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Chaos Upon Valysia {Eternal Wanderer x Cinnamon }

Ariana watched the man reluctantly move to be seated, the realization of what she had done slowly dawning on her. The princess had officially lost her mind. She wanted to help the man leading her to what she expected to be her eminent demise? Maybe the smoke she had inhaled in the burning tower had permanently damaged her mind. She hesitated as long as she dared before tentatively moving towards the stationary warrior, carefully picking her way through the aftermath of the earlier massacre.


Ariana stood awkwardly in front of the mercenary, uncertain how she should proceed. Fortunately he had loosened his armour enough for her to clearly see the still weeping wound, but she was wary of how he would react were she to touch it. Glancing subtly at the man's face, Ariana watched for any sign of emotion she couldn't detect from his aura as she forced herself to dab at the blood marring the injury, using the cleanest section of her sleeve. She frowned as the wound was revealed, trying to judge the extent of the damage. The wound was narrow, luckily as even if they had the proper tools Ariana wouldn't have known how to stitch an open gash, but judging by the amount of blood leaking down the warrior's arm it had to be fairly deep. She considered the possibility of damage to the muscles beneath the skin, but dismissed the thought to deal with the blood. Were the muscle damaged even The Slayer wouldn't have been able to ignore the pain.


Making sure she was constantly aware of his emotions in case the mercenary lost patience with humouring her, Ariana searched the immediate area for something to clean the injury with. She carried nothing on her person that could be considered useful, and worried she was pushing her luck demanding things from the warrior, the princess reluctantly turned her attention to the bodies littering the area.


Gingerly she approached the nearest corpse, attempting to locate what she needed without actually coming into contact with it. Something to clean, something to bind, she repeated like a mantra in her mind. Something to clean, something to bind, she concentrated on what she was looking for instead of where she was looking, repulsed with herself that she would desecrate the memory of the dead by rummaging through their belongs. Snatching a flask and a loose rag from the body, Ariana hurried back to the warrior's side before she could be physically ill.


The princess was used to living in a peaceful kingdom, where people helped each other when in need, no questions asked. She had never needed to consider her actions so carefully before, scrutinizing whom she helped and when. That had to be it, she reasoned with herself. She was far from home, Ariana told herself as she poored the contents of the flask over the warrior's wound in the hopes of killing any festering bacteria. Far from home and trapped in an unfamiliar world.


Silently, Ariana finished binding the warrior's wound.
 
He watched her clean his blood with her sleeve, and turned his face away, honestly not wishing for her to see that he actually felt something. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. What if the arrow was poisoned? That could have been the thing, that pain was too weird to be from a simple arrow. His body was full of scars, gained in battles, stab wounds and other arrow wounds as well, but they never hurt like this. He felt her move away and turned to look for her.


She was looking around the corpses and their possesions. She seemed to have learned to deal with the thought of death. That was very good, because he knew for sure that a lot of death was laying ahead of them. But something was off with him. For a while, he thought of tying her, so she would cause him no more trouble, but he just couldn't. He felt a slight diziness in his head and shook his head, to wash it away.


She finally returned and started to work on his wound, making him turn his head again and flinch and grit his teeth. When she was finished, he turned his head again and looked at the bandage. Nodding to her, he tightened the straps of the armor and stood, the pain now slightly vanishing. He looked her in the eyes, and nodding his head he mumbled the words "Saa'fim Eo" which meant "Thank you" in the province where he was from.


He then started rummaging through the corpses, and found a note in the leader bandit's pocket. It was from the very right hand of the one who employed him. It wrote.


"Isumron is going even more mad by the day. His damn god keeps infesting his mind, and if he doesn't stop soon, it will end bad, for all of us. That god wishes to put chains over all the free world, and tricks him as if he is a stupid fool. We must do something, and quickly, before it all goes south. Find that princess, and murder her. She's the key to all of it. If he lays hands on her, we're all doomed"


After reading the note, he remained pondering, while looking at the princess. For the first time, something else came before his own payment. His life.
 
Ariana watched the warrior as he moved about the scattered bodies, unnerved by what she detected from his aura. For the first time since they had met she could clearly identify his emotions lurking just beneath the surface of his stoic features. Instead of giving the princess an edge over her captor as she had hope, the new insight only seemed to put her at more of a disadvantage. Without any way of knowing the source of an emotion, the princess wasn't any better off than if she no insight into the man's mind at all.


Ariana held her breath as she watched the mercenary lean over the defeated bandit leader, clutching something in his hand. She could feel his indicision increasing with each passing moment he stared down at whatever he held in his hand, giving root to Ariana's own misgivings. She strained her neck in a desperate attempt to catch a glimpse of whatever the mystery object was, frowning at the thin, crinkled corner. Paper? Worry was beginning to cloud the princess's mind.


Ariana felt her whole body tense when the warrior turned his attention on her, not for the first time cursing herself for not attempting to escape earlier when she had the chance. She seriously considered trying again now, simply dash into the trees and pray for a miracle to save her. She had the same amount of confidence in that plan as she had about her odds of leaving the clearing with her life. For the first time Ariana could no longer tell if he intended to keep her alive, or count his loses and put an end to this adventure of theirs. She couldn't tell which option he was leaning towards from his aura, but based on the countless stories she had heard about him, the princess had a bad feeling she knew what he was going to do.


"What does it say?" She finally asked shakily, no longer able to suppress the need to know the paper's contents. If she were to die there, Ariana at least deserved to know why.
 
What should he do? That was what he kept asking himself, over and over again in his mind. He could get rid of the princess by slitting her throat. Or not. He still felt that slight sympathy towards her. He couldn't. His misdeeds were great in all the time, but upon this... it was impossible for him to even think of that. Instead, he mixed the image of the orcs that ravaged her homeland with the people who ravaged his own. Such similarity. Two people, two genders, two different personalities but one same story. Only that he learned to do by his own.


But when it came time, he had taken revenge against the ones who crushed his people... somewhat, she was avenged too, but not fully. His employer was guilty of it all. And if he did as Isumron payed him to do, it would bring him death. No. He had to end this madness. But not by murdering her. He shook his head and with it, shook away the questions, and just then she asked about the content of the letter. With a sigh, he went to sit on the rock he sat before on, and looked her in the eyes, preparing to tell her all the story.


"Princess... i think it is time you find out the truth... those orcs back there, they were employed by the same man that employed me. He promised them that they will get two of the four kingdoms to rule, if they were to bring him the famous crystals from Khorinys. Then he sent me in, not trusting them to take you to him, and also to get him rid of them so they will not ask for their reward. He needs you, as you are the only one... who can touch the crystals. And you can feed off their energy. The man i spoke of is King Isumron the Deathless, from castle Rakhmaar, way up in the North, in the wastelands of Northenwald. He has lost his wife a while ago, and went mad. He turned to the Ancient Dark Arts and somehow managed to get in touch with the remaining spirit of a dark, grim and evil god. The god... promised to give his wife back if he was to find him a shell, a body, to ressurect him. And you are the only capable of sustaining the life force of a very god. But if i bring you to Isumron and revive the god through you, he will unleash destruction upon every living being, including Isumron and... me"
 
Ariana tensed when the mercenary stood, sensing his resolve but uncertain what course he had chosen. She braced to spring into the trees as he strode towards her, aware in an instance she wouldn't stand a chance against him in a fight, even with his injured arm. Her only chance would be to disappear into the trees and get to the nearest village before he found her. The princess was about to flee when he passed her, barely paying her any mind as he settled himself on the stone once more.


Ariana stared wide eyed at the mercenary as he explained the situation to her, shocked he was speaking more than two words at a time, let alone answering her question. She listened to every word with batted breath, memorizing every detail. Ariana didn't know why the warrior was explaining everything to her if he intended to complete his assigned task and take her to King Isumron, but she wasn't about to question his generosity. Instead she concentrated on the warrior, listening to his words and monitoring the sincerity behind them.


Ariana sat down hard on the ground when the mercenary finished speaking, the strength abandoning her legs. She had met King Isumron before, hadn't she? Years ago he and the queen of Northenwald had journeyed to Khorinys for some reason or another, staying a short time at the castle to do business with her father. She couldn't remember much of the man, only an ostentatious laugh and an odd liking of pickled yams. Had the same person really ordered the destruction of Khorinys? The man in her memory seemed like such an unlikely culprit, but she could hear the honesty in the warrior's words. Whether it was true or not was still up for debate, but for now the princess was satisfied the man believed it to be true.


"It's... not possible." Ariana mumbled aloud, dissecting the man's explanation once more. Every book of spells the princess had read clearly stated even magic wasn't capable of bringing the dead back to life. It was a rule of the universe, accepted in every belief system and religion. Were gods able to communicate with the mortal realm, not something she personally believed possible but aware of other cultures that did, the deity would never offer such a prize. "Whatever the Deathless King is communicating with, it's not a god."


Then there was the aspect of dark magic. Ariana knew little about that particular branch of magic, only what her father had told her. He had taught her it was an evil practise that would cost the user their soul. It's ancient for a reason, he would say to her, sometimes the past is better left in the past. From the little she knew of it, however, she did not believe even dark magic welders could manipulate Khorinys's crystals. If that were the case both she and the crystals were useless to the king, if he could not force her to accept the crystals' energy.


Ariana focused on the man sitting in front of her again, thinking over his part. No wonder King Isumron had hired Vill'kern The Slayer, who else could have defeated the orc troops. The king had hired him to clean up his mess, so to speak, and now it seemed the warrior was beginning to doubt the king's trustworthiness. She could understand his change of heart now, the risk to himself too great to keep going as planned. Since he hadn't killed her yet Ariana allowed herself to feel the tiniest bit of hope, spotting her chance.


Considering her words carefully, Ariana tried to keep her voice steady. "So now you need to decide what course of action is the most profitable, with the highest chance of survival, correct?" She licked her dry lips, plunging on dangerously before he could decide the safest road was one without her. "If you help me I can't promise you multiple kingdoms, but you'll be guaranteed payment."
 
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He watched her explain him how what his employer spoke to was not a god. Hell, since when did he start to believe in gods? He just now started to realize the way he's been fooled. How could he possibly believe that an etherial existance ressurected could help him with his request, as payment for ressurection? Now he found himself doubting everything.


But then again, if he turned against his employer, what could he possibly do? He could take the throne and sit on it, but what would he rule over? Wastelands. Hundreds of miles of wastelands, dominated by creatures that even he had a hard time killing. Especially the stone and steel golems. Why would he even want that? And what should he do with her?


And just when he looked at her, she made him an offer. Payment, she said. Was she really insane? She was going to pay a man who was ready to turn his back on her for a bigger payment? He narrowed his eyes for a second and stared into hers.


"Pay... me? Me? If this situation was funnier, i'd have laughed to death. You rich people are the same, even when you're not rich anymore. What could you possibly pay me with? Look back there, your home is down. You are left with only what's on you, and that is a dead person's leather armor. No."


He stood, and walked a few steps north, to look far in the distance on the road. He remained silent for the second, then after he's pondered a little more, he continued.


"However, you're lucky that some circumstances made me decide my side. Come now, we must reach the first village so we can discuss our new allegiance and our plan of crushing Isumron and his... whatever that is."


After he spoke, he started walking, his armor again making sounds as it moved upon him.
 
Ariana sat perfectly still as the warrior mocked her request, careful to keep the disappointment from showing on her face. Of course she had been expecting him to refuse, she had known without some sort of proof of payment that odds of him accepting were miniscule, if not non-existent, but even the suggestion of Vill'Kern The Slayer laughing at her truly added insult to injury. The princess could feel her cheeks heating up as he spoke, remembering the mercenary's earlier silence with an odd sense of longing. It was alright, she told herself, there was still time. Now that she knew their destination as well as the intentions behind her abduction, she could-


Ariana's head snapped up to face the warrior when he continued speaking, her jaw all but dropping in surprise. Had she really heard him properly? That had sounded like acceptance to the princess. She continued sitting for a long moment, staring at the man's back as he started to walk away. Ariana could sense his resolve since he had apparently made his decision, but there was no way to know for sure what that decision had been. Even if the warrior agreed to help her, he could still be planning to take her to the wastelands to collect his reward for her. She watched him until he was almost obscured by the low hanging branches, wishing once again she could read minds.


"R-really?" Ariana finally asked, almost inaudibly. She scrambled to her feet, following the clattering of the warrior's armour before he could completely disappear out of sight. It was possible he was simply telling her what she wanted to hear to keep her complacent, but Ariana didn't think that was the case. As long as the mercenary wasn't mocking her again, the princess was hopeful he meant what he said. Ariana stared at the back of the warrior's head when she fell into step behind him, willing the contents of his mind to reveal themselves to her.


The princess wasn't out of the woods yet, but it seemed death was no longer she biggest concern.
 
"Aye, really. But if you put a price on your life, NEVER run on me again. I bet those bandits are not the first nor the last looking to turn you into a doll and stick blades in you. You will have to listen to me and never ever do otherwise than i say. If you wish to take revenge on the one who murdered your father"


He spoke as he walked, adjusting his steps so she cold walk right next to him. It was already close to mid-day, so they had to reach a village faster, else who knows what they might encounter. The road took them up a hill, and as the forest started to become less and less thick, they could see that, at the base of the hill, in a small valley, lain a little village. Everything seemed in perfect order as they started descending, and finally reached the gates made of wooden logs. The village was well defended by a small association named Brothers Of Thar. A slightly extended group of military trained warriors, hired by small villages for whatever protection.


"Good day, travellers" the gate's guard hailed as he opened the gates, to let them in. As it was the accustom, all the villagers were throwing glances towards the newcomers, as they passed through, eventually hailing or slightly dissaproving. Most of them already knew who one of their visitors was, Vill'Kern, as they probably heard stories or even witnessed him.


He led the princess to a small inn, and, opening the door, he entered first, and took her behind him.
 
Ariana nodded her head in acceptance of the mercenary's rules, satisfied for the time being they were for the best. She didn't understand everything he said- she had never heard of people being used as marionettes before- but the underlying message got through to her. If the princess were ever to have her revenge she would need to learn the way of the world outside of Khorinys, and who better than The Slayer himself to teach her? From the legends she had heard of him, Vill'Kern The Slayer had travelled all of Valysia, defeating every enemy to stand in his way. She didn't know where he came from, the stories claiming anywhere from the depths of hell to the bottom of the deepest cavern in the wastelands, though asking didn't seem like the best course of action. The princess had a thousand questions she wanted to ask him as they travelled, not the least of which being why he had agreed to help her, but she feared he would reconsider his decision if she brought it to his attention.


Ariana pulled the hood of the light armour she wore over her head as they approached the village's gates, falling a step behind Vill'Kern to walk in his shadow. She nodded in thanks to the guard that granted them access to the village, trying to act as inconspicuous as possible. She had been to this village years ago, long enough that she shouldn't be recognized, but who knew if the villagers had been to Khorinys recently. The further into the village they travelled, however, made it clear her worry was misguided. The tolks folk were definitely looking in their direction, but she doubted her presence was even noticed.


"Your reputation proceeds you." Ariana spoke softly to the warrior, wary of the villagers eyeing him suspiciously. They seemed to be torn between curiousity and fear, half of the town folk rushing into their homes and locking their doors and windows, the other half trying to get as close to the warrior as possible. She could feel the unease rolling through the town like a thick fog, condensing in areas and dissipating in others. The auras of the villagers blended together until it was almost impossible to distinguish between the different emotions.


Ariana quickly ducked through the door behind the warrior as he entered the inn, grateful to escape the watchful eyes of the villagers.
 
Hearing her words, Vill'Kern nodded, but remained silent. He knew that him speaking would draw more attention. As he walked to the innkeeper's desk, more eyes hit him and the princess like ice or fire spears, but that did not make The Slayer even the bit uncomfortable. Reaching the innkeeper's desk, he spoke, low enough to be heard.


"Me and my friend here need..."


"You and your little useless thing can forget about it, i can't let you stay. You're The Slayer, you know? Many would let you stay and then regret it over the night" The innkeeper cut him short, throwing him a hateful gaze before returning to his duties. People at the tables looked in the direction of the small conflict, but none of them even daring to stand for the innkeeper. None was crazy enough.


But suddenly, a figure rose. Another armored man, but slightly smaller than the mountain that The Slayer was. Strong features and green eyes, and a confident smile on his lips. Vill'Kern looked at the man, and recognized him. The stranger looked to the innkeeper and spoke out loud.


"I will vouch for them"


Everyone now stared to both warriors and to the innkeeper, who, after seconds of pondering, nodded and mumbled something under his breath, then took the gold coins that The Slayer placed on the counter to pay for two rooms. The stranger warrior sat himself down and watched Vill'Kern and the princess as they moved up and on the stairs to the hall with a few rooms.
 
It was worse inside the inn than it had been walking outside. At least moving through the village the unease of the towns folk had room to shift and dissipate. Inside, however, the emotions were contained and stifling. Ariana fidgeted uncomfortably, having never been referred to as a thing before. It felt like the collective gaze of the inn's occupants would crush them, though the princess still doubted anyone was paying her much mind. She pulled her hood farther down over her face, making sure her features were hidden from view nonetheless.


Ariana subtly watched the occupants of the inn as the warrior spoke with the receptionist, wondering if this was how all new comers were treated or if the welcoming committee was simply going above and beyond for The Slayer. The innkeeper was quick to answer her question, catching the princess off guard with his degree of loathing. Ariana would have felt sorry for the man, if he weren't keeping them from escaping the watchful eyes of the villagers. The negative emotions were palpable in the small building, making it almost impossible to tell the owner of the hatred, angry, fear, and pity encasing the room. Vaguely, she wondered if Vill'Kern had been to this village before. The princess had been about to speak, telling the mercenary they should keep moving despite her body already on the verge of giving up on her, when the strange man stood and stole her attention.


Ariana couldn't isolate the man's aura from the countless others inside of the residence, but the shift in the room would have been impossible to miss. While the fear and angry lingered, their intensity seemed to weaken, the introduction of reluctant trust seemingly diluting the original emotions. Ariana turned her attention back to the inn keeper in time to witness him begrudgingly accept The Slayer's coin. The princess was quick to follow the warrior up and stairs and out of sight of the inn's occupants, stopping at the top of the landing. She concentrated on the room below them, trying to deem if anyone was feeling brave enough to follow them. The unease still lingered, but seemingly to a much lesser degree now that they couldn't see the man responsible for their fear. Aside from her personal suspicion of the man that had spoken in their defense, there didn't seem to be anything amiss.


"Out of sight, out of mind." She stated quietly, continuing down the hall after the warrior. Even to her own ears the words sounded too good to be true.
 
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He walked up to the first wooden door to the left, and opened it, letting her enter before him. It was just the usual, austere type of room, a wooden bed, with a mattress made out of hay and bird fluff, wrapped in textile, a wooden table and a chair and a window that helped lighting the room while day. A small bedside cabinet with two drawers, and that was all. After inspecting the chamber, the male nodded to the princess, and spoke.


"Well, princess, get some rest, you probably need it. I'll be right next door if you need anything"


He took a step to the door, then turned around and took out one of his daggers. It was almost twice the size of the small dagger he'd handed her back there, and way sharper. He almost whispered, looking her in the eyes.


"Put it under your pillow. If the case, don't hesitate, strike. And scream."


He turned around and left the room, closing the door, and went downstairs, to meet with the other warrior, whom he known. After grabbing a pint of fresh ale, they both sat at a table and started talking.
 
Ariana clutched the heavy dagger in her hands, staring at the recently closed door. So much had changed in so little time, everything had yet to fully sink in. She sat down on the bed located in the center of room, trying to keep her eyes open long enough to think. Everything she knew was gone, everyone she loved dead. And for what? Ariana was tempted to say it was simply the whim of a mourning man, but from the warrior's account of the circumstances it sounded like the Deathless King was being manipulated by an unknown force. They would need to learn the identity of the one pulling the king's strings if they were to have any chance of survival.


The question was how. Ariana ran her hands through her hair, brushing her braid lose. The option most likely to yield results would be to venture to the wastelands and get as close to the king as possible, but that was also the most likely to lead to their death. She pulled off her heavy boots, careful not to let the crystal and envelope opener contained inside hit the floor. The princess held them in her free hand, looking them over. What could they really do, anyway? What could she do? The Slayer could best any opponent, but what about her?


I can get an audience with the other kingdoms, Ariana thought drowsily, laying down on the nondescript bed. Not that the east or west would be guaranteed to assist them, but at least they would be prepared if the Deathless King were to turn his sights on their homes. The princess would have to mention it to Vill'Kern later. Ariana fought to keep her heavy eyelids open, looking at the dagger still clutched in her hand. Thinking of the mercenary, she recalled his strange actions. The princess could understand his change of heart after realizing the danger to his own life his task put him in, but that didn't explain his acts of kindness before the warrior found out. Since he had found her in Khorinys's royal library the mercenary had not once raised a hand against her, even going so far as to defend her. Ariana wasn't sure why he had acted as such, her eyes no longer able to stay open, the only explanation she could think of being Vill'Kern The Slayer wasn't as heartless as the legends made him out to be.


When Ariana awoke later it was still dark outside the room's solitary window. She stayed where she laid for several long moments, allowing the events of the previous day to settle in her mind. For the first time she allowed herself to mourn, her tears falling undisturbed. The princess thought of her friends and family until she had no tears left to shed, finally prying herself from the scratchy sheets. She quickly gathered her few possessions, quietly exitting her room in search of a place to bathe, humouring the thought of exploring the village, should she not be able to locate the warrior in the inn.
 
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During Ariana's sleep, Vill'Kern and his old friend have been at the table, speaking.


"You don't need to explain me what's with you, Vill'Kern. I know who she is and i know where you're headed" Said the stranger warrior "I do not wish to stop you, but you should take care, they've already got an army of assasins on your backs"


"Wish i'd know at least what we're confronting with. That... spirit, has taken control of Isumron. But we don't know even what it is, exactly" Said Vill'Kern, as he downed his pint of ale in the blink of an eye. For a huge fellow like him it wasn't hard to do so and then order yet another drink. "If only we had a person who has knowledge in this sort of things..."


The stranger warrior looked Vill'Kern in the eyes as he heard that, and then snapping his fingers, he leaned in closer


"I know of a mage, secluded, living hidden in the cave of Thraghul, but he went mad a long time ago. Yet, the library he has there contains knowledge impossible to find elsewhere. But to get into it, you'd have to fight monsters that many have tried, and failed. It's really not a nice place to go"


Vill'Kern listened carefully and pondered. He wasn't afraid of danger, but this sounded like a big problem, regarding the princess. He couldn't take her with him, in the mouth of death. But he couldn't leave her alone either. Nor with the man before him. He learned not to trust, and he couldn't entrust her to him, as he was also a man, and corruptible, since they both had the same trade for a while. Finally, after finishing the discussion, it was time for him to have some rest. He reached his room after checking her room, to see if the princess was alright. He unstrapped the armor, until he was only left with a pair of black trousers on. His upper body was barely recognizable, as it had probably hundreds of scars. Judging after it, this man has been cheating death eversince. As soon as he lain down, he fell asleep, and woke up trapped in darkness.


He looked around and saw nothing. He was paralysed. A voice spoke to him out of nowhere


"So, you have abandoned the cause... that's too bad, you'd have been my general in taking over this world... now i'll have to kill you..."





He tossed and turned in his sleep, mumbling senseless words, while the princess exitted her room and went to search for him.
 
Ariana returned to the corridor lined with the bed chamber doors after a short time, not as clean as she had hoped she would be when she had exited her room, but freshened up nonetheless. It had been a struggle with the innkeeper to learn the whereabouts of clean water, the princess going so far as to give the man a little push of compassion before he begrudgingly showed her to a small basin filled with water. It wasn't that big of a deal, Ariana had tried to easy her guilty conscience. She wouldn't have been able to make the man feel something that hadn't already been lurking in his heart, the small crystal still residing in her boot had simply helped her to bring the emotion to the innkeeper's attention. It hadn't taken Ariana long to forget her guilt once she had splashed a handful of water into her face, the chilled liquid stealing all of her attention.


Once Ariana had finished washing off the dirt that wasn't permanently ingrained into her skin she had passed by the dining hall. She had moved quickly, hoping if she appeared to know what she was doing no one would pay her any mind, scanning the room as she walked. Ariana had no problem deeming Vill'Kern wasn't in attendance, the tallest man present in the room at least a head shorter than the warrior. That would explain why the atmosphere in the inn was such an improvement from the night before, the princess mused while ascending the stairs. You would never know there was such a dangerous man lurking in the building from the feel of the place, the joyful and mischievous aura consuming any negative emotions before they had a chance to bloom.


Ariana passed by the door to her room, stopping in front of the door the mercenary indicated was his own the night before. The princess concentrated on the space just beyond the door, blocking out the emotions drifting up to her from the inn's occupants downstairs. At least she wouldn't have to worry about confusing The Slayer's aura with those of the men downstairs, still firm in her believe the warrior wasn't capable of joy. The princess shook her head quickly to dismiss the thought, frowning at the door in front of her. Someone was definitely in the warrior's room, she could sense the occupant's aura, the question was now if it was indeed who she was looking for.


Ariana stood frozen in the hallway, her hand placed on the solid door in front of her, a quizzical expression marring her face. It felt like The Slayer's aura, cold and distant with something just under the surface she couldn't quite put her finger on, but there was also something else. Apprehension and... and something. If it had been anyone else Ariana would have thought it was nervousness. It was possibly he was reconsidering his position, deciding his best course of action without the princess breathing down his neck, but it just didn't seem like something the warrior would do. Even if he was deep in thought, it didn't seem like something that would distress the man in such a way. Hell, she couldn't think of anything that could distress the warrior. Then it was possible it wasn't him inside of the room, but what could have forced him to evacuate? Nothing could have forced him, but it was possible he had left of his own accord while she slept.


Shaking the uncertain thoughts from her mind Ariana took a deep breath, balling her hand into a fist. There was only one way to know for sure. She knocked on the door softly, speaking quietly before she could chicken out. "Vill'Kern?"
 
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He was still trapped in the nightmare, not being able to move or speak in, just mumble all sorts of words, which slightly echoed through the room. His breath was hissed and he felt sweat running down his ribs, and he was cold. The darkness left space for two huge red slits to levitate before him. He felt their heat, their gaze was burning his flesh and it made him cringe. He didn't feel that intimidated before, if that thing could do so much to him, he feared for the frail life of the princess.


The princess! She probably was in danger if not dead already. He had to awaken. He struggled fully, and taking a deep breath, he thought. It was his dream, his playground, he made the rules. Suddenly, darkness wrapped the red slits and made them dissapear, and he was awake now, staring at the ceiling. With a deep breath he grabbed one of the swords he kept at the bedside and stumbled to the door, with wide eyes. Grabbing the door he pulled it strongly and just when he was preparing to take the step out of his room, he found himself standing, half naked, with unsheathed sword, before the princess, who stared back at him fearful.


She was alright. He took a breath of relief and couldn't even think of what to do. He just stood there, staring at her.
 
Ariana's mind was having a hard time processing what was happening as she stood frozen in the hallway, staring at the surreal scene before her. The Slayer stood disheveled in the doorway to his room, clutching a rather menacing looking blade, staring right back at her. That answered the question of who was inside the room once and for all, she thought vaguely, only to leave an abundance of questions in its wake. What could have possibly caused Vill'Kern The Slayer to feel such fear? The princess was sure she had sensed it, though she was doubting herself now, such a terrible fear radiating from the room it had filled her with a blood chilling dread. Ariana had been on the verge of forcing her way into the room, thoughts of dramatically climbing across the outside of the building to the window should the door be locked, when the door had sprang open to reveal the half decent mercenary.


Ariana continued their staring contest, uncertain how long they had been standing there, trying to think passed her shock. What did she know for sure? The mercenary was definitely alone in his room, thus the only possible source of the terror she had sensed. She could feel his confusion mingled with relief now, but could still see the sweat trickling down his forehead and the wide eyed look of someone who did not have legends written about them. The princess's eyes followed the descent of a single bead of sweat, a thought slowly occurring to her.


"Are you sick?" Ariana's mind grasped at the idea, finally kicking back into gear. A fever would explain The Slayer's sweaty, disheveled appearance as well as the confusion clouding his aura. The princess pushed her way passed the warrior into the room, gingerly leading him far enough into the room to close the door. Somehow the princess didn't think it would be a good idea to let the other occupants of the inn know The Slayer wasn't in fighting form.


"Vill'Kern? Can you hear me?" Ariana ignored the odd unreal sensation speaking the warrior's name gave her. She led him across the room to be seated on his bed, thanking her lucky stars he hadn't decided to attack her in his confused state. What had happened while she slept to cause such a drastic change? The princess used her still damp sleeve to wipe at sweat on his brow, scanning the room for anything out of place. Was it possible the fever had been caused on purpose? If someone had been able to install such fear in The Slayer who was to say they couldn't also be able to cause such an illness.


Ariana's eyes completed their inspection of the room, unable to see anything out of place. The princess next turned her attention to the man in front of her, her eyes almost immediately landing on the rag still wrapped about his arm. Cursing softly in Khorinys's tongue, Ariana started to untie the makeshift bandage, attempting to keep her voice soothing. "I'm going to take a look at your arm, okay?"
 
He was weaker now than ever. She dragged his easily across the room, sat him, while he just stared in void, unable to take the image out of his head, and the sensation of his flesh burning. Burning just like the child in his memories. Just like his home. He yet held the sword without letting it go, still on alert. Her first question passed by his ear unnoticed, and only the second one struck him, making him wake from the weird trance. He turned his head slowly and with his free hand he moved a strand of long, raven black hair behind his ear, while icy blue eyes looked upon the princess.


She was safe, with not even a scratch. He resisted the urge to embrace her, and not even he could explain such urge, as The Slayer was never one for affective acts. He only felt relieved that she was safe. He had to keep her safe. He watched her as she started undoing the bandage, and spoke again. Her voice sounded so melodic and it calmed him down completely.


The wound and skin around it were now a dark red, soon enough they were to necrotize. The arrow he'd taken back then was indeed poisoned and now he knew with what. Snake venom. It was the only capable of causing such troubles. His arm now was hurting, from the shoulder to the elbow, and he even thought now that soon he might be a cripple. He could fight with an arm, however, he needed both to keep his balance, but he'd get used to it sometime, probably. If only they had something to burn the wound with... maybe that way it would become safe.


As she worked on the wound, he finally replied to her question about his welfaring, feeling for the first time like speaking about something he dreamt of.


"I... he... he visited me... the Dark Spirit... he threatened... i never... it's so powerful... we must defeat him, else it's not going to be good. And i for sure won't give your body to him... i promise..."


He usually made vows only for payments, but this time, payment was the last thing he cared about.
 
Ariana stared at the obviously infected wound, trying to keep her face from showing the dread she felt at the sight of it. There was no way an infection would have been able to spread so quickly without the assistance of poison, even one with as little medical knowledge as the princess knew that. She also knew poisons required specialized medications, antidotes designed for that particular venom. Ariana had been taught the medical properties of many of the herbs growing in the forests surrounding Khorinys, but without knowing the exact poison running through the warrior's veins there was no way to know which plant would help, if any. The memory of the mutilated remains of the bandits flashed in her mind, reminding her there was also no way of finding out.


Ariana froze at The Slayer's words, dragging her attention from his wounded arm to his feverish eyes. The sincerity behind his words filled her with guilt, his resolve almost completely hiding the residual fear of the warrior's encounter with the unknown entity causing the princess's breath to catch in her throat. First the people of Khorinys, now Valysia's greatest warrior. It seemed anyone to come in to contact with the princess was doomed to a gruesome fate. Ariana stared at the inflamed skin encasing The Slayer's injury, her eyes burning with unshed tears, quietly apologizing over and over to the man likely to lose his arm, if not his life, because he had helped her.


They didn't have time for this. Vill'Kern didn't have time for this. The princess had to pull herself together and do something. The man needed a doctor. Ariana thought of the villagers' reaction to The Slayer's presence in their town and almost snorted aloud. What they needed they would not get. Besides, without knowing the exact poison all a doctor would be able to do was ease the pain. Ariana tentatively placed her handed on the warrior's shoulders, trying not to flinch at the raised skin of a rather large scar beneath her fingers. The princess noted the sweat coating his skin, the heat radiating from him threatening to burn her hands.


"Vill'Kern, I need you to listen to me," Ariana managed to keep her voice calm despite her inner turmoil, pressing gently on his shoulders to guide the warrior's upper body on to the mattress upon which he sat. There was nothing she could do about the vemon with her extremely limited resources, but she could treat the symptoms of his fever, at the very least allowing his body to fight against the infection with full force. She glanced at the sword still clutched in his hands but thought better of trying to take it from the mercenary, aware of the risks she was already taking by manhandling The Slayer in his weakened state.


"You have to stay awake until I get back, alright?" Ariana pulled the thin fabric of the blanket provided by the inn over the warrior's shoulders, kneeling down beside the bed so they were eye to eye. She would have to remember to grab the blanket from her own room on her way back. The princess could remember the chills that accompanied a fever, only made worse by the sweat collected on the burning flesh. The princess waited until she was sure Vill'Kern was looking at her before she spoke again, clearly enunciating her words. "No matter how tired you get you have to keep your eyes open, okay? I'll be right back."


Ariana jumped to her feet, slipping quietly from the room. Quickly she dashed down the stairs, retracing her steps to where she had tidied herself up earlier. The princess all but ran back to the small room, slowing her pace only when she had to pass another patron. Ariana silently thanked any deity that was listening that the room was empty when she arrived, grabbing the water filled basin and exiting as quickly as she had arrived. It wasn't that surprising, she supposed, considering the smell lingering in the building. The princess was almost back to the dining hall when she passed a door just barely ajar, the items inside catching her attention. She glanced about to make sure she hadn't been spotted before ducking into the room, letting out a soft hiss of breath as she laid her eyes on the contents stored inside.


Setting the basin aside, Ariana tore item after item down from the shelves lining the walls of the small room, roughly the size of a broom closet. She kept her senses open to anyone that might be approaching what she could only assume was some sort of pantry, stealing for the first time in her life without a second thought. She stuffed everything she thought might be of assistance into the pockets of her armour, forcing what wouldn't fit into her hood. Herbs, clean bandages, a fresh wash cloth. Everything they needed expect what they needed the most, an antidote. Ariana took a step back, her garments loaded with the stolen goods, looking desperately for a miracle.


Unable to find what wasn't there, Ariana exited the pantry with the basin in hand. She had barely stepped away from the door before an unruly pair of drunks went stumbling by, their comments lost to the princess as she rushed back up the stairs to the second wooden door on the left.
 
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He struggled to keep his lucidity. He saw the princess, vaguely, before his eyes, Her words souded like bells throughout his head, first chiming, then tolling. For the very first time since ever, he had to get accustomed to the idea of iminent death. The princess may have known some things, but she probably wouldn't have the slightest idea of how to help him. He felt her hands push him down, ever so gently, and for a second, he thought of fighting back, but what use would it be? Laying down, he never let go off his sword. Sword was his life and he vowed to himself long ago he'd die with it clutched in his hand.


She said she'd be back. She told him to stay awake. Hearing her leave him into silence struck fear in him, again. He never thought he'd feel the need of help. It was a side that The Slayer would never know about. He blinked, slowly, feeling the imperative need to sleep. "...keep your eyes open... open... eyes open..." echoed through his head, over, and over, and over. The pain from his shoulder radiated to his heart. Probably the poison infested his heart already and he was dying. His eyelids slipped close for a second and he saw the red eyes again. And the princess. Chains wrapped about her and she squirmed, until she was engulfed in darkness, and the loud laughter of madness thundered through his mind.


He had to stay alive. The princess needed him. He had to stay alive and protect her from the mad king and the entity. He opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. His heart, that has been slowing down almost to stopping, was now beating again, stronger than ever, while his wound hurt and radiated pain. How long has it been since the princess left? It seemed like eternity. And now he heard her steps closing in. And the door opening. He thanked any god that would exist, and turned his head to look at her. But he barely could see anything.


"You...you're back"
 
Ariana crossed the room quickly, setting the heavy basin down on the small night stand beside the bed. "Back," she agreed breathlessly to the disoriented warrior, ignoring several items that slid free from the confines of her pockets in favour of inspecting The Slayer. She had felt his fear before she had even reached the door, worried the man had fallen asleep and encountered what he called the Dark Spirit again. Ariana had been planning to dump the contents of the basin over the warrior's head to wake him, the memory of the sword still clutched in his hands at the forefront of her mind, just behind the image of the mercenary's irritated injury, but she had barely stepped through the door before he had spoken. Almost incoherent, but beggars couldn't be choosers.


Ducking down to grab the wash cloth where it had fallen to the ground, Ariana dropped it into the cool water contained within the basin, barely wringing out the cloth before using it to pat down the Slayer's sweat drenched skin. The princess took a deep breath, forcing her voice to remain calm in spite of the alarm she felt at his deteriorating state. "Everything is going to be okay, Vill'kern," The princess soothed as she moved the cloth across his skin, the slim crystal pressed against her ankle heating up like hot coal. She willed his mind to relax and calm, in turn calming his aura, soaking the cloth once more to gently clean around the wound. "You're going to be alright, just keep your eyes open, okay?"


Ariana continued speaking in her serene tone, narrating her actions simply for the sake of talking. Her calm words were a complete one-eighty from the frenzy of movement her body was flying through, however. The princess dumped the rest of items she had stolen onto the floor, flinging them aside until she found what she was looking for. "Here it is, feverfew and buckthorn. We got pretty lucky, huh?" Ariana dumped the contents of two small pouches into a mortar and pestle that had gotten caught in her hood, grinding the herbs together as she spoke. "The feverfew will help with the pain and fever," The princess was fairly sure he wasn't aware of what she was saying, let alone that she was speaking, but she didn't mind. Her calm tone gave her something to concentrate on, focusing her mind on her task instead of her panic. "The buckthorn will fight the infection. It's not an antidote for the venom, but..."


Ariana trailed off for the moment, pressing a bit of her creation directly to the wound, hesitating a moment with the rest. "Vill'Kern, can you hear me? I need you to swallow this, it will help with the pain." The princess thought of nothing but peace, willing the warrior's mind to mimic her own as she attempted to force feed him the herbs. The crystal in her boot was becoming unbearably hot, most certainly hot enough to leave a mark. She ignored it, positive a little heat was nothing compared to what-


Ariana's head snapped down to her collection of stolen goods, her eyes seeking out the candles and matches she had grabbed simply for the sake of grabbing everything she could. Fire destroyed everything in its path, didn't it? Who was to say a good flame couldn't also destroy an infection?
 
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He couldn't see almost anything, but he heard. The sounds were distorted, mixed, it all was a whole chaos in his head, mind, in his body, he felt hot and cold, he felt sick, he felt like vomiting but barely could breathe, so performing such an action would surely kill him. His head was blowing up with pain and so was his shoulder.


He heard her speaking about what she was giving him, medicines, herbs. How did she acquire them? The answer immediately popped into his head, and it almost caused him a smile. The princess already started learning the ways of the world. And she did a good job, since she was there, using what she smuggled away to treat him. But would this save him?


She now placed the mix of herbs on his wound, and he felt it take effect, causing him a little relief. He suddenly felt more relief strike him. It was as if an external force acted over him, but he couldn't understand how. He sighed, finally feeling able to breathe a bit better, while the mix of herbs on his wound soaked with the liquids of the infection.


And again those eyes, before him. She probably didn't see them, but he did. It was a gaze of rage and anger, threatening. He heard the hissed breath, and couldn't fight back. But he was awake. How could he see the entity if it wasn't in his dream? He struggled to move his mind off it, but he just couldn't, it was stuck there. He then remembered of something. While he was the age of the princess, somewhere around it, he has been taken in by an old sorceress, during a rainy night.


During a night, she fought an entity which has taken over her cave and didn't give her peace. And from her, he learned a small chant, meant to drive away the dark entities.


He closed his eyes, and putting in all the energy he had, he mumbled, in a disharmonic song


"Il dha lena ull fuwas ernairhdirr, ai, ull nusder saern, sulshis irrui, aldaidirr ull ayair llusn du serd eweirr"


And the heavy eyes vanished.
 
What were the chances of this actually succeeding? Ariana didn't want to even consider the odds at the moment. She didn't have time to second guess herself or think of another plan, she could already feel The Slayer's aura slipping away. The princess clutched at his spirit as though it was all that was keeping her sane, no longer able to influence his emotions for reasons unknown to her, but determined to keep the aura from fading completely. This would work. It had to work. It made sense, really, if Ariana didn't think about it too much. Wasn't this why meat had to be cooked before it could be eaten, to destroy the bacteria? The princess ignored the little voice in the back of her head, nagging her that the venom had already breached the blood stream. She dismissed the thought before the seed of doubt could spread. The warrior had done his job by consuming the herbs, now it was her turn to do hers.


Ariana fumbled with the matches, finally managing to strike a flame long enough to light one of the tall candles. She pulled the small dagger The Slayer had given her in Khorinys from its perch on her waist without thinking about what she intended to do with it, holding the blade over the flame. "I have an idea, but it's not going to be pleasant." Ariana told the warrior that may or may not have been able to hear her. He seemed to be fairing better since he had started rambling something that sounded suspiciously like a charm, but the princess couldn't be certain if he had been speaking in his native tongue or simple gibberish. She pulled the blade from the flame, allowing it to cool while she searched through her loot once more.


The princess grabbed a half empty bottle of amber liquid, uncorking the top to take a swing of the contents. Ariana choked as her throat began to tingle as if it she had eaten something spicy, forcing herself to swish the liquid around in her mouth before spitting it back out with a shaky cough. People drank that for fun? Ariana perched on her knees beside the half conscious man, the still warm blade in one hand and the bottle in the other. The princess forced herself to continue despite the strong urge to reconsider her actions, pouring a small amount of the liquid over the enflamed skin. She quickly followed with the sterilized dagger, hissing an apology as the blade created a larger incision over the original wound.


Ariana dropped both the blade and the bottle, pressing her lips against the injury she had created. She screwed her eyes shut tightly, trying not to gag as she drew the contaminated blood, pus, and hopefully venom from the warrior's body. The princess spat her first mouthful of the unfortunate combination to the side, the consistency threatening her resolve. This is the easy part, the princess warned herself mentally, drawing a second foul mouthful from the wound. She concentrated on the warrior's aura, willing him wholeheartedly to remain in a state of peace, desperately trying to keep her mind off her actions. The princess continued until the consistency of his blood changed, no longer seeming to be mixed with pus.


Ariana dry heaved as she moved away from the bed, blindly reaching for the dagger even as her body attempted to rid itself of the metallic tasting liquid coating the inside of her mouth, threatening to slip down the back of her throat. She cleared her throat, fighting the urge to be ill long enough to hold the dagger over the burning candle once more, the blade slowly gaining an angry red glow. The princess poured a bit more of the liquid over The Slayer's injury, a new found respect for the fire like substance awakening in her. So that was why people drank the foul mixture. She shook her head to dislodge her disjointed thoughts, bracing for what was coming next.


"Vill'Kern, the hard part is coming up now," Ariana wasn't sure if he could hear her but she continued nonetheless, needing the time to gather herself. "It'll be worse for a bit, then it's all over, okay?" She held the blade in the flame until the very last second. "On three, okay? One," Ariana took a deep, steadying breath. "Two," She used the full force of the crystal in her possession, encasing the room in a sense of peace.


"Three." Ariana pulled the dagger from the flame, pressing the scolding blade to this still weeping wound.
 
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He didn't know what she was doing before she did. He felt incredible pain as the blade dug into his inflamed skin, to cut him open more. But he just lain there, numb, watching the ceiling. He felt her lips on his skin. Would have he been able, he'd have stopped her from doing such a nasty part, he'd clean the wound himself but as he barely was able to lift a finger, he just let himself in her hands. He felt the pain of the booze on the wound, it burnt like hell, or rather, like the eyes that kept tormenting him, but at least this would keep him alive.


While laying there, being treated, he thought back at the many times he had to stitch himself, his wounds, to calm the pain all by himself, alone, in forests, caves and wherever. But he never has been on the verge of death. This gave him a new perspective upon life. And for the first time ever, he felt indebted. Indebted to this person, the princess, who, despite him dragging her all around and slaughtering everything under her eyes, she helped him, clutched desperately at the very thin string of his life.


And now she told him he was going to suffer some pain, on her count. He took a deep breath, and held it, realising what she was about to do. When the number "three" echoed through his head, he felt his skin and flesh burning, as she placed the dagger on it. The smell, it smelled like roasted pork. He clutched the sword even harder, so hard that the steel of the handle seemed to deform, and his teeth almost crushed each against others as he forced his jaws to the max, while grunting.


The pain slowly started dissipating as the wound was fully burnt, and growing even more tired, he felt like closing his eyes. Turning his head heavily to the side, he looked her in the eyes, and with a grateful slight smile, he whispered.


"Thank... you"


His eyes now rolled backwards and eyelids fell shut. The exhaustion caught him and soon enough his nasal septum emitted sounds of slight snoring. His breath was now calm and his fever totally perished.
 
Ariana watched in utter disbelief as the warrior fell into a deep sleep, his breathing improved so much from mere minutes before he was even capable of snoring. It had worked. Her stupid, spur of the moment idea had actually worked. The princess let her forehead rest against the edge of the currently occupied bed, laughing shakily. "Thank you for not stabbing me." She knew her words fell on deaf ears but spoke anyway, a numbing sense of shock cushioning her every action. What were the odds of such a flimsy plan succeeding? It was safe the think about it now, now that the danger had passed and The Slayer was resting without fear of never awakening again.


The princess let him rest now while she returned her attention to the pile of stolen goods on the floor, looking through the items for the herbs she needed. The princess was aware the warrior would need all the rest he could get if his body was to recover properly, and with her there she would know if The Slayer would need to be woken. Not that she would be able to wake him even if she tried, if the man's snores were anything to go by, Ariana thought with an indulgent smile. She applied the herb mixture she made to The Slayer's burned flesh, fixing the concoction in place with a clean bandage.


With the wound bandaged and better left to its own devices, Ariana once again dipped the wash cloth into the basin of water, ringing the majority of the now luke warm water out of the fabric and back into the bowl. The princess was pleased to see this time when she wiped the sweat from the warrior's skin, it was not immediately coated with sweat once again.


Ariana dropped the wash cloth back into the basin when she finished, looking the warrior over for anything she might be able to do for him. After a long moment of simply watching him sleep she was still unable to think of anything other than to let the man rest in peace. Instead the princess looked around the room, grimacing at the rather large, not to mention bloody, mess that she had made during her haste. She supposed now was as good a time as any to clean.
 
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