The Journey (EvaRose & Rage)

"I'm a night," he smiled softly, "it's my duty do to, erm, knightly things I guess." He twirled the key in his hand as they reached the 2nd floor. The building was very clean and nice, and there appeared to be no damages what so ever. It wasn't unusual for a scuffle or two to take place around this Inn, but it looked like Burle took care of all damages as quick as he could. They heard noises of patrons with some of the working girls as they passed the rooms in the hallway, making Haine flush with embarrassment. "What are they thinking being that loud? Don't you think they have any deceny?..." He shook his head. Hopefully their room would block out the sound.

Haine jammed the key into the door and opened it up to see the room. It was decently big, with a window, a table, two chairs, and a large single bed. "Just one bed?" Haine frowned, "Sorry about that... I should have been more specific when I asked him for some space." He opened the door for her and closed it, making sure to lock it behind him. He didn't trust the people in this city very much... and the fact that Burle probably had a copy of every key in the Inn made him nervous.

Haine sat down in the chair, his sword dropping stiffly onto the table. "We're going to the forest tomorrow, right?" He asked, cocking his head at the elf-girl.
 
Jyade nodded, though her mind was on the way he reacted when he heard the sounds the people were making in the other rooms. She heard those sounds before of course, and wasn't at all embarrassed when she heard them. His reaction was astounding really. It was about as pure as the reaction of a virgin. "Of course there's only one bed Haine," she said as she walked over to it. She laid Hunin down on the mattress then took the cloak off, reaching up to feel her ears as if she expected them to be gone. She forgot for a moment about the tears in her top, and when she remembered, she found that she didn't care. She was getting in another of her moods, to the point where she tried to just ignore anything sexual, including her own somewhat bare breasts. She reached around to take her bow and quiver off her back, setting them down by the bed before taking her sheath from her hip and setting it down as well. While they were there she planned on leaving the bow and quiver, maybe even her daggers. The one thing she'd never go without though was her sword. The elf took her daggers from inside her skirt, setting them on the table before walking back to the bed.

"That's the kind of place we're in after all." Her ears were dropping a bit, showing her displeasure over what she heard though she tried to act indifferent. A soft sigh escaped her as she picked Hunin back up, wrapping him up in the cloak a little before going to the other chair. "You can sleep on the bed. I know humans can get sore if they don't sleep on something soft every once in a while. Anyway, you kind of deserve it more than I do today." She turned around in the chair, legs draped over one arm while her back was against the other. She didn't feel like sleeping on the bed, not because she didn't trust Haine, but because of what people did on it. She could still hear the people in other rooms, the tip of her ears twitching lightly every now and again. Also, he did wear himself down to keep that spell up for her.

"Before we get to the forest I have to get new clothes and boots," she muttered, looking down at the gryphon in her lap as she spoke. The sounds were getting to her, and she couldn't look at him. He was still a human and a man. She always thought of them as things that followed their desires, and her opinion on that matter had yet to fully shift. Still though, she was sure he wouldn't hurt her for some reason. He just seemed too nice. He wasn't even nice and asking for some something in return, he was nice because he wanted to be. From the number of knights she had to travel with far, she had to admit that he was the best one yet.
 
"I know this place is crawling with worker girls and men who can't control their urges, but there's children that stay here too. I mean, it's something that we've all come to experience in our own lives, but I don't find that kind of thing very... knightly?" He shook his head, unable to find the right word. "Anyways, keep an eye out. I'm sure Burle has a key, so let's stick together at all times. He'll jump at the tiniest slip, so be careful." Haine watched her take her seat, turning his head when he saw the small slit in her tattered shirt-thing. He groaned, rubbing the back of his head.

Normally, he would have insisted that she got on the bed, but he was suddenly reminded of his own exhaustion. His body felt heavy, the armor like the stone walls of a castle. He nodded and stood up, making his way over. He knew things went on in this bed, but at the moment he was too tired to care. He laid upon it in his armor, which normally would feel very uncomfortable... but he was glad he just got used to it. He was a very light sleeper, but maybe this time he would sleep for quite a while.

"There's a good tailor I know in this city," Haine yawned, closing his eyes. "She's good at what she does, so you'll either find something there that you like or have her make something within a few hours. She's pretty talented..." Unexpectedly, Haine's words trailed off as he fell asleep. The exhaustion finally reached its peak, and it took him completely by surprise.
 
Jyade continued to stroke Hunin's head as Haine spoke, beginning to feel more out of place than ever. Here she was in the same room with a person who did good things because he liked helping them, not for money the way she did. He was so nice to so many people and they seemed to adore him. She knew nobody the way he did, and nobody liked her as much as they did Haine. The only living creature that seemed to enjoy her company was Hunin, and that was only because he seemed to of imprinted on her and thought of her as a mother. She thought about what Haine asked her earlier, tears starting to form in her green eyes. It wasn't long before she started to cry, her silent sobs not nearly as loud as the noises the people were making in the other rooms on the floor.

She didn't utter a sound for the rest of the night, setting Hunin on the cushion of the chair before going over to the window. Parting the curtain, she looked outside with one eye, watching as people walked around until around the middle of the night. They stopped walking around then and she turned her gaze to the forest beyond, wondering if the fairies were there and if they were thriving the way they were all those years ago. That sad look didn't leave her eyes though, as she was too sad to stop thinking about it. Where could a person like her really find love? She didn't feel safe with most men, and they didn't enjoy being near her. And the elves. What could she really say about them? All she remembered was that a sickness came over them, a sickness that twisted their hearts to the point that they could only feel hate. It was why her parents had her leave. Yet and still, her heart became twisted and gnarled after what the humans had her do.

She stayed like that for some time, starting to stop thinking after a while. She didn't know when she fell asleep exactly. She was kneeling on the floor though, her hair covering her ears and her face. Her arm was the only thing between her forehead and the wall. She didn't dream that night, or she didn't jump a bit because of a nightmare. Either way, she slept throughout the night and into the morning. The elf wasn't even awake when Hunin woke up, and the little gryphon started to move around on the chair, unsure of how to get to the floor.
 
When the sun was risen from the horizon, Haine finally woke up. His icy blue eyes blinked open, and his limbs stretched out in all directions. Feeling a satisfying pop in his back, the knight sat up on the bed and glanced around. The baby gryphon was having a little fit on the chair, chirping and looking around like it was confused and lost. He spotted Jyade sleeping... on a wall? Had she been staring out the window before she fell asleep? Haine frowned and slipped off of the bed. He had thought of waking her, but... well, he didn't want to wake her. But she... she looked so sad.

Haine watched her for a few moments. She was unlike any woman he had ever seen... she wasn't a damsel in distress, but a warrior. A very, very sad warrior... granted, he didn't have the greatest past either, but that didn't matter... while he tried to move on from his, it seemed like her past kept biting on her heels like she couldn't escape it no matter how hard she ran. Haine had met some of those types before, but Jyade was special.

Deciding not to wake her up, Haine looked over at the gryphon. They eyed each other, the little gryphon squawking at him. Haine frowned, sitting back down onto the bed to look at it. It was so small and so vulnerable, yet it would grow into a beast that could eat an entire bull. Well, for now it seemed... kinda cute and cuddly. In a sharp talons and beak sorta way. Haine dug into his pack and tossed it a small piece of jerky before he heard some knocking at the door.

"Coming." Haine stated, standing up and making his way to the doorway. He cracked it open to see a young, lusty girl standing behind it. "Erm, can I help you?" Haine frowned. Burle was up to something... probably trying to get Haine to go away with the girl to leave Jyade all alone.

"Hello, mister knight," she giggled, "I was just wondering if you'd like to... 'accompany' me down to my room-"

"No." Haine closed the door, cutting her off. He shook his head with a groan... he was going to have to be careful of Burle even more so now.
 
Jyade heard Hunin's squawk in her sleep and began to stir, slowly waking up. She heard some of what was said as she started to wake up. A part of her knew what was going on and wanted to leave, while the other just decided that Haine was attractive in the eyes of human woman. Not that he wasn't in her eyes, it was just that she cared about more... meaningful things than the appearance of a person. When she heard the door close though, the elf jumped a bit, blinking her eyes open quickly as she was forced out of her sleepy state. She raised her hand to rub at her eyes, rubbing away any dried up tears and the sand from her eyes. She looked up at Hunin when the gryphon chirped, looking over to see that he was sitting down in the chair with jerky in his talons. He calmed down once the jerky was tossed over, though the little gryphon hadn't been sure if he was supposed to eat it or not. All he ever ate before was fish. He tried to play with it, ignoring the human for a few moments until he decided to tear a piece of jerky off and swallow it. When she woke up, he stopped for a moment, looking at her before eating another piece of the jerky. It was kind of like what a child would do if their mother caught them with something they weren't sure if they were supposed to have or not.

She got to her feet slowly, making sure the curtains were drawn before stretching her arms out over her head, pulling one using the separate arm's hand. Lowering her arms, the elf turned to the chair and walked over, lifting Hunin with one hand and picking up the cloak with the other before setting the chick back down. He held the jerky with his talons, eating some even when she picked him up. "Maybe I should stay out in the forest tonight. Nobody is going to bother me if I go out there," she said softly, "or you for that matter."

The elf placed the cloak over her head, wrapping it around her body just enough to cover the slit in her shirt. She still looked a bit sleepy, and she was. She couldn't remember the last time she slept really, and sleeping throughout the night was something she hadn't done since she was with her parents. She wasn't sure what made her sleep without even jumping in her sleep. "What are we going to have for breakfast?" Jyade picked Hunin up again, holding the gryphon in her arms as he continued to eat. She looked at the jerky then over at Haine, surprised that he even gave it to the chick. After the way he acted towards the gryphon before, she thought the man would always hate it.
 
Haine saw Jyade wake up and rub her eyes. It almost seemed as if she had been... crying. Haine said no word about it and sat down in one of the chairs, grabbing his longsword on the table. "I think I'd rather stay in the forest tonight, too..." He frowned, unsheathing it to check the blade. "To be honest, I only planned to be here for one night. Let's get our things and go... I don't want to be here any longer than I have to. He spun the sword lightly in his hand before shoving it back into its scabbard. In a few moments he had it strapped onto his back, and had gathered up his things back onto his belt. It was then that he spotted the twin enchanted daggers on his hip... he really didn't need the two of them. He glanced over at Jyade and back at the dagger before unclipping it from his belt.

"Here," he handed over the dagger. "It's part of an enchanted set. The blacksmith back in the Imperial City gave me two, and since they're both infused with magic... well, I just thought I should share it." He slipped a piece of jerky from his pouch and chomped on it, thinking to himself. He wasn't sure what the enchantment was, but it was sure that it probably varied from person to person. He would most likely find out later, but that wasn't the thing on his mind at the moment.

"I'd hate to say it, but I think we should skip breakfast to get out of this city as fast as we can." Haine stated, swallowing the jerky into his throat. "We could probably find a small place when we try and head out of the city if that's okay with you ."
 
"There are wolves in the forest," she muttered as she looked at the enchanted dagger. Her eyes were on the runes and soon she flicked her wrist, tossing the dagger at the wall. She began to talk in the ancient, elven language, looking at the dagger as it moved around the room without touching anything. She reached up to grasp it as it came back near her hand, looking at the glowing runes before looking back over at him. "I'm sure you know about how wolves and how they like to attack humans that come into the forest." She continued to look at the dagger, slowly turning it around as she tried to think about what to say. The wolves in their lands were about as ferocious as the gryphons, and the full blood ones were about as big as horses. She started to wonder if that was why the mercenaries were all there. Then again, it was rather unlikely.

She stood up, slipping the dagger into her skirt before picking up her own daggers and doing the same with them. It was getting to the point where she had too many daggers. "Well, thank you for the dagger," she said softly, her cheeks a light shade of red. It was the first time she got something from somebody in years and it kind of lifted her spirit. "That's really... nice of you," she said softly. The elf looked away from him as she reached up to feel her ears, relaxing a bit when she found that her ears were covered by the cloak.

She went to her sword, wrapping the leather attached to the sheath around her waist before picking up her box and quiver. They were getting to be a burden to have really, and there was no need to have either if she was going to keep the dagger. "Do you think we can possibly sell this anywhere?" She placed Hunin on the bed while she wrapped the quiver and bow around her back, making sure they were under the cloak before picking up the chick again.
 
"I've seen lots of wolves," Haine stated, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I haven't seen any of those large, bloodthirsty ones before. I hear stories about them... how just a handful can take on an entire platoon of soldiers. They say their hide is too thick to pierce with swords and arrows." Haine lifted his hand, flexing his fingers. "I'm confident in my strength, and there hasn't yet been a beast that has yet to beat me... but there's always a first time." Despite his ideals and gallantry, Haine loved combat. The thrill made his heart beat wild in his chest, his blood starting flowing... but he hated the fact that he loved it. It was complicated, but it wasn't his choice... and that was something he did not want to revisit for a while.

"You're welcome," he smiled, Jyade's genuine thanks overwhelming him a little. Her thanks made him feel all... tingly? Anyways, he shook it out of his head. When he was finished gathering up his things he went to the door, turning to wait for Jyade. "We could try and sell it here, but I don't think we would get a good deal... the people here like to swindle, so we should either find traders on the way or find some sort of trading post in the forest." He opened the door, hearing voices echoing down the hallway. It wasn't the sound of love-making, however... the voices were coming from the tavern part of the Inn. It was hard not to hear what they were saying.

"...So how much are you getting?"

"Same as you for this job. What exactly are we looking for again?"

"Dunno. Burle wasn't really clear... he just said to make sure that the Imperial Knight and his companion don't leave the city."

"So... do we kill them?"

"Burle said to take out the knight and capture the girl right when they want to leave."

"So why are there so many of us then?"

"Apparently, these two are real tough fighters. We don't know anything about the girl, but the Knight is somethin' else... and I heard that they defeated an entire bandit raid by themselves. We know that the Knight is strong, but we have to be careful about his companion. She could be anything."

Haine shut the door, looking back at Jyade. "You hear that?" He asked grimly.
 
Her ears were dropping a bit by the time Haine closed the door, her hand settling on Hunin's head. How could she not hear what the two were saying? They were speaking too loudly to actually know what they were doing, whoever they were. Jyadee turned away from him for a moment, walking to the window and parting the curtain so she could look outside. If she were by herself she would've jumped out without a second thought. But she wasn't alone. She had someone with her now who actually seemed to give a damn about her. And, much to her surprise, she was starting to care about him too. "It seems like we aren't about to leave anytime soon," she muttered under her breath. They were in trouble again, after they only got out of one situation the day before. Hunin rubbed against her hand lightly, pulling her from her thoughts for a moment.

The elf sighed softly and walked to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it, looking down at the gryphon before setting him on the floor. There was no need to hold him right now, not when they possibly weren't going to go anywhere. "Well, we aren't going to get anywhere with you wearing all that armor. You stick out as much as I do in a crowd." She already had something other than that in mind though. Killing them was in option in her mind, especially if she could use the enchanted dagger that he just gave her. "I guess that my needing to have this cloak on doesn't help either, and neither do my ears." She lowered the cloak so that her ears were uncovered, sighing softly as she did so. It wasn't until there that she thought about the bed she was on. But she didn't care too much right now.

"What shall we do?" Jyade asked, looking up at her companion. He had more of a say in what they did than her, at least that's what she thought. He seemed to have a cool head most of the time, unlike her. Hunin was walking around the floor, moving between Haine and Jyade slowly. The little gryphon knew no better, as it still couldn't understand most of the words they said.
 
"This... isn't going to be easy." Haine frowned, clenching his fists tightly. "These mercenaries aren't like the bandages... they're well-equipped and every experienced. On our own, we may be able to take a few of them at a time, but this city is crawling with those brutish bastards." Haine glared at the doorway, seething with anger. "And something tells me that Burle had something to do with the disappearance of the princess. So we're looking at getting answers out of Burle, fighting our way through the mercenaries, and escaping into the forest. I'm sure Burle is probably holed up in some other building somewhere... and if he's going to be a danger to us in the future, we should probably take care of him now." Haine walked over to the window and parted the curtains. The mercenaries were making themselves look busy outside, but they would most likely follow them.

"They won't attack us until we get ready to leave," Haine stated, moving away from the curtains. "But that doesn't mean it's going to be easy... so I have a little idea." He looked at her, his eyes telling her that this was either going to be life or death. "I'll start a fighting distraction in the street while you climb out of here to find Burle. They'll be looking for you too, but you're nimble enough and light on your feet so you can most likely avoid them. If you can get answers out of Burle, please do so... and you might be better off killing him when it's done." Haine reached his hand up to rub at the three scars running over his left eye... they always started throbbing when combat was on its way.

"You think you can do that?" Haine asked, looking at her hard. "I'd rather have you fighting with me, but I can manage not to get killed for a while... I'll implement a little fight-and-run strategy. When you're finished with Burle, you can come find me and we can try to escape. I'd rather try and sneak out of here, but I'm not very good at that with or without this armor."
 
Jyade frowned a bit, wishing more than anything that he hadn't said that. Still though, the thought of killing Burle did please her, enough for her to get up and pick Hunin off the floor. "Of course I can do that. Most mercenaries can't do what I do so you should be glad to have me along. Most men can't even go along a roof quietly like I can." She was starting to hate mercenaries as well, seeing what Haine meant when he said that they swarmed if money was thrown at them. She wouldn't of taken a job like this of course. She didn't kill people unless she knew why, and thought that the person hiring her had a good reason. It was something that made her unlike the other mercenaries, separating her from them a little bit.

The elf walked over to the window, putting one hand against the sill as she looked outside. With one hand, there was no way she could get onto a roof from there, and she didn't want to just walk out in case a mercenary didn't follow Haine when he walked outside. She looked at the ground below, giving a short nod before looking at Haine again. "You know, I won't be able to forgive you if you die." She said, holding Hunin carefully in her arms. "You better remember that there's a little girl who needs somebody to rescue her." She wasn't sure who she was really telling him to think about, the real little girl or the lost woman in front of him. "If I don't find you soon, you can go to the forest. If you encounter a wolf, tell it.... 'Fricai onr eka eddyr.' It is elvish for 'I am your friend.' They should at least let you stay until nighttime, if I'm not there by then anyway. Okay?" They had to prepared for the worst after all. She could do enough with her speed and stealth, but there had been time when that almost wasn't enough. And what if the man still had security, men watching the streets or the building he was in so that their employer wouldn't be harmed. There were a lot of things she had to think about right now, and so little time.
 
Haine couldn't help but smile at her, giving her an acknowledging nod of his head. "Glad to have you along, huh? If you asked me that a day ago, I would have had a difference answer than what I do now." He expected that she knew what he meant and he crept up, also taking a look outside. The mercenaries were doing a good job looking like they weren't doing anything suspicious, but now their cover was blown. Haine was starting to think that they were lucky for hearing that conversation when they did. The knight flexed his fingers in and out, his mind working up a dozen strategies. He could see around eight on the street, but they were more than likely watching from the rooftops.

"I won't die, elf-girl." He smiled at her, "as long as you can say the same. Losing our lives isn't an option... the princess is waiting, and our little journey has only just begun." He listened carefully to her directions, his eye twitching at the elvish tongue. "Erm... Fricai onr eka eddyr... got it." He repeated, hoping that it burned into his memory. He looked at her hard in the eyes and smiled one more time. "Alright. I know that you won't let me down. I guess I've already learned to completely trust you." He spun around, heading for the doorway. If there was one thing he could do, it was distractions.

He stopped and turned around to get once last glance at her. "One more thing..." He smirked, "Make sure that Burle gets what's coming to him." With that, Haine exited the room, shutting the door behind him.

It was time to get to work.
 
Jyade sighed softly as the door closed, turning back to the window. If anybody else said what he did she would've thought them a fool. The elf looked down at the ground below, taking in everything. Nobody was looking up at the window, which meant that Burle didn't exactly point out which room happened to be theirs. That was good though. His mistake would soon become her advantage, and soon. He made several mistakes unfortunately, and that was why he had to be killed. It was a bit ironic, that she was in a place that was similar to the one she worked in now, and she was going to kill one of those type of people again. The dragon was still there too, in a different form but it was there, trying to save the child yet again. This time though, the dragon came in the form of Haine, a man who she would've killed without second though two days ago. He was the distraction for her this time. Her lips curved upwards into a small smile as she thought about this. "Hopefully I can leave all this behind this time," she said softly, stroking Hunin's head lightly as she did so.

The plan ran through her head over and over again as she tried to think. She would have to find out where Burle was of course, the spineless coward. Of course he fled when he did, knowing that Haine would be after him had to be a frightening thought. Jyade's smile fell a bit as she thought of the knight. "You better not give me something else to cry about," she whispered under her breath. She wanted to believe that he would live but it was a bit hard for her to think something positive. She feared for his life now, about as strongly as she would a child's or Hunin's. She grasped the windowsill with one hand, readying herself so that she could jump out quickly. The less time this took, the better.
 
Haine made his way down the stairs, being easily spotted by the small mercenary group in the tavern area. They watched him, taking note of his every move... but they were confused as to why he decided to leave alone. But they began to think that this might be their chance to jump him. Sure, they heard he was fierce in combat, but if he was alone then they would have a much better chance to take him down rather than have to fight his companion who they knew little about. Haine's icy blue eyes shifted over to the mercenaries sitting at the tables. There were only four, and it didn't look too troubling right now. He felt the thrill start to build, his blood start to burn and boil in his veins...

Haine didn't hold himself back.

He charged ahead, kicking over the table and sending it soaring into the opposite wall. The mercenaries weren't ready for his surprise attack and jumped up from their chairs, reaching for their weapons. Haine grabbed two of them with his tremendous strength and smashed them together, cracking their heads from the impact. By the time he tossed them away, the other two had pulled out their swords and reared back to attack.

Haine knocked away the blade with his armored fist, delivering a solid punch to the warrior's face. There was a sickening snap, and the mercenaries body fell limply to the ground. The other, not wanting to fight the knight on his own, ran outside yelling for his comrades. Haine drew his longsword from his back, swinging it in one hand as if it were a stick before kicking open the door that led to the interior of the city.

The mercenaries were all ready, their weapons in hand and ready to strike. "You want me?" Haine smirked. "Come and get me!" Haine charged away, and the group of warriors followed him recklessly deeper into the city.
 
Jyade saw Haine when he charged away and deeper into the city, hopefully with all the mercenaries following him. She was glad that they were told to capture her instead of kill her, though it didn't help much. Some mercenaries were able to use bows and arrows just like her. She ignored this though as she swung before legs out of the window, looking down at the ground below before slipping out of the window and falling to the ground below. Without boots on, and being the elf that she was, she bent down to land silently on her feet. Hunin looked at her then looked at the buildings around them, chirping loudly when he saw a man on one of the buildings. Jyade turned around to look in the man's direction, almost not moving in time to dodge the arrow that was shot at her.

Without a second thought, the elf turned and started to run through the street, clutching the gryphon with one hand as she hurried through the streets. There were a few mercenaries on roofs, but none of them knew that she was the one they were after, only knowing how to recognize the Imperial Knight because none could mistake him for another man. Her though, she was darting around quickly, so that they wouldn't be able to keep their eyes on her. She didn't stop until she saw something strange.

There was a building around the the middle of the city, and around it there happened to quite a few men, each with swords and looking like fierce warriors. They didn't look anywhere near as strong as Haine did, but she still didn't want to confront them all. There were many of them around the same area. The elf reached into her skirt, drawing out the enchanted dagger that Haine gave her. With it she had an advantage, but it was still risky. Jyade moved around the building, staying in the shadows with the dagger and Hunin in hand. She went to the back area, seeing the men that were around there as well. There were less there, which was a mistake really. "They insult me," she muttered under her breath, looking at each of the five men. With a flick of her wrist the dagger was flung at a man, cutting a vein in his neck before becoming lodged into the wall behind him. With the man bleeding to death, she darted out of her hiding place, moving as fast as she could. She drew out her sword as she whispered words for the dagger, slashing one of the men across the chest while the dagger flew out of the wall and at another of the men. Three men were at her, one bleeding badly, and the fourth was desperately trying to stop the dagger as it attacked him without a hand even holding it. She made quick work of them, fueled by her hatred for anyone who protected a man like Burle, the enchanted dagger helping as long as she thought about what it was to do.

Once the five men were slayed, three having fallen when the dagger cut their weak necks and two having been killed by her blade, Jyade sheathed her sword. She looked at the dagger that had fallen to the ground, picking it up before walking to the back door. With a twist of wrist she opened the door and slipped inside, closing it behind her before starting to walk through the building slowly, knowing that there might be more men inside trying to protect Burle.
 
"Come on, scum!" Haine growled, rushing down the streets of the city with his longsword in hand. There was more than a dozen mercenaries on his tail, and many were resting on the roof top readying their arrows. When the knight noticed this, he would cut into an alley, completely cutting off their line of vision. Even if they fired off a shot or two and managed to hit him, the arrows would simply snap at the impact of his armor. The only place they could hit him was the head, but Haine was smart enough to keep it moving. Besides, it wasn't like they were any of the renowned elven archers that were infamous with their skills in the bow.

A few warriors would jump out in front of him, raising their weapons high above their heads. Haine would dispatch them quickly, a swing swipe of his powerful sword cleaving and smashing their bodies aside, sending them crashing down onto the stone street. He was able to completely stay on the run for the moment, weaving through the marketplace and cutting into the alleys. He managed to stay unpredictable, and since the mercenaries weren't organized by a decent leader it wasn't hard to keep them off their toes.

"Is that all you got?" Haine yelled back, his shimmering armor blinding some of the enemies who glared at him. He counted at least twenty at this point. Fighting them would be suicide, but the thrill of battle starting burning in his heart, his blood pumping viciously inside him. That battle rage... the other part of him that he struggled to suppress was struggling to break out. It was hard to keep it in check, but with all the action it was becoming more and more difficult to hold himself back.

He cut back into an alley, the mob of soldiers running in behind him. He could hear archers moving on the roofs and buildings, trying to get a clear shot of him. He had to keep moving... he promised Jyade he would come out of this alive.

And it was a promise he would keep no matter what.
 
Jyade sighed softly as she strolled down the halls of the building, finding this to be quite annoying. Now she knew why Burle happened to take shelter there. Without a proper map of the building, it was easy to find yourself lost with all the twist and turns of the halls. The walls were a bit thin so that it would be easy to make the place maze-like, and for a minute she wished that the gryphon in her arm was bigger so that she could have him just run through each of them. She wasn't strong enough to do it herself and lost precious time trying to maneuver through the building. "I might as well jump out of a window to get out of here," she muttered softly. That was another thing she didn't like. There were no windows in this building, the only thing that was around to light the way was a torch placed in the middle of a hall. It was good cover for her, but it was also cover for the enemy. The shadows were both her friend and foe. The only reason she didn't take one with her was that she needed one hand to wield her sword with.

When she finally came to something other than another hall, the elf was more than happy. It was a spiral staircase that was located in the middle of the building. The first hall she was in didn't lead to it though, which is why it took her so long to actually find it. Jyade stopped though, sure that she'd be face-to-face with more of Burle's goons as soon as she walked up the steps. Placing a hand on her sword and its sheath, the girl began to speak slowly, trying to think of the words she was saying before they left her mouth. She knew spells to make things blend in with their surroundings, meaning that she could hide her sword properly. It was the same spell a fairy would use to hide from humans, if they thought they actually needed to use the spell anyway. It wasn't long before the sword seemed to disappear. It was a weak spell really, and she could keep it up for a long time if she focused on it. She reached up to pull the cloak back from over her head, moving her hair back to reveal her ears.

She was right. As soon as she made her way up the spiral staircase, the woman found herself looking at ten guards. She already had a plan forming in her mind. If she just surrounded there was no doubt that Burle would think she was up to something. These men couldn't kill her since their boss wanted her. She reached into her skirt to draw out one of her daggers as she walked up another step, looking at the group. They were all basically together in the middle of a hallway that had a door at one end. They were talking and, unfortunately for them, had their back to er. As soon as the elf had a clear shot she threw the dagger with a flick of the wrist, watching as it became lodged into a man's skull. She took her other dagger out quickly, intent on killing as many of them as she could now. She might have to kill them later, but when she couldn't be killed was the best time to take out as many of them as possible.

Jyade held the gryphon tightly against her chest as the men started at her, with no emotions in her eyes. As soon as she saw one step a bit too far ahead of the others she moved, darting forward before the man even knew what was going on. All she did was lift the dagger as she ran past, cutting a few veins in the man's neck. He wasn't dead when he fell to the floor, but he would be soon. The last of the men had his sword out and swung it as she ran past him, cutting her across the cheek, though he wanted to do more than cut her cheek. She turned around while he was still swinging his sword, swinging her arm up and forcing her dagger into the man's neck. She was using all of her energy at first and it would soon start to fail her. Even when she was taking her dagger from the man's neck another of the guards was on her. He swung and she ducked before doing something she hadn't done in years. She kicked the man in the groin. That was the thing about her. She didn't fight fair. He wouldn't be worried about that pain for long though, because her dagger sliced through his neck within seconds.

The other were on her by then, all six of them circling around her. One of them was able to grab her arm, forcing the dagger out of her hand. They still couldn't see her sword. "Damned whore!" The man pulled her to him, taking Hunin out of her arm, holding the gryphon by the extra piece of skin around his neck. "You have no idea how much I'm going to enjoy it when Burle let's us have you first."

Her eyes darted around, taking in the five men around her. She had been thinking about letting them live, but she couldn't now. These men put themselves with the rest of the ones she hated. Screw her plan; they deserved to die. With her left arm in the man's hand and the right one free, she was free to use her speed to attack instead of pure strength to lodge a dagger in a man's neck or head. They were too close too, far to close. It only took what seemed like a flick of the wrist and they were on the ground, cuts in all five of their necks. The man holding her arm instantly let go when he saw his companions fall and she turned to look at him. Her sword could be seen now, glimmering in the light coming off the torch in the hall. "Set the gryphon down," she said softly.

The man was so shaken that he actually listened. "I knew it... I knew it..." he muttered over and over again as he placed Hunin on the floor. The gryphon ran over to her as soon as he was down, rubbing against her legs as he did so. "I knew he'd find himself a demon someday, but for it to be so soo-" She swung her blade and he stopped, eyes growing dim as blood began to leave his body. She hated that more than anything. He called her a whore and a demon. The only thing she was protective over was her gryphon. Well, that and her pride.

Blood was starting to stain the floor as she stepped over the last fallen man, making her way to the door at the end of the hall. Hunin followed at her heels, staying back just far enough so she wouldn't trip on him. She ignored the fact that the cut on her cheek stung, thinking instead of the little girl. She used too much enjoy at a time and was starting to feel the effects. Her body wanted to break down, but she just wouldn't let it. The last thing she had to do was get the information and kill the man. After that, it was only a hop and a skip to the forest and a actually satisfying night of sleep. The elf finally reached the door, a soft sigh escaping her lips before she turned the doorknob and stepped inside.
 
"Well... this is unfortunate..." Haine growled, his sword swinging idly in his right hand. The running and fighting had gone on long enough, and his stamina was at its limit... and it couldn't be at a worst time. The mercenaries had finally been able to organize themselves, and now he was standing in the center of a single alleyway with two mobs of warriors completely cutting off his escape on both sides. He panted, sweat pouring down the skin on his cheek. He wasn't completely drained, but he only had enough energy to fight for ten minutes at most. Clenching his sword in his right hand, Haine put his back to one of the building walls, the men on his left and right. They roared, their weapons high above their heads with their charge.

Haine snarled, turning and charging to his left. There was barely enough space for him to swing his sword horizontally, and there was enough room for two mercenaries to charge side by side. He'd have to think fast. Haine grabbed the enchanted dagger off of his belt with his own free hand and dove into combat. He ducked, dodging a quick ax slice and jammed his dagger into the throat of his assailant. The other mercenary swing his mace down, aiming for Haine's shoulder. Haine moved back just enough for it to miss and retaliated quickly, lunging his longsword into the mercenary's chest. The long blade quickly pierced out of his back and jammed itself into the torso of the warrior behind him, making two enemies impaled on his longsword.

With his dagger and his sword piercing three enemies, it was time to rely on his tremendous strength. With the mercenaries charging him from behind, he had no choice but to move forward. He roared viciously, his feet digging into the stone ground. He dashed forward, bashing his body and the body of the impaled enemies into the mob behind them as a three part shield. The warriors were shocked... he was somehow shoving them all back, knocking them down with pure force and trampling those unfortunate to fall to their backs. Haine's icy eyes were burning with bloodlust, a beastly yell ripping out from his throat.

The mercenaries spilled out of the alley when Haine burst through, his shimmering armor splattered with blood. He quickly withdrew his sword and dagger from his dead enemies, letting them drop limply to the ground. He quickly sheathed his dagger and darted back into the street, his longsword in hand. His strength and stamina were diminishing quickly, and his body was getting heavier and heavier. An arrow glanced off the armor on his thigh, making him slightly stumble.

"Alright, elf-girl..." He panted, wiping a smear of his opponent's blood off of his cheek, "you better finish up fast and get out here!"
 
"Well that is a shame." His voice was rather even, as if he wasn't scared or even cared. There she was in the doorway with blood dripping off her blade and he wasn't even looking away as if he were nervous. No, he was standing there and looking at her with a smirk on his first. She looked at the man with narrowed eyes that had nothing but hatred in them. Burle clicked his tongue lightly before looking down at the gryphon at Jyade's feet. "You're one of the most interesting women I've seen so far. An elf, a warrior, and a gryphon tamer. I could see it when I first saw you the first time. You were in the world I live in before."

"Of course I was," she said softly. "People like you sicken me. Why don't you tell me what you had to o with the princess' kidnapping."

"The princess was kidnapped?" He feigned horror, even gripping his chest as if he had a heart attack. She could see the laughter in the man's eyes though, and hated him for that. He laughed then and sat back in one of the chairs. "You're kind have changed lately, but the woman are as beautiful as ever. Your skin cannot bruise, cannot scar, any imperfection is soon erased naturally. You are the women in heaven, but on earth. I am but one of the few who have acknowledged this fact."

"I don't want to hear your life story. Tell me about the girl." She strolled over to him and without thinking shifted her sword to her left her before bringing it down. The scream that escaped him was like music. If he were a normal man she wouldn't of cut through his arm like that, but he wasn't normal. He was on death row.

"I just told them what they needed to know!" he shouted. "I've dealt with the noblemen in that city, they were my clients and thought nothing of telling me about the structure. My men just helped them to get into the city then the elves were able to sneak in and take her. Those bastards didn't even give me the elven women like they said they would."

Jyade lowered her sword, smiling a bit as she leaning down to look the man in the eyes. "Tell me. Where are they?" She sheathed her sword then grabbed her dagger, shoving it into his chest.

"I don't know! Please I'm telling you the truth! They just came from your damned land! That's all I know."

Jyade stopped the blade just short of his heart, looking at him. "Strangely enough, I believe you." Before he could even think that she'd let him live though, the elf shoved the blade of the dagger as far in as it would go, piercing the man's heart. She enjoyed it too much though, and she knew it. A soft sigh escaped her as she took the dagger out, looking down at Hunin before slipping the dagger into her skirt. Her mind went to Haine and she quickly rushed back into the hallway. "Damnit all! I should've got the daggers before." Hunin was just running out the room when she took her daggers and slipped them into her skirt with the other. The elf turned back around, her feet pounding against the floor and chest heaving as she rushed to the doorway. She ducked down quickly to snatch the gryphon up and then she was leaping, leaping through the one window in the room and crashing through the glass. She was cut a few times but could care less. Now wasn't time to worry about cuts in the skin, it was a time to worry about lives being taken.

She fell to the ground a bit too fast, twisting her ankle a bit. The stubborn woman was soon running again, following the destruction, bodies, and confused humans. She was in pain though and couldn't run as fast as she had earlier. When she saw the glimmering armor and the large frame she knew she found him. She had to give the human credit, he was still on his feet. She turned quickly, wincing a bit as she put too much force on her right foot. She was starting to really feel it as she ran after him. Her body was starting to give up on her. She never pushed herself so hard before, and all for a stupid man!

Her eyes glimmered in the sunlight as she tilted her head back suddenly, holding onto Hunin tightly as she started to call them. She howled. The sound rang through the air and nobody was really surprised once they saw her ears. You couldn't be a race of nature lovers and not learn how to mimic animals and learn to live with the beast that resided in nature. She stopped once she began to feel faint, feeling a bit dizzy all of a sudden. A minute after she had stopped the howl though, another one sounded from the forest beyond the city. Two shapes darted out of the forest then, huge beast with fur covering their bodies. They were black wolves, the both of them, horse sized the way only a full blood was. One ran at her, moving a bit further before turning around and running after her. The beast pushed her up lightly and she slid down its head and onto its neck.

More of the wolves were rushing out of the woods as well, about three more being the same size as the first two. The biggest of them was a white wolf, about a head taller than the horse sized wolves. If one looked from the right angle they would see a glimmer from something on the wolf's head. It was a fairy, just as white as the wolf it sat on. They didn't want to enter the city though, having respected the boundaries between the humans there and themselves for a while. The wolf whose back Jyade was on was running fast, wanting to leave the city. The other one ran behind Haine, unsure of the human but wanting to help at the same time. The wolf growled at the man suddenly. "Fricai onr eka eddyr," it growled, though the words were hard to really understand. It moved to Haine's side, slowing down a bit so the man could get on its back if he wanted.
 
"AAAARRNGH!" Haine snarled, his longsword ripping through the body of a mercenary, splattering his blood onto the ground and onto Haine's armor. He had given up running for now, and his only last option was to fight. The mercenaries came in small groups, charging at him all sides at random times while arrows flew through the air, aiming for his exposed head. Haine kept weaving and fighting, his powerful punches breaking the bodies of his enemies while his heavy sword cleaved through them like butter. The archers' projectiles continued to fire, glancing off or breaking on Haine's imperial armor, the skills of the mercenaries not quite good enough to hit their mark.

Things were not going good... not only was Haine growing weaker and tired by the second, but he was giving into his bloodlust. His veins were constantly pumping with his hot blood, the fury from the fight fueling his anger. Adrenaline coursed over his body, and a disgusting happiness was filling his heart. No matter how much he hated it, he loved fighting... cutting down his enemies gave him an indescribable high and left him in an almost giddy state. His lips were beginning to curl into a smile as the blood continue to spill, his eyes dangerously searching for more opponents. If he continued to give in, he would lose his entire train of thought and would become nothing short of a berserk er.

The howl snapped him out of it.

The mercenaries all screamed when giant wolves broke into the city, thrashing them around like chew toys. Haine panted, his bloodied sword hanging from his hand. Splotches of blood were in his hair and face, but he only had a few scratches from missed arrows and swords. The wolves were bigger than he could have ever imagined... and more ferocious than he would have hoped. His enemies were getting torn to shreds, and their screams and yells were filling the entire city.

A growl at his back froze his spine, and Haine turned to see one of the giant wolves staring at him expectantly. His words caught in his throat, but he managed to remember what Jyade had told him. "Fricai onr... eka eddyr..." He repeated, grabbing the wolf's fur and sliding onto its back. He had no idea what to expect, but he grabbed on for dear life.
 
Once Jyade saw that Haine was on the back of a wolf she closed her eyes, clinging onto the wolf for dear life. As soon as Haine was on his back the wolf ran as fast as it could. It wasn't long before the two charged out of the city and into the woods, the other wolves following them quickly. After maybe a minute or two of running the wolves slowed down to a stop, turning to the white one as it made its way over. The forest that they were in was dense, and it was hard to make your way through unless you stayed on the main road. These were wolves though, they didn't need a road. The white wolf looked at Jyade, sniffing her lightly before turning his gaze to the armor clad knight on the other wolf's back. "You journey with the green eyed child," a soft voice spoke up. It was the fairy on the wolf's head. It flew off and over to Haine, hovering in front of him. "Are you a friend of our friend? Answer correctly and you shall be welcome to stay in the for-"

"He... is... with me," Jyade breathed. She sat up, still panting a bit as her head cleared. She looked at the white wolf and slipped off the back of the one she was on, falling to the ground below. She didn't land properly and stumbled, unable to land correctly with her twisted ankle. It looked a bit red, showing how much pain she refused to acknowledge. The elf held Hunin in one hand as she bowed before the wolf. "We come for a good reason, I can assure you of this. A child was kidnapped and we are retrieving her."

The fairy looked at her then moved to the wolf, whispering something to it. The wolf sniffed Jyade again before licking her cheek. The fairy went over to the elf. "We greet you into the forest yet again, and your companion as well. While the two of you are here you shall be protected by the wolves and treated by the fairies."

The wolves seemed to start to calm down, the black one Haine was on laying on the ground while the others went about their business. Now that they had the okay, other fairies began to appear. They varied a great deal in color, making it look like bits of a rainbow were moving around in the air. The wolf behind Jyade laid down as well and the elf fell back into its fluffy coat. She loosened her grip on Hunin and the gryphon began to run around, looking at the fairies and chirping. He was way too small to bother the wolves much, even the half blood ones weren't bothered by his presence. She watched the gryphon as she fingered the bracelet that the child from the caravan gave her. Her eyelids were heavy though and her body was weak.

"That's good. I just... have... to..." The elf couldn't finish her sentence before she was passed out her body wishing to take back what it needed by force. She had to sleep well sometime after all.
 
When they were far enough from the city, Haine's bloodlust was just about depleted. His energy had dropped substantially as well, and he found that he had a hard time even keeping his eyes open. It was becoming more and more difficult keeping a tight grip on the fur of the wolf with each passing second, but somehow he managed. He didn't exactly want to get thrown off in a forest that he knew nothing about, and he didn't want to get separated from Jyade. It seemed she got the job done, but like him it didn't go too smoothly. There were a few things he wanted to ask her, but his exhaustion was holding back his words... and to think that he had just woken up hardly an hour ago.

When the wolves finally stopped, he landed onto his feet, reaching out to a tree for support. He panted, looking up at the pack of wolves that were all glaring at him. The conversation with Jyade and the fairy helped clear a few things up, and he couldn't help but give her a light smile when she collapsed onto the wolf's back. He took a deep breath and sat down onto the forest floor, his back resting against one of the trees. His sword and scabbard were set down right next to him, and he stared up into the leaves of the towering trees above.

"Bandits, to gryphons, to mercenaries, to giant wolves... I wonder what we're going to meet up with next." He chuckled, pulling his canteen out from his belt. He took a quick swig and sighed in relief, dropping it onto the grass beside him. The wolves were lying down, but they were understandably distant from him. He figured they could smell it on him... the scent of a human that wasn't quite a human. He was almost positive that it confused them.

"Treated by fairies, huh?" Haine chuckled lightly, "how many of you are around here anyway?"
 
The white fairy looked at him then flew over, landing on the hilt of his sword. "We are not really sure, there are too many to count, and we do not bother to count either. There may be a hundred, or a thousand for all I know. What I do know is that there are many of us sir." The fairies didn't mind the human, unlike the picky wolves. They were starting to group around him, looking at his hair and armor in wonder and amazement. Even the wolves were a bit shocked by this man. They were huge, but to see a human this size was strange. Some of the younger fairies were playing in the wolves' fur, hiding from each other while another fairy had to find them. "If you do not mind my asking," the fairy started, "why do you not take off your armor? If you have no wounds then we do not have to treat you for any of course. If you are hungry though, we might be able to find something a human can eat."

Some of the fairies were around Jyade, looking at the wounds she got from jumping through a window. Every now and again they would pull a piece of glass from a wound, finding the smallest shards and putting them away so that they could possibly make something from it later. Once they could find no more glass on her the fairies flew to the middle of the small clearing and began to look at each. Their playful nature soon got the better of them, as they piled up the shards of glass before going off to play with other fairies. It was a nice place to be in after what happened, as long as the wolves didn't go berserk and start attacking anyway. The only thing that was a hit off was the gryphon.

Hunin was running around and chirping, having seen that Jyade was asleep and was looking to other creatures to feed him. It took a few minutes for the creature to spot Haine and run to him, stopping a foot or so away then chirping for food again. The little thing remembered about the jerky it was given that morning.
 
"I... well, I don't exactly like taking off my armor," He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "But don't worry. I didn't get wounded or anything like that... the Imperial Armor is the best armor around. It's not indestructible, but I haven't met something that could pierce this." He tapped the plating on his chest with his gauntlet, releasing a sharp clinging noise. The armor did have its weak spots, but he always made sure to keep those areas protected. It restricted his movement a little, but it wasn't something that could keep him from fighting at his full strength. Still, without it he wondered how nimble of a fighter he could be... maybe like Jyade? He chuckled at that thought and looked back down to the fairy.

"Hungry, huh? I guess I am a little... I think I burned everything off running around and fighting in the village." He chuckled a bit again, adjusting in his seat at the bottom of the tree. He ran his fingers through his hair, frowning at the small splotches of blood. Great, he just bathed yesterday, and now he was going to have to do it again. He sighed softly, leaning his head back against the trunk. He knew that rescuing the princess wasn't going to be easy, but he hadn't had quite a journey like this one before. It was almost surreal...

"So when was the last time she was here?" Haine asked, motioning his head over to Jyade. He really wasn't trying to dig up her past, but he was really curious. Being friends with fairies and giant wolves was rather interesting, and he really wanted to know more about this. Sure, he had his little meetings with strange creatures, but nothing this grand.
 
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