Long chapter. I recommend you read it in parts.
Encounter Number 10: Enemy Valkyrie
Airi and Alban sat silently around the campfire, they were next to each other, both dead silent. Their heads were down, and they were both fidgeting with something nearby, whether it was their own hands, a stick, or even a piece of their food, they couldn't sit still.
Katsue stood in next to them, not too far away. The Shinobi's expression was serious, her arms were crossed, and her eyes were fixed on the fire.
"You guys really fucked up this time." Said the Shinobi, shaking her head.
Alban and Airi slowly nodded their heads, both feeling too guilty or humiliated to speak. Katsue let her arms fall to her sides; she dropped her intimidating look and became a bit softer.
"She yelled at both of you as soon as she woke up. She didn't want help from any of you guys. I had to help her do everything. She said she couldn't stand to look at you guys, especially you Airi." Katsue brought up.
The Nobushi twitched. "Katsue...Shut up...I don't want to talk about it."
"Our Lord is angry with us...We're in deep trouble because of your jealousy Hakushi," Alban said quietly.
Airi angered. "I wouldn't be jealous if you had just stayed away from Emora! Who told you to go around flirting with her, NO ONE! This is all your damn fault, you and your quote on quote charm! My ass! Now just shut the fuck up and wait...I don't want Emora angry with me anymore...It's been killing me."
Alban closed his eyes and stayed quiet, he breathed deeply. His back rising and falling with each breath.
Katsue sighed and turned to look at the Warden, who was standing next to the horse of a messenger, she was reading a note, and conversing with the messenger. Katsue couldn't make out what they were talking about, but from their voices, it looked like Emora was responding to the message she had received.
"What do you guys think the message is?" Katsue asked.
"It's probably from one of the other teams...Someone from the Blue or Yellow teams asking if we're ready to attack the Outpost Gate. We're clearly not ready to move yet." Alban answered.
"It's probably from the Blue team...Cyrus is on that team. She must be telling the messenger what to send back to his team. He's writing something down as she speaks." Airi cut in.
Katsue looked up and realized that Airi wasn't lying. The messenger was writing on a piece of paper as Emora spoke to him. He was nodding his head, and asking questions.
"You're right Airi. Well...When she's done with that, she's either going to lecture the fuck out of you guys, or just straight up kill ya'll." Katsue shrugged.
Alban and Airi both shuddered.
"Don't say that!" Airi cried.
"That would be rash. Emora isn't rash." Alban grunted.
"How the fuck would you know? What, you think you're that close to her?" Airi snapped.
Alban turned to look at the Nobushi. "I never said that I'm just saying that I know Emora wouldn't—"
"Wouldn't what, Alban."
Both Airi and Alban fell silent. They stiffened their bodies and looked up at Emora, who stood in front of them with a stern expression on her face. Katsue stood up straight and crossed her arms, facing Emora directly.
"Read it. The Blue and Yellow team have met up, so Cyrus and Apollo wrote that letter together."
Emora passed the note to Alban, who respectfully took it from the Warden's bandaged hands.
Airi and Katsue leaned over Alban's shoulders to read along with him.
To the people of the Red Team, mainly Emora:
Yo, it's me Cyrus, and I got Apollo here with me as this messenger is writing what we say. Yeah, it's great! Shut the fuck up Apollo, we both agreed that I would be talking. Right, right, my bad.
We both managed to gather both of our teams in one spot. After our most recent missions, we saw on our maps that our lines were really close by, and were leading to the same place, so I took my team to go find Apollo's team, and it turns out that Apollo had thought of the same thing. So our teams are combined now. We have seven Heroes here since my team lost someone on one of our missions.
We're prepared to attack the Gate Outpost and totally psyched to kick Mildred Azouf's ass! Put an exclamation point at the end of that. So yeah, we're just letting you know that we're ready. As soon as this messenger comes back to us with your response, we'll start heading out, and you guys should do the same.
We'll all meet up at the Gate Outpost, take it out, and await our armies to attack Einar! Exclamation point at the end of that too. So yeah, start readying up Emora. Send Airi our greetings too. We'll be seeing ya'll soon! Good luck.
We good? Did you get all of that? Alright, you can stop writing now. We're good.
-Cyrus and Apollo, the Leaders of the Blue and Yellow teams.
Airi rolled her eyes as she stopped reading, she could almost hear Cyrus' voice as she read the message. Alban and Katsue were both chuckling lightly. They all looked up at Emora, awaiting her words.
"That Cyrus...He always manages to make me laugh. Anyways, Apollo and he have met up, and combined their teams. They're ready to attack the Gate Outpost and are waiting on us. So we have to start getting ready to move."
"Respectfully my Lord...I don't think you're ready to fight just yet." Alban brought up.
Emora glanced at her own body. Bandages riddled her chest and shoulders. Her arms had bands and pieces of silk tied around her cuts. Her leg had a large piece of cloth strapped on it, mainly her thigh. Her pants were dirty and a bit ripped. The shirt she wore was short-sleeved, and was a bit too small for her, due to it belonging to Katsue.
The Warden was clearly cold but hid it to maintain her intimidation.
"I've already sent the messenger on his way with my response," Emora said firmly.
"What did you tell him?" Airi asked.
"We're attacking tomorrow, at midday."
"What?!" Katsue exclaimed.
"Emora, we can't!" Airi cried.
"My Lord, please reconsider!" Alban shouted.
Emora shook her head. "I have the rest of today, overnight, and all of tomorrow morning to recover. I feel a bit sore right now, but that's it. Plus, I'll have my armor with me this time. I'll be ready to fight; none of you have any reason to worry about me."
"How can you just say that!? I worry about you even when you don't fight! Emora, you need more time to rest!" Airi begged.
"Relax, Hakushi."
The Nobushi retorted. The sound of Emora calling her by her surname instead of her first name startled her and made her feel dejected.
"E-Emora...?" She asked her voice with a hint of offense.
The Warden didn't answer, Katsue and Alban stayed quiet, also noticing the way Emora addressed Airi.
"Alban. Can you please get our horses ready for travel?"
The Highlander stood up and nodded his head. "Yes my Lord."
Emora turned to the Shinobi. "Katsue, start organizing our tents and covers. Help Alban set them up onto the horses. We'll only be using these tents for one more night, so there's no need to be comfortable."
The Samurai nodded her head and smiled. "Right away my Lord!"
Emora sighed and turned to Airi, who looked small sitting alone on the log. She had her legs tucked up into her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She looked up at the Warden with a strange look in her eyes.
"Airi..."
"You called me by my surname...You've...You've never done that...Never." The Nobushi muttered.
The Warden felt something prick her heart.
"I...I know. I don't know why I said it...I guess it felt more appropriate. I'm sorry."
Airi shook her head, her eyes down-casted, resting on the fire behind Emora.
"What do you want me to do...?"
The Warden shook her head; she reached out and extended her hand to the Nobushi.
"I just want to talk to you. In private. One-on-One. It's important."
Airi looked at Emora's hand; it had a bandage wrapped around the knuckles and palm. She carefully took ahold of it, being careful not to tug on it too much. She stood up at her full height, only slightly shorter than the Warden. She looked up at her, gazed right into her hazel eyes.
Airi's familiar stare made the Warden freeze. She blinked back into reality and got serious.
"Come on. Back here."
Emora led Airi into the forest. They concealed themselves not too far away from the campsite, within the trees. When they finally chose a spot, they stood and looked at each other for a few seconds before beginning to talk.
"Airi...I'm sure you know what this is about," Emora said sternly.
The Nobushi shifted uncomfortably. She was leaning up against a tree, still holding onto Emora's hands.
"Y-Yeah...I know."
"Then tell me Airi...What's wrong...? Why have you been acting so strangely? You know the answer I'm expecting from you. I want to know what the problem is." Emora said softly.
Hakushi put her head down. She shut her eyes tightly, not wanting to look up at the Warden.
"I...Ugh...You know what it is Emora. It's...It's that Highlander. It's Alban...That's why I've been acting so strange, are you happy now?"
Emora shook her head, not liking the Nobushi's attitude. "Airi, I'm not happy. I'm confused that's what I am. I don't understand...What do you have against him?"
Airi was acting like a small child, she couldn't maintain eye contact, and shifted around a lot as if wanting to escape the situation.
"I'm...I just...I don't like him..."
"Why? What did he do to you? He's done...Nothing! I don't get why you're acting this way. I thought I knew everything about you! I thought I could read you completely, like a book. But now...I...I can't read you at all. It's like I've turned over a new chapter...And it's written in fucking Egyptian or something!" Emora lashed out.
Airi looked up at the Warden, her heart beating. Emora realized her attitude, her tone, and her stance. She took a deep breath and softened her facial expression.
"I'm sorry...But I'm just trying to figure this all out. Tell me what's wrong with Alban. What did he do?"
Airi leaned her head back against the tree; she looked to her left, once again avoiding eye contact with Emora.
"He didn't do anything...No—I mean he did...I just...It's...I'm..."
"Just tell me, Airi."
The Nobushi flinched. She finally looked up Emora, her eyes starting to get teary.
"Emora...I'm jealous."
The Warden blinked a few times, she arched her head with surprise. With an expression showing genuine shock, she let go of Airi's hands and took a few steps back.
"Y-You're...Jealous? W-Why?! Why are you jealous of Alban?"
Airi got up close to Emora. She grabbed her hands again and looked into her eyes.
"Because, Emora! He...The way he talks to you...The way he can make you blush...And laugh...And make you look so...Happy...It makes me feel small! I feel like I can't do that anymore! I feel like I can't make you happy...I feel like I'm not the one you love anymore. I feel like...Like you're falling for him."
The Warden couldn't bring herself to speak. She stared at Airi, right into her dark brown eyes. She could see her own speechless face within their irises, her clear pupils acting like small mirrors.
"A-Airi...That's why you've been so...Distant? Because you're jealous? Airi you have to understand...Alban has gotten really close to me lately. The connection I have with him, the feeling I get when I'm around him...I can't explain it. But you don't have to be jealous! You're the one I'm dating aren't I?"
Hakushi shook her head, she let go of Emora's hands, leaving them dangling, begging for something to hold onto.
"I'm the one you're dating...But I'm not the one you truly love. I'm jealous because I can see the similarities you share with him. You look...You look happy around him. You look the same way you looked when you were with me a few months ago...Before we were sent on this mission."
Emora was taken aback. Her heartbeat accelerated, she wondered if Airi was right. She couldn't see herself, but she knew that when she was with Alban, she couldn't think of anything else. To her, it was normal. But in the eyes of someone else, like Airi, it looked like a connection deeper than friendship.
"Airi...I...I'm sorry I...I didn't realize that I—"
The Nobushi interrupted her. She looked up at the Warden with an expression of sorrow.
"When you're with him...Talking to him...You forget I even exist. You don't even turn in my direction until your interaction with him is over. Emora...He saved you from drowning in that frozen lake! He saved your life! When I realized that...When I realized that I've yet to repay you for all those times you saved my neck, I shattered. I've only saved you once...When you were going to fall off of that cliff...That day on Citadel...That's all I've ever done for you!"
Airi began to cry, she fell back against the tree, her face dug into her hands.
Emora shook her head; she gently grabbed Airi's hands, pulling them away from her crying face. The Nobushi's eyes were shut tight, refusing to look at the Warden.
"Airi...Alban saved me because he felt it was the right thing to do. Life...Life isn't something you can compare to something else. Just because Alban saved me...And you saved me... doesn't mean anything. You don't need to repay me for those times I protected or shielded you from something. And you have done something for me. You've done so much for me."
Airi shook her head. "No, I haven't! I haven't done jack shit! You're saying all of this crap just to make me feel better...I know how you are Emora, you're like this! Fuck! Why...Why are you such a good person?! You do know that being so pure has its flaws right?!"
Emora tilted her head in confusion. "What're you talking about?"
Airi grew restless. "Good people...They always get the short end of the stick. They make excuses when someone doesn't give them a proper reason. They accept apologies they never receive; they put their own priorities aside to help other people! That can be harmful, Emora! Good people are sensitive...They're weak! Emora, you're weak, you're sensitive and you know it!"
Emora's chest surged with pain. She exhaled, trying to breathe. She inhaled sharply through her nose as she recovered. She looked at Airi with eyes full of sadness.
"You do too much for us...For those you love, Emora. You give too much...You trust too much...You help too much...You love too much. When we get hurt, you get hurt more! And you know it's fucking true! I'm the one who's jealous, I'm the one who's angry, but look who's the one who's crying! Who's the one who's truly suffering from their own emotions?!"
Emora staggered back, she held her hand to her heart qnd felt its rapid, out of control pace. She realized she was crying, crying and sobbing desperately. She was weeping harder than Airi was; she leaned against the tree, trying to compose herself, trying to get ahold of her reality.
Airi grabbed Emora by the neck; she turned her over and made her look at her. Her dark brown eyes filled with intent.
"People with a golden heart like you shouldn't be around people like us. You shouldn't be around ME! Having a good heart only brings devastation. You only expect to see good in people, and when you see bad, you fix it or at least try to. And when you do, you get nothing in return. Eventually, your good heart will turn cold. And you'll be just like everyone else."
Emora looked at Airi, her eyes full of terror, her breathing rapid and uneven.
"Airi...I do all I can...To keep those I love safe...And happy! Including you! I want you to be happy! I want Alban to be happy! I don't want you two to hate each other...I don't want you being jealous of him anymore!"
"That can't happen! You put others before yourself, and one day, you'll go too far! You'll end up dying! Emora...My jealousy...Is my problem. You can't change that...Do you even know how Alban feels about you?"
Emora stopped crying, she looked at Airi with a blank expression.
The Nobushi let out a small chuckle.
"You see? You're blushing."
"Huh!?"
Emora touched her own face and neck, they were hot.
"A-Airi! Listen...I don't know how he feels about me...But I do know that he cares for me. It makes me...It makes me feel good to know that he cares about me. I know you care for me...But I don't know if he has any actual romantic feelings for me! And you don't either!"
Airi rolled her eyes and laughed. "I know more than you think. The way he is around you, he's different. It's like he's a whole other person Emora, but you're just too pure to see that. Because in your eyes, it's just how everyone and everything should be...A world with no flaws."
Emora's heart shattered.
"I know...The world has flaws...But I don't want my world to have flaws! I know it will but please...All I ask...Airi...Don't take my relationship with Alban the wrong way."
Airi sucked in a sob; she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and then opened them with renowned dedication.
"Then tell me, Emora. How do you feel about Alban."
The Warden's body stiffened. The same feeling that came over her with Alfar, came over her with Airi. It was identical. No differences. The same feeling of speechlessness, unsureness, doubt, and unease. She was questioning her love, questioning her own feelings.
The exact same thing she'd done with Airi. The exact same thing Alfar told her to not do.
"I...I feel...H-He's my...I...We're only—It's nothing...I only...Airi...DGH—FUCK!"
Emora's yell made Airi lunge back. She took a few steps back and was confirmed of her suspicions.
"I told you. You don't know. You don't know you feel about Alban...And you don't know how you feel about me anymore."
Emora's heart boosted with resolve.
"AIRI!"
The Nobushi jumped a little. She looked at the Warden with a shocked expression.
"What."
Emora took a few deep breaths. She looked up at Airi, drying her tears from her face.
"I love you. And it doesn't matter how I feel about Alban. I'll find out. And I'll tell you."
Airi stared at the Knight with an unsure expression. She sighed and shook her head.
"I know where this is going. Emora, you'll have to choose. But for now, I can tell that your heart is up for grabs. And I'll tell you this right now..."
Airi lowered her voice, her gaze turned into a death-stare. Her eyes turned vicious.
"I'm going for it."
The Nobushi grabbed Emora by the collar of her shirt, pulled her forward, and forcefully kissed the Warden on the lips. The kiss didn't feel natural, it didn't feel good. It felt harsh, cold...Unforgiving.
Airi pulled back and threw Emora back into the tree. She left the Knight completely paralyzed, leaning back against the tree with her gaze fixed right in front of her. Hakushi walked out of sight, and back towards the campsite.
Emora's lips trembled with fear. She had never thought, never suspected, never envisioned for a single second that the person she knew as Airi could be so grueling. The Nobushi's stare lingered in her mind; it sent waves of terror through her entire body. The abrupt, blunt kiss caused the Warden to touch her own lips with her fingertips.
She slid down the tree, completely limp. Her jaw quivered, her eyes wide open, darting around, looking at whatever was in front of them.
"My heart is up for grabs? I don't want it to be! That's...That's fucking—"
Emora could no longer handle it; she mentally broke down in the forest, crying against the tree. She was shivering, alone, and emotionally tormented.
In a state of complete desolation, the blonde-haired woman curled up and laid in the forest with nothing and no one to help her out of her horrid state.
The Next Morning...
Airi was double checking her horse, and fastening its saddle. Alban was doing the same.
Emora crawled out of Katsue's tent. She decided to sleep with the Shinobi, as she felt uncomfortable sleeping with Alban, and was far too nervous around Airi to share a tent with her.
She sighed as she glanced at the Nobushi, who only closed her eyes and turned away.
"I miss her...Damn it...I need to talk to her."
Emora stood at her full height and began to help Katsue fold up her tent.
"How're you feeling my Lord? Did...Did I put on your armor correctly? Is it fastened on tight enough?" The Shinobi asked.
"Yeah, you did a great job. Thanks for helping me put it on Katsue." Emora smiled.
"Yeah, no problem!"
As Emora and Katsue walked to their horses to prepare themselves, Airi was brushing her horse's mane, while Alban was looking up at the sky.
"We have a few hours to get over the Outpost Gate. So we should make it there along with the Blue and Yellow teams." Alban looked at Airi.
The Nobushi stopped messing with her horse and turned to lean on it. "Well, that's good. At least we know we're right on schedule."
Alban nodded his head. He watched as Katsue fastened her horse's saddle and Emora finished putting out the fire. The morning sun was bright over the blue sky. There was a light breeze with no snow. The weather was pleasant and made the Heroes feel a bit less dreary.
Emora tied her hair in a long ponytail, she double checked her armor and strapped her sword onto her horse's side.
Alban couldn't help but notice the absence of interaction between Emora and Airi. Clearly concerned, he turned to Hakushi.
"What happened between you and Emora? Is everything alright?" He asked.
The Nobushi had her arms crossed. She put her head down and grinned.
"Yeah, everything's fine. I just told her...Basically everything."
Alban frowned. "So...About your attitude towards me? Your...Jealousy?"
Airi opened her eyes with a dull expression. "Jeez. Is it really that obvious?" She scoffed, her tone was sarcastic.
Alban shrugged. "It's the only reason why you'd have something against me. I've seen how you glare at me whenever I talk with her. It's not exactly friendly."
Airi laughed. "Of course it isn't."
"That...Wasn't my point. You don't even know what I feel for her. Why would you be jealous?"
Airi fixed her eyes on Alban. She looked at him with a sinister smile.
"I know love when I see it. You act differently around her. You try to stop yourself by calling her by her name. But you just...Love the way it sounds when you say it. How it feels on your tongue. How it thunders with your voice. It's all you think about...Emora...Emora...Emora."
The Highlander narrowed his eyes, he grew intimidated.
"You're tormenting me. Stop. You don't know how I feel."
Airi shrugged again, this time fully, with her hands up in the air. "Yeah, alright. Then go ahead and tell me. If you even have the fucking guts to do so."
A small grunt escaped from Alban's throat. He abstained from continuing and took a deep breath. His gaze on Airi was one of anger. The Nobushi looked back, her powerful eyes countering his own.
"I love her."
Airi spat on the ground. "Figures."
The two Heroes stood by their horses, glaring at each other. Alban with his fists at his sides, standing in an aggressive position. Airi with her arms crossed, casually leaning against her horse.
"What're we going to do...?" Alban asked.
"It's her choice, isn't it? Her decision. She told me that she loves me, but she still needs to figure out how she feels about you. When she does, she'll make her choice. You'd better hurry and make your move." Airi responded.
The Highlander shifted. He looked at the ground, his fists clutched tightly.
"I have to talk to her."
Airi huffed, catching the attention of the Highlander.
"The only way I'm letting her leave me...Is if she tells me that she loves you. If she shows...That she doesn't want me anymore, and that she's chosen you...Then I'll be content. And then I'll leave her be. Otherwise...Stay the fuck away from her."
Alban grimaced. "Tsk..."
Airi's eyebrows rose with interest.
"Fine. The same goes for me." He responded.
"Alright then. It's settled. It's only a matter of time." Airi smirked.
The Highlander didn't show any expression back. He only watched as Emora walked up to the two Heroes with Katsue standing next to her.
"Are you guys ready to get moving?"
"Yes, Emora," Alban said firmly, looking at Airi.
"Yep, we're ready Emora," Airi said, her eyes fixed on Alban, who stared right back at her.
"O-Okay...Then..."
Emora switched her gaze between Alban and Airi before putting her helmet on.
"Then let's get moving." She finished, before slamming her visor shut over her face.
At the Outpost Gate...
Emora dove forward and rolled into a rock. She looked at the fire all around her and the incoming catapult projectiles heading towards her cover.
"Well fuck."
She got up and leaped behind a nearby tree. She ducked low and put her arm over her head as the explosion went off in front of her. Dirt and rock hit her body as she stood up.
"Everyone alright?!"
Emora looked over at a large boulder that was in the forest. Behind it, Cyrus and Airi stood together, taking cover.
"We're sittin' pretty!" Cyrus gave Emora a thumbs-up as he yelled back. Arrows struck the boulder a few inches away from his finger; he pulled them back with a high-pitched yelp.
Emora crouched behind her tree. She looked around, spotting the Heroes spread out across the large rocky road of the Outpost Gate. The Gate was a fairly small base that had archers mounted upon its walls, and also contained a large wooden gate that was heavily guarded by Vikings.
The Outpost was long, not wide. Its front side covered a large area of the forest and blocked the main pathway up into the mountain where the Kingdom of Einar was located. Emora shook her head and sighed. She flinched when arrows struck the ground next to her, only a few feet away.
"Jesus...Mildred must be pretty serious about not letting us in. They didn't fall for our Elio Legion disguises. Hm...That means they've taken the bait. I got a feeling that the alliance between the Warborn and the Elio Legion won't be up for much longer, especially not after this." The Warden said to herself.
The Heroes had come upon the Outpost normally, with their horses tied up in the forest not too far away. Emora had found Cyrus and Apollo, along with the other members of the Blue and Yellow team. As they tried to enter the base peacefully, and angry Mildred Azouf appeared atop the wall of the base.
A few minutes back...
"YOU! You're the ones that destroyed the base of Caldurn Brynjar! A group of Elio Legion warriors! So there are more of you than I thought."
Emora raised her hands up in surrender. "We did no such thing! We're trying to get to Einar Magna to discuss the condition of the alliance between the Warborn and the Elio Legion!"
The Valkyrie laughed loudly. "Well I'll tell you one thing, the alliance is over! After we kill you, we'll destroy the Elio Legion, and attack Ashfeld ourselves! We don't need your help, goddamn bucket-heads! Now fuck off!"
Mildred signaled behind her, horns began to blow, signaling the incoming catapults.
Emora looked over her shoulder at Apollo.
"We've been compromised."
The Centurion nodded his head at a fast pace. "Yeah, no shit."
Emora sighed. "Well, I guess we'd better run."
Apollo scoffed. "Yeah...No shit."
Presently...
Emora huffed, peered past her tree's trunk, and glared at the Outpost's large gate, and strong stone walls.
"How the hell can we get in...?"
Emora scanned the battlefield and spotted a Peacekeeper from Apollo's team that was ducking behind a group of bushes, alongside Alban.
The Warden narrowed her eyes.
"Alban!"
The Highlander looked around, trying to trace the Knight's voice over the sound of explosions, yelling, and hails of arrows.
"Yes, my Lord?"
Emora stood up and put her hands at either side of her mouth, trying to strengthen the sound of her voice, her helmet making it difficult.
"Get the attention of that Peacekeeper! We need her!"
Alban nodded his head as he put his hand on the Peacekeeper's shoulder. Emora ducked as an arrow whizzed over her head.
"Crap..."
Alban's voice caught the Warden's ears.
"She's on her way!"
Emora watched as the Peacekeeper jumped over the bushes she was hiding behind and sprinted towards her. She ducked below arrows and used trees to conceal her future movements. As she drew closer, an all too familiar buzz rang into Emora's ears.
"SHIT! COME ON!"
The Peacekeeper let out a loud cry as a fireball hurdled towards her. Emora grabbed onto her wrist and pulled her forward. Like an adult would a child, the Warden pushed her to the ground and used her body to shield the assassin.
A loud explosion went off a few meters away as nearby trees caught on fire and tempted to collapse on the two Heroes.
The Peacekeeper had her eyes shut behind her visor. She panted heavily as she looked up at Emora's visor, which was covered in black soot.
"Thank you...Lord Ryon..."
Emora grunted as she got up off of the Peacekeeper, and helped her onto her feet.
"Watch it!"
The Warden tugged on the Peacekeeper, pulling her back behind the tree. Two arrows stuck the trunk directly after.
The petite woman shook her head. "Oh my goodness...I'm not made for this type of combat...I can't be out here!"
Emora held the Peacekeeper tightly. "Hey, you're going to be fine. I know Peacekeepers aren't exactly supposed to be on the frontlines, but you'll be okay as long as you listen to what I say."
The Peacekeeper nodded her head firmly; Emora could hear that she was whimpering quietly.
"Okay, what's your name?" The Warden asked.
"Carolyn...Carolyn Browne." The woman panted.
"Alright...I need you to find us a way into that base. Everyone Viking inside is probably focused on keeping us out, so they'll be distracted. I can help you get it, but not out. You'll need to find us a back-door, or create some kind of diversion that will give us a chance to break in."
The Peacekeeper shook her head. "L-Lord Ryon...I don't want to, I'm scared Lord Ryon, please! Spare me...Spare me!"
Emora was about to speak until she heard crackling behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see a tree that was entirely engulfed in flames, slowly tipping over.
"Come on! Get the fuck out of the way!"
The Warden grabbed Carolyn's arm and pushed her to the side. The Peacekeeper staggered sideways. Emora dug her heel into the ground as she leaped forward and rammed into the assassin. Both Heroes fell to the ground as the burning tree fell to the ground, right in the spot where they previously were.
"That's the third time now...I think I got a new record of saving someone in a day. Now come on!"
Emora grabbed onto the Peacekeeper's hand and pulled her forward. They two managed to get to the side of the Outpost, where they spotted a window that the assassin could enter through. It was far too high up for Carolyn to climb up, but with some help, it was possible.
"See that window?"
The Warden pointed up at the wall of the Outpost.
"Y-Yeah...Why?" Carolyn asked, her voice shaky.
"That's your way in."
Emora found a deep crack in the wall where she began to wedge her sword in. It was about two feet above the Warden's head, but on her tippy toes, she managed to get her sword stuck into the fracture.
"W-What are you doing?!" Carolyn asked.
"Getting you something to stand on."
Emora's longsword was on its side, on the wide side of the blade, not the sharp side. She looked behind her and spotted Katsue.
"KATSUE!"
The Shinobi was upon a tree, scoping out the walls of the Outpost. She turned to look at the Warden, her guard on alert.
"CAN YOU COME OVER HERE!?"
"ON IT MY LORD!"
The Shinobi leaped out of the tree, rolled onto the ground, and took off at a full sprint across the battlefield. The yelling of the men up on the wall became louder as arrows were flung towards the Samurai.
Katsue dodged and weaved through the projectiles as she slid to a stop behind the two Knights.
"Perfect. You think we can use those Kusarigama? They have chains on them, right?"
"Yeah, why?" The Shinobi rattled the long chains of her sickles. They were wrapped around her forearm for easy storage.
"They can reach out pretty far, correct?"
Katsue tilted her head in confusion. "Yeah, they can. But I don't use it at long ranges very much. The farther I fling them, the more inaccurate they get. So I only fling them forward a few feet."
"Well, there's a first time for everything! You think you can fling them up onto that windowsill?"
Katsue peered up the stone wall of the Outpost and spotted the window. She studied the range that she had to throw her Kusarigama's at, and how she would be able to get them that far into the air.
"Well...I can try. What are you going to do?" The Shinobi asked.
"I'm going to get this Peacekeeper up this wall. We have no ladder, so we have to improvise. She's going to get up and stand on my longsword, I'll be under it, so she doesn't bend it or anything." The Warden paused to caress her sword, the Peacekeeper and Shinobi rolled their eyes.
"She'll use the chain of your Kusarigama's to pull herself up the wall. As long as you can get it secured onto the windowsill, and pull back hard enough, Carolyn should be able to get up onto the window."
"But...She'll need some footholds. The grip won't last long enough for her to reach the windowsill in time. I can get my Kusarigama stuck in there, but it won't be good enough. They'll fall out and retract back to me, and Carolyn will have a long way down..."
The Peacekeeper shuddered at the thought.
"Fine. We'll get her footholds. With that, she can step on them and boost herself up the chain faster, and ease the tension on your Kusarigama's. She'll be able to grab onto the windowsill and pull herself up the rest of the way." Emora said with a proud pose.
Katsue thought about it. She nodded her head in agreement.
"Fine. But how the hell are we supposed to give her footholds?"
"Easy."
Emora turned out to the battlefield.
"AIRI!"
The Nobushi poked her head out from Cyrus' rock. Her mask glared at the Warden.
"We need you over here!"
Hakushi nodded her head. She told something to Cyrus as she ran out.
"Got you Airi!"
Cyrus grabbed a pouch from his belt and launched it up at the wall. A loud, obnoxious flash went off, stunning and blinding the archers up on the wall, giving Airi enough time to get over to her allies.
"What is it Emora?" She asked.
"Got those throwing knives still? The ones I have you?" Emora scanned the Nobushi's body for them.
"Yeah, of course I do. Why?" Airi responded as she opened up her robes, revealing five throwing knives.
"Launch them up on this wall, as hard as you can. Try to aim for cracks. Spread them out evenly, we need to give this Peacekeeper some footholds to get up onto that windowsill."
Airi's eyes widened behind her mask.
"You're quite creative, Emora. I can do that."
"Great. Go for it."
Airi got her knives in her hands. She aimed one for a few seconds before whipping it forward, striking the wall with a small cloud of dust. It stuck into a crack, the handle sticking out.
"Oh...I can step on the handles." Carolyn looked at Emora.
"Precisely." The Warden nodded her head.
Airi threw up two more knives, all of them spread out, leading up to the window sill like a game of connect the dots.
"Alright Katsue, you're up."
"Whew...Okay."
The Shinobi crouched down low; she began to swing her Kusarigama in a circle around her forearm, the chains making a low rattling sound.
"Hey, what are they doing?! SHOOT THEM DOWN! GET TO THAT WINDOW!"
A loud voice caught the attention of all the Heroes. They peered up to see Mildred Azouf glaring at them through her helmet.
"FUCK! HURRY!"
Katsue nodded her head, with a loud grunt; she launched her Kusarigama up into the air. A loud clinking sound went off as the Sickle caught onto the windowsill, getting stuck into the wood. The Shinobi tugged on the chain, making sure it was secure enough.
"What's going on?"
Apollo walked up behind Emora, clearly confused.
"We're sending Carolyn into the base. She's going to distract these Vikings enough to give us some time to barge in."
"That's...That's kind of insane! For ONE Peacekeeper?" Apollo asked.
"I can do it, Apollo," Carolyn said firmly, her voice gentle.
Emora, Airi, and Katsue all retorted. The sound of the Peacekeeper's voice sounded intimate and calm. The Peacekeeper they saw was quiet and scared of big battles, but now, she appeared more confident.
"Carolyn? You alright?" Emora asked.
"Yeah...I want to do this." The Peacekeeper looked up at the Warden.
"Carolyn...Be careful." Apollo said softly.
This time, the three Heroes really retorted.
"Damn Apollo! I've never heard you like this!" Airi yelled.
"Yeah, you're not your usual loud, annoying self!" Emora laughed.
The Centurion shook his head, laughing.
"Carolyn is my girlfriend. I grew close to her on our missions. I plan to marry her when we get back."
All the Heroes stood silent.
"Oh..." Emora said quietly.
"I see...That's great, Apollo." Airi smiled.
"Wow. I'm happy for both of you." Katsue bowed.
"Yeah...But...Now's not the time for this. Come on Carolyn, I'll help you up." Apollo said sternly.
The Peacekeeper nodded. She watched as Apollo knelt down and put his hands together. Emora got up underneath her sword, holding it up for the Peacekeeper to stand upon. Carolyn put her foot in Apollo's cupped hands. The Centurion grunted as he boosted Carolyn upwards, the Peacekeeper quickly stepped onto Emora's shoulder pads.
"Come on, onto the sword, not me." Emora joked.
"Sorry.."
Carolyn balanced on Emora's longsword, her hand on the wall to help her stand upright. She looked down at Katsue, who had her hand up in the air, the chain of her Kusarigama leading up the wall.
"Be quick about it Carolyn!"
The Vikings grew loud inside the Outpost. The Peacekeeper hesitantly gripped onto the chain of the Kusarigama, scared that it would lose its grip on the windowsill.
"Huh? Oh my god, it works!" She exclaimed.
"Of course it does! Now hurry!" Katsue laughed.
Carolyn lifted her leg up, and carefully planted it on the handle of Airi's throwing knife. She yelped when she stepped off of Emora's longsword and planted her foot up on the wall. She pulled herself up with the chain and quickly leaped onto another one of Airi's knives.
"AH!"
The knife nearly lost its grip as Carolyn stepped on it, but as adrenaline pumped through her body, she sped up.
She pulled herself up the chain again, scaled up the wall with a few strides, and finally reached Airi's final knife. With a final push off of her left leg and a final pull on Katsue's chain, she jumped upwards and lunged her arm onto the wooden windowsill.
She held on tightly and pulled herself up using her hands. Katsue pulled back her Kusarigama; it fell to the ground with a light metallic clink. She wrapped the chain back around her forearm and looked up at the window.
"I'm up!" Carolyn exclaimed with happiness.
"Now hurry! Try to find everyone some way in! Be careful!" Apollo urged.
The Peacekeeper nodded her head; she disappeared into the window and closed it behind her.
"She's going to need to fight a few Vikings...Mildred knows she's coming. She should be able to cause some panic, and distract the archers with something." Emora said firmly.
"I hope so...I don't want Apollo's fiancé to die..." Airi murmured.
"She won't. I trust her on this." Apollo exhaled.
Inside the base...
Carolyn sprinted out of the room she had entered in and burst out through the door. She ran down a flight of stairs and peered around the Outpost.
She spotted the archers that were shooting her allies below, but double thought attacking them.
"That Valkyrie must be up there..."
The Peacekeeper changed her mind and took cover behind a cart of hay.
"Find that Peacekeeper! She's probably already in here you bunch of slow idiots!"
Carolyn could hear the voice of the angry Valkyrie. She shuddered and peered around the Outpost. She finally spotted what could get her allies inside the base.
"A catapult...I just need to adjust the angle, and I could blow that gate open from the inside."
Carolyn nodded her head and began to make her way past Viking guards towards the catapult. She killed two on the way, silently.
She got up into a building that was built into the rocks of the mountain. She swept the structure of all its inhabitants and peered out of a balcony. She looked below and spotted her objective. The catapult crew was three Vikings.
She waited until the projectile of tar was alight and ready to fire. As soon as it was, she jumped down onto the crew.
"HRAH!"
She thrust her two blades into the necks of two Vikings, startling the third.
"AH! PEACEKEEPE—"
Carolyn thrust her knife into the man's stomach, causing him to regurgitate blood. He fell forward, completely limp.
Carolyn quickly grabbed onto the catapults levers and adjusted them accordingly. She cranked the angle down and tightened the ropes to make the projectile fire straight ahead with massive tension and speed.
"Alright...I'll also make this thing useless, and fire it the cool way."
She snapped the rope using her knife, causing the catapult to fire fiercely. The flaming barrel of tar beamed through the air, making a whistling noise as it cut through the wind.
Mildred turned around and let out a horrible scream. She sprinted down the steps of the wall and jumped off while she was still a solid ten feet above the ground.
Outside the base...
A loud explosion blew the gates of the Outpost open, a flaming hole in the front of the walls made all of the Heroes jump.
"SHE DID! LET'S GO!" Cyrus cheered.
All the Heroes rushed forward, Emora taking the lead with her quick pace.
"SHIT!"
Emora skid to a stop, everyone behind her stopping abruptly.
"What's wrong?" Airi asked.
"The bottom of the gate, it didn't open completely."
The explosion knocked the gate open and blew a hole through the top of it. But the bottom of the gate was still closed, a small crack in the center taunted at the Heroes. They all growled at the denial of their entry.
Suddenly, loud stomping was heard behind the backs of all the warriors. The final warrior, a Shugoki from Cyrus' team was sprinting forward.
"Oh yeah! Human battering ram! LET'S GET IT BIG GUY!" Cyrus cheered.
The Shugoki let out a roar as he barged into the gate, blasting it open just enough for humans to be able to fit through.
"HOORAH! MY BOI!" Cyrus laughed as he sprinted in after his ally.
Everyone else followed and spread out through the outpost, attacking every frantic Viking they saw.
Emora thrust her sword into the stomach of a Viking, turned to her left, and slashed another's throat open. She swung her sword widely, sending the head of a Viking warrior flying off of his body. She flipped her sword around and struck another soldier in the head using her hilt.
She held her sword the opposite way, using it as a make-shift bludgeon. She swung it upwards, digging it into the stomach of a doubled-over soldier. She lashed sideways and smashed the soldier into the ground. She then turned to her right and cracked her hilt into a man's kneecap.
"GIYAAAH!" The man cried out as he fell onto one knee.
Emora grunted as she flipped her sword over and swung it horizontally. She beheaded the man swiftly, silencing his cries of agony.
She turned to see two Viking's rushing her. She raised her sword, blocking both of their attacks. She whipped her blade at a man's leg, cutting it clean off. She then dug her sword into the other's side, penetrating deeply.
"Tgh!" Emora grunted with effort as she slashed upwards, cutting the man's torso open. Blood fluttered out of his body's deep crevice as he fell to the ground. The Warden turned back to the other man, who was crying on the ground for the loss of his leg. She yelled loudly as she thrust her sword into his stomach, quieting him.
The Knight's natural instinct kicked in as she sensed a more threatening danger nearby. She lashed her sword out; attempting to stab whatever was in front of her.
The Warden staggered backward as her sword was deflected.
"H-Huh?!"
Emora staggered back to see a Valkyrie holding her shield out in front of her. She was laughing. It was Mildred.
"Mildred!" Emora yelled angrily. "What're you...W-What the—"
The Valkyrie had her spear on her back. In her other arm, she was holding a disarmed, injured, and crying Carolyn. The Peacekeeper clawed and jabbed at the Valkyrie's arms and body, but Mildred's grip was too strong.
Apollo killed a final Viking as turned to Emora. His heart dropped as soon as he saw the scene.
"Carolyn! NO!"
The Centurion charged forward but stopped when Emora put her arm out behind her.
"Woah, woah! Psycho-bitch! You can't just take my boy's fiancé like that! The hell are you doing!" Cyrus yelled angrily.
"Let her go, Mildred!" Airi shouted.
The Valkyrie laughed maniacally. "If anyone moves, she dies!"
The Heroes were still at Azouf's mercy.
A daring Kensei from Apollo's team came up behind the Valkyrie, attempting to strike Mildred with his long-range Odachi.
"HRAH!"
Mildred choked the Peacekeeper and dropped her onto the ground. Carolyn fell to her knees, and then onto the floor completely. She begged for oxygen, her wheezing and gulping shattered Apollo's heart.
Everyone watched as the Valkyrie deflected the Kensei's attack, and thrust her spear into his chest. The Samurai burst out with blood, a loud grunt escaped from his lips.
Mildred swept the Kensei off his feet and made him fall onto his back. She finally planted her spear in into his chest, killing him swiftly.
"NO! SORA!" Apollo yelled for his fallen ally.
"Fuck..." Emora whispered through grit teeth.
Mildred knelt down, picked Carolyn up by the neck, and got her back into the hostage position. This time, the Valkyrie's spearhead was to the Peacekeeper's neck.
"You will all leave this Outpost Gate! We were ordered by Einar Magna himself to not allow ANY entry. Especially not to Elio Legion scum like you! Leave. If anyone tries ANYTHING funny...This Peacekeeper's being escorted to hell by her own demons."
"KCH—RAAHH!" Apollo lunged forward, but Emora held him back.
"Calm down Apollo, we'll get her..."
Suddenly, the Shugoki lunged forward, charging forward with surprising speed. He rammed into Mildred, making her drop a constricted Carolyn.
"GET HER!" Airi cried.
Alban rushed forward reaching for the Peacekeeper.
"Stay back!"
Mildred leaped to her feet. With precision and raw power, she jumped forward, stopped herself using her right foot, dug her heel into the ground, and used all her leg power to charge into the Shugoki with her shield.
With a full-body move, the large Samurai staggered back, his legs a blur as he fell onto his back.
"GRAAH!"
The Valkyrie yelled out with effort as she launched her spear forward, hitting Alban in the chest.
"GUH!" The Highlander gutted with pain.
Airi gasped out of impulse.
"N-No way! Alban!"
The Nobushi instinctively reached out for the Highlander, with a short yelp, she stopped.
Mildred charged at Alban. She jumped into the air, grabbed her spear, and kicked the Highlander back with tremendous force. The Valkyrie staggered backward as she grabbed ahold of Carolyn, who was desperately trying to get out of her grip.
Emora's heart stopped as Alban hit the ground with a thud. Her jaw dropped, her eyes widened, and her pupils dilated into a constricted state as she trembled in shock.
Airi stood next to the paralyzed Warden, her lips trembling in fear.
"YOU'VE ALL PISSED ME THE FUCK OFF!"
The Valkyrie grabbed one of Carolyn's knives and launched it into the Shugoki's throat. The warrior gurgled his own blood as he staggered back towards a wall, slammed into it, and fell limp to the floor.
"NO! DAMN IT...NOT ANOTHER ONE!" Cyrus yelled out, frustration and rage in his voice.
Mildred turned to the Heroes, she held Carolyn tightly. Behind her mask, the warriors could see the Valkyrie's furious eyes.
"Two of your allies dead for this one girl? YOU'RE ALL PATHETIC! And you..."
Mildred glared at Carolyn, who quietly whimpered. Her throat was being pressured too much, she couldn't talk, but her small sounds still escaped into the open air. Tears trickled down her face behind her mask as she stood in the Valkyrie's grasp.
"You're the reason this all happened...My precious Outpost...The final line of protection to my King...Einar. You've put his Kingdom in danger! ALL OF YOU HAVE! AND FOR THAT..."
Mildred raised Carolyn into the air. The Peacekeeper's feet dangled off the ground, her gags and restrained cries made all the Heroes shudder.
"DON'T!" Apollo cried.
"NOO!" Airi yelled.
"MILDRED!" Emora thundered.
The Valkyrie laughed loudly.
"YOU'LL ALL PAY!"
With a swift movement and jerk of her arm, Carolyn suddenly fell silent. A loud crack sent a stake of pain through the hearts of all the Heroes.
"N...No..."
Mildred pushed Carolyn's limp body forward. Her mask fell off as she hit the ground. Beautiful brown hair spilled from her hood, and a woman with green eyes and a well-chiseled face lay on the ground, her eyes devoid of any life, her expression showing no trace of emotion.
"N...NOOO!" Apollo roared. He dropped his gladius and roared out in sorrow. The emotion in his voice shook Cyrus, Airi, and Emora, who knew him so well for being relaxed and casual. His voice tore through their ears, making them grit their teeth and want to cover their ears.
Through the Centurion's scream, Mildred was laughing.
Emora's body began to tremble. Behind her helmet, her eyes grew watery with blind rage. She watched as Apollo fell to his knees, crying loudly, his voice drowned with despair and desolation. Airi rushed over to Alban along with the Orochi from Cyrus' team to help him out get out of danger.
Cyrus, Katsue, and the Apollo's allied Lawbringer were dragging him out of combat. Emora's head shook with insanity. She watched her close friend lash out in anger and weakness. His voice miserable, his cries filled with intense grief.
The enraged Warden became filled with emotions of violence and maliciousness. Her eyes twitched, her veins throbbed all over her body. Her heart was beating rapidly, pumping adrenaline all over the Knight's body.
"You're the only one who stands before me! All your allies dealing with an injury or a broken heart. How sad...After I'm done with you, I'll kill them all." Mildred chuckled.
The Valkyrie's voice alone pushed Emora's limits. Her temper grew slimmer as she clutched her sword tightly in her hand.
"You hurt Alban...You kill Carolyn...You shatter Apollo's future...And you kill three of my fellow Heroes..."
Mildred nodded her head. "And I'll do much more than that once you're out of my way."
The Warden released a short burst of anger, her voice vicious, and her stance aggressive.
Airi turned to look at the Warden.
"Emora! Alban's going to bleed out! HURRY!"
Emora looked directly at the Valkyrie, who stood in a battle stance.
She looked to her right to see Cyrus, Katsue, and the Lawbringer try to compose Apollo.
"Apollo, get up man! I'm sorry...I'm so sorry dude..." Cyrus said, his tone filled with pity and sympathy.
"GET OFF ME! FUCK!" Apollo lashed out at his best friend. The golden Warden backed off, feeling let down, but not defeated.
"You're tearing us apart. You think you can get away with that?" Emora asked the Valkyrie.
"I'm doing a great job. Aren't I?" Mildred laughed.
Emora arched her head down; she stared at the ground as she cracked her neck. The Valkyrie's spine tingled as the sounds of the Warden's bones rang through her ears.
She slowly looked up at the intimidated Valkyrie.
"YOU'RE DOING A GREAT FUCKING JOB!"
Emora charged forward, no guard, just a straight dash towards the Valkyrie.
"You're asking to die!"
Mildred leaped forward, her spear in the air. With shocking speed, Emora counter-strike the move. The Valkyrie's spear snapped to the side, and Emora managed to create a deep cut down Azouf's chest.
"AHHH!" Mildred cried out in pain.
Emora pushed on. With all the anger and power in her body, she forced her sword to the right, gnashing into the Valkyrie's side. Blood sprayed out of the open wound as Mildred yelled out with pain. The Warden was merciless. She kicked the Valkyrie's knee cap, causing her to fall onto one knee. She crashed her kneecap into Mildred's face.
"GUUAH!"
The Valkyrie fell onto her back, her nose bleeding behind her mask. She looked up to see Emora with her sword raised. She rolled to the side and tripped the Warden. She thrust her spear down onto the Knight's back.
"GAH!"
Emora rolled on her side, causing the spear to lose its grip on her, and rip through her flesh harshly. She ignored the pain and charged forward. She jumped up into the air, her shoulder smashed into Mildred's jaw, cocking her head back with full force. Emora slammed down on the Valkyrie's shield using her sword.
"OOW! WHAT THE FUCK!?"
Feeling the raw power of Emora's strikes, the Valkyrie retreated. Her arm felt as if it was about to shatter under the vibration her shield created when Emora's sword collided with it.
She looked up to see the Warden's sword above her. She lashed out in pain as the blade sliced through her right breast, cutting it clean open.
"WAAAAAAGHH! GUUAAH—UUUAAAHHH!"
Airi, Cyrus, Katsue, the Lawbringer, and the Orochi paused. They looked up, their attention caught by the Valkyrie's cries of agony.
"Holy shit..." Cyrus whispered.
Apollo stopped crying...He looked up, panting heavily. He watched as Emora threw Mildred into a wall and punched her with her steel gauntlet, causing the Valkyrie's mask to shatter in two.
"Emora..." Apollo muttered.
Alban groaned in pain as the Orochi and Airi held him down.
"W-What's going on?! Is that Emora?!"
Airi slowly shook her head. Without saying anything, she held Alban sit up. She smiled and put pressure on his stab wound.
"A-Airi...?" Alban asked. But the Nobushi didn't answer.
The Highlander watched as Emora roared and yelled. The Warden kneecapped the Viking in her stomach; blood shot out of Mildred's mouth and splattered all over the floor in a nasty spill.
"Emora..."
Alban watched as the Warden smashed her fist into the back of Mildred's head, sending her staggering forward. She then dug her gauntlet into the Valkyrie's ribcage, crippling her body. Emora ripped her blade across Mildred's back, a line of blood shot into the sky and rained down in all its glory.
"These are your true colors."
"YOU BITCH! GET THE FUCK UP!"
Emora grabbed the Valkyrie by her hair and pulled her on her knees. She forced her to stand and attack her.
"PUNCH ME! STAB ME! LET'S GO!"
"GUURAAHH!"
Mildred lashed out in anger as she swung her spear at Emora's head. The Warden ducked and thrust her sword into her attacker's stomach.
"TOO..."
Emora pulled her sword back and kicked Mildred back, forcing blood from her stomach and mouth.
"SLOW!"
She rushed forward, her sword raised. Mildred managed to block Emora's strike, and return with a punch using her shield. It crashed into the Warden's helmet, creating a loud metallic bang.
The Warden took ONE step back and laughed.
"You actually hit me! NICE WORK!"
She came back with her own punch, which broke Mildred's nose, and drowned her entire face with blood. She staggered back, awaiting the next attack. Emora raised her sword in the air; she brought it down with all her strength, only to get it parried.
Mildred lunged forward with her spear, but it merely clanked off of Emora's metal chest and continued forward. The Warden laughed as she whipped her sword forward. The Valkyrie managed to sidestep, and dodge the hit. She crouched low and thrust her spear forward, attempting to hit Emora's ribs.
"HIRAAAH!"
The Warden turned around quickly and crashed her foot deep into Mildred's stomach, sending her flying backward. The Viking rolled back and recovered. She leaped forward, striking with her spear from above. Emora blocked the hit and struck the Valkyrie with her hilt, stunning her.
She dug her blade into her side, and then feinted an upper-slash, causing Mildred to attempt a parry. Emora caught the Valkyrie's spear and threw it back. Her arms flung into the air, giving the Warden a perfect chance to land a good blow to her throat.
"GLUURGH! GUAAH!"
Mildred staggered back, unable to breathe, and choking on her own spit and blood. Emora ripped through the Valkyrie's body with a gut-wrenching punch. Mildred collapsed to the ground, her body covered in wounds.
"Stop it! Stop it please!"
Emora grabbed Mildred's arm and pulled her up. The Valkyrie stood with her legs trembling. The Warden thrashed her body with powerful, sharp jabs and blows. A ground shattering punch to her face left her right cheekbone completely obliterated.
"AAHUGH! DAUHH—KAAHAGH! FUUAH...OOORAAH! GAANGHH—TAAAAHH!"
Mildred's cries lingered in the ears of Emora's allied Heroes. They watched as the Warden endlessly pummeled the half-dead Valkyrie.
With a deep slash up her entire body, the Valkyrie's clothes became soaked in blood. Her entire torso was a large splotch of red that covered everything.
"GET AWAY...FROM ME!"
Mildred threw a punch towards Emora, but the Warden caught her fist and snapped her wrist effortlessly.
"AAAAAAHHH!"
"DON'T EVEN TRY IT!"
Emora put her hand over the Valkyrie's mouth, muffling her horrible yelling. She reeled her fist back and gut-punched her once, twice, three times.
With every punch, blood squirted out from Mildred's mouth and was suppressed by Emora's hand. Blood seeped and leaked from the Warden's gauntlet as she kept punching.
"MPH! HMPH! MMM! MMHPH! GNH! MGH! HNGH! GMPH! GHNPH!"
Emora crouched and picked up her sword. She slowly penetrated into the Valkyrie's stomach, causing blood to flood and rush out from behind her hand that still covered Mildred's mouth. The Viking's wide eyes spilled endless tears. Her muffled gargling and gagging made the Warden shiver.
As soon as Emora pulled her hand away, Mildred released a long spill of blood from her mouth, disgustingly splattering all over the floor under her.
The Warden ripped her sword out and gave Mildred one last punch. With a powerful uppercut, the Valkyrie flew back into a wall, and slowly slid down it.
"Gah...Y-You...You'll die anyway. Einar's men will kill you all...She'll kill you...All..."
Emora thrust Mildred's own spear into her shoulder, pinning her to the wall like a piece of paper on a bulletin board. She moaned in pain and looked up at Emora as she raised her foot.
With a swift kick, the Valkyrie's jaw shattered. Emora reeled back.
"You disgust me. I hope your trip to hell is a nice one, you sack of shit."
As Emora prepared to deliver the final blow, a voice caught her attention.
"Emora! WAIT!"
The Warden stopped. She turned around to see Apollo walking towards her, helmetless.
"A-Apollo..."
The Warden shrunk. Her voice grew soft as she was pulled back into reality. She fell out of her blind rage as she looked at Mildred's broken body. The Centurion put his hand on Emora's shoulder.
"I want this kill. For Carolyn."
Emora nodded her head. "Alright..."
Apollo crouched and flicked the Valkyrie's broken nose. He said nothing to her, and instead, only spit into her eye. He ripped the spear out from her shoulder and got up behind her.
"I'll kill you the same way you killed Carolyn..."
He stood the Valkyrie up, wrapped his arm around her neck, and began to tighten his grip.
All the Heroes stood closely around the scene, watching as Apollo whispered into Mildred's ear. The Valkyrie herself only gurgling and choking out indecipherable noises.
Alban was standing with the help of Katsue. He and Airi were side by side.
"Thank you. For saving me." The Highlander whispered.
Airi exhaled and closed her eyes.
"Don't mention it."
Apollo was seconds away from ending Mildred; he looked up at Emora and grinned.
"Kick her in the stomach a few times for me, eh? Hard! To make that blood of hers come out. I'll make her drown in it."
Emora huffed as she called back her anger. With every kick she launched, she grunted furiously. Blood erupted from Mildred's mouth. The Valkyrie slowly closed her eyes, gargling on her blood.
"This is for Carolyn...You weak, pathetic, useless, futile waste of breath."
With a quick jerk, Apollo snapped the Valkyrie's neck. All the Heroes stepped away as he threw her body forward.
Everyone's attention turned to Emora, who was silent and was panting heavily.
"You okay, Emora?" Cyrus asked.
"Breathe my Lord...We're fine." Alban said firmly.
"It's okay Emora. Everything is over now." Apollo said, his voice gentle.
Emora's exhaling was shaky. She gasped when Apollo hugged her.
"Thank you...For...Being so supportive. It was almost like your fiancé was the one killed...Not mine. You probably beat her harder than I ever could've."
"It's who she is. She feels what we feel. She felt Apollo's anger. She felt Alban's pain. She felt all our despair. Whatever we get hit by, she absorbs and gets hit by harder. We love you for that Emora." Katsue smiled.
The Warden stayed silent. She said nothing as Airi slowly took off her helmet.
Everyone looked at the blonde-haired Knight. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, her lips were quivering, her expression terrorized.
"Emora. It's over now." Cyrus said calmly.
With a short yelp, Emora fell to her knees, bawling her eyes out. Her allies immediately came to the rescue, assisting their leader... Their lord... Their friend.
A few hours later...
"Eh. It's a big hole, but the gate still works, and this place is still mostly intact! It'll work." A Commander said cheerfully.
"Good. You men can do whatever you want. We'll be taking a small break before attacking Einar. We also need to wait on the Green, Pink, and Purple teams to take out their Outpost in order to attack." Alban explained.
"Understood. We'll make ourselves at home"
The Commander bowed and walked away from the Highlander, who sighed as he walked over to a table, where Emora, Apollo, and Cyrus were sitting.
"Where are Katsue and Airi?" The Highlander asked.
Emora rubbed her eyes. "Katsue is helping the soldiers settle into buildings along with the Lawbringer and Orochi. And Airi...I don't know where she is."
Alban nodded his head.
Cyrus shook his head. "Wow. I lost my entire team. I only have Mayako..."
Apollo groaned. "That Orochi helped save Alban along with Airi. She's a good teammate. Be glad she isn't dead."
"Yeah...You're right. Hey, you lost everyone too, huh?"
Apollo paused, his face turned solemn. "Yeah...I did."
Emora's eyes lit up with sympathy. She grabbed Apollo's hand and clutched it.
"I'm sorry Apollo..."
Cyrus put his hand on the Centurion's shoulder.
"I'm sorry too. She was perfect for you. I'm sorry she had to go the way she did...Right in front of you."
Apollo's jaw quaked, but he sucked in a deep breath and stopped himself from releasing any tears.
"I loved her...She wanted to marry me so badly. So enthusiastic about the future. Now it's all gone..."
Emora released a quiet breath of sorrow. Apollo watched as her eyes grew teary.
"Emora. Don't cry. It happened to me, not you, alright? You don't need to cry for me, you don't need to cry over me. Please just...Try to think about something else." The Centurion smiled.
The Warden pressed her hand against her eyes. She breathed in and out through her mouth, trying to slow her heartbeat.
"Apollo...She died right in front of you...You loved her! She was your future! And...And I WAS THE ONE WHO SENT HER IN! IT WAS MY IDEA! SHE GOT CAPTURED BECAUSE OF ME! It's all MY fault! She's dead because of ME!"
Emora's voice cracked as she finished her sentence. She began to cry loudly, catching the attention of nearby soldiers.
"Emora stop! This isn't your fault!" Cyrus yelled.
"Calm down Emora! Her death isn't on any of us! We all tried to save her, but it was a situation that went south too quickly for us to handle! Don't blame yourself for this!" Apollo shouted.
"Emora! Emora, come on, you're coming with me!"
Alban grabbed Emora's hand and pulled her along. The Warden sobbed along the entire way, wailing and gasping for breath.
The Highlander stopped once they were behind a small armory. He let go of Emora and let her release all of her emotion.
"Emora...Calm down..."
The Warden's head was down. Her cheeks and nose were red; her eyes looked tired of crying.
"Emora...I don't get it. You're so...Strange." Alban said gently.
Not too far away, Airi stepped out of the armory, trying to find a new small knife to keep in case of tight situations. She heard sniffling and panting being produced by a familiar voice.
"What the hell..?"
Airi looked around and followed the sound. She gasped when she spotted Alban and Emora behind the armory. The Warden leaning against the wall, the Highlander standing in front of her.
"Shit...This is NOT happening...No way!"
The Nobushi stayed quiet and observed around the corner quietly.
"Emora. Do you realize how much of a crybaby you are?" Alban joked.
The Warden let out a small giggle as she wiped her eyes of tears. "I guess so. Tsk...I don't know why I do it so much..."
Alban frowned. "Yes, you do. And if you don't, then I do."
Emora looked up at the Highlander, confused about his sudden shift in attitude. She looked at him with an all too honest gaze.
"You're a pure person, Emora. Someone with a heart of gold that only comes into someone's life if they're blessed by the gods themselves. Everyone, including me, is blessed with your presence, Emora. We're lucky...To have you in our lives."
The Warden blushed. "You're being all poetic. I'm not anything special."
"Yes, you are. Emora don't you realize? You cry for other people. You get angry for other people. You KILL for other people. You did it earlier today."
Emora looked away from the Highlander, her face reddened at the truth.
"When we watched Carolyn die...When you saw me get impaled by that spear...You froze up. Your emotions paralyzed you, preparing your body for the surge of anger that was to come. When Apollo fell to his knees, crying helplessly, you could feel his rage, his sadness, his suffering."
Emora looked up at Alban, her hazel eyes glowing golden.
"When he couldn't kill that Valkyrie, you did it for him. When he didn't want to cry over Carolyn, you did it for him. When we were watching you beat Mildred into a pulp...We felt safe. We felt protected. We felt like we had someone there to help us through everything. Do you want to know why we felt so good, so relieved after everything?"
Emora shook her head.
"Because of you. We all knew it was over, we all felt fine, we all felt normal. All of that trauma, all of that action, all of that sorrow...Was taken away, absorbed, and destroyed by you. Seeing you mercilessly and angrily attack Mildred made us feel like we didn't have to. You were feeling what we felt. You did what we couldn't and didn't want to do. You faced, what all of us failed to stand up to."
Emora's head began to hurt. She shut her eyes tightly.
"Emora...You care for your loved ones so much, that you transform over them. You're so gentle and loving, yet, at that moment, you were ferocious and dangerous. How do you do that? How do you just...Feel everything? Tell me how you felt while you were killing Mildred."
Emora paused; she stopped to think and responded with a quiet voice.
"I felt...Furious. I was blinded by the rage that I felt. Seeing you get hurt...Seeing Carolyn and all those other Heroes get killed...Seeing Apollo collapse the way he did...It made me surge with fury. I was crying and yelling while I attacked her...I don't know why."
Alban smiled. "Because we would've been crying and yelling if we didn't see you doing it for us. You shield us Emora. You're sympathetic. Apollo was out of control, we couldn't calm him down. But as soon as he saw you killing his fiancé's murderer, he stopped immediately, and watched."
Emora's expression was shocked. Her lips were parted, and her eyes darted around, trying to grasp the concept.
"Emora...You're so special. You're special to all of us. You're special to Apollo, you're special to Cyrus, you're special to Katsue, you're special to Airi...You're special to me."
Emora jumped a bit. She looked up at the Highlander, her eyes looking deep into his beautiful blue irises.
"Alban...I talked with Airi this morning..."
"What did she say?"
"I...I can't understand it. She's jealous of you...She's jealous of the way you talk to me...The way you can make me blush and flustered like I am right now. I'm scared."
"Why? Why are you scared?" Alban asked, his voice silky.
Emora shifted, her body growing hot. "I...I'm scared because I can't explain it to her! I can't explain...I can't explain..."
Alban looked at Emora with a confused expression. "Can't explain what?"
Emora took a deep breath. She looked up Alban, her gaze firm and mesmerizing.
"I can't explain how I feel about you."
The Highlander froze. His heartbeat accelerated.
"E-Emora..."
"Alban...There's something about you...It feels so...Right! You're such a kind person...And you're polite, respectful...Admirable. Airi hates you yet...You still treat her normally. How can you just do that...?"
Alban shrugged. "I don't hate her. If she's jealous, then...She should just talk to you about it, not show it off the way she does. Airi's jealous because she can read you, Emora. She recognizes your attitude."
Emora nodded her head. "She knows I'm confused. She knows that I'm going through the same thing I did with her, only instead...With you. She told me that she can see how I act around you...How I'm similar to you. How my actions replicate the confusion I had with her a long time ago."
Alban sighed. "If it's being replicated...What does that mean? How do you feel about me?"
Airi held her breath. She kept looking on quietly.
Emora was red, but her face was calm. "A-Alban...I see you as...So much more than just a friend. I trust you with my life. I'm not saying I don't trust my other friends with my life...But you're different. You're...Unique in a way I can't explain. The way your charm works with your genuine personality stuns other girls but...It makes me feel embarrassed and small."
Alban breathed evenly. He closed his eyes, knowing what Emora's decision was.
"My feelings for Airi...They've grown stronger than ever. I feel horrible. I feel like I haven't been paying any attention to her. Like I've been neglecting her in our relationship. I've...I've cried in my sleep because of it! I love her...I love her but I don't show it anymore, and I don't know why..."
Airi's heart froze. She felt her emotion bubble up inside her. She remembered those sleepless nights where she couldn't stop thinking why Emora wasn't talking to her. Tears slowly went down the Nobushi's face as the effects of the past month all rushed back to her.
"Alban, you're special to me...And I love you...But in a way that's different than the way that I love Airi. But...She's my everything. And it crushes my heart knowing that I've been ignoring her. She's jealous of you because of the things you do around me...But she doesn't need to be. I've been neglecting her...Only because someone like you is special to me. You're amazing Alban, and I love you for it."
The Highlander's heart surged with power. Despite the Warden's love not being romantic, but instead friendly, the words that were coming out of Emora's mouth meant so much to him. His doubt was destroyed, and he knew he loved Emora. He accepted his loss against Airi but knew that he still had his own place in Emora's heart.
But he still wanted to do something. He wanted to confess to her so he wouldn't have to live with the burden of making the Warden wonder about how he felt for her. He wanted to make his best, and final move. He wanted to make it memorable, and special.
"Emora. Your words invigorate me, and I'll forever hold you close to me, my Lord. But...I've been wanting to tell you something. I'm not sure if you're wondering or not, but I'm going to tell you this knowing that I might lose your friendship."
Emora grew worried. "What is it?"
"I want to tell you I feel. How I truly feel about you, my Lord."
Emora grew timid. Her cheeks flushed red and her eyes grew dilated.
"Shit...Alban don't do it!" Airi thought to herself.
"I want to tell you, just so I don't have to hide it. Maybe telling you and letting you know will ease my conscious...and help me forget. But for now...I'd like to do this."
"D-Do what...?"
Alban leaned in, causing Emora to gasp.
"Alban what're you—Mmph!"
The Warden froze as the Highlander gently kissed her. She felt her body tingle, her cheeks flush, and her breath run low. She breathed in through her nose, her eyes wide with shock.
Alban's gentle, caring movements caused Emora's body to naturally activate. His smooth, soft lips caressing and locking with Emora's more delicate, tender lips.
Airi watched in horror as the girl she loved was kissed by the man she hated.
"N-No...NO! Alban...How...How dare you! You said you'd back off...You said you'd leave her alone once she had made her decision! You weren't supposed to do this! Why would you?! WHY!?"
Airi's eye twitched with everlasting fury. All the jealousy, all the hate, all the maliciousness, and malevolence that the Nobushi had built up over the past month finally broke free, and the Samurai's natural instincts won over her common sense.
She turned around and headed straight towards her temporary living quarters, her mind set on her ultimate objective.
Emora breathed deeply as her lips were moved and shifted by Alban's. She closed her eyes and waited for the Highlander to finish. She didn't kiss back. She only wanted to let her friend release all of his bottled up emotions for her, as the Warden knew how it felt to hold in one's love for someone.
Alban pulled back after a few seconds. His eyes were still closed, and his lips were still parted. Emora panted lightly, her soft breaths intertwining with Alban's. The two opened their eyes at the same time, they met perfectly.
"Emora...I'm sorry..."
The Highlander broke into tears. He hugged his friend tightly, not wanting to let go. Emora exhaled and hugged him back, softly rubbing his back and shushing him to calm down.
"It's okay Alban...It's okay. I know you felt...I understand what it's like." She said softly.
The Highlander shook his head. "I shouldn't have done that...How could you let me? How dare you let me kiss you like that...Even after your decision! It's not right Emora!"
The Warden smiled softly.
"You wanted to show me how you felt. With that kiss, you definitely showed me first-hand what you feel for me. If I had pushed you away, I wouldn't have fully understood what you were trying to communicate."
Alban sniffed a few times, beginning to laugh quietly.
"Emora...I love you."
The Warden put her hand on the Highlander's heart. She felt his rapid-heartbeat and remembered the comfort and passion in his kiss.
"It's about time you told me."
If you made it to the end...Please review to let me now. I'll PM you, praising you like the god you are for reading all of this mushy bullcrap. I figured Emora was having too many close calls with her fights, so I wanted to give her one where she dominates.
Thanks for reading, till the next one. Adios.
