In the midst of battle the maid of Phelgia fall. She watched as the Risen enemy stabbed at his horse first. One shot with a lance to the horse's upper leg hindered it almost lame. It shrieked in pain. The shrieks of pain would have been delightful from another source but not from his horse…and certainly not from him. Another ran up with a killer lance in hand, ripping the horses other leg almost cleanly in two; it hung on by a few ligaments. Another horrid whinny came from the horse.
The rider's eyes lit up with pain as he felt his horse get stabbed and then slashed suddenly. He shook loose of the saddle and its straps before leaping to the ground. There was a heavy clank as his metal armor hit the ground. Sweat drenched his brow and the ends of his mop of brown hair were damp with sweat as well. He had an iron sword in his hand and a steel one sheathed upon his belt. As a knight, he wore no shield. Upon the ground he was slow in his heavy metal armor, but Stahl stood strong. Her lover was the strongest man she knew of.
It all happened slowly in her mind. She ran over to help him, book clasped in her arm and a spell on her lips. Dark magic began to swirl around her as she muttered out an incantation. The Risen attacked Stahl once again—two on one. The silver lance hit his shoulder in the chink between his armor. The killer lance dented his breastplate. Stahl gave a choked sputter as the metal indented in on him. From afar a blast of fire was hurled. It hit him spot on. She ran towards him, releasing the spell she had been casting. It missed the lanceman. Stahl was writhing in the flames; his shrieks pieced her dark soul.
Tharja doused him with water and tonic quickly, then left him momentarily. She would have revenge upon those who had so gravely hurt the one she loved so dearly. She spat out a vengeful spell. Dark spirits rose from the earth and gathered around her. Her dark hair hung over her deep eyes like a cowl; she cackled once and released the spell upon the two lancemen and the archer. The spirits went at them, tearing them apart bit by bit. The spirits bit at their flesh and tore at their souls. The shrieks of the dying Risen satiated her soul. When they at last lay in pieces she turned to her lover. He was barely breathing. She set upon healing him but the spell simply absorbed into him and did nothing further. Tears fell hot from her eyes down upon his blackened skin.
Tharja placed Stahl's head upon her lap and stroked his cheek and hair gently. Suddenly, she could hear the man speak.
"Don't worry….darling…be okay. Promise."
Tharja gave a choked sob and let the tears flow freely once more. Her spell book had been cast to the side of her and her hair hung over both of their faces affording them some privacy.
"I love you," she said for the very first time.
Stahl gave a weak smile, then was no more.
Tharja kissed his forehead, grabbed her book, and stood. With tears flowing from her face she released a dark hex. Dark spirits gathered around her and her lover and extended past them. Within moments every one of her enemies, every one that had hurt or could have hurt her lover, was dead upon the ground.
Lying beside her charred lover once more the woman said:
"I'll never get to see you smile again, idiot."