Somewhere in the world (Candira and runawayninja)

Lady Candira had been off on a journey to broaden trade when the war had broken out. Pledging her allegiance to the kingdom she'd been closest to, she'd been off fighting and healing for the cause. Upon her return, she found the scene before her now: scorched and burning lands, dead and dying peasants, and her home being ransacked. The heat was stifling, but the smell was absolutely suffocating. Ashes and smoke filled the air as a blazing fire engulfed the land Candira had called home ever since she could remember. The lives of her people were being ruthlessly spent for the benefit of a band of soulless mercenaries calling themselves the Black Riders.

Though she was alone and knew it was foolish she had to do something. Just as one of them was about to strike down a farmer, she unleashed a bolt of lightning unto the man, smiting him where he stood. "Run!" She yelled to the farmer. A hasty thanks from the man was all she heard before the bandits began to gather around her. Growling, she summoned the power of ice and held it at the ready--the last thing she needed was more fire.

She cast a few spells, freezing a few of the attackers and piercing some of the others. It wasn't enough, however, and Candira was soon outnumbered and surrounded.

"I leave this place for a few months and it all goes to Hell. Can't you all just pick on some place with actual defenses?" She growled, staring them down. Up close, she wasn't a very formidable form. In fact, she was quite lovely: Silvery eyes, long red hair held back in a braid, and a curvy form clothed in the attire of a mage. Really she wasn't terribly threatening--just a pretty girl with a staff. One that she could use to beat people with or summon great magic. Unfortunately, she could only do so much while still protecting herself.

The riders had charged forward when they saw her approach, recognizing the banner as the real target here, the lady that could be ransomed. They were foraging for supplies, which meant stealing them from the peasants whose only crime was to be born low, but she was worth real money, money that could pay for their campaign all the way up to now.

"Schnell! Schnell Herr Furst!" They spoke a strange Germanic language that was foreign to her ears. She managed to strike down some of the riders, but from behind her stomped a towering, imposing brute that looked at least seven and a half feet tall, wearing black armor and riding gear like the others, but his helm looked in the shape of a skull, lined with fur at the base. A deep, growling noise emanated from the helm as he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her into the air, tightening his grip to cut the air from her lungs.

"Nein!" The rest of the group started to ride towards her. <"Put her down, Fear!"> A man quickly dismounted his stallion, racing towards them, his helm in the long shape of a grim raven's head, the visor of his helm looking like a long, narrow, curved beak. <"She is our payment! She'll pay for the debts of the campaign thus far, we need her alive!"> He started to pull hard on the big man's arm until he released her. More riders arrived, some looking more common than the ones with the stylized helms.

A central figure approached, his helm black and glossy, fashioned to appear as a weeping face. <"Doom is right Fear! Let her alone...">

The figure looked down at her from his mount before he dismounted and lifted his visor. He was a middle-aged man, his locks grey and black with a hard, stern look about him and several scars marring his face. "Lady Candira...I am Fate, leader of the Black Riders. And you are officially our prisoner. I must say you put up quite a fight there, but fortunately you didn't kill any of my officers, or I wouldn't been very upset with you. As it is, we've been hard at work trying to draw you out from your Eastern Campaign and I hope the runners we let escape reached you well. We've been waiting for quite a while and now it's time for you to play host for us."

She was tied firmly and forcefully taken to her own castle, her people living in obvious fear for their lives and safety. The riders were enjoying themselves at the expense of her gold and stores, opening her casks of wine and feasting on the larders that were supposed to be stored for the winter. The larger man, Fear, had his eyes on her from behind his helm and she could feel it. These men appeared to hide behind secret names to shield their true identities from any wrong-doings out here and they rarely removed their helms to help the masquerade.

(( < > This is translated speech ^^ She might or might not understand their language, up to you.))

By the time they'd captured her she was nearly out of energy to fight back. Candira had, indeed put up a good fight, but to no avail. It was made even more obvious by the way she was picked up by the neck and nearly strangled to death. She struggled, kicking her feet, her arms and hands working frantically to free her as the world became a dark place. She couldn't understand the language they spoke and she didn't much care to. As far as she was concerned these people were demons.

When one stopped her attacker, she fell to the ground and coughed, gasping for air on her knees as she struggled to remain conscious. "Bastards," she growled. "Demons!" Of course, these insults were obscured by her struggling to get enough air back into her lungs. From what she understood, they must have needed her for something...and that was made clear by the man that stepped forth and spoke in her tongue. She glared at him, letting him know just exactly how much she cared about upsetting them.

But one thing stuck out--she was being held for ransom and this attack had been nothing more than an elaborate trap to gain money from the kingdom. As long as she lived, she would never forgive these people for what they'd done to her homelands, to her people, and what they did by spending her treasury which was supposed to be spent on more grain and equipment, by eating all the food she'd stored for the winter, and by simply being here.

For her part, Candira could only watch, disabled for the time being as she was tied and imprisoned in her own castle. She would make them all pay dearly some day. Of that, she was quite sure.

She was at least allowed to remain in her own bedroom as there were enough rooms for the riders to use, but she was tied with a shackle to the bedpost. Even if she could escape, the door was barred from the outside and she'd never survive the fall from her window. Her servants though, were forced to sleep wherever they could. As evening yielded to night, she could see the extent of her people's suffering at the depredations of these truly evil beings who cared not for the suffering they inflicted onto others. These men, if they could so claim to be, were the worst kind of spawn created in war.

But it seemed her suffering was not yet done. The bar was removed from her door with a heavy thud, and the door opened. The tall man from before, Fear, approached, still wearing his armor and helm. Slowly, he crossed to room to her and she could smell the heavy liquor on his breath as he took in her scent. His intention was quite clear at this point as his ungloved hand ran over her bare flesh and brazenly groped her breast. <"I need you alive...but that is all.">

"Dummkopf." A second voice was at the doorway, snapping the big man's attention. It was the raven-helmed man. <"Your shift is on for the night watch, get out there."> There was a deep growl from the skull-masked brute and he moved away from Candira, brushing hard past the other man as he left, nearly pushing him over. The raven-helmed man looked back at the doorway for a while before taking a deep breath and he looked at her, placing a single gloved finger to where his lips would be. He produced a brass key and slowly moved to her, undoing the chain binding her to the bed. "I'm sure you don't want to remain in our hands...if I get you out to the forests, can you make it out on your own?" His voice was calm and sedate, not chilling, but still not much comfort, as if he was beyond feeling.

The indignities her people had to suffer were beyond infuriating. And it seemed as though these creatures would never stop. She felt the pain of her people, servants and loyal farmers alike as she watched from her window and heard from outside her door. She would share her room if only she could but they were keeping her isolated. Those monsters didn't deserve to live another second. She did her best to remain calm and regain her strength. The instant she had it back, she would deliver divine retribution on each of them.

Still tied up on her bed, the prisoner stared at Fear in disgust as he came into her bedroom smelling of alcohol. His heavy hand--the same one that had tried to end her life, came down to grope her breast. If she could cut off his hand, she would. The idiot couldn't even grasp that she didn't understand him. "Beast."

From the doorway, a smug interloper stopped what she was sure would have been her rape. At least for that she could be grateful. As the big one left and the raven-helmed man entered, she was ready to chant a spell to get rid of him once and for all. The only thing that stopped her was the key he produced. Suspicious, she watched as he undid the chain that held her in place. She rubbed her neck and hands muttering a fast healing spell to take away the pain, she listened to him speak her language. Glaring at him as though he were Satan himself, she used a spell to push him away from her with wind. It ended up blowing back his visor.

"So help me, I will kill all of you for what you've done here if you let me go. Why would you help someone who only desires your death?" She held her hand at the ready, a fire spell at the ready to blast him back to the Hell he came from.

He was tossed and sent into the wall, groaning in pain. The visor pushed up revealing a young man with fine features and short silvery locks, mostly covered by the leather skull cap beneath the helm. Bright green eyes slowly opened in discomfort as he looked over at her, somehow not filled with any surprise at her actions. "If you want to get free, you'll need my help. You can't beat Fate, he has unusual powers and your magic will do little to him. The only thing you can do for now is to run, we're against orders being out here. If we stay too long, our contract will dissolve and we'll lose all the money we were going to gain."

Slowly he started to stand, but froze when he saw the murderous intent in her eyes. He settled back down, looking at her with a grim and fatalistic look, as if he was prepared for this moment. "I'm doing this because I want my soul back...I've...done too much to simply ask for forgiveness from anyone, I have to earn it back with my own actions if I don't want to become as the lost and the damned...if I'm not too far there already. But...if you want to deliver oblivion...you wouldn't be wrong. But you won't overcome Fate." He relaxed in his seated position, looking at her and waiting for the blast, not attempting to defend himself. There was a look of hurt resignation in his eyes.

She was a little surprised by his appearance--You'd think one with such a dark and twisted heart would have a similar countenance. It did little, however, to restrain her from attacking immediately. He told her he needed her help to escape, and to some extent he was right. She would need his knowledge of the watch and blind spots to escaped unharmed and in condition to help her people as well. They were her first priority, and she happened to know that a garrison was not far from her home town. The commander owed her a favor.

However as he fed her the lines about wanting redemption and forgiveness she almost laughed. As if the rest of his lifetime would be enough to atone for the kinds of sins committed. Despite her urge to hurt him, she saw no advantage in a wounded ally and she needed to get out of here. Besides, something about him told her that despite the ludicrous idea of him ever being cleansed of his sins, he really did yearn for redemption.

"A fine time to start," she muttered. "Very well." The fire spell dissipated and she walked to him offering her hand. "If you can get me to the forest I'll do the rest on my own." She watched him cautiously, aware of every move he could make against her. He had no reason to kill her or hurt her, however, so she trusted that he would not. "What is your name?"

"Rafe." His voice spoke softly as he stood up, seeing no more danger from her. At least not for the moment. He looked at her as he stood up from from the ground and nodded slowly. "Follow me...quietly."

After a few close calls and nearly running into a very distraught Fear, he managed to get her past the gates and out into the open. Fortunately, the night watch on the walls weren't paying close enough attention to see them slip into the trees.

"Alright, you'll have the cover of the forest and the Black Riders aren't spread far enough that you'll risk running into them. You should be...safe now." Slowly he pulled down his visor on his helm and turned to walk back to the castle. "I hope you get your revenge."

He seemed true to his word. He had no reason to lie or hurt her--she was already within the grasp of the group after all. He was risking himself a great deal by helping her out of here. During their escape she resisted the very strong urge to throw a few hexes on Fear. Once they were out and into the trees her opinion of him had changed--but only enough to consider that he was at least trying to redeem himself. She stared at him intently as he told her she should be safe and he hoped she got her revenge.

"Rafe, I will not forget this kindness. But I cannot ignore the actions of your band of miscreants. If you truly wish to redeem yourself, you will help these people. I will return with reinforcements, and I will free them." She said, staring at the young man in the visor. "I hope someday you'll have your forgiveness. Until we meet again."

With that, the sorceress took her exit out of Rafe's life. She would follow through on her promise.

When she returned with reinforcements, the Black Riders were gone. As Rafe had said, their depredations were against orders and they couldn't risk losing their mercenary contract. The people were happy to be free of them, but regardless, the coming year would be difficult. Food would have to be purchased and imported to survive the winter, which hindered development and prosperity for some time, and much would have to be rebuilt and replanted. It was a great setback that would harden her people's lives for years to come.

The old war ended, not with peace or resolution, but by exhaustion. The old tensions were still sore, but many knights had spent fortunes fighting and raising armies and were now disenfranchised by their former lords, so mercenaries were ripe and abundant, and some turned to thievery or worse. The lands were trying to heal when the worst possible thing that could have happened, in fact did. The ancient sage Razenthal passed on to the next world, without naming a successor to her title. The united lands, united though not above warring with each other, depended upon the title of Sage to declare the next king and to settle major disputes. The reasoning for her leaving was unknown, as the Sage was the wisest person in the land and was privy to knowledge beyond mortal understanding.

Without a Sage, several factions emerged, each championing a new "sage" that was surely a politic move, vying for power. The royal family rapidly lost power, it's own military resources drained and unable to enforce its own will. Before long, championing turned to feuds and insults became threats. Then, threats were matched with steel and civil war emerged between the nobility. This second war, with depleted resources and embittered pride was brutal and filled with attrition. Mercenaries were scrounged up to fight the various factions and bandits preyed upon the defenseless, even upon wandering knights. An age of darkness emerged over the land like none known before.

Rafe had been making his way through the world. At some point, between the wars he had left the Black Riders and was turned mercenary as best as he could. But now, things looked grim. He was laying in a ditch by one of the main roads in the kingdom, far from any large town, having been waylaid by bandits. He was bleeding out through a large knife wound in his stomach and he was sure that death would come soon, too soon for him to have finished his salvation. Damnation awaited.

Candira worked hard to restore the land with the help of the garrison who'd come to her aid. They were more than happy to help her restore what they could, but then they were gone. Still, the people of her land--though safe--were now suffering. Rather than stay in a place where she could do so little good for people without her resources, she set out into the world to earn money to help restore trade, pay debts, and hire on help and extra protectors. She had become a well-known mercenary, picking up extra skills along the way--strengthening her body, mind, and repertoire of spells. She had heard that the Black Riders had weakened a bit over the years, but she could only confirm that one of them had left.

In her travels she worked to find out more about them and hoped that if she came across them she would be able to avenge her people. She'd earned quite a reputation and made a great deal of connections and earned a lot of favors as well as money that she sent home via a trusted messenger.

It just so happened that on the day her one-time savior was dying, a newly-garbed Candira was traveling the very road he lay in the ditch of. When she saw him, she instantly went into a healer's mindset: her duty was to help. She slid down the bank and got on her knees next to him, immediately chanting a spell to locate the wound so that she could heal it. "Hold on, friend. I'm here to help you."

She ignored his face for the time-being, focused on the injuries. She took a small vial from a pouch around her thigh and poured some of the sapphire liquid within on her hand. After replacing it, she rubbed her hands together and held them over his body, chanting a healing spell.

The plethora of wounds on his body began to heal themselves, the bleeding stopping first and then the rest of the body began to repair itself. After a long moment of intense concentration, the redhead relaxed and heaved a sigh. Though his wounds were healed for the most part, his condition was still rather delicate. Undue strain would probably kill him. He'd lost a great deal of blood and he needed to rest. The magic process was taxing in and of itself on both of them, but he likely wouldn't be getting up and jogging off any time soon.

She looked at his face for the first time and gasped. What had happened years ago came rushing back to her and she was able to place him in an instant. "Rafe. So we meet again..."

Rafe gasped out as he felt the pain leaving him. It was still very sore and burned from ache, but he was feeling at least some energy return to him. He slowly managed to turn over and look at the source of his new found energy and life and saw a face that he had not seen in a long time and thought he would not ever see again. He looked at her for a long quiet moment before he turned away from her, slowly managing to stand, but not do much more. "I'll leave you be...thank you though."

Rafe had become accustomed to not staying in any place for long and from avoiding figures from his past. He remembered what had happened to her and he didn't want to be reminded of what he had been. But there wasn't much he could do. A few steps were all he could manage before he was heaving and lowered onto his knees. Rafe had simple clothes now, no armor, and only a simple longsword sheathed on his back, the one possession he couldn't let anyone take from him. His silvery hair was matted and worn, and his green eyes were world-weary and looked like they had seen it all.

Though she was able to recognize him, he may as well have been a different person. He looked nothing like the cold and heartless warrior she'd seen so long ago. He seemed vulnerable. She watched him as he stood up and immediately sprang up with him. She expected him to fall over in a heap of pain and dizziness. He managed to make it two steps further than she thought. Though she had mixed feelings about Rafe, she couldn't very well let him die. She came to his side after he fell to his knees and then knelt next to him.

"I would have told you to rest, but I doubt you would have listened. You body used a lot of energy to heal itself just now. You need to rest. Please don't move. I'd hate for my efforts to go to waste," she said with a smirk. That said, she reached into the pack she carried and pulled out some cured meat (the equivalent of jerky) and handed it to him. "Here, this will help you to not pass out from the blood loss. I know I swore I'd kill you before, but I swear I won't do it when you're like this."

He gave a wry smile and made an attempt at humor. "Oh...so you're going to wait until I'm better? Then it's a fair fight and I'll put up a better resistance?" He chuckled softly as he took the meat and started to chew on it. "I didn't expect you to help me. I thought you'd rather see me dead..." He couldn't speak all that well considering his state. "Why did you help me? And why are you here...?"

Rafe had certainly fallen far. He didn't look older, but there was an aura of age and weariness about him that spoke of guilt, burden, and tragedy. He looked like he needed, above all, a good rest and some good food.

His attempt at humor got a laugh out of her, but just one. She had promised to have her vengeance on him, but something about him had changed a great deal, and she was sure he was the member of the Black Riders that had left shortly after the incident with her homelands. She just couldn't bring herself to hate him.

"I suppose the healer in me just can't leave someone who needs me alone." She smiled and reached into her pack for some water as well. She handed it to him once she found her canteen. "I did tell you I wouldn't forget the kindness you showed me. Perhaps I felt the need to repay you. In any case, my taking vengeance on you now would be pointless. It seems as though time has done it for me." She frowned and looked off into the distance.

"I was headed for the capitol. I was told there would be a job waiting for me there. One that will pay very well from the sounds of it. My homeland is still staggering to recover, so I need that money." Sighing the redhead looked at him. "I don't know where you were headed, but I can't very well leave you here. At least not until you've got your strength back. "Why not come with me for now? I'm staying with a friend who's doing quite well as a merchant. He loves having guests, so one more would be welcome. In the morning we'll part ways if that's what you want."

It seemed like a good offer, but even she wasn't sure why she was making it.

He chewed on the meat some more before he accepted the drink from her and took a deep gulp of it. "Ahhh, that's good." He breathed a long sigh of relief before he caught his breath and looked at her for a response. "I was on my way to Lyre. It's on the way to the capitol, perhaps you could help me there. I don't think I could make it there alone in my condition. I need to get there and...if I'm going to the capitol, I'll need to wrap up some business there."

He looked away from her when he heard of her homeland. "I'll help you...however I can. I can help you with this job and I'll give you as much as I can. I..." He looked down and seemingly collapsed against her in tears, his body shaking. "I can't run from it...and...you...you're the only one that knows. A person sworn to kill me...I...I can't run away from it all. I...want it undone. I want it to never have been..." She heard him whisper out as he tried to pull himself together, embarressed for falling apart like this against a veritable stranger. "Make it untrue...please..."

She watched him as he ate and drank the meager portions she gave him. They weren't terribly far from a town where he could rest up. She could stock up there as well, and she would need to if she was helping him. Lyre...that was a fair distance off, but she couldn't just leave him alone like this. Her better nature was definitely winning out today. "I've got contacts in Lyre we can stay with as well."

His reaction to her homeland wasn't what she had expected. He seemed genuinely ashamed and sincerely sorry for his actions. This sentiment was further displayed as he collapsed against her. She gasped and put her arms around him as he shook, leaning heavily against her. Pity for him was something she couldn't deny, and he certainly seemed to need her. She wasn't sure she could forgive what had happened easily, but if he could swear to help her, she could certainly give it a try.

"Rafe..." she sighed and stretched. "All right then. If you want to come with me and help with this job I understand. I won't try to stop you." With that, she smiled softly. "I could probably use the help anyway." Oh, she still wanted to do unspeakable things to the Black Riders...but she simply couldn't do anything more to Rafe than he'd already done to himself. "Rest a bit more and I'll help you to the next town. Finish the meat."

"I'm sorry...I'm...sorry for acting as such...." He slowly ate and finished the water, unable to look up at her. "I have no past I can speak of...and little hope for more than that." The empty pain in his words was palpable. He had known depths of suffering that could not be spoken of. What was there left of him to kill if she even had the inclination?

"Thank you for your generosity. I promise I'll help however I can, I swear my word to it..." Rafe took his time finishing the food and water and he slowly stood with her help. "I suppose...I think I'm strong enough now." He looked at her and gave a weak smile. "I cannot repay you for such kindness...let's go..."

The mention of his past and the pain that it seemed to invoke for him was something she just couldn't ignore. She watched him as he ate and drank. He couldn't seem to look at her. She didn't know what to say to that. Clearly, though, since the last time they'd met, he hadn't achieved much on his journey for redemption. Well, she certainly couldn't blame anyone for denying him an opportunity to make up for what he'd taken from them. But looking at him like this...She simply couldn't refuse.

His thanks brought her out of her reverie and she shook her head. "Kindness is its own reward," she said, wagging her finger at him like her white magic teacher had done to her. "Alright, let's get you to town. It shouldn't be too far off. Just let me know if you get tired. It's not wise to strain yourself after a healing." Once they were both up, she handed him her staff. "Here. You can use this for now. If you get a little tired just lean on it," she said. And with that, she set out with him toward the city back on the main path.

"Thank you..." His words were quiet, but he did start to walk towards Lyre with her. He did not speak much on the way and before long, as the day was settling into the evening, they arrived at Lyre, the trade center for the region. It was a large city and contained impressive buildings, a large market, and temples that attracted the local worshipers from the surrounding villages. Rafe entered the city with Candira, looking about as traders and merchants entered with them. Rafe looked at her for a moment before he headed to the Temple of Sin. Sin was the Lord of Night, seen as the moon in the night sky. He was known as the Dual-Natured God. When full and bright, he is a guide in the darkness to the lost and forsaken. When empty and dark, he is a deliverer of judgement and a wrathful destroyer of the wicked. Sin was seen also as having dominion of animals in the night and any animal with red eyes was believed to be a servant of Sin. Rafe spent a few minutes praying at the temple which was dimly lit and had a great stone sphere at it's top representing the moon and candles used to show how it would be lit tonight, a crescent moon.

After that, Rafe looked at her. "What business do you have here? Is there something I can assist with?"

Lyre was a colorful city full of merchants, travelers, priests, artists, and shady characters. The diversity was fantastic. Once they arrived, Candira felt much better. She walked with him to the Temple of Sin to make sure that he wouldn't collapse. Frowning as she watched him pray, she offered up a prayer of her own for him. When Rafe was finished, she smiled.

"It's on my way to the capitol. I need to stock up on supplies. It's a nice place to rest up and get some great food. From the looks of you, and based on your healing today, I'd say you could use a little of both. I won't stock up until tomorrow. Tonight, let's just get some rest. Would you mind sharing a room?"

In fact, she also intended on sending some money back to her lands after a rendezvous with her messenger of choice near the Temple of Suma, the goddess of the harvest. She would need to do some praying for her farming citizens. "I want you to come with me later to the Temple of Suma. I've some business there and I'd like for you to watch over me. That won't be for a few hours, so we may as well check into an inn and get something to eat. Will you?"

Rafe nodded slowly. "Food and rest both sound very good...I'm famished. I'll finish my business here tomorrow." He exited the temple and started to walk along with her towards the place she was referring to.

But on the way there, Rafe was distracted. He caught sight of a young woman in the street being accosted by a group of armed men and women, about a dozen. It wasn't an unusual sight, but it wasn't one Rafe could ignore. They were bullying her for money and by their looks, they were former knights disenfranchised and displaced by the war. Rafe moved past Candira and towards them. When the leader of the group demanded the woman's money and threatened to take more out from her body, Rafe pulled him around to face him and belted him square in the face, knocking him down. There was a look of rage on Rafe's face that his new disposition made seem impossible. A fire lit in his eyes from seeing this crime that incited a hard, deep bitten hatred in him. "Leave her be...you have no right to steal from her!"

The others didn't even lay hands on their weapons, they just stared in shock which turned to a quiet anger. He was outnumbered, they wouldn't have to resort to threats until the fight began. The leader slowly stood, wiping his nose of blood. "Don't we? These people used to rely on our protection. We used to be knights and they lived until the shelter of our protection...this is our right. This war bled us dry serving our lords and now when were down, no one is here for us! We have a right to what they have, we protected them dammit!"

"I don't care, you don't get to bully it out of them just because you're stronger or have weapons! That's not right..."

"Listen you little pissant..." The leader of the group drew his blade and the men and women with him followed suit. "Fuck off, this ain't your concern. It's gonna turn real nasty unless you just turn back and let this lady and us talk business." The woman was starting to move away, but one of the female knights moved behind her and held the sword to her. Rafe slowly drew his blade.

"I've got nothing left to lose..." There was a cold remorse in his eyes, but it was buried beneath that fire. He had been that bully. He couldn't stand by and let it happen again or he was no better than them. Then what he had been.

Candira hadn't seen what was going on until Rafe hurried past her. Damn it. He was in no condition to fight, no matter how much that woman needed protection. She sighed and followed after Rafe who jumped into the fight without a problem. They were outnumbered and she wasn't optimistic about this going well. Still, now that Rafe was involved and she'd seen it happening, she couldn't ignore the woman's plight, which was somehow eerily reminiscent of her own. What outraged her even more was that a female night was engaging in this harassment as well. Whatever happened to female solidarity?

Candira sighed and cast a freeze spell on the female knight, disabling her for the moment before adding a protection spell to the woman. "Now, now. Didn't anyone ever teach you it's not nice to pick on those who are weaker than you? My how the knights have fallen. Seems to me as though you're the ones who need to remember your place."

She came forward and cast several more spells on knights that were barring the woman's escape. The frightened woman ran away, calling her thanks over her shoulder. With that, it was Rafe, Candira, and a bunch of pissed off knights --three of whom were unable to move thanks to a freeze spell that would eventually wear off. She twirled her staff and stared them down hoping to attract most of the attention to her. Rafe was probably a very good fighter, but his body simply couldn't handle strain right now.

Rafe saw Candira jump into the fight. He hadn't meant to endanger her, that was the last thing he wanted. He couldn't let something happen to her. No, not again. He focused and wielded the sword in the air before focusing it forward at the leader with a cry. Along the shaft of the blade, several black feathers twirled around the gleaming metal and whirled around towards the tip. Once they reached the end they shot out in a flurry, shredding whatever of his clothes they hit and cutting his flesh. He wasn't mortally wounded, but he was cut badly and knocked back from the shock. Rafe glared out with a look of hatred, pointing his blade at the available targets. His voice hit a dark tone like the helmed horror she had met from long ago.

"There's more where that came from. I am the avatar of doom. Now...leave with your limbs and lives before I fail to be so generous." The display of magical prowess from both of them was enough to disperse them. But it was more than just the display. For a moment, Rafe had a very real and very palpable aura of fear about him, such that even Candira his ally felt it. But as fury slowly loosened its grip on him, he relinquished and sheathed the blade, slowly becoming the compassionate, guilty soul she had now met. He looked at her with the sad eyes and turned to her, his stomach flaring with pain again. "Unn...I...may have overdone it...a bit...I'm sorry you saw that...I swore...not to let anyone be victimized as I had victimized. It's my oath...my cross to bear."

The mage watched in awe as Rafe demonstrated his skill...and a healthy level of rage directed at their adversaries. For a moment, he almost seemed like the monster he'd been when she met him. And though the leader was badly hurt, he would survive with the appropriate care. Candira left the frozen members of the party that way as well. The spell would wear off. Once he returned back to the person he'd become over time, she rushed over to him, frowning as he held his stomach. Immediately she punched him in the shoulder.

"I can understand wanting to help, Rafe, but you're injured! What did you not understand about me telling you not to strain yourself?" She frowned and sighed. "Honestly, you should try to think a bit before you charge in. What good would you have been to that woman if they'd managed to seriously wound you again?" That said, she figured he didn't need to be lectured, he needed to get rest and food. "Alright now. Let's get to the inn," she said guiding him back toward a main street and into a nicer looking place to stay that was still affordable.