Chapter 3
AN: Chapter 3 Sorry, I know the front parts are real boring... but I don't like to skip. Hey, least there's some actions here! So bear with me kkz? I love your comments, please R&R
The Lancer pulled her spear back to prepare another blow to the trembling sorceress and it clashed right into Xavier's sword when he burst out of the bushes immediately.
He parried the thrust with swift experience and directed a kick at the demon's abdomen. It flew back just enough for him to step forward and slash off its head and the body jerked once before it fell eternally.
He glanced back at the girl. "Are you alright?" he asked, overly concerned over her shade of colour.
She managed a weak nod, before planting her staff on the ground to keep her standing. "Meidi," she gulped once "Thanks you, Paladin."
Xavier sheathed his sword before smiling at her when she pulled her glance away from the ground. "You're welcome. I'm Xavier." He looked back when he heard the sound of foots trampling the ground. The demons smelt blood; it was time to leave.
"Let's go." He ran forward and gripped Meidi's elbow firmly, steering her towards the waypoint. He pulled her within the ancient drawing and stepped on the first button he saw from the North.
When they landed on Rogue Entercamp, he could only see Meidi's greenish face before the limp body of a rogue dropped in front of them, from behind the wagon. He ran forward, and killed a skeleton he saw before turning his attention to the girl. Xavier felt her pulse, beating weakly. "She's not dead, bring her to Akara."
He helped Meidi lift the woman onto her back and pushed her in the direction of Akara's tent. Xavier himself ran in the opposite direction, not forgetting about the stubborn Amazon who clearly is in no position to fight.
Euryleia could hear the screams and sounds of battles engaging through the cloth door. She couldn't just sit here and pretend nothing was happening. 'Gosh,' she managed to choke out, when she tried to push herself off the bed - too much strain on her shoulder.
She stood, but almost fell forward before she propped herself against the table. She moved a few steps forward slowly and picked up her bow and exited the tent. She was supposed to lie against it for support before she heard the cry of a little child. "Mummy!" the same girl that had caused her injuries.
And the same girl was in jeopardy, Euryleia watched a skeleton lifted his bow and stretched it with precision. It would offend all her senses of responsibility if she just forsakes the girl.
Euryleia pushed herself forward before falling beside the girl, gripping her arm, igniting another cry from the child. She could see the arrow flying towards them and the girl was pulling back with equal force from fear. She'd never save her in time.
Her bone shattered, again, when the arrow locked into her shoulder, this time from her back, when she used her upper body to block the child. She fell onto the girl, causing the girl to collapse onto the floor too.
Euryleia could hear the girl cry out, this time not from fear but from realization, and also the arrow sticking out from her back. Euryleia pried open her own eyes enough to see the ground. Her teeth refused to part, making it hard for her to talk. "Got a weapon, girl?"
The child pulled a dagger from under her dress. Euryleia almost laughed, despite the pain. So it was true that Rogues were almost like Amazons. Every child would have learnt what a weapon was before they learned to talk. She picked the dagger from the child's finger and turned around just in time for another arrow to go sailing past her. She threw the dagger at the skeleton and it shattered into a million pieces.
"Get me the arrows." Euryleia ordered, without looking behind, still trying to catch her breath, sitting forward. The child let go reluctantly, and Euryleia almost sighed at the lack of support. Using her other hand to prop herself up, she waited, till the quiver of arrows the child stole from the dead skeleton archer materialised in front of her face.
She took it, and strapped it on, before trying to stand, with the help of the child, and arranging herself to lie against the stone bricks. "Get into the tent. Now." She ordered and added when she felt the girl resist then reluctantly let go of her arm, probably realizing she'd be more of a trouble than help.
Euryleia tried to ignore the pain that seared through her shoulder and lifted her bow. One after another, with excruciatingly long pauses, she took off the skeletons at came across her path. Each arrows that flew off to hit the demons, seemed to be flying back at her shoulder. She gritted her teeth in pain.
It was when her vision blurred that she saw someone she found terribly familiar. The paladin, as he backed off from a skeleton's offence. He parried the thrust directed at him and countered with both experience and premeditated strength. But he didn't see the other skeleton that was advancing at him from his back.
She lifted the bow and let the arrow take wing. It pierced through the air like it was nothing, and settled itself between the skeleton's spine, just a second before it shattered. Euryleia saw him turn around and looked at her with surprise.
Like her Leonard had done many times before. She smiled. Her Leonard, always hers... However, he'd left her, for power; he had left her, and their love. Leonard...Her world twirled happily on its axis. Then it blacked out in pain. But it turned bright again, in the darkness a candle glowed. Her Leonard was back again, calling out to her in the darkness.