Real quick, I just want to once again thank you all for the support on the story as of late. I'm glad some people like my putrid writing.
Encounter Number 9: Enemy Berserker
The sound of galloping horses echoed through the frozen woods. It was a constant uphill ride, scaling the terrain heading towards the Kingdom of Magna. Of course, the voyage had its drawbacks. It grew colder, and the weather worsened. It snowed and hailed often, causing the Heroes to slow down on their trek.
The small bit of forest had many trails leading up to more rocky terrain, where large boulders and cliffs began to appear. Beyond that point, horses could no longer continue with their mounted riders and had to be escorted up the bumpy trails of the mountain by rope.
A fire crackled in a small opening in the forest, it created a small orange aura in the area, the snow bearing down all around, landing on trees nearby. Three tents were set up, four horses tied to trees nearby their own fires, covers and blankets draped over them to keep them warm.
More firewood was tossed into the fire as Katsue walked out of her tent, huddled up in a blanket, shivering.
"I...I hate this weather...It's always warm and humid in the Myre..."
Alban nodded, he crouched and tossed twigs and medium-sized sticks into the fire. His face was straight, his body language comfortable and collected. He took a deep breath as he stood up to his full height. He looked up at the white sky, looking at the large snow clouds, observing the snowflakes that fell all around him.
He turned to Katsue with a grin. "Hm...I haven't been in this weather in so long. I'm almost fazed by it after such a long time."
Katsue walked over to a small log and sat down on it, her back arched to lean in towards the warmth that radiated from the fire.
"Yeah well...The coldest thing we ever got in the Myre was when it rained. Or when it was breezy out. But...That never really happened at the same time..." The Shinobi said solemnly, her teeth chattering.
Alban stood with his arms crossed, a slight smile across his face. He felt taken back to once again be standing in the weather he had grown up with.
"The snow should stop soon, in a few hours hopefully. We can continue on the road towards the base of the mountain, where there is Gate Outpost that guards the entrance to Einar's grand fortress."
Katsue looked at her map, her hands shaking. "Uh...H-Here...We can't destroy the Outpost...S-So it's different than Caldurn's Base..."
"Hm?" Alban looked at Katsue with his eyebrow raised.
"It's circled in black ink. L-Look at the key...The circled locations shouldn't be destroyed. It has to be for a reason." Katsue shrugged.
Alban turned his map over to read the instructions on the back.
For the Red Team, on your third Checkpoint, you should have destroyed Caldurn Brynjar's Base and made sure that no Viking made it out alive to warn the Outpost Gate. This Outpost Gate is located at the base of the mountain you're already beginning to scale. It is run by one of Einar's close generals, a Valkyrie named Mildred Azouf. This Outpost is the last line of defense before you finally reach Einar's 'Kingdom'.
But unlike Caldurn's base, you must preserve this Gate. Your team will be assembling with the Blue and Yellow teams to take out this outpost. The Green, Pink, and Purple teams will be taking out another Outpost on the far side of the mountain. Once securing the base, take some time to rest, and send a messenger back to Fort Diamond. We'll be sending in a well-equipped army of men your way to assist you on your siege of the Warborn. Fort Sapphire and Fort Lapis will also be sending in their soldiers.
Keep that outpost intact, so the soldiers have somewhere to ready up and attack the Kingdom of Magna, as well as somewhere to retreat to if things go wrong. I trust you, Red Team. Good luck, and be careful.
4. Your final checkpoint, the Fortress of the Warborn, and the home of Einar Magna.
Alban stopped reading; he nodded his head in understanding.
"I see. We need somewhere to receive our armies. We'll be able to attack Magna's Headquarters easily from such a close point. It's a solid plan. So our next move is that Gate Outpost."
Katsue nodded her head; she put out her hands near the fire and rubbed them together. She blew on them and shuddered with cold.
Alban chuckled to himself. He turned to look at his other two allies. Airi was huddled up within Emora's arms, resting her sleeping head on the Warden's shoulder. She cooed and snored quietly and cutely.
The Highlander sighed. "Hm...Emora...You really do love her, don't you?"
The Warden was gently passing her hand through the Nobushi's hair. She was looking into the fire, watching it burn and move vibrantly. She looked calm, and content. The two were sharing a blanket, Emora with her arm wrapped around the sleeping Hakushi.
She caught Alban looking at her. She jumped a bit, but she blinked and smiled warmly in his direction. Alban smiled back, looking her straight in the eyes. He decided to walk over to the two girls and crouch down next to Emora.
"So, she's asleep." He said quietly.
"Yep...This isn't the first time it has happened." Emora whispered.
The two looked down at the Nobushi, who honestly looked adorable when she was asleep. Her soft facial features looked relaxed, free of worry and stress. Her long eyelashes making her look beautiful in her unconscious state. Alban shifted, remembering his encounter with her a few days ago.
"I hate you."
"The feeling is now mutual."
His own response to what this innocent Samurai had said to him made him feel guilty and at fault.
"Damn it...Why'd I say that to her? I don't hate her."
Alban looked up at Emora, who was looking at him with her captivating, mesmerizing gaze. Her warm, hazel eyes looked at him intently, an honest smile on her soft lips.
"Something about her...What is it?"
The Highlander blinked and gave his Lord a charming grin, making the Warden's smile widen into her own perfect grin.
"E-Emora...I..."
The Warden's grin slowly disappeared. Her gaze was killing Alban. She looked at him with curiosity.
The Highlander paused, taking in more of Emora's appearance. He felt his own heartbeat accelerate, he detained from blushing, but he swallowed deeply, making Emora tilt her head in concern.
"Alban...Are you okay?"
The Highlander, for the first time, was speechless. He opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't want to. He was in love with his Lord and Commander, and it shocked him.
"No...She has Airi. I...I can't."
Emora stopped rubbing Hakushi's head and waved her hand in front of Alban's face.
"Hey, you're scaring me...Are you hurt? Talk to me!" Emora struggled to stay quiet as she naturally raised her voice when she was worried or panicked. Airi shifted slightly in her sleep but remained in her dreams.
"She's...She's such a pure person. Her golden heart will be the end of both me and Airi. How the hell are you real? How can you care for so many people at once, care for all of them enough to risk your life for them, enough to kill for them? How can one human have that much compassion in them...And what are the limits of their benevolence, their warmth...Their love?"
Alban shook his head and stood up to his full height, leaving Emora's hand suspended in mid-air, reaching up for the Highlander. She looked up at him, her eyes begging for the confirmation of his well-being.
"I...I'm fine, thank you for asking, Emora."
The Warden slowly pulled her hand back and put it to her beating heart. Still looking up at Alban, she nodded.
"Okay. I just wanted to make sure."
Alban crossed his arms and exhaled in relief. He looked away from his Lord, trying to think of a way to escape her enchanting presence.
"I'll go get more firewood. Keep Airi warm while she sleeps."
As he began to walk away, he stopped to the sound of Emora's voice calling out for him. He turned around and looked at the Warden's now glowing irises. Her golden stare paralyzing him.
"But...You just came back from getting wood..."
Alban cleared his throat and looked at the fire.
"It's fine. I'll go just so I don't have to go out when it actually needs more wood." The Highlander lied.
Emora frowned, her eyebrows slanted in anxiousness. She sighed and looked down at Airi.
"Okay. Go ahead..."
As the Highlander disappeared into the snowy forest, Emora felt her fast-paced heartbeat on her hand. She gently tugged on Airi to hold her closer. She looked over at Katsue, who was shivering lightly, her hands out towards the fire.
"Alban...The way he looked at me...It felt so familiar. Like how Airi used to."
Emora paused to bite her lower lip.
"I'm confused. Now I can't think straight anymore."
Emora's thoughts had leaked into her mouth, making her quietly mumble them out loud.
"What did you say...? You're confused...?" Airi's voice snapped into Emora's ears, making her squeak.
"Oh! A-Airi! You're awake! I'm sorry...Did I wake you up?" The Warden asked.
The Nobushi lifted herself off of Emora's shoulder and sat up straight. She stretched and yawned as she looked at the Knight.
"No, I woke up on my own. But...What was that you were saying. What're you confused about?"
Emora swallowed and made a face of unsureness. "N-Nothing...It was nothing, Airi. I was just...Thinking about stuff."
The Nobushi frowned in suspicion. "Okay...If you say so."
Emora's eyes darted away as she passed her hand through her hair, sweeping it to the right.
Airi frowned and looked at her own hands.
"Confused...Confused about what? She must be fighting herself over Alban...I recognize this feeling."
Airi looked away and turned to Katsue, her heart filled with jealousy. Without saying anything, she stood up and walked over to her with her map. She greeted the Shinobi with a polite smile and hug and began to discuss their next course of action, leaving Emora sitting alone, looking lonely and abandoned.
"Oh...Okay...I'll just assume you slept well...I'm feeling fine too...I love you...Whatever..." The Warden whispered to herself, her voice drowned with a dejected tone.
A few hours later...
Alban looked at the sky, it was dark now, and the snow still fell. The absence of sunlight made the temperature plummet. He clutched his fists and put his head down as he shuddered a bit.
"It's getting cold out. We should wait till the morning to keep moving. Until then, we should put out the fire and rest up a bit more." Alban turned to Airi, who was sitting in front of the fire reading a book she had brought with her.
"Alright. We can do that." The Nobushi looked up at the Highlander with a short, but firm look, her deep brown eyes bore into Alban's skull.
"You don't need to tell me twice." Katsue yawned as she got up and threw her blanket inside her tent.
"G'night!" She said cheerfully.
"Goodnight, Katsue." Airi smiled.
"Sleep well," Alban reassured.
The Shinobi gave one last wave as she disappeared inside her tent, both Airi and Alban watched as the small lamp inside went dark. They turned to each other with grim looks on their faces.
"I guess I'd better go to sleep too." Hakushi scoffed.
"Everyone needs their rest. I'm done for today." Alban got up and stretched. He walked towards his tent and crouched down to enter it. He looked over his shoulder to see Emora sitting at the fire; her hands clamped together, fingers intertwined, and her head down.
"Goodnight, Emora."
The Warden flinched and looked up at the Highlander. With a warm smile on her face, she gave him a nod. Alban turned to Airi, who was sitting outside of her tent, looking straight at him.
"Uh—See you in the morning, Airi." He said after hesitating.
The Nobushi said nothing in return; she only looked away and crawled into her tent. Alban sighed before entering his own.
Emora closed her eyes and put her head down again. She quietly spoke to herself in prayer, the more she spoke, the tighter her grip on her own hands got.
Airi poked her head out of the tent after a few minutes and looked at the whispering Warden. "Emora...? Are you coming? You should rest, you know."
The Knight finished her prayer and looked up at the Nobushi, whose eyes were weak with exhaustion. She sighed and rubbed her left eye with her hand.
"Y-Yeah um...I will, in a bit. I'm gonna go for a walk alright? I need some fresh air and some time to think by myself. You can go ahead and get some rest, I'll join you later." Emora said with a soft tone, making the Nobushi worried.
"Are you okay? Do you need to talk to me about something?" Hakushi asked.
"It's nothing, Airi. I just need some time alone. Get some sleep, okay?"
The Nobushi shifted uncomfortably, but she sighed and nodded her head.
"Don't take too long, okay?"
Emora nodded her head, she watched as Airi retreated into the tent they shared and stood up from her log. She slipped on her gauntlets and grabbed a few handfuls of snow. She threw it onto the fire and watched as it fizzled out of existence. She took her gauntlets off and placed them inside her tent, where most of her armor was in pieces, and folded up.
She was wearing a black silk shirt underneath a white long-sleeve wool shirt, dirty beige pants made of thick cloth and her brown leather boots. She untied her hair from its usual ponytail and let it run loose down her back and onto her breasts. Long strands of hair draped over her eyes and on the sides of her head, she brushed them aside and tucked behind her ears, giving her the appearance of a common villager. She fixed her fringe over her eyes and swept to the side so that it sat neatly above her eyes.
She picked up her longsword and felt its hefty weight and comfortable grip. She placed it over her shoulder, like a baseball bat, and began to walk into the cold, snowy forest.
She trod through snow that reached halfway to her shin and looked up at the pine trees that held snow on their branches. It was snowing lightly, there was little to no wind, and the sky was mostly clear except for the small snow clouds.
Emora walked out of the tree-line, she came upon a clearing that was near a gap on the side of the mountain. Down within the gap laid a valley of more forest, a forest that connected with the eastern forests of the Myre. She put her hand out and let snowflakes fall onto her warm palm.
She exhaled; she looked at her own icy breath in the air in front of her. She placed her sword in front of her and examined it. She touched its cold metal with her fingertips, causing them to tingle with frost.
"This sword...It has the blood of so many people on it. So many warriors. So many enemies..."
Emora walked near the rocky ridge that led down a large cliff into the valley. There were large flat rocks glistening in the moonlight, giving the thoughtful Warden a place to sit down.
She sat with one leg spread out to the side, while the other was tucked up; giving a place for her to rest her arm on, her forearm dangling off kneecap. The other arm was holding her longsword on her lap.
A slight breeze blew on the Hero's blonde hair. Her eyes shined like crystals in the white light of the moon. She shuddered lightly, shaking off the cold feeling across her body.
Memories of the past ran through her head, the side effects of such tenacious experiences all rushing back to her.
"Mahron...His casual attitude in battle. He taunted and played with me...How can he be so light-hearted in a situation where he could end up dead? People like Elea and Cyrus...Always so calm and humorous, even in the eyes of death! How do they do it...?"
Emora looked at the hilt of her sword, sturdy and well-made. The ends were sharp, it was V-shaped, and it could stop any blades from reaching her fingers that always held on so tightly to the handle.
"Rowen...What did I do to you to make you want to kill me so badly? It wasn't just because I was donning enemy colors. Conquerors are criminals...What went wrong...What did I remind you of?"
The Warden's nose wrinkled as she frowned angrily, trying to concentrate on what she was truly trying to analyze.
"Mariah...Who knew you were related to Jacques. It would've been nice to know. But...I didn't get to ask, did I? After seeing you cut down Airi the way you did...I lost all sense of decency. I made you mutter my name...Your maker. I'm not your maker...Yet I'm the one who destroyed you."
The senses of the Knight amplified as she closed her eyes. She could feel the cold of the wind on her face and hands. Her eyelashes swaying ever so slightly in the breeze.
"Ohmar...I'm so sorry. Your village is unprotected...I wonder how they're doing right now. They don't have you to protect them or teach them. What're they going to do? Are they all dead? Are they starving because you didn't bring those fish? Were they raided yet again by Samurai? Were they found by a small Legion...? Your armor so thick...Your reasons for fighting so upright and honest. I'm sorry."
The Warden tightened her grip on her sword. She began to pierce through the delicate skin of her fingers as she wrapped them around the blade.
"Arun Steel. You filthy bastard. You'd be damned to see how Rose and Daisy are doing nowadays, you cynical prick. Jacques Pierre...You were alright...But you pissed me the fuck off. I know I killed your sister, and for that, I apologize...But you didn't have to make me and Airi fight...Especially if you knew how I felt about her."
Emora opened her eyes and sighed. She looked at her hand, two small streams of blood running down her fingers and onto her palm. She looked at her own sublime blood, at how it shimmered in the night, at how red something could really be.
"Gunnvor. Your message would've likely gotten many small Legions of Ashfeld destroyed. I'm glad we stopped your disaster before it happened. But...I'm sorry for the way you had to go. Down in the water...The way it felt to be devoid of any air...To be unable to breathe...I'm sorry. No wonder we use the sword...It is much more efficient and quicker than having to be horrified of the thing we drink."
Emora swallowed heavily, she touched her own throat as the saliva moved down it. She opened her mouth and took a deep breath, enjoying the cold, fresh air that entered her body.
"C-Caldurn...You detestable asswipe! Your vision of a leader was corrupt and wrong. I may be weak sometimes...But I always manage to pull through when everyone else needs me. Unlike you of course...I didn't see you anywhere while we were burning and destroying your entire base. You waited until the end to finally help...Yet you ended up in the ground anyways."
The Warden spat forward, her spit flew over the side of the ridge. She scoffed and shook her head. She narrowed her eyes in thought, remembering the moment she had earlier with Alban. The way he looked at her so intently and directly, without swaying or being distracted...It surprised her.
"He wanted to say something...Right? What was it...I wish I could go back and find out. He was looking at Airi so strangely...What's going on with them. I swear...Airi has been acting so differently lately...Is it because of him? It couldn't be. Why would it? The fuck is goin' on anymore."
Emora opened her eyes and scowled at herself. She tried to clear her mind, but she couldn't shake the feeling of her now beating heart.
"I...I feel something different for both of them. Alban...Airi. The amount of comfort I feel with them is unexplainable. Alban...I've only known him for about a month, yet I feel like I can trust him like I can Apollo or Cinder. As if I've known him all my damn life! He saved me once already...He's so friendly and genuine. A guy with such a pure personality doesn't come by very often...I want to keep him close by...Forever."
Emora's body warmed up. Her hands grew sweaty, and her neck hot. She annoyingly put her hands out in front of her, letting the cold air cool them off.
"Yet...Airi. I've been with her for so long. I know how she talks, how she acts, how she feels in every situation we're ever in together. But...This time it's different. I can't read her. She's feeling something different...Something I've never seen or encountered throughout our entire relationship. What is it? Fuck. She's changed since this mission against the Warborn...Maybe she doesn't like Vikings...Or she doesn't like the cold or something."
The Warden put her head down; she let her eyes rest on a single spot down in the valley. She thought hard, trying to figure out what was happening around her.
"Since the mission with Gunnvor...When she was by my bedside, telling me how I got saved...She hesitated. How she left afterward for some reason...But I didn't hear her walk away. That moment we had back in Caldurn's base, she told me she loved me out of nowhere. It caught me off-guard, that's for sure. Why'd she do it? Right after I saved her from being frozen in battle. Why'd she freeze up? She was looking in my direction, so that might have something to do with it."
"Fuck.." The blonde said quietly.
"She was facing me...I had killed a Berserker. Wait! Earlier today...When she woke up trying to find out what I was whispering to myself. I was thinking about...About..."
"Alban!" Emora said out-loud.
"Who's Alban?" A voice said from behind the Warden.
Emora turned around, her sword still on the ground.
"Alban! Alban! I was thinking about Alban, about my feelings for him! How he looked at me! How I felt...So worried about him! T-That's why she's been acting so damn strange! Alban's the key to everything! Wait...Wait but...Why? Why is she acting the way she is because of him? Does she...Does she not like him? How could she not like him?! What did he do!? In Caldurn's base...She was frozen because I had just killed someone who tried to attack Alban from behind...She hesitated to tell me how I didn't drown because Alban was the one who saved me...She insisted on knowing what I was thinking about because...Because I was thinking about..."
Emora paused; she looked at the person in front of her.
"About Alban."
The person nodded his head as if they understood what was happening.
The realization hit the Warden hard. She opened her mouth, her eyes widened with shock.
"Right after I refused to tell her what I was mumbling about...She got up and walked away from me...Left me alone...Deserted me! She walked over to Katsue and didn't even bother to talk to me at all after Alban left! She left my room in Gunnvor's village because she must've been ashamed that she didn't save me, but Alban did! She...She didn't warn him of his attacker in Caldurn's base because...She wanted them to kill him...She wanted him to die! Her strange behavior...It all started since I've been on a team with him! She hates him! Why?! Why Airi!? What the fuck!"
"Hm. This Alban guy seems pretty important." The figure said.
Emora blinked back into reality. She looked at the man who stood in front of her.
Fairly tall stature, wooden mask around the eyes, long hair tied in messy braids and locks, a thick beard, muscly arms, long, powerful-looking legs. He wore a short-sleeve shirt, baggy cloth pants, brown leather boots, wool wristbands, spiked animal pelt shoulder pads, and a strong leather belt from which two twin axes hung from.
A fine example of a rogue Berserker stood in front of the off-guard Warden.
"AH! W-Who the fuck are you?" Emora shrieked, she took a few steps backward, completely startled.
The Berserker shrugged, he folded his arms and looked at Emora with a boring stare. "I'm just out trying to get a late-night snack."
"W-Woaah!"
Rocks chipped the edge of the ridge as Emora nearly walked over the edge. She bent down and picked up her sword, her breathing panicked.
"W-Well...Go away! I don't want to kill you!" Emora warned, her entire body shaking.
"Kill me?"
The Berserker paused; he took in Emora's appearance. Her casual looking clothes, lack of armor and helmet, and her loose hair waving in the wind.
"How come you have that sword? You don't look like much of a fighter." The Berserker asked.
Emora snorted and began to laugh, she sighed as she stopped to answer. "I may not look like much, but you'll be surprised at what I can do in battle. I'm not clumsy and blind when I fight, like you, Berserker."
"Is that a goddamn challenge?" The Viking unfolded his arms and prepped his axes in both of his hands, holding them both tightly.
The Warden got into a battle stance; she slowly began to walk forward, away from the rocks near the edge of the ridge.
"May I ask, are you part of the Warborn? Because you sure have the attitude of a Warborn Berserker."
The Viking laughed. "The Warborn? No, I'm not a part of their little brigade. I live on my own, living my own life. Have you never heard of me? I'm Alfar Magnus, one of the most notorious bounty hunters in all of Valkenheim."
Emora's eyes widened in surprise. "A bounty hunter? So, you're a rogue. You work on your own I assume."
The Berserker nodded his head and grinned. "I'm always on the move; I try not to stay in one place very often. Large Viking clans, like the Warborn for example, always try to hunt me down to do some of their dirty work for them. I don't like doing things for other people, despite how good I am at completing the things they ask for. Especially when it includes killing."
"Hence your job as a Bounty Hunter." The Warden said sternly, she began to circle the Berserker.
"I didn't want that title. But it just came upon me. People hire me for assassinations, espionage, incognito work, all that crap. Hell, I've even been asked to fight out on the main battlefields of Valkenheim, whenever two different clans decide to fight over some crops or something. I'll do whatever if they can find me of course. Not only that, but I appreciate getting rewarded for my help."
Emora frowned. "You're greedy."
Alfar released a small chuckle. "I wouldn't say that. I don't work for free. Let's just say I'm not very generous."
The two warriors stared each other down. Alfar began to shake his axes around, quivering his hands in excitement.
"Speaking of which...I've heard that the Elio Legion was spotted destroying a large fortress not too far from here. Aren't they supposed to be allies?"
Emora's heart nearly stopped. "Shit! Who the hell spread the word! Fucking hell...Einar must know we're coming now..."
"Yes, but I assume that they're not, at least not anymore."
The Berserker grinned. "Well...That's unfortunate. But...I still have that question I asked you earlier. How do you have that...Stunning sword?"
The Knight swallowed hard, she looked at Alfar, her face full of unease.
"I...I... I found it. Erm...I... I uh...I'm just...It's not really...I..."
The Berserker's eyes were slanted with boredom. He tilted his head at Emora.
"Really?" He scoffed.
The Warden paused; she cut herself off from her endless stuttering and looked at Alfar with a face of bleakness.
"So. I only know a few warriors that use longswords. Knights. Wardens. They are the only ones experienced enough to use one with precision and skill. And you said before that you're a good fighter...That you're more than you seem."
Emora shifted in her stance, her lips parted a bit to speak, but she ended up gritting her teeth together in frustration.
"And... Judging by your appearance...You look like a Knight. You have light colored skin, blonde hair, a small and smooth nose, thin eyebrows, and those light hazel eyes. You're definitely Caucasian."
Emora found herself blushing "H-How...I... Tch—Fine! I am a Knight. A knight from Ashfeld. A... A Warden." She exhaled, feeling defeated and flustered. "Jeez...You're really good at observing...I didn't think someone could be so...Speculative."
Alfar grinned. "Well. At least now I know I'm fighting someone worth my time."
"You don't want to fuck with me. Just go. It'll benefit both you and me."
"Where's the fun in that? Come on. It's been a while since I've actually broken a sweat while fighting."
"I'll spar with you, but I don't want to kill you."
"And you think you can kill me?"
"I know I could."
Alfar frowned. "We'll see about that, blondie."
Emora's eye twitched with a spark of intimidation. "You're taunting me now."
"You gonna do something about it?" Alfar crouched down low, getting ready to fight.
"Maybe I will!"
"Then do it!"
"FINE!"
"FINE!"
The two Heroes charged forward at each other at a high speed. Alfar leaped into the air, tucked his legs in, and shot them out with extreme force in the form of an obliterating dropkick. Emora dodged to the side, she readied her sword, ready to land an easy strike, but almost as soon as Alfar hit the ground, he recovered with a swift kick-up.
Alfar turned and raised his axe in the air, perfectly blocking the Warden's sword.
CLANG!
"Not bad!" Emora exclaimed as she retreated.
"There's more where that came from!" The Berserker laughed.
He front-flipped, held his two axes in one hand, and launched forward a knife from his belt.
"HUA!"
Emora moved her head out of the way just in time to dodge the flipping knife. It stuck into a tree not too far away. She turned to look at Alfar with surprise.
He charged forward, lifted up into the air, and raised one of his axes in the air.
"Hgh!"
Emora blocked the hit but failed to block a second that struck her in the side. Blood shot out and painted the white snow with beautiful spills of red.
The Warden, without the help of her impact absorbing armor, staggered back, holding her side in pain. She glared at the Berserker as he jumped into the air with a battle cry, this time, both of his axes lifted up into the air.
"Not this time!"
Emora swiftly parried the attack; she whipped her sword to the side, knocking Alfar off balance. She followed up two quick slashes across the Berserker's torso, and then lifted her sword up in the air, bringing it down with a huge amount of force.
Alfar grunted as he parried the attack, his axes crossed over each other. He cracked one forward, striking Emora in the ribcage. He then maneuvered to the right, faked his strike, and slashed her with an uppercut attack instead, gouging her entire side.
"GRHAAH!" Emora staggered back, she held her sword out to block incoming strikes, but the Berserker was far too fast and smooth with his feints.
He raised his axes in the air, feinted, and then delivered a swift cut to the Warden's stomach. He prepared an attack from the left, both of his axes ready to deliver a devastating blow. As he launched them forward, Emora moved to parry the attack.
"Got you!"
"WHAT THE—AHH!"
Emora cried out in pain as she felt an axe dig into her shoulder, and rip downwards into her collarbones. She recoiled back, trying to read Alfar's movements. The Berserker was laughing as he raised his axes to the right; he moved them forward, startling the Warden once again. She blinked, failed to react to the feint, and received a strike to her left flank.
With grit teeth and deep scratches on her sides and stomach, Emora stepped back, panting heavily. She lifted her sword in the air in response to an incoming overhead attack from Alfar. She managed to parry the attack, strike him with an uppercut, and then swing her sword to the side with massive momentum and speed.
The Berserker clumsily went to parry and gasped when Emora dashed beneath his axe and rammed into his side with a shoulder charge. He felt as two swift strikes hit his torso, and flinched when he spotted a sword moving towards his neck.
"You're far too slow!"
He dashed to the side, his legs moving rapidly. He twirled around and brought his axe around with him with at a breakneck speed. But his maneuver was to no avail, he lashed out in shock when he felt himself get pushed back by a hard parry.
"Dumbass!"
Emora launched her fist into Alfar's jaw, cracking his head back, and sending him staggering back. The Warden took a bold move and swung her sword widely, and with dedication. The Berserker recovered and ducked underneath the enemy blade. He dashed to the right to get up behind Emora but ended up underestimating the speed of the Knight's swing.
"GUUAH!"
Alfar flew back, blood flailing from his chest as Emora's blade made direct contact. The Warden had missed her initial swing, but continued to spin, and came back around with even more momentum and power in her strike. She risked getting interrupted mid-attack but succeeded in estimating the Berserker's dodge.
The Viking hit the ground on his back, he back-flipped to put some ground between himself and Emora. He stared her down, grinding his teeth together in anger.
"That all you got?" Emora taunted. She held her sword in the air vertically, going from her head down to the space in between her legs. She put her head down and laughed.
The Berserker spat on the ground and chuckled. He bumped his own chest with his axe twice and then slid it across his neck.
"Let's see what else we have here!"
"Come and get it!"
He dashed forward, right up in front of the Warden. She put her guard up to block an incoming attack but squeaked out in surprise when her chin was sacked twice by the blunt sides of Alfar's axes. She flinched and grit her teeth as her sword fell to her side and her guard was left open.
The Berserker jabbed his axe into Emora's chest, causing spit to fly out from her mouth. She staggered back, struggling to breathe. She doubled over in pain, blood flailing from her mouth as Alfar harshly thrust his axe into her stomach with a strong gut punch. Finally, she cried out in utter agony when the Berserker decked her in the face with a swift right cross with his axe. The ending result was a perfectly executed 1-2-3 combo.
"GUAAH!" The Warden fell onto one knee; she struggled to stand and watched in horror as Alfar continued his attack.
He jumped into the air, came down with one of his axes onto Emora's neck, feinted a heavy from the left, and then leaped into the air again, striking the Knight once again in the collar. He wound up both of his axes, using his legs to twist his body around fully, bringing them down with stupendous power.
Emora battle-cried as she side-stepped, and cracked her sword's blade into Alfar's stomach, creating a long-deep laceration. She ripped the blade out backwards as Alfar's blood spilled from the large cut, then raised it into the air, bringing it down on the center of his back, digging deep into his backside.
"FUUCCK! GAAEEH—KOOUGH!"
Using the grip her sword had on the Berserker's body, she pulled him close and then kicked him back using the help of her sword. Ripping flesh from the Alfar's back, and kicking him forward, blood gushed from his body as he fell onto his side. He rolled back onto his feet and swung his axes behind him in a swift spin.
Emora simultaneously lashed her sword out in a light attack, the weapons of the two Heroes clashed, creating metallic sparks from the impact. Emora spun around, her sword out in front of her. Alfar blocked the hit, but not swiftly, causing him to stumble from the blunt force of the hit. He attempted to strike Emora with a slash to her breast, but she parried the attack and smacked him in the cheek with her sharp hilt.
"OOAH!" Alfar's head cracked to the left, his cheek now dripping with streaks of blood that lined one side of his face. He felt his head rock to the right this time, Emora's powerful knuckles gnashing into the side of his head. The Berserker found himself unable to see properly after the punch, so he decided to take blind hits against the Warden.
He lashed his axes out to the left and found them to be blocked by Emora's longsword. The vibrations caused his hands to tingle. He swung them to the right, chaining his blows with effective blind-speed. The Warden blocked the heavy strike yet again, but with extreme dedication, and using his momentum to his advantage, he lifted off into the air, his left leg arched in a ninety-degree angle, his right thrusting his entire body off of the ground.
With his axes in perfect synch, he brought them sideways, the air splicing and howling with the sound of metal cutting towards Emora with raw strength. The axe heads slammed into Emora's chest, gouging and ripping through her clothes, and horribly slashing her right breast.
"DAAH—AAAAHHH!"
Emora's body surged with pain; her clothes dangled off of her body, the cold air seemed to intensify the severity of her wounds with a horrible stinging sensation. Alfar laughed as he spun around after his final swing, set his right leg behind him, and launched his left leg into Emora's stomach.
"KCHGHHL!" Streams of spit erupted from Emora's mouth as her body crippled. She staggered back, her legs feeling like nothing but brittle straw. She wobbled around in her stance, somehow managing to stand after the horrible beating she'd been receiving. She moved her longsword to her right hand, holding it by the blade right in front of her hilt.
"Hgh...I'm...I'm not done yet..." Emora moaned, she lifted her head up, panting like a dog. Her eyes sparkling with oncoming strength.
"Then show me you're not done yet! Stop me from killing you!"
Alfar leaped forward, both of his axes in the air. Emora stepped to the side and shot her fist forward with all of her strength. Combined with the momentum Alfar had with his jump, the speed and power of her own punch, the two opposite forces clashed against each other, and with the help of gravity, Emora's shattering gut punch tore through the Berserker's entire body, riddling it with vibrations and quakes of bodily failure.
"KCHGAAAAHCCKL!"
With his entire body paralyzed, he lost grip on his axes, letting them fall to the ground in front of him. His limp body was caught on Emora's fist, like a fish trapped on a hook. The Warden, with eyes full of fury, and a pumping heart, clocked Alfar's head using her pommel.
"DAOOUGH!"
Alfar staggered sideways, about to fall to the ground. Emora rushed forward and kept him standing by slashing up his entire body. She came back around and cut his shoulder open, causing blood to blast out like a broken water dam.
"FAAA—GURAAHH!" Alfar shrieked.
Emora mercilessly kneecapped the Berserker, causing blood to spill out of his mouth, and dye the snow in the area red. She got her arm up behind Alfar's head and slammed her elbow into the back of it. Alfar found his body in an uncomfortable position between the Wardens' knee, and her elbow.
"GHAH!"
Emora threw Alfar backwards, sending him stumbling away from her. She ran forward, grabbed the back of his neck, and then spun around with all her power, launching him towards a nearby tree. He crashed up against it, grunting in pain. The angry Knight didn't let up, she thrust her sword into Alfar's gut, causing blood to splatter out of his mouth and spew onto her face.
"Egh..." Emora winced, her face showing clear irritation of the Viking blood on her face.
She ripped the sword out to the side, gnashing through his ribcage, and exiting out through his waist. She half-sworded across his neck, slashing his throat open, causing blood to spray out, and provoking a horrible cry of torment from the Berserker.
"FUCK YOU!"
Emora cuffed the Berserker in the center of his neck and then forced her foot into the center of his stomach, sending him flying back into another tree. His body gave out completely, and collapsed against the tree, then finally fell onto his side.
Emora watched as Alfar held his throat tightly, blood leaking and squirting out in between his fingers. He gagged and gargled, coughed and wheezed. The Warden watched with pity.
"Ghch! Ggh—Aghh..."
Emora put her fist out and then slammed it against her own chest.
"You fought well, Alfar. I'm sorry."
The Berserker coughed out a good amount of blood. The red snow made Emora looked around. She realized how red everything was, how her clothes were ravaged and ripped. She annoyingly ripped her shirt off, leaving only the cut up undershirt left. Her arms were lined with bloody lacerations, her shoulder seeping with blood, lining her left arm with streams of blood. Her ribs and sides slashed and deeply gauged. The center of her chest stained with a huge dark red circle, her blood wetting the black silk even darker.
Emora looked at her bloody blade, her hands also stained with red. She got her hair out of her eyes and turned away from the Berserker. She exhaled and began to walk away into the forest.
"G-Ggh...Ack—Cuh! Cgh...Ageh...G-Gh.."
Alfar stood up, his entire neck red with fresh blood. He crawled over to his axes, held them both in his hands, and grit his teeth with frustration. He stood up, slouched over in a battle position. He began to stomp through the snow, racing towards the unsuspecting Warden.
"RAAAGGGH!
He leaped into the air, his voice full of anguish.
Emora turned around with a tragic gasp; she leaped back, her left arm ready to react.
"NO—"
With a destructive uppercut, Emora launched her fist into Alfar's gut, penetrating deep into his kidney. The Berserker gut out with a nasty combination of phlegm, blood, and spit. It splattered onto the snow with a noisy squirt. Emora reeled back, and elbowed the Alfar in the lower abdomen, causing him to double over, with his bodily liquids seeping from his parted lips.
"Really...?" Emora asked sadly.
"S-SHUT...UP—GUH!"
Emora slammed Alfar into the ground before he could finish. He rolled up to his feet and wiped his mouth from his own blood.
"If that's all you got to show me, then you're dead for sure!"
"This fight is over Alfar! Stop it!"
Both Heroes got into battle stances, Emora reluctantly holding her sword in guard.
Alfar dashed to the side twice, he twirled around, striking the Warden in the back with his axe.
"AHH!" Emora cried out. Alfar grunted with effort as he bashed in the Warden's kneecap with his other axe, making her leg fly back, and causing her to fall onto her face.
"DIE!"
With all his strength, Alfar brought his axe down on the Warden's back, blood shot out like geyser and another cry of pain escaped from the Knight's mouth. The Berserker ripped his axe out from Emora's back and raised it again to strike again.
"NO!"
Emora used her arms to push her body out from under the range of Alfar's axes. She grabbed ahold of his wrist and pulled back as hard as she possibly could.
"FUHHAAH!"
Alfar flew overhead and landed on his back, giving Emora time to stand up. The Berserker scrambled to his feet and leaped at the Warden with his axes out in front of him. The weapons of the two warriors sparked and flashed as soon as they made contact. Emora's legs nearly shattered with the force and momentum of Alfar's leap, but she managed to dig her feet into the snow and push back.
Alfar and Emora glared at each other through their weapons, their legs shaking with effort, their arms quivering and shivering with exhaustion. They both pulled back at the same time, and then went at each other for a second time.
Alfar whipped his axes towards the Warden's neck, only to get parried. Emora spun around and tried to sweep at the Berserker's legs but failed when he jumped over her blade as if it was a jump-rope. He landed and swung his axe to the right, Emora raised her sword across her chest, blocking the hit. The two Heroes attacked at the same time, Emora with a punch, Alfar with a swing of his axe.
Their arms intertwined and wrapped around each other, both failing their attacks.
"FUCK!"
"DRAGH!"
The two head-butted each other, crashing their heads together at full strength. They both staggered back, holding their skulls in pain.
Alfar let out a loud roar and then threw his axe forward. It struck Emora in the shoulder, causing her to release an ear-tearing scream of misery. The Berserker rushed forward with only one axe. Emora used her left arm to throw a punch that was easily dodged. She desperately swung her sword with her right arm in a wide arc. Alfar ducked below the blade, and used legs to propel his body forward, and give power to his arms. His axe smashed into Emora's core with a horrible, bloody crash.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH—KHAAAUH!"
Emora's heart ceased to beat for a split second, her entire body froze as she fell onto her knees. Alfar jumped up into the air and brought his fist down onto the Warden's head. Her neck cracked as her head dell drooped with unconsciousness.
Her vision blacked out, she unconsciously put her arms out beneath her, feeling that they were going to cave in on themselves if she did so. She fell on all fours and felt as Alfar's boot slammed into her ribcage, seemingly destroying it. She flew to the side, rolling and rolling on the cold snow until her limp body came to a stop.
Her stomach flooded with blood, her entire midriff showing, her black silk shirt ripped to shreds. She moaned on the ground, her eyes looking at Alfar, who was gasping for breath. Emora looked at her numb shoulder, a large axe dug into it.
"Ggh...Gngh! Haaangh! GRAAAAAHH!"
Emora tugged and tugged on the wooden handle, the flesh in her shoulder tearing and shredding under the axe head's blade. She finally ripped it out with a final pull, throwing it on the snow next to her.
She looked up at the sky, the snow falling onto her body.
Alfar stood up; he stepped on Emora's longsword.
"You've lost...Warden."
Emora rolled onto her side; she groaned and sucked in air through grit teeth. She slowly slid her leg underneath her, placed both arms on her kneecap, and pushed up as hard as she could. Her other leg came into place; her entire body seemed to shake as she stood up.
Alfar stood, still slouched over, holding his one axe. He grinned at the Warden.
"I never got your name...Yet I told you mine. That was quite clumsy of me..."
Emora spat on the ground, she exhaled and inhaled sharply and rapidly.
"Emora. E-Emora Ryon...Is my name." She managed to mutter, talking seemed to rupture her body with surges and waves of pain.
The Berserker looked at the Knight's torn and broken attire. Her entire top half covered in her own blood, her face bloody with both his and her blood. Her arms seemed flexed, showing off her strained and exhausted muscles. Her midriff was bloody, lining her waist with messy red streaks. Her pants were bloody and wet with snow, her boots dirty and muddy. Her blonde hair messy, wet, and bloody. It swayed and blew across her eyes, and gently flowed behind her back and across her breasts.
"I guess this is it. You're unarmed. I've won. It's a shame that I have to kill someone like you, Emora Ryon. I wonder what you were doing out here at this hour...What were you talking to yourself about? Whatever it was, it sounded very important to you." Alfar said firmly.
Emora released grunts of both desperation and intimidation. "It's not important to you...But I know one thing...For sure! I'm going back to those people and setting things straight. I'm not dying to you...I have to figure out what's happening with my life."
Alfar shrugged. "I'm sorry to tell you this but...You're not the one that decides that."
He suddenly rushed forward, his axe in his right hand. He stomped on the bloody snow, charging towards Emora.
The Warden narrowed her eyes and prepared herself. She got into a defensive position, waiting for the right moment.
"No...No...Not yet..."
He was mere meters away; he picked up his pace, his legs creating a loud thumping noise with every step.
"No...A little closer."
"IT'S OVER! DIE!"
"NOW!"
Emora rushed forward, grabbed ahold of Alfar's entire bottom half before he could jump. She used his own force against him and used all the remaining strength in her arms to launch him over her own head.
"AUGH!"
Alfar crashed into the ground face first. He slid to a stop and scrambled to his feet in shock.
Emora ran forward, picked up her sword, and turned around fiercely.
"I can't die! I won't let you kill me!"
"This has gone on far enough! I'll be the one to be throwing your body off of this ridge!"
The two Heroes charged forward, their weapons at the ready.
Alfar was faster; he punched the Warden in the liver, stunning her entire body. He drove his axe into her calf, launching her leg forward. Emora fell onto her back with a painful grunt.
"HAAH!"
The Berserker smashed his axe into the Knight's chest; blood showered the area as the axe made direct impact.
"AUH—DGH! GAH!"
Emora reached upwards, resisting the pain of in her chest. He grabbed Alfar's scrunched up face, then shoved her fingers inside his eye sockets.
"AAAHHUUGHAAH!" He cried out.
He fell to the side, right next to Emora. The Warden quickly rolled over and got up on top of the Berserker. She began to pummel his face with full force.
Blood shot and fired out in all directions, Alfar's bloody face was glaring back at Emora with hatred. He grabbed his axe, and decked Emora in the neck with it.
"GHAACH—UHH!"
Emora staggered back, she grabbed her sword and scrambled backwards on all fours. Alfar stood up, holding his axe in his bloody hand.
"PHAGH! CUH! Dngh...Uah...Uh...Huh..." Emora spat out blood and panted desperately, not sure if her throat was gashed open, or only lined with a deep cut.
The two Heroes stared each other down.
"Emora! GIVE UP!"
"NO! I NEED TO GET BACK TO THEM!"
"WHO?! ALBAN! THAT WAS HIS NAME RIGHT?!"
Emora paused, her heart stung. Her lips trembled, her eyes grew teary. She didn't know how to answer the Berserker she suddenly wanted to hug.
"You...You remember too much..." Emora moaned.
"It's a bad habit," Alfar said with a dull tone.
"Why...Why are you out here alone...? You seem so...I don't know...What is it with Viking men that...Makes them enchanting...?"
Alfar growled. "Some of us are savages. But we all live by the rules. Viking's don't die in battle because of their fighting skill. When a Viking dies, it's because it was written by fate. Our deaths are destiny, so we fight until the end. I've been through a lot. That's why I live on my own."
Emora didn't respond, she held her sword tightly in her hand.
"You don't know if I have people I love too. Maybe I don't, but maybe I do. You'll never know if I've been in a situation like yours, where you have to get back to a group of people to set things straight. I'll tell you one thing right now."
Emora listened closely, staring into Alfar's clear, deep brown eyes.
"That group of people...If they're causing you trouble, if they're having trouble amongst themselves, if they're making you question your love for them, either of them, then the problem isn't them...It's you."
Emora's heart stopped. She gut out with despair and a lack of air. She fell onto her knees, her eyes on the verge of releasing endless tears.
"If you were out here...Thinking about your affairs, questioning yourself about the people you're surrounded by, then you're doing something wrong. You're not supposed to be questioning your own love for someone. If you love someone, you love them, period. And if something, anything, is wrong with that, then you abandon it before it gets any worse."
Emora began to sob; her crying was loud and desperate.
"That's what I did. The reason I live alone, why I'm always on the move...Is not just because I don't want people bothering me to go kill some random bastard...But because I felt that I had to abandon those that I loved. Because if I didn't, and I tried to keep going, even though I was unsure about how I felt about them...I'd knew I would only make things worse. I'd end up hurting them instead."
Emora looked up at Alfar, shaking her head. Her eyes were bloated, her cheeks red, her lips quivering.
"I can't...I can't abandon them! I can't bring myself to do it...I don't want to hurt them...I don't want to leave them...I want to love them!"
"Then you have to make up your mind about how you feel. Is that what you were doing out here? Out near this ridge?" Alfar asked.
Emora whimpered quietly. She nodded her head in guilt. "I...I was trying to figure out what was happening with them. One of them...My girlfriend...She's been acting so strange lately...And I just figured out it's because of another one of my friends...Alban. The one you heard me say out loud."
"Why is that?"
Emora shrugged. "I don't know...I put some pieces together...Of the past few days...I think it's because...She has something against Alban. I don't know what it is...But I want it to stop!"
Alfar shook his head. "How do you feel about Alban."
Emora paused. She felt herself stare at Alfar, with no absolute response forming in her head. She looked at the Berserker with a blank stare.
"I...I..."
Alfar narrowed his eyes.
Emora shook her head, tears rolling down her red face. "I don't know..."
"That's it right there. You don't know how to feel about either of them anymore, do you? You're questioning yourself. I'm telling you, drop it. Or you'll only end up hurting them! You'll only make things worse, don't you understand? You are the problem. You can't decide, or figure out your own damn feelings! You're basically a blank sheet of paper for them to scribble on! Make up your mind, and put an end to their fighting before it goes too far! Leave...Them be. Everything will only get worse if you continue the way you are right now."
Emora grew angry. "NO! I won't do that! I can fix it, I know I can! I just...I just need more time!"
"No! You have to leave them before it gets out of control! You'll wait too long and do something brash! I'm warning you!" Alfar yelled.
"NO! STOP IT! YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE!" Emora thundered.
"RUN! PREVENT THE DISASTER BEFORE IT HAPPENS!" Alfar roared.
"I AM NOT A COWARD LIKE YOU! I CAN FIX MY OWN PROBLEMS, I KNOW I CAN!"
"C-Coward...?"
Emora paused, she watched as Alfar's body began to convulse with a bubbling fury. His head was down, his voice shaky.
"I'm...I'm no damn...Coward. I'm trying...To help you understand...What you're doing. I don't want you to make the same mistake I did!
Alfar looked up; his gaze was lasering through Emora's consciousness.
"I tried to fix things. But like I said before...Everything ended up...Worse than it already fucking was. I live alone...Isolated and on the run...To try and escape from those horrid memories."
Emora shook her head in regret; she reached out for Alfar, her hand shaking. "I-I'm so sorry...Please, I didn't...I didn't mean to—"
"It's far too late now. I'm trying to help you, Emora Ryon. Don't follow in my steps. The pain I felt from those experiences, they stay with you forever. I don't want someone like you to go through that pain."
Emora closed her mouth; she looked at the Berserker with a look of sorrow.
"I won't let anything happen...I can repair everything. I can set things straight. Please..."
Alfar shook his head.
"I won't let you. I won't let you feel what I felt, I won't let you hurt those you love, I won't let you get past me, JUST TO MAKE THE WORLD A SHITTIER PLACE FOR MORE PEOPLE!"
Alfar charged forward, Emora shook her head, her hands flailing in front of her.
"AFLAR NO! NO PLEASE! STOP IT! STOP!"
The Berserker, with blind rage, and everlasting passion, rushed forward, his axe ready to strike down Emora.
The Warden's heart was about to beat out of her heart, it felt like it was ready to self-destruct, simply explode right inside her chest and end her rightly.
She shook her head. "ALFAR! I CAN HANDLE MY OWN AFFAIRS! I'LL SHOW YOU! I'LL SHOW YOU THAT I CAN!"
Emora charged forward, her sword ready to cut the Berserker down.
"RAAAAHHH!"
"GRAAHHHH!"
At the exact same time, the two Heroes crashed into each other, their weapons dug into one another's bodies. Alfar's axe dug deep into Emora's chest, blood quickly gushed out of the large wound, drenching her shirt in blood. Emora's sword sliced into Alfar's shoulder, and slashed right into his torso, the deep gauge released endless amounts of blood that stained his clothes with red.
Both Heroes stood staring at each other, their eyes wide with pain far too great to express in the form of any scream or cry.
Emora pushed down on her sword, her vision blurry with her tears. Her blade slowly cut and ripped through Alfar's shirt and flesh. The Warden cut into the Berserker's chest, causing more blood to spill out.
Alfar's body was shaking, he dragged his axe downwards, harshly tearing through Emora's chest, and gouging down her entire torso in a diagonal line, all the way down to her ribcage. Blood dripped from her body, the snow below the two Heroes was a beautiful crimson.
Both Warriors pushed their weapons down across one another's bodies. The tip of Emora's blade reached Alfar's ribcage, where it began to stab into his body. Alfar's axe head tore through Emora's stomach and waist and finally reached her hip.
"RAAH—GUARGHAH!"
"RUAAH—UAAAHCKA!"
Emora lashed her sword, twisted it out of Alfar's body, and cut into his leg.
Alfar ripped his axe downwards, colliding with Emora's hip, slashing through her entire thigh, and finally cracked into her kneecap.
Both Heroes' dropped their weapons, letting them fall to the ground next to them. They simultaneously fell onto their knees, kneeling next to each other, facing the opposite direction.
Emora staring into the forest. Alfar staring off into the valley.
The Warden felt a warm, tingling sensation in her thigh as blood began to drench her pants. She looked down to see that they were now torn open, revealing her entire left leg. Alfar's head was low, his breathing was shallow. His leg was also bleeding, his rough pants now also soaked with blood.
"I promise...I'll show you..." Emora whispered.
"I can't stop you anymore...Do what you want..." Alfar whispered back.
Emora grit her teeth, her body shook with every sob she took.
"Alfar...It was an honor fighting with you...Thank you for trying to help me...But...I can't bring myself to abandon those I love..."
Alfar's breathing was slowing.
"It's fine. If you really think you can fix everything...And return your life to the way it was...Then go for it. But don't...D-Don't...Remember me if things go wrong. Because I warned you...The pain you'll feel..."
Alfar turned, he placed his hand on Emora's shoulder. The Warden looked back at the Berserker; his mask was off, his eyes looking at her with nothing obscuring his vision.
"The pain you'll feel will be unbearable. I couldn't recover from it...So I left. But maybe...Maybe you can withstand it...And keep moving forward."
Emora's crying was quiet but powerful. Alfar's eyes shimmered with tears. He nodded his head slowly. Emora nodded back, her lips trembling with heartache.
She felt as the strength in Alfar's grasp weakened. The Berserker let go of Emora's shoulder and slowly fell forward into the snow with a weak thud.
"Thank you...Alfar..."
Emora looked up at the sky, the stars overhead made her cry even harder.
"If things end up worse...I won't give up. Alfar...I won't feel the pain you felt. Watch over me...Help me make the right choice..."
A short amount of time later...
Emora weakly stumbled past the trees. She used their trunks to help her stand; her entire body was shivering with cold. Her fingers were numb, and her body felt as if thorns were poking it from all around with every step she took.
She reached her campsite and looked at the small fire that was lit. She fell onto her knees, drained of all her remaining strength. The weight of her sword was unbearable; she dropped it at her side and fell on top of it.
As the Warden slowly lost consciousness, she could hear faint screams of panic and shock.
"Emora! What the hell happened to you?!"
"OH MY GOD! Emora! Emora wake up! Wake up!"
"Get her in the tent! Light the fire more! She's going to freeze to death!"
"Get all of your covers! Use all the fur ones, come on HURRY! Emora...Emora hang in there..."
Emora opened her eyes, a faint image of Alban and Airi both looking at her flashed through her vision. Their faces full of concern and worry. In the background, Katsue was ravaging through the three tents, holding multiple large fur blankets.
The Warden clutched her fists, her teeth chattering, her eyes foggy, lacking their clearness and shimmering appearance.
"Airi...Alban. I need to talk to both of you."
Okay, that's it for this chapter; see you all in the next one.