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The light had not gone unnoticed by the Tribe, and it rose their curiosity. Especially Kadan's. Hours after it's initial sighting, he decided to form a troupe to send out, Emma and Tavri amongst the small group of five. It was perhaps a test for her as well, to see if she would dare run and abandon the child Kadan now watched over in their absence.
They left that night on horseback, with instructions to find the source and if possible, bring it back to the Hidden City. They were to kill those who got in their way. Emma did not like the feel of this mission, but protesting would have sent her right back in that cell for punishment, and that was not something she wanted. They rode fast and nearly non-stop, their horses trained and bred for stamina, only stopping twice for food and water. They stopped when they had begun to find evidence of people traveling, the tracks recent enough to assume they were catching up to what just might have been the source of that light. Emma traveled with them silently, along because of her talent for sensing things, but she said very little unless asked specifically what she felt. |
The mages, concerned about alerting others of their position thanks to Danny's show, had moved ahead to set up a temporary camp. Here they had initially planned on stopping. The higher elevation provided them with sight of the areas around them. The trees were not too thick. The water from the river would quench the thirst of the men and their horses. What they could hide away under tarp produced to mimic the nature around them, they did. In the center of their gathering was Aidan and his troublesome nephew.
The fire mage had to admit the red light the boy was constantly emitting was a mystery to him. Other mages manipulated the elements. Normally, just one. Very few had an affinity toward them all like Tobias did. He had assumed that since Danny had shown fire that he would become just like his uncle, a fire mage. But the way he made the ground vibrate. The cracks in the earth from simply stomping down. The crimson blasts of light that shot out into the distance. He was no product of the Arcane for he still had his soul. He was no Alchemist relying on transmutation circles to perform their craft. He was no mere fire mage. What else was there? He knew he had encountered someone who had categorized themselves as something different. Something that wasn't well documented...His memory failed to come up with the name. The face. The powers set. Aidan hadn't uttered a word to the little boy since he had exhibited his power. What was he to say? If he angered the child again, there would be another tantrum. And they would have to scatter once more. Who knew who would side with the Arcane and sell information of the mages's presence and purpose? One of the scouts returned with information. There was movement heading rapidly for their direction. The exact number or purpose of this group was unknown. Aidan pursed his lips and kept his nephew close. |
When Emma could sense more people as they approached quickly, she slowed them and eventually they abandoned their mounts near water and crept through the surrounding nature on foot. She was beginning to sense what she feared... one, that whatever had made such a show was still there, and two... Aidan was there, amongst a couple of other familiar mages and then those she did not know.
They easily disappeared into their surroundings despite their pale appearances, with the exception of Tavri's darker flesh. They spotted the camp easily from the ground. Emma stopped them from going further just yet. "<These people are not weak.>" She warned quietly in their native tongue, glancing between a few of them before giving Tavri a longer look. She did not want to do this. "<What they guard is precious to them. We move in quick and quietly. The child is your target. Remember, there are only five of us and all of them have power as well. Get stupid and you will die.>" Fighting would be inevitable. She wanted few deaths on either side, though... She did not want those on her side to die, but she hated to see any of the mages fall either. They crept forward slowly, keeping close to each other--it was the best tactic they'd decided. There were at least five times as many men in their ranks than their measly five assassins. They were trained well, sure, but the odds were unnerving for even them, but they wouldn't turn back. This was their mission, turning back empty handed would be a failure, and to do so without any confrontation would be a betrayal. It was not entirely hard for the group to sneak up on a small group of mages, taking their lives and beginning what they were sure was going to be a fruitless battle as they were discovered. |
When a mage dies, power is released back into nature, returning the element after being borrowed by the humans.
Danny was not aware of this. All he knew was that the power in the air was becoming thick. The power exuding from bodies of the mages, the Tribe, and deaths. He took in a deep breath as if inhaling the thickening power. In the distance of the perimeter they had created, a few novices had fallen. The earth readily absorbed the elemental power and let the bodies rest in peace. Aidan's eyes narrowed as he took in Caspian's discovery and the actions that followed. It was clear to him what the intruders were here for. Danny's mysterious behavior was in demand now. He picked up the boy who was now calm, focusing his energy on breathing in the heavy air rather than resistance. The enemy knew where they were. He brought his fingers to his lips and released sharp whistle into the air. The mages, ready to intercept this enigmatic adversary, halted and swiftly left their positions to head to the center of their camp. While it was indeed dangerous to gather everyone into one spot, Aidan hadn't expected this to last very long. With the last of them behind him and Danny still in his arms, he raised his hand. The mages braced themselves. The water mages were ready to douse any who would be unfortunate enough to come into contact with the raging flames. In a sweep down and across his body, a ring of fire circled the mages and spread out. The flames were slowly traveling down from their standpoint, hot, and tall, ready to be thorough in eliminating the threat they faced. His nephew was in danger, and he didn't dare waste time to ask any questions. |
Emma had found it odd that they suddenly retreated, but she soon understood why. She felt Aidan's fire before he'd even finished summoning it, and she had her own group retreating fast for the nearby water. They ran in with no questions into the water, submerging themselves a moment in fear that the flames would sweep over it.
Tavri was holding Emma close under the water, and when it was safe, the remaining four stumbled to their feet and stared up toward the group past the flames. The ground rumbled and shook as it began to shift, and Tavri focused on re-routing the river to put out the fires as the earth rolled and broke apart in jagged pieces as he sent the water rushing toward the mages. Emma ran forward as the fires cleared, much to Tavri's disapproval as he shouted after her. The others followed her quickly however, planning to back her up. Emma slowed as she got closer though and finally stopped, ready to fight, but she hoped no more deaths would come from this. "The child! You know we've come for him. We cannot leave empty handed." Her brow furrowed a bit as she spoke, trying to hide her distress from her own people, but this was not a situation she wanted to be in. She hoped they defeated them and sent them running back tot he Hidden City with their tails between their legs, really. At least they tried, and if they explained the numbers they were up against... there would be no punishment for their failure. |
At the sight of the raging waters, Caspian and Terran stepped forward from the group. Caspian to split the waters from impacting their congregation and Terran to remold the earth, slamming the broken ground back into one. The dust settled and a light mist fell upon the group.
As Emma approached, the members who recognized her lowered their defenses and immediately turned to Aidan, silently questioning if it was really her. She now had a pair of eyes and was sculpted differently. Those who didn't meet her acquaintance did not notice their comrads's indecision. Aidan contained all the questions he had for her. "The Tribe has no business with him." Meanwhile, Danny produced a wave. "Hi," he chirped, his blue eyes searching for the little baby she had once always be inseparable with. |
Emma pursed her lips briefly. She noticed how they looked to Aidan for answers about her, and how those who she knew lowered their defenses. She did crack a bit of a smile though when Danny greeted her with that wave and "Hi." She though briefly and didn't even glance away as Tavri stepped up behind her and joined the three of them that stood before the mages, his hands resting upon her shoulders a moment.
"Hey Danny." She smiled and waved back now, sighing out as those hands squeezed her shoulders in warning. She slowly pulled away from her group and approached Aidan and Danny steadily. "We've been ordered to take him with us. We will not leave without him." She repeated as the smile faded however, fingers flexing a bit at her sides. |
Knowing very well Aidan would not retreat, even with his nephew in his arms, a few of the mages who knew her stepped forward to block her progression. The fire mage would not want to hurt her. They didn't want to hurt her. But the last thing they could do was to allow her to just snatch the small boy away and take off.
"I wouldn't give him up willingly, just like how you won't give Enver up to anyone." Aidan's grip tightened some on Danny as the boy had squirmed to try to go over to Emma. Her new appearance was curious to him. The power he was inhaling from them was intriguing. He wanted more. "You're sorely outnumbered. I suggest you go back on your way. I care not about the Tribe's agenda. If you won't leave as you suggest, then we'll end up setting aside our honor by battling with you." The words were a threat he hoped she would heed. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her. |
Emma came to a halt as others she was familiar with moved to block her progression. She grit her teeth a moment, this wasn't going to be easy at all; not that she thought it would be when she realized what their target was. She noticed how Danny squirmed though and she chewed on her lip a bit and directed her attention from the mages to the little boy in Aidan's arm.
"Hey Danny, do you wanna come with me for a while?" She could see how he squirmed and tried to get out of Aidan's grasp--maybe she could use that against them. She didn't want to fight them either, but she felt it was inevitable. Emma's fire sparked to life in her hands, and the two younger members stepped aside a bit, spreading themselves out slightly while Tavri remained behind for the moment. To her right stood a young boy skilled in his use of water, and the other boy to her left allowed electricity to spark between his fingers, letting the sparks bounce back and forth between digits. |
Due to their numbers, the mages would be able to break off into their teams. Those skilled with manipulating water joined with their teammate, one who could play with lightning. Fire, wind, and wood stood side by side. The hodge podge of other mages - everything from metal, earth, and ice - stood in the back, ready to be there for reserve. Aidan knew this would be overkill. Had Emma not been in the mix, all he would need is to set them ablaze and it would be over.
Danny was willing to take up the offer. "Can we play?" he asked out to Emma, observing the elements the Tribe members were exhibiting. He hung low in Aidan's arms, looking as if he could propel out of his hold to run over. Aidan and Danielle had been too protective of him. He was bored. He wanted to play with magic! The fire mage held him tighter, so tightly that he squeezed the breath out of him. And that was enough of an idea to set a new plan. He shouted orders to the mages around him, utilizing codes that the mages alone could understand. The spells made these words to be indistinguishable sets of noises to other ears. Back down. Attack for defense--- Danny struggled in protest. His uncle was making sounds he couldn't comprehend. Were they about him? Aidan held him tighter and finished his commands. One of the mages stepped away from the group set aside for reserves. His hands raised. The air began to swirl under the Tribe member's feet. Faster and faster, round and round. Soon they were thrust from the ground, in the air and sent away by the whirl of howling winds. Aidan could see Makani begin to tire. Keep going. You can do this. And then they were gone, pushed away for miles by the winds. Makani collapsed into the arms of another mage. He was drained. |
It all happened so quickly, and really, Emma was relieved their fighting was ended before it could really begin. They had lost one member in the beginning, but still, four of them found themselves miles away from their target, and some distance away from their home.
Emma convinced them to rest for a while, treating any wounds they sustained in the fall back to the ground. Nuvaki, the youngest remaining of the group at 16, had broken his leg. When they readied themselves to leave, he was carried upon Tavri's back while Emma and Javi, the 18 year old who controlled water, walked slowly behind. It would take nearly four days for them to walk back to the hidden city, forced to take breaks at least once a day without the assistance of their mounts. Upon their arrival, Nuvaki was taken away to be treated and the slightly battered remaining three were called into the main hall to see Kadan and explain why they had been unsuccessful. He was thoughtful as Tavri spoke to him about the situation at hand, and Kadan frowned as he realized they had lost a member, a 15 year old girl.He looked intrigued however, about just what had caused such a disturbance in the first place--a child... But perhaps what perked his interest even more than Danny's abilities were who they had lost to. Mages; and not just any... They were lead by Aidan. Emma's feelings for the fire mage were not unknown to him. He understood that while he was out there... she was bound to run away to him, and while he wasn't sure he would come for her, the risk was there. Too much of a risk. "Rest for now. I will have a new task for you soon." He stated, eying Emma a moment as he dismissed them to their quarters for the night to get cleaned up and regain their lost strength. That night, Emma sat upon the ledge of one of the bridges that connected each building, sitting out in the darkness. There was no sky in here to look at, and had it not been for the orange lanterns that illuminated the street below, she would have imagined she was blind all over again. She was remembering her years as Theodore, before all of this--before Aidan. Things had been easy and carefree then with his family. Part of her wished she could be that little boy again. She wished so much had turned out differently. Eventually, Tavri called her in after he'd retrieved Enver, and they slept in their home together. A few days would pass before Kadan gathered many of the Tribe into the main hall. He had debated upon it and spoke with those he often relied upon for advice... and they had come to a decision. It would be another test for Emma, to have her prove loyalty to them or face severe punishment. They were sending a larger group out to confront these mages again and retrieve the child, but they added another target to this mission, one that made Emma's pale skin grow noticeably paler. Aidan. However, he was not up for capture, they were instructing Emma specifically to kill the man she was waiting to rescue her from their captivity. She had the mind to protest, but Enver was at stake here. She would only be locked away and broken down until there was nothing left of her former self. She didnt' want that, but she knew she could not take Aidan's life. She had fought too hard to have him back. The following morning, they were preparing to leave again, a much larger group of fifty of them, all varying in ages. It was a fourth of their community of warriors, but Kadan did not worry about lowering defences withint heir home; after all they were a "hidden" city. The concept of being found and attacked was much like a fairytale, and he was very confident that they would not lose many, if any, people this time. They traveled slower now in such a large group, Emma and Tavri yet again leading them, however Emma hoped to lead them the wrong way after some time of riding. |
Before departing the scene to continue on their way to getting Arturo, the dead on both sides were buried. The mages would have preferred to give the fallen mages a burial back in the kingdom, but there was no time and a bad idea to send back a group with the dead. The Arcane were fast moving, dangerous, and they would need their numbers to confront them properly.
Aidan knew that the Tribe would not let up. His fear of being sandwiched between two forces, the Arcane and the Tribe, was possible. They would need to encounter them one at a time for this to work. And the Arcane was their main focus. Once Arturo would be back in their possession, they could face off with the Tribe. They had been lucky the group was small enough for Makani to blow them away. It would not be so easy next time. They had witnessed their numbers and likely knew, thanks to Emma, a general idea of each of the mages's skills. Only the new ones, which comprised of three-fifths of the group, would be a mystery. The fire mage kept his nephew with him on his mount as they pushed further on after the Arcane heading north. Danny was frustrated that all of the magic was kept tight in each of the individuals around him. He thirsted for the taste for more power. Aidan made the others aware of another growing issue. The further north they went, the more likely they would encounter the Northern Raiders. Even after being defeated, they would not be willing to back down from a fight from the sight of a mage. A dead mage was a prized one. A lone spear in the middle of their path had a skull spiked upon it. The group would have passed it on as a Northern Raider trying to threaten anyone who passed into this territory had it not been for the amulet firmly wrapped about the spear pole. The rare amulet given to the greatest members of the Kingdom of Altair. A distinguishing mark labeled which class of individual the bearer was. Mage. It was Tobias's. |
Travri had caught onto Emma's tactics and confronted her their first night of rest, away from the group. He took over after that, giving the girl no room to argue, but they had compromised: if Emma kept them going to right way, they would rest each night, under the facade that they were in need of maintaining all of their energy to face these mages.
It was probably true, it would not be an easy battle. Many of the mages were as skilled as them, and some even more so. They did have the advantage of a large assortment of weapons, agility and inhuman skills that varied amongst them all. Of course, those only worked if they could get past the mages' defense. Emma calculated that they were probably at least three or four days behind Aidan and the other mages now, if not a little more. It depended on how long they had lingered after their first encounter and how far off she'd gotten them before Tavri had caught on. She knew, however, that she could only stall so long before the others would become restless and eager and they would push to move along faster in an attempt to catch up to the mages sooner. After all, they all had families to return to, no one wanted to spend more time than necessary on a task. Emma, however, was torn. They held Enver as the prize for completing the task--as well as the ability to leave the Hidden City freely when she wished, but if Aidan was dead, she had very little reason to be leaving. They knew that. His death would keep her there. She fought with herself on what to do--she could not kill Aidan, but she could not abandon her son.... They spent three days traveling by day and resting a few hours to eat and nap at night before heading off again before the sun would even rise before the others began to question this tactic and push for further advancement. They were aggitated and impatient, protesting that they were all more than rested, and all of them could stand days of travel without sleep... They would only have to stop the night before pushing the last stretch to catch up with their targeted group. It was that morning that they passed the battleground they'd faced them on just a week before, and they lingered a moment as they realized that not only had they buried their own fallen, but the young girl they'd lost that night. |
A skull would be much easier to take along with them than bodies.
Aidan felt sickened to leave behind the rest of Tobias, but his remains were lost. Somewhere...somewhere on these lands he lay...amongst the other fallen. He would at least have a part of him remaining in the kingdom he defended. His amulet was freed from the spear and wrapped around the fire mage's dominant hand. He knew there was something far more special about this piece of jewelry given to the lead mage by the previous King of Altair. There was an amplifier that made it easier to channel the element to the wielder. Aidan had let Danny free as they camped there for the night. He was admittently distracted by their discovery. His feelings for the greater mage had always seemed brotherly. They were such close comrads. But something in the back of Aidan's head always said there was something more. Something Tobias never told him. Holding his amulet gave him these thoughts, unburying them from the past Aidan meant to hide away. Danny, despite being released, stayed quiet and calm. He had Tobias's skull in his lap as he stared off distantly. A scout returned with news of sighting the Arcane miles away. They packed up to reach them in the dark of the night. |
The Tribe pushed harder now, travelling faster, but they rested every other day, if only for the sake of those running on their feet and the horses that carried the others and supplies. It still felt like they were so far away. they ran across evidence of the mages now and then, but none of it was very recent. They were still a few days travel behind them despite pushing so hard to catch up.
As they rested that night, the Tribe was tired and irritated with this journey. They had waited too long to set out, and assuming that the group had left immediately after the battle, they were at least a week behind them, but probably more. There had been two days traveling back to the city, five resting and preparing for battle, and now they had traveled another five days and had not caught up. The mages were moving fast and resting less, the theorized. Emma calmed their nerves though as she shared her thoughts and what knowledge she could figure from their last encounter. They were going into battle, that much had been obvious, but as to why Aidan had still had Danny with him, she could not quite figure out. Had they been out this entire year? She highly doubted that. They would have returned to the kingdom at some point. She devised a new plan for them, one that required them to sit low for a while. The mages were going into battle, one she assumed had been finished a year before, but obviously it must not have gone as smoothly as Aidan had expected. The Tribe did not want to get involved with the Arcane and get drawn into a battle they did not deem necessary, so chasing them into battle would be silly. Emma suggested however, that they wait for them to return from battle. They would have to head back to the kingdom when they had obtained Arturo...and perhaps with fewer members. It would be an advantage to them, the Tribe if they waited for their numbers to diminish further before taking them on, and they might actually gather the child successfully this time. The next day, they traveled a little more before setting up camp and waiting, scouting, and preparing for the mages to return home from battle, prepared to get on the move again should the mages take an alternative route back to the city. |
The air was cold. The mages felt the chill to their bones as their breaths formed before their lips. Aidan knew it was slightly warmer than his last encounter with the Arcane. There was a smaller concentration of them.
Utilizing water mages like Caspian, he had them channel their energy toward finding Arturo. The boy's eyes flashed as the connection was made. "He's here." For the next two weeks the mages played cat and mouse with the Arcane. In their teams, the mages sought out ways to unarm the Arcane from their deadly tricks. To ensure these souless beings could not retaliate with their elements acquired with their pact with hell, they were ordered to dismember any they crossed paths with. The only two Aidan was interested in were Arturo and the mysterious woman who had changed him. Watching Danny were the two mages brought for healing purposes. The mages of blood and bone. Only those who were incapaciated would return to them to be mended, dragged in by their comrades. Aidan changed the order to any injury, which would not have been heeded had it not been for his leadership position. He needed them to live in order for the mission to succeed. Danny craddled the skull in his lap, rocking backwards and forwards. He was still in the daze since obtaining the lead mage's head. While the healing mages worked frantically to save a life, the child's head lifted and craned over toward the approaching shadow. He could see the figure's form on the tent wall. He inhaled. Power. Shards of ice began to surround the tent in an attempt to lock the occupants in. Danny had handled the chill well, but as the temperatures began to plummet, he brought his legs tightly against himself. "It's..............too................COLD." Aidan turned his head. Had the child spoken with those spell words? Had he heard him with his ears or his mind? He had to have heard him with his sense of hearing. There was no way he could have learned that mage spell... His assailant moved to attack, using the opening to his full advantage. But Aidan continued to stare in the direction Danny was in. A flash of light. A wave of heat. And enough energy to knock everyone and everything standing down from miles around. The fire mage rose shakily to his feet and extinguished the life of his opponent before rushing back to the healer's tent, his mind flooded with confusion over what his nephew was. |
They were growing impatient again, some of them were beginning to talk of going after them now just for the excitement of doing something. They had moved positions four times over the two weeks, not wanting to camp in one spot too long should any other trouble find them along the way.
Emma stood as the scouts rushed back--she had felt what they had, though very few others in the camp itself had any idea what had just happened. "Pack up. We're on the move again." She ordered. What had that been? She knew they could have waited for the mages to travel back their way still, but the Tribe was restless and she was nervous and eager to investigate what had happened. Had it been the Arcane's doing, or one of the mages? It took them less than thirty minutes to pack up and head out again, more than rested enough for longer bursts of travel now. They rode fast and hard until they began to come across evidence of the mages. They were only miles from the battleground now, magic heavy in the air and it had become notably colder in the area. It was the second evening of travel when they stopped and sent a group out to scout ahead. Was the battle still going on? They wanted to keep their distance. They were not there to assist either side, though the thought that the child could be grabbed up during the distraction of war did cross their minds; they aimed to lose as few members of the Tribe as possible. |
Aidan stood over the form that had snuck up on the healing tent. His gloved hand emitted flames that roared about his hand, licking the flame guard that protected him from igniting his clothes. He was ready to react to any movement from this new opponent.
A minute passed. Two. Five. Finally, the fire mage, impatiently stepped forward and nudged the figure with his boot. He had considered the fact that this was just a show. One to lure him closer so that he would be in range for a blast of ice. But none came. Instead, the ground became moist, saturated by water that flowed from his melting heart. Danny's blast had done more than knock everyone and everything from being vertical. It had expelled the charm lodged into the water mage's heart, allowing him to lose his freezing powers for the one he had been born with. Knocked unconscious, he would not be able to tell the others about the tear that weakened him within. Aidan knelt beside his friend, checking him for traps before taking him into the tent. Mission complete. From miles away, the woman who had held such an iron grip on Arturo finally stood up. She smoothed her skirt, trying to contain the anger she had. Her plot was hindered, for now. Starting off in a slow strut, she began to race forward, returning to her prey. It was hindered, unraveled for now. But she would get him back. And soon...Altair would crumble at her fingertips. |
Despite their eagerness to advance, Emma and Tavri had the Tribe stay put a while longer, but she wasn't sure what they were waiting for. When the scouts returned, the large group dismounted and approached the last handful of miles on foot. There was no good way to sneak up on the mages this time. It was night and the moon made their pale features blatantly obvious as they approached.
There was no room for talking this time, but Emma shouted something as the groups split up and advanced with speed and agility in their native tongue. "Attack the Arcane! Deal with the mages later!" There were some odd gazes exchanged between members and directed at their leader, but Emma did not want to watch more of her friends fall. The Tribe was obedient however, and it was the Arcane that they directed their fury upon, in a mix of magic and weaponry. They were aiding the mages, so long as they did not attack them despite it all. Emma hoped the mages caught on that they were not there to battle them. Not yet, though it would have been easier to take both parties down at the same time, and she was sure many of them knew that, but to go against their leader... Even if they thought her insane, they had been told to deal with the mages later--why aid them however, if they were only going to destroy them as well afterward? Tavri was not pleased with this however. They were aiding their enemy, to fight someone they had not come to battle. Being Kadan's son, he had the power to override Emma's orders, and he did. "Attack them all! They are both our enemy!" "Tavri!" Emma cried in protest, but it was no use. They obeyed, and soon enough they were attacking the Arcane and mages alike. "Emma, Go! You know what you have to do, so do it!" With hesitation, Emma made her way toward Danny, knowing that where he was, Aidan was likely to be as well. |
Aidan watched as the two healers worked quickly on the injured. But more were being carried in, their battle injuries strikingly familiar. Rushing out of the tent, the fire mage began looking at the new scene. Just as he had feared. The Tribe had closed in on them. On one side the Arcane continued to pummel them with their large numbers and dark magic and on the other, the Tribe, fresh into battle. His fists clenched. This time he had no intention of playing fair.
Stand back. While he knew he didn't have the fierce power as Danny had exhibited several times, he had his fine tuned affinity toward flames to destroy or frighten the enemies with. The mages shielded themselves as the element roared past them, causing sweat to roll heavily down their skin. The flames moved to consume everything in their paths. Danny crawled over to Arturo's prone form. The tear in his heart had drawn his interest. He rested his hand on his chest, absorbing what was left from the dark magic lining the organ. Satisfied with the taste of the power, he sat on his rear again and held onto the skull. |
Emma grimaced as she watched their numbers drop in one foul swoop. She ran the distance, abandoning her original plan to round the tent and try and get Danny without confronting the fire mage, but while she hated the Tribe for what they had done to her in the past, they were still family to her. Perhaps it was because she was retraiend, but she could not allow them to all be killed--it was as bad as seeing the mages fall as well.
Her body impacted Aidan's, throwing him to the ground in a desperate attempt to stop him. Those who had evaded the attack backed down with a sharp command from Tavri, retreating and regrouping their remaining numbers. Emma had not warned them of Aidan, though Tavri knew he should have seen it coming after the battle nearly a month before now. |
Aidan broke his fall by extending his arm out, flipping around to face his assailant. His gloved hands were ready to counter her initial attack. His bright blue eyes narrowed at the sight of Emma.
"Take Danny and I swear I will hunt down the entire Tribe, killing them one by one by myself. I suggest you tell your group to find something else of interest to play with. He is not a Tribe member by birth. Why are you allowing strangers to mingle with your kind?!" He had hoped his harsh words would break her will to continue with her mission. |
Emma had drawn a short blade, frowning at Aidan's words. "I am only following orders." She retorted with a faint huff. "I don't know why our leader has suddenly become... power hungry. It is not my place to know." Her hand gripped the blade a little tighter. "I was sent here to kill you and claim Danny." She admitted, swallowing slowly. her eyes narrowing at the fire mage briefly before she spoke in a softer tone, her body tense. "...They have Enver. They send me out without him, knowing I will return successful in order to be with him. I cannot get away on my own this time." She wondered if she'd ever really gotten away on her own before... perhaps when she was Theodore, butthey were not so trusting of her this time.
She could not do this though, her body relaxing as she began to lower her weapon, watching Aidan with a furrowed brow. Tavri had taken notice of the situation now however, and he was on the move now. If she could not do it, he would do it for her! He was tired of this! With Aidan out of the way, surely Emma would be his and only his, and then they could claim the child and go home. The earth beneath them shook and cracked as Tavri tore sections up. He wanted to crush every bit of life out of Aidan and end it all right then and there. He would do Emma's job if he had to, lifting the large chunks of up-heaved ground into the air to send in the fire mage's direction. |
Terran, his wounds only just being sewn shut, thrust himself forward to protect his leader. His hands clapped together and began to slide up and descend hard, molding the earth back together and rushing back toward the Tribe member. His wounds ripped open, splattering blood in heavy puddles at his feet. Dust rose high, clouding his vision of what had become of Tavri. Dropping down to one knee, he panted hard before collapsing. Makani and Kenna grabbed him under the arms and dragged him into the safety of the tent, cursing at him for moving in such haste. There were other mages to aid Aidan. But he was pale and unresponsive to their tearful curses.
Aidan had shut his eyes and shielded them from the heavy dust storm that had risen from the ground. He then thrust himself away from Emma, heading back to the tent to grab Danny. As long as he had him in his arms, he could run. Scatter the mages and head back to the castle. Back to safety. He coughed and searched the interior, finding no child. Danny, still clutching Tobias's skull, had run off on his own. |
Emma called after Aidan as he disappeared into the tent, making to go after him, but something stopped her. Tavri was no longer coming after them. She stared off into the dust--he couldn't be... could he? Tavri was strong, he was the best among them all.
"Gabriel!" She called out, stepping a few slow feet away from the tent. Wind rushed through the site and took the dust cloud with it, clearing the area quickly. It exposed the large landmass that had been dropped to the ground, pushed quite some way across the ground, tearing up a long trail. Emma was soon running over, along with other members of the Tribe. Emma dropped to her knees and reached down to the earth behind it. There lay Tavri. Her hand pushed through his blond hair, but he did not stir, his body crushed from the ribs down. Using the mass to help herself up, Emma kept her head down. Tavri was gone--their leader's son... her "husband", and the father of her child. There was a time this would not have bothered her, but they had been living together for some time now--they had adjusted and become comfortable together yet again. Another member touched her shoulders as others discovered their leader's demise. Those filled with rage, ran out to attack whoever got in their way, while some lingered back, ready to surrender with their leader's death, and many retreated back toward their abandoned mounts. They were done. Emma lingered however. Her task was still unfinished, though she had no motivation to do such anymore. Everything had gone so wrong. |
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