Completed The Bound Flame

[Caliane Ruinë]

Deep breathe in. Scents of wood so old they had stood over her forefathers, the sharpness of freshly sprung flowers, and grass after a heavy rain hit the back of her throat with her indrawn breath. Diving deeper beyond those smells she could scent the animals closer to her; the faint tang of wet fur and muddy hides. As she dug her toes into the earth itself, she could almost feel the vibrations of their feet as they went about their day. The sun, revealed now the clouds had released her from their jealous prison, beat down on her upturned face, warming her skin and causing a certain feeling of peace to settle across her shoulders. Her wings hung heavy as every inch of her relaxed.

"Wake up," her brow crinkled. The words sent the sun running for the safety of the clouds. A voice that did not belong here. It was distant but the wind that brought it to her was a harsh one. It tossled her hair, whipped at her cheeks and sent a chill through her body. "

"I said, wake up."

The dream ended in a nightmarish storm that ripped her from her home and threw her back into her prison. The tiredness her mind had convinced her was peaceful was replaced with exhaustion and pain. She had passed out again. Her back was an agonising fire from their latest surgical cuts around her wings, which made moving them incredibly painful even before the iron clamps that bound the two together at the stumps. Rough rope bound them together half way down, crushing and damaging vital feathers she would need if she ever hoped to use flight as a method of escape. As she slowly opened her eyes, caked in dried tears, sweat and sleep she ran a mental assessment down the rest of her body. Bruises, cuts, the usual. Overriding those was the constant agonising pulse from the Lightning Bands around her wrists that scrambled her brains enough to render her magic useless, but never to put her into a permanent deep sleep.

"We're on the move, we haven't got all day," a sharp kick at her ribs caused her to suck in a breath through her clenched teeth and squeeze her eyes shut once again. Caliane knew if she didn't get up the beatings would only get worse, so clearing her mind as best she could, she pressed her back against the wall she had passed out against, dug her heels into the ground, and with strength that still staggered to amaze her she had, she hurled herself to her blistered feet. Where were they? Where were they going? Questions she had long ago learned never to ask aloud but which she wondered all the same. If they were still close to the Spine there might be hope still that her family would find her, rescue her. But it had been months since she had been kidnapped and taken from everything she knew. They must be millions of miles away by now. It's what she would have done, what her father would have done, to avoid a rescue attempt.

Caliane was bundled into the back of a caravan. Faintly she should smell the sweat of a horses flank, and she could feel heat even if it was dark. Of course, her skin could just be feverish. Bringing her knees up to her chest she rested her forehead against them and attempted to doze as the horses lurched into action, moving them on.

It didn't feel like they had travelled far when a halt was called. The activity that had become common to her buzzed around her as the group she had found herself a possession of worked to set up the camp at their new secluded spot. But this time, someone came to fetch her too quickly. Much too quick for them to have set up the tents already. Roughly she was hurled from the back of the caravan and ushered towards a building instead. This was new. Until now, she had mostly known the insides of tents, or huts. But this looked like a home. Her eyes flicked to the sign above the door but she was shoved through the door before she could really focus on it - a sign? Inside straw strewed the ground, tables and chairs were gathered into small groups, but nobody was there except her jailers and a man she presumed owned the establishment. He met her eyes once, then they skittered over her as if she did not exist. A bag of coins was put into his hands and he turned his back to her. Forgotten. Unseen.

There was a jovial mood in the air as she was shoved to her knees beside the roaring fire. The man who had done so snorted a laugh and made a comment in a language she didn't quite understand to his comrade. A joke probably, the fire bender next to the fire unable to do anything about it. At least she wasn't cold, as she often was in the tents. Ale soon began to be passed around and they seemed to forget about Cali entirely, the last of their little experiments left.

Why had they changed strategies? Were they in a town or a city? What did this mean for her? She was struggling to stay awake, to try and listen to the conversation for any hint or clue as to what her fate might be next. But, the warmth of the fire, and the exhaustion of pain had the black embrace of unconsciousness pulling her under again.

 

[Smiling One]

Ah the Spine beautiful to look at but upon closer inspection it's full Monsters, hostile tribesmen and harsh winter snows. Still it was beautiful to explore, Willis Reede sighed as he traveled on the rocky road holding clinging on to his brown overcoat. After taking a long break in the Gilded Vale: One of the many Monster Hunter safehouses located all over Arethril the young man received a tip from the leader of the Gilded Vale a Ravenfolk named: Gea about possible Monster Hunter contracts Southwest of the Gulf of Ryt.

Willis groaned, that was a two week walk on the best of days but he needed the coin badly and besides he has yet to explore that part of the Spine. After collecting supplies and loading up on weapons, grenades and potions the young man set off on the long and arduous journey. Willis was careful to stay on the roads on the advice of Gea. The young man smirked thinking about him, Gea was a longtime Monster Hunter but was forced into retirement when he lost hand fighting a Leshen 30 years ago. Now he operates the Gilded Vale organized and tidy for weary and hungry Monster Hunters to rest and reload.

The Ravenfolk is a wise but eccentric person who has an elegant way of cursing. So far the path was paying off since the forests is full of Owlbears and Griffins along with Cyclops though they weren't common around these parts of the spine. Willis leaned back on his chair as Gea continued sweep the floor. "Hey Gea! Willis said. "Any contracts near the Spine?"

"None that I heard of!" Gea said shrugging. "Which is a first since the Spine is always ripe with Monsters! Wryms, Owlbears, even a bloody Cyclops spotting. For the first time in years the Spine has no sightings of monsters."

"That's a load of bullshit the Spine has always been reliable for contracts when there's nowhere to go," Willis laughed as a portly woman with a flat nose a frizzled white hair came out from the back carrying a cup of ale and some beef stew. "Annie!" Willis as the smiling woman placed the food down in front of him. "How you doing?! It's been a year since I last saw you!"

"Hello Willie!" Annie said giving the young man a kiss on the cheek. Like Gea, Annie was a Monster Hunter as well before she was forced to retire due to a Giant Scorpion poisoning her legs making it hard for her to walk. Since then, the old woman was confined to one of the Monster Hunter safehouses in Arethril serving as the chef for weary Monster Hunters on the road. "Oh it's the same old, same old. Monster Hunters come in, shit, eat, receive a contract by Gea and they get on with their lives. Cirdan is starting to get bored with the monotony and he's served in the Gilded Vale as the for 150 years."

"I'm not bored!" The Elf yelled at the back. "I'm have the time of my life!"

Willis chuckled. "It's always nice to a pretty face after months of traveling in all that snow."

Annie blushed. "Oh Willie you were always such a charmer." she said.

Just then the door opened, a band of mages and dark wizards 4 of them by Willis surmised came in with one of them dragging what appeared to be an Angel Monster by her long red hair. Gea and Annie looked confused. "Excuse me sir," the Ravenfolk asked politely. "This is reserved for Monster Hunters only, may I see your papers?"

"We're not Monster Hunters," The leader said. "We are travelers wanting to rest while we headed to Elbion, we've caught a Monster and we're wanting to experiment on her."

"Is there anything that the mages of Elbion does not want to experiment on?" Willis asked as he locked eyes with the woman. She was pretty but was she an Angel monster? There were other winged beasts that looked like Angels but she didn't seem to fit that description/

"Well then you can stay for a little while," Gea said. "Annie let's get our guests some drinks."

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane curled her legs under her and leaned her head against the fireplace. Sleep alluded her, taunted her. How could someone be as exhausted as her and yet not fall instantly into sleep the moment she was given time to rest? It seemed like a cruel trick. The men seemed to be enjoying themselves, boasting. Carefully she examined the rest of the room. The man who had initially met them seemed to not be on his own, there was a woman with him too, and they were both serving the group drinks. How could someone sit by and leave her there? Slowly she licked her chapped lips to attempt to sooth at least one pain in her body, even if it was only a little one, and tried to examine the rest of the room. Now her eyes were adjusting to the lighting she could make out another man in the room. Staring at her. She raised her chin slightly and gave him a defying glare.

Perhaps they meant to sell her on to this man, another torturer. Her wings involuntarily spasmed as she automatically went to flare them out in an attempt to ease a muscle pain. Instead, her wing contorted and her lips twitched in pain. One of the mages stood up and she tensed, as he wondered over to her and proudly announced:

"We caught her in The Spines," her ears twitched slightly. He was speaking a language she knew now at least. "One of the legendary Avariel's. Our Guild are planning to discover their secrets, how they grew wings. Once we're done with her, perhaps one of those puffed up Scholars will pay a pretty penny to get the secrets from her lips," he said with a sneer, running his knuckles down her cheek in mock affection. The rest of the group rumbled a laugh as she turned her face away. Whoever these Scholars were they spoke of, they must be nothing like the ones back at home - like her mother. To do something like this to a person would be abhorrent, even a race as secretive as the Avariels.

 

[Smiling One]

"Funny," Willis said taking a sip of his ale. "Avariels are an extremely rare species but they are classified as people. Last I've heard Elbion has outlawed experiments on living subjects particularly people." Elbion for a time was infamous for having necromancers and dark mages performing morally questionable experiments on people and animals. The cities: Alliria and Vel Anir waged a war against Elbion when they found out their people have been subject to cruel experimentation. Vel Anir and Alliria won with the war ending in the sack of Elbion where Allrian and Vel Anirian troops killed every single mage in the city regardless if they participated in the experiments or not.

To this day, scholars argued whether the sack of Elbion was a pogrom or not. "Why yes there has been a law administered by the Elbion merchants guild around the start of the Age of Expansion," Gea said his black feathers ruffling a bit. "Any and all experiments performed on live people is forbidden and is subject to death."

"What the fuck is going on here!" A voice was heard from up stairs Willis craned his head seeing a dark green Orc descend towards them a Battle Ax in hand. "Olag!" he laughed. "How is the weaponsmith of the Gilded Vale doing?!"

"Was having a great nap Willis," he growled. "Until I heard all this commotion!"

"Well friend," Willis said. "It seems that these is dragging lovely lass to Elbion where she is to be poked and prodded and judging by her pretty face she is an unwilling participant."

"It's against the law," Gea said his feathered hand reaching for a magically enhanced knife that was forged by Olag.

"I hate lawbreakers," Olag growled brandishing his Greataxe. "Except for you Willis, I can sort of tolerate you."

"Hey!" Willis snorted staring at the men. "All the shit against me is circumstantial evidence! I didn't do shit!"

The young man then sighed. "Now gentlemen," he announced. "You've done a pretty stupid thing, announcing your intentions to torment this beautiful girl. My Orc friend will gladly rip all of you guys in half for that. However I'm feeling pretty generous today, maybe it's the fine meal produced by the lovely Annie but I have a proposition for you. Let the woman go and you guys can walk free and we'll forget everything about this. You're in Monster Hunter territory and even though we're mercenaries, we work with Elbion in upholding the law. So I'll leave this up to you: let her go or you all are going to die."

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

What they were doing was outlawed? It was a dizzying realisation that this was not the norm. She had thought as they had gone so long with no-one saying a word that this was just business as usual in the world. Anger was a cold fist in her gut.

Caliane couldn't help the little noise of pain that escaped her throat as the leader of the group she was with yanked her to her feet by the Lightning Bonds. Her legs buckled under her, but despite being only a few inches shorter than the man he managed to hold her entire weight up with one hand as if she were nothing, by the chain connecting her wrists.

"You just want her for yourselves," he scorned. The rest of the group were already getting to their feet, resting their hands on their weapons. "If we're not welcome here we'll be moving on. With her," he announced, spitting on the ground. The other men murmured an agreement. They were not about to lose their prize, not when they were so close to discovering the secrets of her race, perhaps even discovering where her settlement was.

There was a sudden rush of commotion then. The man holding her made for the door, her legs helplessly attempting to keep up with his strides. Two of the others in the group unsheathed their blades, and the final formed a glowing orb of dark magic in his right palm. With a nod from the leader, the three attacked, whilst he attempted to slip out of the door with Caliane.

 

[Smiling One]

"Wrong choice bub!" Olag roared.

Before Willis could say anything there men charged at them two of the attackers were regular mercenaries while one was obviously a Dark Mage. Willis was about to attack, but dagger zipped past him and landed on one of the mercenary's throat. Immediately blood began to spew out from his mouth before he fell on his knees and crumpled on the floor.

Willis turned around watching Gea wave his feathered hand as the his magically enhanced knife dissipated from the man's throat appearing in his palm. "Great," Gea moaned looking at the blood that was spreading around the dead mercenary. "I just scrubbed the floor this morning! Now I have to make more disinfectant!"

The young man smirked. "Think of it this way!" he said dodging a dark orb by the mage. "This is the first fight in the Gilded Vale in a thousand years!"

The Mercenary attempted to attack Golag, but he swung his Greatax with an intense force with the blade jamming into the man's belly. The Mercenary screamed like a little girl as the Orc violently removed his ax from the man's stomach. A deep wound was formed as intestines spilled out from the mercenaries gut, the man screamed terror falling to his kness.

"Shut up law breaker!" Olag raised his blooded Greatax high over his head and bought it down to the back of the young lad's neck decapitating him and leaving a bloody mess all over the floor. "Hope you die in agony criminal scum." Olag growled covered in blood and gore.

"I think he already did!" Willis said dodging another orb that was launched towards him. "Oh wonderful!" Gea said. "Now there's more blood I need to clean up! You couldn't bother to go for a cleaner kill Olag?!"

"I have special hatred for Lawbreakers," The orc said running to flank the mage.

"And Monsters as well!" Gea shouted. "Every monster you've killed ends up in a bloody pulp, it was hard for clients to recognize the monsters!"

"Gentlemen!" Willis said. "I know you guys love to bicker like an old married couple but we have a mage here kicking our asses!"

The Mage waved his hands in preparation for a huge spell before he was blown to ludicris gibs. Blood spattered every where as traces of the mage were no more. "Bah!" Annie said her hand raised up. "You would think non-monster hunters would treat this place with more respect!"

"Nice work Annie!" Willis smiled. "Your blood magic is always useful!"

"And messy," Gea said.

"Why thank you Willie," The old woman smiled. "Now that poor girl is being dragged by that man you need to stop him!"

"Right!" Willis was about to run but not before Olag handed Willis an explosive knife. "Fresh batch came from the Easterlings!" Olag said. "Wreck that law breaker apart!"

Willis nodded as he exited the safe house to find the man escorting the Elf towards the carriage. Willis aimed his explosive knife and launched it at the carriage blowing it up. "Nowhere to escape this time asshole!" Willis said holding his Cutlass out. "Now let the woman go!"

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

"All this trouble just for you," the man muttered as they left the house. "Come on," he snapped, dragging her towards the caravan. But this was her chance. Digging her heels in she put all her weight into going against his movement. Pain ripped through her arms as the lightning grew stronger, as it did whenever she attempted to resist, but all she felt was a cold sense of determination.

"Let go of me," she hissed. Her voice was hoarse, like the saddest of bird songs. Her captor didn't bother sparing her a glance as he grabbed her by the waist, about to throw her into the back of the cart. Before he could, the thing exploded. Both of them tensed, panting hard and staring at one another. With a growl the man threw her to the side and looked towards the man who had followed them out from the bar instead. There was a moment where Cali thought he would run. He couldn't expect to win could he? Or... was he doing this for someone else? Money was the only thing she could think might motivate a man to not cut his losses.

He drew his sword.

"If I can take one of you with me, then that'll be a win for me," he sneered and shot forward to meet his opponent head on.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis smirked "I like to see you try," he said sidestepping the man's sword strike. "Then again I wanted you to surrender the woman peacefully but of course life is never short of idiots!" The man clenched his teeth his silver sword flashing. "All I wanted was to study her race!" he shouted going for a looping cut to Willis' stomach. "I went through all this trouble to capture her!"

"Well shit!" Willis growled blocking the man's blow with his Cutlass. "If your ass was so curious about the Avariel, you could've just asked her!"

The man growled struck at Willis' head, he ducked and performed a half spin slashing at his thigh. The man staggered back grunting as Willis smirked at him. "I know common sense is foreign to you," he said. "But you're not taking that woman to be experimented on! Not while I'm standing, so against my judgement I'm giving one more chance to walk away and leave her alone."

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

"Never."

Caliane sat on her knees watching the man with wild confusion, her green eyes large and round. Why not just walk away? There was a tremor to his sword hand as he dove at Willis once again. Cali was good with a sword, no master, but even she thought the move was sloppy. It was like he wanted to die. Was he worried that if he survived, the person he had been taking her to would find him instead? A chill went down her spin. If there was someone higher up out there - would they come for her family, her people, now they had lost her?

"You don't understand," the man murmured, as his sword parried a clash from Willis. "She's more than just an Avariel." With that, he dropped his sword, allowing Willis a clear opening.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis frowned as he slowly landed his blade against the man's neck, his steel digging into his skin. "She's not to be opened up," he said. "I don't give two shits about what you think." While Willis was more than willing to kill the man, he didn't want to. There was a sadness in the man's eyes a begging for death. It would seem to be a mercy to kill him, unfortunately for him, Willis wasn't feeling merciful.

"I ain't going to grant you death," Willis said "go find some Cyclops to do it. At least you can spend your last days making someone happy."

The man stared at the Avariel and then at Willis and limped away disappearing into the forest. The young man sighed and sheathed his sword running to the red head. "Hey there," Willis said offering his hand. "Are you okay? The name is Willis Reede and I'm here to help you."

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

I'm free.

The realisation hadn't yet dawned on her, as she watched the man limp away into the forest. It felt fake, like it could be taken away from her at any moment. She had no idea what this new man would want from her, sure he had seemed angry at the others, but who was to say he wouldn't truly do the same to her as they had? As he ran towards her she flinched, stepping back towards the burning cart. She wanted nothing more than to wrap those protective flames around her now, it itched at her soul to hold the fire in her hands again.

"Please," the word broke on a half sob as she held out her hands in front of her in an attempt perhaps to fight if need be. "Don't." Please don't hurt me. She couldn't say the whole sentence aloud, scared that if she gave voice to her fears it would become a reality. That she had gone from the frying pan into the fire.

"I will do anything, just please, don't make me..." her body trembled and finally her legs gave way and she sunk to the floor on her knees. Who was she kidding? In her state if he did anything the most she could do was beg.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis was flabbergasted at the woman's response, he saved her life and she was afraid that he was going to hurt her? For a brief moment, Willis' eyes flashed, the pained look on the woman's face it was the look of someone who was abused. Memories of his past began to flood his mind, memories that they young man tried so hard to forget. "I'm sorry Mother please don't leave me! I promise to be good!" Willis had that same hurt face like the woman's. Abused and beat up and just wanted the pain to stop.

He understood her pain even if he didn't know what these men did to her. "Hey," Willis knelt down next to the Winged Elf and gave her a hug. The young man was shocked at the tone of voice, it was gentle and more empathetic. It was a side only reserved for his closest friends. "You're safe no one is going to hurt you anymore."

Willis wiped the tears from the woman's eyes while he hugged her again. "I won't let that happen," he said. "You're free."

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane couldn't stop the floodgates now they had opened. The fear, the pain, over the last few months boiled over as the man hugged her. It was the first gentle touch she had had since she had been taken and it was more than she could deal with. Sobs wracked her body as she buried her face in his shoulder. She wanted to tell him what they had done to her but the words caught in her throat, too painful to utter. They had done so much and she had done nothing. She had been powerless, and she never wanted to feel that way again. It felt like an age before she pulled back, allowing him to wipe the tears from her eyes. They were such a dark green from her sorrow they would have almost looked black if it were not for the light of the fire that reflected on them, casting them into a deep emerald green. She slowly nodded at his words, casting a fearful look at the building she had been in moments ago. "Are they..." Cali swallowed, unable to finish the sentence and ask if all of the people who had hurt her were gone. Instead she took a deep breath and shut her eyes, attempting to regain some compure.

"I am... Caliane. Thank you," the winged elf said slowly, opening her eyes. Saying her own name aloud after so long allowed her to claw back a piece of herself - a vital piece of herself. But she needed more. Glancing down at her bound wrists she shuddered again. "Do you know how to remove these... things? They're enchanted with lightning, I can't... I can't use my magic with them on... and my wings," desperation clung to every syllable. The need to cast off the iron on her wings and the bounds around her wrists was a clawing need now. She wanted to wash everything physical piece of evidence she had been tortured from her body.

"Please."

 

[Smiling One]

It was a good thing that Willis didn't have any blood splattered on to him. It would've been pretty awkward to have Caliane cry into her captor's blood. Still the young man felt a damp wetness on his shoulder, the Winged Elf definitely had been through hell and Willis had pulled her out of it. "If you're asking about the guys in the safehouse?" Willis smirked helping the woman on her feet. "Well yeah let's just say they left a huge mess. Best not to bring the subject to Gea: The Raven guy."

Willis guided Caliane towards the safehouse careful not to hurt her. "Those look like anti-magic cuffs," he said. "The runes are casted well here, but I think it's something Golag our weaponsmith can't handle." As soon as Willis entered the Gilded Vale, he saw Gea on his knees scrubbing the bloody floor. "Well it's about time you got back," he said. "I was worried that you've gotten yourself killed."

"You don't know me well," Willis smirked putting the woman on the seat. "You think I let a punk like him take me down? I deserve to die if that happened!" Golag laughed as Willis gave Calinane his food. "Eat up," Willis said smiling. "You must be starving after what you probably through. Hey Golag take care of her cuffs."

Golag snorted as he gave her wrist a pinch before she was uncuffed. "How the fuck did you,-" Willis asked shocked at what he did.

"It's a simple trick that nobody knows," Golag shrugged. "There's a flaw between the runes: Ra and Da just had physical pressure and the magic bounds are unlocked. How else was I was able to escape cultists multiple times?"

Willis chuckled and stared at Caliane. "Yeah you should eat now," he said smiling while sitting in front of her.

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Cali tried to offer the man a smile at his light jest but her lips turned down quickly at the sight of the blood on the floor. Her stomach turned to led as she paused in the doorway, a slight hesitation, before Willis nudged her over the threshold. She shouldn't be sad that they had died, but she was sorry for the trouble it had caused these people. Tiredly Cali allowed herself to be directed to a chair. The conversation he was having with the others was like muted background noise, her head ringing with the events that had unfolded in the matter of a few hours. She snapped out of it when the shadow of the Orc fell over her.

Caliane had never left the safety of her people, and what little she had seen of the world had been the inside of the tent walls, and the other people she had been kept with. None of whom had been orcs. Of course, she had read about them in her mothers books, she had seen pictures, but having one walking towards you with steps like thunder... Cali was on her feet before she could calm herself, her back pressing against a pillar that had been behind her, body tense. But all he did was remove the cursed bracelets from her wrists.

An involuntary cry left her lips as the pain she had been suffering for the past month or so vanished like someone snuffing out a candle. They collapsed onto the floor and she rubbed the red scorch marks they left behind on her skin. It looked as though someone had put her wrists into an open fire and left them to roast.

"I...Thank... you..." she said quietly, ashamed of her instinctive reaction to the orc. Before she could reconsider it, and noticing the slight cut on his cheek, she stepped forward and lightly cupping his cheek. Her eyes blazed with a cool emerald flame for a moment, her hand appearing to be consumed in a wave of fire, though it was cool and healing to the touch, before it vanished, along with the minor injury.

The next thing she did was take a deep inhale of breath, her eyes closing. The fire in the hearth died out in a whoosh, as if a gust of wind had put it out, before appearing in a blaze around her wings, melting and burning away the restraints that kept them bound. As she snapped them open the fire dispersed into small embers, and she collapsed into the chair with a contented sigh. It was an action of a person who thought such things were completely normal, and she dived into the food without so much as a comment on the matter.

 

[Smiling One]

Olag gave nonchalant shrug "I'm considered one of the more handsome Orcs back home," he said. "Your reaction is natural." Willis frowned looking at Caliane's reaction. He suspected that it was the first time she saw an Orc. Avariels are isolationists to where the location of their settlements were well hidden some people say that they the Avariels live with the Sky Elves in their tall towers.

"You're a mage," Willis said smiling at Caliane. "That does explain the anti magic locks.""

The bound around her wings began to melt away as well, due to her pyro magic. Gea gaped at the flames of the hearth disappearing and sighed. "Well at least she's happy." he said. "It took me hours to get that fire going."

"You always sucked at making campfires anyway," Willis said remembering his last visit he almost froze to death because Gea struggled to create a fire.

"Anyway Caliane," Willis said staring at the Winged Elf. "I can escort you home if you like or perhaps you can just fly home." Where are you from?"

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane practically licked the plate clean before sitting back in the chair, her wings draping over the back and brushing the floor. She was too tired to needlessly raise them and they were filthy already, what was a bit more dust to her blooded red tips and white feathers? She offered the orc a half smile at his jest, a shy one, she couldn't help it but she was still a little unnerved by such a presence. He could probably break one of her arms with just one hand if he wanted to. But then her brow creased at Willis' words.

"I am... not a mage." Attempting to remember her lessons in the common tongue was hard when her brain was still electrified. "Not as you Groundlings would consider it, anyway. The fire is my..." she motioned to her heart. What was the word? "Soulfire." She was pretty sure there was another word for it but she couldn't remember it for the life of her. "Having that bound was like... having a rock pressing on your lungs so you cannot breathe properly. I owe you a debt." She inclined her head to the group. "Apologies, for the fire. I needed a... as you say... kickstart?" her lips kicked up at the corners a little, and conjuring a small flame in her hand she blew it back into the hearth, as a lover might blow someone a kiss. It was smaller than it had been before but just as warming.

Weariness etched every inch of her face, it was obvious she was running on her last reserves of energy even if the food had helped. Her eyes narrowed a fraction at the implication of Willis returning her home. She would be punished for bringing an outsider back with her, but was that his true intention, to learn the secrets of her race himself but with kindness instead?

"Outsiders are not permitted," her eyes lowered, tracing the burn marks along her wrists absentmindedly. She should probably get these bound before infection took root, she thought mildly. God knows what the state of her back was like. "Those men..." she took a shaking breath in. "Those men knew too much about my home, they were on the borders, but it is still too much. The knowledge should have been lost to Groundlings a long time ago. We should have been safe again." Safe from the hunting of their wings. "I need to find out their knowledge and destroy it, or someone will attempt the same again. Arrogance cost them their prize this time but one of my brothers or sisters may not be so lucky," she thought of Zandeer and how close it had been to him being in this position instead of her.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis had never seen an Avariel before, according to the books he read Avariels or Winged Elves were mysterious beings who resided in the Spine. According to legend, the Avariels were known as the caretakers of the sky. There were stories of the Avariels constructing buildings that floated in the sky. However Avariel's sky Kingdom mysteriously fell in an called: The Forgotten War. Nobody knows who the Avariels were fighting some say it was the Dwarves and their airships, others say it was the humans and some theorized it was an Elven subspecies.

Whoever it was, the Avariels went into hiding and were rarely seen over the ages leading to some rumors that they were angels or angelic monsters. Willis never thought he would see one until he met Caliane. "I'm a groundling?" Wills said bemused. Olag snorted while he began to wipe the gore from the edge of his Great ax with a grey towel. "I've been called worse," he said.

"I don't think that was meant to be an insult Olag," Willis chuckled. "It's probably a term for those who can't fly."

"Well there are some people who have the ability of flight," Gea said continuing to scrub the blood of the floor. "I've the Easterlings mastered it."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Willis said turning to Caline. "So I was wrong in letting that man go huh? I had to listen to my stupid conscience and show mercy. It's as Gea said: Mercy is overrated."

"I did not say that!"

Willis laughed. "So Caline," he said. "What is this soulfire you're talking about? And how does it differ from magic?"

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

"No - it is not an insult," Caliane's eyes widened at the suggestion of such. "Although... now I hear the word in the Common Tongue perhaps it is not as kind as in my tongue," she tilted her head as if trying to listen to her own musical voice. It was no use, not whilst she knew the real word in her own language. Scrunching up her nose, she ducked her head and let the others talk above it for the moment as she thought about the implications of the language barrier and how it was going to impact her going forward. If she chose to stay away from her home... chose to take on this quest. Her head swam.

"I don't suppose I could trouble you for a drink?" Her voice was still a little scratchy to her ears. Months of nothing but screaming and begging had torn her vocal chords. She probably couldn't even impersonate a simple Mimicoy.

"You did what your instinct told you to do," Cali sighed, her shoulders dropping. "He was not the tracker who entrapped me - the mage... he was the brains. I do not believe he would be able to find his way to my home on his own, not without something picking him off along the way." The Spines were not a place for a man on his own, especially one with minimal magical aid.

Caliane gave herself a moment to down the jug of water the kind woman, Annie, had brought to the table, ignoring the glass entirely. Once it was drained she sighed, setting it down gently and holding it between her hands as if steadying herself, before she opened her emerald eyes and levelled them on Willis.

"I must confess I do not understand fully how your magic works here. But, from our Scholars books, it always sounded like once must hold a spell or command of some sort in the mind, and you pulled energy to the channel that magic. My fire is something I was born with. It is more, I have learned how to not let it control me, rather than learning to control it - there must be others of the same - the Sidhe for example - they weave similar magics to us." It was a hard concept to explain, like perhaps it would be to explain breathing to someone. Stripped of her native tongue too, the words felt clumsy in her mouth and awkward. Her mother would have been better placed to explain such things to Groundlings.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis knew one person who probably possessed the same abilities as Caliane his old flame (no pun intended) Ayreal Mellbrand. He remembered Ayreal telling Willis about her families Pyromagic ability and how they can summon fire by using their natural surroundings. There was little to no magic required and unlike a magic fueled flame, Ayreal could control the temperature of the fire.

Annie came from the kitchen and handed Caline a drink smiling sadly. Willis could see in her eyes that she knows what it's like to be persecuted and experimented on. She was a blood mage and while it was deemed legal to practice blood magic in Elbion, it is still frowned upon due it's pervasive abilities such as possessing people with their blood.

"Normally my instinct," Willis said. "Is to kill first and ask questions later, I don't know why I spared him. In any case it's unlikely he survives out there in the Spine."

While The Spine can be majestic to look at, it's also considered to be one of the most dangerous places in Arethril. If a person isn't getting eaten by Trolls, Owlbears, Wyrms or Giants, then they are likely going to succumb to the unforgiving cold. The Spine can reach subzero temperatures especially during the winter seasons. Willis has heard from the Hill Tribes who reside in the Spine that it is expected to get colder this year.

"If there is one thing you should know about magic dear," Annie said smiling sweetly. "Is that magic always comes at a cost. Even the simplest spells come at the expense of either one self or another."

"Yeah," Willis chuckled drinking Ale. "That's why it's best to use scrolls! No cost there!"

"Only that the summoned beast may or may not obey your command," Annie said. "Or you have control in how powerful your spell is."

Willis shrugged. "Anyway Caline," he said. "It's best that you go home, your family must be worried sick about you."

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane was struggling not to fall asleep in her chair, her head kept dipping, chin almost touching her chest before she caught herself and shifted position to wake herself up. The ideas of magic here were interesting, albeit confusing. Especially in her state. "You use... scrolls in your magic?" such an idea seemed ridiculous to her. How did one get magic out of a piece of parchment with no cost to the user?

Caliane shook her head to clear the confused jumble of thoughts. She wanted nothing more than to fly home now, but she knew her body was beyond the journey in its current state. She stood up, chair scraping backwards.

"Yes... They will b-"

Finally the exhaustion and shock from the end of the constant thrum of pain claimed Caliane. Her eyes fluttered shut and her legs buckled under her as unconsciousness overwhelmed her. Her body needed rest and if she was going to refuse it, it would take it by force.

 

[Smiling One]

"They're written by mages," Willis said. "Using some magical ink or something." Annie sighed. "Willie," she huffed. "For the last time mages like to use-"

It was then Willis, Gea, Olag and Annie saw Caliane collapse. She began to fade in and out of consciousness nearly falling out from her chair. Willis managed run in just in time to have the Winged Elf land in his arms before she fell head first on to the wooden floor. Caliane's spikey wings pricked Willis' arms but he ignored the pain. "The poor girl has been through a lot," Annie said sadly.

"Yeah she has," Willis began to carry Caliane in a bridal carry. "We'll come up with a plan in the morning."

"I never thought in all my years," Cirdran said appearing from the kitchen. "That I would see an actual Avariel!"

"Well shit," Willis said. "Maybe you got out from that cave you call a kitchen you probably would have seen her sooner."

Ignoring Willis, Cidrian continued to gawk at Calaine. "My people once told me that Averials were Elves who were ascended by the Elven Pantheon during the Age of Urogosh! There are so many questions that I-"

"You're going to have to wait until she wakes up," Willis said bluntly taking the Winged Elf up stairs.

Gea stopped cleaning getting back on his feet. "There are a few rooms that are avalible," he said. "Down the hall and to the right."

As Willis carried Caliane to one of the rooms he stared into her eyes. "I'll protect you," he whipered. "I promise."

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

She was watching the winged horses fly over their home, tucked under her mothers wing, whilst listening to a story of some far off land. A gentle summer breeze ruffled her short hair and blew the scents of the forest up to them on their perch.

"Did you ever want to leave, Mama?" Cali kicked her legs off the edge, brazen and bold, safe in the knowledge if she somehow fell her mother would catch her. A soft laugh, a gentle kiss to her hair.

"Why would I ever want to leave paradise, my starlight?" she played with her daughters hair absentmindedly. But something clawed at Cali, as she stared over the vast expanse of land, hidden in their corner.

"Mama, what if I don't want to stay?"

Cali's eyes fluttered open, and she frowned as she attempted to focus on the ceiling above her. What an odd memory to come to her, and stay with her. Even as the sunlight chased the rest of her sleep away, the words from her mother still rung in her ears. Carefully she ran a mental assessment down her body. Someone had bandaged her wounds whilst she slept, and the torn and grubby clothes had disappeared, replaced with a large shirt some hastily slit holes had been ripped into. She grimaced slightly, hoping it had not been anyone's favourite shirt. Gingerly she sat up. Swayed. But, she managed to stay sitting upright. Someone had left the window open in her room and she could hear the birds singing.

Swinging her legs out of bed she slowly attempted to get to her feet, bracing one hand against the wall. Her body had never felt so weak, it infuriated her. Glancing to the mirror in the corner of the room she carefully made her way to it, took a breath and pulled the shirt up to examine her back. Someone had attempted to smear lotion of some kind on the wounds, but they were still ugly things. They had rammed their knives in deep in the hopes of uncovering the secret of the wings her race were born with. Some were as deep as the bone. She gently touched a finger to one of them and hissed at the tenderness of the flesh. Leaving them alone she examined the rest of the damage; an ugly bruise crawled over her rib cage from under another set of bandages around her torso. They must have guessed one or more ribs were broken. Cuts and grazes marred her legs but otherwise that seemed to be the worst of it, along with her now bandaged wrists. As an elf her body healed faster than mortals, but she had endured months of torture and her wounds had never had any care until now. It would take longer than normal. Very slowly she spread her wings and then closed them to her back, but aside from the twinge of pain from the wounds they seemed thankfully uninjured.

How long had she been asleep? It felt like an age. Some bruises were even fading in their colour. A day - two - more?

No other clothes.... but she desperately needed food, so her stomach loudly announced. She cocked her head and listened but couldn't hear anything other than the sound of the forest outside. Perhaps... she could sneak downstairs before anyone else woke up. On feet so quiet a mouse would be proud, she creaked open the door to her room and tip-toed her way downstairs to the kitchen. Smells of delicious baked goods wafted up to her - so she couldn't be the first one up. Nobody in the main room. The blood stains seemed to have gone, but the fire was not yet going. Pausing by the stack of logs, she swept her hand across them, starting them crackling. She paused by the heat for a moment to warm her bare legs, straining to hear for anyone else. All seemed quiet...

"H-Hello...?" Cali pushed open the door. Nobody there. With a relieved sigh and tugging the shirt down absentmindedly so it at least brushed her knees, she slunk inside and let the door quietly close behind her. Aha! A pile of freshly baked pastries of some kind stood on a cooling rack. Cali hadn't stolen food since she was a child and quickly stuck one in her mouth and piled another two into her hands, nabbed a glass of milk and turned to walk back out the way she had come in, before freezing at the figure in the door.

 

[Smiling One]

For hours, Willis spent watching Caliane while she slept, it wasn't until Annie and her maids came into the room and hurried Willis away. Annoyed, Willis asked why should he leave until Annie explained that they're going to tend to Caliane's wounds. Willis insisted on staying by the Winged Elf's side, but Annie told him that she'll be fine under her care.

Sighing Willis, went to sleep in the room next to Calaine. He slept for about 6 hours until sunrise when he got up and attempted to go to Caliane's room but one of Annie's maids forbade him from going in explaining that Caliane still needs to recover. Willis gave the maid a dark look before heading downstairs to see his fellow Monster Hunters arriving to the Gilded Vale. Many of them are taking refuge for an up coming Snow Storm while others are heading to the Gold Road to take on contracts. Willis spent the next hours eating, drinking and dicing with others particularly a Sand Elf.

"I win again!" Willis grabbed the coins from an obviously annoyed Sand Elf. Though he was good with names, Willis had a hard time remembering his name. Sand Elf's name was so long that Willis' mind tuned out halfway through. It didn't help that he insisted everyone who was playing that he should be called by his full name and nothing else. Apparently nicknames pisses him off.

Willis just couldn't help himself being so lucky and skilled at Dice. It was as though the Gods were smiling upon him every time he plays. Sometimes Willis wondered if he could give up Monster Hunting and Mercenary work and become a professional gambler traveling around inns and cleaning up drunken idiots of the rest of the coins. He can still fuck tavern waitresses and explore the world then again..... a gambler isn't as a thrilling as hunting monsters who are bigger, faster and stronger than you.

The only thing that a gambler has to worry about are angry people who accuses them of cheating. Like this Sand Elf is doing.

"YOU'RE CHEATING!" The Sand Elf's crusty lips were wettened with his spit. More flecks of spit landed on Willis cheek causing him to frown. "YOU'RE USING LOADED DIE!"

"We're using your dice dumbass," Willis placed the coins in his brown coinpurse. "To be honest take the accusation of cheating as a compliment. It makes my balls feel bigger and motivates me to fleece fuckers like you in a game Ned."

"I've told you!" The Sand Elf got up turning over the table in the process. Willis' coinpurse went flying up in the air but the young man managed to catch it time. "Is to call me by my full name!: Neferneferuaten!"

What is it with Sand Elves and overly long names? One would think that the so called emperor would enforce a rule that prevents names from going beyond three syllables. "Whatever," Willis said causally tossing the coinpurse in his palm. "You're going to continue to play?"

The Sand Elf snorted. "I don't play with the likes of you!" he shouted his accent fading in and out., "I'm done!" and the Elf turned on his heel and left the Inn.

Willis sighed smiling at the gazing crowd. "So," he smirked. "Who's next?" Before he saw Calaine and immediately ran to her. "Calaine!" he said smiling ushering her inside the rooms. "You're awake! And you look good."

Making sure to close the door, Willis smiled. "Yeah it's best that you stay upstairs," he said. "There's a lot of Monster Hunters who may mistake as a Monster. If you want food, I'll get it for you!"

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane's eyes slid to the open mouthed group of Monster Hunters, a red blush creeping up her neck to her cheeks, before Willis shut the door. How had she missed them? Attempting to regain some sort of composure, she slowly took the pastry she had hurriedly shoved into her mouth out and proceeded to chew in a more lady like fashion. Her mother would have been horrified. As Willis chastised her she finished it off in two quick further bites and then downed the glass of milk she had in her hand.

"But... I'm not a monster," Cali frowned, her lips turning down at both corners. That's what the men who had taken her had called her. Had her race really been gone from this land so long that that was what they were considered now? Lumped in with the terror who prayed on people. "Do you think I'm a monster?" her voice raised slightly and she took a small step back from Willis. As her temper flared the ghost of a flame reflected in her pupils.