In a cloud of dust, Brendon suddenly came to a stop. In surprise Azrael
almost bumped into him. Raine wasn't so lucky and barreled into Az. "Why
are we stopping?" Azrael looked back the way they had come trying to see
how much time they had before the creature caught up with them.
"Anyone care for a swim?" Raine gazed over Brendon's shoulder, down the cliff to the blue waters below.
Exasperated, Brendon raked his hands through his hair. "This is not my day. Definitely not my day!" He looked back the way they had come then back down the cliff. "Our options are either fight…or get wet. What's your pick?"
Both Elves grinned at their friend, Azrael had already unsheathed his sword. "One creature, three of us. I think the odds are in our favor to fight."
With a nod of his head, both he and Azrael, swords drawn, stood a few paces ahead of Raine. The female elf stood between the two, her bow already notched. A calm took over all three warriors as they waited for the creature. The thing didn't disappoint them and was soon rampaging into view. When it saw them it stopped. "You think you three can fight me?" His voice was a hideous rasp and his laugh was even worse. It sounded like nails scratched down slate. "That's not very fair, three against one? But no matter, I've brought friends." As the words left his mouth a horde of Cerberus' once-human soldiers stormed out of the trees to stand beside the creature.
Brendon swore under his breath. The odds of winning the fight had decreased to zero. There was no way the three of them could take on so many men. "You're right. We can't." He frowned as he heard Raine's soft voice inside his mind. "I've got an idea though. Azrael agreed albeit grudgedly. We can't win the fight, so our only option left is to flee. And the only way out is the cliff. Az and I will keep them busy so you can jump." Brendon opened his mouth to object. "No buts! Arrows have a longer range then a sword does. When the first arrow flies…run." Out of the corner of his eye Brendon watched as Azrael sheathed his sword and placed an arrow in his bow. He was the first to let an arrow go.
Both elves in a blur of motion sent out a volley of arrows. Brendon hesitated before he ran for the cliff's edge. He looked back once before he jumped into the swirl of water below. When Raine heard the splash she signaled for Azrael to go next. "After you."
"Ladies first."
"Go Az! I'll be fine."
"No I insist."
Riane growled in frustration. "Fine we both go at the same time." She paused as her hand hit air above her head. "Our time's up I'm out of arrows. Let's move." She turned and headed towards the drop, grabbing Azrael's hand as she went. As the reached the edge, she saw Azrael stop. "Jump!"
"I-I can't swim."
"What!?!?! In the last 600 years, you never once took the time to learn how to swim?" Being a little stressed about their current situation her voice was a lot sharper then she intended it to be.
Her tone caused Azrael to get his defenses up. "Unlike you I don't live near the ocean! I live in a forest! Our only waters are shallow lakes and streams."
Raine managed to steal a quick glance behind them. "Okay we've got lots of company, so tell ya what. We survive this, and I'll teach you how to swim. Right now, we just don't have the time."
"But…"
"Just go!" She shoved him from behind. Azrael lost his footing, tumbling over the edge, swearing in elvish all the way down. Raine dove off after him.
* * *
"What! Why are they running?" Atlas shrieked.
Loki stared down into the pool at his feet. His face slightly illuminated by the reflected light. "Because they know they cannot win."
"They didn't even try."
"They didn't need to. They're not stupid." Sighing Loki waved his hand over the pool and the images disappeared. "Will you please calm down? Everything is going according to plan…somewhat anyway."
"Calm down? You want me to calm down? The fate of the world will soon be in their hands and you want me to calm down?"
Rolling his eyes heavenward, Loki walked off leaving his over reactive friend still wailing.
* * *
Quickly, Lee hurried down the stairs, hoping the knocking at the door wouldn't wake up Jamieson. Thunder crashed every so often, the lightning illuminated the room as she hurried to the door. The person on the other side knocked again. "I'm coming! Hold your horses!" She expelled a breath as her hand touched the door handle. With her other hand holding the candlestick in front of her, she slowly opened the door a crack. "Yes? Can I help you?" She squinted into the dark but could only make out the shapes of three travelers.
"Do you think we could come in?" The voice was female and reminded Lee of bells.
"We're closed."
"We know but we've been traveling for a long ways. We're tired, cold, hungry, and in desperate need of dry shelter."
Lee seemed to think it over before letting the door open the rest of the way. The three shapes hurried into the main part of the tavern, turning when they reached the center. Lee closed the door and locked it before turning to the sodden travelers; the candlestick raised in one hand. The closest person to Lee took off their hood revealing a tall male elf. His long hair was in disarray and hung in wet strands around his face. His eyes shone with a hidden spark, flickering like green fire. His right eye had a wicked looking scar running down it. It started just above his eyebrow and ended just above his cheekbone. Although his clothes were soaked and travel worn, much like the rest of him, Lee was quite taken aback by his appearance.
"Thank-you. We are in your debt." His voice flowed over her like a spring wind moving through the trees. Stupidly, Lee stood there staring at him.
"You're an elf!"
He only grinned slyly at her. "I was the last time I checked." The cloaked figure beside him removed their hood revealing a female elf even more beautiful then the first.
"Ya know Az, that's been happening a lot to me as of late." The two shared a smile.
Incredulously Lee stared at the two mystical creatures. "You're both Elves!" Finally she turned to the last figure. "Are you an elf too?"
Slowly the figure removed his hood. Water that had collected in a pool atop his head fell with a patter to the floor. There was a smile in his voice when he replied. "Alas I am not. I am just a lowly Mortal." The man standing in front of Lee had to have been the most beautiful man she had ever seen, but he possessed a different kind of beauty then the elves. His hair was worn longer then the style these days and fell in wet auburn curls around his shoulders. Eyes that were the colour of spun honey stared back at her. Like his friends his clothes were well worn and they fit him quite snuggly. Lee blushed when she realized she was staring at him. "Where are my manners? My name is Brendon." He extended his hand to her and she graciously accepted.
"My name is Calysto. But most people call me Lee." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. They stayed that way until someone cleared their throat.
"Uh, I'm Azrael." The elf raised his hand in greeting.
"But you can call him Az. Or Ass, or Jerk, or Stupid. Or…anything else you think is appropriate." Raine smiled at Lee, dodging a swipe from Azrael. "I'm Raine by the way."
Lee was still slightly shocked to have all three of them in her home. "That's a very pretty name."
"Thank-you." She smiled " I don't mean to be rude but, I'm getting very cold standing here in these wet clothes,"
"Oh!" Lee blushes from embarrassment. "I'm sorry."
"There's no need to be. We are already being an inconvenience to you." Brendon tried to calm lee down, but she didn't hear him and continued to move around the room.
"I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached! I'm sorry, I'm just not used to having visitors of such high caliber."
Raine chuckled " Our company isn't so high." There was a twinkle in her eyes. "Well not Az anyway." Once more Azrael took a swipe at her.
"You guys are hungry right?"
"Yes-I mean-no-I mean. Please do not further inconvience yourself on our account."
Lee had turned to Brendon when he spoke. "It's not any trouble. We have some food left from dinner. But first, let's get you guys out of those wet clothes and settled in a room." She turned to the stairs. "Follow me." The three obediently followed.
"Anyone care for a swim?" Raine gazed over Brendon's shoulder, down the cliff to the blue waters below.
Exasperated, Brendon raked his hands through his hair. "This is not my day. Definitely not my day!" He looked back the way they had come then back down the cliff. "Our options are either fight…or get wet. What's your pick?"
Both Elves grinned at their friend, Azrael had already unsheathed his sword. "One creature, three of us. I think the odds are in our favor to fight."
With a nod of his head, both he and Azrael, swords drawn, stood a few paces ahead of Raine. The female elf stood between the two, her bow already notched. A calm took over all three warriors as they waited for the creature. The thing didn't disappoint them and was soon rampaging into view. When it saw them it stopped. "You think you three can fight me?" His voice was a hideous rasp and his laugh was even worse. It sounded like nails scratched down slate. "That's not very fair, three against one? But no matter, I've brought friends." As the words left his mouth a horde of Cerberus' once-human soldiers stormed out of the trees to stand beside the creature.
Brendon swore under his breath. The odds of winning the fight had decreased to zero. There was no way the three of them could take on so many men. "You're right. We can't." He frowned as he heard Raine's soft voice inside his mind. "I've got an idea though. Azrael agreed albeit grudgedly. We can't win the fight, so our only option left is to flee. And the only way out is the cliff. Az and I will keep them busy so you can jump." Brendon opened his mouth to object. "No buts! Arrows have a longer range then a sword does. When the first arrow flies…run." Out of the corner of his eye Brendon watched as Azrael sheathed his sword and placed an arrow in his bow. He was the first to let an arrow go.
Both elves in a blur of motion sent out a volley of arrows. Brendon hesitated before he ran for the cliff's edge. He looked back once before he jumped into the swirl of water below. When Raine heard the splash she signaled for Azrael to go next. "After you."
"Ladies first."
"Go Az! I'll be fine."
"No I insist."
Riane growled in frustration. "Fine we both go at the same time." She paused as her hand hit air above her head. "Our time's up I'm out of arrows. Let's move." She turned and headed towards the drop, grabbing Azrael's hand as she went. As the reached the edge, she saw Azrael stop. "Jump!"
"I-I can't swim."
"What!?!?! In the last 600 years, you never once took the time to learn how to swim?" Being a little stressed about their current situation her voice was a lot sharper then she intended it to be.
Her tone caused Azrael to get his defenses up. "Unlike you I don't live near the ocean! I live in a forest! Our only waters are shallow lakes and streams."
Raine managed to steal a quick glance behind them. "Okay we've got lots of company, so tell ya what. We survive this, and I'll teach you how to swim. Right now, we just don't have the time."
"But…"
"Just go!" She shoved him from behind. Azrael lost his footing, tumbling over the edge, swearing in elvish all the way down. Raine dove off after him.
* * *
"What! Why are they running?" Atlas shrieked.
Loki stared down into the pool at his feet. His face slightly illuminated by the reflected light. "Because they know they cannot win."
"They didn't even try."
"They didn't need to. They're not stupid." Sighing Loki waved his hand over the pool and the images disappeared. "Will you please calm down? Everything is going according to plan…somewhat anyway."
"Calm down? You want me to calm down? The fate of the world will soon be in their hands and you want me to calm down?"
Rolling his eyes heavenward, Loki walked off leaving his over reactive friend still wailing.
* * *
Quickly, Lee hurried down the stairs, hoping the knocking at the door wouldn't wake up Jamieson. Thunder crashed every so often, the lightning illuminated the room as she hurried to the door. The person on the other side knocked again. "I'm coming! Hold your horses!" She expelled a breath as her hand touched the door handle. With her other hand holding the candlestick in front of her, she slowly opened the door a crack. "Yes? Can I help you?" She squinted into the dark but could only make out the shapes of three travelers.
"Do you think we could come in?" The voice was female and reminded Lee of bells.
"We're closed."
"We know but we've been traveling for a long ways. We're tired, cold, hungry, and in desperate need of dry shelter."
Lee seemed to think it over before letting the door open the rest of the way. The three shapes hurried into the main part of the tavern, turning when they reached the center. Lee closed the door and locked it before turning to the sodden travelers; the candlestick raised in one hand. The closest person to Lee took off their hood revealing a tall male elf. His long hair was in disarray and hung in wet strands around his face. His eyes shone with a hidden spark, flickering like green fire. His right eye had a wicked looking scar running down it. It started just above his eyebrow and ended just above his cheekbone. Although his clothes were soaked and travel worn, much like the rest of him, Lee was quite taken aback by his appearance.
"Thank-you. We are in your debt." His voice flowed over her like a spring wind moving through the trees. Stupidly, Lee stood there staring at him.
"You're an elf!"
He only grinned slyly at her. "I was the last time I checked." The cloaked figure beside him removed their hood revealing a female elf even more beautiful then the first.
"Ya know Az, that's been happening a lot to me as of late." The two shared a smile.
Incredulously Lee stared at the two mystical creatures. "You're both Elves!" Finally she turned to the last figure. "Are you an elf too?"
Slowly the figure removed his hood. Water that had collected in a pool atop his head fell with a patter to the floor. There was a smile in his voice when he replied. "Alas I am not. I am just a lowly Mortal." The man standing in front of Lee had to have been the most beautiful man she had ever seen, but he possessed a different kind of beauty then the elves. His hair was worn longer then the style these days and fell in wet auburn curls around his shoulders. Eyes that were the colour of spun honey stared back at her. Like his friends his clothes were well worn and they fit him quite snuggly. Lee blushed when she realized she was staring at him. "Where are my manners? My name is Brendon." He extended his hand to her and she graciously accepted.
"My name is Calysto. But most people call me Lee." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. They stayed that way until someone cleared their throat.
"Uh, I'm Azrael." The elf raised his hand in greeting.
"But you can call him Az. Or Ass, or Jerk, or Stupid. Or…anything else you think is appropriate." Raine smiled at Lee, dodging a swipe from Azrael. "I'm Raine by the way."
Lee was still slightly shocked to have all three of them in her home. "That's a very pretty name."
"Thank-you." She smiled " I don't mean to be rude but, I'm getting very cold standing here in these wet clothes,"
"Oh!" Lee blushes from embarrassment. "I'm sorry."
"There's no need to be. We are already being an inconvenience to you." Brendon tried to calm lee down, but she didn't hear him and continued to move around the room.
"I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached! I'm sorry, I'm just not used to having visitors of such high caliber."
Raine chuckled " Our company isn't so high." There was a twinkle in her eyes. "Well not Az anyway." Once more Azrael took a swipe at her.
"You guys are hungry right?"
"Yes-I mean-no-I mean. Please do not further inconvience yourself on our account."
Lee had turned to Brendon when he spoke. "It's not any trouble. We have some food left from dinner. But first, let's get you guys out of those wet clothes and settled in a room." She turned to the stairs. "Follow me." The three obediently followed.