Naveen

Talon:

I knew I would have some distance to travel to catch up, but I couldn't find the hurry in my steps. The woods were silent, something that I barely noticed until in the distance I heard the faint sounds of shouting. That drew my attention and after a moment to pinpoint the direction I took off running.

Tash:

I'd tried to warn the humans, tried to get them to run. But they weren't quick enough. I could only watch in horror as the girls fell. I threw back my hood and barked out words in my people's tongue to the other elf. By the time I reached the girls I practically sprinted off my horse in a run. From my back I drew a great axe, wielding the big weapon as easily as a child would a stick. Throwing back my hood I yelled in defiance towards the men rushing our way. They would learn to never attack an elf and what she protected.

Rina:

I gave Maleen anther hard shove when she didn’t run. “Go!” I hissed at her but she tugged at me. “Rina please,” She begged. When the elf reached us, I gave in. He was perfectly capable of standing his ground against humans. I whirled around and took Maleen’s arm to get her to run. I had to keep her safe. She mattered more than all of us.

Unfortunately, the attack was not from one side. There were men in the woods in the direction we ran as well. I dispatched one quickly with my sword. Maleen whimpered. Whether in fear or because of the loss of life I was unsure.

We ran into another man, this one larger and more prepared than the other. I pushed Maleen into the bushes and faced him. We clashed a couple times before Aero came buzzing furiously and sunk into his chest. I bent to yank the dagger out and felt a blinding pain slide into my kidney.

Maleen let out a blood-curdling scream.

Talon:

I reached the edge of the conflict and happened upon a group of soldiers. I only needed one look to see their uniforms and a look beyond to see one of my elves trapped in the midst of conflict to draw my blade. I didn't even give them a chance, cleaving through bone with each swing. As the new threat dawned on the soldiers more chose to come at me but all seemed to freeze for a moment as a scream unlike I'd ever heard Maleen make rang out. I raised my gaze towards the sound then began to move. Nothing was going to keep me from getting to them, even if I had to carve through the entire group.

Rina:

I gasped for air and fell to my knees when the blade was jerked from my body. I only had enough strength to pull Aero from the dying body in front of me. Once free he took out my attacker in a second.

Maleen:

I rushed to her. There was so much blood already blossoming on the white shirt. Tears were streaming down my cheeks when I reached her. Immediately I tried to heal her but I was taken over buy sickened feeling that leeched magic from me. And she was no better off. It was a dreadful sucking feeling all around her.

I backed away. I couldn’t be near her. There was something horribly wrong with her that I couldn’t fix. She crumpled on the ground gasping for air but I couldn’t touch her.

“Help! Dorian!” I screamed and shook with sobs. “Talon!” The elves surly could do something against this evil that I could not.

Dorian:

I hear Maleen’s scream as well as her plead for help. Unfortunately so did our ambushers. Those who were not engaged started in the direction of the screams. I did my best to take them down, but it meant my progress was slowed.

A gap formed in the bodies in my way and I froze for a second time. I could only watch helplessly as Rina crumpled. Everything went still except for a roar that drowned out everything in my ears. I wasn't sure how, I didn't care how I made it over. But it felt like it was already going to be too late. I redoubled my efforts and after what felt like an eternity I was there kneeling beside her. "Rina...no...don't do this to me." I murmured to her, sword abandoned. I cupped her face in one hand, the other pressing to her wound in a futile attempt to staunch the blood.

Rina:

I moaned when something pressed into my wound but with the hand on my cheek I focused on the face above me.

“Savien?” I breathed, barely audible. “I thought… I thought I wouldn’t see you.” It was hard to speak. It was hard to breathe. Couldn’t feel my body anymore. Only crushing darkness trying to drag me under.

"I told you before I would never abandon you Rina. I don't break my promises." I murmured softly. I wanted to tell her to save her strength, to stay with me. But I could feel her wound. I knew as a warrior that she wasn't going to make it. I could only do two things; pray she passed quickly, or end her suffering now.

Rina:

I was dying. I knew it. I knew it as if it had happened before. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I wanted so much more for us. I just… I wanted you to be safe.” My chest heaved and I leaned into him. If I had to die I was glad I was in his arms.

Gently I brushed hair from her face before cupping it again. "I know Rina. It's alright." I wasn't one to lie to someone, even if they were dying. I wasn't going to tell her that she'd be alright. That I had forgiven her for not telling me. But it didn't feel as important now, a petty thing to be upset about. "I only ever wished for your happiness."

Rina:

My chest filled with a sob I didn’t know was there. “I should have left with you,” I gasped. I tried to put my hand over his. “I should have spent my last months with the man that I loved.” It was too much now. I couldn’t hold it off. It was like I was holding a giant boulder on my shoulders. I had to let go.

It was agony. My body trembled but in my mind it felt like an earthquake. Everything was black. I was falling yet I could still feel my body. Something was wrong. I let go and yet something pinned me down. It was revolting.

Her words sucked the air out of my lungs and I didn't know what to do anymore. She had loved me. Gently I laid her back down and picked up my weapon. A few stragglers still remained of our attackers and I made sure to memorize each of their faces in an instant. The only thing I wanted to do now was make someone, anyone pay for taking Rina away. And so I started to step away, unaware of the tears shimmering in my eyes.

Dorian:

When I reached Maleen, Talon was already there with Rina.  It was clear that she was fatally wounded.  Maleen looked horrified.  As Talon laid her down and stood I went to her.  I knelt dwon with a heavy heart.  I was here to protect her.  How had it happened like this?

I stared at her hopelessly then…  She was still breathing.  “Maleen!” I called urgently.  “I can’t,” She whimpered.  I put my hand over Rina’s wound but found only skin slick with blood.  “Maleen!”

Maleen:

I shook my head and backed away.  It was only love for Rina that kept me from running.  The sickening energy was thick in the area concentrated around her.  She moaned quietly.  She wasn’t dying anymore.  But something worse than death had happened to her .

Talon:

I had never taken pleasure in spilling blood, but for once in my life I enjoyed every carving slice I made in the flesh of the humans. It was Tash who finally got me to stop, gripping my shoulders in both hands. "That's enough my lord." Her voice had a harsh cast to it, but her tone was soft. I turned my head to look at her then slowly drew a cloth to clean my blade free of blood. "I'll join them in a moment Tash. Thank you."

Rina:

I rolled to my back and stared up at the nearly full moon. I could vaguely hear Dorian and Maleen. I felt like there was a vail over me, disconnecting me from all my senses. Rina, Rina, Rina!

I blinked and tried to focus on Dorian. I shouldn’t be here. With his help I sat up. I drank water from his water skin. I touched the wound on my side but it was gone. As was the one from the arrow. I was alive somehow.

Dorian helped me get to my feet slowly. My eyes sought Maleen and found her looking back at me with horror.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but we need to get back to the others,” Dorian said. He too looked unnerved by me. Maleen followed at a distance behind us as Dorian helped me walk.

When I saw Talon in the moonlight, lines glowing, I thought of a distant memory of dying in his arms. I knew it had happened this night, but it felt like a lifetime ago. Everything did.

I was walking back with Tash staring at the ground as she led the way. Approaching footsteps caught my attention but I was slow to look up. When I did however I froze and stared. Rina was walking. Puzzlement overcame me as I stared at her. How could she be walking? The wound she had was fatal, even the best healers wouldn't have had time to fix it. Not among my people at least.

But Rina was walking before me, that much was clear to me. And I could only stare helplessly.

Dorian:

What happened with Rina was beyond my understanding, but it wasn’t important right now. “We need to get going,” I said and as if on cue the horses came trotting back. “How-“ “I called them,” Maleen murmured looking over at me from three yards away.

Rina:

I stared back at Talon. I couldn’t react to much, not Dorian speaking, or the horses approaching. But some how Talon’s gaze locked me down.

I was surprised to find that I wasn't feeling relief at seeing her alive again. But I was feeling a mixture of confusion and worry. Again it was Tash who got me moving again, this time with a shove. "We don't have time for this." She muttered with a quick look around. "The human's right. We have to go." I went over to my horse and climbed into the saddle, dragging my gaze away from Rina. It took several deep breaths to calm the troubled turbulance of my mind.

Maleen:

I told Dorian to ride with Rina to make sure she didn’t fall off the horse, but really I didn’t want to touch her. We rode for another hour before we found a safe spot to camp. We couldn’t start a fire for fear that more soldiers would see it. Dorian sat Rina down on a tree stump while camp was set up.

I went up and crouched five feet from her. The energy still surrounded her, but it was beginning to fade.

“Rina? What did you do?” I asked her. She blinked and focused on me. “What?” she asked, confused. “What did you do Rina? This is dark magic. What did you do?” My voice was more firm than it had ever been.

Talon:

I helped set up camp but stopped when Maleen started to confront Rina. Unable to ignore what had happened any longer I went over a stood with my arms folded beside them both. "What's going on? What do you mean dark magic?"

Maleen:

Rina shook her head. I was actually getting angry with her. “That was a death cheating spell!” I stood up. “She should have died there. She should be dead. That wound should have killed her. It nearly did but the spell sucked dark magic to heal her.” I breathed heavily getting worked up as I spoke. I had figured it out while we rode. It was the only explanation I could come up with.

“And it’s happened before! You had the same energy about you when you left the castle. Rina, what did you do?”

Rina:

I flinched and looked up when Maleen yelled. I had never heard her talk like this. She had always been soft spoken. It was enough to break through the veil.

“I don’t know,” my voice cracked. I didn’t understand her words. I didn’t know what was going on or how any of it had happened.

Talon:

Rina yelling was almost a normal occurance. It didn't take much to get her worked up, and she was very vocal in her displeasures. Maleen however I hadn't expected to ever hear it. Everyone had a breaking point and this was obviously hers. I looked on with wide eyes as Maleen yelled. I didn't even know what to say or do over it.

"Maleen...take a breath for me." I raised my hands up in surrender and in a placating gesture.

Maleen:

I turned to him and ignoring his advice I said, “why? Did you help her?” My voice was rising into hysteria. Talon’s magic was a form of dark magic too. But this was worse. “This is really, really bad.” I ran my hands through my hair. “dark magic draws on the life energy of those who’ve been killed violently. Like those soldiers you all just killed.” My look was blazing. “If that spell isn’t fed energy, it going to draw danger to create it. This is what dark magic does. Did you know that?” I demanded of Rina.

Rina:

I felt tears well up in my eyes. It was pathetic and yet I couldn’t hold them back. I stood up abruptly and turned away from them. “I didn’t do anything. I don’t know why or what exactly happened. I thought I was dying. I felt like I died. I’m just here still. The only magic I have ever been involved with is your own, Maleen,” I said it all in a rush while I put my hands to my face to wipe the tears away.

My brows knit together. "Maleen none of us know how Dark magic works, or that it even was happening. You are more sensitive to magic than us. I don't think any of us here would willingly use dark magic, not at the cost it could bring."

I hadn't been wrong Rina should be dead and she herself admitted it. And yet proof stood before us. Rina was alive, it led me to believe that Maleen was right. Somehow dark magic had settled over Rina. But how? And why?

Maleen:

I had a deep crease between my brows. “It doesn’t just happen by accident, Talon. People seek this sort of thing out. Humans are always seeking immortality.” I never thought Rina would be the kind to go to lengths such as this, but there was no other explanation.

Rina:

“I didn’t seek it out!” I snapped, turning around. “I never wanted this. I never wanted to extend my life by magic, dark or otherwise. I thought I would die in battle, and you’re telling me I’ll come back if I do. Do you really think I would want that?” My hands were balled fists.

"I'm with Rina on this...Maleen is that really what you think she'd do? Do you have no faith in your friends?" I set a hand on Maleen's shoulder, "If Rina didn't seek this herself then someone did it for her. That has to be what happened."