What is it that drives Zeraya to wield her steel? To offer her fealty to a King? To wage war over humanity? At first, she doesn't understand it. Is it because of the demise of Clearwater Village?
Yes, it might, and in a sense, it is a part of it of why she is doing what she is doing now.
~clang ~clang ~clang
The spear and sword collide, and Zeraya immediately learns that she is at advantage.
Her steel clash with Kimal again and again, and every time she retreats, Kimal just advances. Kimal's spear is heavy, yet its wielder is not losing speed but instead is just gaining more. The momentum carries Kimal and pushes Zeraya away.
Zeraya slides the spear coming in her path with her short sword. With a flick of her wrist, she forcefully changes the trajectory of the spear. She takes the opportunity by her hand as she flings a dagger at Kimal. Following this, she rushes forward.
In great strides, Zeraya chases her flying dagger with her short sword.
Kimal swings his free arm deflecting the dagger in its flight. He sees the half-elf gaining on him, and is about to mark his neck with her sword. Kimal kicks her with a burst of strength while using the spear as a leg to support the overwhelming muscle strength he is packing.
The kick was explosive earning Zeraya's surprise, but as an experienced adventurer, she adapts to the situation by drawing a dagger from her waist. Using her short sword and dagger, she stabs the leg finding its mark on her abdomen.
Zeraya was flung away by the kick. She feels her stomach curling, and her abdomen hurting. The soles of Kimal's boots have layers of iron, so the kick was as good as a blunt attack coming from a deadly weapon.
However, because of her stabbing and the momentum the kick carries, Kimal's leg ends up being lacerated. Blood drips on his leg and soaks his trousers. Kimal also receives damage in that exchange. He is now limping, but he can still move.
While Zeraya is suffering from immobilizing pain, Kimal limps forward using his spear as support. He cautions himself of the windows by the garden. Arrows fly from the windows, but he coolly let them come at him.
A couple of arrows hit his shoulder and arm. Meanwhile, the others just bounce from his spear. Kimal makes sure to angle his spear to protect his vitals. He soldiers on the pain. He only needs a couple more steps until his spear is within range.
"If it would offer you a little bit of consolation, then… I apologize…"
Kimal freezes on his steps. He pushes himself one more step just to reach an area where the marksmen outside wouldn't be able to snipe him from the windows. He slowly turns around only to see another elf… A true pure elf… No, not just any elf.
His hair is like dirty ash, yet the moonlight that shines on him makes him just look more regal. The beautiful contours only unique to the elves decorate his face. His eyes are sharp, and his gaze is steady.
Kimal notices the bloodied sword, and the little bits of blood on his cheeks.
"Who are you?"
Kimal tenses up. His leg is in bad shape. His shoulder and arm hurt. He is truly cornered in every sense of a word. In the back of his mind, he has this small hope that maybe, just maybe, he can survive this.
And then…
The thoughts and suspicions that he shoves in a corner start creeping into his head, they slither like centipedes crawling into his skull. It is as if the 'wrongness' and 'incongruity' he was sensing before all of this happened is right before. The answer is in the elf in front of him.
And it didn't betray his thoughts.
The mysterious elf opens his mouth revealing his identity.
"I am Arthram Fae Zorun, The King of the Elves."
Thunder strikes down in his mind, and it all finally makes sense. Kimal cackles madly. The attackers aren't here for some selfish agenda relating to some conspiracy of the aristocratic factions. The attackers aren't even nobles, to begin with, but elves!
"But why?" Halting the madness that is gripping his heart, he asks the Elf King before him. Just why? Why?
Kimal doesn't understand. He didn't bother asking trivial questions like… When since the elves had a king? The most urgent question is… just why? "The raids on the granary, the burning of the farms, the acquisition of our food, and even that half-elf being loyal to you… It all makes sense… But again… Why? Just why?"
The Elf King just stares down at him as if he were some flea. "This is retaliation. You are collateral."
Kimal bites his lip as he feels the coldness in his skin. "So… You are here for slaughter…" The Elf King didn't answer him. Kimal keenly observes the Elf King trying to glean any emotion at all aside from apathy.
There is not even hate in his eyes. It is as if Kimal is not even worth his hate Kimal observes the Elf King's eyes twitch, and for a second, Kimal realizes the Elf King is looking behind him.
Zeraya's sword rushes to his heart, but Kimal was able to react just in time to use his spear's blunt side to strike at his rear, he twirls his spear, and with its sharp edge, he brings it down to Zeraya.
The cry of steel echoes once more in the narrow halls of the manor.
Zeraya's sword meets the blunt side of the spear. She bounces off from the impact. Kimal follows her with the sharp pointed edge of the spear. Fearless, she meets the spear with her foot. She flexibly flips in the air and kicks the pointed spear. When Zeraya makes physical contact with the spearhead, she drags her foot down causing the spear to drop with her foot.
She steps over the spear with all her weight. She feels its edge piercing her boot, but she feigns the superficial pain with bravado. She raises her short sword and gently places it at Kimal's neck. "You lost…"
Kimal lets go of his spear as the last of his strength leaves him. His hurting shoulder, arm, and leg saps away too much of his strength. Kimal drops flat to the floor. He is… tired. There is only so much a single hero can do.
"Can… you tell me… what happened? What… are your motivations? King of the Elves…"
Arthram, the so-called Elf King, walks around the lying Kimal. He presents himself to him and stands by where his feet lie. From this angle, Kimal feels as if he was talking to the Elf King while still standing.
Kimal uses his last breath to converse with the Elf King.
"I don't understand. The current King is friends with an imperial prince. The empire's new policies focus on co-existence with demi-humans… The Beyronald King also wishes to see the same, so the slavery of demi-humans is now also prohibited in the kingdom on top of the old slavery… I just don't understand…"
The Elf King has a slight change in his expression. It was a look relief.
"I don't know from where to begin. Just know that not all of Beyronald will agree with your King. Just know that we elves are angry. Just know that you are innocent in all of this… I won't ask for your forgiveness, since you deserve to hate us for what we have done."
The Elf King draws something from his pockets. It is a bronze insignia of a bear, an insignia only unique to the Urdens. Kimal's eyes widen at the sight of this.
"You are collateral, a necessary sacrifice for our cause. After we kill Count Urden and Baron Zaun, we elves will vanish from this Kingdom. You are our scapegoat, the elves' only chance of survival after accomplishing our revenge. At the same time, you will be the motivation that the Beyronald King will have to change this Kingdom for the better."
The Elf King kneels beside him, placing Count Urden's insignia beside him drenching it with his own blood.
"Just know that you will die a hero."