Hello everybody, a new chapter is out and I am excited to hear your thoughts about it. I don't have much to say so I will just let the chapter start. Enjoy -EG


Chapter 9: Equinox

An elf, a beautiful elf stood in the rubble. "Raiju is that you? It must have been almost a year at this point." The smile on the elf's face seemed almost friendly, but the tone was completely different. It was hostile, dripping with sarcasm.

Riveria shifted her head towards Bell, she could hear the grinding of teeth from a few feet away. "Equinox.."

He was gripping the short swords so tight they began to shake slightly, if his hands were exposed the knuckles would be chalk white from the force of his grip.

"Yeah, yeah… I know. Tell me is this your newest recruit? She is beautiful and looks like an Alf as well. Very nice find." Riveria couldn't help but take a small step back, her own saber held in a defensive position.

"Why should you care? You abandoned everything to grow faster." Bell spoke, the anger barely contained. Riveria swore she could almost see sparks flying from him. Despite this Bell still moved to stand slightly in front of the High Elf.

"What the heroine of justice isn't here to aid you this time? Or is she simply too weak at this point?" The red-haired elf jibed Bell.

'She is trying to goad Bell into striking first, but why.' Riveria though, her pounding heart seemed to ramp up slightly.

"You know all too well, the curse you placed is still in effect. You knew you'd lose otherwise." Bell challenged, shifting his body weight in an obvious threat.

"True, true. But I am stronger than she was before the curse was placed." The red-haired elf shifts her hands toward the weapon at her hip. It looked like a simple rapier. It flashed in the blink of an eye, Bell stood directly in front of Riveria. His twin swords crossed, blocking the trust that had been pointed toward Riveria's chest by forcing the point upwards.

On instinct, Riveria danced backwards but it would've been far too late if not for Bell. "Oh, you managed to black my thrust? Looks like you might have grown a little from the rat I left." The false smile was no longer on her face, it was contorted in anger and frustration.

With a flash of lightning, the left-hand sword Bell held moved pushing away the rapier, and his left flashed towards her neck. She had simply leaned back out of the way.

"Tisk, tisk. Did I strike a nerve? Well to be fair it is your own fault. The death of everyone weighs on your shoulders." The red-haired elf seemed to have a smile grow on her face when Bell tensed.

"You think I don't know that? That's why I strive for the yet unknown future." Bell shouted back, punctuating each word with a swing of his twin blades.

A single cut, that was all it took. The red-haired elf struck back parrying a swift jab from Bell. A short sword was sent flying, landing hilt deep in a neighboring building.

'I cannot let him fight alone, I swore not to be useless the next time something like this happened.' Riveria's mind raced, "I call upon the" the chant began, and both pairs of eyes darted towards the High Elf.

"Of course, the High Elf would be a spell caster. Why am I surprised?" The one called Equinox sneered. Giving Bell a swift kick stunning him for a brief second. But it was more than enough. The rapier's point darted at Riveria with frightening speed.

Almost on instinct, Riveria twisted her body clockwise but she couldn't help but gasp as the point burrowed through her armor leaving a line that swelled with blood, "frosted winter of the north." Riveria managed to continue despite the shock. Pulling away she saw a trail of blood following the crimson-stained tip.

Riveria's mind threatened to shut down remembering her desperate escape from her home. The bloody weapons seemed to carve through her loyal guards. 'No!' She snapped back hearing the clash and sparking of lightning. Dancing back she continued, drawing more words from her memory. "The unforgiving wind of the tundra snow."

Riveria watched as Bell's twin swords danced around the single rapier, and something changed not on the field but in her mind and heart. What she thought she knew became certain. With Bell stalling for time she continued her chanting, "Freeze my opposition so I might live another Winter."

Even as Riveria began to draw to the end of her spell, the lilting voice of another chant began. "Crimson fire is your domain, burn through the never-ending dawn with the ashes of a Phoenix as kindling." The red-haired elf started her own chant, she was fast so much faster than Riveria she couldn't believe it. Even though she was still dueling with Bell, she continued without a single problem.

"For my name is Alf!" The last line of Riveria's chant was done. She could feel her magic flooding her veins wanting to be released. 'Everything, give it to the flood.' Her mind snapped as she forced more mind into the magic spell. Her vision was bruised, as she tried to shape and control it. She didn't want to pierce the one she had grown to like. That hesitation and shaping gave them a chance for the enemy to continue their own chant. "As the flame burns bright in retaliation, the phoenix is reborn, and a new kindling is born for your flare."

"Frost Nova" Riveria shouted as her mind went blank.

"Crimson Crest" The elf responded calmly.

Bell launched himself backward, he knew what was going to happen before it did. He watched a large lance of frost fling itself towards the traitor, as a burning shield emerged from the enemy's left hand. An explosion filled the crumbling building that had been the battlefield.

Bell refocused his eyes after the magic collided, he gasped at the damage surrounding the epicenter. Half was slag molten from the heat, the rest had ice clinging to every surface. He looked at the enemy and couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Her left hand was badly frostbitten. He was about to open his mouth to speak when another voice he recognized beat him.

"Looks like you underestimated her just because she is new to this life." A hood in the shape of a leaf revealed itself as Ryu jumped down from the roof nearby.

Ryu brandished a sword toward the crimson hair elf. "You should know better, especially after last time." Ryu voiced, before focusing on Bell. "Get Riveria out of here with her mind down state she'll get in the way, I wouldn't want her to get more injured."

"Right!" Bell darted towards Riveria while Ryu blocked the path for the crimson-haired elf. Truthfully Bell was thankful, he was already exhausted after spending so long in the dungeon and using his enchantment. He would probably be in Ryu's way regardless.

Bell noticed that Ryu wasn't using her wooden longsword, her main weapon was absent. But deciding to place that thought for later he had to move his ally first.

Ryu raised the sword up to eye level looking at the blade, her own memories flooded. She knew she should be using this weapon, but she didn't have a choice. She gave a gentle kiss against the polished blade, the blue hilt, and golden cross guard glimmered.

Its unique ability would be useless, but it was still a fine blade. "Please allow this transgression." Ryu darted with as much force as she could muster in her weakened state. The blue steel towards the tip glimmered, and the hilt seemed to grow warm under Ryu's grip. She couldn't help but smile, feeling the sensation, "You always were supportive."

The adventurer known as Equinox snapped out of looking at the damage done to her hand, only noticing Ryu for the first time as a smile spread across her face. "Surprised you can still move with the curse ravaging your body. Well, it doesn't really matter now, does it." With a slash from her still-useful right hand, she blocked Ryu's slash.

"Wow it really must be painful, you're weaker than Bell now, despite being higher leveled." She pushed back against the sword clutched in Ryu's trembling arms. "Sacred Oath? Was that the name of the sword again? Make sense, your oaths always seem to lead to someone's death." Ryu's brow furrowed slightly in response, managing to hold herself back from speaking. If she did, if she gave into the urges of her body it would be all too obvious.

Ryu couldn't even manage to use any of her skills at this point, even the act of swinging her sword made her dizzy but she swung with all her might. The red-haired elf sighed as if disappointed.

"Is this really how far the 'Champion of Astraea' had fallen? Disappointing honestly, I think the precious high elf would've given me a harder challenge." She waved her frostbitten hand and waved it in front of Ryu.

X

Bell was panting, he was exhausted. Using his skill along with his magic for an extended period of time took its toll. Even if it wasn't as bad as it was in the past. It felt like he had slept for five days. But that was still enough, he held Riveria close fumbling for the potions he kept with him for emergencies. A vial containing a thick blue liquid.

"Mind potion, here you take it." He whispered quietly, still hearing the clashing in the distance gave him a little hope. He knew Ryu wouldn't be able to win. He needed to hurry back to assist her, but he couldn't. Not until Riveria was safe first, being in a mind-down state she was absolutely unaware of the world around her.

Placing the vial against her lips Bell tilted the liquid in and rubbed Riveria's throat to force her to swallow the mind potion. The whole process only took a minute, but that seemed to take forever to the human.

Riveria's eyes began to twitch open, slowly and ponderously. "Wake up Riveria!" At the sound of Bell's voice, her eyes snapped open. Her Emerald meeting his Ruby, she couldn't help but have the tips of her ears turn a shade of pink.

"What happened?" Riveria managed after a second.

Bell began to place her on the ground, in a seated position, Ryu arrived and is holding her off as we speak. Ryu won't be able to hold her off for long, not in the state she is in." Bell stood straightening his back and turned toward the sound of clashing metal.

"You need to sit and rest for a moment, you were in a mind-down state. But I couldn't leave you defenseless, I need to help Ryu. I owe her that." Before Riveria could respond, Bell dashed back towards the active battlefield.

Riveria placed a hand against her head as a pounding headache nearly incapacitated her. But regardless she stood, Riveria refused to sit by and do nothing. She swore she wouldn't run again, and now she planned to put her resolve to the test. She closed her eyes and stood, a wave of nausea shook her but she kept it at bay.

Riveria could hear the sound of dozens of armored boots clattering in the distance,' Ganesha?' She thought, 'If so they should arrive soon. For now, I have to help them.'

X

Ryu paused, only for a second. The blade in her hand was chipped with the last crash. She had long given up on keeping the blood coming from her mouth hidden. There had been just too much, every serious action she made caused more to well up and cause her to cough up blood. 'Sacred Oath… I'm sorry for this treatment.'

She brandished her blade again, this time with a higher guard. Sword pointed towards her enemy level at her own shoulder level. It was an aggressive stance with only her reaction time as a defense. She had always prided herself on her reaction speed, but now it was only instinct. Her vision was bruised and dull, the strain of fighting had taken its toll.

She heard the enemy laugh and then launch themselves, she couldn't see them, but instead, her instinct told her to dodge left. It was too slow, the point of the bloodstained rapier punctured the skin and muscle of the left bicep. The left hand went limp as the point was removed from Ryu's sudden movement.

Equinox slowly approached, watching Ryu begin to cough up more blood. More than was even leaking out of the new wound.

"I hope your friends and allies are happy, you'll get to join them soon enough." The red-haired elf launched a new jab straight for Ryu's chest. The sound of lightning exploded throughout the ruined building, a slash from Bell knocked the blade away causing a small crack to form in the blade in his left hand. The right came swinging with a new fury, and with the red-haired elf's left hand useless she couldn't block the strike. She twisted and tried to lean back as the blade swung, catching her ear instead shredding it.

The elf screamed in pain, it was known that most elves have sensitive ears. The elf swung with all the might she could muster at Bell who was off balance already having made an emergency move. The clenched fist slammed into his chest sending him flying denting the armor he had been wearing.

The newly formed lightning died as Bell impacted a far wall leaving a small crater. Seeing him go limp, the elf smiled leaning down to Ryu, who couldn't move anymore, and whispered in Ryu's ear. "He's a loyal one, not that you deserve it with everything you've done. Causing your familia's death and all, oh but I wish you could've seen the hatred in his eyes."

Her bloody rapier sank deeply into Ryu's chest, "It was nice getting to spar with you again. It's been too long."

X

Riveria stared at the scene before her, Bell the one she had grown fond of fallen and limp against a back wall. The blood-stained rapier hilt deep in a defenseless Ryu, she could see Ryu's mouth moving but couldn't understand it as Riveria screamed, her backsword swung high.

The elf violently ripped the rapier out of Ryu's chest and intercepted Riveria's sword. The world seemed to crack as both weapons snapped, the rapier already being damaged and the backsword too low quality to stand up to the force.

She tossed the rapier to the side and grabbed Riveria by the neck in an eye blink. Riveria began to writhe trying to break the tight grip. Riveria's fist swam towards the face connecting and doing nothing more than annoy her more.

Riveria's vision began to bruise and tunnel as the oxygen was cut off. Riveria scrambled, for anything she could use to free herself. All the while swinging without aim in her panic. The sensation of sight was almost gone. She could feel herself being pulled closer to where Ryu lay. 'Perhaps she was gonna leave the bodies stacked, for the others to find.' Riveria couldn't help but think.

'Ryu…' her mind was blank for a second until a flare of hope lit up the void of her mind. 'Ryu!' She struggled more reaching for a secured pocket. Grasped what was held there, pulled, and stabbed as fast as she could.

The suffocation lifted as the air began to flood back into her lungs and limbs.

A scream filled the ruins, Riveria heard the sound of a blade slamming to the floor followed by rapid drips. The black void began to retreat as the light returned to Riveria, she saw what had happened in dulled detail. The concealed weapon cut into their right eye and cut along the temple. The eye was red as blood continued to seep through their hand.

Equinox kicked Riveria hard, her ribs buckled under the force. All the newly gained breath escaped through her lips, as did the vomit of blood forcibly expelled.

The sound of clanking grew ever closer, even without focusing Riveria could hear it. They would be here in less than a minute. The red-haired elf knew that as well.

Riveria crawled closer, the will to fight hadn't left her yet as Equinox approached, "Shit, this was supposed to be simple. They said I could finish them off at the same time. Dammit." The elf swore, crouched, and whispered a couple of words. "Cannot afford to get caught by Ganesha. The old man would soon have me afterward." Then she jumped down an alley and vanished in a matter of seconds.

Riveria gasped in relief, but she couldn't rest. Not yet. She moved closer to Ryu, the captain's chest was still moving. Desperate she checked her pouches, nothing, no potions, nothing of use. She managed to force herself to her feet and moved towards Bell, he was still unconscious and began to search his various pouches. 'Nothing… no, no, he must've used the last healing one on me earlier.'

Left with no other options, she stumbled over towards Ryu again and began to put pressure on the wound. Ryu's sky blue eyes stared blankly towards the clear sky, a single cloud moved slowly across.

Ryu's lips parted as she croaked out a single word. "Alanis."

"Alanis, was that her?" Riveria whispered to the elf who was quickly fading. Ryu only shifted her head by an inch in confirmation.

"It's alright, she's gone now," Riveria spoke softly, keeping pressure.

Ryu spoke another trio of words. "Alise, Ardee. Sorry." As the little energy she had seemed to fade and even her chest no longer rose.

But there was a soft smile on her lips, Riveria couldn't help it. The dam she had tried to keep sealed broke. Her eyes filled with tears, and hot streaks ran down her cheeks as she completely broke down. Curled over her ally, hiccuping crying filled the destruction. It was the only sound for almost a minute until the last of Riveria was spent and she collapsed holding onto the elf's hand.


P.S.
Now that the chapter is over, I just want to say that this was a hard chapter for me to work on knowing where it was going to lead. The world is cruel, Ryu was simply a victim despite being my personal favorite character. That's all I wanted to say.

Review Responses:
pix25: Yeah, she really didn't deserve it and it's only worse in this chapter.