Hold On
Chapter 4: Raven
Cuddling in Flammie's soft feathers, Angela didn't realize the army was already right above Oasis Village Deen. She turned her head to the ground and all she could see below her was the dry, empty desert. Few monsters still roamed the area, but every one of them looked smaller and weaker than before. Eversince the Mana Goddess was reincarnated as the Faerie, the quantity of monsters in the world had decreased greatly.
The sky was clear and the sun was warming Angela's face but at the same moment, blinding her. As she sat up, she saw only about two dozen mages sitting beside her on the winged beast. Although a bit disappointed, she knew they were all Flammie could carry. Yet, she was certain they weren't enough to win a war.
The white dragon's wings flapped up and down as she lowered herself onto the ground, causing sand to spread through the air like a tornado. Finally, she landed on the sand with a loud thud and rumble of the ground. As mages began departing from her back, she grabbed a rhino-like monster and ate it in one gulp. Then, she laid down, resting her head on her claws, and went to sleep.
Stepping onto the soft sand, Angela could already feel difference in the climate between Navarre and Altena. The air was so dense and humid. The trees weren't decorated at all, but they looked beautiful anyway - beautiful in a strange, tropical, kind of way. There was no snow or rivers, just all dryland. Eversince Mana had disappeared, the people of Navarre tried replanting the jungle, and so for, it was evident their attempt had been somewhat of a success.
After a few steps, the army entered Oasis Village Deen. It had a homely feeling to it. The shops weren't busy, nor were the streets. Near the shore, laughing children could be seen playing, along side chatting fishermen. The houses were made of wood, painted peach with blue roof tops. There was no fighting, no worries on the people's minds. It was a place where people came to rest, where sea captains came to share their ghost stories, where criminals came to start a new life. It was as if the village was hidden from reality.
"You six, occupy this city right now. You, place all my stuff at the Inn. You, call Flammie and tell her to deliver more soldiers over here. The rest of you, set up camp on the outskirts of town!" Angela ordered, pointing to various soldiers. There was no time for her to relax and fully absorb her surroundings.
The soldiers nodded and immediately got to work as the queen and her two bodyguards entered the town. Blocks of ice came crashing down into Deen, just barely avoiding hitting houses. All the villagers fled into their small homes until there was only one man standing outside. He looked just like all the other village elders but unlike them, he showed no sign of worry on his face. His bushy eyebrows overshadowed his eyes, and his gray mustache covered his frowning lips. He calmly walked towards the queen, holding his hands behind his back.
"As the elder of this small village, I beg you to show mercy on us and let us continue living here in peace." He said, still showing no emotion upon his face.
"Old man, I have no time for your requests. I'll do as I please, but I'll tell you this: Don't worry for your villagers, my army won't harm them." Angela replied.
"Thank you for your kindness, your majesty," he said, as he tried bowing to the queen without injuring his back or any other weak parts of his old body. He gave up and just lowered his head instead.
Overhearing the conversation, the many villagers began stepping outside their homes and continued their daily routines with little hesistation. The same group of little kids came back to play at the shore, along with the fishermen. The mages were ordered not to harm the villagers and to keep everything the way it was. The only things to be taken from the town were the weapons and armor. The queen liked the Oasis Village, and she didn't want its peace and tranquility to cease.
Angela pushed past all the wandering villagers until she reached the Inn. With one gentle push, the wooden door opened fully. Inside, it was like any other regular inn, despite the multiple bags of Angela's clothing. The walls were painted peach, with a few windows near each of the three beds. On the wooden floor lay two large bags filled with the queen's clothing. Behind the counter was the Inn keeper, dressed in pale white with a turban-like hat on his head. He was moving his hands back and forth, dancing an odd dance.
"Hello. How may I help you today?" The keeper asked politely.
"I just came here to change my clothes," Angela replied.
"Oh, go ahead," the Inn keeper said with no hesitation. He still remained behind the counter, dancing his bizarre dance, not showing the slightest bit of care that the Queen of Altena, the most powerful woman in the world, was planning to undress in the same room he was in. He continued his little dance as if it was all that was on his mind. Wait... it probably WAS all that was on his mind.
"Umm... could you leave?" The queen asked, feeling a bit awkward for having to ask such a question. No one ever dared be stupid enough not to leave before hand.
"Sure!" The strange man cheered as he opened up the counter and walked outside, still dancing.
No matter how much Angela loved the town, she believed the villagers were a little... off.
"Well, that was pointless...," she mumbled to herself.
With the inn keeper far away now, she took off her navy blue leotard that she wore the previous day. Then, she reached into her leather bag for a bright red bikini with thin golden straps. She dressed into it, tying the strings tightly. Then, with no mirrors in sight, she brushed her long, straight, lavendar hair for just a brief moment. Quite satisfied with her appearance, she pulled the copper knob of the door and stepped back outside. She had an entire schedule of events to follow today. It was the day for her to counterattack.
She stepped outside into the fresh air. Beside the Inn's door stood her bodyguard, Duran. His face was turned to the ground, the shadow of his head piece over his cerulean eyes. As soon as Angela skipped right passed him, he began following her.
"Angela, I have been thinking about this for a long time... I need tell you something very important...," Duran asked, nervous with every word.
Finally, Angela turned around to him. On her face was a cheerful look. For possibly the first time in her life, she was eager to hear what he had to say.
"Umm....," he blushed bright red, holding back his words. He took a few long, deep breaths before continuing. "Shouldn't we have occupied the kingdom capital first?" He asked.
Angela turned back around and let out a sigh of disappointment. She pranced off to the Item Shop, and right before she opened the door, she replied to Duran's question.
"Well, yeah, but I have to go shopping first!" She replied merrily.
"Phew, that was a close one," he sighed. After brushing the sweat off his face, he entered the shop.
The item shop looked exactly like the Inn, except without the beds. It had a wooden floor, with peach painted walls, and a few windows here and there. Behind the counter, was a short old woman, with seaweed-colored hair, a hat practically wrapped around her head, and small spectacles hanging off her small, round nose.
"Good afternoon, y-your h-highness, how are you today?" The old lady behind the counter asked nervously, putting on a fake smile.
"Fine, thanks. Now, give me 18 of everything you've got. No, wait! Forget the stardust herbs, those are icky. Actually, wait, give me 20 Angel's Grails. No, actually, umm.... how about some extra chocolate? Yeah, that's it. And whatever Duran can't carry, I'll put into storage." Angela said.
The old lady nodded and walked to the back of the shop to retrieve the items. She came back in a second, carrying half of the order. Then, she returned to the back to gather the rest.
"Excuse me, your highness, that's 9,000 luc." The item shop lady said.
"Sure. Here you go." Angela said, paying for the items, as if 9,000 luc was as much as a mere single luc.
"Come on, Duran, let's get going," she said, signaling for him to follow.
Duran picked up the items, and although he had trouble carrying them, he followed her anyway. After the items had been equally distributed to a dozen mages, it was time to head into the desert.
The mages were aligned in three rows of four, all of them ready for battle. As Angela, alongside Duran, left the town and began wandering in the desert, the army of twelve followed.
Many hours of wandering aimlessly in the desert passed. Angela, being as stubborn as she was, thought she knew where she was going, and no one dared question her order of direction. The scorching sun was at its hottest during this time of the afternoon. Luckily, the mages had hats to provide shade for their faces. Although it was hot, humid, and uncomfortable, Angela didn't even consider the option of turning back. She was determined to kill the first ninja she saw.
"Ok, I admit it. I was wrong. We're-" Suddenly, just before the queen could admit they were lost, she felt a shadow run past her. "Get him!" She shouted, pointing at the masked assassin that was now running into a herd of golden rhino. The many rhinoceros-like monsters ignored the ninja as he steathily dashed passed by them, their golden eyes not even turning towards him.
The army of mages, on the other hand, watched his every movement, chasing him through the confusing maze-like pathways he took. They floated a few feet above the sand, low enough to spot the running ninja, but high enough to avoid injuries from any of the cacti or monsters.
Left, Right, Right, Straight; the path never seemed to end.
The last turn led them to a dead end. The entrance was blocked off by a puddle of quicksand too big to jump over. Right before them was the deserter, the one had been chasing all this time. To their surprise, he was alone but didn't seem a bit nervous. He stopped and briefly glanced at them. Whirlwinds flew out of his palms, pushing sand from beneath their feet to the army's eyes.
Angela rubbed her eyes, scratching out the sand. When her vision cleared up, she saw that the area was completely empty.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Angela said in panic, remaining in her fighter stance.
It was a trap.
Over three dozen ninjas appeared from the tall, sand-covered cliffs. They pounced onto the mages like wolves capturing their prey. They left the wizards helpless and outnumbered. The assassins' faces were hidden behind a slightly transparent cloth, concealing their facical expressions. Their long, torn capes blew as they swiftly slashed with each of their two daggers. Also upon each of their backs were two ninjas swords, just in case they weren't comfortable using daggers.
"Navarre must have expected an attack. I'm sure they killed Mother," Angela whispered to herself.
Before the first strike was made, she tore off her necklace and securely tied it around her ponytail, under all her hair.
The battle began.
Shurikens and fireballs ricocheted and although it seemed like a fair match, the mages were still at a disadvantage. It was a closed in area, and they barely had enough time to chant before the ninjas hit them several times. It was unfamiliar territory, and there was no place to hide, no place to run.
Angela saw this and began doing her best to help. She struck a few ninjas at the back of their skulls, knocking some of them out, but she knew she wasn't helping much. She was the strongest magic user of the entire army, and she had to take advantage of that. So, she began chanting her most powerful magic spell, but just when she started, someone grabbed her from behind. Her mouth was covered by a gloved hand for a second, and then she was lifted off the ground and hauled onto someone's shoulder. She screamed, but her cries weren't heard over the sound of battle.
Yet, even through all the chaos, Duran knew she was gone. He was watching her throughout the entire battle. He pushed through the battling soldiers, not caring about all the wounds he was receiving.
"Get off of me!" Angela screamed. In an attempt to loosen the napper's grip, she started kicking and punching, but it did no good. Suddenly, large green and purple bubbles popped above her head, poisoning her immediately. Before she could react, flower petals surrounded her, making her the center of a small tornado. They flew around her, and as she breathed in their sweet scent, all she could do was sleep. Her vision blurred away, allowing her to catch one last glimpse of her losing army. The last thing she heard was the sound of Duran's gruff voice, calling her name in a futile attempt to find her.
---
Angela opened her eyes to find herself chained, by her wrists, to a dungeon wall. Although it was a small cell, it reeked of ashes and urine, and the tiny window didn't provide enough air to dispose of the odor. On the sandstone floor were a few bones and rusty chains, and beside them was an old mug filled with dirty water. In the ground was a small hole, probably used to let out unnecessary bodily liquids. Torches lying in the hallway were the only sources of light or heat in the entire dungeon. It was cold in the desert during this time of night.
Angela felt horribly nauseous, able to feel her body weakening with every breath she took. The poison was draining away all her strength, and she had no way of stopping it. All of her items were taken away, all she had left was the bikini she was wearing. Although healing magic would be useful at times like these, she would never trade away her offensive magic. She was an attacker, an aggressor.
A loud, metallic noise was heard throughout the dungeon. Something heavy fell onto the ground. The door to Angela's cell creaked open and someone walked right through.
He strutted through the door, his boots making much noise on the stone floor. At his sides, he held two curved daggers, along with a few silver shurikens on his belt. He wore a rough cotton vest, flaunting his well-toned arms. And his lavender ponytail slightly swung back and worth as he walked. He was really freakin hot, too.
"An exhausted queen, wearing a bikini, chained to the wall - Am I lucky as Hell or what?" He said, a toothpick between his lips.
"Don't get any ideas, pervert...," Angela mumbled, wearily. She had recognized the person's voice. It was Hawkeye.
"Aw, too late," he laughed.
Hawkeye came closer and closer to Angela, until he knelt down on one knee beside her. Now, they were just an inch apart, possibly the closest they had ever come towards each other. Hawkeye removed the toothpick from his mouth and began fiddling with the lock. That was the only sound throughout the entire dungeon. The clicking of a lock slowly breaking.
The first lock broke. The short chain hung off the wall, as Angela's hand fell free. She smiled, and turned her head to Hawkeye, who was working on setting free her other hand.
"Hawkeye?" She asked in a soft, gentle voice.
He didn't reply, still concentrating on the lock.
"Hawkeye?" She asked again.
As the toothpick fell from Hawkeye's fingertips, Angela's hand gently fell from the wall, her skin now free of the rusty chain. She stood up straight, and brushed some dirt off her butt.
"Hawkeye, take me to Flame Kahn," she commanded, but not in a voice she used to address servants. She spoke as gently as she could, ending her sentence with an innocent smile.
"You wanna get killed?" He replied sarcastically, lifting one of his eye brows in shock and disbelief.
"No... I have to ask him exactly why he sent Nightblades out to kill Mother. "
"Nightblades, eh?"
Hawkeye paused for a short second to think. Then, he knelt down near the wall and began lightly knocking on it. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, round object, which he gently threw on the stone floor, against the back wall. He blew on it with his fiery breath , and a small flame appeared on its string. It was burning quickly, and would soon explode, destroying the entire back wall. This was the same technique Nikita used to save Hawkeye months ago.
"Hey! What are you doing? ...Wait a minute..."
At that instant, Angela realized something horrifying.
"You're one of them, aren't you?! You're one of Navarre's greatest Nightblades! You killed Mother!" She yelled at Hawkeye.
He ignored her quiry, doubting her seriousness, and walked to the entrance of the cell, where he relocked the barred door.
He then slightly looked over his shoulder at Angela, giving her the most wicked, evil look. In a way, he look betrayed, and at the same moment, mischievous, as if planning exactly where and when to strike an attack. Unpredictable. He was absolutely unpredictable.
"I would never. How could you possibly think that?" He said, his expression still indescribable.
Before the queen could comment on his theoretical question, the small explosive burst in flames and broke down entire back wall, causing a loud thunderous blast of noise that would surely attract guards to the area.
And it did.
The ground began to lightly rumble. A drum-like beat was heard as numerous guards ran down to the dungeon, all reacting to the sound of the explosion. It was a stampede of raging ninjas, all wearing the same uniforms, holding the same daggers, with the same emotionless faces.
With no time to glance back at the crowd, or even to think, Hawkeye grabbed Angela's velvet-gloved hand and pulled her through the large opening the bomb had made.
He dashed through the darkness, small stones crackling under his feet. The sound of many footsteps echoed throughout the entire cave, as rats and bats cleared out of the way of the incoming runners. Angela was just being dragged along, barely keeping up with the Nightblade's pace. She tripped once, her legs too weak to move, but Hawkeye's hand supported her. They continued running for their lives, because they both knew that if they were ever to get caught, they would be executed. Well, Hawkeye would, but Angela would just be taken captive and then forced to give up her kingdom. And then executed.
It was only a short time before a blinding light streamed in from the path ahead of them. They stopped as a silhouetted figure appeared from the light.
"I am DURAN, son of LOKI of FORCENA! I am the Great and Almighty Knight of Gold of Forcena!" He proudly shouted, his hand clenched into a shaking fist. His golden armor shined as much as it could possibly shine. Duran's efforts of polishing it daily really did pay off.
The two escapees panicked as the paladin blocked the exit with his armor-covered body.
"Duran, MOVE!" They yelled in unison, their anxiety of the approaching ninjas growing.
"Oh, Angela. You're safe!!! And Hawkeye's with you too! This is-"
"MOVE!"
The knight backed up obediently, more confused than ever. When the path was the clear, Hawkeye and Angela dashed through, faster and swifter than ever. Once they passed through the exit, they were outside in the wondrous desert. Before them stood a few, maybe about four, loyal Altenan mages. They all held their eyes on Hawkeye, ready to attack him. There was a bitter silence, as everyone remained motionless.
Angela felt Hawkeye's hand slowly drift away from hers, which he had been holding throughout the entire escape. Worry began to overcome her emotions.
Then, the door behind them bursted open. Out came Duran, panting like crazy. He shut the door, leaning his heavy body against it.
"Mages, rest. Hawkeye, here, is not an enemy. He was the one who saved me. Start marching on forward back towards town." Angela ordered softly, not straining her voice at all. Then, she turned her head towards the thief and asked, "Hawkeye, you coming?"
"Yeah," he replied, with a small, short nod of the head. He followed the few marching soldiers, walking past Angela but then soon turning back towards her, "YOU comin'?"
Angela smiled.
"Yeah."