Chapter 4: Enter! Wil and the Fish-girl!
The secrets of her past revealed in the words of two knights of Lycia. Now to meet her Grandfather, Lyn heads west, to Lycia, and to her destiny. A Mountain range separates the Sacae Plains from Bern. There are many bandits lurking here, the cruelest of which are the Taliver. They wreak havoc on both Sacae and Bern, and their savagery knows no bounds. On her tenth day away from the plains, Lyn witnesses their atrocities herself.
As the group entered the desolated town, Lyn walked ahead, shock and confusion riddled her features.
"This place…It's…" Lyn trailed off, trying to make sense of the run-down town.
"The entire area is in ruins. Why doesn't their Marquess do anything to help?" It was Sain who posed this question. Elfiya was at a loss, riots? No, that couldn't be the case; this is a relatively decent area from what she had gathered from the last city they had been at. So what caused this?
It was Lyn who filled in the blanks, "Taliver Mountain is home to a gang of vicious, ruthless bandits. No Marquess holds power here."
Ah, and we have a winner. As Lyn filled in the two accompanying knights on what happened to her tribe Elfiya surveyed the area, past experience reminded her what happens when one becomes too lax.
Elfiya re-entered the conversation when Sain and Kent offered to stand by Lyn's side in her pursuit for justice; she nodded her head fiercely in agreement, she would not allow her savior to fight alone.
"Oh! You too Elfiya?" Lyn looked surprised. Why?
Elfiya just grinned up at the older girl. Lyn stuttered out a thank you, as the four made their way further into the seemingly abandoned place.
Suddenly Kent threw out his arm to stop everyone from advancing further. He held a finger to his lips and pointed to a wall, he slowly walked forward, careful not to make any noise; Sain and Elfiya followed Kent's lead, with Lyn taking the rear.
Elfiya kept looking up at her companion's faces, all of which held dark expressions and poorly hidden anger. She didn't understand, the man wanted an apology; the female voice gave him that, but apparently he didn't accept that. Maybe he was hard of hearing; the young girl did have a seemingly soft voice.
Oh! There's another man!
She's quite a catch? What does that mean? The girl wasn't a fish!
Elfiya was alarmed; Hoodlum number two just suggested selling the Fish-girl! Elfiya was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the last part of the hoodlum's conversation; suddenly she was brought out of her mind-ramblings.
"Don't you touch her!"
The bad guys had tried to grab something of hers, a flying mule? Oh, a Pegasus! The Fish-girl must be from Ilia!
Wait, Ilia had Fish-girls? Interesting. Whatever Fish-girl said next was lost in the wind, she said it so quietly, Elfiya's group couldn't catch it. Once Hoodlum number one was finished threatening the Fish-girl we moved in, following Kent's lead.
"…Could it be-" Lyn ran towards the commotion, "- Florina? Is that you, Florina?"
Fish-girl responded, confusion and happiness shown on her features, "Ah! Lyn? "
Lyn ran up to the Fish-girl(who was apparently called "Florina") grabbing her by the shoulders, "What are you doing in a place such as this?"
The other girl started crying and spluttering, and Lyn adopted a sort of, fond look on her face. As Lyn began filling Sain and Kent in on how she knew the Fish-girl, meanwhile Elfiya focused more on the two men who were harassing Lyn's friend; burly and mean looking, and getting steadily more irritated at being ignored. The duo decided to rejoin the conversation.
"Aha! You heard her! She admits her fault," exclaimed the second man, "She stepped on my friend and now she's got to pay!"
Lyn tilted her head towards Fish-girl, body facing the Hooligans, "Did you apologize, Florina?"
Fish-girl nodded her head furiously and began sputtering out her attempts at reconciliation.
Lyn wrapped her arm around Fish-girl before giving the Second Hooligan her full attention, "Listen, she's obviously sorry. Can't we just let this pass?" She looked him over, "Besides, you don't appear to be injured or anything."
The man that Fish-girl landed on-shoved his way past his friend and into Lyn's face. He yelled at Lyn, declaring that Fish-girl was going with them, even if they had to take her by force. With that he and his friend retreated past a house.
The group stood in alarm, when they heard the leaders shout. Within moments the run-down village became surrounded by bandits, all eager for blood and money.
Lyn spun on her heel with a desperate cry, "Elfiya! We've got to fight back!"
"I already planned on that m'lady." Elfiya replied scanning the area and breaking down strategies.
Fish-girl approached Lyn, "Lyn…I…"
But Lyn cut her off. "You're a Pegasus knight, aren't you?" Fish-girl nodded, "You can fight can't you?"
"Yes!" The lilac haired girl responded with a little more force than necessary, she then turned to go her Pegasus ready.
"Listen carefully, Elfiya. We're facing bandits. They're underlings, but we can't take them too lightly." Elfiya was insulted being told not to take things lightly; she never does, not since…
Lyn started talking again, "Let's clear them out of here. Are you ready?" Elfiya just looked at Lyn, both of them knew they were.
"Kent, Sain, are you both ready?" Elfiya asked them both. The duo looked at each other before nodding in sync.
Fish-girl was conversing with Lyn, when Elfiya was checking up on the Knights. When she got back Fish-girl spoke, "Well, Elfiya…I'm pleased to meet you."
"It is nice to meet you as well Fish-girl." She smiled widely and turned away unable to see the looks of confusion on their faces.
With that the battle began.
Fish-girl informed her that there was an archer behind the eastern wall and a swordsman to the north. Elfiya sent Sain and Kent to deal with the Archer and Fish-girl to deal with the Swordsman, Lyn and herself went to the first house cluster to notify them to close their gates. Gaining an archer named Will in the process. She had him finish off the archer Kent and Sain were dealing with.
Once Fish-girl had dealt with the swordsman, she ran to the next house cluster, they had given her money, and the knowledge that there was an armory to the south-east. Kent was sent to deal with the axe-wielder, with him being the closest and the only one wielding a sword. Will had been ordered to take care of the Bandit on the other-side of the wall.
Elfiya bit her lip, this next play was a close-call. She pulled Kent back, having Lyn take care of that axe-bandit, Will taking care of the other archer in one shot, leaving Fish-girl to weaken the swordsman and Sain to finish him off. The other swordsman decided to attack Fish-girl, but she took care of him, no problem.
Having only the Leader left Elfiya sent their new companions, Will and Fish-girl off to deal with them. Sending everyone else off to purchase a few lances and swords, Will made the first move.
"Draw your swords! We're not listening to any of your stinking apologies!" The Leader barely had time to finish his sentence before he was hit by one of Will's arrows; the man grunted but remained standing. Elfiya then moved Fish-girl into the mountainous area near the Leader and wait, figuring he would attack first; it would even out the playing field between them, since Fish-girls lance is weaker against his axe.
Elfiya smiled when her predictions proved to be true, the Leader attacked Fish-girl after the two had a quick discussion. Fish-girl got hit, but still managed to sink her lance into him twice, weakening him further.
Elfiya gave the man an once-over, he was still standing but barely, their previous attacks were taking their toll. She sighed; if only he had listened earlier she wouldn't have to do this, but, too late for apologies now. Will again made the first move; the Leader fell to his knees, breathing heavily.
"This is your last chance! Surrender and you live!"
Elfiya turned to Lyn, wondering what the heck she was thinking, they couldn't let him live! He would hurt more people!
The Leader laughed coldly, "Oh, are you being serious little lady? I'll kill you all!"
Fish-girls eye caught Elfiyas, and she nodded, Fish-girl tightened her grip on her lance and struck. The man fell flat on the ground, grunting as his face hit the dirt; his final words being a threat against the group.
"You'll live to regret this…My brothers…The Ganelon bandits will not let this stand…"
And with that he gasped his last breath and died. Fish-girl moved away from him, accepting a vulnery from Elfiya and a hug from Lyn.
Sain and Elfiya walked up to the man's fallen body. Elfiya began rifling through the man's person, searching for something. She ignored the others demands for her to stop as she found what she was looking for; a folded piece of worn-out leather, with scraps of parchment.
Sain tried to pry her off the fallen man, "Lady Tactician! Stop this once! Have you no decency?"
Elfiya wrenched her arm away from Sain and sat herself beside the dead man, pulling out a leather-bound journal and charcoal stencil from the folds of her cloak, she opened to a fresh page and began copying bits of information from the dead mans' scraps-to her own journal.
After a few more moments Elfiya snapped her journal closed returning it to her cloaks folds, then shifted around and returned it to the dead man's pant pocket.
Kent stomped towards Elfiya taking her arm and harshly pulling her up. "Tactician! What was the meaning of that? Are you no more than a common thief, pillaging the fallen of your enemies? Have you deceived us all this time?"
Elfiya looked up at the Crimson-knight wide-eyed and confused, what did he mean? Surely Knights of Caelin honored those whom fall in battle, the same as her family does!
"Sir Kent, I do not think you understand what I was doing." Elfiya began slowly, taking Kents silence as a good sign she continued, "This is how I honor those who have died in battle, I write their names and the day they died down in my journal, so that their families can be informed."
Elfiya watched as Kents face quickly filled with red, he dropped her arm and took several steps back, apologizing all the while. Elfiya smiled and waved his apologies away, turning her attention on Lyn's friend… who seemed to be crying again.
"Yes! There's no reason to give up your dream!" proclaimed Lyn.
Alright now Elfiya was confused.
Bemused, she watched as Sain knocked Lyn off to the side and went down onto one knee-taking Florina's hand in his. "Lovely Florina! I have the most brilliant idea!"
Before he was able to finish his sentence, Kent called out his name, hoping to draw his attention away from the girl; but, Sain was not deterred.
"You should come with us!"
Florina blinked. She should what?
Sain continued, "With the addition of Wil here, we're a fine group of soldiers, and freelance to boot!" His voice filled to the brim with excitement and face full of promise.
Wil reeled back for a moment, "Wait, did you just include me?" Elfiya looked over to Wil, when did he get here?
"Of course," Sain shot up on both feet, throwing his arm over Wil's shoulder. "We were destined to meet here! It's fate!"
Sain barked out a laugh, "Come now, Lyndis's band of mercenaries is as good a training group as you will find anywhere!"
Kent pulled Sain a few feet away from Fish-girl, "Sain…This is no joking matter."
Lyn looked at Florina, whom clearly was confused. "Lyndis? Um, Lyn? Mercenaries?" Florina didn't know where to begin! Who did they mean by 'Lyndis"? What exactly was that knight speaking of, mercenaries?
Lyn smiled sheepishly, "I can give you details later. This is all a bit rushed. However, Sain is right." Everyone's head shot up.
"Will you come with us Florina?"
"Travel with you Lyn? Truly?" Florina's voice waivered a bit as she continued, "I would be so…so happy!"
Sain placed himself in-front of Florina once-more, "Fantastic, beauteous Florina! I am a Knight of Caelin." He took her hands in his, voice deepening and eyes becoming half-lidded in a sort of smolder, "My name is Sain…" Before he was able to finish Florina let out a loud squeak, pulling her hands away from Sain's grasp and taking a few steps back.
"Stay back! Don't get so close." her voice softened at the end of her sentence.
Sain closed his eyes and smiled, fixed in a sort of trance. "Ah…Beautiful, and yet so modest!"
Kent stood off to the side, shaking his head at his partners antics; He addressed Lyn, "I beg your forgiveness. Calling us mercenaries…"
Lyn cut him off, "No, I approve." She grabbed Kent's arm and pulled him down her level, quickly she whispered, "We can't leave Florina on her own. She requires special attention, though. Can I count on you?"
Kent spoke lowly in reply, "Yes! You have but to ask." And with that he bowed and walked back over to Sain.
Wil rocked on his heels as he spoke up, "So…Is it really alright if I travel with you?" he asked.
Lyn snapped her head towards Wil, she had completely forgotten that he was with them, "Oh, yes of course! If you're willing, Wil." Elfiya smiled at Lyns pun.
Apparently Wil had gotten the joke as well, he chuckled lightly, "Actually, I'm very grateful. Truth be told, all my money was stolen, and I'm a bit at a crossroads." He smiled sheepishly. "I would be honored to count myself one of Lyndis's legion!"
Elfiya stood back and watched with a smile and wonder, at how fast their little rag-tag group steadily got larger. With two new members they were two stronger but, that means there are also two more people that need to be kept safe and kept alive; Elfiya hoped that she could carry that burden.
Still, having more people wouldn't be too bad, she thought. It was almost like they were building a family.
Florina was using Lyn as a shield to get away from Sain, Lyn and Kent were both trying to stop Sain from bothering the poor girl, and Wil was just laughing at the groups antics. Elfiya couldn't blame him, as she too, succumbed to laughter.
Lyn looked at the laughing Tactician, as she thought, 'Lyndis's Legion? This is getting stranger with every day, Elfiya.'
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Okay everyone I am SO SORRY! I've been super busy and this has just been sitting on my laptop untouched for so long! My poor baby! But I'm back now! Junior year has really taken a toll on me, which is why I haven't written, (I'm also job hunting) But I promise more updates are on the way! I have the next chapter started.