The Raven's Nest
Hey guys, thanks for the reviews! I didn't expect to get so many. So here's your chapter since you reviewed like good little boys and girls. ;) Oh, and the last two chapters were a two part set. Okay? Because, I had been DYING to make a two parted chapter. Okay? Of course it's okay! Oh...and the King with Raven?!! UhhhhhiiiiI dunno. If she ever forgives him for sending him away, then maybe. It is a good possibility. In the end, I think she'll realize it's—oh what the heck am I telling YOU for!? Just read.
Chapter-Ten
Shiiyacks and Swordfights
Robin hadn't really expected to be challenged by Harper. But, the two of them were increasingly opposing each other. The nights spent setting up camp or being on the lookout for Shiiyacks, were almost unbearably silent between the two. Raven was getting annoyed with them, but she was not one to voice her opinion in front of the High Guardian. She bit her tongue.
"Hi," she said, addressing Harper one night as Robin was on the lookout for Shiiyacks. But, he was not watching the terrain. He was watching Raven.
"What province are you from?"
"Corzu." Harper looked at her.
"Ah, the Warrior Province."
"You?" he pried.
"Xamano," she sighed.
"The Wisdom Province?"
"I know...."
Robin watched them from afar as they conversed about their pasts.
"You know, that sword used to be mine."
"Really?"
She nodded.
"Were you any good?"
Her eyes flashed.
"Better than you I bet."
"Oh really," he said, dripping with sarcasm. He was getting irritated.
"Really..."
"Then perhaps you would like to test your skills against mine now?"
"Perhaps I would."
"I will not be spoken to in riddles!" he roared as he stood up, outraged. Robin ran down.
"Is it because you cannot figure them out?" she retorted also standing.
He glared and picked up his travel bag, withdrawing another sword. He threw it at Raven and she caught it quickly. Then he unsheathed his and she followed. The sword he had given her was nearly the same as his, except, instead of red, there was a bright blue streak down the middle crevice. It was glowing.
"I challenge you for the sword you hold in your hands!" Raven demanded.
"Accepted," he agreed. Robin got down to the bottom of the hill. He stopped.
"Raven!"
"Stay out of this!" Harper snarled.
"You are too weak! You're still recovering from the antidote!"
"I can handle myself Robin," she said calmly. Harper lunged at her and swiftly aimed for her ribs. She easily stopped his blow and whipped her blade around towards his neck. He defended the move, stumbling from the force of her swing, and aimed for her other side. She twirled and began the most complex series of defensive and offensive attacks she knew. Robin watched them in awe.
'I never knew she was that good at sword fighting....'
They danced by the firelight, sparks flying from the blades as they made contact. Harper was frustrated. No matter how hard he tried, she seemed to block every one of his attacks with ease. She was actually smiling when he tried to cut through her shoulder and she brought her blade up to stop his.
"Surprised?" she cooed.
He snarled and twisted around, moving faster. But she still, nearly lackadaisically, stopped each of his blows. She gracefully danced to the side, and jabbed at him. It missed his ribs by a hair's breadth. She smiled. He was furious. She wasn't even trying and was smoking him! Robin grinned triumphantly. It seemed to last forever. Raven's muscles burned with the effort it took, but she continued, their cloaks twisting painfully as they tried to follow their body's movements.
Finally, Harper tried to take her by the knees, but she flicked her wrist and twisted her blade around his so it was wrenched from his hand. Her sword fell from his hands and landed with a thud on the ground. He dropped to his knees, panting. She lifted the end of her blade to his chin.
"It is decided?"
"Yes." She smiled, handed him the blue sword and took her red one. She played with it affectionately. She had forgotten how it felt, it molded her hand perfectly and she sliced through the air with it. Her eyes moved up and she looked at Robin. He was staring at something behind Harper in utter horror. Raven was confused.
"Robin?"
He stuttered. She looked to the spot where his eyes were fixated.
"Oh, god."
A Shiiyack was standing right behind the kneeling Harper. Ooze and slime dripped from its mouth as it hissed.
"Harper..."
"What?"
"Don't...move." Her eyes glowed white and she leapt over him. With a sharp, metal tornado and blade of fury, she cleanly sliced the creatures head off. Acid sprayed everywhere and got on her ribs and calves. It burned. She screamed and fell to the ground.
"Raven!"
"Don't!" yelled Harper, "There could be more." He unsheathed his sword again and handed one to Robin. Sure enough, hissing sounds filled the air around them.
"How many?" asked Robin, resisting the urge to run to Raven, who was now bending over on the ground in pain.
"About ten," he whispered. One of them appeared across the fire.
"How do you defend yourself?" asked the befuddled Robin.
"You don't defend, you fight. They attacked us with no reason and have taken what is rightfully ours. They will pay...with their lives." He ran towards the Shiiyack that was bearing his teeth. Robin thought it was smiling. In a grotesque way....
He heard a hiss behind him, and then the smell of putrid, steaming breath on his neck. He turned, raised his sword, and prepared to fight. The Shiiyack was right in front of him, that mouth opened in that crooked, twisted smile again. He snarled and plowed the blade into the torso of the monster. It shrieked and fell. Robin sliced through it again, just to make sure it was dead. He turned on the next Shiiyack and cut through its waist. It fell to the ground in an acidy mess. The next one came at him, enraged that he had slaughtered two of its kin. It moved so fast! Robin stabbed it in the heart as it reached him, not having time to move out of the way and counterattack. But, the massive thing was too big for him to handle the weight, and it fell on top of the Boy Wonder. As he hit the ground, his head cracked against something very hard. He felt something splash on his face, chest and torso. It burned, steamed and then all he could feel and see was darkness.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::---------------------------Light. Finally, light. It was a warm light, not like a bulb, but more like a sun....or a fire. The luminescence of the fire kept fading, in and out. Just like him. His consciousness was faltering, weaving in and out of the present. And time didn't seem to be mattering. He just...existed. Finally, something happened that could possibly be distinguished out of the blur of life. Something cool was pressed against his face. It dripped down his forehead and stopped on the tip of his nose. It tickled. He scrunched his nose up to get it off. He felt a soft hand against his forehead, it moved down towards his jaw line. It felt so good. It pulled away, but he followed, lifting his head. Pain jolted through his body, freezing him in his tracks.
"Don't move..." a voice said.
He didn't.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::---------------------------"Robin, come on. Wake up...."
Raven was kneeling next to Robin, who was lying down with his head propped up on a log. She had taken a blanket and cushioned his head against the hard wood. The wounds ran deep in his chest, the cloth had combined with his skin in some places. She had to remove his upper clothing; otherwise he would have received infection. Harper lay next to him, wounds already healed. He was sleeping. And so was Robin.
"Raven..." he murmured in his sleep.
"I'm here." She touched his face, trying to assure him. She gently framed his jaw and pulled her hand back. He turned his head, slightly lifting it, to follow her motion. He jerked. She knew he was in pain.
"Don't move..."
His movement ceased.
'Okay,' she thought, 'this is a start. At least he can hear me...'
The wounds on his face were extensive to some degree. The acid around the heart, where he had stabbed the Shiiyack, was diluted and was not as damaging. That was the kind that had landed on his face. But, acid from the torso had bleed out, and covered his chest, leaving a bloody mess.
"Robin," she cupped his face, "You have to wake up..."
He hummed.
"Robin," she said more firmly, "Wake...up."
His eyes fluttered again. (A/N: Okay, I know there's going to be questions about this. I can't decide if she should have taken the mask on...or off. So, I will not give a reference to it. Please tell me if you think one way or the other.)
She mopped his wounds with a cool towel. His eyes opened.
"Raven..." he stared at her.
"Shhhh..." she comforted.
She bandaged another wound on his face. When she was done, he took her hand and gently squeezed it.
"Thank you..."
She didn't let go.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::------------------------Titan009- If you think this is short....sorry. But, I had this in mind since the very beginning! So, I had to get it out. Please review. I think, since I got Microsoft Word installed, I'll be updating this one more frequently. :D