow sticks through its neck. Evis bends down and takes out her blade, then slices the creature's neck open with a full, clean cut. The shock and blood loss from the cut kills the creature within moments. Kaito watches Evis as she takes the creature's life, then observes as she does something that he has never seen her do before. Evis wipes her blade off onto the creature's leather armor and sets her blade back in its sheath. She then takes both of her hands and puts them in front of her, like she is praying. Kaito can faintly hear what she is saying, only catching the words, "Rest easy, your pain is over" before she stops in her prayer. Evis then gently gets up and grabs the rest of her things before walking past the dead creatures to a lone wagon. She rummages through the wagon's contents, and finds a few more arrows within its supplies. She then tosses a couple of arrows over to Kaito. The war angel catches them, and slips them into his quiver. Evis then motions Kaito to follow her, the both of them now keeping their bows drawn in case of any unwanted company. As they walk, the scene plays over and over in Kaito's mind, and eventually, he finds the courage to ask Evis why she prayed for the two raiders.
Kaito: Hey, Evis?
Evis: Yes, human?
Kaito: Back there, you… prayed after killing those two raiders, why?
Evis stops in her tread and turns around to face him. Kaito waits for the worst to happen. What would it be, a slap? No, most likely a kick or a punch to the head for such a stupid question. But nothing of the sort comes his way. Instead, Evis looks at him with a serious expression on her face.
Evis: I was praying for their forgiveness, so that they may see a peaceful rest in Heaven.
Kaito looks at her, now confused.
Kaito: Why would you want them to…?
Evis turns her attention to the path ahead, then back towards Kaito.
Evis: I'll explain as we walk. Stay close to me.
Kaito nods and follows behind her, trying his best to stay aware of his surroundings while also listening to Evis.
Evis: Those creatures aren't just some hostile race of people or a bunch of thugs. Those creatures used to be elves.
Kaito: Really? What happened to them? I mean the pointy ears I can see, but they are reptilian. Their skin is all scaly and messed up, and their voices don't sound like yours at all.
Evis: That would be correct, they've been… transformed. Someone or something did this to them. Judging by their armor and leftover emblems on their clothes, these creatures used to be part of a neighboring town…
Kaito: Do you have an idea of who or what did this?
Evis: Not a clue… but that is what we are going to find out.
Kaito nods once he hears the plan, then shakes his head in confusion and speaks.
Kaito: Wait, you brought me along for a real mission?!
Evis turns around quickly and advances towards him with a raised fist, like she is about to strike him.
Evis: Ssshhh, do you want the whole forest to hear us?
Once Kaito's heart stops beating rapidly from the almost near-death experience, he speaks to her in a much quieter tone.
Kaito: Sorry. But why pick me? There are other rangers, aren't there?
Evis: Yes, there is, but I don't trust them with this…
Kaito thinks to himself for a moment, then gives her a smug look.
Kaito: So you're saying you trust me over them? The human you hate so much?
Evis stops talking and looks around the forest. She then sniffs the air, before continuing the conversation with Kaito.
Evis: I smell wood smoke. Their camp must be up ahead. Come on, let's do some scouting. Do not engage them unless I tell you to, got it?
Kaito: Got it.
Evis and Kaito walk quietly up to the encampment. An orange and yellow light pushes through the mist which has become more like a thick fog, accompanied by the sounds of screeching and hissing coming from inside the walls of the camp. Evis motions for Kaito to follow her up a large conifer tree with branches low to the ground, making an ascent easier. Kaito gives her a nod. The elf ranger then puts her bow on her back and begins to climb, Kaito following close behind. Once the two warriors reach the top of the tree, they take a look around. The encampment is wide open to their view.
The encampment has a base structure of wood. Now Kaito and Evis realize why the two raiders were busy chopping down the forest trees. The walls are sturdy and sharpened near the top to make it impossible to climb over. The main gate, also made of wood, boasts the same design as the walls. Along the walls are many platforms, and there are guards posted every few yards to stand watch for any signs of intruders on the outside of the camp. There is a large fire which burns in the middle of the encampment. A few of the raiders sit around the fire to warm up and chat while drinking from large metal mugs. In the back of the camp sits a few small huts, flanking the sides of a much larger one that seems to connect to what looks like a large formation of rocks. Something lies in between the two structures. The rock formation itself is so large that it would take up to three more camps to cover the width of its front-facing part. Kaito can hear Evis speaking to herself as she looks over the camp, and listens as the elf ranger goes over what type of defenses the camp has.
Evis: Fortified walls… around twenty-three troops… not counting those who are inside the huts… around seven archers, the rest being foot soldiers, and yet, they always forget about the trees.
Kaito looks around and notices each thing that Evis calls out. He then looks at the tree tops around the camp and sees that there are zero defenses set up near them. Evis then looks at Kaito, and keeps her voice down as she speaks.
Evis: Alright, we're going in, and we'll start there.
Evis points to an elevated hut that stems off from the catwalk of the surrounding walls. Kaito notices a few gaps in the roof's design, and understands why Evis has chosen this hut in particular. It's the perfect place for them to infiltrate. The only problem they will face is the number of raiders inside the hut. Beams of yellow light emanate from the gaps and windows within the building, showing clear signs of the hut's occupation. Evis motions for Kaito to follow her and the two warriors climb down the tree. Once on the ground, they take a route around the left side of the camp to once again climb back up another tree, whose branches hang over the large rocks at the back of the camp. Once they reach the top of the tree, Evis looks down. One of the rocks has a flat surface that is perfect for jumping down on. Evis makes her way to a lower branch, steadies herself at the end, and jumps down onto the top of the rock, bracing herself as she lands. A small puff of purple dust comes from her feet as she quietly lands onto the rock's flat surface. Kaito follows suit using the same technique. Thanks to Evis and Scarlett's training, he had mastered this technique and was now able to execute it on this mission. Once the two warriors land on the rock, they sneak to the edge and peer over. The roof of the catwalk building is just a few feet of a drop down from their current position. Evis uses the same skill as before and drops onto the roof, then waits for Kaito to do the same. Once Kaito is next to her, she walks over to the edge of the hut's roof and hangs over the side. She takes a moment to peek into the small gap of the hut's roof, then props back up and turns around to face Kaito.
Evis: We've got four raiders sitting at a table in the center of the building. Two more raiders are in the building as well. One is far off to the right, behind a counter, chopping meat. Another is near the front door to the left, guarding the entrance. Think you can take out the guard and the butcher? I'll take out the crew at the table.
Kaito: Yeah, I'll take care of them.
Evis: Good. Watch my back, human, and keep quiet. We don't want to alarm the whole camp.
Kaito nods in affirmation and watches Evis as she again leans over the edge of the roof, and peers inside the hut. She then gets herself ready. She looks at Kaito once more and nods. Evis swings her body into the gap, dropping down to a rafter. She quickly takes two arrows out and shoots down at two of the raiders at the table. One is put down instantly from a shot to the head, while the other is knocked to the ground with a neck shot. Evis then lands onto the floor of the hut. Her purple aura glows around her feet, then disappears into bright particles of dust. Her cloak follows her descent and rests on the ground behind her once she lands. Before the other two raiders realize what is happening, Evis then takes out two more arrows and loads them. She splits the arrows on her drawstring and shoots the remaining raiders at the table. One raider dies instantly from a shot to the chest, but the other raider has its arm pinned to the table by the ranger's arrow.
Behind Evis follows Kaito, who jumps down into the building and lands softly on the floor, his white aura appearing and disappearing beneath him as he lands. Kaito loads an arrow onto his bow and shoots the butcher behind the counter, then quickly turns while loading another arrow, and shoots the guard advancing towards him from the front door. Both raiders are killed by the war angel's attack. The cook's body lands onto a couple of crates of food behind the counter, while the guard stumbles back towards the front door and slides down the wall, leaving a bloody trail behind him as he falls to the floor. Evis then approaches the last remaining raider, who is pinned against the table and is unable to free himself. She draws another arrow and shoots, killing him instantly. Evis then walks over to the window of the hut and looks outside. Neither the camp guards nor the wall guards were alerted by their skirmish. Evis then turns away from the window and walks to the middle of the room. The ranger takes her time and picks up the arrows from each of the raiders' corpses while also grabbing Kaito's arrow embedded in the guard on the ground by the front door. She wipes the tips of them off, then puts them back into her quiver. While she reclaims the arrows, Kaito jumps over the counter and retrieves the arrow embedded in the butcher's body. He is a little disgusted with having to pull it out of the body, but he quickly shrugs it off. Once Kaito is finished retrieving his arrow, he turns to look at Evis before speaking to her.
Kaito: You have one of my arrows.
Evis turns her attention away from a nearby window and looks at Kaito.
Evis: So?
Kaito: Can I have it back?
Evis chuckles at his request and shakes her head.
Evis: I'll probably need it more than you, human. But if we make it back, I'll be sure to return it to you.
Something tells Kaito that her sarcastic tone means he is not getting it back. Evis scans the room and looks for another exit besides the front door. She then notices a small wooden hatch on the floor behind the butcher's counter. She jumps over the counter and looks at the butcher's dead body, before turning her attention back towards the hatch. She walks over to the hatch and opens it. As she does, the light from inside the hut pierces through and bleeds onto the ground below. Beneath the hatch door rests bales of hay and what looks like tools, as well as boxes of what she assumes is food. The fog from outside has permeated through the shoddy, wooden slat doors to the underground storage area. Evis sees this as their most likely exit point. She motions for Kaito to follow her as she climbs down the steps and onto the dirt floor. Kaito is about to climb down as well, but then turns around to look at the front entrance of the hut. The young warrior makes his way over to the front door and pushes a nearby weapon's chest in front of it to block the entrance. He then hurries back to behind the counter and climbs down the steps, closing the hatch door behind him.
Once Kaito reaches the bottom, Evis grabs him and pulls him behind the steps. The two warriors hear a few footsteps, before a raider appears in front of them and bends down to pick up one of the boxes of food. Evis moves quickly and grabs the raider by the head before stabbing her knife into its neck, forcing it to the ground while holding its mouth with her free hand. The creature struggles for only a few seconds before going limp, now lifeless and unmoving. She lets go of the creature and stands up.
Kaito: Damn…
Evis wipes her knife of blood and puts it back into her sheath.
Evis: Let's keep moving… we're close now.
Evis peers out of the door the creature had come through and scans the area for anyone approaching. Stepping outside, she peeks around the corner of the hut to see a large group of raiders standing around the fire, then slips back in before being detected.
Evis: Well, we aren't going that way. I think there are too many of them for us to take out. Any suggestions?
Kaito looks around the storage space for a moment to see if there is anything they can use to get past the raiders without being seen. He sees a small room behind the steps where there are more tools stored.
Kaito: Which way are we gonna go if we leave this storage shed?
Evis points to their left, then Kaito nods and looks towards the back wall in the small tool room. Kaito grabs a crowbar, then places it in between the planks of the wall. Evis keeps watch for any other raiders that might enter the storage area. He pries loose two of the planks, creating a small opening for the two of them to squeeze through. She then watches him crawl through the small opening, and follows him before replacing the loose boards to cover up their exit. Once they are outside the storage shed, they hide behind a small stack of barrels and a wagon.
Evis: Good job, human, now we need to get into there.
Evis points to the main hut that sits against the rock formation.
Evis: We just need to find a way in…
The two warriors then turn their attention to a raider walking towards the main hut. The raider is searching for something in his pocket and finally pulls out a large, metal key.
Kaito: You thinking what I'm thinking?
Evis: We wait until he opens the door, then rush in?
Kaito: Yep, we just gotta make sure that we lock the door behind us. Otherwise, we'll be swarmed with their reinforcements.
Evis nods at Kaito's strategy, then looks towards the raider who is now standing in front of the door. The raider puts the key in the lock and jiggles it several times to get the door open. Once the raider opens the door to step inside, Evis sprints towards the entrance, with Kaito following closely behind her. Before the creature realizes he is being attacked, they are both on him and pushing him through the door. At this point, the two warriors did not care if the rest of the camp saw them, they had already made it inside the main hut. Kaito locks the door behind him as Evis attacks the creature in front of them. She pulls out her knife once again and buries it into the back of the creature, killing him in front of the main hut's occupants.
Kaito follows closely behind her, and stares at the audience that now studies the two intruding warriors. Inside the hut, there are ten raiders in total. Some of the raiders are in shock at their arrival, while others simply smile at them with a wicked grin. On the far side of a center table, stands a tall raider, but this one is different from the rest. This raider wears a set of armor that is similar to Pricil's. However, this armor is darker in color, and looks to be battle damaged. The raider's skin is dark and scaly. His teeth are sharp and jagged, like the rest of the raiders that Kaito has seen. The raider, who Kaito assumes is the leader of the camp, looks up from the maps he is studying and simply grins at their presence. Evis stares at this formidable enemy.
The camp leader continues to grin at them as Kaito and Evis approaches the table. Evis steps a few feet forward and speaks to the leader of the camp. Her voice is strong, fierce, and void of any mercy for these creatures.
Evis: Wayno!
The raider leader speaks to Evis in a deep and booming voice. The rest of the raiders seems to be weary of her presence, but not this one. This raider looks more pleased by her presence than anything else.
Wayno: Ahhh, if it isn't Lady Evis. I should have known your town would eventually send you after me. And… with a very interesting friend, it seems.
Wayno looks over Evis' shoulder and makes eye contact with the war angel. Kaito stares into the raider's black, lifeless eyes and starts to feel sick to his stomach. The young man then takes a more defensive stance and braces for combat.
Evis: Wayno, tell me. Why side with the evil that has attacked our land? Why have your people go through this… this wicked change? Have you given up your soul entirely? What could be so important to turn your backs on all of us?
The raider starts to laugh, which sounds more like the hissing of a snake than a human voice.
Wayno: The ignorance of your questions has no merit Lady Evis. Let's just say, we've been given a gift… this is the new us… a better us. But I have no time to talk with the likes of you. I have a job to do, and I won't let our beloved master down!
Wayno turns to his right and grabs a spear-like weapon next to him, then points to Kaito and Evis and shouts towards them.
Wayno: Soldiers! Take care of our guests, will you?
Wayno thumps the bottom of his spear onto the ground and walks to the back of the hut before opening and closing its solid stone door. The soldiers who had their eyes fixed on Evis and Kaito now charge after them, screeching like wild beasts as they close in on their prey. Evis' face goes from an unemotional expression, to one of anger and rage as the raiders approach. The first raider to get close to her receives her knife stuck into his cheek. The next raider is then punched and flung onto the table where the maps Wayno was studying lay, spreading them onto the floor. Kaito gets close to Evis' side and speaks to her as two raiders charge after them.
Kaito: I'll take the one on the right; you take the left one.
Evis: Sounds good… Don't die on me human, I need you.
Kaito looks at her, then nods.
Kaito: I don't plan on it.
Evis then rushes to the raider on the left and engages him in hand-to-hand combat. This soldier is very skilled in his attack, but Evis' smaller body gives her the advantage and she is able to avoid the attack by kicking his leg out from under him. Her kick forces him down to the ground where she finishes the raider off with a fatal stab to the back of the neck. Her skills had improved since she had been training with Kaito. He had trained her in his style of martial arts, and she had become quite good in just a short time. Reluctantly, she had praised his knowledge and skill and thanked him for schooling her and Scarlett in these techniques. This was something that Kaito thought she would never do, as her animosity towards him still remained. Over the past week, Evis had taught Kaito how to use the bow properly during a fight, and in return, Kaito taught Evis the basics of hand-to-hand combat. Both had benefited from their training with each other. It had clearly paid off.
The elf girl continues to fight three more of the raiders with moderate effort. However, Kaito cannot say the same, as he is rushed by three raiders at once on the other side of the room. Each soldier has drawn their swords and is charging at him. Kaito finds a clear space to the right of the charging raiders and sprints to it, now at the group's side. While Kaito showed Evis his hand-to-hand combat skills, she had helped him with learning more about energy. This was something that Abi had also been helping him with. Kaito starts by amplifying his strength. A white aura surrounds his body with a faint glow and stretches out to show its presence within the room. Kaito then grabs the lower part of his bow and swings it into the group of raiders. The closest raider is knocked down onto the ground, while the two farthest from the impact are only dazed. Kaito drops his bow and runs toward the two raiders while pulling out his knife. He moves toward the closest raider and skillfully plants his knife under the raider's chin, hearing the creature scream out as the blade pierces its jaw. Kaito then turns around just in time as another creature starts to attack and manages to grab the raider's head before pulling it down to meet with his knee cap, knocking the creature out. Kaito pulls the knife out of the dead raider's jaw and uses the blade against the unconscious raider's throat, making a quick kill.
With the three raiders down, he turns his attention back to Evis and the two remaining raiders she has left after disposing of one of them. Seeing Kaito, the raider fighting Evis veers off and starts to attack Kaito, charging after him with his sword. He tries to slice at Kaito, but Kaito dodges the swing and grabs his arm, then pulls him close and stabs his knife into the raider's neck. Just then, the raider Kaito thought he had killed with his swinging bow comes at him from behind. Kaito responds by putting the body of the dead raider between him and the attacking raider, using it as a shield. As the attacking raider's sword plunges into his comrade, the war angel lets go of the limp body in his grip and steps back, dodging the thrust of the raider's blade. Kaito then moves close to the attacking raider and lands an elbow strike into the raider's head, causing the raider to loosen his grip on the sword still in his hand. Kaito grabs the sword from him and quickly slices upward into the chest of the dazed raider. Kaito expects the creature to fall to the ground, but this one has a strength he had not experienced from the others. The creature attacks even with the blade still in his chest. The raider takes a small blade from out of his leg holster and tries to attack Kaito. Kaito grabs at the wrist holding the knife and with his all of his strength and amplified energy, lands a strike onto the creature's extended elbow. Not only does this hyperextend the elbow, but with the added boost of the energy, it causes the creature's arm to fold back against itself. Kaito then grabs the knife out of the creature's hand and lands a kick to its stomach, forcing him to the ground. The war angel crouches down beside the raider, grabs its head, and with a boost of amplified strength, he twists the creature's skull until a crack is heard. The raider stops in his struggle and goes limp in Kaito's hands. Kaito breathes out heavily and turns around to where he last saw Evis. The elf girl is done dealing with her opponent, her gaze now firmly planted on Kaito.
Evis: You gonna teach me that one too?
Kaito: Eventually… but we've gotta move. I expect the creatures outside probably heard all the fighting we just did.
Both Evis and Kaito turn their attention towards the entrance of the main hut. The sound of banging and screeching can be heard on the outside of the locked door. Evis shifts her gaze from the front door to the large stone door at the back of the hut; the one that Wayno has gone through. Her voice is once again calm as her dark eyes study the thick and fortified stone door.
Evis: It seems like we're in the same situation as before.
Kaito picks up his bow from the ground and sheaths his dagger, then walks up to the rear door to study it. The door is made up of a rough and durable stone, probably the same material as the rocks that the camp is attached to, and is locked from the other side. Kaito's eyes then trail to the bottom of the stone door and notices that the dirty forest floor is still there.
Kaito: Hey, Evis?
Evis: Yes, human?
Kaito: Looks like they forgot about one place to reinforce…
Kaito kicks at the dirt at the bottom of the door.
Kaito: If we can find a way to blow it up or dig through, we could get under it.
Evis: That's all well and good, but we don't have explosives… or shovels…
Kaito thinks for a moment while looking around the hut, then notices a large stack of boxes in the corner with strange words on them. Upon closer inspection, the objects in the boxes resembles dynamite. The young warrior then turns his attention towards Evis and points to the large stack.
Kaito: Evis, what are these words on these crates.
Evis: It means explosives! I wonder what they had in mind for this?
Kaito says with a smirk: I don't think Wayno will mind if we help ourselves to a little bit of it.
The two warriors then quickly set up the explosives, twisting the fuses together and attaching a longer one to run along the hut's floor. Kaito lights the long fuse and runs to take cover behind the long wooden table that Evis has turned on its side for protection against the blast. The banging on the front door entrance has slowed down and Kaito looks back to see that the door is almost completely torn off its hinges. He then looks back at the stack of explosives they placed on the ground beneath the door, watching as the sparks on the fuse get closer and closer to the door. With a loud cracking sound, the dirt beneath the door is blown away and splatters all over the ceiling and the walls of the large hut. Once the smoke clears, Kaito can see that a small crater now exists under the stone door, with only minor damage being done to its surface. The hole might be small, but it looks big enough for them to fit through.
Looking back at the entrance, Evis jumps over the table, then gets herself down onto the ground and starts crawling under the door. The first half of her body fits under the small crack, but then she gets stuck. Evis realizes that her rear is having difficulty fitting under the door, keeping her from moving any further. Kaito watches this and starts to laugh. Seeing the elf girl struggle to fit through the hole seems so funny to him. Kaito is used to seeing her be able to do almost anything when it comes to agility. The fact that her own body would be the biggest obstacle so far causes him to crack up. Kaito tries to speak to her as he laughs to himself.
Kaito (between laughs): Uh, Evis? You might be stuck.
Evis responds to Kaito, and can be heard yelling from the other side of the door.
Evis: Yeah, I know, just help me!
Kaito: Uhhh… help you? How?
Evis: Push me through Klizalk!
Kaito: But that would mean—
Evis: Just do it or we're both dead!
Kaito shakes his head and gets close to the ground. He looks at Evis' rear and hesitates for a moment, trying to place his hands strategically, then pushes on her to get her through the door. Kaito watches as the rest of her body makes it, then turns around to see a raider bust through the front door. Kaito then frantically looks around for something to stall their chase and grabs a damaged oil lantern that is near the stone door. Kaito takes the lantern and smashes it onto the floor in front of him, keeping the creatures from following him under the door. The blaze catches several of the chairs and posts in the hut on fire. Kaito then quickly crawls under the door and meets Evis on the other side. He wipes the dirt off of his clothes, then looks at Evis and speaks.
Kaito: I stopped them from following us, but not for long.
Kaito notices that Evis' face is now red with blush. She wears a look of both anger and embarrassment as she looks away from him.
Evis: G-Good… let's get going. We have to catch up to Wayno…
Evis looks at the narrow path in front of them and starts to walk towards their objective.
Kaito: If it makes you feel better, it was pretty firm.
Evis then turns around and angrily pulls her fist into a readied punch.
Evis: Shut it or I'll hurt you!
Kaito: OK! OK! Sorry!
The two warriors continue forward along the path within the rocks. The walls around them are now craggy and made of grey and black rock. Condensation has built up on the walls and the air is noticeably humid and warm, unlike the outside air of the forest. Kaito continues to follow Evis through the crevice, which is quite cramped for how large it appeared to be from the outside. This makes Kaito start to wonder, what are they really walking towards? The two warriors continue to follow the pathway until they come upon a large stone door. The door itself is covered in multiple carvings. The main centerpiece of these carvings is a large tree with many branches. Each branch is etched with a glowing, blue line, that seems to flow throughout the surface of the door. The branches are laden with different groups of what looks like elves. Each group looked different from the others, from the buildings behind them, to the clothes that they wore. However, they all seemed to have a common theme in each gathering. Every group had a small tree in the middle of their congregation. The size of these trees is much smaller in comparison to the one in the center. Kaito studies these carvings with great interest, while Evis simply walks up to the door. She then places her hand on the door and follows one of its thin glowing lines, her hand sliding over the blue light with great care. The luminescent line of blue light slowly follows her hand, as if it has a mind of its own. Evis then stops her hand on one of the groups of elves. This group's town was smaller than most of the other groups and was perched near a cliff-side.
Evis: This is… Arbor… our town. The one you are staying at, human…
Kaito: And the other places?
Evis: All neighboring towns…
Kaito studies the carvings on the door, his eyes darting from one group of elves to another. A question then pops into his mind. He looks at Evis, before speaking.
Kaito: Hey, Evis?
Evis turns her gaze away from the door slowly and looks over towards Kaito as he calls her name.
Kaito: You knew who that raider was in the hut, the guy dressed in fancy armor? Is he from one of these towns?
Evis nods at his question and again draws her hand to the door. As she slides her hand across the thin carvings, she eventually ends up on a town and group of elves to the left of Arbor.
Evis: Yes, his name is Wayno. He is, or was, one of the leaders in his town, the town of Neeran.
Kaito: I'm gonna guess he didn't always look that hideous?
Evis: No, he too has been changed. By whom, I'm not sure… but I feel like we'll find answers on the other side of this door…
Kaito: What is this place?
Evis: A shrine… of sorts, and beyond it is part of God's gift to us…
Kaito: God's gift?
Evis: Yes, one of the many life trees… the trees themselves are something we respect and hold dear. We are taught that these trees are the reason our home exists in the way it does. They are the reason our land is so full of life and rich with resources. As I think about it more and more, it starts to make sense why the Scourge are here, and why Wayno has set up camp next to it…
Evis studies her hand as it glows from the energy on the door.
Kaito: Then if that guy is on the other side, we need to stop him. How do we get in?
Evis: You need a being made of positive energy… but it takes a lot of energy to open it.
Kaito: Well, I've got a pretty good amount of energy, let me open it.
Kaito holds out his hand, then reaches for the hole in the tree closest to Arbor. His hand is then grabbed and pushed away by Evis.
Evis: No! You can't open the door.
Kaito: Why not? I'm an angel, aren't I? That sounds pretty positive to me.
Evis: Yes, but you're still human…
Kaito: What's that supposed to mean?
Evis: It means you're like a mutt… just step aside, I'll open it. It's better to have me drained of energy than for you to die.
Kaito: Die? Okay, have at it!
Evis walks up to the hole in the stone carved tree near the picture that represents Arbor. She takes a deep breath in, then a deep breath out, before placing her hand in the center of the hole. The hole starts to glow blue in color, then a few traces of energy crawl up Evis' arm. Evis grunts as she feels her energy being sapped from her body. After a few moments, the blue light stops tugging at Evis' energy. The thin trails of blue light throughout the door filter down into the tree next to Arbor, then the mixture of energy flows to the tree in the center of the large carving. The stone plate in the center of the large door twists around clockwise, then the sound of a lock turning can be heard.
The large door slowly opens, revealing to Kaito and Evis the most beautiful display of nature that they had ever seen. The room before them was similar to an underground cave with small crevices in the ceiling, letting sunlight spill down on a large tree located in the center. The base of the tree is blue and green, while its leaves are a soft purple and pink color. Many branches sprawl out from the tree. Some of the branches exit through cracks in the surrounding rock walls. The gnarled roots from the bottom of the tree can be seen poking out of the ground like wooden bundles around the room. Small pools of luminescent blue water dot the dirt floor. Narrow pathways wind through the grass and root bundles, and around the small pools of water, up to the tree. Throughout the cave, on the ground and the walls, glow bright green, blue, and purple mushrooms. While Kaito and Evis stare in awe at the view before them, they can see two figures by the base of the life tree. One figure is covered in what seems to be trails of red energy and smoke, while the other figure is quite familiar to them.
Wayno was already at the life tree. The figure that is with Wayno then turns its view towards Kaito and Evis. As its gaze meets with theirs, its bright eyes put a sense of fear into the two warriors. The figure stares at them, then raises a hand into the air. Kaito and Evis brace for the worst. As the figure swipes its hand down it disappears from their view, and is now completely gone from the room, leaving only Wayno to stand by the tree. Wayno tilts his head to look down at the ground, then turns to face Kaito and Evis, his eyes darting back and forth between the two warriors.
Wayno: Took you two long enough… I was getting bored.
Evis: Wayno, what are you doing here?! You know this is Arbor's territory. The sacred trees are limited to one tree per town.
Wayno: Old rules hold no weight, dear ranger. It is time for a change, and when God was silent to our prayers for help, another stepped up to give us salvation. My people won't settle for less anymore…
Wayno takes the spear he holds in his right hand and taps the bottom against the ground next to him. The spear itself is long with a large curved blade at the end. In the center of the blade rests an odd-looking gem. The gem looks similar to what Abi has at the end of her staff, but instead of being at the end of the spear, it rests within the blade itself. Wayno then takes a combat stance against the two warriors. The spear rests down beside Wayno with its tip pointed to the ground. Kaito walks down the steps slowly onto the grass. As he does, Evis follows behind and cautiously watches Wayno from a distance.
Evis: Wayno, waging war on us isn't going to help your people. But in turn it will simply destroy all of us!
Wayno chuckles at her statement.
Wayno: It is time for Foritia to change. Just a few loose ends to take care of, and then we won't have to struggle anymore… we will finally get what we deserve.
Wayno raises his spear, and as he does the tip glows a bright red. Kaito glances at the spear, before turning his attention towards Evis. He then turns his gaze back towards Wayno, who makes a slicing motion diagonally towards the two warriors.
Kaito: Evis, get down!
Kaito tackles Evis and pushes her down, rolling them both into a nearby pool of water. They lay within the pool, their clothes now soaked with glowing blue water. A bolt of energy shoots from Wayno's spear, flying past them before cutting into the walls, leaving a scorch mark on the stone wall behind them. Kaito looks down at Evis, making sure she is uninjured.
Kaito: You alright?
Evis then pushes Kaito off of her and sits up.
Evis: Get off me, human! I'm fine…
Kaito lands on his butt across from Evis and turns his sight to look over the dirt pathway towards the base of the life tree. Wayno stands there like a stone statue, waiting patiently to unleash another attack upon the two warriors.
Kaito: Damn it, how are we gonna get to him?
Evis looks over at Wayno, then turns to Kaito.
Evis: We gotta distract him…
Kaito turns his attention back towards Evis and gives her a disgruntled look.
Kaito: By we, you mean me, don't you?
Evis: Yes… that way I can move around him and get a clean shot. Even if I don't take him down, you can make a move on him. There's no way he can fight two of us at once…
Kaito: Alright, sounds like a plan… I'll distract him, you make sure you get a clean shot.
Evis looks at Kaito and nods. She starts to move away from Kaito, but then she turns to look over her shoulder.
Evis: Be careful, human!
Kaito looks at Evis in confusion at her comment, but then smiles.
Kaito: You too… Good luck!
Evis nods and starts to move away from the pool to a nearby dirt mound, getting closer to her target with every step. Kaito moves towards Wayno as well, but makes himself much more vulnerable to Wayno's sight. The raider leader throws energy bolt after energy bolt towards Kaito. The young warrior frantically dodges as each energy bolt blazes his way. There are a few close calls, but Kaito continues on his quest towards Wayno. The rocks and dirt around Kaito break into chunks from each energy blast thrown at him. The two warriors are steadily closing in on Wayno's position. Kaito edges along, the war angel is now only a few feet from Wayno. As he closes in, Kaito hears the taunts of the raider loud and clear.
Wayno: You dance well… but you can't keep this up for long!
After Wayno is finished taunting him, Kaito jumps up onto the center mound to face him. The young warrior puts an arrow to his bow and pulls back on the string. Wayno watches this and responds by holding his spear up to slice down at Kaito. Kaito fires his arrow at Wayno, who manages to block it with the bottom part of the spear's handle. Kaito looks to see if he hits his target and stares at Wayno's chest for any signs of contact. There is the sound of metal snapping against another hard surface, then the sound of wood is heard dropping to the ground. Kaito slowly turns his attention towards the arrow which now lies at Wayno's feet. The raider looks at Kaito with a grin and starts to charge a blade of energy into his spear. Kaito is now caught in the open with nowhere else to hide. With very little time to think, Kaito evades the energy blade slicing towards him by using the same skill Scarlett had used against him during their hand-to-hand combat training. Scarlett had taught him the fade skill earlier that week, which probably just saved his life against Wayno's attack. With a puff of smoke and dust, Kaito returns to the spot he once stood at and looks up at Wayno. The raider looks at Kaito in confusion, then gets into a defensive stance.
Wayno: What the hell are you playing at, boy?
Once Wayno finishes speaking, he yells out in pain and grabs his left shoulder before turning around to look at where the attack had come from. In one of the life tree's branches sat Evis, who had just taken a shot at Wayno. Once he turns around to notice her, she quickly jumps off the branch and lands on the ground near the tree. As she jumps away from her shooting position, the raider slices an energy blade towards her direction. This gives Kaito an opening. The war angel rushes forward and unsheathes his blade before stabbing it into the raider's neck. However, the blade does not penetrate deep enough, and the creature turns to face Kaito. Wayno then yells out angrily and pulls the blade from his neck. Dark red blood starts to drip down Wayno's neck and onto the dirt. The raider takes the blade he had pulled from his neck and throws it at Kaito, who dodges it by moving to the left before it can hit him. Wayno then charges towards him with his spear, but Kaito dodges this attack as well. Once Kaito is inside Wayno's attack, he lands a few blows to the raider's throat, which causes him to recoil back and choke. As Kaito strikes at him, Evis rapidly fires arrows into Wayno's back while moving around the large raider.
Once Evis is done firing a barrage of arrows, she moves in with her knife and jumps onto Wayno's back. She looks down and finds an opening in his armor, the perfect spot to finish the kill. The elf ranger raises her knife into the air and thrusts it down, but before she can land the knife into Wayno's neck, the raider screams out, and a large amount of energy bursts from his body. This burst of energy throws Kaito away and onto the ground a good fifteen feet from Wayno. Evis, who was on Wayno's back, is thrown into the air by the burst of energy and burned by the heat of his aura. After the explosion of energy, he turns around and grabs Evis' foot. He then uses his amplified strength to swing the girl around him before tossing her body into a rock. The sound of impact is loud and sharp. Evis screams out in pain at the force of the impact, then drops to the ground. Her bow flies off her body, along with her knife, which flies away from Wayno and lands inside a root that sticks out of the ground. Wayno then turns his attention towards the downed ranger, who breathes sharply as she tries her best to stand. Evis falls back to the ground while holding her hand against the left side of her ribs, blood seeping from her armor.
Wayno looks at Evis like a predator about to kill its prey. He raises his spear in preparation to throw it at Evis. The spear is now horizontal in his hand, with the blade tip pointed right at the wounded archer. Wayno pulls back to throw the spear, but then a deafening crack rings throughout the room. Evis glances up to see Kaito climbing onto Wayno's body. The war angel lands an elbow shot against Wayno's head, which rocks the large raider back and forces him to lose his balance. Evis notices that something is different about Kaito. His face isn't that of a calm warrior or one of pumped-up excitement, it's one of pure anger and aggression. Kaito's energy is different as well. The aura around his body shows that he is using his amplified strength, but it isn't just white-colored energy anymore. Within the white aura, are also traces of black energy. Kaito lands an upward knee thrust to the elbow of the arm holding the spear pointed at Evis, breaking the bones in two. Screams of pain can be heard coming from Wayno as the spear drops to the ground. Kaito then lands a few blows to Wayno's neck, which causes the creature to gasp for air. Kaito pulls down on the raider's head and thrusts his knee into it, causing the creature to stumble backwards, now dazed and ill-suited to fight any longer.
Wayno lands onto the ground, holding his broken arm, gasping to catch his breath. His clothes are now shredded, his armor now damaged from the fight with Kaito. With the creature weakened, Kaito picks the spear up off the ground, and without hesitation, slices horizontally into Wayno's body. Blood oozes from the raider's stomach. Screams of pain and fright can be heard coming from the creature as Kaito approaches for another blow. Wayno tries to cover the wound with his injured arm and holds out his other hand to stop Kaito, yelling "WAIT!" at the young warrior in desperation. Kaito doesn't care about his cries for help. With the bladed side of the spear, he strikes, cutting the creature's arm off, then beats the blunt side of the spear into the creature's skull, killing the raider.
Kaito holds the spear in his right hand and breathes heavily, his gaze locked on the now-dead raider as the energy around his body dissipates. The young warrior then runs over to Evis and plants the spear in the ground beside them. Kaito bends down to pull Evis upright, and as he does, the elf girl moans in pain. Kaito then leans her against the rock that sits behind her body. He checks her for injuries and notices her grip on the left side of her torso. The young warrior then checks her back and sees a large amount of blood dripping from it.
Kaito: Hang in there, Evis. I'm gonna heal ya.
Though his skills were novice at best, Kaito attempts to heal Evis' injuries, but it is no use. Up until this point, Kaito had only been able to heal cuts and scrapes. His knowledge and ability grew each day as he practiced with Abi, but he was still new to the whole concept. Evis had now shut her eyes, and her body was starting to slow down in breath.
Kaito: Agghh!! No, no! Hang in there dammit!
Kaito pours even more energy into healing her, but it is still no use. The war angel looks frantically around the room for another option, but can't think of anything that might help his current situation. Kaito then hears the sound of a small splash behind him. He turns his attention towards the noise and sees what looks like a young elf boy hiding behind the life tree. This elf looks different from Evis and the rest of the people in Arbor. He is shorter than the kids in Arbor, and has a more yellow tint to his skin. The elf boy's hair is blonde and his build is thinner than most elves that Kaito has met. What really catches Kaito's attention, however, is his eyes, which glow a bright green compared to the average dark eyes of a wood elf. The elf boy is frightened by Kaito's gaze on him. He continues to hide his body behind the life tree as his eyes dart quickly from Kaito to the now-dead Wayno. Kaito then hears the boy speak up in a shy and soft voice.
Elf Boy: Is… is he dead?
Kaito looks down at the lifeless body next to them and nods.
Kaito: Yeah, he's dead…
The elf boy takes another look at the dead body, then slowly steps out from behind the large trunk of the life tree. His clothes are those of torn rags. Many bruises cover his body, with what looks like broken shackles sitting around his wrist.
Kaito looks at the elf boy's current state and assumes that he is probably another victim of the Scourge. Kaito then looks back towards Evis and speaks.
Kaito: Young man, can you help my friend here? She's badly injured…
The elf boy looks at the hurt Evis with concern, then quickly speaks. His voice is still soft, even when raised.
Elf Boy: Yes, quickly! Set her down in one of the pools near the life tree.
Kaito looks over towards the tree and finds a large pool of glowing blue water at its base. He then looks down at Evis and speaks.
Kaito: Hang in there, this is only gonna hurt for a second.
Kaito slowly lifts the elf girl off the ground. Her face winces in pain from being lifted, and a sharp gasp comes from her as she is held close to him. Her eyes may be shut, but Kaito can tell that she is at least conscious, though he doesn't know for how long.
Kaito walks over to the pool of water and slowly sets Evis down into it, then leans her body against the base of the tree. The water is warm to the touch and comes up to her mid-torso area. Evis' face shows signs of almost instant relief. Her breathing starts to become more consistent and less sharp, though her eyes remain shut. Kaito stands in the pool with his gaze fixed on Evis. The sounds of animals and running water fills the silence between the three people within the room. Kaito then turns to the boy, who speaks before Kaito can even say a word.
Elf Boy: Uh, mister… you might want to sit in the pool as well, you're not in the best shape…
Kaito looks down and observes the many small, bleeding cuts all over his body. His clothes were now torn and even the left side of his chest piece is gone. Kaito strips his sheath and chest piece off, and sets them down on the dirt mound next to the pool. He then sits down next to Evis, who remains quiet in her recovery. Only the sound of relaxed breathing can be heard from her. Once Kaito rests his back against the tree, he feels something bump against his shoulder. Kaito looks to his right, and notices that Evis was now resting her head against him for support. Kaito blushes and starts to move away from her, but then he stops. All of this was so weird to him. He had never seen Evis like this before. Seeing her this quiet and docile was really… strange to him, but the soothing feeling of the pool made him more open to the idea. Kaito props himself up against the tree to give Evis more support, then turns his attention to the elf boy.
The small elf boy now sits at the edge of the dirt wall around the pool with his attention fixed on Evis and Kaito as they sit still in the luminescent water. Kaito looks down at his ranger friend, then looks towards the kid sitting in front of him. He takes a moment to clear his throat, then speaks to the young elf boy.
Kaito: Hey, kid… what's your name?