That song... It's a charm, right..? Melvus thought as the nun, who seemed rather fearful herself, which could easily be a misinterpretation of her body language, agreed to heal his wounds. His face stung as he had wiped some of the crimson fluid from it, adding to the already blood-stained cloak. This town has had more promising days than this one. She placed her hands over her heart as she chanted, the old woman's wrinkled hands glowed as she laid them over Melvus' facial region. The wizard could feel his bones mending and his wounds closing themselves, she moved her hands to heal other areas over him. Afterward he felt as though he would after a good night's sleep - well rested, full of energy, unscathed. She handed him what appeared to be a cloth to wipe the blood from his face, which he did, it would be useful to see during a fight. Melvus turned to the nun to say his thanks - that was when he noticed the archers.
It didn't seem as though it had taken them particularly long to find him - he had only gone as far as ten seconds would take him. "Go." Melvus said definitively to the sister. Melvus was reminded of something from his past.
Melvus and three other champions of Aesil had been selected to act as Efrida's escort during a diplomatic visit to the Palace Borough, another faction within the walls of the, immensely large city-state Drisbane. Along with him was Argus, a skilled archer, Helen, an 'assassin', and Cylus, the master of the sword. They made their way out of Aesil territory, the Princess, at the time, received many gleeful looks and cheers as she passed through on her white stallion. her escorts, as was tradition rode brown draft horses, but this was irrelevant. In order to arrive at the Palace's territory they would have to pass through the Neutral Zone, an area guarded by the Guardians, but they didn't enforce as much as they did in their own territories, so it was essentially an area ripe for a free-for-all. If such a thing did happen and the Guardians found out, they would likely incur on the provoker's territory in the name a justice, if there was such a thing in this city... this world.
It was a known thing among the quartet, if any power within the walls would have an attempt at Efrida's head, it would be here - in the Neutral Zone. The aforementioned area within the city was a rather dreary place. There were many people who lived there with no place to call home, Efrida generally invited them to live in Aesil territory - she wouldn't do it herself, but she would send attendants to convey the welcoming message. Today, however, she was on a mission of her own - to establish peace between Palace and Aesil in a greater attempt to silence the wickedness of Goetia. Aesil would say naught about Goetia's most recent incursion to their territory, this was mainly because potential allies had incurred on the evil faction and they would reveal this if they were revealed. Of course, the Guardians knew about the incursions but would do nothing unless directly confronted about it - they didn't really have any real power and to claim justice without genuine cause would be seen as their own unjustified incursion by the populace.
"You will be going no further today, Your Highness!" A deep voice rang out from nowhere - it was the middle of the day and the sun was high in the sky but it seemed to turn to night.
"Now!" Another, higher pitched voice said, it was like that of a child. Melvus could hear the whistling sound of arrows, before their trip they were reminded to enchant their clothing with vials of 'Divine Raiment' Each of the champions pulled their hoods over their heads. Melvus dove from his horse, knowing that it was gone. When the arrows had all met their marks, most of which hit the ground, some of which hit enchanted raiment, one of which... it had sunk deep into Helen's throat, she didn't have enough time to fully cover herself, or perhaps her hood was pushed aside by an arrow - it didn't matter now. If she wasn't dead already, she was going to die soon.
The enemy must've been far away, they were giving the Aesil faction time to themselves before their next attack... This isn't Goetia... They seem to only have had enough arrows for the one volley... A larger faction wouldn't have to ration their supplies like this... assuming that they aren't just giving us time... Melvus watched as Helen lay in Efrida's arms, she gargled blood as she tried to speak. Her futile attempts to convey information only caused more blood to spew from her grave wound. He watched as Cylus reached down and pulled the arrow from the poor woman's throat, a trail of blood following it as it excited. Her eyes glossed over and her squirming halted.
"Why... Cylus, why would you do that?" Efrida had spoken, tears welling up in her eyes.
The older man kneeled down next to her, "She was too far gone may queen. Even your healing magics could do nothing for her, you know this to be true. Your life is too valuable to risk it-"
"Please, don't" Efrida wiped her eyes, their horses were utter carnage of what they used to be. "We need to prepare, they'll likely swarm this area soon." She turned to Cylus, "Ready our defenses."
"Yes-" Cylus was cut off by a large unit of soldiers emerging from a road out of the area they were in, Melvus realized that it was an old plaza a large crossroads, there were eight roads leading in and out and it was in the shape of a large octagon.
"Attack!" Came the deep voice from before, it was a man with dark skin wielding a rather large axe. A minority within Drisbane, unpleased with the way they were being treated in turbulent times. The unit, with what was about fifty men, not all of which had darker skin, but most of them did. They charged, some of which bore axes, others wielded swords and yet others maces. Most of them had bows on their backs. I was right... A smaller faction... Melvus raised his staff and from it burst a golden spear which broke into a great many smaller ones, they shot forward, true in their direction, many of which clattered to the ground but the rest of them lodged themselves in opposing soldiers. Soldiers...? Hmm... Organized militaries are not legal within the city walls... I suppose the Guardians don't waste time regulating weak factions.
Melvus' attack left about nine bloodied corpses in its wake, the poor souls had no real chance, a few dove to the side to avoid danger and succeeded, but the rest were not as lucky. Argus unslung her bow from her back, knocked arrow after arrow, firing into the oncoming force, they were almost on top of the champions by now. The, now, trio formed a triangle around the Princess as the enemy closed in. As Argus shot off her arrows, Melvus' Arm of the Heavens shot out lifting enemies and tossing them into their comrades. Their numbers seemed to have doubled out of no where. How...
"They're being reinforced!" Cylus yelled over the commotion, pointing to the additional troops making their way into the fray. The old man, himself, seemed to be a fury, taking on a great many of combatants at once, their attacks could not break his perfect defense. He'd already taken down about twenty of their untrained grunts by this point. Melvus had summoned his Heaven's Wheel which shifted to defend and attack. Argus was the first to be overwhelmed. Her bow skills were not very useful at close ranged combat.
She dropped her bow, drew two arrows and was using them as daggers. She used her superior nimbleness to dodge the enemies attacks, all the while getting close enough to lodge her arrows into eye sockets, exposed skin, chinks in armor. She was ducking and weaving. She jumped to the left, avoiding a blade, then dropped to the ground to avoid a swipe which landed on an enemy. She proceeded to kick her immediate opponent's feet from beneath them while stabbing heir throat with her arrow, yelling the entire time. She reached back for another arrow to find that her quiver was empty. Nearly thirty enemies lay dead around her, her breathing had become very heavy. They only reason they'd survived this far was because of their armored clothing... No chinks.
She began to punch and kick, but quickly lost her energy and was swarmed by nearly fifteen enemy combatants, Melvus lost sight of her in the storm. Melvus drew his own straight sword, his swords were fading - he was losing energy. The enemy had been reduced to about thirty from their original hundred... Cylus had taken out most of them, but his old body could not take the strain, he collapsed. His body no longer able to take the stress, Melvus presumed. Melvus guessed that there were about fifty dead enemies around he old man... These people are not well trained... They cannot even compare to a master... Luckily the enemy seemed to assume that he was dead, fell by their swords.
At this point, the deep voice of the man rang out, "Back off! This dog and his queen are mine. Head back to camp." The man approached with two archers at his side, his axe slung over his back and he wore leather armor. The archers stayed back as the man stepped forward.
Melvus turned to Efrida, who was still unscathed, at the cost of two of her most skilled champions. Melvus could see the mangled body of Argus... She was only recognizable by the, now crimson, armor she wore. "Go." Melvus said to Efrida.
"No, I'll stay."
"Go!" Melvus spoke back, he knew that if he lost, she would be defenseless, if the archers tried something he could deal with them, but if she was here when he fell, she would die.
"No-"
"I will defend your life, my queen. But I will not give my life if your death is assured. I will not allow you to stay." Melvus turned back to the enemy, who was waiting for his fight. "I gave my word to bring you to the crown in any way I could-" She attempted to cut him off but her voice was drowned out by his, "Once I have given my word as a solemn oath! On my honor as a vassal of Aesil, I will not betray that oath! The best way for me to assure your crowning is for you to get to the Palace territory alive, I cannot assure that if you die here. Go!" He could hear footfalls behind him as she ran to the exit of the Neutral Zone. Melvus took notice that Cylus was no longer on the floor He went with her... She is safe... The injured wizard turned to the enemy.
"Have at me demons!" Melvus yelled at the archers who stood before him, Sister Agnes behind him and his wounds healed.
