Eryn awakens to the lantern light flickering on and her eyes being flooded by the brightness. She squints and whines softly in protest. Darius, who had sat up to flip the light on, settles back onto the blanket beside her. His arm wraps tightly around her waist and he pulls her closely against him. "Why?" She whines burying her face into his chest.
He chuckles. "We should get moving soon."
"Few more minutes." She pleads looking up at him and taking one of her hands and sweetly running it down his jaw line.
"You are quite the negotiator." The corners of his lips curl upwards into a small smile.
She enjoys seeing the small reactions she can provoke from him sometimes. He always has such a serious look, trying to mask his feelings. But she likes seeing his walls come down whenever possible. When she touches him or when he speaks about his past she can see them crumbling ever so slightly. Especially after the previous night's activities. Knowing he wants her has her so hungry for more. She desperately wants to see and know as much about him as she can while she can. Her fingers trace upwards following the tough skin of the scar on his face, tracing it down his cheekbones with her thumb. "How'd you get this?"
He hums, closing his eyes. "Got it as a kid."
"When you lived on the streets of… Basilich right?"
He nods. "Yeah. Quil had managed to get a stranger to give her some coin, and her and Draven went off to buy a loaf of bread for us to split. Some older thugs stole the change from them, Draven tried to fight back but Quil pulled him out of there. She always knew when we both were getting in over our heads… They came back cut up and bruised but mostly fine. But I was angry. So later that day I tracked down the older kids and challenged their leader to a fist fight for the money. He agreed, but when he started losing he pulled out a knife and gave me that scar. Tried to take out my eye. Managed to still take him down despite that. But he had already spent the change for his own food he had eaten. So I took his knife instead and gave it to Draven."
Eryn watches his eyes go distant as he recalls the memory and his tone is somber. These certainly seem to have been darker days in Darius's eyes. "How did he react to the knife?" Eryn asks.
His eyes suddenly light up and he chuckles to himself. "He hurt himself with it nearly immediately, he was so excited. It was his first knife I think, he was really young then. Later when Noxus invaded he used it to try to attack their commander." His tone is softer, fonder, as he remembers these stories.
Eryn laughs with him. "He seems like he was a handful."
"He still is." He's smiling again. Eryn enjoys the moment, wishing it could last forever. But it's over just as swiftly. "Alright you got me to give you more than just a few minutes. We need to get moving and get out of here." He peels himself off of her, flinging off the blanket, and begins to get dressed.
Eryn follows his lead, sliding back into her own clothes and packing up the blanket. She knows that it's selfish of her to rather spend their time like this than continuing to work on getting out of this cave. It's not that she doesn't want to get out of here, the petricite hell they've found themselves in is definitely her definition of a living nightmare, but there is something simpler about it. The closer they get to finding an exit the sooner she has to make a decision about if she will stay in Demacia or go with him to Noxus, and she's still torn. She wants to selfishly have him without having to make a choice. But she knows that's not fair.
So they trek on together, side by side. She stretches her arms with a yawn as they walk. She feels much more well rested, despite her stomach growling in protest at the lack of food. The pangs are a reminder of the dire situation they've found themselves in. Her thoughts drift to what her brother would think, if he saw her now. If he knew she seriously is debating joining the Noxians…
"What does Draven do? Is he a commander too?" Eryn asks after they've been walking for a bit, wanting to not have to think about her own internal dilemmas.
"He was in my warband for a bit when we were younger. He tells everyone he left on his own, but I had to dismiss him. He was too self centered, didn't care about his fellow soldiers, only about his own achievements. He's carved his own place in Noxus now as… an entertainer is the word for it. He leads the Reckoners, gladiators who fight for gold and glory." Eryn can tell that his feelings seem more mixed on Draven's current line of work. He's trying to choose his words carefully, but she can see he's holding back snide comments.
"You don't seem to like the Reckoners." Eryn notes.
"I... see their utility. Crime has gone down in the capital as we get more fighters in the pits, because now they're not out attacking civilians for their pocket change but earning their own coin. But I don't enjoy glorifying the bloodshed. Combat is not something to be gawked at," Darius sighs before continuing. "But, less fighters die now and it's become more about the fighters, and their personas. So I can't complain all too much about it."
"Does he know you have some distaste for his line of work?"
"Yes but he doesn't care. As he shouldn't. It's his life, and he was miserable when he was in my warband. Now everyone in Noxus knows his name, which is really what he's always wanted. He doesn't need my approval." Darius is eying her curiously as they walk. He's watching her expressions, trying to read her. Trying to see what the meaning behind this line of questioning is.
Eryn is grateful he doesn't press. She chews on Darius's words for a bit. She admires the relationship the brothers seem to have, of having the respect to disagree but still be close. To go their own ways and still be happy. And it dawns on her that the relationship she had with her brother, while loving, definitely lacked this element of respect. If Claudius didn't like what Eryn was doing he would move heaven and earth to find a way to get her back on the 'right path' regardless of Eryn's wishes. She just thought he was protective but… she wishes she could have had a relationship more like these brothers. But it's too late for that now anyway.
Eryn is uncertain how many days go by. They've stopped to sleep four times, but who knows how much time has truly passed. Without sunlight to track it, Eryn truly has lost her internal clock. The two just walk until they get tired, then pass out in eachothers arms, and then awaken and get walking again.
After their fourth "night" sleeping in the cave the lantern doesn't light, they're out of oil, and they have to continue their trek in the dark. Eryn traces the walls of the cave with one hand, and keeps a second grasping Darius's, afraid of losing him in the darkness. Their fingers interlock and the touch is comforting, as the lack of sight slowly fills her with anxiety.
Eryn can feel herself growing weary when suddenly the wall beneath her fingers vanishes. She stops, and feels around for it, realizing they've reached a sharp intersection "Darius-"
"I know, it's like that on this side too."
They pause. Unsure of which way to go. "I think the original offshoot that we dived down was to our left… So if we've looped back to the main hallway we'd go left to go to the exit." Eryn says as she debates their choice of path.
"Are you sure?"
"Not completely… That fight with the cave-in was disorienting but… I think that's what happened."
Darius squeezes her hand reassuringly. "Well I trust you." And he turns down the left corridor.
She follows, feeling her face flush and is thankful he can't see it now. She supposes she trusts him as well. It's a strange thought, to think that she trusts a Noxian with her life, and he trusts her with his.
They walk for what seems like hours, following the winding curves of the cave. Eryn starts to feel dread building in her chest, thinking maybe she really has gotten disoriented, when she starts to notice that she can make out shadows and shapes in the cave again. Just enough light to be able to make out the white petricite stalagmites above them. She blinks a few times to make sure she wasn't imagining it. They make it around a sharp bend in the cave, and at the end of it Eryn can see moonlight pouring in from a large threshold not far from them. She can hear the sounds of the forest wildlife, night birds and cicadas chirping, and the wind howling, all calling to them. She can't help but laugh in pure delight, squeezing Darius's hand tightly. They've made it.
Eryn takes off at a run, not able to contain her excitement any longer, and practically leaps as she crosses the threshold into the outside world. She breathes deeply, letting the warm summer air wash over her. As she steps free she feels her veins suddenly course with a warm fire. It burns, but in a good way, as she reconnects with the magic inside of her.
Darius is at her side moments later. He's looking down at her smiling wide, it's probably the widest she's seen him smile. Usually when he does it's small, and gentle. But even he seems to be overwhelmed with joy. His hand cups her cheek and wipes away tears that Eryn hadn't even noticed had been streaking down her face. "We made it!" Eryn exclaims, her voice shaking from the emotions overwhelming her. She takes a deep breath trying to regain her composure as Darius chuckles affectionately.
Their moment of bliss is swiftly interrupted by the sounds of the forest brush rustling around them. They break away from each other, Darius raising his axe in preparation. Slowly figures emerge from the woods. Over a dozen soldiers dressed in Demacia garb surround them. They wield a mix of weapons from crossbows to swords and shields.
A much more imposing figure approaches them, breaking the formation. He's a broad shouldered middle aged man with golden hair and well groomed goatee. He sports white armor trimmed with bright gold accents. In one hand he carries a lantern, illuminating the forest around them. She can see his other hand is wearing a large gauntlet made of heavy white material. His armor is adorned with golden crests depicting a shield entrapped in flames. Eryn recognizes the emblem as the family crest for the Whitburns, the Lords of the Moors. The family that had replaced hers as the owners of this chunk of Demacian land when the Moorehearts were ousted nearly a century ago. It was a tale her father would tell her often, to never trust a Whitburn. They're prominent mageseekers and scoundrels. Usurpers and tyrants. That one day the Moorehearts would take their land back from them.
Upon recognizing him a plan forms in her head, and she immediately bows. "Lord Whitburn." She slyly elbows Darius, hoping he would follow her lead. He hesitates, but imitates her motion, lowering his axe and bowing.
Whitburn doesn't react to the motion. Instead he poses a question. "Who are you and what is your purpose for being in this warzone?"
"We're first infantry soldiers, fleeing capture from the front. We were in the battle of Fort Ironwood. We watched it fall to Noxian Warmachines and had to flee through these mines. There was a cave-in and we nearly died. We're just trying to return to our unit, sir." Eryn lies, hoping the half truths she sprinkled in would be enough to sell it.
Whitburn's eyes look Eryn up and down before turning his gaze to Darius. His gaze settles on the weapon. "That is an intricately made weapon for a simple foot soldier."
Eryn looks up to Darius, waiting for his response. "Picked it up off a Noxian." He keeps his gaze steady and expressionless.
Whitburn's gaze flicks back to Eryn. She swallows a lump in her throat, feeling sweat run down the back of her neck. Whitburn pauses before he says anything, the moment feels like an eternity as anxiety builds in Eryn's chest. She struggles to keep herself looking calm and collected as Darius beside her.
"You two are not the first soldiers from the front who came from this cave." He says finally.
"Oh? Really? What a coincidence!" Eryn says trying to play dumb, fearing where this could be going..
"Yes. A young man arrived at my keep about two days ago. He told me he came from this cave, and he had left behind his younger sister and a prisoner in this cave, separated by a cave-in. Except this was no ordinary prisoner he said, this was the Hand of Noxus." Whitburn's eyes flick to Darius who stiffens. Eryn's blood runs ice cold. Claudius. He was alive. "He begged me to send men to find his sister and the prisoner, thinking they could be alive. Ordinarily I'd dismiss these claims as a madman's ramblings… But the Noxian scouts we've captured and tortured have been claiming they're searching for their missing general, who was not in our custody... So I gathered my men and arrived here just a few hours ago, and set up camp in these woods with the intention of scouting the caves in the morning. And then to our surprise you two come tumbling out of this cave, matching the descriptions that young man gave us. So… Young Mooreheart I believe was what he said your name was... Are you sure the story you gave to me earlier was the truth?"
Eryn balls her hands into fists, eyes scanning the over a dozen soldiers surrounding them. She can feel her legs shaking, they haven't eaten in days, she isn't sure the two of them could take out this many trained Demacian soldiers with just the two of them. Maybe this is the end for them…
While she's hesitating, Darius charges at the closest soldier, burying his axe into his neck and the body falls limply to the ground. The soldiers with crossbows open fire, several bolts bury themselves into his shoulders. He grunts in pain but continues going, swinging his axe wide and it slams into a second soldier sending him careening into a tree with a sickening thud. Darius is panting heavily, clearly worn out from days of tough travel, but not backing down.
"Of course the Noxian turns to violence.. tsk. Keep him alive if you can, he has information we could find useful." Whitburn commands and the swordsman charge, ignoring Eryn who seems much less threatening, and surrounding Darius.
Eryn springs into action, grabbing the sword dropped by the first dead soldier and charging forward. She plunges the sword into a soldier who stands between her and Darius and shrugs his body out of the way. One of her hands comes alight with green flames, and she quickly tosses the magic towards Darius as he parries a sword blow from a Demacian. Darius is engulfed in magical flames, and he grins wildly as he swings wide with his axe, cleaving through the men like they're wet paper. His newfound magical strength invigorates him as he charges at a crossbowman, shrugging off bolts like they were just annoyances, and buries his axe into his head.
Eryn slings more magic towards Darius, keeping the strength buffs up and healing what wounds she can, but she loses track of Whitburn in the process. She doesn't notice until it's too late the hulking Demacian charging at her. She attempts to dodge his gauntleted fist but is too slow and Whitburn lands a powerful blow to her face, sending her staggering backwards. "Your brother didn't mention you were a witch. Not that it matters to a mageseeker." He taunts.
She spits the blood pooling in her mouth into the grass, rage building in her like fire. The flames engulf her own arms, invigorating her own muscles, as she swings with the sword at Whitburn. He blocks with his gauntlet with a grin which Eryn doesn't quite understand, until she sees her magic begin to flicker and her newfound strength fades. The realization dawns on her too late, the gauntlet is made of petricite. Whitburn shrugs off her attack with ease, staggering her, and he takes the opportunity to grab her by the throat with his gauntleted hand. He slams her into the ground and she gasps, the breath being knocked out of her. His cold gauntleted fingers curl around her throat, pressuring her airway and she sputters. She kicks out trying to squirm away, her hands claw at the much larger gauntlet gripping her neck. She tries to summon her magic but can't, the petricite gauntlet blocking her access to it.
"Give up little witch." Whitburn demands, his face sneering down over her. Suddenly his gaze shifts across the battlefield and he tightens his grip on her neck. She gasps in pain, clawing at the gauntlet again as she struggles to breath."Not so fast Noxian or I snap her neck like a twig." Darius must comply, because the grip loosens enough that she can breath again.
"Release her!" Darius's voice demands. Eryn cranes her neck to see him. He's coated in his own blood and the blood of the soldiers. His panting heavily, holding his axe threateningly. A few swordsmen remain, standing in a stance ready to charge at him, but seem shaken by the massacre they just witnessed. "I said release her or I'll gut you where you stand Demacian swine!"
"How interesting." Whitburn muses. "You care for her. Even the strongest man in Noxus has a glaring vulnerability…"
Eryn watches as Darius's eyes fill with pure rage, but he's still complying, standing still and gripping his axe tightly until his knuckles turn white. "Release her." He repeats again.
"You're in no position to make demands, Noxian. I'll release her if you drop your weapon and surrender." Whitburn commands and she sees Darius's jaw clench tightly as he weighs his options.
"Darius don't you can't-" Eryn tries to protest but she's cut off as Whitburn retightens his grip cutting off her airway.
Eryn hears the clatter of the axe being dropped onto the forest floor, and she coughs as the grip loosens enough for her to breathe again. "She leaves unharmed." Darius demands.
"We have a deal." Whitburn says with a victorious smile. Eryn's heart sinks, her eyes prick with tears as she struggles against the Demacian holding her down. She feels more helpless than she did in the petricite cave, unable to help Darius. Being the reason for his downfall. This can't be the end for them, she tells herself as she grits her teeth and glares at Whitburn. She won't let Darius die for her. She has to find a way out of this… for both of them.