[center][h1][color=9e0b0f] James [/color][/h1][/center]
[@Shadow Daedalus]

The sound of battle nearby drew James from his thoughts as he sat against a tree, his head turning sharply towards the encampment. He was on his feet and running within seconds, his swords out as he weaved closer to the horde of bandits. He didn't stop as he ran, slashing at bandits as he passed them. He could see his companions locked in combat through the trees, and he pushed himself faster, kicking down a human bandit that stepped in his path as he spun on his heel and nearly bisected him. Maren darted across his vision, and he altered his path to intercept her. He slid to a stop near her as she tried to keep herself hidden, and crouched down to her level. [color=darkred]"Maren, are you ok? Where's Elyra?"[/color]

Maren looked up, [color=8dc73f]"James, I'm glad to see you. Elyra was treating our wounded and she told me to guard Malcolm and she went to work on William. I have been fighting to keep him safe but I've yelled for her several times and she isn't answering. I can't leave him he is not well enough. She should be through there with William. [/color] Maren pointed into the woods about 35 feet away. [color=8dc73f]I have to get back! Good luck![/color] Maren darted back to Malcolm.

He nodded wordlessly at the elven girl before bolting in that direction, his eyes constantly searching for any sign of Elyra or William. It didn't take him long to find them, but what he saw worried him. He slipped his swords back into their sheathes as he called out her name, but he received no response. As he went to move her, his hand fell against William's and a cold, almost nauseous feeling briefly washed over him. Taking note of this feeling and Elyra's position, he quickly made the connection and gently pulled the girl from on top of the mage. 

He quickly gauged William's wounds, seemingly minor to what he had expected, before turning his attention back on Elyra. He gently shook her before stopping to check her breathing. It was soft, but it was definitely still there. [color=darkred]"Come on, Elyra. Wake up, wake up..."[/color] he softly growled to himself as he gently slapped her face, trying to get a reaction.

Elyra was in this other place in her mind and she knew what was going on around her to a degree. Her conscious knew that someone was holding her and that she recognized the voice. She did not have enough strength yet to wake up fully. She was struggling and it felt like she was swimming in concrete. She recognized that her legs hurt. She remembered the fire and Malcolm and William. As she started to break through to waking up she heard James' voice. She just kept trying to lock onto his voice and soon her eyes fluttered open. She whispered and she was too weak to sit or stand on her own. She wrapped an arm around him slowly. 

[color=0072bc]"James? "[/color] Her memory was a little foggy but she looked to William and she could see that he was doing much better. [color=0072bc]"I forgot about William's draining power. Are you hurt? Where's Maren?"[/color] Her speech was a little slurred and she leaned her head on his chest.

As she spoke, James released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as he whispered to himself. [color=darkred]"Oh, thank god..."[/color] He raised his voice again, this time to speak to Elyra as he adjusted his arm to support her better. [color=darkred]"I'm fine. Maren is over with Malcolm, she told me where you were."[/color] A quick movement of his head gave a general direction. [color=darkred]"What about you, can you move?"[/color]

[color=0072bc]"I think so."[/color]  The longer she was awake the more strength she got back. [color=0072bc]"Can you get Maren and Malcolm and bring them here?"She is in a tougher place to defend. She is more exposed there."[/color]  Elyra was trying to keep her eyes open. She reached over and grabbed her medical bag and pulled it to herself. She pulled a jar out and opened it and breathed it in heavily. It had a very heavy odor but it would wake you up. Closing it she was now much more awake and she reached over and kissed him tenderly.

James held the kiss for a second before he broke off and gently placed his hand on her cheek with a soft smile. [color=darkred]"I'll be back shortly..."[/color] he stood up and began to backtrack to Maren and Malcolm, hiding within the shrubbery. He approached quietly, to avoid any bandits noticing, and tapped Maren on the arm, placing a finger to his lips before whispering to her. [color=darkred]"Maren, Elyra wanted to regroup. How's Malcolm doing? Would it be safe to move him?"[/color] He glanced at the man in question, more specifically the wound on his chest. He didn't want to risk moving him if he couldn't take it.

Maren nodded.[color=8dc73f]"Yes, his wounds were much less severe than Williams were.[/color] She got to her feet and pulled her bow while James carried him. She saw that Salem was still fighting too and that Aelar was engaged in a fight as well. [color=8dc73f]"Come on!It's clear.[/color] Maren lead the way and took out a gargantu with her arrows. She got to Elyra and hugged her. She checked on William and smiled. She helped him put Malcolm down. 

[color=0072bc]"James, Please be safe. "[/color] Elyra was glad he had found them but they had no idea where these bandits came from. She still felt groggy but Maren would look out for her. 

He nodded with a small smile, before he stood to his full height and drew both of his swords. He activated the enchantments on his sword and gauntlet, teal flames cloaking his right hand sword and lightning dancing across the left, as he glanced over his shoulder at Elyra. "I'll try. Now, you're not gonna want to see this..." 

Turning back to the battle a short distance away, he bolted straight towards the first bandit he saw. Crossing the distance in a matter of seconds, he stabbed the blade of one sword though his rib cage before tearing it out and severing the arm of a second bandit with his other sword. The lightning on the blade caused his muscles to seize up, allowing James to slash at his neck and decapitate the bandit. The commotion drew the attention of more bandits, including a lumbering gargantu with a vicious looking mace in both hands. James bolted forwards to meet the next bandit head-on, crossing his swords and catching the bandit's nasty-looking short sword before planting his foot into his chest and knocking him off-balance before using both swords to slash across his chest. As he was recovering from the strike, another bandit went to hack at James with a war-axe. He narrowly avoided it by throwing himself backwards and rolling back onto his feet in time to sink one of his swords though the man's stomach before he raked it up his torso, tearing out the man's shoulder.

 A dagger-wielding bandit's charge was met by a powerful kick that knocked him stumbling into one of his allies, and James utilized the opportunity to run his two blades though both of them. The gargantu swung one of his maces at James, who scrambled back in time to feel the wind of it brush his face before he sprinted forwards and slid between the gargantu's legs, slashing at them as he hid. The gargantu fell to one knee and James used the opportunity to vault over his back, impaling his off-hand sword though the back of his skull. As he landed, he ripped the blade out and spun in time to claim the head of one bandit and ruin the eye of another. His screaming in pain was cut short by the sword impaled into his throat. Hearing movement behind him, he turned in time to see a bandit edge closer to where Elyra and the others were. 

Acting on instinct, he ran towards him and kicked him into a tree before ramming the blades of both swords through him and pulling them apart, splitting the bandit in half. An arrow sailed past his ear, burying itself into the eye of a man sneaking up behind him, and James nodded to Maren, who still had her bow in her hand.

She smiled.[color=8dc73f]"Not bad for a princess huh? "[/color] She grinned. [color=8dc73f]"Glad to see you safe and sound. She is getting better and so are William and Malcolm."[/color] Elyra walked over to him slowly and wrapped her arms around him for a moment before she kissed him.

[@Venku][@Ashevelendar][@dabombjk][@caits][@gareth][@dustyoldcrow][@kyrisse][@blackpanther][@canaryrose]