Chapter 6

Some forest

In some forest, a group of humans were making camp. Around a dozen in number, these humans were mumbling themselves, speaking about the good haul that they gotten from the nearby town. It had been their lucky day.

The local guild of mages had the majority of their members out doing various activities for other towns and villages across the country, thus it allowed them to go on a small thieving spree that had them acquire a fortune of Platinum dollars and goods that they can sell on the black market for a good sum. A very good score indeed.

As they were talking amongst themselves on their score, one of them suddenly heard the sounds of branches cracking, causing him to stand straight up in alert.

"What's the matter, Bert?" Asked one of the man's companions. Bert just stayed silent as he looked around, wondering what had caused that noise in the first place. As if to answer his question, a deer came out of a bush and began running past the men. Sighing, Bert looked at his companions, who began laughing. "Want to kill that beast to get us some furs and meat, Bert? Or do you want us to hold you to calm you down?" Bert just scowled at them before sitting back down to enjoy the campfire in front of him. Unknown to him and his companions, they were being watched by a few individuals up in the trees.

Meanwhile

"You nearly gave away our position!" Whispered Arahan harshly as she glared at the boy she was holding in her hands. The boy was around five to six years in age. The boy had black hair that was neatly combed away from his face to prevent any strands from interfering his sights and his brown eyes currently held a hint of shame in them.

"I'm sorry, mother." Said the boy as he looked down at the tree branch that he used to be on, now broken, it's fallen part on the ground below the tree they were on. "I thought it would hold me, but…"

"But nothing." Hissed Arahan as she glared at the boy, her anger showing. Both at the boy for nearly falling to his death and for calling her mother, surprisingly. "You typically have only one shot to catch your opponent by surprise and one mistake is all one needs to lose that advantage and for you to die. We're lucky those men down there were dull enough to mistake your error for that animal. Otherwise, they'll be upon your broken body in moments. That is if you survived the fall." Upon hearing that the boy looked down in shame, causing Arahan to roll her eyes.

"Just stay here and don't do anything more. I'll handle these men myself." Upon hearing that, the boy looked at her in protest.

"But Naestra said that we should work together, mother." Said the boy. "So that we can better act like a family."

"We tried and you failed with that mistake, boy." Said Arahan, causing the boy to flinch. "And that was before we stumbled upon these thieves. Right now, I need something to calm myself with and these men will provide it." She then carefully place the boy on the branch they were in, measuring the weight that the branch can hold before leaving. Before she did, she ordered the boy to stay in place and not to do anything reckless. With that, she left the boy to go confront and kill the men below her, grinning widely in excitement.

Landing perfectly on her two feet, Arahan brought out her trusted bow, the Talon of Dusk, and notched three arrows at the men as they turned around to face her, hearing an audible thud behind them. As they turned towards her, she let loose her arrows, scoring three headshots as each arrow landed perfectly in a man's brain. As those first three men fell to the ground dead, she notched three more arrows and let loose, killing three more men as they recovered from the shock of a beautiful woman letting loose arrows at them. With half of them dead, the rest quickly shook off their shock and began charging at the woman that was killing them as she notched another three arrows with her bow while those with magic stood back to cast their magic. Arahan was about to let loose the next volley of arrows when she noticed one of them staying back and pointing the palms of his hands at her. Instincts kicking in, she gracefully dodged the resulting fireballs and lightning that came from the thieves with magic.

"These men possess magic. Good." Thought Arahan with satisfaction. "That will make this hunt much more fun." Giving a madding laugh, she withdrew her bow from her hands to replace it with her spear as the fight now became close quarters. Dodging an attack from her left from a man with a knife and then another attack with a man with a club from her front, Arahan expertly counterattacked when the 3rd man tried to take her head off with his axe. Slicing the head off of the man wielding the knife, Arahan then slashed the chest of the club wielder from his hip to his left shoulder. As the man bled to death from his massive wound, Arahan weaved through the axe wielders attacks like a dancer on stage of a play before moving behind him. She then proceeded to use him as a shield as the next barrage of magic came towards them.

Dodging at the last second, she smiled in glee as the man was burned alive while being shot at with lightning. So exquisite. With just the Spellcasters left, Arahan quickly made her way over to them and began the process of killing them as she did with their fellow thieves. She was just about to kill them all when she noticed one of them pointing a finger at her. Thinking it was another spell, Arahan was about to dodge it when she just suddenly stopped moving. Willing her body to move, Arahan found that she couldn't even move her eyes and ears. She was just frozen in place just as she was about to weave past whatever spell they were casting. Trying to make sense of what just happened, Arahan heard the men laugh as they approached her.

"I can't believe that spell worked." Said one of the men, a male with brown hair and eyes as he approached Arahan, getting a good look at her, liking what he sees except for one thing. Or rather two.

"Yeah, guess that old man wasn't kidding when it said it takes a while to work." Said a 2nd man, this one with black hair and red eyes that spoke of the relief he felt that his magic worked. "Never going to question him again after all this."

"Same here." Said the last man, this one with purple hair and equally purple eyes, as he stared lecherously at Arahan and how form fitting her armor was. "Especially after we got a beauty like this."

"Beautiful?" Asked the first man as he looked at Arahan again. "Varus, this chick killed Julius, Mark, and the rest of our pals. And you call her beautiful? You're crazy? Plus, look at her chest. That's got to be the smallest chest I've ever seen. It barely just passes as a chest at all, man." Upon hearing all this talk about her chest, Arahan decided that, when she was out of this, she was going to kill them slowly and painfully. Particularly, the brown-haired one. He'll die excruciatingly slow.

"Yeah, but look at the rest of her." Said Varus as he looked at the rest of Arahan's body. The slim, curvy form and the face that looked like it was sculpted by an artisan god as well as that long snow-white hair that had a few strands jutting out of her hood. Going over to her and pulling the hood down forcibly, the men now could see her long white hair as well as her pointy ears. Upon seeing them, Varus whistled, eyes wide in astonishment. "Lookie here. Boys, I think we got ourselves an elf."

"An elf?" Asked the black-haired man as he looked at her ears, wondering if they were fakes or the real deal, astonished to see knife-like ears. "I thought they were small. Like the size of dwarves."

"Nah, man." Said Varus with a devious smile as he grabbed one of Arahan's ears and began rubbing it, causing a rage to build in Arahan as he defiled her ears. "This is the real deal. Even if she isn't, then she'll still fetch a high price in the slave market. I know a few guys that just love people with ears like her. The good paying type too. How long can you keep this up, Haros?" Haros just sighed before saying he can keep it up for as long as he maintained the spell indefinitely so long as nothing interrupts him. "Good." Varus then pushed Arahan to the ground before disarming her for her weapons, doing it slowly as possibly so to get a feel of her body.

Arahan, meanwhile, was eternally screaming in rage as this beast ran his filthy hands over her body, disarming her of her weapons in the process. Though she didn't know the language these men were uttering when she first came to this world, she know knew due to the teaching of her sister, who occasionally left their new home in this forest for whatever thing that she thought they needed. Through those journeys, she slowly learned the language uttered by the men that were willing to trade with someone that had little understanding to their language. Eventually, she acquired a book that helped her in learning more of the language of these men, eventually learning enough for her to speak their language competently enough without being seen as a fool. She then taught these to both her sister, who did it reluctantly, and their charge when he was old enough, As a result, Arahan knew what they were planning on doing with her. Even if she didn't, the way they were touching her and staring at her was enough for her to want to kill them.

Cursing both herself for letting her be affected by whatever spell these beasts inflicted on her as well as that boy that her sister called son for getting her into this mess. After all her weapons were disarmed, the man known as Varus was about her tie her up with some ice-forged cuffs when an arrow was lodged in his foot, causing him to yell out in both pain and shock.

As everyone was recovering from this sudden attack, another arrow landed somewhere near Haros, causing him to yelp and to stop conducting the spell that had Arahan in place, allowing her to move again. As a result, Arahan quickly grabbed a knife that had been taken from her by the one called Varus, who carelessly landed it next to her along with her other weapons, obviously confident that his colleague can maintain his magic for that long, and tossed it the one that casted the spell in the first place, embedding it deeply in his throat. While Haros chocked on his blood, Arahan quickly grabbed her spear and an arrow before engaging the remaining two.

Slicing through the throat of Varus before he could have a chance to do anything, she then tossed her spear towards the last one, throwing with such force that it went straight through his head and embedding itself in the trunk of a tree. With all the thieves down, Arahan looked up to see the boy she and Naestra were tasked with guarding coming down from the tree he was in, careful not to fall. Once he was down, he went up to her with a concerned look on his face.

"Are you okay, moth…" Arahan glared at him for that.

"Call me mother and you'll be sorry." Said Arahan with such venom that caused the boy to take a step back in worry. When he stopped, Arahan looked at the dead before them. After a minute of observation, she spoke again. "Did you wait until they discern a valuable weakness, or did you wait until an opening was provided?" The boy just stayed silent for a moment before Arahan urged him to speak now, to which he did.

"I did both." Said the boy truthfully. "I waited until an opportunity to present itself to attack. And while I waiting, I watched them, hoping they'll divulge something that gave away who to target first." Arahan just nodded at that.

"At least you know when to pick a fight, boy." Said Arahan with a hint of approval in her voice, causing the boy to let a small smile grace his face. It was then that they heard the sounds of gurgling and looked to see Haros chocking on his blood as he tried to keep pressure on the wound despite the knife on his throat. Seeing this, the boy looked at Arahan, who rolled her eyes before making the boy follow her to the dying man as he laid on his back, trying desperately to save his own life. Once there, Arahan ordered the boy to finish him off, causing the boy to widen his eyes in alarm.

"But I…I can't." Said the boy as he looked at Arahan, who glared in annoyance at his unwillingness to kill the man. "He's already beaten. There's no need to finish him off." Arahan scoffed at this before speaking.

"You need to learn to kill, boy." Said Arahan, glaring at the boy before her. "Otherwise, you'll end up dead because of your inability to kill. He wouldn't give you the same hesitation you are doing right now if your roles are reverse. He's a thief. He has no morals or mercy. He'll kill you the moment he believes it'll make a profit or if you are in the way of him making coin for himself. You'll be doing the world a favor by killing him as it'll deprive the world of scum like this. Besides, boy. He'll clearly suffering, and we can't get him back to our home in time to heal him. So, it's best to just put him out of his misery, right?" The boy just looked at Arahan pleadingly, begging her to not make him be the one that killed the man, but Arahan wasn't budging from this.

Realizing that Arahan wasn't budging from her stance on this matter, the boy brought out a knife, kneeled before the man as he choked on his own blood. Giving the man a look of sorrow and unease, the boy then aimed down his knife and jammed it straight into Haros' forehead with all his might, killing him.

Upon doing so and looking at the look of terror and fear in the man's eyes, the boy quickly went away from the corpse and towards Arahan, who scoffed at the boy's fear. Still, she brought him over to her arms, comforting the boy as best she can as he dealt with his first sapient being. After a minute of this, Arahan, quickly let go of the boy and began picking up her weapons.

"Come boy." Said Arahan as she picked up her bow and quiver. "We need to start getting rid of all this so that people won't suspect that they were killed here and thus send people here to investigate. We also need to scavenge what we can from these thieves. See what we can take for our own." The boy just nodded as he helped Arahan in the scavenging and hiding of the bodies and what they can use from their supplies.

Few hours later

Naestra

Naestra was reading a story created by an artisan of Athel Loren when she heard the sounds of rumbling from the entrance of her new home. Placing the story in a safe spot, she went over to the entranceway, where she found her sister and their son, who held a look of uncertainty on his face. Upon seeing that look, she withheld herself from sighing. Something had obviously gone wrong.

The reason that the two left without her was so they could bond and become closer without her interference. Naestra already had a very close bond with Diederick, but Arahan didn't. She never referred to him by his name, no matter how much she or Diederick insisted. She always did the pushed Diederick to his limits whenever they trained together and she never comforted him when he needed it. She tried, many times, to get Arahan to interact with the boy more, but she refused to budge. Even though Naestra told her sister that to neglect the boy is foolish and that he needed both their affection to become a great hero, Arahan refused to budge, citing that tough love was also needed in order for the boy to understand that life wasn't all kindness and love. There were thing out there that can and will either take advantage of his kindness or to use them for their own nefarious purposes. Or just plain kill him.

While she could understand her sister's reasoning, and even agree with it, she should, at the very least, show some kind of affection that showed that she cared about the boy because she knew, deep down, Arahan became attached to the boy as much as she did and wanted to stray him from the path that the Chaos Gods wanted him to take. Not just to protect Athel Loren and their people from the boy when he chooses to become the next Everchosen of Chaos, but because, even if Arahan will deny it, loves the boy as if he came from her own womb. That being said, sometimes she wondered if her sister does love him, like this very instance. Walking over to Diederick, she hugged the boy as he embraced her legs for she was much to tall for him unless she kneeled down.

"What happened?" Asked Naestra as she stroked Diederick's black hair, looking at her sister as she did so.

"Thieves." Said Arahan simply as she looked at her sister with a vicious smirk, causing Naestra to sigh, getting a picture of what happened. "They ventured too close to our home so we decided teach them a lesson."

"By lesson, you mean kill them. And by we, you mean you." Said Naestra, glancing at her sister with a look of annoyance. "And I can only assume that you made him kill one or more of them." Upon seeing her sister nod, Naestra sighed. Without a further word about this, Naestra picked up Diederick in her arms, whispered a few words into his ear, before taking him to his room in their home.

Their home was quite expansive, if she was being honest, but then again so was their old home back at Athel Loren.

Through some investigations, the twins discovered that the trees here were not as strong as those from Athel Loren. Nor would they even sentient. As a result, the two decided to, instead of choosing one tree to be their home, they decided to use multiple trees as their home.

Built on top of the strongest trees that they could find, they built a set of buildings that were built to accommodate the trees and their needs instead of being simple addons like most men and Dwarves would do, that if they cared at all about the trees in the first place. One building was for training and practicing one's skills with the bow and other weapons of war, another was built for the storage of everything they brought over from their old world, a third of sleeping and other reactional activities, and a final one just in case. All of which were built in four great trees that reminded both Naestra and Arahan of the trees of Athel Loren. Not through their magical aura, for they had none, but their beauty and just how tall they were.

Walking through the building reserved for sleeping and other activities, Naestra entered the room reserved for Diederick and placed him in his bed before sitting next to him.

"How many did Arahan force you to kill?" Asked Naestra as she looked at her son with concern in her face. Diederick looked to at his hands before speaking.

"Just one. Wounded and was near death." Said Diederick. Naestra continued to stay silent as Diederick continued. "She said that I needed to learn how to kill or else I'll end up dead because I refuse to kill." Naestra just nodded to all. Both unsurprised and disgusted that her sister had done something like this. She was going to have a talk with her sister after she was done with their son. "I didn't want to do it, but Arahan would have forced me to do it if I didn't comply. Then she'll get mad and not do anything involving me again and I don't want that. I know that's selfish, but…" He was stopped when Naestra wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her.

This was what she feared. Diederick doing whatever he thought would get Arahan's approval, even if he didn't like doing them. She definitely needed to speak to her sister about this and to change her methods, otherwise Naestra feared that Diederick will lose what he is at the moment just to please her sister.

"It's alright." Said Naestra as she comforted Diederick. "You don't have to say anymore. Nor do I blame you for doing what Arahan ordered you to do so." She then sighed as she gently moved Diederick so he can see her blue eyes. "This may come off as shocking to you, Diederick, but I can understand and even agree with what Arahan was trying to make you do." That caused Diederick to widen his eyes in shock.

Throughout his life living with the Sisters of Twilight, it was clear to him since he began to think that the two twins were radically different from each other.

Arahan was the more aggressive of the two. Never caring what she said might offend someone if it meant that it got her point across. She also was the most violent and aggressive of the two. On more than one occasion, when she was out hunting, she didn't kill a target right away. Instead, giving it a slow and painful death that she did out of just a whim. A stark contrast from Naestra's own personality, which Diederick knew was comparable to that of the knights in children stories. So, to hear they agreed on something was always a surprise to Diederick.

"Diederick, killing is something that is as natural in life as is the forest and the oceans. Even more so with those that can think for themselves." Said Naestra. "Because of our ability to think and feel, people like us are both a curse and a boon to life. For we have the power to both bring forth destruction and salvation to everything. Some of us have an affinity towards one or the other and as a result, clashes happen between those that wish for destruction and those that wish for salvation. And as a result, people die, killed by those opposing their ideals or are following the orders of their masters and leaders. I myself have killed plenty of those that wish harm to those that wish to be left alone or I have allied myself with. Same as Arahan. Though Arahan doesn't regret them, I do. Many times, after I've slain a foe, I felt pain and regret over it. If fate had been kinder, they may have become allies to me and my people. In a happier time, we may have even become friends, but alas, it never happened. But just because I regret killing my enemies, does not mean that I will not do what must be done for I will have even greater regret if those foes that I do not slay come to kill those close to me." She then stroked her son's hair before speaking again. "That is what Arahan was trying to teach you, Diederick. That you must steel yourself to do what must be done to both protect what you believe in and those close to you. For not to do so means that your risking yourself and those around you to death by your enemies. Do you understand?" Diederick just nodded before asking a question.

"So, you approve of what she was doing?" Asked Diederick with curious brown eyes. Naestra, however, shook her head.

"Not completely." Said Naestra. "While I understand the necessity in teaching you that lesson, she was much too hasty in doing so. You are a mere child. You shouldn't be killing anyone at such a young age. I'll be having a talk with Arahan after this, but just know that what Arahan did to you today was wrong and she should feel shame for making you do that deed. In time you'll become a fine young warrior that'll do what he believes is right and wrong, perhaps even becoming a great leader to a nation one day. But until then, you're just a child and you should be doing things appropriate for your age. Not something that should be done, at worst, a pre-adult." She then placed her forehead on Diederick's own. "For now, just be a child and enjoy life as much as you can without a worry in the world. You can only be a child once. Once you grow out of it, you can't ever gain it back. Understand?" Upon seeing Diederick nod, Naestra smiled. "Good. Now it's time for you to go to bed. In the morning, after breakfast, we'll practice archery as well as some basic things that you need to know about before you experience the rest of the world." Nodding at that, Diederick then went to get some proper night wear. After acquiring such proper wear and wearing it, he went to his bed and slept. By then Naestra was at the door. Once her son was under his bed's covers, she bade him goodnight before closing the door. Once that was done, she frowned and began making her way to the most likely room where Arahan is at the moment.

Sure enough, she found Arahan stashing what prizes she claimed from the thieves in a storage room dedicated to her own vices. After her sister placed a bag of trinkets somewhere safe, she spoke.

"Sister, there was no need to have our son become a killer this early in his life." Said Naestra just as her sister looked at her. Scoffing, Arahan spoke out.

"There's never such thing as being too early in being a killer, Naestra." Said Arahan as she crossed her arms. "That boy will eventually become a champion of the forest and the light, Naestra, might as well start that process now." Naestra just narrowed her eyes at that.

"Yes, he will become a champion for us all, but when he becomes an adult." Said Naestra. "He is just a child, Arahan, and children shouldn't be taught to kill at his age. Taught to defend themselves, yes, but never be a killer at this age. It'll impair their ability to learn other things that are just as vital. Such as knowing the joys of life beyond bloodshed. Something neither of us were able to experience. Are you

willing to take such wonderous joys away from him, then Arahan? To not only to impair his ability to learn the niceties of life beyond warfare, but also his drive to become something else than a warrior. After all, it may help the task Ariel gave us if he sees what he fights for and understands it." Her sister just scowled at that, who simply gave her a blank stare as they stared at one another. Eventually, Arahan spoke.

"Fine, if want it done your say, sister, then so be it." Said Arahan as she glared at her sister for her naivety, to which Naestra just took in stride. "If you want the boy to die because he can't stomach killing, then fine. I was merely trying to prepare him for what is to come." Naestra sighed at that.

"If he has to kill while he is a child, then we have failed as mothers." Said Naestra. She then changed the topic to something different, but also important to discuss with Arahan. "You shouldn't hide your true feelings for him, Arahan. He fears disappointing you, which is why he committed the act. He wants your love and approval, Arahan. He already has mine and knows it, yet he's not sure with you. That is the very reason I didn't go along with the both of you. So, you two can bond and he can see you clearly love him. But it failed and I'm not sure if he thinks you love him or not." Arahan just scoffed at that and turned away. Despite that harsh reaction, Naestra knew her sister, unlike any other, and knew that she was a bit moved at what Naestra just told her. Sighing, Naestra walked over to her sister and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Just tell him what you honestly feel for him, Arahan." Said Naestra softly to her sister. "Tell him why you don't so your love to him as I do and why you train him hard. Do not let your pride become the reason why we lose him, sister. I don't want that and neither do you." Arahan didn't say anything as Naestra left to tend to their mounts Gwindalor and Ceithin-Har. Just before she left, however, Arahan spoke up.

"The boy is going to start attending whatever places of learning the race of men have for their offspring, correct?" Asked Arahan. Naestra looked back at her sister before saying yes. Arahan then sighed. "And you remember our conversation some years ago. Of how he only needed us and no one else?" Upon hearing that, Naestra smiled before saying yes again. Arahan then swallowed her pride before speaking. "You win, Naestra. Let's have him go to the nearest town or city of men and have him apply for that idea of yours. I'll take him with you to whatever place of learning there is for his kind and give him my support. And I'll show it in a vein similar to yours, sister." Upon hearing all that, Naestra thanked Arahan for being cooperative, relieved that her sister had finally seen reason.

Since that deal between them, Arahan tried her very best to dissuade the boy from wanting to interact with his people. In her own way.

From showing him the depravities of the race of men to telling stories of horrible acts committed by people of Bretonnia, the Empire of Man, and Norsca. All of which, while all these things horrified the boy, he still possessed an interest in the race of men, much to Arahan's frustration and Naestra's delight. It also didn't help that Naestra comforted him about the stories that Arahan told him and also told him stories that painted the race of men in a good light as a way to balance out the things that Arahan told him about men.

Eventually, Arahan just plain stopped trying to convince the boy to give up his want to see other men like him, saying that if the boy wanted to be hurt, then she's not stopping him. Now, it seemed, her sister had finally admitted defeat.

"Thank you Arahan." Said Naestra with a smile. "This is good for both him and us. I can feel." Arahan just grunted at that before Naestra spoke again. "Now, as much as this may pain you, can I ask you to apologize to the boy for what happened this day as well as tell him yourself the good news." Arahan just scowled at that, but nodded, causing Naestra to nod at her. "Thank you, sister. Now let us rest now. Tomorrow is a big day for all of us."

"Indeed." Said Arahan as her sister left. "Indeed." Whether it was a good thing or not, remains to be seen.