Naveen

Maleen:

I considered for a moment then nodded. “I will swear it, but I have to get out of this cage first. It won’t allow me to use any magic.” I told him. “It’s a trick, she wants you to let her out so she can get away. She’s lying to you.” The other girl said suspiciously. I looked over to her. “I really will help and I will swear my allegiance to you, and Talon will be a witness.” I answered softly. “I truly have nowhere else to go, why would I run?” I asked.

Rina:

I watched her doubtfully then took a few steps closer to the elf, had she called him Talon? Or was she using some magic term I was unaware of? “Open it.” I said after a moment.

I flicked my wrist the last degree to open the lock, a knife out and in my hand as I pulled the witch out of the cage. Though I was exceedingly gentle, the second she was all the way out of the cage I had the knife to her throat, repeating the words. "Do you swear on your magic to help this girl and whose she serves?"

Maleen:

I was as still as stone. “I swear on my magic that I will not try to escape her, I swear that I am in service to her until she releases me, I swear that I will not harm her or any companions of hers. But I swear my allegiance to her alone.” I said in a quiet but determined tone. I was a little scared of the girl, but I could tell that she wasn’t bad. I had no way of knowing the same about the people she was taking me to.

I drew back the knife, and releasing the girl in one motion. I bent down picked up my bow and glanced over the cage for a moment. I put my free hand on the sword at my right, drawing a small part of magic from the Lanthinen carved into my skin. Using that bit of magic, I drew the sword and in one quick stroke cleaved the cage in half, so that the top part fell out of the wagon, leaving the girl who fell from the sky untouched in the bottom of the broken cage. As I brought my hand back to my side with the blade pointing behind me, I slid it slowly into its sheath before turning and heading off into the woods without a word.

Rina:

I scowled at the broken cage, it had taken me a bit of effort to acquire it, I wasn’t pleased to see it worthless now. My eyes skirted over the witch who looked uncertain of what to do. I turned to watch the elf leave. “You owe me two mules!” I called to his back.

I put my fingers in my mouth and whistled loudly. They came trotting towards me and I gave them a gentle scratch behind the ears before continuing on. I knew the brand on the mules from my travels. The owner of the brand trained them to come when whistled for, a useful trait should they ever get loose and wander off. It did have its draw backs, as you could never be too sure who was doing the whistling but still very handy.

Rina:

I scowled at him still but went over to collect my mules. “Here girls.” I murmured gently. They came to me immediately and I took them over to reattach to the wagon.

Maleen:

The other girl seemed to be ignoring me completely. I was nervous now the elf was gone. I had sworn not to hurt her or to try to leave, but she had made no such promise. I climbed back into the wagon and studied the unconscious girl. At least she might be a buffer once she was awake. Maybe the other girl wouldn’t be so cold toward her.

Wren:

I stirred a bit, but everything was so different from what I was used to feeling. I was learning slowly, but it still was difficult. I wanted to wake up, but I could only do what my body aloud me to do.

Talon:

I continued on, pulling off the greave I wore at my forearm to protect it from weapons and the bow string. I glanced at the thick lines etched into my skin. I was about half through, and I wouldn't be able to charge up again for a few days. The moon was waning and would soon be gone completely from view.

Maleen:

It was more a sense of what she was than actual knowledge. I had no way of knowing, I had never seen something like her, but I had instincts. I thought of a spell I had used many times to rouse the people who had kept me before. They had asked for it sometimes when they were tired and wished to be more lively. I uttered a few words over the girl and touched her shoulder letting the little surge of energy flow through her.

Rina:

I glanced at the witch watching her for a moment before climbing up to my seat to drive the cart.

Wren:

My eyes shot open and I let out a gasp, my body trembling at this sudden awakening. I panted softly looking around the wagon, my eyes fighting hard to stay focused. I gave a small cough, as I continued to try to focus.

Maleen:

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe. Just relax.” I said soothingly keeping my hand gentle on her shoulder.

Rina:

I looked over my shoulder when I heard the witch speak. Her back was facing me but I could see that the other girl had awoken. I watched the two without speaking.

Wren:

I managed to nod my head, as I closed my eyes tightly to try and calm down and so I could see. It took a few moments but when I opened my eyes I was met with the gaze of a concerned girl. I blinked at her after a moment as I watched her reactions. As I blinked again a sudden halo of energy appeared around her to my vision, but as I blinked quickly at it my eyes widening slightly it was gone.

Maleen:

I gave her a soft smile. I had never been around someone who didn’t have control over me. It was amazingly refreshing to be with someone equal to me, someone I could help without obligation. “My name is Maleen.” I told her quietly.

Rina:

I straightened and looked ahead as I steered the mules back to the road we had been traveling on. Maleen. I hadn’t known her name before. She was nothing like what I expected her to be. She was kind and soft spoken. Not vicious or dangerous.

Wren:

I blinked a bit, looking at her before a snort made me tilt my head back far enough that I could see whom ever was driving the carriage. I paused as I pondered it over, about how I knew the name of what it was. I pushed it out of my head and focused on the back of the person. Another girl, my mind dredged up.

Maleen:

My eyes followed hers to the other girl. If I dipped into her mind I could learn what her name was. I was still too scared to speak to her. She didn’t seem like she would hurt me or the other girl, yet she was fairly intimidating.

I brought my eyes back to the girl who was leaning over me. I opened my mouth to speak but all that came out was sounds. "Aaaa....a.....ah....." My brow furrowed as I closed my lips, unsure what exactly had just happened. I couldn't speak? Or did I just not know how? In heaven bodies were perfect, and speaking could be done with only one's mind if needed.

Maleen:

“Just take it easy. You’ve had an interesting day.” I lowered my voice. “Where did you come from?” I asked in almost a whisper.

I managed to bring my hand up with my arm to point up. Just up. Heaven in relation to this world was up. No matter where you were on the planet, up was the direction of Heaven.

Maleen:

I nodded. It was as I expected. But I couldn’t help the excitement bubbling in my belly. This was very rare, to have an angel on mortal land. There were many who would try to use her for their own reasons, just like they were going to do with me. “Don’t tell anyone else.” I told her quietly, leaning closer to her so the other girl wouldn’t hear. “It won’t be safe.”

I searched the eyes of the girl above me, not fully certain what she meant or why she was talking about it. While I knew of humans disposition of lying. In heaven it was impossible to lie, so it never crossed my mind that anyone could do such here. Though I nodded slowly to the girl.

Rina:

I had been planning to camp out in a small tent and let the witch sleep under the shelter of the burlap over the cage. But that was gone now. And there was the matter of the other girl.. It was beginning to get dark and the sky was gray and cloudy. I could sense that rain was inevitable. I did not have enough shelter for the three of us. So I started making my way towards a smaller village where we might be able to rent a room.
I pulled the wagon up to a little cottage that claimed it was an inn. I looked back to find both girls asleep curled up on the blankets. Wrapping my cloak around my I moved to the door of the in. Aero and Iris both huddled on my shoulder within the folds of my hood.
After knocking on the door a young boy hurried out to take care of the mules while told the housekeeper what I needed. There was a small room with two beds, and cot could be set up.
I went to go wake the girls while the room was prepared.

Maleen:

I blinked sleepily to a voice murmuring in my ear. “Wake up, get up.” She was saying. I focused on her, the other girl. She wasn’t being rude, but she wasn’t exactly friendly either. I sat up slowly and looked around, noting that several hours had passed.

Wren:

I blinked sleepily for a moment before curling up into a ball, not wanting to move. I was warm, though uncomfortable. I didn't want to get up into the cold. But the noises of the girls and the draw of two other things made me sit up. I looked at the girl who had her hood up, and pointed a finger, not at her but at the two things inside. I managed out a word, though it came out in the language of the heavens, something that no mortal or beast on the world could speak or understand. But it was a language of power, and through it one could give intentions, and emotion that could not be expressed through other means. It was a language of truth, and as such no lie could be spoken with it. The word that left my mouth was the word for what the two things truly were.

Rina:

Aero and Iris nestled further under my hood, their cold feet making goose bumps appear on my skin. “Come on. We should go in before the storm hits.” I said trying to ignore the weird behavior of the girl.

Maleen
I scrambled to my feet and hopped down from the wagon before offering out a hand to help my new companion.

I took the girls hand, and stepped unsteadily out of the wagon. It was the first time using these legs, and it was an interesting experience. Were it not for holding the girls hand I was sure to have fallen. As it was, I did stumble into her.

Talon:

It was the faint vibration in the air that made me snap my greave back in place and settle in a crouch. As it steadily grew louder, and answering drums sounded to my left as well as behind me to the right, I knew it could only be one thing. The drums of war were on, and I was the prey. With a weary sigh I got to my feet, glancing at my arm for one moment before taking off running, bleeding a little of the magic etched into me to speed up my pace, my steps soft and light, but it took but a moment to see the folly of my actions, the drums didn't change their locations, nor did they grow quieter.

I drew to a halt at the edge of a clearing, looking it over for a moment I nodded once to myself and moved slowly into the center. I unslung my backpack and laid it down on a small rock protruding from the earth, next went my quiver beside it. I kept my bow in my hand though as I pulled all the arrows from the quiver, sticking them into the soft earth as I kept my breathing light and even. Soon all thirty arrows were sticking out in neat rows, easily within reach for when I chose to fire. Now I could hear the excited din and squeals of the goblins drawing to the clearing. I plucked the first arrow from the earth and drew it back, waiting.

The drums beat ever louder, ever faster. And then all of a sudden it stopped, and so they came. Like a flood of bodies, all bent on taking my life for the flesh encasing it. Digging into the magic, with in a span of two deep, but even breaths thirty goblins lay dead. But that did little to stem the tide, if anything it increased their frenzy rush to reach me, and kill me.

Tossing my bow onto my pack, I drew my sword, holding it in two hands as I settled into a crouch. I let out one more breath, my sixth since I had fired the first shot. And that was when they reached me. Two slashes, a goblin died, a parry and a side step brought down another. A sweep of my weapon, three more. And so it continued. A step, a shift, a breath. And things died. No hesitation entered my mind, no worry or fear touched my heart.

As the bodies piled around, I drew a dagger in my off hand, switching to fight with two weapons, I continued the slaughter, parries answering slashes to throat, eyes, arteries. Dodges followed by quick stabs to the back of the heart, the stomach, the wind pipe. But more took the place of their fallen comrades, an impaled goblin, pushed aside by its companions took my sword away from my grasp, leaving me with a dagger. It took but a moment to draw the second one from my belt. And so I continued, weapons and body flashing in the light of the stars and sliver of moon.

The need to abandon the weapons to prevent the loss of my hands arose, and so my daggers too left my grasp. It was then that I reached behind me, drawing out the greatsword that was hanging from my back. Easily, most of my height, I still swung it with ease, using two hands, mixed in with one handed swings. Digging ever deeper through my stores of magic in my skin to use it effetely. It was only when the drums stopped that I did too, not a breath stirred from the corpses littering the clearing. Not a breath of wind. It was a graveyard, a blood bath, a massacure. With only one standing. Myself. With a calmness, and reverence of death itself I slid the giant sword back into the straps that held it to my back. I had spanned through the entire large clearing in the space of the encounter. As I moved back to my backpack and quiver. I retrieved my daggers, and my sword. Sliding them home in their own sheaths. I left the arrows, deeming them unimportant.

Drawing to my pack, I opened it, pulling out a bundle that I unwrapped. Stowing the cloth, I placed the ten arrows into the quiver before putting it on my hip, opposite my sword. It was then that I slipped on my back pack and grabbed my bow. Moving between the bodies of hundreds of goblins. I let out a breath and drew in another one as I left the clearing. My sixty eighth breath since I let loose the first arrow. I walked away with blood staining my armor and body, as well as my weapons. But none was mine. I did it all, within the time it took to draw sixty eight deep breaths. All with out becoming injured once. This was the power and training I had gone through. This was what made me a weapon. This was why my clan had been wiped out.