Author's Note: Star Wars references galore in this chapter. I love that movie, and one of the situations is similar. Put it down to poor writing, having to steal lines from other sources, I can just claim it's a 'loving reference'.
PART VII
"Trust me, I read this in a book once." Vivli assured. It was late afternoon, they had found the camp and scouted it effectively.
"This book; it wasn't fiction, was it?" Bootus asked as he tied Dedji and Vivli's hands with the rope Vivli usually reserved for her paddle and her belt.
"Well, yes. But it worked." She explained. "Just go down there, and pretend we're prisoners. They'll let us in to the tent with the other prisoners, and then we can easily go about freeing them."
"Obviously you know a lot about prison breakouts, your highness." Bootus said with a smirk.
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Vivli yelled, stamping her foot angrily like a young child. Dedji laughed.
"Okay, you realise once we free them, we still need to fight our way out?" Zinkata asked.
"Shouldn't be too harrrrrrd." Dedji growled with a sadistic look on her face.
"We're the Light Warriors." Voldos reminded Zinkata, before winking at Dedji. "We can handle anything."
The five approached the tent they had identified as the tent where the prisoners were kept. Zinkata and Voldos stood on either side of Vivli and Dedji, and Bootus loomed behind. Zinkata took a deep breath, walking up to the bandit guards.
"Prisoner transfer from our camp in San D'Oria." He explained, hoping he didn't show how nervous he was.
"We have a camp in San D'Oria?" Inquired the guard. "First I've heard of it."
"It's new." Zinkata quickly explained. "Very sloppy. Hence why I wanted to transfer these two. Thought you're boss could make better use of them."
"Well, we have the prisoners we were looking for," The bandit guard explained, walking up so his face was right next to Vivli's, "But I'm sure we can find a use for these two." Vivli shivered at the implied meaning. The two guards followed the five through.
Inside a basic metal cage was erected, with a male and female mithra inside, who looked slightly like Vivli. They were much older of course. Vivli restrained herself, as did Dedji, but the two mithra ran to the edge of the cage in shock.
"No!" One gasped.
"Sit down!" Snarled the guard. "Right, thank you." He said to the heroes. "You can leave now."
"Okay, we'll just-" Zinkata stopped in fake surprise as Dedji 'broke free' of her ropes, grabbing her own scythe from Zinkata's back and attacking. "She's loose!" He yelled as she took out one of the guards. Vivli flipped the rope over the back of another, and started strangling him. In the chaotic confusion, the guard managed to throw Vivli over his shoulder, but was shot by an arrow from Voldos, letting out a scream. The elvaan ran to the entrance to the tent, sticking his head out. Zinkata swooped down to the fallen guard, grabbing a ring of keys. He quickly set about trying each in the cage's lock.
"Dedji!" Cried the man who was obviously her father. "And- It can't be." He gasped in utter shock.
"Hi Dad. Mum." Vivli waved nervously.
"Zin! Head's up!" Voldos cried from the doorway. "We're gonna have company!" An arrow tore through the tent from outside. Voldos leant out and shot some more. An arrow managed to hit Bootus in the shoulder. Vivli quickly set about healing him. The galka tore the arrow out with a groan. There was a loud gunshot, and Zinkata went down as a bullet tore through the tent fabric. "Great." Voldos sighed. "They have a rifle."
Vivli quickly went about healing Zinkata.
"Bootus!" Voldos yelled, watching as more arrows and gunshots tore through the tent. "We need a backdoor, now!"
"I'm on it!" The galka cried. Zinkata got back up, and successfully unlocked the cage. The mithra King and Queen ran out. Bootus tore a large hole in the back of the tent. "Let's move!" Voldos fired a few more arrows out of the tent and the seven strong party darted out the back.
They ran out into the desert camp. Bandits quickly saw them and approached.
"This
is some rescue." The Queen remarked, looking at the approaching
villains.
"Maybe you'd like it better back in your cell, your
highness?" Bootus angrily grumbled.
"Can it!" Zinkata ordered. "Get ready to fight!" The bandits swung in. Zinkata blocked one and slashed another. Dedji ran with her scythe, parrying many away. Bootus pummelled them as he usually did. Voldos hung back, using long range attacks. Vivli's parents grabbed swords, and started repelling the enemies with all the skills of well trained mithran warriors. Vivli felt a little left out.
"HELP!" She bellowed, as a bandit approached her with an evil grin on his face.
"We're a little busy!" Zinkata yelled, who was currently lying on the floor, dodging blows coming in from all angles.
"Don't suppose you want to talk through your problems?" Vivli offered to the approaching bandit. "I find a good talk is a lot better than violence." The bandit lunged at her and she jumped back. Dedji ran in, jumping over Vivli with a flip and knocking the bandit back.
"Sheesh, can't you take care of yourself for five minutes?" She asked.
"Shut up!" Vivli cried. "We're in trouble!"
"Nice plan." Dedji said through gritted teeth as more bandits approached them. "Can't you fight at all?"
"I have this." Vivli drew her paddle.
"You must be the most useless mithra in the world." Dedji shot at her.
"Hey! I can heal! And I do it pretty damn well!" Vivli protested. Bootus fell back, bleeding. Vivli ran forwards, casting a cure spell to prove it. The galka jumped up, and slammed back his attacker. Another bandit ran at Vivli. She held out the paddle. "Hey! Stay back!" She stammered, backing away. "I know how to use it." The bandit slashed his sword, and the paddle fell in two. "Ah. Right. Run." She said, turning and running as fast as she could. The bandit grabbed her tail and pulled her back, throwing her to the ground. She emitted a loud scream. "Dedji! HELP!" She cried as the bandit pulled back his sword. Dedji ran and jumped at the bandit, knocking him over. She sliced him with a scythe and turned away.
"Completely useless." She muttered under her breath as Vivli staggered up. The sun was setting and it was growing dark as they battled.
Voldos fired another arrow, taking out the rifleman.
"Rifle is down!" He announced. Somebody ran at him, two swords in his hands. Voldos barely drew his before he was being driven back. A sword flew through the air, killing the bandit. The King smiled.
"And they say male mithra can't fight." He said with a smirk.
"We need to get out of here!" Zinkata yelled.
"Really?" Bootus cried. "I never thought of that!" Another arrow hit the mighty galka. Vivli was doing her best to heal, but becoming quickly fatigued.
Dedji was slashed across the leg, and fell down. A bandit sneered at her and went to finish her off. Vivli threw herself between the two, pushing the bandit back. He laughed and pushed Vivli aside, knocking her to the floor. She cast a banish spell, at least wounding the bandit giving her enough time to run and jump in an attack. She gathered enough force to make the bandit stagger, but didn't carry enough weight to knock him over. She clung to his back, hitting him a few times to no avail. She instead started to strangle him, finding it a better tactic. He grabbed her and hurled her onto the floor, and pinned her down. Now she was the one being choked. She struggled desperately, but couldn't move. Her vision was beginning to tunnel.
Zinkata took another out, and noticed as the sun finally set and the camp was plunged into darkness. Blazing arrows began to fly at them.
"What are they doing?" The warrior cried. "They're going to burn the entire camp down!"
"Fine by me!" Voldos cried, firing an arrow through the flames into a tent. The tent burst into orange fire. The light and heat made the battle seem more intense.
"Okay! Head north!" Zinkata commanded. "We need to get out of here before we're all toast!" The heroes began to run.
"Where's Vivli?" Voldos yelled. They all looked around.
Vivli was gasping for air, but it was futile. Her body went limp.
"SIS!" Dedji gasped, finally seeing this. She limped over, and slashed outwards with her scythe. She picked up the tiny mithra. "Come on!" She cried. "Breath!" She pounded Vivli's chest. "Don't die on me! I don't even know you yet!"
An immense howl roared over the camp.
"Now what?" Zinkata grumbled.
"We need to get out of here." The Queen reminded the warrior.
"We're under attack from the west!" A bandit yelled as he ran past. The bandits were breaking away.
"It's some kind of beast!" Another screamed.
"It won't die!" A third cried.
"Sounds like it would be best to leave." Zinkata gulped. "I don't know what that is, but I don't want to find out." He looked at the shimmering full moon now visible in the sky, and felt a chill run down his back.
Dedji felt Vivli's chest move. She was alive, but only just. She picked her up, and ran back to the others, leaving her scythe behind. Bandits suddenly surrounded her, pointing their swords.
"Freeze." One ordered. Dedji didn't move. The bandit was suddenly picked up and hurled across the camp. A gigantic wolf-like creature, twice the size of any man, growled and bit into a second. They all rushed, stabbing it. It just flung them aside. Its fur was grey, its face twisted in anger, its body was humanoid but gigantic. It ripped apart a third. Dedji froze in horror. It turned to face the mithra. Dedji bent down, picking up a sword.
"S-s-s-s-stay back, beast!" She stammered. It was clearly incredibly powerful. It roared, and turned away. Dedji couldn't quite believe it. Zinkata ran to her side.
"Is that what I think it is?" He exclaimed.
"What do you think it is?" Dedji asked in confusion, still half paralysed from fear.
"No time for idle speculation!" The King announced. "Let's move!"
The heroes managed to escape to Mhaura without incident. The wolf beast kept the bandits distracted for a clean escape. The King introduced himself as Cruth, and the Queen as Arcane. Zinkata explained to them the story.
"Oh no." Dedji suddenly cried as soon as this story ended.
"What?" Zinkata asked.
"We rescued the prisoners, but never got the orb!" Dedji explained. "I'm very happy you're safe mother, father." Dedji told them. "But this orb was vital."
"We can worry about that tomorrow." Cruth told her. "What about Vivli? Is she alright? I never thought we'd see her again."
"She should recover." Dedji told them. "She's a useless warrior. You'd be disappointed."
"Now, now. It's an old stereotype all mithra must be warriors, isn't it dear?" Cruth said to Arcane.
"Of course." Arcane replied. "I'm sure Vivli is doing well as a mage."
"We need that orb." Zinkata told them. "If we fail, the world could end."
"It's only a theory." Bootus quickly input.
"We can do nothing more tonight. We should discuss it tomorrow." Arcane suggested. "You must be tired. Let's get some sleep."
Vivli woke up at some point in the afternoon. Her body felt incredibly weak. She could barely move. She rose to her feet, and wondered down into the bar of the inn. Zinkata, Voldos, Bootus and Dedji were gathered there. She swayed a little.
"You can't be serious." Dedji laughed aloud.
"Oh, come on. It makes sense!" Voldos cried. "Full moon. Wolf creature. Werewolf. Had to be."
"Werewolves are beings of myth. They got wiped out." Dedji smirked.
"Better listen to her." Bootus warned. "She's a Princess. must have had a royal education."
"That doesn't wind me up like it winds Vivli up." Dedji told him. Nobody had noticed she was watching. Her legs gave way and she collapsed, which certainly did alert them.
They ran over to her and helped her into a chair. She whimpered a little.
"Sorry." She said weakly.
"Are you alright, sis?" Dedji asked, actually looking concerned.
"I don't feel to great." She explained in answer.
"You
were nearly choked to death." Zinkata told her. "You're very
lucky to be alive."
"Where's my parents?" She asked.
"They went outside for a bit. I'm sure they'll be back any minute now." Zinkata told her.
"I want to talk to them." She explained.
"We figured." Laughed Dedji. "They want to talk to you." Vivli slumped in her chair. Dedji suddenly felt very guilty for being so rude to Vivli before. She looked so weak and vulnerable, and was, of course, her baby sister. "Urm. Sorry about saying mean things before." Dedji explained. She still detested mithra that appeared weak, or unable to fight for themselves, but Vivli was a kind person, who had almost got herself killed saving Dedji. Not to mention one of the instinctive drives she felt, like so many, was to protect her baby sister from harm.
"It's okay." Vivli said in reply. "I adventure with Bootus. I don't notice mean things anymore."
"I'm glad to have you as a sister." Dedji admitted, sounding a bit more light hearted.
"And I'm glad to have you." Vivli spoke in return.
"Awww," Bootus said in his heavily patronising tone, "I think I'm going to cry."
The galka heard footsteps behind him.
"Before you do," Came a voice, "I think I have something you may be interested in." The figure of Olose Sampson slammed a glowing white orb down on the table, shot Vivli a smile, and pulled up a chair, waiting for a comment.
