Chapter 1: Whispering Rumors

[SeverineHalo]

Severine sat up, tying his hair back. Standing up, the young man went over to where Lilas, Crestus and a caravan driver was cooking breakfast. The aroma of sausage was starting to get to him.

"Morning" he said to Zeadon, who remained silent as usual.

A no talk, all action kind of person I see, Severine thought to himself when he heard no response. Fine with me.

Crestus looked up at Severine, seeing his shadow over him. "Good morning Sir Halo!" he greeted, happy as usual. "Today's a fine day for traveling, don't you think?"

"Everyday is a fine day for traveling..." said Severine, rceieving a plate of sausages from the caravan driver. "Just as long as you get to where you're going..."

Crestus laughed, and patted Severine on the back. "I like you young man. Your way of thinking is like that of a nomad..."

"I come from a tribe of nomads" said Severine, leaving the left side of his hair hiding the grin he had on his face from Voltaire. Going over to where Phiona and Tierria were, Severine took a bite of one of his sausages. He would share his with the women just in case if Crestus ran out of any.

"Morning ladies" said Severine, cheerfully. Deep down inside he tried to get rid of the remains of last night's dream surfacing in his head. "Would any of you like a sausage?"  

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Tierria Selig]

Tierria looked up and smiled. She was surprised that Phiona was talking to her. She was surprised that the woman was talking to anybody for that matter. Well anybody but Severine that is...

Tierria, just get over it! she thought to herself.

"Morning Phiona" Tierria greeted back. "I slept well, thank you very much. I'm about to go bathe...would you like to come along? I figure even you could use some relaxation from all the raging mmale hormones..." her smiled turn to a devious grin when she shall Severine coming over. "Speaking of which..." After Severine greeted her and asked if she wanted a sausage she stood up with her clothes.

"I'm not going to eat now Mr. dueling sword person. After I bathe." she then turned to Phiona. "Coming?"

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

[SeverineHalo]

Severine crossed his arms, and grinned.

"Have it your way then. I can see that women need their time from us men..."

Even though Severine did his best to joke, just looking at Tierria reminded him of what he did to her in the nightmare. Looking past Tierria, he caught a glimpse of Phiona.

"Morning" he said to her.

Why was she in the dream? he wondered to himself. There is no way that this could be a premonition...

Severine's grin quickly faded. "Sorry..." he said in a low voice to Phiona to cover himself up. "Just not feeling all too well..." Severine turned, and walked away.

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Phiona Whitefire]

Severine took off rather quickly when Phiona walked up, something the tawny-haired warrior did not miss.  After he left, she turned to Tierria.  The young woman was still rummaging through her bag, apparently trying to figure out what to wear.  Phiona listened quietly as Tierria talked, the young woman's voice was soothing to listen to.

When Severine returned again bearing a plateful of sausages in offering to Tierria, she declined.  He set the plate down near her bag anyway as they bantered with strong familiarity.  They were so jovial and caring toward each other, it was sweet to watch.

Then Severine looked past Tierria to Phiona and his smile faded away.  To Phiona he said only a brief hello and an apology for feeling ill.  He walked off before Phiona could reply.  What had happened since last night to make his attitude toward her change? She wondered, but knowing that Tierria was waiting for her reply, Phiona said, "Sure.  I know just the place."



They gathered their mounts and Phiona took a last look around to see where everyone was.  The only person she couldn't locate was Ren.  Thinking back, she couldn't remember seeing him at all this morning, but then she hadn't been specifically looking for him either.  The two women rode up the wide, dusty path that served as a road in these parts and eventually the bridge came into sight.  The sound of freely rushing water had reached them long before the stream was in sight.

Leaving the horses to graze on sweet grass, they took what they needed with them to the waters edge.  Bees buzzed by and butterflies flitted from flower to flower.  Birdsong filled the air, and the stream was as clear and inviting as Phiona had left it the night before.  

She warned Tierria, "It'll be cold."  Phiona grinned and added, "but I like that!"

While the beautiful, darkskinned Stratanian carefully unwound the white wrap that held her raven ponytail in place, Phiona quickly stripped to nothing.  She tossed her clothing to the ground for easy retrieval.  With a yelp of anticipation, Phiona dived into the swiftly running water.  The lighter-skinned, Avennorian warrior didn't seem to be hampered by modesty at all, a stark contrast to her breviloquence.  Though she splashed about in the chilly, clear water, Phiona had purposefully left her sheathed sword within easy reach and she kept an alert eye out for danger.  Two women bathing alone were a ripe target for attack, she knew this much.

In the meantime Tierria had brought a smaller, leather pouch with her to the waters edge.  Perched on the same flat rock that Phiona had rested on the night before, Tierria removed all but her silver amulet, folding her clothes neatly into a pile next to her.  She proceeded to dip a small cloth into an open, clay pot and to this she added some water to work the salve into a thick lather.  At first, Phiona thought it was odd that the young woman hadn't jumped into the cold water like she did, but then she remembered that the people of the desert had different reservations toward water, and therefore bathing.  In the desert, large bodies of water were conserved for drinking and must be kept pristine at all costs.

Phiona swam closer and clung to a rock nearby Tierria, slowly kicking her legs in the clear water.  "That smells nice," she said, indicating the soapy lather.  "What's in it?"

Tierria smiled, "The base is made from the heart of a certain cactus plant mixed with rendered fat... scented with a variety of desert flowers.  I made it myself.  You learn how to make all kinds of useful things when you are trained to be a healer.  Here try some... you can work it into you hair and then rinse it in the stream."  She held the clay pot up for Phiona to see.

Phiona smiled shyly, "Really?  I shall try it then then."  She held out her hand while the young healer placed a dallop on her palm.  Phiona dunked her head in the water again and then lathered the soap into her long hair.  She was amazed at the volume of bubbles that came from the small amount.  It smelled even nicer up close, and with her eyes closed, Phiona could almost imagine reclining in a patch of wild, desert flowers on a cool night.  After she dunked her head a few more times to rinse, Phiona noticed that Tierria was leaning over the stream to splash water up to her lathered skin.

Clinging again to the rock, Phiona asked, "You can swim, can't you?  It'll be easier to rinse if you come in--"

"Oh no!  Really, I couldn't--"

"Don't worry, I won't let you drown."  Phiona smiled to reassure the Stratanian woman.  She suspected then that Tierria couldn't swim, but really, where would the girl have a chance to learn?  

"Well, all right..."  Tierria eased herself off the flat rock and into the cold water, but held fast to the rock.  "Ooh!  It is very cold!"  

"That's fine.  Now back up here the water is more shallow.  You can stand, see?"  Phiona swam around Tierria and led her a bit up the stream.  "All safe."

When Phiona stood up out of the waist-high water, she casually grabbed her long hair to twist the water out of it, a habit after swimming.  With her back to Tierria, Phiona couldn't see the healer's face when Tierria beheld the series of thick, criss-crossing scars that covered the warrior's back from nape to the waterline, and probably lower even.  The scars were long healed, but the look of horror over such cruel wounds was matched by Tierria's gasp of shock.

Phiona quickly spun around, checking the surrounding area to see if they were being ambushed, only to see Tierria's look of sympathy and green, tearfilled eyes.  Phiona flushed to a dusky rose hue before climbing out of the water.  Without a word she strode over to her towel to dry off.  

The healer watched her walk off.  Taking some time to gain her composer, Tierria finished rinsing and then followed suit.

"What happened, Phiona?  Where did you get those terrible scars?"  Tierria's voice trembled a little as she asked the questions.

By now, Phiona was already dressed and working the tangles out of her damp, tawny hair with a comb. She noted that the snarls came out a lot easier and that it must be the soap.  Her hair still smelled of flowers too.  Tierria was standing close by waiting for an answer.  Phiona couldn't just ignore her.

She stopped combing.  "Where I come from, this is what happens when you don't obey orders.  Come on, get dressed and I'll tell you about it on the way back to camp.  I hope they saved us some sausage..."


A short time later, they were heading south.  "A few years back, I was in the royal army that guards the Sanguia province.  On the eastern side of the Sharadon forest, is a small town called Seraia.  There was an uprising there and we were sent to quell the rebellion.  The people didn't feel they were being protected enough by the local army so most of them refused to pay the taxes."  

"Our commander was a cruel man named Blackwine.  He decided to punish the rebels by beating their families while they were forced to watch.  Torchering the elderly and little babes, too... I refused to do it.  I did not think that the children should suffer for their fathers' choices.  And so Blackwine made an example of me in case any of my fellow soldiers agreed with me.  Can't have dissension in the ranks, you see."  She paused and glanced over at Tierria who was looking sullen and her lovely green eyes, watery.  "Look... it happened long ago.  I try not to let it encompass my life.  Please don't pity me, I don't.  This opened my eyes.  I might be a very different person if I were still under his command."

They were within shouting distance of the caravan now, and the horses were being hitched to the wagons.  Phiona reached over in a rare show of emotion and patted the healer's shoulder.  "Let's hurry and get some breakfast."  She prompted her mare to run ahead, riding right into the middle of camp.  




 

"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning."    -John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 - 1890)

Edited by: Phiona Whitefire at: 8/12/03 23:17

[Tierria Selig]

Tierria quickly followed the woman into the middle of the camp. She did her best to hold back her emotions, so none of the men would notice. It was injustice...what happened to Phiona...pure injustice. She would keep this to herself, and not tell anybody what Phiona told her. She figured the woman would want as much.

Such ugly scars upon such a beautiful and noble woman, thought Tierria to herself. Is this the natural law of Caelereth!? To tarnish the good and glorify the evil!!?

Tierria began feeling bad about having negative feelings towards the woman in the beginning...just because she showed some interest in Severine. Her jealousy over took her...she was no better than those who caused harm. As a healer, this went against her beliefs. Only when it was needed would she cause wounds...usually she would cure them. Actually, she never caused a wound upon another in her life. She intended to keep it that way as well. Sighing at this, Tierria got off her mount with Phiona, and went to get some breakfast. She saw Ren handing out the raminder of the food to others.

"I'm not trying to bring up the subject again or anything," said Tierria to Phiona. "But it was wrong what happened. For what you did...you will always be a true hero in my heart. As with Severiune as well..." Tierria paused for a moment. "Ever since his family was murdered during a fire when he was twelve, Severine always held this feeling of vengence deep inside him. This feeling of depression and lonliness. I do my best to try to ease his pain...he's a good person deep down inside. I mean I know I act like his lover at times, which I am not...but I just want to help him, that's all. He's been there for me so many times..." Tierria stared at Severine, who was just about done eating. "I want to return the favor. Friends help one another..." Tierria turned to Phiona. "Please don't tell him I told you this. I just figured you seem like you wanted to get to know him better. Looking into his eyes...you think to yourself and wonder about that boy. So many things could be going through his head...I don't think I even know more than half of whaty is Severine Halo..." Tierria sighed. "But I have this little feeling that the other half I might regret finding out. But that's just my intuition of paranoia kicking in." Tierria ending that sentence with a small laugh. "Well, forget about the past, and move on to the future, that's what my grandfather used to say!"

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

[SeverineHalo]

Severine munched down on the last piece of sausage. He spotted Tierria and Phiona arriving back from bathing. He decided not to approach the two of them yet, and instead gathered his things. Crestus mentioned that as soon as the last piece of food was gone, the caravan would set out once again. Putting back on his snake skin armor, Severwent over to Rosebud, to make make everything was fine with his animal companion.

Feeling bad about earlier, Severine decided to set his mind on the events from alst night. There was no doubt that Phiona was a good swordswoman. He was very surprised that he beat her. He really had no fighting experience in real battles...only battles against his uncle and friends of the family who would travel by. They were hard training sessions without a doubt, and Severine would end up with more than one opponent sometimes. Uncle Lelor said that Severine always did have a natural talent for swordplay. Just like his father...

The great Steelwind Halo, Severine thought in a joking manner, bring back some light to his eyes. Well...everyone around him thought that he was great...especially mother...

Severine fastened his bracers around his wrists as Crestus called for everyone to get together once breakfast was over. Taking out his rose pendent from underneath his shirt, Severine began touching it with his fingers, and sighing to himself.

Mother...father...your deaths shall be avenged. Whatever that nightmare was...I'll overcome it. Anything that stands in my way...I will conquer it. Nothing will stop me...nothing...

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Tierria Selig]

After eating with Phiona, Tierria got her things together and mounted Alchemy. Fifteen minutes later, the caravan was on the move. This time, Tierria was a little bit closer to Phiona, who she wish she would get to know more about. After that talk at the lake, Tierria felt more comfortable to be around her.

Now only if that Zeadon character would follow her example, Tierria thought with a laugh.

She noticed that Severine took the front as usual. He was always the type that would be in the front of a group...she told him many of times that he would make a good leader. His response to that was a laugh, and saying that everyone told him that he would be a good leader...

Just like his father... Tierria finished the sentence in her head.

The girl had her eyes on Severine still, barely noticing that the caravan was five minutes away from Sharadon forest. From the distance...she could've sworn that someone was watching. She heard that elves lived in this forest from Crestus, but they rarely came out of their village...or wouldn't go too far from it.

Not letting suspicion get the best of her, Tierria kept eyeing Severine.

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

[Phiona Whitefire]

Phiona took up her place at the rear of the caravan once again and this time, to her surprise, Tierria chose to keep her company.  Since they had set out toward Sharadon forest, there'd been no talking between them, just a comfortable silence.

In between warily watching the passing scenery, Phiona glanced out of the corner of her eye at the Stratanian healer who's eyes were on the road ahead.  The treeline of the Sharadon was drawing ever closer.  She had, this morning, revised her opinion of the young woman.  But Tierria seemed to have gotten the wrong impression from her and the warrior wasn't sure how best to remedy it:  One thing Tierria had said during breakfast was bothering Phiona: For what you did...you will always be a true hero in my heart.  It would be wrong for her to let Tierria go on believing that Phiona had saved the day.

Best to just get on with it!  Phiona looked pointedly at Tierria.  "What I said this morning... I'm afraid I might have misled you.  I did not stop what happened in Seraia.  I couldn't.  It was only delayed while they dealt with my objection."  She couldn't help but feel bitter about the treatment she received back then.  The only blessing that came from it all was that when the soldiers carried on with their orders, Phiona was too unconscious from her beating to hear the screams of the villagers while they endured theirs.  Phiona was not proud of what happened that day, her actions did not alleviate their pain and caused her even more.  She was ashamed to be associated with such an organization, even if they called themselves The Royal Sanguia Patrol.  In Phiona's mind, there was nothing regal about picking on innocent people.

"I know what they did was wrong.  That's why I left them as soon as I was able.  That day not only scarred me, it shaped my convictions.  I will never stand by and allow such brutal atrocity again, never!  As long as I am breathing... I swear this on my life and soul!"      

"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning."    -John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 - 1890)

Edited by: Phiona Whitefire at: 8/15/03 8:44

[Tierria Selig]

Tierria smiled warmly at the her new comrade. "Just because you didn't save them...it doesn't mean that you didn't do anything. Your morals and your sense of justice and courage showed that you was different from all the others. It showed that you stood up to that creep Blackwine, and knew when to follow orders and when not to. Heroes can't save innocents all the time...but if they try their best...it shows the forces of evil hat there are people out tere that won't stand for their crimes! That's why you are a hero in my heart..."

Tierria put a soothing hand on Phiona's shoulder. "It would be an honor for me to stand by your side...helping others."

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

[SeverineHalo]

Severine started to drink from his canteen, obsrving the forest scene around him. Earlier, he stared back at Tierria and Phiona from time to time, seing that the two was starting to develop a friendship..at least that's wha he thought. For that...he was happy. He had to admit to himself that h was kind of drawn to Phiona, and making friends with Tierria would make things easier. Thinking about this aspect made him feel better, and forget about the dream.

With the exception of the forest life of Sharadon forest, things were pretty quiet. It felt a little chilly, so Severine wrapped his cloak around his body.

"I've been here so many times..." said Crestus. "And I'm still shockd how beautiful it is. Actually, I'm supose to meet that elf I told you about. We should be coming along the area where he is-"

Crestus was interupted by an arrow flying by him. "What!? Someone is trying to attackus!"

Another arrow flew by Severine. Without hesitation, Severine thre a knif wheer the arrow came from, and heard a man scream in pain. A moment later, a large group of bandits emerged from the bushes, and surrounded the caravan.

Hearing a loud cry from Tierria, Severine tunrned around quickly.

"Tierria!"

 

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Phiona Whitefire]

Phiona merely nodded in response because her throat abruptly grew tight with emotion.  As if casually scanning for danger, she turned her head to the countryside for her eyes threatened to brim with tears and she did not wish for Tierria to see this weakness.  

Much as Phiona had tried to distance herself, this girl had managed to sneak past Phiona's defenses and was fast becoming a friend.  The Avennorian warrior did not make friends easily but, worse, when she did find such remarkable people she tended to lose them after growing attached.  The heartache was nearly too much to bear at times.  

Her thoughts inevitably turned to the group of true heroes that she traveled with for over three years and whom she had grown invariably close to.  They were all dead now and the unbearable loss was still too fresh in Phiona's heart and mind.  Her memories of them flashed before her eyes- Donnovan the Emerald Mage and Gildar, his half-elven apprentice; Yohn the Shadowcaller, a hobbit with his merry, blue eyes; Rengan, a skilled warrior who eshewed the use of bladed weapons;  Gillyan Urthguard, a noble dwarven priestess; and Ari Beltrane, aka Hound, the most competant ranger Phiona had ever met- Ari could virtually sniff out her quarry, hence the moniker.  She missed them all terribly.

Phiona maintained her composure and turned back to look at Tierria again, but the young healer had ridden forward and was out of earshot.  The front of the caravan had finally reached the point where the road entered the forest.  Perhaps Tierria wanted to be near Severine, he obviously made her feel safer.  

Phiona pushed those thoughts and the ones regarding her past to the back of her mind and searched the treeline for signs of ambush.  She noticed that Jacques, Gromelson and Ren were on guard as well, and she couldn't see anyone else except for Zeadon and Severine.  While they all seemed to be on alert, there wasn't any apparent danger so far...

But a split second later there was a shower of arrows flying through the air!  Tierria cried out as one of the missles nearly hit her arm and another slammed into her mount's flank.  The horse spooked and began to flee the chaos, running forward along forest road and right past the rushing bandits!  

The other guards were rushing forward to meet the enemy, some on foot even.  Phiona unsheathed her sword and grabbed her shield.  She kicked her heels to her mare and together they moved into the fight.    

"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning."    -John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 - 1890)

Edited by: Phiona Whitefire at: 8/19/03 21:10

[Tierria Selig]

"Alchemy! Calm down!" cried Tierria, trying to regain control over her horse.

It figures that Alchemy would be the horse to react in such a manner. The horse has neve been attacked before in its life, nor was it ever used to an ambush like this one. Desparately screaming for her horse to slowdown Tierria tried moving her body sharply to avoid an arrow and ended up falling off Alchemy, and landing down hard on the dirt road. Through small tears did Tierria watch her horse disappear .

"Alchemy..."

"Aww, poor thing!" Tierria sharply turned around to see that three of bandits had turned around and was walking up to her. The one standing in the middle was talking to her.

"You lost your little horsey? We'll get it back for you...when we're done that is.."

Without even thinking, Tierria picked up her staff with her dirt-filled hands, and ran towards he bandit. "Leave me alone!" she cried with all of her might, and smacked the enemy as hard as she could, causing the man to fall on the ground. While his comardes got into defensive positions, the man stood up, wiping blood from his face.

"You little bitch..." he began to say. "You made me bleed..."

Before Tierria could think, a hand went across her face, powerful enough to knock her down. The moment Tierria turned on her back to look up in fear while holding her face, the man pounced on her.

"Just for that, I'll kill you slowly as I ravage your body like the whore you are!" The bandit useed his sword to cut through the cloth, covering Tierria's upper body. Enjoying the girl's screams for a moment while she covered herself, the man then pinned her to the ground.

"Seveine!" screamed Tierria at the top of her lungs, praying that her knight in shining armor would save her. "Severine!"

Severine...please...save me...

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

Edited by: Tierria Selig at: 8/16/03 12:32

[SeverineHalo]

Rage.

That was the only word that could describe Severine's feelings at that point. Pure violence-driven rage. Rosebud moved faster than any horse in Sarvonia as Severine raced to Tierria's aid. The scene before his eyes was making a restrained part of his spirit try to free itself a bit more...

"Go to hell!" Severine's knife flew through the air, and struck one of the bandits in the throat. Squatting on his mount, Severine somersaulted through the air, and ran up to the secnd one that accompied the man that was going to face Sevrine's full wrath. With no hesitation, a dagger went across the bandit's neck, sharing a fate similar to his comrade.

As Rosebud turned around to run over to its master, Severine took out his family sowrd, and stabbed it in the man's back, making the blade come out of his chest...reinforced by a strength Severine never knew he had. He then pulled the wepon out of the swine he had just killed, and threw him aside. Taking off his cloak, Severine wrapped his cloak around Tierria, as he sat her up,  and held her close, despite the fact that her face was covered in her attacker's blood. Feeling the girl shake, Severine observed the situation before him:

There were at least 15 bandits from where he could see...probably more. This looked like a well planned ambush. They must have scouted the area, and watched the caravan for awhile. Looking closely, Sevrine remembered one of the men being someone that passed by the caravan an hour before he reached Sharadon forest. He must have been watching them ever since last night! Maybe even before that!

"Go hide" said Severine in an emotionaless voice, as he stood up wth his long time friend in his arms. Paying no attention to the kiss he recieved on the cheek, Severine stepped forward as Tierria ran in the opposite direction to find a suitable hiding spot.

Untying his hand with one hand, Severine held his with the other. He felt energized...he felt powerful...he felt alive.

"They will pay...all of them..."

Rosebud stood by the young Shendar, whose bond he shared with for many years now. Once Severine began running, Rosebud was right beside him. With skill Severine  jumped on the aj, and headed into battle feeling te lust for death and destruction growing from within.

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Ripp Dide]

Ripp startled awake to both a woman's and a horse's scream.  He opened his eyes just in time to see the ranger dash off in the direction of the screams.  Leaping to his feet he called out to the  missing member of his group, Elraralia.  

"Elraralia! Wherever you are head, head back to camp!  There is fighting on the road!"

Dashing off through the woods in the direction Aiyana head taken off in.  Reaching the road he saw a wild-eyed man run past on the back of Aj'Nuvic, if his memory served him.  A caravan was being harassed by a group of bandits.  

Ah battle, fantastic it has been too long.

Diving into a group of 3 of the men he whipped out his Efryst depressing the button that released the two ends.  Grabbing on of these ends he swung out it front of him taking out on of the rogues with a blow to the temple.  Eva then flew from the brush, biting deep into another ones throat.  The last one turned and ran back toward the woods.  Ripp swung his water bag from his hip and squeezed hard a small stream flew out.  Taking control of his he sent it flying to his target, in mid-air it frooze into a icy shard.  The man fell a shard of ice stuck through his back and into his heart.

Ripp then took in the carnage and his Sanhorrhim heritage rose from within him.  Quickly he fell into the battle taking out two more men before stopping to survey the scene.

"I am prepared to meet my maker, but, is my maker prepared to meet me?"

[Aiyana Xanthe]

Aiyana broke through the brush in time to see two black-clothed figures charge out into the clearing, holding broadswords.  Figuring they were bandits, she fired her bow, the arrow sinking into one of the men's exposed neck.  With a scream that was nought more than a gurgle, he fell.  In a lightning-quick action, she pulled another arrow from her quiver, hitting the remaining man.

Just then, a girl ran past her into the wood.  Shouldering her bow and pulling her scimitar, she dove through the thick growth to see the girl shaking and crouching behind a tree.

"What's going on girl?" Aiyana asked in a slightly harsh tone.  She took a tentative step forward, sword at the ready.

Before the girl could reply, a man broke through the bush.  A man in black.  He lashed out at Aiyana, and, as pain shot through her arm and into her head, Aiyana realized she had been hurt.

"Son of a-"

Without finishing her sentence, Aiyana parried the man's second blow with one hand, her other reaching for a dagger which she plunged into his stomach, only to find armor hidden under his clothing.  Ducking and breaking away from the parry, she swung in a horizontal arc.  With a sick thud, the sword cut halfway through the man's neck.  His eyes rolled, and he fell.

She turned back to the girl.

"Are you all right?"

Aiyana Xanthe-Female Elven Ranger

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