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"HEY!" A voice shouted from the pouch. Sitting up quickly, Angelic tugged it open. Flitz quickly flew out and up to Angelic's nose, giving it a swift kick.
"I was trying to sleep in there!" The warrior only rubbed her nose and glanced inside the pouch, finding a number of gold pieces. Looking up from the shimmering gold, she glanced around the camp site. They were alone.
"Where is everyone?" The tiny figure questioned as she flew in a zigzag motion about the camp. Angelic stood up quickly, looking up at the sun. Looks about noon, she thought. She stepped over to where Antirne slept, the grass was flattened from her weight. Kneeling down, she placed a hand on the grass -
- It's cold, how long -
Angelic stood up quickly, eyes darkening. She glanced around the camp, only to find another patch of flattened grass, a dead fire, her belongings and a satchel of gold. She moved back over to where she had slept, picking up the pouch and dumping the contents into her hand. Ten, ten pieces of glimmering gold.
- Damn it -
"Hey! Half-elf! Where is everyone?" The tiny figure shouted from the other side of the camp. Pouring the gold back into the satchel, Angelic turned toward the fairy, eyes burning with anger, yet she pushed it aside.
They're gone," she replied coldly. The fairy flew over closely to her face, hands on her hips.
"I know that!" she shrilled, "But where did they go? And why in the name of Lillythorn did I end up with you!?"
"He took her back to wherever they came from," the fairy tilted her head, "She's been running for awhile now and they sent Duade to bring her back from wherever she came from," her eyes darkened for a moment, "He's a bounty hunter." Angelic turned away from the fairy and began to don her armor. It was a slow process, yet she did it every morning. She did so, quietly repeating a short pray to Helm over and over again, until she was done. Flitz sat on a tree limb, watching the half elf go about her business. Angelic glanced up at the fairy.
"May I have a bit of privacy please?" Flitz puffed up a bit, than flew off into the forest. Angelic watched and listened as Flitz zipped off into the thick trees. Turning back to her things, she drew her sword, placing the tip into the earth. Kneeling down before the sword, her hands tightly wrapped around the hilt, Angelic looked up toward the sky.
"Helm, I pray to you this day, with an open heart. I pray that you will guide me always. Give me the strength to help those in need and guide them as you guide me. May those who do not believe in you, see your kindness." The paladin paused for a moment. Closing her eyes she began again, "Helm, god of protection and honor, you told me to place trust in the children of the gods, yet he has betrayed me, he has betrayed another. What am I to do? Am I to confront him? How am I to save two souls from one another?" There was silence, then a soft and gentle voice echoed in her mind.
"Angelic, loyal to the calls of help from those who do and do not have a voice, loyal to me, loyal to those with trust in you, I hear your calls. Yet you do not address me with the correct questions. Is it to save two souls from each other? Or from themselves?"
"Tell me, how am I to save them? Is there cause for me to help them?"
"That is a question only you may answer. Forever I will guide you, yet you must listen to your own heart. What does it tell you?"
Angelic paused for a moment, then opened her eyes slowly with a smile. Thank you, she thought. Sheathing her sword, Angelic gathering her things quickly, and began her journey once more. She quickly walked about the edge of the camp, than began toward the north eastern direction. Her new satchel tied to her belt with a soft jingle. Flitz found her way back to Angelic's side.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"I'm going to find them,"
"Really? Then I'm coming with you!" Flitz flew over and stood atop Angelic's head, who quickly swatted her off.
"No you're not," Flitz buzzed over in front of Angelic, stopping her from moving forward, "Move,"
"No! Not until you tell me why I can't come!"
"Because my reason to find them has nothing to do with you. You'd only get hurt in the process,"
"Hmph, so?" Angelic stared back at her blankly. "I'm a - " She held up her hand, silencing the fairy. Her head was turned toward the left, straight into the trees. A sudden rustle, sent Flitz flying behind Angelic's head. The paladin placed a hand on the hilt of her sword, eyes piercing into the thick foliage. She took a step forward, drawing her sword slowly at first. The blade shimmered in the sunlight, as she held it tightly with one hand. Loosening her grip, she took another step forward.
- There's three, or four of them. Short, and cautious -
A dark figure lunged from the bushes straight for Angelic's throat. She dodged out of the way in a clumsy roll to the right. A dire wolf, great. Two more emerged behind her from either side. She was surrounded. The one in front of her was the largest of the three, yet the other two still reached up to her waist. The first wolf suddenly lunged at her again, as Angelic easily dodged it's jaws and even jamming the hilt of her sword into its gut as it passed. The wolf whined as it stumbled to the ground behind her. As she turned toward the huddled group, the other two had already began their assault. One bit at her waist, the other lunged for her throat. She easily deflected the assault to her waist, yet the other was able to bite down into her left arm. The half elf shouted in pain as the wolf clamped down, shaking its head, hoping to tear off a morsel of her flesh. She brought down the hilt of her sword atop the wolf's head, between it’s fiery eyes -
- Crack -
The impact was loud as her sword came down on the wolf's head, yet it didn't let go. The pain was excruciating as the wolf bit down harder; the bones crumbled beneath the overpowering weight of it’s jaws. The second wolf, bit down on her lower right leg, yet easily slid off from her armor. She smacked at the wolf's head once more, this time drawing blood from it. The wolf finally let go, yet what remained of her left arm was useless. Her muscles and bones had been crushed in her arm. She clenched her teeth as she helplessly tried to move it closer to her side.
- Damn it! They're stronger than I thought -
The blood covered wolf lunged at her once more -
- YIPE - It shrieked, as Angelic's blade slid straight through its chest. The wolf fell dead before her. The second wolf charged, only to be greeted by a strong downward swipe of her blade. It to fell dead, as the third stepped back growling fiercely. It ran off into the forest quickly and silently. Perhaps to find more of it's brethren and attack once more, yet it was gone. Angelic slumped down on the ground, dropping her sword and gripping her left arm. Her breath was heavy, yet it stuttered and stumbled. Blood drained from her arm quickly.
"I... I can't die like this," she whispered. Flitz flew down and examined her wound. Angelic looked down at the tiny figure darting back and forth.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"You'll see," she replied never looking up at her. From a tiny pouch, Flitz grabbed a handful of something, as she softly spoke to herself in a tongue Angelic didn't recognize. The fairy began to glow, as she spoke. She sprinkled a dust from her hand onto the wound, making it sting and burn. Angelic clenched her teeth as she struggled not to scream. Flitz held her hands out before the wound, glowing even brighter now. The wound felt warm, the bones cracked as it reformed to its original shape. The muscles shifted and flexed back into place, as the gaping hole in her arm sealed up. Once the abrasion had sealed, Flitz stopped glowing then looked up at Angelic with a smirk.
"Heh, how's that for 'getting hurt in the process?'"
"You're a cleric?"
"Cleric of Lliiri to be exact. So I guess you'll have to take me along now," Angelic stared at her in return, rubbing her healed arm. She stood up, cleaning off her sword and sheathing it.
"Do whatever you wish," she looked down at the fairy, "Thank you."
Flitz, smiled in return, "Now was that so hard for a half-elf?"
Angelic's eyes hardened, "My name is Angelic, remember that," then she turned, touched a massive tree trunk then began again.
The sun was warm against Angelic's skin. It was comforting at first, until it heated her body to an uncomfortable temperature. Her eyes slit open, only to close again tightly. The sun was high above her, easily shining down into her eyes. It was quiet. No birds sang, no trees waved, everything was still. Rubbing her eyes groggily, Angelic opened them again slowly, finding a satchel upon her chest. Picking it up, she gave it a soft shake, hearing a muffled jingle from within it.
The day passed by slowly as Angelic walked quickly, stopping from time to time to make sure she was on the right path. Duade had left in a hurry, so his trail had been left alone. There were broken tree branches and muddy tracks in a linear path generally toward the north. Flitz talked occasionally about nothing of any particular interest to Angelic. They continued travelling at a steady pace until dusk. The sky had turned a dark gold and fiery orange. Angelic stopped for a moment, kneeling down along the layed out path. She traced a footprint with her hand.
"What's up?" Flitz questioned, sitting down on her shoulder.
"It doesn't make any sense, he should of stopped by now,"
"Why?"
"He's been running the entire time," she glanced back along the footprints, "He slowed down occasionally, but only for a few steps. It looks like he just keeps running," It doesn't make sense, she thought to herself. Standing up, the forest began to grow a dark ocean tint. She looked up at the sky with a deep sigh, then continued on.
"It's getting kind of late," Flitz began, looking over at Angelic, searching for a reaction, "Um, aren't we going to stop for the night?"
Angelic shook her head, "If I slow down, I'll never catch up with them," she quickened her pace a little. Flitz stood up, than flew over a short distance before Angelic. She skillfully flew backward as the warrior walked. Angelic's eyes were set on the foot prints that layed before them.
"Why do you want to catch them so badly anyway?" Angelic looked up at the fairy, slowing her pace slightly, "I mean, sure you helped them out, but they're gone now. So why are you going after them?" Angelic stopped, looking straight at Flitz's eyes.
"I had made an oath to Helm, that I would help those in need. That doesn't simply mean physically,"
"So you're doing it just because of an oath?"
Angelic shook her head, "No, it's not only that. There's something about those two, something that I need to know,"
"And that would be," Flitz stirred the air with her hand.
"I don't know. All I know is that my heart is telling me to go find them,"
The two continued on until the stars began to glimmer, as if trying to outshine one another. The campsite was set next to the never ending set of clues of Duade's path. There was no fire, only the light of the moon poured down on them. Angelic had already removed her armour and sat silently eating a portion of bread. Flitz sat nearby on a sapling, gobbling up a piece of bread and cheese that Angelic had given her. Angelic leaned up against a tree, closing her eyes. The fairy zipped over and landed gently on Angelic's knee. She opened her eyes slowly, glancing down at the fairy.
"So where are you from?" Angelic stared down at her blankly.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Well, if I'm going to be traveling with you, I may as well learn what I can about you,"
The warrior sighed, turning her face upward toward the sky. So many memories that she struggled to erase, began to flood her mind. Her father, her mother, her brothers and sisters -
- And everyone else who hated me -
"Hey! Are you listening?!" Angelic turned her attention back to the tiny figure on her knee. Flitz stamped her foot down, stumbled then fell to her back. Angelic sat up a bit, reaching down and picking up Flitz carefully, leting her rest in her palm.
"Ouwy,"
"Are you alright?" Flitz nodded, rubbing her head. Angelic watched her as she shifted her weight in the palm of her hand. It amazed her how small and fragile she was. She could of easily closed her hand into a fist and crushed the figure. I can't let her get hurt, just because she was following me, she thought to herself.
"So, are you going to answer my question?" Flitz asked, sitting cross legged on her hand. Angelic was taken aback by the question, how quickly Flitz had rebounded back to it. She sighed.
"I -" She paused, taking a deep breath, "I don't belong anywhere," Flitz stared at her blankly.
"Of course you do, everyone belongs somewhere,"
"Well, I don't," she replied coldly.
"I don't understand,"
"My family -" she paused for a moment, contimplating whether or not to tell her story to whom she met only a few days before. Flitz sat patiently, waiting for her to continue.
"Do you swear not to repeat the very words I am about to tell you?"
Flitz sat up straight, tilting her head to one side in confusion.
"Why?"
"Because I have not told a soul about my past, except my steed, who unfortuntely met an untimely death a year ago. I have to know that my story will not be told to anyone else. Where I am from is a bit more complicated than many think,"
Flitz stared deeping into Angelic's eyes, almost searching them, just as Angelic search her's for the truth. The fairy smiled, then nodded.
"Alright, I promise that I won't tell anyone," Angelic nodded a quick thank you, then looked up at the sky. She braced herself for the memories that would soon flood her mind once more. The very memories she struggled to bury away in her consciousness. Angelic took in a deep, long breath.
"As I've said before, where I am from is a bit difficult to describe. I was born on the island of elves, also known as Evermeet, but because of my half human blood, I was cast out from the island when I was approximately six years of age. I was born into a powerful family, with many brothers and sisters, yet none cared for me," Anglelic paused for a moment, looking back down at Flitz, "In fact, no one did. There were few who took pity and fed me, but in the end, they too hated me. I made my way to Waterdeep, but when I arrived I passed out,"
"Why?"
"Because before I left, my entire family sent me off, with a beating." Angelic sighed, her hard gaze softened for only a moment. Her body slumped against the tree as she turned her head toward the thick forest, lost within herself. She breathed heavily, as if struggling to control herself. Tears weld up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. Flitz waited patiently, pertending to be blind to the tears the half elf nearly shed.
"I apologize, I cannot continue,"
"Ah common! If you can fight, you can tell a story," Flitz replied, standing up and stomping her foot. Angelic sighed putting the fairy down upon the soft grass beside her. She turned and wrapped herself in her cloak, still leaning against the massive tree trunk.
"Physical and emotional battles are different little one. Perhaps someday you'll understand this," the night seemed colder somehow to Angelic as she pulled her cloak over her head. The tears came and went, but the memories stayed behind.
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