General Art Asgard Legends

[*M i d n a*]

Well, looks like Saga's having fun.

Good job.

Thanks.

Well, this has gotten really exciting, and it kinda riminded me of skyward sword a bit, Saga the demon lord/god, and Ghirahim the demon lord. One obviously looks a lot cooler than the other though ( Saga )

Really? You think so? Thanks, my friend. I hope you continue to look at Saga the way you do.

Glad to see you're gonna finish this, because if you didn't... Well, lets just say it wouldn't have turned out well for you .

I know, you would have probably been the first one to boo me, stone me, or worse. Naw, this is a project I've been chasing for a while, and I will finish it. I am not far from accomplishing that, just several more chapters and I call this book done. Then would come the final book, the longest of the three imo. So yeah, I still have quite a way to go, but every chapter I post gets me closer to that goal. When I do finish this tale, I think I will retire from writing and from the forum altogether. I always wanted to write a story such as this one, with the characters from one of my favorite games of all time and other submitted characters.

Btw, thank you for your continued support, the story wouldn't go anywhere if it weren't for you nor its other faithful readers.

Well, that was a very interesting chapter.^^ I wonder what'll happen next? Will Saga find the necromancer and kill him? Can't wait till the next chapter!^^

Thanks for reading, Rainy. Wish I could tell you, but it's best if you find out just by reading on. No, these following two chapters won't speak about that, but it moves the story along.

--I added some art as well, in case you don't know. Here are two more consecutive chapters, read at your own pace. I just want to finish this project, that's why you may find some parts rushed. I'll add the intro art tomorrow, if God's willing.

"Found her," cried Raina with a hint of excitement and joy in her voice. The mage opened her eyes and so did her partner Rishian, Raina smiling widely at him before returning her stare to the magical window.

"Where is she?" asked Rishian, who still held on to her hands in concentration.

"West of here," alerted Raina. "About eight miles away from us."

"Not that far, then," Rishian said as he observed within the magical window a group of figures huddled around a fire. "Hm, looks like she's well accompanied." The headmaster noticed how well all the figures were armed and dressed, and as he scanned the figures he wondered which of the two females was Raina's aunt. He couldn't tell merely by looking at them, but he agreed with himself that all the figures seemed like a nasty bunch.

Raina nodded at him, and it was she who let go of his hands. Rishian stood up decisively, following Raina's lead, who had also stood up immediately after having let go of his hands.

"Well, do we pay her a visit then?" Rishian asked, to what Raina shook her head.

"There are five others with her," she let him know when his stare forced her to come out with another answer other than the shake of the head she had given him. "There could be trouble if I bring you along. Just leave it to me."

"What? What do you mean?" a confused Rishian asked and watched her as she collected the old brush from the table and then took care of dismissing the magical window. "I'll be accompanying you, Raina, whether you like it or not. I'm not going to let you go by yourself, it's too dangerous."

When Raina was done with that task she gave her attention to the headmaster and walked around the table and towards him.

"Rishian," she said, with a little pleading in her voice and stare. "I will ask you not to accompany me, I prefer to do this all by myself. I will go talk to my aunt and convince her to aid the princess. Please, you have to understand."

"But there are five others with her, surely all killers, right? It could be dangerous or..."

Raina shook her head and calmed him down. "No, it will be alright, actually. The pack already knows me since the very first time I visited my aunt."

"Oh," said a surprised Rishian. "How did that happen?"

"They were all startled with my appearance," explained Raina with a laugh. "And they rushed in to kill me, and they would have, probably, but my aunt recognized me and held them at bay. That's how they knew I was related to her."

"Ah, I see now. And they were alright with it? With you visiting your aunt like that?"

Raina nodded several times. "Yes, but I had to bring the group a box of fine whiskey upon my next visit, and I did and won their trust. So see? I will be alright by myself, the group knows me already. However, if I was to take you along, I don't know what could come to happen. I know you are mighty enough and probably could take on all of them all by yourself, and with my help. But...it's best to avoid trouble. I want to convince my aunt to help us out, not give her any problems or reasons to start hating me."

Rishian said nothing, he merely stood regarding her for a while and thinking about the whole matter. But then he understood what Raina wanted and so he smiled warmly at her, accommodated his glasses on his nose, and said. "Alright, you win, Raina. What would you have me do in the meantime? Should I go inform the princesses of our progress so far? They'd be glad to hear of it, I'm sure."

"If they are still awake, then yes, that would be a good idea," agreed Raina. "I will be back as soon as I take care of business with my aunt."

"Alright, you take care of yourself, my friend," Rishian told her, his voice carrying enough weight to let her know that he cared about her well being. Raina understood that, so she nodded and smiled at him. "I won't be coming back without her."

"Good," said Rishian, registering Raina's wink. "You'll probably find me here by the time you get back."

Raina nodded and then moved away. She headed towards the chest and put the brush in there, then she came back to the middle of the room and found an open space where she began tracing a magical portal that would take her to her aunt.

Rishian just stood watching it all. When Raina entered the portal and vanished from view, Rishian left the room, eager to find the princesses so that he could inform them of their progress. As he went walking by a lonely corridor, he hoped that the princesses were still awake.

*End of Chapter*

It was already a new day, thirty two minutes into it, actually. Shan, who had already been sleeping comfortably, was suddenly awaken by constant heavy knocking at the door.

"Oh, for Reygalon's sake!" she cried tiredly as she noticed the time on an hourglass that she kept close to her on top of a small table near her bed. "Who the heck could it be now?"

There was also a lit candle there on the table, which had allowed her to see the time. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and
yawned loudly as the knocking continued.

At that, the healer got out of her small bed in an instant, thinking it was someone who required of her healing services. If it was just that, a client, then it was not the first time that she'd had to attend someone so late, or so early, so to speak. And it was good business, Matilda charged double the gems!

Wearing nothing but white, warm robes, she quickly grabbed the candle and headed towards the door of her room and out to the cozy living room.

"I'm coming," she grumbled when the knocking intensified at the door. "Jeez, don't break my door now!"

When she opened the door and found out that a group of five stood outside, she rose her eyebrows much in surprise. Soon her surprised state passed when she recognized Damera and his friends. But who were the two females behind them?

"How may I help you?" she gently asked, for she was not upset that she had been awoken. "Oh, I know, you forgot to tell me something earlier, aye?"

"Not really. Listen, Matilda," said Damera, speaking on behalf of everyone. "We are sorry. We know it's late, but we require of your services and quick!"

She was about to ask why, but then Arkus Razen stepped up the stairway and pushed her gently aside as he told her. "Trust me, we need to come inside."

Damera saw his friend's move as bold and rough, but as the others quickly stormed in after the blonde haired mercenary had signaled at them with a nod of his head, he followed after the silver haired female, the one named Ashie.

"By all means," Shan babbled as they all came inside her house. "Come on in."


"Again, so sorry," apologized Damera as he laid eyes on her. "It's just that it's more than an emergency."

"No, it's alright," said Shan, not really minding the situation, she even laughed lightly to calm Damera down. "I've been bothered often at this time of the day before, but mind telling me what's going on?"

"She needs your attention," Damera pointed at the female who wore a blue dress with white, curvy stripes. Shan regarded the young woman, and when Dusana became aware of the healer's attention on her, she extended her left hand and showed it to her as she informed, "I think it's broken."

Shan was nodding through out the woman's explanation, easily knowing that the hand was broken merely by looking at it. She came forward and revised the hand for mere confirmation, though, touching it gently and making Dusana feel sharp pain within.

"Ouch!" Dusana felt the pain.

"I'm sorry about that," Shan apologized with a warm tone. "Alright, surely it's broken, let's get you fixed."

"You can mend that instantaneously?" gasped Tyson from his place. He held an incredible demeanor before the healer's eyes, who had turned to regard him.

"Normally and with just our earthly given supplies I wouldn't be able to," she explained. "All I could do was straighten the hand, place a cast on it, and let the bone heal on its self. But magic does the trick, my friend." Shan winked at him as she said that. "It's more expensive but really worth it." Then, looking at the injured woman, she asked. "What's it going to be, then? The normal proceedings or magical services?"

"Magic, of course," this one responded right away, and everyone else in the room assisted that by nodding.

"That's going to cost you a red and a yellow gem," Shan warned and waited for a response. Dusana turned to regard Ashie, who told the healer. "Do it, we'll pay."

From his place, Damera nodded at Shan, his nod letting her know that in case the women could not pay up, he'd be paying up.

"Alright," Shan smiled. "You all wait here. Make yourselves at home, but please, do not touch anything, most of this stuff belonged to my mother and I cherish it more than all the gems in the world, even my own life."

The group stared at one another, but then some of them nodded at the healer just to let her know that they understood perfectly.

"Good. I'll be right back, I am going to go set everything up."

Shan headed towards a door-less entrance that led to the kitchen.

"I didn't know she knew how to use healing magic," informed Tyson with a surprised look upon his face once Shan was out of ear shot.

"She can," confirmed Damera, who was making his way towards a brown chair. "But I have not seen her do it, just heard rumors."

The others found chairs and even a long bench against one of the living room's walls. They sat down and waited patiently for the healer's return.

Shan arrived a few minutes later. "Alright, are you ready?"

Dusana nodded at her and stood up from the bench, where she had sat next to Ashie. She gave her dear princess a final look before heading after Shan, who led her to the kitchen.

***

Shan and Dusana came into the living room some twenty minutes later, with Dusana smiling and holding in her hands a silver tray with a large tea pot and six small cups.

Ashie stood up immediately when she saw her, so did the three mercenaries.

"You...it's done! You are healed?" cried Ashie. Of course she was healed, she knew, else her friend would not be carrying the tray.

"Yes," Dusana responded. "Shan did a fantastic job. I'm back to my old self again, my hand feels normal again."

Damera walked up to Shan and thanked her.

"It was nothing," said Shan. "Just doing my job, that's all. We delayed a few minutes since I thought you all could use a cup of tea before you go."

That's when Arkus cleared his throat, calling for everyone's attention.

"I have something I wish to say," he said.

They all stood watching him in confusion. Arkus seemed troubled with something.

"Then say it," Damera said, wondering what he was up to.

Arkus took a few seconds to collect some of his courage. "Alright," he began, with all eyes on him. "We know we'll be leaving the city soon enough. I was thinking about that and many other things as I waited here, and I came up with some sort of plan."

"A plan?" Damera asked him. "Can't it wait? I mean, our business here is almost concluded."

"Yes, you are right about that, but why not...take Matilda along with us now?"

The most confused of the group was Shan, who didn't know what the heck was going on. She knew the group had in mind leaving the city, but what had that to do with her?

Damera was not confused, and he began to feel a little hot within, knowing what Arkus was proposing. "You mean that we should head north and kill two birds with one stone, right?"

"That's exactly what I am proposing," confirmed the blonde mercenary. "By leaving now we elude trouble with the city guards, who without a doubt will soon begin to look for the culprits behind the assassins killings, but not just that, we take Shan along and head north. After all, you did mention to us under that porch that you had hired her to go check that Veeka woman out."

"Wait, what?" Shan turned pale at that, then she turned to stare at Damera. "What did you do, Damera? Oh no," she walked away waving her arms before turning around again. "Don't tell me that you and your friends...killed someone."

Damera stared at the floor, feeling hot. He rose his sight from the floor and stared hard at Arkus. "You need to learn to keep your mouth shut," he told him. "Shan didn't need to know about this, now you have involved her in all this, you idiot."

Damera started for him, but Tyson intervened, holding him back. "Hey, now! Remain calm, Damera, or I'll have to calm you down."

"Let go of me," Damera shouted, trying hard to get past Tyson's hold. Tyson was the strongest of them all, so that was impossible. "Let go of me so I can crush that fool's face."

"Haha," Arkus laughed aloud. "Bring it on!"

"Shut it, Arkus," Tyson shouted, struggling a bit to contain Damera.

"No you shut it, big guy. Shan's our friend," Arkus cried, grabbing a cup from the tray that Dusana held. He noticed that the tea hadn't been served yet, so he placed it back on the tray and continued. "All we are doing is bringing her along for the trip, nothing more. I say we head to Coriander and let things settle down here. What do you think, Ashie? Dusana? Isn't my plan brilliant."

Ashie didn't respond, she was as confused as Dusana was, and also could not believe that Arkus had been so bold so as to speak about their problem like that. What was worse, he had involved the healer in the process, who had nothing to do with their problem. Ashie felt so embarrassed then, knowing within her mind that maybe soon enough it would be known to the healer that because of her and her friend Dusana, that the three mercenaries had gotten involved in a serious matter. So serious, in fact, that two assassins had lost their lives moments ago at the hands of Damera and herself.

While trying to fight his way through Tyson's strong hold, Damera noticed Ashie's saddened semblance.

"Alright, I'll calm down, just let me go," Damera told Tyson.

"Good," Tyson shoved him away, Damera nearly tripped with his own feet, but he maintained his balance and straighten up.

"If you go after him," Tyson continued. "I'll have to put you down." Then he turned to regard the bold Arkus, who stood behind him and close to Ashie. "That goes for you two, Arkus, that was so bold of you. Give thanks to your god that I didn't shut your trap up with my own fist. I estimate you two, I really do, I love you like brothers, and so I don't like it when we discuss or fight with each other. We are a team, damn it!"

"Look," said Damera. "I know you try so hard to keep us two in line. But that was uncalled for, and you know it."

"It's done, just drop it," said Tyson. "No point fighting about it. It was wrong of him, but it's now in the past. We should be looking at how to resolve the matter, not argue or kill each other about it."

Damera regarded Shan, who was so quiet and very confused. She had seen it all and appeared to be lost for words. The mercenary leader was quick to head her way.

"I'm sorry we brought these problems to your wonderful home," Damera apologized as he searched within his satchel, from where he extracted two red gems. "You've served your purpose this night by healing our friend in need, thank you for that, here's your pay." Damera grabbed her hand and deposited the gems gently in her palm, Shan looking at him as if he was crazy. "We will now take our leave," concluded the leader. He turned to regard the females and asked them whether they were ready to depart.

Ashie nodded at him, so did Dusana, who didn't know what to do with the tray. She placed it on a close by chair and then followed Ashie, who went walking Damera's way. Tyson was next to motion towards Damera, who had started for the door. Arkus felt very stupid then, so he didn't know what to do.

"Now hold on a second," Shan talked loudly when Damera opened the door. He turned around and stared at Shan, closing the door again and wondering what she was up to.

"I know your friend Arkus has kicked up a storm in here," the healer proceeded to say. "but your friend Tyson is right. It's no use fighting about it now, rather a solution is needed. I'd really hate to see you all leave like this: with you angry at Arkus and Arkus unable to speak to you because of it. I'm sort of confused still, but I am smart enough to know that you all somehow got involved in some matter that led you to kill someone. Am I right?"

"Two assassins," confessed Damera, not too proud of that.

"Uh oh, from the Seh Quyrh?" Shan paled. Rumors had also reached her ears of such a dangerous group.

"Uh-huh," replied Damera. "They were going to kill these two young women had we not intervened."

"We'd probably been alright," Ashie believed. "We got you involved in that matter as well and I apologize to you now."

"No need to apologize," said Damera. "But really, I doubt you and your friend would have fared well against those two, not that I doubt your fighting prowess, my lady, you did well to fight for your life. But besides that, Dusana's hand was broken and we were there, so we got involved, no need to apologize for that, we knew too well what we were getting into when we took that action."

Ashie just nodded, which made Damera return his stare back to Shan.

"As I myself know now that I will be taking my own action," Shan got everyone's attention. When she noticed that everyone was staring at her, she went on to say. "Alright, just hear me out, alright? The incident with those two assassins has passed, and you all now need to run away to safety, for the Seh Quyrh will not be happy to hear of its members deaths. Arkus," she pointed at him. "even though it was bold from his part, I must admit, may have been right in the end. You see, I have no problem going with you all, in fact, I'd be glad if you accepted my help. Truly, I was going to set course for Coriander during the morning, so why not leave with you all?"

"It's just that...I don't want you involved," clarified Damera, the leader truly feeling down. "You know of the trouble we are in...your life can be in danger."

"Life is life," said Shan, and she even smiled convincingly before them all, even to Arkus, who seemed the somber of them all. "Things happen for a reason, you know? If I was to go to Coriander today, I surely would be going, doesn't matter in what manner in the end, does it? Come on, I assure you, it's alright. I'll aid you, just let me change into better garments and grab a few essentials and we'll be on our way."

Shan did not wait for a response, rather headed back to her room eager to get what she needed. Damera and Arkus crossed stares.

"I guess you can be happy now," Damera said. "You got what you wanted."

"Alright, I'm sorry," said Arkus, his voice genuine. "That was stupid of me. I just thought it was convenient, you know? The more the merrier and the better, and Shan is a great healer, we might need her."

"That's still no reason to get someone involved," cried Damera, who was positive in his belief that Arkus fancied Shan since a while back. "Look, I know of what you have gone through with the healer in the past..."

Arkus paled in his spot. "What?"

"Shan told me months ago," Damera spat. "I kept quiet about it, knowing how easily you seemed to get on edge. No one knows but me, I assure you."

Arkus, during those seconds, just wanted the floor underneath him to open up and swallow him whole. He felt a rush of embarrassment hitting him, and his heart began to thump his chest wildly.

"I see now why you may have acted the way you did just a while ago," Damera went on to say. "you probably have deep feelings for her."

"Why you..." Arkus, truly baffled at the news, made a move to go to him, but Damera lifted his arm up in a signal for him to stop. Arkus did, realizing that Damera was not at fault here, maybe Shan had been the one who had spoken to him about her past with Arkus.

"Calm down, stay where you are. I won't say that your past times lived with Shan prompted you to act this night."

"That is not the case," Arkus shouted.

"Look, it's no use talking about this now, we need to have a clear conscious if we are to get away from the mess we've gotten ourselves in. You've managed to get Shan involved in our little matter one way or another, so you'll have to take some responsibility when it comes to her."

"Alright, what do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you, man, just letting you know how it is going to be. Not only will you be watching out for her well being during the time she's to spend with us, my friend, but for your wild actions you will also be conducting the wagon when we leave the city, you are the better man for that."

"I have no problem doing that," Arkus told him, his voice normal and his whole being relaxing as the seconds ticked away. "But you'll have to tell me how is it that Shan told you about my past with her...You know what? I'll just ask her later, so forget it, alright?"

Damera nodded at him, then at Tyson, who seemed confused at it all. He had been hearing it all with his mouth wide open.

"I'm sure Arkus will tell you about all that later," Damera told him when he noticed the tough young man wanted answers. "It's not my business, really."

Tyson turned to stare at Arkus. "You will, right?"

"Not before I get the truth from Shan," Arkus responded and couldn't help it but feel a bit betrayed. "I had asked her not to talk about my past to anyone. Hell I even helped her out several times."

"Why? Is it too embarrassing?" Tyson asked, snickering.

Arkus rolled his eyes. "You'll find out later."

"Now this I have to hear," Tyson told Damera, who merely shrugged at him.

Ashie and Dusana just listened to them, wondering just what the hell was going on between them. Had everything turned out to be alright in the end? To the mermaid princess and her guardian it appeared that this was the case.

"It's alright now," Damera told them, confirming their suspicions. "All's well that ends well."

About ten minutes later, a more prepared Shan made it to the living room. She was now dressed as a typical mercenary with a red leather suit, black leggings, and brown boots. She carried a shoulder strap and four provision satchels all around her waist belt, and she wore her silvery crown on her head. Damera and the others noted that she had also wrapped white cloths around her forearms. At her left hip they noticed a small sword which had a golden hilt and crosspiece. Of the five companions, Arkus seemed to be the one who was staring at her with the most pride, despite the way he felt at the moment.

"Are you sure you want to come with us?" Damera asked her. "I mean, you don't have to, you know?"

Shan eyed Arkus and noticed his quiet demeanor. She knew that he knew, and all she could do then was offer him a kind, apologetic glance. Then she turned to Damera.

"Damera," she smiled at him as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "My mother always taught me to help those in need, and she was right," she took a quick glance over at Arkus as she went on to speak. "for merely by helping all of you out I am doing myself a greater good. The feeling that comes with that is worth it, trust me, you feel your heart glow within when you do for others."

Damera slowly nodded at her, pondering on her words. He glanced at Arkus and gave him a slight nod, Arkus returned the favor with a slighter one.

"Now let us get going, Coriander awaits us!" Shan cried.

There was nothing more to say. Five companions had come to the healer's house earlier, but now six companions had left it.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Raindrop14]

Hooray! Those were super amazing chapters!^^ I wonder, will all these side stories get tied in with the main one? Can't wait to read more!^^

 

[*M i d n a*]

Hooray! Those were super amazing chapters!^^ I wonder, will all these side stories get tied in with the main one? Can't wait to read more!^^

Thanks. I already answered that question for ya, but just in case anyone else is wondering about it...most of them will, as I have done so in the past.

Story News: Thought I'd change Vatti's character name to Sammy, after all, she did submit her character with that name, so why not have two characters with the same name, eh? Don't worry, it's alright, I'll make sure to keep you readers away from becoming confused. (I'll be editing the previous chapters in which she was known as Vatti) And as to Shadsie's character, well, I did speak to her but haven't received a response, so I am thinking that maybe she doesn't want to be a part of this tale, lol. So, I apologize, I should have gone asking her first. Anyway, I may change that character as well. Don't worry, you haven't read much about her yet, you only know that she's supposed to be Raina's aunt and a member of the Enkissen Rogues.

And now, here is the next chapter.

Foxy had been the most courageous of the trio ever since their arrival to the citadel eight months ago. It was she who had left her fears behind approximately some nine or ten minutes after the dark creature had exited the summoning room. She had stood up decisively while Annabeth and Sammy had seen her do it.

Because the room had remained so quiet with an eerie feeling hanging all about, and with few lit candles, Foxy had rushed to pick up several candles that laid on the ground near the table that Doodle had broken earlier with his own body weight. Sammy and Annabeth saw as Foxy lit the candles, that way producing more light within the dark room and defeating more of its darkness.

"Cousin, what are you doing?" cried Sammy from her place with much fear still in her young voice. "That creature could still be around. Get back here!"

"He's long gone," believed Foxy, who stood at ease holding a fat candle in each hand and admiring the dead bodies of the necromancers, particularly Doodle's body, which had ended near the wall. The old man's back side was actually what Foxy could see of his body, his face was facing in the wall's direction, a thing Foxy saw as very convenient, for she knew that the necromancer's face was probably nothing but pulp and blood. Sickened at that thought, she turned around over her shoulder and shouted. "Come on, you two, now is our chance to be free of this place!"

"Wait, how do you know that creature is gone and not lurking out there in the corridor, or in another of the rooms in this place?" Annabeth asked her, still seated at her place and as much scared as Sammy. "He's a damned creature from hell, or from any other foul plane of existence that these necromancers summoned it from! You think he'll just forget about us?"

In her seated place, Sammy swallowed hard.

"I think he would have killed us if he had wanted to," reasoned Foxy, turning her head forward, landing her sight on the drawn summoning circle. "He came so near us, he didn't harm us when he could have. I believe he's gone, I don't know where to, but he's not here in this place."

Annabeth and Sammy shared a nervous, unconvinced stare.

Everything was quiet within the citadel, even the thunderstorm which had been raging on earlier seemed to have diminished in power, for no thunderclaps could be heard now. Sammy frowned timidly, believing that perhaps her cousin's words were true, that the dark creature was gone and that this place, which had housed them for eight months, had only their presence at the time.

"Demons are evil," persisted Annabeth, standing up but remaining in her place. "They don't just leave anyone alive, especially humans like...us. He may be out there still waiting for us to go out so he can have his fun killing us. I mean you heard what that old man said earlier, demons hate humans."

Foxy turned fully around to regard her and Sammy. "I know nothing much about demons, but I think differently, Annabeth. I'll stay firm with my belief that he's gone. Heck, I'll even go and check out the citadel if that will make you believe me."

Annabeth just remained staring defiantly at her, and the young girl crossed her arms, as if telling her to go on with what she had in mind doing.

Foxy took the hint, the dare from Annabeth. She nodded at her, and when she actually motioned herself towards the blasted entrance, Sammy stood up and cried. "No, don't go, cousin!"

"It's alright, Sammy," Foxy responded without turning back around. "Stay where you are, I am just going to prove to you two that the creature is actually gone and that we are wasting time by remaining here in this forsaken place."

Sammy, the most scared of the three, just saw as her cousin went out through the blasted wall and door. As she stood there trembling mildly, she could only hope that nothing would happen to her cousin.

The time that she remained near Annabeth felt like an eternity. When the seconds turned to minutes, Sammy feared for her cousin's life, began to think that something awful had happened to her. Annabeth saw her shift uneasily in her place but did nothing more than remain in her place. Five minutes or so after she had left them, Foxy returned safe and sound before them, her stare on Annabeth mostly.

"See? I checked the corridor and all other rooms, the creature's gone," she informed them.

Annabeth mumbled. "Alright, so you win, you were right, he's not in here. But what if that devil is outside? I mean, just come to think of it, does that creature have a particular destination in mind? I think not."

"I don't care about him. What matters now is that we have to leave," Foxy mentioned. "Come on, Sammy, we can't stay here, our mothers are dead worried about us! So is uncle Marv. We have to get out of here and somehow find a way to make it back home. This is the opportunity I had been praying for every damn night, and I am not going to waste it by remaining here any longer. So come here."

Sammy, at those words, was quick to rush to her cousin's side. Annabeth didn't though, the black haired girl merely stood watching as the two cousins reunited in the center of the room, with Foxy telling Sammy not to look at the dead bodies laying about. Sammy did not look at them, but she was terrified nonetheless, for she had witnessed their death at the hands of the dark creature.

"I don't know what you will be doing, Annabeth," said Foxy then. "But you are most welcomed to join us."

Annabeth stared at her for a while then lowered her glance to the stony floor. She sighed, then admitted. "I have no particular place to go to."

"Anything would be better than this rotting prison," reasoned Foxy, wanting nothing more than for Annabeth to make up her mind. She did not want to leave her behind and all by herself. Somehow, having spent those eight months at her side had made Foxy pity the girl, who never spoke much about herself, nor her life. And what was worse, Annabeth had been the one who had been whipped and hurt the most, so as they had witnessed her suffering, the two cousins had felt tremendous pity for her.

"Got that right," Annabeth murmured and started walking towards them, her eyes darting from one dead necromancer to the other. "These idiots finally got what they deserved," Annabeth added, but there was no pride or gusto in her voice, more like a little pity despite the ill treatment she had received at the hands of the old man. "They were playing with the dark arts for too long that it finally caught up to them."

"So what will you be doing?" Foxy asked her, ignoring her comment. Foxy didn't care about the necromancers now, never had, and probably neither had Sammy and Annabeth herself. To her what mattered most now was leaving the place.

"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked her, bending low to pick up a candle. She placed it close to Foxy, and the girl tilted one of the candles she held and lit its tip on fire.

"Will you tag along with us and leave this place?" asked Foxy. "Or will you go your own way?"

"As I said," Annabeth reminded them with a somber tone. "Unlike you two, I have no place to go to. I have no family, no home, no friends, nothing. It's just me in this big world."

Both Foxy and Sammy swallowed hard and felt so sad for her then.

"You have us," Foxy had the courage to say that. Annabeth shot her a hard stare and kept it on her, unnerving the northern girl with it. "That is...if you wish it, if you wish to come with us."

"Let us just leave and leave her alone to do what she wants," Sammy whispered to her cousin, but Annabeth clearly heard her and shifted her stare on to her. "Isn't that what you want?"

Annabeth said nothing, and her hard stare made Sammy feel uncomfortable.

"What's it going to be, Annabeth?" asked Foxy.

Annabeth took her sight away from Sammy and stared at Luxley's dead body. "I'm not staying here," she declared after several seconds. "I hate this place much more than I hated that old man. I surely could not remain here. I'll go with you, but I don't guarantee you that I will go all the way to wherever it is that you are going."

"It's your life, you can tag along with us until you see fit, we won't be opposed to that."

"Alright, that's a deal," Annabeth nodded.

Foxy actually smiled lightly at her then, both because Annabeth had not delayed too much in making a decision and because she actually felt like smiling at her. What with all the pain and ill treatment they had suffered, Foxy hoped that her smile would be the beginning of the mending process.

Annabeth surprised Foxy when she smiled lightly back, however, her smile vanished almost immediately.

"Alright," Foxy, with her heart pounding her chest in excitement, turned to regard Sammy, and she offered her a candle, which Sammy took from her. "It seems we've got a plan now. But before we leave this place, we ought to search for anything that can come handy for us along the way. We'll need food, water, and blankets to keep us warm."

"Then let us get to it," said Annabeth, and at that, Sammy nodded and felt so relieved in such a long time. They were finally leaving this place behind, which meant that if they made it back home, they would be seeing their dear relatives once again. Sammy obtained courage out of those thoughts and hustled to help the other two girls as they got busy searching for anything that would come handy.

Sticking close to each other is how they did their searching, the trio of young women searched the citadel for any useful provisions they could find. They found food, water, and plenty of blankets. Annabeth even suggested that they should take a beautiful sword and some daggers that they found in Doodle's room, just in case they ran into trouble. Foxy had not wanted to, she had always hated weapons, but she knew Annabeth was right, that they could run into trouble out there. So she ended agreeing to take a dagger while Annabeth kept the sword and a dagger for herself. Besides all that, Annabeth collected any and all gems she came across in Doodle's room, she believed they could need them later. The old necromancer had been saving up gems for a trip down south, so Annabeth actually took several hefty pouches.

When they thought to be ready, they left behind that nightmarish prison where they had spent eight months of their lives suffering.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Raindrop14]

This was a good chapter.^^ Although, I noticed you changed the cousin's name from Vatti to Sammy. Now, either you told us that you'd be changing the name and I forgot or something else. Othriwise it was a great chapter! Can't wait to read more!^^

 

[*M i d n a*]

This was a good chapter.^^ Although, I noticed you changed the cousin's name from Vatti to Sammy. Now, either you told us that you'd be changing the name and I forgot or something else. Othriwise it was a great chapter! Can't wait to read more!^^

Yep, I did change the name, and I did mention that prior to the beginning of the chapter. I am sure Vatti will like the name change. And now here is the next update, a long one, I dare say, with Raina's aunt named Brecken instead of Shadsie. Brecken is a friend of mine and would have made the cut, except that I left many of my friends out for this one when I started it. So anyway, yeah...making switches for the final piece. *vanishes* (I'll add the chapter art intro later) :xd:

She mentioned that she felt cold and sleepy, but when the other five members of the huddled group heard her, they booed her and told her that she was no fun. A fat man who carried a huge two-headed axe on his back even gave her a thumbs down and a nasty scowl. "What's up with you, cutie?" he had asked her.

"I'm just tired, cold, and sleepy, Samshell," the thirty year old brown haired woman responded. "I want to go have a good rest before my relieving time comes, and that's in four hours. Four hours!"

"You just don't want to get drunk tonight, girl, that's all," said the woman known as Saskia from her place, which was at the other side of the fire. "Artolian whiskey is too much for your belly, then?"

The woman made a face and begin to shake her head in response, but then came a ridiculing laugh.

"Hahaha," another old man who was mildly drunk and who sat next to Saskia had done the laughing. "I bet that's about right, Sasks. Brecken is from Flenceburg, after all, those folks never last much drinking. Most of them are good with their magic, but when it comes to drinking...psh!"

Brecken, who was a slender figure and owner of a dangerous-looking face, gave the man a nasty look with her pair of blue eyes, but because she did not want to start an argument with the fool, she left it at that and instead stood up from her round stone, which had been serving her as a sitting place that night.

"Damn it's cold," she mentioned then, her breath visible due to the cold night. Brecken had merely said that to say something and forget about the fool, and she crossed her arms over her chest to strengthen what she had said.

"You know what, Breck?" another drunk male's voice was heard. Brecken looked at him, for he had been sitting close to her, right off to her left side.

"I used to respect you, woman," Galo said, acting as drunk as he was, his alcoholic breath reaching up to Brecken's nose. "But this is the second night you try to hit bed early. Why are you ditching us, my dear? Are we not to your liking any longer or what?"

"No, it's not that," Brecken responded coolly, and she avoided the stares from her friends.

"Well, then come sit back down here on my lap," Galo offered, the man even pat his own thigh several times whilst he held a wide smile. "Come on, you'll get into the mood right away, I promise."

"I have to disagree," Brecken rejected him, using as much a sweet voice as possible. "I wouldn't last that much drinking with you, what with the way I am feeling."

But Galo, already a bit drunk, wasn't going to have no for an answer. He stood up and tried to grab her by the waist, but Brecken, who wasn't as drunk as the men were, shoved him back on to his sitting stone, making Saskia smile at that.

"I'm sorry, Galo," Brecken said, and she even pat his shoulder in a calming, tender way. "I have to get some sleep, I need it, I didn't have that good a sleep last night. But you and everyone else have fun, don't worry about me."

Galo turned to stare at the group in such a funny way, the drunk man curious to know whether any of them had laughed at the way he had been rejected by the woman. None had, and Saskia's smile had already long vanished.

The others glanced at Brecken from their places around the fire. Saskia, who wasn't drunk at all, for she had barely taken a few swigs from a bottle, continued to stare at her, and Brecken noticed that from the corner of her eye. Something was bothering Brecken, Saskia knew. Brecken was usually up for some drinking and fun, but this was the second night in a row that she went to sleep early.

"I bet she misses the boss," said a young man off to Galo's left side. This one was bald, tan skinned, and with a thick brown goatee and green eyes. He was one of the two newest recruits, the one who had actually killed the female demon Zorkreyl. What he had said made the others laugh, and it made Brecken feel agitated. She rolled her eyes in disagreement. What did he know, she thought to herself as she gave him a passive glance. He was just a newbie in the gang and nothing more. Brecken had never liked him nor the other fool, who was laughing hysterically over what he had said in regards to Brecken missing the boss.

It was a cold night, but seated there around the fire and drinking and talking crazily about many things, the gang had been having a good time. For two straight days they had been doing some traveling during the day only to set up camp come nightfall. Their destination was the capital city of Artolia, where their leader had told them to meet up with him after two days upon his departure. They weren't very far to making it there, but nighttime had forced them to camp five miles away from the large city. The group had plans to get to the city come the morrow.

"Go on then," said Galo in a sour way, turning to regard Brecken. "Hit the bedroll, woman. You'll miss out on some fun, but it's your loss, not mine."

"There will be other nights for fun," Brecken sincerely told him before she started towards her bedroll, where nearby to it another small fire burned.

The woman actually had lied to get away from the group once again. She wasn't sleepy nor tired, rather she was troubled within, pained since a two days ago. She had used that time to think about many things.

All the trouble for Brecken had started when one of the group members, a female newbie, had run away at night two nights ago. Zeri Senzia was that newbie's name. Brecken had not known her that well, but to have come to find out the next morning that the young gal had ran away, had truly pleased her. Brecken had thought that morning that she should have done the same thing years ago, but she hadn't, because she had come to enjoy what she did within the group. But Zeri's actions had somehow sparked curiosity in her, had made her reconsider her actions these last two years. What if she ran away too and started over in some far away place where she could not be found? Zeri had successfully run away, so why couldn't she? But besides that, Brecken was also tired of hurting people, of stealing from those poor travelers they met, from killing those that resisted or anyone else who came at them. She was really tired of it all, but was it too late already?

As she laid thinking about that, she was not expecting to see a yellowish, glowing light a distance away. Brecken, keeping her right hand on the ground for support, rose slowly from her bedroll as the light intensified in hue and began to take the form of an arching door. Soon, on the magical door's form appeared glowing symbols. Brecken gasped lowly, for she knew what was going on. Someone, in some other place, had produced a magical portal and was seconds away from coming out. Brecken was quick to get up, and quicker to draw her small sword out. Then, someone from afar and to the south of her position shouted.

"Alert! Alert!"

Brecken recognized the guard's voice, it was just one of the three sentries that the group had placed earlier. Apparently this one had spotted the magical door as well.

The five huddled figures near the fire began to motion themselves as they heard the warning, and Brecken ran closer to the portal, reminded that the only being who had appeared through such means before had been her niece.

"Careful, Wayne," she said as she got to his side. "Could be my niece."

"Aye, Brecken," said the old, skinny, blonde haired man, the oldest of the group at forty five. He lowered his crossbow but kept it ready in case it was someone else.

The figure of a young female stepped out of the portal wearing a red long coat, her long dark hair trailing behind her. Brecken, of course, recognized her right away thanks to the light the portal was emitting, which was quite a lot.

"Raina!" she shouted happily, and at the same time pat Wayne's shoulder to let him know that everything was alright. Wayne, smiling, already knew that.

Some of the other members made it to the spot then, weapons drawn, but Wayne was already calming them down by saying, "It's alright, it's only Miss Raina."

Saskia and the others noticed that it was true. The woman who had played a part in Zeri's disappearance saw as aunt and niece hugged joyously, and she lowered down her oaken crossbow knowing the mage was not threat.

"What is she doing here?" asked Galo, who was barely reaching the group. Wayne shrugged at him, for he did not know.

"Probably just came to see how Brecken was doing," Saskia told as she turned back around, eager to return to the fire place. "It's been around five months since their last talk."

***

"What brings you here, Raina?" Brecken asked her niece as they remained a few feet away from the portal, which was beginning to fade in color.

"I came to talk to you," said Raina. "But we must do it alone, I'm afraid."

"Why?" wondered Brecken.

"It's actually an important matter," Raina responded, the headmistress of the academy of magic staring at some of her aunt's companions, who were looking at them from afar some twenty feet away. She nodded at them in salute, some returned the nod, but the others were already headed back to their places.

"Alright, let me go tell Galo that I will be talking to you. I hope he understands and doesn't have a problem with it."

Raina was surprised to hear that.

"You see, I told him a few minutes ago that I was tired and wanted to get some sleep, he may not like that at your arrival I will not be getting to do what I had in mind."

"I'll wait here," said Raina. "But do hurry up."

Brecken perceived a hint of uneasiness in her niece's voice, but she nodded at her then rushed towards the camp, where Galo, Saskia, and the others had returned to.

Brecken spoke to him about the matter, and Galo allowed her to talk to her niece, but he did tell her to hurry it up and that Saskia would be keeping an eye out from a close distance. Galo was the one in command at the time, so Brecken had to agree to that.

"Fine," she told the current leader of the group. "Saskia can keep an eye out on me."

Saskia agreed to that, not that she had any other choice, Galo already had ordered that she would be doing it.

Brecken headed off to the side to where the provisions had been placed, and from one of the small crates she grabbed a hold of an unused torch, one that she would use to light themselves while she was out talking with her niece. She headed to the fire and lit it, the torch's cloth-wrapped end catching on fire immediately, for it also had been splashed with some fuel.

"I'm ready," she said, holding the torch in her left hand. Saskia nodded at her, stood up from her place, and picked up her oaken crossbow from the side. She then followed Brecken out to the area where Raina had made her appearance.

"Take your time," she had told Brecken as they had been walking along the barren ground. "I'm not in a hurry to go back, even if the fire is invitingly warm."

Brecken merely nodded at her and didn't think too much about that, her niece's arrival had her thoughts spinning in a bit of confusion.

Saskia remained vigilant at a fair distance away but with the crossbow at the ready in case Brecken decided to leave. Ever since Zeri had run away, Galo had been so pissed that he had set another rule in effect. Any others from the group who attempted to run away, were to be killed on the spot. That is why he had sent Saskia to watch over Brecken, the drunk man wasn't taking any chances now, not when his boss would surely be chastising him, perhaps even hitting him, for having allowed a member to desert the gang in the first place. It had never happened before, and it shouldn't have happened in the first place.

***

Raina and Brecken had their talk, but from the place where they both stood, they never knew that Saskia had heard all of their conversation thanks to a magical amulet that she wore around her neck. The amulet, which was round and had two weird-looking stone figures encased in glass, when activated, allowed Saskia to listen in on conversations even from a mile away. She had received that beautiful amulet as a gift from a dear friend of hers when she had married her husband four years ago. Since Saskia had been a gossiper within the village where she had lived long ago, her friend, also a gossiper herself, had thought the pendant a fine gift.

Wanting to have respected Brecken's privacy that night, Saskia hadn't even given activating the amulet a thought. But she became curious of what Raina had come to speak about to her aunt, and so her temptation had forced her to activate it.

And so it was that she came to know about Raina's intentions. The mage had come here seeking to take Brecken along in order for her to help the princess of Artolia in some trouble she was having with a giant corpse that had been found near the mountains. The news startled Saskia, of course, but she remained cool in her place and with her crossbow pointing down, not wanting to give herself away to Brecken and Raina, who at times would turn to regard her.

Brecken, of course, when she had been told of the news, had opposed right away. Saskia was witness to that, to the fact that Brecken had immediately declined Raina's invitation to leave.

"I have no intentions to leave," had said Brecken, her voice truly sincere that cold night. "Saskia there will be fast to put me down should I even attempt something silly. I'm sorry, Raina, but I can't help you, sweetie. I left my bone-dusting career long ago, and I do doubt I'd be able to let you all know what manner of creature was unearthed, I hardly remember the creatures I found."

But Raina, holding on to her aunt's arms, had insisted, for she had come to take her aunt back with her in any possible way, by good or bad means. Raina had even cried and had told her aunt that she cared about her a lot and that she hated to believe what she had become, that she had hated it from the very first day she had learned of the ill news those two years ago.

"You are no killer to me, aunt," she had said. "You may have killed people before, but it is never too late to repent and turn away from this dark road you are following. Where is this going to lead you, eh? Will you continue like this until you get killed?"

"Stop! Enough!" Brecken had scolded her with a serious tone. "Don't insist, I am not leaving with you. I thought I made that clear to you last time we spoke about that! Why do you keep bringing this up, child?"

"But," Raina had cried at her. "Why must you be so hardheaded!? Don't you see that I just want the best for you! I don't want you to...die, aunt."

"Stop! I'll return to the camp if you persist with this," Brecken's hold on the torch had intensified. "My life, what I have made of it, is none of your business! You chose your path and I chose my own! Is that so hard to comprehend?"

Raina had just gone on to whimper, unable to reply to that. Somehow, seeing her niece cry like that, to cry so openly and with such sentiment behind it, had made Brecken's heart vibrate with emotion. She felt confused as ever and felt like crying then, but she held her tears back and just cleared her throat.

"Are we done here, then?" had asked Brecken when Raina remained quiet in front of her. Raina had been quick to look at her.

"Do you think your husband and kids would have wanted for you to become what you have?" Raina had asked, the headmistress knowing she was now using the very last resources she had to convince her aunt. " A killer?"

Raina had suddenly felt a sharp, burning pain on her left cheek, and her head turned to the right side thanks to the force of Brecken's delivered slap. Even Saskia in her place heard it and couldn't help but shiver at the impact. She was pained as much as Brecken was with those words, for in a way, Raina had also been lecturing her with her speech. Saskia was not so different than Brecken, really. They both had joined the rogue band because of their unexpected losses, had joined because they had thought their lives to be ruined, the joy of life lost with the deaths of their loved ones.

"How dare you, Raina!?" Brecken had said with an angry voice. "How dare you speak of my..."

"Of your family?" Raina had snapped, touching her cheek, which had turned red after the impact. "Of the precious and loving family you once had? No, that you still have! They remain, aunt, at an abandoned graveyard, but they remain, life really didn't take them away from you completely! I am sure you remember them still...in your thoughts and in your mind."

Brecken had lowered her head at that, truly hurt in her heart and feeling so bad within herself. She was barely registering that she had come to hurt Raina, her precious niece. That was one of the things she had never wanted to do. She sighed heavily and felt like a big coward then as she stood there holding on to the torch. That's when she couldn't contain herself any longer. The memory of her two lost kids and her husband pushed her tears to rush down her cheeks, however, Brecken was quick to clear them away with her free right hand.

"I'm sorry, Raina," she found herself saying. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that, sweetie." And she reached in with her right hand and caressed her chin. "Please forgive me, I reacted too harshly."

"I just want...the best for you," Raina had replied, not caring much about an apology at that time. She knew that she had hurt her aunt by reminding her of her dead family, so she probably deserved the slap as well. "But this is not the way, aunt. I love you, and so does everyone else who knows you. You still have a family! Those that you lost and those that remain alive."

Brecken had cleared her tears away, Raina continued with her speech, thinking that she had her aunt in a vulnerable spot.

"In your grieving times you desperately rushed to find an answer where there was none. Your path lies somewhere else and far from this kind of road, aunt, and you know it!"

Brecken had just remained staring low, one hand clearing the tears that had continued to stream down. Raina had thought her aunt needed a little comforting, and so she sought her hands and clutched them both tight, also gaining a stare from her aunt in the process.

"Will you not come with me?" Raina had asked. "You can begin anew, my dear and most beloved aunt, it's never too late."

Brecken had felt her heart so weak, although not as weak as she had felt it two years ago when those damned dark and unexpected happenings had taken her family away from her.

As she had remained thinking about the past briefly, she had been about to give her niece an answer, was about to confess to Raina what she had been thinking two days ago, that she had actually wanted to run away and start over somewhere else, but then they both had heard the approaching footsteps of a figure.

***

Brecken knew who it was without looking. It was Saskia, who held the sign of tears in her eyes. Raina was the first to notice them as she approached, but then Brecken turned her head around and saw the approaching woman.

"Is my time up then?" Brecken glanced upon her and felt confused when she saw those tears falling gently down the woman's cheeks.

"Yes, it is up," notified Saskia with a saddened tone, then she turned to have a look over her shoulder towards the camp. "Your stay with these stinking maggots, that is."

"W-what did you say?" Brecken asked, surely thrown off.

"Isn't it obvious?" Saskia turned to regard her colleague. "I bet you don't want to go back there with those men, do you? That's why you've been acting so weird lately, I can tell."

Brecken's heart began to race, and she frowned and showed a confused look. Right in front of her, Raina felt the same way.

"What makes you think that I don't want to go back?" Brecken began, but Saskia quieted her by saying.

"I heard it all, your conversation. It was very deep and truly touching." then, turning to face Brecken's niece, she added with a tender smile. "My respects to you, child."

Raina smiled lightly. Brecken's right hand, however, fell down to the hilt of her sword, which she carried at her left side hip. Saskia noticed her movement and followed it with her own pair of eyes.

"Hold it!" she told Brecken, who didn't bring out the sword, but she kept her hand on the hilt, nonetheless, fearing that Saskia would cause trouble for her. "I'm speaking genuinely here! I am not going to harm either of you."

"But you said you heard our entire conversation," countered Brecken with a rough voice, fearing Saskia was just setting her up for a trap, for a sudden strike upon her that would kill her there where she stood. "I...I can't have you tell Galo!"

"Shh! Relax, Brecky," said Saskia, but Brecken was too confused to relax. "I'm not going to tell anyone. I did hear your conversation, and I think your niece here is right."

Standing in her place, Raina was very pale and breathing hard, but she kept calm, believing that the woman was actually speaking genuinely and that she was not going to cause trouble for them.

"Listen," Saskia turned her head over her shoulder once again to have a peek over at the camp, she knew Brecken would not strike at her. Everything seemed normal at the camp, no one was spying on them. Saskia returned her stare to Brecken and said. "We don't have much time, Brecken. I know that you desire to leave this dark road as much as I do. We both made terrible mistakes by joining these rogues, but for now, all you need to know is that I am with your niece on this. You will be leaving tonight, and so is your niece. And I, myself, will be tagging along with you two."

Raina, having heard that, smiled nervously at her aunt, who didn't seem to be so convinced.

"Why?" Brecken asked, furrowing her brow dangerously as she stared at Saskia. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I have to, for both our sake," Saskia simply said with a shrug. "It was I who let Zeri go."

Brecken's eyebrows rose up in much surprise. "You...you let her go?"

"Yes. I would have ran away as well, except that I wasn't sure about myself that night."

Saskia took another wary look at the camp. Everything seemed to be normal over there, the men continued their talk and even appeared to be laughing contently. As to the three sentries, they were taking care of their business at their places, not minding them in the least, for to their knowledge, Saskia was watching over Brecken. Wayne, who was the nearest one, was actually staring in the other direction, too lost in his own thoughts to care about the women.

"This is just....it's just so unbelievable," muttered Brecken, still not wanting to register what was actually going on. She even thought for a brief second that she was just having a wild dream which had presented her with the much coveted freedom she had begun to desire days ago.

But it was not a dream, and she realized that when she pinched herself.

"Look at me now and tell me what you want to do," Saskia challenged Brecken then, she even walked up to her and brought her face just five inches away from hers. They were both about the same height, five feet six inches, although Saskia was the most robust of the two.

"What do you want to hear?" Brecken questioned.

"Alright, I can see that you are still undecided," said Saskia dryly, realizing that Brecken remained unconvinced. "Fine, if I was wrong in assuming you wanted to leave with your niece, then by all means go tell Galo and the rest of the gang so that I may be branded a traitor and make an attempt to flee. Know, though, that if you do that, I will have no mercy upon anyone who tries to stop me. I will use this crossbow," she lifted it up so that Brecken could catch a glimpse of it. "and you know how deadly I can be with it."

She was right, Brecken knew, Saskia was a devil with that thing.

Brecken swallowed hard and felt her whole being trembling either in cold or fear. No, not either of those things, she was trembling due to the tension she felt. Unable to keep staring at Saskia's eyes, she gave Raina a concerned look, and her niece looked back at her, almost imploring her to accept the woman's deal, which was to leave the band of rogues forever.

"I will not be doing any of that," Brecken said, returning her stare upon Saskia, who had not blinked. "If you speak genuinely," she went on to say and brought up her right hand and placed with her palm facing upwards. "then we leave this group tonight and bound ourselves to friendship here in front of my loving niece!"

Saskia gave her a slight nod, backed away a step, then she rose her own hand and clutched Brecken's own tightly. "Bound by repentance and honor," she said.

Brecken nodded at that and shook Saskia's hand, a wild pain coursing through her heart, but it was just the emotion she was feeling at the moment, an inner feeling that let her know that she would soon be free of that dark road for good. And not only her, but Saskia as well.

"Alright," Saskia let go of her hand and turned to regard Raina, who was crying lightly, her young semblance appeared to be dumbfounded at what was happening but also so glad for the two repenting women, who had finally come to understand that their path for them to walk in life laid somewhere else. "You'll have to be quick with your magical portal, honey, go ahead and open it, your aunt and I will cover you while you do it, and also our escape!"

Raina nervously began to nod, but when she felt her aunt tapping her shoulder in a soothing manner that let her know everything would be alright, she smiled and said, "Yes, let's do it, let us get out of here."

Raina's heart could probably have been glowing with much pride within as she moved to create the portal on an open area. She remembered about Rishian as she began to create the portal, recalled the promise that she had made him when she had told him that she would not be returning without her aunt. Well, it appeared to her then that she would be keeping that promise after all. She smiled sweetly, and more did that smile last when she knew that Rishian would be so glad and proud of her when he learned that not only had she managed to convince her aunt to repent and leave behind that dark road that she had been walking through, but that she had managed to do the same thing for another soul in the process.

Raina was skilled in magic, and so in less than three minutes, time that seemed an eternity for both Saskia and Brecken, she actually had the door ready.

"Come on, it's ready! Let's go, it's not going to last but a minute!" she told them as she waved at them invitingly. But in her wild excitement, Raina had shouted a little too loud. Both Saskia and Brecken understood that, and so did Wayne the sentry, who had heard the shout easily. He turned around, alarmed, so did another sentry who had been stationed to the north side, and that one held a crossbow as well.

When Wayne saw that Saskia and Brecken were both running towards the created portal, the man hesitated for one brief second, unsure whether they were running in an attempt to escape or not. But then, he heard the other sentry's cry coming from the north. "They're escaping! They're making a run for it, kill them!"

The laughter died at the camp as the men heard the wild shouting. They were too drunk, though, and so all Galo could say as he stood up was, "Kill them, damn it!"

Wayne heard him. He brought up his crossbow in an instant, the old man was not going to let them get away if he could. He quickly as hell rose the heavy weapon and kept his aim on Saskia as she ran. "Where do you think you are going, rabbit?" he whispered as he kept his aim true.

Saskia and Brecken had been too busy staring about the camp that they had not noticed that Raina had actually walked ten or so paces away from them in order to create the portal. That's why they were running for their freedom to it.

The sentry over to the north was the first one to let go of a wicked bolt.

The bolt sailed in and grazed Raina right on the right side of her neck, drawing a thick line of blood. She reacted by touching her neck in confusion, but then understood what had happened. She quickly headed near to the portal, feeling mightily lucky that she hadn't been killed from behind.

"Get in!" Brecken shouted at her, having witnessed her niece's near death. Another bolt sailed in from the north, but Raina was quick to sidestep in order to avoid it. At his spot, the sentry cursed aloud for having missed. He quickly fumbled to place another bolt.

Another bolt whistled in from the south side, Wayne's shot. It caught Saskia right at the back side of her right thigh, the bolt's sharp tip going entirely through her thigh tearing muscles along the way. Saskia yelped in pain as she felt the bolt penetrating her leg, and she fell down just three steps away from the portal, losing her crossbow in the process.

"Argh!" she cried in pain as she got up again, one hand clutching at her bleeding and awfully hurting thigh. She reached for her heavy crossbow and lifted it off the barren ground. It was a fine weapon, she could not leave it behind.

Brecken arrived close to the portal and shoved Raina into it as another wicked bolt from the north sentry sailed in on them. Raina was long gone and out of danger, and Brecken barely was able to duck the bolt, else she would have been caught right in the chest.

Angered, Brecken rose up immediately, then she turned to regard Saskia, who was limping towards her. "Go!" cried Saskia at her, waving an arm at her. "get the hell in!"

But Brecken was not going to leave her behind like that. Brecken had had in mind entering the portal last, after her niece and Saskia were out of harm's way, and she would be doing just that. She stretched her hand out to Saskia in a helping way, and Saskia reached and grabbed it, knowing she needed the help. Brecken pulled her over and then shoved her into the portal just as she had done to Raina. Saskia disappeared from view with a loud curse and was on her way to a safe place.

Over to the south, Wayne, who had placed another bolt on his crossbow, was already aiming towards Brecken, who was the last visible target he could see.

"Damn you traitors!" he shouted. "Die!"

Brecken noticed him, flipped him off, and ran into the portal just as Wayne's bolt sailed in on her. Brecken disappeared from view, the portal swallowing her. And as to the wicked bolt that Wayne had fired, had Brecken not gone in, it would have hit her right in the chest, but the portal swallowed it too before it began to fade in power. Wayne rushed towards the portal, cursing nonsense and hoping to make it in time. When he got there, the portal was long gone.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Raindrop14]

This was a REALLY great chapter!:clap: I love your writing.^^ Can't wait till the next one!

 

[Myriadviper42]

Just caught up. Good chapters, I'll certainly be keeping up wit this.

Oh, by the way, when and where do you think the different plots will intersect?

 

[Caeda]

These have been very good so far. I can't wait for the next one. Hope it comes soon.

Btw Myriad, I think that the plots will interscet... very soon, whenever that crazy woman (you know who I'm talking about, right?) awakens her "master". Though I have no idea where it could be.

 

[*M i d n a*]

This was a REALLY great chapter!:clap: I love your writing.^^ Can't wait till the next one!

Thanks, here's the next update. ^^

Just caught up. Good chapters, I'll certainly be keeping up wit this.

Oh, by the way, when and where do you think the different plots will intersect?

Sometime soon, as you may have noticed by reading, they already have. Other characters' paths will intersect later. The new day will bring lots of changes, btw. (I mean that day as in the story day)

These have been very good so far. I can't wait for the next one. Hope it comes soon.

Btw Myriad, I think that the plots will interscet... very soon, whenever that crazy woman (you know who I'm talking about, right?) awakens her "master". Though I have no idea where it could be.

Thanks. ^^ Yeah, as I've said, the paths have already begun to intersect, etc.

"Valhalla is sending in a team," informed the seven-foot tall Vanir spy, who was all dressed up in silvery armor and a pointed helmet that left only his pale face and his blue eyes visible. "From the chatter we picked up, to recover the body of the dark lord. They'll arrive Central Midgard as soon as the sun rises."

Lady Beliza, who stood in front of him, looked up at him indifferently, as if those news did not matter, and really, to lady Beliza they didn't.

The dark lady and the spy were having their chat within Beliza's hidden magical room, the same room where she had done her searching for their long-ago fallen master for many years. The two merely stood in the middle of the room, for Beliza didn't consider formalities of being of importance, at least not with those beings who were not from her realm.

Beliza and the spy were not the only ones within the magical room, though, the dark lady's three most trusted demon servants were busy opening up a portal at one end of the room. But aside from the demons, there also stood behind the lady three other female servants with wings and horns. Those servants represented beauty in their current form as they stood there behind their mistress, but the spy knew too well that the real truth of the succubi was that they were the total opposite of that. Long ago, Lord Baldr, who had created them from the remains of other dead beings, had given them the use of magical wings and the power to become spirits or transform into beautiful females, such as an angelus or a beautiful maiden from Midgard. Succubi, in their normal state represented the total opposite of beauty, they were ugly hags with spiraling horns on their heads, sharp teeth and long nails, and rotting flesh visible on different parts of their ash-colored skin. During Midgard's early years, after humanity fell from the All-Father's grace, the succubi were given a task by the disobedient child. That task was to molest good-sided humans while these were dreaming, mainly turning their dreams into horrific, vivid nightmares and merely because those humans continued to defy the disobedient child's wishes. Dream-Molesters, they were soon labeled by the humans, and the name still remains to date.

Though small in stature and usually thin, a succubus was actually stronger than an ordinary demon, but not the stronger of the Netherrealm dark servants, there were many other creatures mightier than them, though none as loyal to their true master as were the succubi. Only three realms possessed their service now: Ashland, Dushak, and Eshtakah.

"What those Æsir fools, or anyone else for that matter, do up to this point doesn't matter," responded the lady with much confidence, driving the spy's eyes back to her, for he had been observing the succubi intently. "We'll beat them to it. I, myself, and my six servants that you see here, were just about ready to depart to take care of that little problem, until word reach me that you had come bearing news. But anyway, let us say that even if we were to let the Valhallans have a chance at procuring Baldr's remains, we could just invade the heavenly realms and reclaim the body, and make things easier for our leader in the process."

At that, the Vanirian spy shifted uneasily before her, and Beliza caught the spy's sudden tension. The spy came from Asgard, of course, but not from the land of Valhalla nor any of its other three sister realms: New Orlea, Totenheim, or Ymir. He was from Jotunheim, a neighboring ice-covered realm that laid to the east, a land also known as the land of the giants. There, the Vanir resided under the rule of a new leader since they had lost their Principal two years ago at the hands of the mad god Loki, who had gone looking for the powerful sword known as the Demon Sword Levantine.

"Asgard is the weakest of the realms now," continued Beliza, making the spy look down at her, for with her words he had been somewhat embarrassed and troubled. "Why I believe that Midgard is even stronger than the heavens now."

The spy shifted uncomfortably in his place, and the three succubi grinned tauntingly at him from behind lady Beliza as she had finished saying that. The Vanir saw their grins and their satisfied looks, and the giant became a bit enraged at that, however, he remembered where he was, and so he put his thoughts on the words that lady Beliza had spoken. To the spy's reasoning, Beliza had said Asgard, not Valhalla, which meant that she was referring to the whole realms in heaven and not one in particular. So he had felt embarrassed that his realm had been called weak, but there was nothing he could do about it, unless he wished to strike at the dark lady and her six servants and die in the attempt. He remained standing straight, knowing that the dark lady spoke truthful words, Asgard was not so powerful at the moment. That too, Asgard's weakness, could be blamed on the mad god Loki, who had left the heavens in near ruin before his passing.

"Even with their holy All-Mother in their ranks," Beliza continued detailing her beliefs. "Valhalla will not be able to mount much of a resistance, should we invade, not even if all heavenly realms united."

"Should?" the giant spy let the question out, but with a hint of mockery. When he heard himself, he tried to shut his mouth, but it was too late. All three succubi looked at him dangerously, their eyes narrowing in anger. Beliza remained staring at him hard as well, but then she merely nodded at the spy.

"Yes, should, Vanir," she walked away from her place and started pacing in front of the spy, who had swallowed hard knowing he'd probably gone a little too far with his inquiry. As he stood eyeing lady Beliza, he had to ponder whether he would be leaving the realm of Ashland alive. He remained calm despite his fear, for he was a spy after all, and so any information he could gather from anyone, was more than welcomed and surely valuable.

"If Asgard hasn't been invaded yet," said Beliza with a little fury in her tone. "It's because of the wars that we have been fighting down here amongst ourselves. I would have done it already, believe me, Vanirian, except that war has come knocking at my daughter's doorstep. Saga's massive army has come, and so I cannot look away from that trouble at the moment. If he attacks Dushak and takes it, then we may be next."

"I understand, Lady Beliza," said the spy, and he even bowed in respect, for he could sense that deep within herself the dark lady was troubled, a little too much, in fact, that she appeared to have overlooked his faulty, ridiculing comment.

Beliza stopped pacing and looked at him. "Do you, now?"

The spy merely bowed again, afraid to say something that could cost him dearly. He knew just how dangerous this goddess was, had heard plenty of tales of her up in Jotunheim.

"But even as tense as the situation is at the moment," Beliza moved away from him and back to her old place in front of the succubi. "things are looking bright for us."

She seemed to smile at the spy then. "What with the finding of our master's remains, things will take a turn in our favor. Once risen, he ought to fix the troubles that plague us, and more. Very soon we won't have to be worrying about Saga, nor any other troublemakers, like the lord of the vampires, who resides to the west."

"Master Brahms has been giving you trouble?" asked the spy, curious to know about that. To his knowledge, no one knew much about the lord of the vampires. He merely kept to himself and his realm and caused little to no trouble for the rest of the leaders and their realms. It was a known fact that Brahms, the lord of the undead and the vampires, liked to visit Midgard often, and so his mighty dark magical castle appeared in western Midgard every night, though far from the reaches and prying eyes of humans and elves, two of the strongest Midgardian races to remain active since the first All-Father's Purge of the land.

"We've always been at peace with each other," Beliza informed, the mighty figure that was Brahms vividly painted in her mind. "Neither of us troubling the other, but he favors the heavenly creatures more than he does those who reside here in the underdark. And he's taken a liking to humans...just like that ugly hag cousin of mine...Hel. So I believe that he could be trouble for us in the future."

She paused for a while, staring at the spy, who just remained at his place.

"Anyway, why trouble someone like you with useless information such as that? I think we are finished here," she told him. "Unless you have any other information you wish to share, Tolg."

Tolg shifted in his place, and he nodded at her.

"I think I do have something that I haven't spoken to you about, and believe me when I tell you that it is something you wish to hear, my lady," Tolg said, and he stood straighter when he believed that telling the lady the following information would make her glad and even perhaps feel proud of his services.

"Go on," said Beliza, interested. "My coffers run deep, you know that. I will pay you well if the information proves valuable to me."

"Then, perhaps you haven't realized this yet, but Saga is no longer in the netherrealms."

At that, Beliza rose her eyebrows up in surprise, yet she looked at the spy with a bit of confusion. "What did you say?"

The spy chuckled. "Perhaps you were too involved with other important matters, lady Beliza, that you missed his trip to the human realm. Saga is in Midgard as we speak, our network learned of it just an hour ago."

Lifting a hand to touch her chin as she remained in a pondering position, Lady Beliza wondered to herself about the demon god's reasons to have gone to Midgard. If it was true, why would he abandon his army at her daughter's realm doorstep? She didn't know why Saga had suddenly left the netherrealm, but she breathed a lot easier and felt as if a big weight had been lifted off of her. She looked upon the spy then, curious to find out whether he knew why Saga had gone to Midgard or not.

"Speak to me, Tolg," she added, meaning that he should add more information. "Why has the masked God gone to Midgard?"

"We don't know his reasons," the Vanir spy replied dryly and shaking his head twice. "However, we've picked up lots of chatter up in Valhalla and its sister realms. It is believed that the masked God is now setting his attention on the humanly realm. He is looking to expand his gains and territory, to claim Midgard as his own and then hit Asgard fully."

"Interesting," lady Beliza said, her right hand caressing her chin. "Interesting indeed, Tolg. Your information is well deserving of a great payment."

The spy nodded and smiled at her. Lady Beliza rose her right hand up and snapped her fingers twice. At that, one of the succubi, a blonde haired one, was quick to walk forward, ready to attend her queen's call.

"Yes, my lady?" she said as she bowed before her from the right side.

"Zelkma, escort our guest out of here, and make sure he receives a deserving payment before he leaves the keep. And tell Kragnir to cease sending reinforcements to Dushak immediately, I fear there will be no attack coming soon, so no need in further thinning our ranks."

"As you say, my lady," said the succubus as she bowed yet again. Zelkma then turned to regard the giant Vanir and nodded at him as she said. "Whenever you are ready, honorable guest."

The Vanir turned to regard the dark lady Beliza one last time, he knew his time here was coming to an end.

"And so," lady Beliza smiled at the spy, clasping her hands at waist length. "Our business here is concluded, Tolg. Return to Jotunheim and tell your master that I, the dark lady Beliza, wish to know where his loyalty lies. Very well soon he might be facing such a decision anyway. Ashland is always looking for allies, our arms are ready to hug and receive any who wish to join us."

The spy breathed a little easier with those words, and he bowed respectfully, becoming aware that he indeed would be leaving the netherrealm alive and a whole lot wealthier.

"I will let him know, lady Beliza," he informed with a bow and a friendly smile.

"If he's to choose our side, then tell him to send word again," continued lady Beliza. "If he's to choose another course of action, then good luck be to you all. Leave now, for I am a going to get busy soon."

The Vanir spy bowed again, then followed the succubus out of the room.

And Lady Beliza turned to face the other two succubi who had remained at her side. "Purl, Guerxwien, we go to Midgard just as soon as Zelkma gets back. We'll have much to do!"

The two succubi bowed respectfully before their queen. They couldn't help but shiver in anticipation at what was to come. They knew they would probably be doing some killing later on, for if their queen had summoned them to accompany her, it was usually to be doing something like that. They had no problem with that whatsoever, quite the opposite, they were pleased to know that perhaps soon enough their sharp nails and teeth would be doing some killing.

"Let us go see how the portal is coming along." Beliza told them as she moved away.

The two succubi followed after her as she led them towards the demon servants, who were just about done creating the portal. One of them turned around and informed her that it was ready, but even as the she-demon delivered the information, lady Beliza could easily tell that the portal was ready for use.

"Good," Beliza was satisfied. "Guerxwien, bring me my satchel."

The succubus, who had short, brownish hair, bowed and moved to obey, and soon returned to her mistress holding a brown leather satchel. The satchel was where lady Beliza kept her most important possessions. Beliza opened it and revised it, becoming aware that everything that she would need was in place.

A few minutes later, when Zelkma entered through the invisible door and headed towards them, Beliza smiled in satisfaction. It was time for them to go through the portal and set foot upon Midgard once again, a land they had not visited in several millennia.

"After me, all of you," ordered Beliza, then she merely walked into the wide portal. Her six servants followed her in soon after.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Raindrop14]

Ooh, I smell trouble for Saga in Midgard. This was a great chapter!:clap: I was thinking about who Saga's father is and I got the idea that since both Hel and Brahms like the humans a lot, Brahms could be the father, but I guess we'll find out in a later chapter.^^ I can't wait to read more!

 

[*M i d n a*]

Ooh, I smell trouble for Saga in Midgard. This was a great chapter!:clap: I was thinking about who Saga's father is and I got the idea that since both Hel and Brahms like the humans a lot, Brahms could be the father, but I guess we'll find out in a later chapter.^^ I can't wait to read more!

I smell lots of trouble too. D: Oh, that's your guess? It's a good guess, and as you said, we'll find out in later chapters. For now, here is this small update. Oh, and this map of Asgard, which I should have posted a few chapters ago. It doesn't contain much in terms of locations, but at least gives you an idea of where the realms are located.

"Oh," Medusa was surely surprised when she saw her new reflection within her sister's hairdresser mirror. "Quite beautiful, I do say, Hel. Now I understand what you meant earlier by making you proud. Your daughter is quite beautiful, no wonder you are proud of her."

"Must have gotten her beauty from her mother, no doubt," cried Hel with a lot of pride from the place where she currently stood admiring her own white and purple dress.

To Medusa, it was as if she was staring directly at Magatha, except in a black dress, which her sister Hel had been kind enough to give to her before attempting the transformation, this so Medusa could put it on once the magic begin to take effect on her. For a brief moment, as she stood staring at the reflection, Medusa remembered about her long gone days when she had been a beautiful teenager, and that forced her to caress her face, the serpent lady yearning for her lost beauty during those moments. She also recalled the one who had taken that beauty away from her, and she couldn't help it but curse him under her breath, and more so when she understood that Hel and herself would soon be paying Baldr's remains a visit.

"You did an excellent work, sister," Medusa said and turned around to face her sister, who was disguised as Ailyth, except that she was wearing a white and purple colored dress and a golden diadem over her black hair. Medusa noticed that she was busy dusting off the front part of the dress, as if this one had a bit of dust on it.

"Now we surely will pass as normal human beings," added Medusa.

Hel looked from the dress over at her and nodded at her, for she was too troubled with other thoughts to even smile at her. As to Medusa, earlier she had been feeling a bit uncomfortable due to the sudden magical change. She no longer had the black serpents for hair, and she no longer had the lower body of a serpent either, instead, the transformation had given her the use of normal legs like the ones she once had had long ago. Medusa, when the transformation was over, had nearly stumbled to the floor like an infant would do when beginning to take his first steps. But Medusa had kept her balance and had remained afoot, though feeling her legs a bit wobbly.

"Will you be alright?" Hel had asked her when she had seen her sister struggling to take a step towards the mirror.

"I'll manage," Medusa had said, and she had done just that, she had managed quite well in the next minutes. Soon, she had been walking normally and feeling so excited to be back temporarily in her god-given form.

"We should get going," Hel informed as she came to stand in front of Medusa, who resembled Magatha in every way possible. "The sooner we do this the better, I don't like leaving my realm unattended."

"It will only be for a few minutes, I doubt anyone will know we will be gone," said Medusa.

"Very well, lets move."

As Hel finished saying that, Avonite nodded at her and began to create a portal that would take them both near the Artolian mountains where the remains of a fallen god awaited their visit.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Raindrop14]

Even though it was short it was good!^^ And now I finally got to see what they would look like! Can't wait till more!

 

[Caeda]

I feel sorry for Medusa now. I hope that one day she gets out of her ugly serpent lady form.

Why do I have the feeling that a battle's going to take place very soon?

 

[*M i d n a*]

Even though it was short it was good!^^ And now I finally got to see what they would look like! Can't wait till more!

Sorry it took a while to update, I've been busy lately and sadly I will probably continue to be for a while. But despite that, I will come and update whenever I can. Btw, thanks for reading, Raindrop. ^^

I feel sorry for Medusa now. I hope that one day she gets out of her ugly serpent lady form.

Why do I have the feeling that a battle's going to take place very soon?

Yeah, me too. And about the battle...you're right.

(I'll add Chapter intro art later)

Rishian Kaleem jumped out of his chair when he saw the portal shining brightly in front of him. With his heart beginning to race in wild excitement and tension, he knew Raina was back. He quickly walked to stand in front of the portal to wait for her arrival, hoping that his friend had been successful in bringing her aunt along.

A figure suddenly came walking out of the portal. It was Raina, and Rishian quickly walked up to her and grabbed her from the shoulders. "Raina! You are back! And you are..." he had taken notice of the bleeding on the side of her neck. "hurt."

"I'll be fine, this is just a scratch," Raina heaved, then she turned around to face the portal anxiously.

"What happened?" Rishian asked her, concerned voice and all. "Were you successful in convincing your aunt to come back with you?"

"Aye, but we ran into trouble just as we were getting away," Raina glanced at him and back to the portal again. "It's a long story left for later."

Rishian nodded and let go of her completely and became surprised at her words, but before he could begin to ask her, Raina glanced back at him and said, "We were attacked by my aunt's group. Let us hope my aunt and Saskia make it here, they should have entered the portal already!"

Rishian, fearing that Raina's aunt and friend had run into trouble during the escape, quickly took a step towards the portal in an attempt to enter it and go help them out, however, Raina secured his arm before he even took the second step with his left foot.

"Wait," she begged him, to what Rishian nodded. And not a heartbeat later, another female figure came out of the portal holding a crossbow and limping while grimacing in pain.

"I'm going to kill that woman," they heard her cry out. "I was suppose to have entered the portal last, damn it!"

Rishian and Raina both noticed the bloody tip of the bolt protruding from the woman's bleeding thigh. They both rushed to help her just as Saskia began noticing the surroundings within the room where she had been brought to.

"Saskia! You are hurt!" Raina cried as she came close to her right side.

"I'm fine!" the woman told her, merely to appease her worry, for she knew that Raina, and the young fellow who had come to her left side, were worried about her.

"Allow us to help you," Rishian told the hurt woman as he began to put an arm around her waist. Saskia just nodded and put her left arm around the young man's neck, knowing she could use him as support, for her wound was giving her too much pain to handle. Raina took the crossbow from her and Saskia used her as support as well, putting her arm around her neck.

"This is Saskia," Raina told Rishian from the other side. Rishian took a curious look at his colleague, believing the woman they were helping was Raina's aunt.

"No, she's not my aunt," Raina read him perfectly. "But she's a friend to us."

"I know this is a bad time for introductions," Rishian barely said just before another figure came out of the portal behind them. "But it is a pleasure to meet you, Saskia."

"Likewise," responded Saskia, who was oblivious to the fact that Brecken had just stepped out of the portal. So were Rishian and Raina.

They carried the hurt woman to the same chair where Rishian had been sitting and reading while waiting for Raina to arrive. As soon as Saskia was seated, she issued a loud sigh and banged her fist on the table. "How the heck did I allow myself to get hurt?"

Raina just shrugged, but then she turned around, and she noticed that her aunt had made it safe as well, but she seemed to be bent low near the portal, picking something from the floor.

"Aunt Brecken, you made it!" Raina cried happily, and both Rishian and Saskia turned around to see the woman.

Near the fading portal, Brecken straightened up, bolt in hand and nodding at her niece, who was rushing to her side. She also noticed that the young man who had been near Saskia, was coming towards her as well.

Aunt and niece met in a strong hug. Rishian was witness to that, so was Saskia, who despite the pain in her thigh, was all smiles at that.

"We made it, Breck!" she shouted from her place. "We all made it out alive!"

Brecken let go of her niece and nodded at Saskia from her place, then she turned to regard the young man who was patiently waiting at the side.

"Rishian," said Raina, then. "This is my aunt Brecken. Aunt, this is Rishian, the friend I spoke to you about on previous occasions."

Rishian was surprised to hear that, and only because Raina had just admitted that she had been speaking about him to her aunt. About what, he did not know, but he took heart knowing that at least he had been part of their conversations, and he knew whatever they had spoken about concerning him, couldn't be a bad thing.

"Pleasure to meet you, headmaster," Brecken offered him her right hand and a polite smile, to what Rishian responded as he shook her hand. Headmaster? Rishian thought seconds later. Probably Raina had mentioned the fact that Rishian was the headmaster of the Sorcery Academy to her aunt during her talks.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Brecken."

"Brecken is good enough," said Raina's aunt, and Rishian was quick to nod.

"Saskia is hurt," Brecken said then, with a worried tone. "We ought to see to her well being first and foremost, but before we do that, mind telling me where we are?"

"We are within the royal Artolian castle," informed Raina as her aunt went wild admiring the room with her eyes.

"Seems like it," Brecken agreed with herself that the walls looked royal enough.

"Anyway," Raina went on to say as she stared at her friend. "Rishian, could I bother you to go inform the princesses about this, of my aunt and Saskia's arrival? I will see what I can do in terms of helping Saskia."

Rishian nodded at Raina, then he left towards the door in a hurry.

***

And about five minutes later, Rishian came back with the princesses in tow and also a doctor who worked at the castle. Following behind them came a handful of soldiers, two of them at the front carrying a stretcher.

When they arrived the room, both princesses appeared to be worried before Saskia's and Brecken's eyes, particularly because of the small pool of blood visible on the floor. Princess Zeruda even gasped at the sight and covered her mouth. "My god, she's hurt," she had said. "Please, doctor, you must tend to her wounds immediately."

"Aye, Your Highness," the fat mustached doctor agreed. "Princess Nola, if you will."

At that, Hazel Nola turned to regard the two soldiers at the front and snapped her fingers. The two moved to action right away, clearing space in the room so that they could set up the stretcher on the floor.

"She was bleeding badly went I left," said Rishian from the side. "But not this bad. What happened to her, Raina?"

Raina didn't respond, rather just scratched the back of her head nervously.

"It was my idea," said Saskia, and she sighed heavily. "I did something stupid..."

While Rishian had gone away to inform the princesses of the arrival of Raina's aunt, Saskia had courageously broken off the tip of the bolt and had pulled the rest of the bolt's body out of her thigh, thus she had begun bleeding much worse. She had only done that because Raina, who was not an expert when it came to healing matters, had not known how to proceed with removing the stuck bolt.

"There," Saskia, grimacing through the foul pain, had told her. "Now you can just cauterize the wound or something, I've done you a big favor by taking out the bolt."

"That was...a bold move, Sasks," Brecken had said to her with a worried voice, but Saskia had just nodded and responded that it had been necessary.

"Besides," Saskia had admitted with a painful grin. "It's not the first time I do something stupid."

"I see now," Rishian said, not missing the fact that Saskia no longer had the bolt in her leg. "You pulled out the bolt."

Saskia just nodded and turned her sight away from his.

"Ahem. I need her on that stretcher if I am to attend her," the doctor explained to Raina, who quickly nodded at him before turning to regard the injured woman. Saskia nodded at her and then at the doctor and soldiers. The two soldiers were tall and strong, and so at a nod from the doctor they headed towards Saskia, but Rishian stopped them and proposed that he better assist them with his magic, so they let him. Saskia was placed on the stretcher, and the doctor quickly knelt close to her wounded thigh and went to work.

Raina, Brecken, and Rishian, turned their attention to the princesses.

"Rishian has told us what happened," it was Princess Hazel Nola who spoke before them all, her sweet teenage voice making even Saskia regard her and not the doctor who was attending her. "I know it's not a good time for pleasantries, but I am princess Nola of Artolia, and this is princess Zeruda from the neighboring realm of Flenceburg. I'm sure we will have time to be learning your names, good ladies, but for now, I thought it prudent to bring help. I want to welcome you both to my castle and implore that you get some rest after she gets attended. Tomorrow will be another day for talking about matters."

Both Brecken and Saskia nodded at the princess, the two ex-rogues not knowing how to act or what to say then, for never had any of the two been before the presence of a mighty royal figure, let alone two. Brecken, feeling tense within herself, even scratched her cheek nervously and Saskia gave her undivided attention to the old man who was working on her wounded thigh.

"I will make sure that they get some rest," assured Rishian, coming to stand next to his beloved princess. "As soon as she gets fixed up, I will make sure of that, Your Highness."

"You can trust him," said princess Zeruda. "He'll make sure of that."

"Very well," Princess Nola said, staring calmly at him. "I will be sending an assistant in a few minutes, he'll guide your friends to their rooms, they are preparing them as we speak."

"We all appreciate that very much, Your Highness," Raina bowed respectfully before her. "Thank you."

"No, thank you all for all this that you are doing. I know well that you all have gone to lots of trouble just to please me. So I am the one who is grateful with your presence and company. But like I said, it's late and we better get some rest."

There was silence for a while, but then Princess Zeruda cleared her throat and proposed. "Perhaps we better get some rest too, my friend."

Hazel Nola agreed with a nod. She offered her guests a warm smile before she left the room a few moments later, but not before the princess of Artolia had a word with Raina and Rishian near the door. She only thanked them both again for all the trouble they had gone to so far, and she begged them to remind the two rogue women, especially Raina's aunt, just how thankful she was for their presence and the help she would be getting soon, as soon as the morrow came.

"Everything will be alright, Your Highness," Raina had told her. "Go at ease. And you too, Princess Zeruda."

The two princesses did leave then, and Raina felt grateful that they had not asked too many questions in regards to what had happened.

Just as princess Nola had promised, an assistant, a blonde female dressed in servant clothing, arrived the room a few minutes later. She had to wait patiently until the doctor was done working on cauterizing Saskia's wound.

"The bolt tore through muscle," the doctor, with much blood covering his hands and clothes, informed them a few minutes later. "but no crucial veins or arteries were torn, so that's the good part. A month in bed should do it for you, then, but I am sure that tomorrow Princess Nola will get you a magical healer to work on a faster recovery."

Saskia nodded at the doctor in an understanding and thankful way.

Rishian, Raina, Brecken, and Saskia thanked the old man for his work, the Headmaster even pat his shoulder for what he believed had been a job well done on the injured woman. Then the doctor left the room, wanting nothing more than to clean himself up. Finally, the soldiers were able to carry the injured woman to another room that the assistant showed them. This room felt cozy and had a comfortable bed: a guest room, no doubt. The soldiers placed Saskia on the bed carefully, not wanting to do something stupid so as to open her wound or something. When they were done with their task, they exited the room.

"Is it alright if I stay here with you?" Brecken asked Saskia.

"I surely have no problem with that," Saskia responded then, knowing fully well that Brecken had wanted to have a long talk with her to sort many things out. "I'm not sharing my bed, though, too small and besides...I am wounded."

"I can always just crash on the floor, mind you," said Brecken.

"Help yourself, then," responded Saskia with a wink. Brecken turned her attention to Raina and Rishian, who stood patiently next to the female assistant.

"Are you alright with that?" Brecken asked her niece, who instantly nodded at her. What mattered to Raina was that they were all here at the castle safe and sound.

"Yes, I am fine with that," she said, too proud of her aunt. "I am just so happy that you two are here now."

Brecken hugged her niece tenderly and pat her back. "Isn't this what you wanted long ago? For me to change my wicked ways? Well now you can be at ease, child. I have! For good! We will speak tomorrow, now go get some needed rest, I am sure you need it as well."

"Yes," Raina agreed, her heart glowing with happiness within. "You've made me so proud, aunt, never forget that."

Brecken caressed her niece's hair and then told her that it was late and that it would be good if everyone got some rest.

"Can you bring a bed here," Raina asked the castle assistant. "the room is big enough to hold another one."

The servant was about to respond something but stopped short when Brecken interrupted.

"Oh, don't trouble yourself with any of that," Brecken said. "It's late, child, a few blankets will do it, I will just turn them into a bedroll."

"Fine," Raina agreed, not really in the mood to argue with her aunt. She turned to regard the young servant and added. "A few blankets will do."

The servant bowed lowly and then left the room.

Brecken nodded at Raina, then looked over at Rishian. "Thank you both"

"It was my pleasure to be of service," said Rishian, and he even bowed before Raina's aunt, who did not dismiss the lad's courteous behavior.

"You are welcome, aunt," Raina said. "But now I am afraid we must get going, we must be getting our rest too, it's been a long day."

"It certainly has been," said Saskia from her place. "For all of us."

Brecken nodded at that, then she told her niece. "You better go get some rest, dear."

Raina nodded at her. A few minutes later, she left with Rishian, the two feeling tired and eager to rest.

*End of Chapter*

 

[xmajorax]

Wow I really haven't been on much lately.. :/ I'm trying to catch up on the the story. Looks great so far!