[WAR] Exsul

[Noblejanobii]

[WAR] Exsul

“There she is! Thief! Halt by the order of the Royal Guard!” Shouts rose up from behind as brown well-worn boots thumped against the woodland ground. Water splashed as the boots tore through a puddle, quiet breathing accompanying the beat of the bots. Hoof beats echoed in the distance. A quick glance over the shoulder was followed by a dash to a nearby tree. Quick as a squirrel, the individual climbed the tree to the canopy. Then, she was still. It was not long before the guards on foot and elk continued through the forest towards the bogs. The woman sighed with relief, leaning against the trunk of the tree. She would have to wait for the Royal Guard to return before she could climb down, but it was unlikely they would find her here.

“I can feel my Elvian mother scolding me now. ‘What did I tell you? Elves are symbols of honor not deceit!’” the young woman mumbled as she reached for her pack. It was a small bag, very old as well. However, it was a sturdy one as well, tied shut by a simple knot, and keeping everything inside safe no matter what it faced. The woman undid the knot carefully and gazed into her pack. Inside, half a loaf of bread, a small block of cheese, a small Dwarvian dagger, and a pack of a few gold coins sat perfectly safe. Using the dagger to cut up the bread and cheese, the woman made herself a small sandwich. Her stomach rumbled loudly as she ate the small amount of food greedily. It did barely anything to satisfy her, but the woman knew she needed to save her food. She had no idea how long it would be until she could steal more or venture into an area where the wildlife was not toxic.

The sun had barely moved in the sky when the Royal Guard came back past the tree the young woman was in. She waited until she had counted to three hundred before making her descent. The grass cushioned her and she jumped down rom the lowest branch. A quick scan of her surroundings told her that no one was around, excluding the various animals that lived in the area. The girl took a deep breath of air before looking around at the nearby trees. It took a bit of searching, but finally the girl found a small spring with Willow trees drooping into it. Anyone who was smart would know that the Willows were wise creatures, willing to help any that needed them. The girl walked to the weeping Willows and got down on one knee. She bowed her head and said,

“Oh great Willows, answer my please. Tell me what direction north might be.” Silence filled the forest before wind came rushing forth. It circled the young woman before passing on to the trees. After a moment the wind returned to her and a whisper danced against her ears.

“Who art thou?” it breathed.

“Zaleria Nsomi,” she replied. The wind tickled Zaleria’s ears, as it seemed to inspect her. She awaited an answer that she could barely hear.

“Gaze into the spring. Let me see you,” the whisper reverberated into her ears. Zaleria crept forward slowly, trusting the word of the Willow, but wary of its judgment. She peered into the tranquil waters, her reflection staring back at her with a curious expression.

Zaleria observed her reflection in the calm mirror before her. Glowing emerald green eyes followed her every movement as Zaleria saw herself for the first time in months. Her long brown locks draped over her shoulders to her midsection, the rest of it tied into a high ponytail with a brown ribbon. Her complexion was almost white. Despite the amount of time she had spent on the run, her skin color never changed, a sign of her Elvish heritage. She had a small build, meant for speed not power. Her ears were pointed, but they were duller than the average elf’s, a symbol of a half-breed. Her height was yet another symbol. Zaleria was a foot shorter than the shortest elves, leaving her to be looked down upon by her fellows, literally and figuratively.

Her clothes were light, once again meant for speed not power. Her shirt had long sleeves that made it easy to hide her twin blades that were strapped to her arms. Its mossy green coloring allowed her to blend into the forest. Her pants were brown like the trunk of a tree, this way if she were in the trees; people would be unable to spot her through her camouflage. Her boots were brown as well, but not as dark as her pants, marred from years of use. The laces were frayed, the covering torn in several places, but they still provided excellent support when running.

The wind picked up again and Zaleria gazed around, the gentle breeze caressing her face. It smoothed its way across her body, shaping out her thin legs, her flat abdomen, and half-breed face. It tickled her ears as it slipped past before looping around her neck then settled above her breastplate. The whisper came quickly.

"You carry something with you."

"I do," Zaleria answered quietly, her package weighing heavy against her chest. The wind circled her upper body, as it were trying to find a way past her clothes to see what exactly she was hiding. Zaleria watched it with an amused look, as if the wind were a fledgling griffin, trying to learn how to fly. It was explore every nook and cranny of where it was currently residing before it would even think of leaving its nest. Only after finding out everything about the nest where it lived would a fledging griffin learn to fly. This is why griffin nests are usually not very ornate.

"What is it you hide?" The wind's murmur stirred Zaleria from her thoughts. She looked at the large Willow tree beside her. These were beautiful trees, and they were wiser than they were beautiful. Zaleria knew that the Willow quite possibly was already aware of exactly what Zaleria bore, but that did not change the fact that this was a test. She had to be careful how she answered this. A single wrong word could ruin her only chance at getting direction. Zaleria tapped her chest gently and smiled a little.

"I bear with me the Elvian Crown Jewels." Zaleria was answered with silence. No wind, no gust, not even a breeze to reply to her prayer. Zaleria waited, her patience possibly being put to the test now. These Willows, they liked to give people tests. They were crafty like that. "I plan to take them with me and use them to prove myself." The wind picked up as soon as she finished that sentence. There were no words this time; instead, Zaleria watched as the wind skated over the water, the ripples continually pointing in one direction. She could only assume that this meant that direction was north. Zaleria bowed her head in respect and left a piece of her bread as thanks. As she tied back her bag, the bushes behind her rustled.

"Trespasser!" a young voice shouted. Zaleria was not scared of this voice, more intrigued as to who would accuse her of trespassing. She looked over her shoulder and saw a Tarcanis. A Tarcanis, a breed of Yokai native to the lands around the Elvian country of Figuestre. These creatures were easily identifiable by their orange skin, long tails, and ornate stripe like markings, which also signified their rank in their packs. Packs usually consisted of groups of five to fifteen members. The one before Zaleria was definitely from one of the native packs given the almost brownish tone of its orange skin. She could recall hearing that the degree of darkness in the orange changed depending on what land the Tarcanis was native to. Her eyes narrowed as she followed the markings that adorned the Tarcanis's body. They were like baby vines wrapping around its body, barely visible anywhere despite them shining a brilliant midnight blue. Zaleria's brain scrambled to figure out which rank blue was associated with when the Tarcanis called out to her again.

"What you doing here, trespasser? Come to contaminate water? Hunt game? Kill mates? Well I not let you!" Zaleria swung her left arm in a sharp downward arc, the dagger strapped to her left arm sliding up to her hand. It was an Elvian dagger, crafted specifically for Zaleria, named Semisos. She held out the short curved blade as he defense against the Tarcanis. It was definitely male given how aggressive it appeared toward Zaleria. Though, it was obviously somewhat intelligent, since it spoke decent Elvish. An impressive feat for a creature such as itself. It got into an attack stance; hands on the ground, head close it, haunches and tail high in the air. His fangs flashed dangerously as his black eyes dilated in anger.

"I have come here an outcast from my people, only seeking the wisdom of the Willows. I mean no harm to your people," Zaleria replied as the Tarcanis moved ever closer. She had never seen one this close. His anatomy was not unlike her own, with his body shape being almost identical hers. Other than the tail and ears coming from his head, the Tarcanis looked like an elf almost. Funny the things people notice when they are in near death situations. She noticed the shimmering claws peeking through the grass as the Tarcanis drew closer.

“If you really seeking advice of the Willow, then you be able to tell me what you asked it?” Zaleria bit her lip; this loincloth-wearing animal had her cornered. The Willow’s advice was sacred, and if one shared the information the Willow had given them without the trust of the Willow’s to use it wisely, punishment was often delivered, presumably from the magic of the Willows. Zaleria closed her eyes and reached out the willow with her mind, begging the Willow to help her in her time of need. Any breeze that had been blowing until that point just stopped. Zaleria and the Tarcanis both froze. The forest was now eerily quiet. Zaleria heard the Tarcanis whimper and looked back at him. His tail was between his legs and he was moving away from Zaleria. Zaleria heard a swishing sound behind her. She turned around and felt her eyes nearly escape her head. Correction, he was moving away from the spring. She began to retreat from the spring as well, the winds wrapping around the water like a funnel.

It swirled quickly, lifting out of the pond and taking the shape of a woman. It greatly resembled an aquatic nymph in shape, but the wisdom that radiated out off the water was more than any nymph could ever manage. The water smiled at Zaleria and the Tarcanis. It gave a short wave then spoke in a quiet tone,

"Kdïf bftù zatg. Zatg tegâj wę conf. Zatg jcaj febram. Tehax mujahideen?" Zaleria frowned in confusion. That was certainly not Elvish. That was anything but Elvish. Zaleria had never heard this language before. Beyond fluent Elvish and conversational Dwarvish, Zaleria was quite lacking in the language department. She had never really planned to be a thief, but after a bit, a girl could only take so much.

"Nji mâzuhiko. Cidwqay mzi wxom." The Tarcanis bowed to the watery figure, his head nearly touching the ground. The figure smiled at the Tarcanis and then looked over at Zaleria. She switched back to Elvish, much to Zaleria's relief.

"I explained to the Tarcanis your situation. He has agreed to escort you to at least the edge of the forest, beyond that if you wish," the figure said to her in a familiar voice. This was the persona of the Willow! It was answering her plea once again. Zaleria bowed her head quickly.

"I cannot thank you enough oh wise Willow." She waited until she felt the winds settle into their usual patterns before even daring to glance up. Zaleria knew it was very unwise to disrespect the Willows. They had their ways of exacting their revenge.

"I your guide now." Zaleria looked up from the spring and spotted the Tarcanis not too far away. Unlike before, the Tarcanis was no longer on all fours. He was standing like an elf would, a tall and regal appearance. Zaleria stood up and withdrew her dagger, as it had still been clutched tightly in her grip until this moment.

"It would appear so," Zaleria answered. She extended her right hand to the Tarcanis, who was actually shorter than she, now that Zaleria stood head to head with him. "I am Zaleria Nsomi. Might I ask with whom am I traveling?" The Tarcanis gazed at Zaleria's hand in confusion, his brow furrowing a little before the realization dawned in his eyes. Slowly, the Tarcanis lifted his right hand from his side. He gazed at it, making sure his claws were withdrawn before putting it against Zaleria's hand. She grasped his hand gently and shook the Tarcanis's hand. He watched in amazement, fascinated with this concept, like a child.

"I… I…" the Tarcanis fumbled a little with his words. He was trying to figure out how to say his name in Elvish, if Zaleria had to guess. After a moment, the Tarcanis looked back up at Zaleria and said his name, carefully trying to pronounce it so that Zaleria would understand. "I Shabara Takinre. I um… scout in pack. We large pack and I outcast… like you. I escort you. They not miss me." Zaleria gazed back at the ornate marking on the Tarcanis as he spoke. Shabara has these thin markings all over him, the most unique being the ones on his face, which came up along his cheekbones, circled his eyes, and then traveled down his nose before swirling onto his cheeks. They all shimmered in a brilliant blue, which Zaleria remembered did signify the rank of scout. "You agree to this?" Shabara asked in a shy tone. That's when it dawned on Zaleria. Shabara was scared of her. He had not attacked out of protection of his pack, a hunter or a warrior might have, but as a scout that meant he had attacked out of fear. Zaleria offered her best smile, trying to relax Shabara.

"Yes, I am all right with these arrangements Shabara. I also apologize for being ignorant to your language. If I spoke it then I would surely converse with you in your language. However, it only sounds like gibberish to me. I am sorry for the inconvenience to you." Shabara shook his head and smiled back, his fangs hanging out over his lower lip.

"No… en… con… veeee… neee… ence!" he managed, "I speak Elvish okay. You not worry." Shabara began to look over Zaleria, his eyes drinking in her appearance as if he had never seen an elf before. It was possible he was wondering why she looked so different from other elves, which she could understand. She was different from them, there was no denying that.

"If you don't mind me asking," Zaleria started, catching Shabara's attention, "exactly how old are you?" Shabara pondered the question, staring up at the sky as he tried to figure out what Zaleria meant by that question. After he finished translating the question in his head, he nodded slightly then answered,

"I … about six hundred years old." Generally these guys lived from 2000 to 2600 so that was still very young. Zaleria raised her eyebrows. Shabara was practically a child.

"Are you sure this is all right?" Zaleria asked quietly, not wanting to anger Shabara. He seemed eager to go on this adventure, but to take someone so young from his pack seemed… heartless. Shabara only puffed out his chest and hit it hard with his fist.

"I sure. Pack not miss me. We go now. You say north?" Zaleria had to surrender now. Shabara was coming with her, whether she wanted it or not, but Zaleria could not say she would not enjoy the company.

"That is correct. The Willow said north was in that direction." Zaleria pointed across the pond towards a thick part of the forest that appeared darker than the rest of the forest. Shabara squinted a little then swished his tail in thought.

"Willow is right. That north. Not safe though. Monsters everywhere. We go another way." Shabara began to look around the area, trying to see if there was another route he felt was safe. Zaleria drew her eyebrows together and placed her hand on Shabara's shoulder.

"No, Shabara. I want to go that way. I do not care if there are monsters. I can protect us both from the monsters. All right?" The Tarcanis shivered at Zaleria's words. He reluctantly looked towards the darker forest, his black eyes watching it with the wariness only seen in animals. Shabara looked at Zaleria, who seemed firm in her decision, before turning back to the darker woods. His small round ears flattened against his skull, and Shabara swallowed roughly before looking at Zaleria.

"Yes ma'am…" He mumbled with his head turned downward. Shabara's tail swung between his legs, starting to wrap around his left leg as Zaleria walked with Shabara to this darker woods. Zaleria felt it was odd that this part of the forest seemed to have an entrance almost, as if it were declaring that it was more dangerous than the rest of the forest. Shabara was convinced that this place would result in their deaths, so what could he sense that Zaleria was failing to feel?

It was upon them before they could realize it. Zaleria stopped walking and spun around, taking in her surroundings. She was sure that a moment the whole forest except for the area in front of them had been a green. All it had taken was one step to completely change the coloring of the area. It was as if the place were enchanted. Everything was now a combination of darker blues and greens. The noises were louder, the sounds more vicious, and everything seemed to want to attack you. Shabara moved closer to Zaleria as the half-breed jerked her arms down. The twin blades took their places in her hands. The Elvian blade shimmered, its twin, a Dwarvian blade named Seniminum, reflecting the light the Elvian blade produced. Zaleria stayed close to Shabara, relying on the terrified boy to guide her through this place. Danger hung in the air like a heavy musk, Zaleria's hair standing on end as she continued to observe her surroundings.

Tension crawled across Zaleria’s skin and she found that it was gradually becoming harder to breath. This atmosphere of this place was suffocating her. She felt Shabara trembling behind her. He was terrified of this place, his body shaking like a leaf in the wind. What was it that made this forest so menacing? Zaleria glanced down when a light caught her eye. Semisos had begun to glow brighter than usual, taking on a distinct green color. Zaleria frowned at it when she felt Shabara tense up. A low growl emanated from his throat. Zaleria looked back up and scanned the area cautiously, still failing to catch whatever it was that Shabara was sensing. The Tarcanis was down on all fours, his tail swishing back and forth in the air.

“Zaleria,” Zaleria looked over at Shabara when he said her name. “Straight ahead. Monster. I feel it.” Zaleria followed where Shabara’s eyes were pointed with her own gaze. She narrowed her eyes and started to make out something in the darkness when a roar louder than any sound Zaleria had ever heard boomed forth. It shook the ground and sent both Zaleria and Shabara to the ground. Birds shot up from the perches in the trees, taking off in a hurry. Zaleria, shakily, stood up and took a fighting stance, but her balance was rickety as the ground vibrated violently with each step this creature took. Shabara pushed himself back into his fighting stance, but he also had a hard time staying up, and fell once again. That was when the creature decided to show itself.

Zaleria recoiled a little, the scent that hit her nearly making her lose her lunch on the spot. It reeked of rotting corpses, the scent the most pungent aroma in the area. Zaleria’s eyes watered as she tried to force herself to focus. It hurt to look at the creature, however, as it was completely hideous. The creature had the head of a Griffin, the body of a Pegasus, and the tail of a Chimera. On top of that, the saliva that dripped from its lips seemed to be acidic, as it melted the ground with an audible hiss when the drops touched the earth. Worst of all, though, the thing was made entirely of the bodies of its victims. Elves, animals, and Yokai alike covered this creature’s body. It roared again and Zaleria had to pull Shabara out of the way as a large drop of acidic spit hit the ground where they had just stood. Zaleria looked over at Shabara, his back fur having just gotten a slight trim from her dagger.

He was curled into a fetal position, hands over his nose and ears flattened against his scalp. His tail no longer swished in the air, it was wrapped around his left leg again, much tighter than it had been before. It dawned on Zaleria that every sense she was feeling from this creature was probably ten times worse for Shabara. The Tarcanis would probably be useless until he adjusted to his new surroundings, which would take much longer than Zaleria’s adjustment, as she was not only less in tune with her senses than Shabara, but was also trained to adapt quickly. Zaleria, keeping her eyes on the corpse creature, tossed her Dwarvian dagger to her left hand with her Elvian dagger and began to drag Shabara to a nearby tree. She put him against it gently before putting Seniminum back in her right hand. Zaleria grit her teeth. She was against impossible odds. This thing was thicker than a tree and about as big as one too. It could easily squish her without a second thought. Zaleria also had no information on this creature, no idea how intelligent it was, where its vital organs were located, or how to fight it. It was like, to the Elves, this creature did not exist. Maybe that was on purpose.

Zaleria lifted onto the balls of her feet, and dashed forward, hoping her speed was enough to outmatch the creature. Sprinting hard, Zaleria went in between the creature's legs, examining it from below. That was a bad idea, Zaleria quickly realized. As Zaleria gazed up to see the underbelly of the beast, she saw that the corpses that made up the bottom were coming loose, forcing themselves from the belly of the beast. Zaleria, distracting by the grotesque sight, suddenly felt like burning hot metal was slicing into her shoulder. She barely caught a glimpse of the snake head biting into her shoulder before it lifted her up, fangs sinking deeper to get a better grip, then threw her. Zaleria barely missed colliding with a tree, but the damage was already crippling to her. Zaleria was dazed badly from her hit the ground, and the poison that she figured was causing the burning sensation in her shoulder. Her vision began to darken at its edges, her consciousness slipping out of Zaleria's grasp.

Shabara watched the whole scene in horror. He couldn't even protect a girl he didn't even know. If he could not protect her, how could he ever begin to protect his pack? Shabara unfurled from his ball and got down on all fours. Now Zaleria was hurt or worse and he was just being a complete coward. Shabara growled a little then charged while Zaleria had distracted the creature. He pounced, aiming from the creature's chest. Instead he sailed through the air and toppled to the ground. Shabara rolled and coughed up a little dirt when he stopped moving. Shabara pulled his head up from the ground slowly and saw Zaleria, a huge hole in her shoulder that was bright red, eyes clouded like a stormy sky, but pupils focused on something behind Shabara. Shabara looked over his shoulder and could barely believe what he was seeing. The corpse beast was… rippling. Shabara had thought he had merely missed the creature. Given how big it was, that would be plausible, but he had not missed. Shabara had gone through the creature! It was an illusion! Or at least, partially one. Either that, or the corpse creature had immense psychic abilities. If that were the case, they were screwed. Somehow, this creature was intangible, but tangible. Shabara flinched a little when he spotted something through the rippling body of the corpse beast. As the creature returned to normal, Shabara caught sight of a rune carved into one of the trees nearby.

"Magic…" Shabara breathed. This creature was not real; it was made with magic. "Zaleria! It a hex! Someone carve runes into trees! Make creature!" Zaleria squinted at Shabara and frowned, her brain processing much slower than before.

"Are you… proposing… we take out… the runes?" Zaleria asked in a quiet voice, taking deep breaths as she spoke. She gazed back up at the corpse creature. It still seemed dazed from the ripple effect Shabara had caused. Now would be their chance. "All right. Let's do this." Zaleria used the trees to boost herself up. "I won't be able to reach most of the ruins. I'll keep the creature distracted and spot the runes for you. You take them out."

"Yes ma'am!" Shabara called. He has already spotted one anyway. Shabara leapt up onto a nearby tree and used his claws to scale it like a squirrel. Shabara reached the rune carving in a matter of seconds and sliced it up the best he could. Zaleria dashed to the back leg of the creature and cut it, her knife barely scratching the hide. The corpse beast, however, seemed to notice the nuisance she was making, because it glanced back at her. Zaleria spotted a rune in the tree near its head.

"Shabara! By its head!" Zaleria shouted as she slipped out of the way of some of the acid spit. The pain she was feeling felt like someone was pressing one of her daggers into it, but Shabara was relying on her, so she could worry about bleeding out later.

Shabara leapt from the tree he was in to the branch of the next one. He made three more jumps, keeping an eye on Zaleria before he reached a branch above the rune. Wrapping his tail around the branch and digging his back claws into the tree, Shabara lowered himself down to the rune and drug his claws through it. Shabara pulled himself back up, only to nearly fall out of the tree when the creature fell against it. Shabara heard the tree cry out in pain as the corpse creature leaned against it. He scrambled to unhook his claws and unwind his tail. Balancing on the branch, he ran and leapt to the next tree. Shabara missed the branch on this tree and grabbed hold of the trunk, sliding down a little before stopping. It was actually quite a convenient move, because he shredded straight through a rune.

"All right! All right! Stop!" The corpse creature vanished, as if it had never existed. "You're ruining my perfectly carved runes! And get down from that tree!" Shabara felt the skin on his upper back be grabbed roughly. He was yanked from his spot on the tree and dropped roughly on the ground. Shabara groaned as he sat up, his head spinning from the unexpected flight. As his vision settled, Shabara noticed Zaleria staring at her shoulder in disbelief.

Zaleria could not believe her eyes. The wound was… gone. Any evidence of the corpse creature's existence had vanished. Even the tree it had almost knocked over was now back in place! That was some heavy-duty magic, for sure. Only Angels could cast this high a level of magic. She jumped as Shabara touched her leg with his hand, claws digging into her skin a little.

"Look." Shabara pointed with his other hand to a tree behind Zaleria. Zaleria turned around where she stood and looked up. Well, she had been correct. It was Angel magic, just not the Angel magic she had been expecting. Sitting in one of the middle branches of the tree, was a tall, male individual. He was dressed in dark black robes, black sandals strapped to his feet. His skin was pale, almost transparent. His eyes were gray like a stormy sky, and his hair was black as ink. Most impress of all, however, was the man's cloak of feathers. Curled around him, as if protecting him from the harms of the outside world, were a massive pair of black and gray wings. They were easily bigger than he was, and probably as long as the branch he sat on if he extended them to their full length. Their beauty could easily captivate any beholder, but they were also a warning to the foolish. This man, who gave off the appearance of an Angel, was not a true Angel. No, he bore the label of Fallen.

"A fallen angel." Zaleria growled, every piece of her holy Elf being was set aflame by just being in his presence. The man merely smirked at her, his eyes scanning her quickly before moving to Shabara.

"A Tarcanis and a half-breed? My my, quite the pairing. Might I inquire to what location are you going in such a rush that you must disturb my work. I do not like it when people disturb my work." The man's eyes narrowed and leaned forward ever so slightly. His wings expanded a little, causing a few gray feathers to flutter down. They spun in the air like dancers and landed on the ground before the two visitors. "Unless you've come to disturb my work on purpose. Is this true?"

"No no!" Shabara said, raising his hands up in defense. "We merely passing through. I acting as escort. We just get to north side of forest as quickly as possible."

"I'm trying to reach Gyruedo City. Hopefully there I will be more accepted than in my own home," Zaleria added honestly. The Fallen Angel looked between the two travelers before shrugging a little.

"You speak honestly. I see no issues in helping you." The man leaned back a little and snapped his fingers. The area around them warped and was quickly replaced with the edge of the forest. Zaleria and Shabara gazed around in disbelief. Had they just really teleported? Or was this another illusion? It was at that moment that Zaleria's stomach caught up with her and decided to make her lose her lunch. Zaleria lurched over and coughed up what little was left in her stomach. Shabara, surprised by Zaleria's sudden vomiting, scrambled to hold back her hair as she spat up. The Fallen Angel merely watched, an amused look on his face. "I apologize. That is a common side effect of teleportation." The Fallen Angel plucked one of the feathers from his wings and threw it down to Shabara and Zaleria. It fluttered and landed on Zaleria's back. "Burn that if you wish to summon me. Continue down this path and you should reach your destination, as time will allow. Good luck, for things worse than I linger ahead." With that, he vanished.

Zaleria gasped and collapsed to the side, her body having a hard time moving around after just forcing the contents of her stomach onto the ground in front of her. Shabara caught the feather and gazed it, still enamored by its beauty.

"What you think he want?" Shabara asked Zaleria. Zaleria merely gave Shabara a quick shrug.

"Peace and quiet maybe," Zaleria gasped, trying to regain her breath. "Who knows? Maybe he found us interesting. Either way, we didn't die, and we made it out of the forest. You can go home if you want now." Shabara looked back at the forest and shook his head.

"No. I stay with you." Zaleria looked over the Tarcanis. He was a brave young one. Shabara offered his hand to Zaleria and helped her stand up. Using him for balance, Zaleria began to walk down the road. Shabara wrapped an arm around Zaleria's shoulder to help her stay upright. The sun was beginning its descent from the sky by now. It had taken them longer than Zaleria had wished to get out of the forest. The teleportation from the Fallen Angel had made up for some time, but not much.

“I wonder what his name was,” Zaleria mumbled absent-mindedly. All they had to remember the strange man was her sickness and his feather. Why would they ever need to summon them? Why did he even help them? His mood swings had been quite odd. He was a mysterious fellow.

“Livy,” Shabara replied without looking at Zaleria. Zaleria stopped walking and stared at the Tarcanis in shock. Shabara cocked his head to the side, confused as to why Zaleria was staring at him. He scratched behind his ear a little as Zaleria just stared at him with her mouth agape.

“How do you know his name?” Zaleria finally asked after a minute or two of silence. Shabara’s confusion only greatened at the question. He stopped scratching his ear and frowned.

“You mean you not hear him say name?”

“No!”

“Oh…”

“When did he say it?”

“When teleported. You dizzy, maybe that why you not hear it. But I hear it. He say name Livy.” Zaleria shook her head. This was unbelievable. How could she have been so careless as to not hear him say his name? Names held power after all. Plus, with his name, they could figure out more about him. Even knowing all of this, Zaleria had still barely missed catching his name, her only saving grace being that Shabara happened to hear it.

“I cannot believe this.”

“Believe what?”

“That you, of all people heard his name over me.” Zaleria immediately regretted letting that slip. A fog came over Shabara’s eyes. He trembled a little then replied,

“What you mean by that?” Zaleria began to panic, franticly trying to figure out how to calm Shabara down. She began to rub his back a little and pat his head.

“Shh, shh, shh… I’m sorry. Shabara, I didn’t mean it. Just calm down. Please. I’m sorry.” Zaleria felt warm tears hit her shoulder. She bit her lip. This was exactly why she did not want children. She was too aggressive.

“You…” Shabara hiccupped a little. “You say mean thing. You mean mean thing?”

“No Shabara,” Zaleria whispered, “I didn’t mean it. You did great catching Livy’s name.”

“I-I did?” Shabara hiccupped again. Zaleria nodded a little.

“Of course you did. You're a great helper." Shabara's ears perked up a little and Zaleria heard his tail swish in excitement. He pulled back a little and gave Zaleria a big smile.

"Yeah! I helpful! Yeah!" Shabara pulled away from Zaleria and readjusted to help her stay balanced. "Where we go next?" he asked. Zaleria frowned a little in thought. She had reviewed this before stealing the jewels, but she could not recall much of what she had learned at the moment. Possibly another side effect of the teleportation, or maybe it was something to do with her getting sick. These were all possibilities.

"I cannot really remember, if I'm honest. However, do you see that hill way out there?" Shabara gave a short nod. "If I remember correctly, there should be a town on the other side of that hill. We should reach there by nightfall and we can stay there the night. Does that sound okay?"

"They not hurt me, yes?"

"I would not think so. Why?" Zaleria looked at Shabara. As far as she knew, Tarcanis were well liked by most species. They were a very friendly species as long as you did not trespass with intent to harm their pack. There were multiple accounts in various parts of history where the Tarcanis helped lost travelers through Tarcanis territory to the nearest town solely out of the goodness of their heart. Zaleria saw no reason why anyone should help these benevolent Yokai. They were certainly the least annoying of the Yokai species out there. What was Shabara so concerned about?

"I afraid people hurt me," Shabara admitted quietly. Zaleria noticed his eyes became distant. Shabara was in another world now, living a different life as he recalled the damage that made him so reluctant to enter this town. Zaleria knew better than to push. She had seen that look before, and she knew it well. She had worn that look before.

"They won't hurt you," Zaleria promised, "I won't let them." Shabara lifted his head a little at Zaleria's words. His eyes filled to the brim with trust, something Zaleria had not seen directed towards her in a long time. It felt nice to know someone trusted her again, especially someone like Shabara. They always made great company in her opinion.

The sun continued its trek in time with the duo. Zaleria was grateful that it was not beating down its wrath upon them, as that would have made the trek even longer than it was. However, as Zaleria and Shabara reached the top of the hill, both were willing to offer enough complaints to fill four large scrolls. Zaleria gazed upon the town that was at the foot of the hill and she recalled that it was a Kitarian village. These people could be irritating if one was not careful to learn every idiosyncrasy of their culture. Zaleria led Shabara to the village, having regained the strength to walk on her own by now. As they approached, she was careful to warn Shabara about the relics carved into the ground. Nice demon or not, if Shabara touched one of those things, he would be fried alive. As they neared the edge of the town, Zaleria held out her hand to Shabara.

"Take my hand." Shabara drew his eyebrows together, confused by Zaleria's gesture. Zaleria nodded to the ground several feet ahead of them. "Anti-demon field. You touch it by yourself and it'll vaporize you. However, if you're touching a non-demon, such as myself, then you'll be fine." Shabara's eyes widened in understanding. He took her hand and walked with Zaleria into the village. As Shabara stepped over the boundary, he felt a slight twinge in pain, like someone was pinching his chest, but he thought nothing of it. Most likely it was the anti-demon field. He gazed around at the village before him.

The village appeared ancient. The buildings were all made of wood, dogwood to be exact. Shabara would recognize that horrid scent anywhere. Demons hate the scent of dogwood so it generally repels them. Each house looked almost exactly the same, except for the relics carved into the sides of each building. Each building had a unique carving on the side, protection against a different breed of demon, Shabara supposed. At the center of the town, however, there was a large wooden building with a large white tower pointing towards the sky. The sight of it sent shivers down Shabara's spine. It was the house of exorcists, and the place demons were warned never to set foot in. It was holy ground, sacred to the gods and goddesses.

Zaleria was not paying that much attention to her surroundings, more to the people. The citizens certainly matched up to what she had learned about Kitarians. Just upon entering, Zaleria had already spotted the citizens wearing five different colors: green, yellow, purple, red, and blue. These were the symbol of their powers. Some individuals, you could see the relic on their body that signified exactly what their ability was. Others had it hidden, keeping the true nature of their powers away from prying eyes.

"Why they so color?" Shabara asked Zaleria in a quiet voice, unaware of Kitarian culture, beyond the fact that they were avid exorcists.

"It has to do with their culture. I'm sure you're familiar with them being exorcists. Each Kitarian has a different ability to use again the demons they exorcise. For example, see the man with the yellow clothes over there?" Zaleria pointed to a man fixing a window on a nearby house. He was dressed completely in yellow, long sleeve polo with nice dress pants and dressy sandals. Zaleria had already noticed the men were all wearing this exact same outfit, just in different colors depending on what their abilities were. However, most notable was the glowing symbol on the back of his neck. It looked like a half circle with a lightning bolt through it, and it glowed a dim yellow. "That symbol is his mark of power. When Kitarian are born they're brought to that church and then gods and goddesses brand them with a mark of power, determining what form of exorcism they will practice. For example, since that man is dressed in yellow, he has some form of ability involving lightning or storms. Each one is unique in its own way so there's no way for sure to know what their exact power is, but if you know the culture well enough you can at least figure out what their ability might be. Since he's storms and he looks pretty strong, I would say maybe something to do with conjuring lightning. If that were true then he'd be best adept at fighting wind related demons."

"Because lightning frighten wind demons. It slow them down."

"Exactly."

"You are very knowledgeable about our culture." Zaleria looked up and stopped walking before she could run into the individual that was standing before her. She craned her neck back to look up at this Kitarian, and was nearly blinded by the sight. They were dressed in all white robes that cast a shadow over their face so one could not see what they looked like, except for the glowing white cross symbol that had to be located on this Kitarian's forehead. Zaleria bowed instantly and Shabara quickly followed suit, not wanting to offend someone in a town that specialized in killing demons.

"Thank you High Priest." Zaleria returned to her normal position and stepped back some so she did not have to crane her neck back as far. "Might I ask what such an important mortal is doing out and about rather than at your place of worship?" Zaleria could feel the High Priest smiling at her, even though she could not see it. The way his position has changed just told her, he was smiling.

"I sensed a demon entering our sacred lands. I thought I might come to make sure it was no threat. Seeing as it is a Tarcanis, and it is traveling with an Elf, I see no threat. But then, might I ask the same question to you, young lady? What is an Elf traveling with a Tarcanis?" Cover story time. Zaleria had already warned Shabara that if anyone found out that she was trying to steal the Elvian Crown Jewels and take them to one of the most populated cities in the known world, they would never let them through. In the hours it had taken them to arrive at this village, she and Shabara had come up with a cover story that would help them to pass under the radar, hopefully.

"This Tarcanis is acting as my escort. I am a messenger from the Order of the Gemma Flos." Order of the Gemma Flos, also known as, the protectors of the most precious of all Elf treasures, the Jeweled Flower. It was said that it was the Jeweled Flower that gave the Elves their powers and near immortality. It changed them from demons to holy creatures just from the brush of its petals. It was easily one of the most valuable treasures in the world, and being a messenger for the Order than protected it was a big deal. "We speculate the flower might be dying. I have been sent to Gyruedo City to see if the King of the Libamen Kingdom may have any ideas as to what might be affecting the Jeweled Flower." That was not a complete lie. Zaleria knew that the Jeweled Flower was actually dying, and last she had heard, messengers were planning to be sent to all the major kingdoms in the world to see if anyone might know the cause or have a cure.

"Such a tragedy," The High Priest said, shaking his head. "I never thought I would hear of the day that the Elves, of all creatures, would face a trial such as this. I will pray to the gods and goddesses to grant you a safe journey and a fruitful result." Zaleria bowed once again.

"You have my gratitude. I hate to impose, but I must ask if there is anywhere my escort and I might stay. The sun has almost sunk below the horizon and we all know it is not safe to journey in these lands during the night." Night was when the truly terrifying demons came out. The High Priest snapped his fingers and a man, dressed in purple, nearby stood in attention.

"Samuel! Show these two to the inn that does not have relics on it. We do not wish to harm our guests," the High Priest commanded. The purple man bowed to the High Priest then motioned to Shabara and I. I bowed my thanks to the High Priest then followed after this Samuel.

The relicless inn was on the opposite side of the village. It was very close to the sanctuary, which made sense because it was less likely to get attacked when it was not close to the border of the town. It looked almost like every other building in the town except it was a story taller and lacked all the relic carvings. Samuel did not speak hardly at all as he led Zaleria and Shabara up to the second story. He unlocked one of the rooms for them, bowed, and then left them to their own devices.

The room was small, only having a bed inside. The bath was outside; Zaleria had spotted it on the way to the inn. It was off to the side where people were less likely to get spotted bathing. Zaleria did not mind not getting washed off though, and she doubted Shabara minded either. Zaleria placed her small pack on the ground and slipped the Elvian Crown Jewels from her breast pocket into the bag. After making sure the bag was sealed tight, Zaleria turned around to ask Shabara a question, but stopped. The Tarcanis was fast asleep at the foot of the bed. The poor Yokai was completely worn out from the events of the day, and Zaleria could not blame him. She was very tired as well. Not even bothering to get undressed, Zaleria merely collapsed on the bed and was out the instant her head hit the cushioning.

***

The sun filtered in through the perforated cloths that covered the window. Zaleria grunted and covered her eyes as the light rudely tried to shake her from her slumber. Zaleria did not want to wake up just yet though; she wanted to rest a little while longer. Shabara did too, for that matter, but he was already awake. Shabara was looking out the window currently, reminiscing. Had he been with his pack right now, they would have woken up at dawn and been out hunting until the sun was high in the sky. Shabara had woken up at dawn like he usually did, but he could not force himself to go back to sleep. His body refused to concede. As a result, Shabara had merely spent the hours since dawn staring out the window, watching the Kitarian village come to life. It was from his understanding that people wearing blue controlled the water, and they were usually women. The people wearing green controlled the earth, and Shabara had seen an even amount of them. The people wearing red could control fire, and they were mostly even gender wise as well. There were more men wearing yellow though, and Shabara remembered Zaleria mentioning they controlled storms. There had been a few people wearing purple here or there, but only a few and they tended to stick to the shadows. Shabara could only guess they were mostly men because of his encounter with Samuel the day before, but he had no idea what they controlled. Then there were some people dressed in gray, more women than men, and they seemed to be able to contort the air. Shabara noticed a few men dressed in black, mainly around the sanctuary. He had yet to see a woman dressed in black, but he also had yet to see their ability as well. Lastly, there was the High Priest, the only Kitarian dressed in white. Shabara imagined that the High Priest probably controlled light or something holy, but Shabara had not seen any clue as to his true power as of yet.

"Enjoying the view?" Shabara looked over his shoulder and saw Zaleria rubbing her eyes. Her voice has been pretty hoarse. If she had not been the only other person in the room, Shabara might not have known it was she.

"Kitarians very interesting. I like markings. All unique." Shabara gestured back to the window. Zaleria smiled a little in amusement. Shabara was right. It was like the gods and goddesses took great care in making sure each mark of power was unique to each individual. It was quite amazing, if a person took the time to look into it. Sadly, they did not. Zaleria knew the Kitarians would become suspicious if they remained here for too long, and she needed to put distance between herself and the forest before the Elvian Royal Guard decided to venture beyond their own borders in their search for their jewels.

"I wish we could stay to observe longer, but we need to keep moving buddy." Shabara whimpered a little, not wanting to leave, but understand the need to keep moving. Despite how nice this place was, Shabara felt extremely uncomfortable with all the relics around. On top of that, the information that literally everyone in the village was being trained in ways to kill him did not sit well with Shabara. He stood up from where he was kneeling by the window and waited patiently as Zaleria grabbed her bag. She pulled the Elvian Crown Jewels from her bag and moved them back to their previous location in her breast pocket. Once that was done, Zaleria was ready to go. She opened the door and exited the room quietly, Shabara right behind her. They both agreed, leaving the town without drawing as much as attention as possible was ideal. They actually managed to make it quite far, getting out of the inn and well into the residential areas before anyone really noticed them. Of course, when they were noticed, it was not in the most flattering of ways.

"Yokai!" The cry startled both of them. Zaleria's eyes immediately flew to the young child that was running towards them. She was dressed in all blue with a bowl of water. Zaleria knew what that bowl contained, holy water. That was practically acid to Shabara. Zaleria stepped between the child and Shabara, getting soaked as the little girl threw the bowl at the half-breed. Shabara jumped back a little ways to avoid being hit, stumbling into a young man wearing green. Thankfully, the man was much more merciful.

"Tumifbá sdwívchÿ," he said, "Dèsundè asï?" Shabara gazed cautiously at the young man before nodding slightly. Was this man actually speaking to him? An exorcist was actually speaking to a demon? Even more, was he actually speaking to him in his native tongue? The man gave Shabara a large smile before standing up. He brushed off his hands and looked at the little girl dressed in blue. The young man quickly switched tongues, changing from Tarcanis to Kitarian.

"Uzu Mia! Nodo aki dobre fuxi! Sadi coubet dee?" Tears rose in the little girl's eyes. She began to scream then ran off sobbing. The young man sighed and shook his head a little in exasperation. "Domichi gyo…" The Kitarian man then took notice to Zaleria. He impressed Shabara once again by quickly switching to Elvish to communicate with Zaleria.

"I apologize for her actions. Mia is a bit of a handful and does not understand yet that Tarcanis are not the bad kind of demons. She is just a child after all," he explained. Zaleria merely nodded a little as she examined herself. She was soaking wet, but her bag was untouched by the water, and if the Crown Jewels were wet, then that was no big deal. Shabara, on the other hand, walked over and tried to engage in a conversation with the nice Kitarian.

"It all right. No one hurt. Zaleria not mind. I not mind." Shabara gave the Kitarian man a large grin, earning a chuckle. The Kitarian man rubbed Shabara's head gently, causing Shabara to purr instinctively. The Kitarian man chuckled again and replied,

"Well I am glad no one was hurt. My name is Magister Curatrix and I am an earth Kitarian. Might I be graced with the names of you two?" Before Shabara and Zaleria could respond, a familiar cry rose up from down the street.

"Thief!" Zaleria spotted the head of the Royal Guard on the back of an elk next to the High Priest. Busted. Zaleria grabbed Shabara's hand.

"I'm sorry Mr. Magister, but we really must be going now!" Zaleria said before turning and running, dragging Shabara along with her. She felt the air shift as an arrow barely missed her head and slammed into a house instead. Zaleria pulled Shabara to a side path and began to take the back ways, trying to avoid the main paths. However, that proved to be detrimental, as she was soon lost like a Colo Colo in a maze. The hoof beats from an elk echoed off the buildings and Zaleria began to panic, as she knew the Royal Guard was gaining on them.

"Need a little help?" Zaleria jumped in surprise as Magister appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He grabbed her arm and said, "Follow me." Magister took them down a side path, guiding them with the precision that Zaleria had been lacking when she had been leading the way. Zaleria was beginning to feel a little hope when they reached a dead end.

"They gaining us!" Shabara said with a whimper, his tail curling around his left leg. Magister gave a confident smile before placing his hands against the wall. The wood parted revealing a tunnel underground.

"Go! It leads to outside the village. I'll meet up with you out there in ten minutes! If I don't come out by then, go on without me. And remember, north means the sun will be on your left when it is setting!" With that, Magister ran back down the path they came and disappeared. Shabara stared after Magister. He still was having a hard time believing an exorcist, raised to believe that his kind were killers, was actually helping them.

"Shabara!" The Tarcanis was shocked out his thoughts by Zaleria's voice. "Come on. We need to go." Shabara nodded a little, still somewhat in his own thoughts. Shabara got down on all fours and followed Zaleria into the cave. It was barely big enough for Zaleria to stand up, but Shabara could run better on all fours so he felt safer not standing. Zaleria placed her hand on the cave wall to make sure she kept straight, in case the tunnel did diverge from its intended path. Shabara's eyes took a minute to focus before the entire area came into view in high detail.

"It look long. But no side paths," Shabara assured Zaleria. He looked over his shoulder every few minutes, hoping to see Magister, but Shabara kept finding disappointment instead. He sighed a little after the sixth check and decided that, at this point, there was no reason to continue checking. Magister was probably so far behind, Shabara would not be able to see him, even if the Kitarian was coming.

"You see anything?" Zaleria asked, still relying on Shabara's night vision to spot potential danger. Shabara looked ahead and shook his head a little.

"No. I no see danger. I see light."

"That must be the end of the tunnel. Elf, am I glad you have night vision or else I'd probably be moving a lot slower due to my lack of confidence in these tunnels." Silence elapsed again and Shabara took the lead now, allowing Zaleria to hold on to his tail so he did not leave her behind.

"Close eyes. Light hurt," Shabara warned. The two closed their eyes as they emerged from the tunnel. They sat down just outside the tunnel and cautiously opened their eyes. They were in another forest, surrounding by many small trees. They were Dogwood trees, noticeable because of the white petals and Shabara's covering his nose from the scent. Zaleria noticed that the village was visible from the forest. She jumped into one of the nearby trees and looked out.

The village was not that far away but, from the looks of it, the place was in complete chaos. She and Shabara had done a good job completely disrupting the peace in that place. Zaleria would be lying if she said she wasn't a little worried for the man that helped them escape though. Shabara seemed to have taken a liking to Magister and to help them out after they had been exposed as thieves took courage. Zaleria did not want a man like that to die. It seemed wrong, especially for this less than noble cause. Still, the clock was ticking, and if he was not here by when he said he would be, Zaleria was going to pretend Magister had never existed.

Shabara paced like an animal the entire time they waited, and Zaleria was pretty sure they actually waited longer than they should have, but eventually, they both had to accept that Magister was not coming. Zaleria jumped down from the branch she had been sitting on and pet Shabara. His ears drooped a little and his tail sagged. He was very disheartened. Could she blame him? No. However, there was nothing either of them could do about.

"Oh good! You haven't left yet!" Shabara was gone in a flash, tackling Magister to the ground in a huge hug.

"You alive! You alive!" Magister laughed a little and ruffled Shabara's fur.

"Yes, I'm alive. I made it by the skin of my teeth and we should get moving. The Royal Guard and the High Priest are gathering their forces together to come after us. If we want to get some distance between us, we'll have to start moving now." Shabara got off Magister and allowed the Kitarian man to stand up. Zaleria nodded a silent thanks to Magister before smiling.

"All right, but only if you're up for danger. It seems to follow me wherever I go." Magister only laughed and followed Zaleria as she took off running. Shabara was close behind, running on all fours.

Zaleria continued to glance back at Magister, still trying to make sense as to what made this guy tick. He was an earth Kitarian, his skin as brown as wet dirt and his eyes the color of dry dirt. His hair was black and his build was very strong. Magister was also very tall, at least a foot taller than Zaleria and Shabara. His clothes were identical to every other male Kitarian's clothes, except his were a bright green instead of the usual dark green earth Kitarians wore. His sign must have been hidden, but Zaleria saw no brand on him. That was no matter, though, for she would figure out his power sooner or later.

The sun reached its throne high in the sky about the time the next village came into view. It felt odd, moving so quickly between places, but the chase left them little choice. They would have to keep moving through this town and hope to make it to the next one by nightfall. Of course, Zaleria had to make a quick stop first before they could move on.

"I still don't understand, why are you renting an inn room?" Magister asked again. Neither he nor Shabara had picked up on Zaleria's plan yet and this interrogation was becoming tedious. She sighed as she signed the parchment and turned it in. Zaleria turned around and looked at the two boys.

"It's meant to make the Royal Guard think we are still in this town when really we're not. It'll distract them for a bit at least. Now, I've gotta wait for this room to open up and stuff, so can you guys make yourselves useful and go find a cartographer? We will need a map for the rest of the way, because I don't feel safe relying solely on my memory. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough. Come on Shabara." Zaleria watched Shabara and Magister leave the building. The two boys walked through the streets of the busy town, searching for a map shop. At first they were both brimming with confidence, but, after a while, they both came to realize this was going to be harder than they thought.

"Maybe we ask directions," Shabara suggested. They were wasting daylight and he did not want to remain here much longer than necessary with the Elf Royal Guard on their tail.

"At this point, it seems like the best choice." Magister looked around before spotting a nice looking middle-aged Dwarf woman. He cleared his throat and switched languages again. "Dogunga mosu madme? Sopu tu me moshhe way. Duque?" The woman pointed down the street.

"Whate curthi," she answered simply. Magister thanked her before returning to Shabara. He led Shabara down the street and explained,

"She said that the cartographer is the first store on the right on this side right. I hope she's right. We're already behind schedule as it is." Shabara and Magister made their way down the street to the side alleyway. Sure enough, there was one store on the right. Magister entered first, a bell ringing as he opened the door. Immediately, he knew they were in the right place. Shelves and buckets were filled with all different kinds of maps. Small maps, big maps, land maps, political maps, and so many more. Magister and Shabara were still gazing around in awe when someone approached them.

"Tusi weeeeji?" Magister frowned, trying to make sense of the language but unable to identify it. The elderly man that was speaking with him tried again. "Juni litchi?" Magister shook his head, signaling he did not speak that language either. "Can you understand me now?" the old man tried a third time.

"Perfectly," Magister replied.

"Good. Now, as I was saying, how may I help you?"

"We looking for map of kingdom," Shabara said, looking through the maps on the shelf. The old man, presumably the cartographer, rubbed his chin and gave a nod.

"I think I might have something." He turned and slowly made his way to a nearby barrel. Digging through it slowly, the cartographer did not find anything of interest in there. He slowly made his way to the next barrel. By the time the cartographer finally found the map, Magister was sitting down, waiting for the cartographer, Shabara asleep in Magister's lap.

"Thank you sir," Magister said, handing the cartographer the correct amount of gold and picking up Shabara. Magister carried the Tarcanis back to the inn with the map in hand. He was greeted by an angry Elf, but the sight of the map eased some of that fury. Neither Magister nor Zaleria had the heart to wake up the sleeping Shabara, so they left him be. Zaleria and Magister fled the town, Magister carrying Shabara on his back.

Night crept up on them like a Shadow Mage. They had not expected for it to arrive so quickly, yet here it was. Zaleria drew both her blades and had Magister awaken Shabara. The Tarcanis was a bit sleepy, but quickly took stock of the situation. It was night. Night was when the real demons came out. The three stayed close together, not separating by an inch as they followed the path to the next village. The map that Magister had bought labeled it as a Yokai village, which meant, as long as they had Shabara, they would be welcome. Ideally though, they would arrive there before the night was over to get some rest. Of course, hearing voices never increases such confidence.

"They look so delicious."

"I agree, sister."

"Good enough to eat."

"Once again, you are right sister."

"Do you think we should eat them?"

"I am not sure, sister."

"We should get closer."

"Of course, sister."

The darkness around the party seemed to warp and two figures appeared out of the darkness. Vampires. The two vampires circled the group, their fangs sparkling in the moonlight. It was the kind of sparkle that sent chills down a person's spine, for anyone who knew about demons, knew about the worst of them all, vampires. The bloodsuckers were, by far, the most powerful demons that did not have any godly influence. Super strength, super speed, extreme attractiveness, and shadow travel, plus much much more. They were menacing beasts in the night, and they had ever intention to devour their prey.

Zaleria was not about to wait for that to happen. Judging the speed of the vampires, she attacked when they least expected it. Zaleria managed to hit both vampires, but the vampire Semisos hit instantly burst into ash. Zaleria smirked; the holy blade of an Elf was always deadly. However, instead of scaring off the other vampire, it only made her angrier. She let out an eardrum-popping screech. The last thing Zaleria saw was the entire area around her suddenly filled with vampires.

***

"Trespassers!" It was humorous to Zaleria that she was being called that for the second time in a few days. Maybe she should change her name to "trespasser". It certainly had more of a ring to it. Zaleria smirked at her own joke.

"You!" Zaleria jumped a little as the woman before her called her own. "Why do you smirk?" Zaleria had to admit; this did seem like a smirk free environment. She, Shabara, and Magister were chained up inside the nest of a vampire clan, currently being interrogated by their queen.

"I apologize, your highness. I was merely thinking about how many times I have been called a trespasser this week. I am sure this is all just a misunderstanding that we can-"

"Silence!" the Queen boomed. All right, so reason was out on the way to escape. "I have heard enough already! I was warned ahead of time people like you might be coming through my lands, and here you are." The Queen smirked and pulled something from her pocket. The Elvian Crown Jewels! "Now, time to turn these in for my reward. Ta ta!" The Queen left in quite the hurry, locking the three travelers in.

This was one of the most complex mind games Zaleria had ever played, and with the odds stacked against her, she would need every advantage. That was how mind games worked. She felt her pockets before pulling out the long, slender black feather that appeared completely unharmed. She gazed at it hard, thinking this over before nodding to herself. This was necessary. Zaleria turned around and looked at the others with a broad smirk on her face.

"Anyone got two rocks?"