21st Saun
"Well look what we have here."
Glancing backwards, Rey'na saw them. Four men, daggers, fairly small. It was a familiar tactic from her time as a mercenary when she was younger. All of the bigger men were used for fear or the bigger targets. But when a woman or a child was alone, armed or not, the smaller ones were sent in. None of it was new to her. It was always an assumption with her group that a single woman was weaker than a single man, that four men could overpower her easily. But none of these men had fought a woman like her.
"You don't want to do this" Rey'na sighed, glancing to the four as they formed a small circle around her. Odds weres he could run forward if she needed to, escape that way. But they could catch her, or more would be waiting up ahead. There was no way they were stupid enough to leave an open exit. As she pulled her spear off her back they waited, wanting to give her what chance she had to ready. Something, it seemed, satisfied them about taking down an opponent that could fight back yet wasn't good enough. Silence fell for a moment as Rey'na waited for the first attack.
"We don't wanna hurt you, girl" a surprisingly gruff voice spoke from one of the shorter men. As he spoke she looked at the dagger in his hand as it sheathed cautiously. Immediately, all followed the same, putting their weapons away now that they knew she wasn't about to attack without provocation. Yet her weapon stayed out. If they hadn't intended to hurt her, what did they want? More specifically, why the caution of drawing a weapon? Something in her didn't trust it, an instinct kicking in as she prepared herself mentally to attack.
Before she could react, however, there was a familiar feeling - a burning. In her pocket, she felt the artifact burn and glow red hot, meaning a Plaguebearer was nearby. But before it hadn't happened, none of them had made it burn. Sensing her panic, the men went for their first move, lunging forward to grab her arms. Two held her in place while another swung once, weakening her with a fist to the stomach as she coughed - then the laugh. A twisted, almost gleeful laugh from the escape she had considered as the burning continued.
"Hello, daughter of Lisirra" the glowing blue eyes spoke to her, the sharp voice piercing her like a blade as she glanced up, struggling in the arms of the men that held her. Yet those eyes left her filled with a mix of emotions, as did the words. Fear, more than others. Had Lisirra sent for her? It had been a long time since she'd heard of Lisirra, and even since she'd seen a Plaguebearer - a few seasons ago with a man she faked love for just to kill. Now she was held in place as a Plaguebearer stood before her, a man with a sinister smile on his face.
"No words to say to me? Lisirra herself sent me to you, after all" he taunted, waiting for her reaction, wanting to see her break. But her eyes burned strong, fierce as she looked on. Deep inhales kept her steady, her eyes refusing to look away from the man for more than half a trill at a time. Seeing her struggle a little, the man gestured to the men, causing them all to let go and quickly take a step back to avoid being in range of her spear. "Now that we're on civil terms, would you be more inclined to listen?"
Growling under her breath, Rey'na gave a small nod, wanting to hear what he had to say. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity, maybe she wanted more information about Lisirra and her plans - not even she knew. But whatever reason it was, she needed to hear it, to hear what he had to say to her, what Lisirra had to say to her. Chances were, after that punch to the gut, it wasn't an apology. Perhaps it wasn't anything but a death threat. If that was the case, so be it. Rey wasn't scared of Lisirra. She knew her better than that. Lisirra had loved her, and that meant something. Her life wasn't immediately at risk. But the same couldn't be said for Lisirra, not if she tried anything. If death was the only way to save Lisirra, so be it.
"Well, young one. Your kind mother has a proposal for you, an offer" he explained, as if he was talking to a small child. Admittedly, he was older than her, but by ten years at most. Keeping quiet though, Rey held her tongue. Lisirra had an offer, after all this time. Perhaps she had waited for Rey'na to come crawling back to her, only to realise it wasn't going to happen. "Come with me. To Rhakros, where your mother waits for you. Embrace her, tell her how sorry you are, let her show you that this life is not the one you want to live - but the life she gave you! Show her how grateful you are for a chance, for a-"
Killing hadn't ever been her first choice, not since she left Desnind and was clean of the curse Lisirra called her blessing. Yet it came over her, the instinct that she had tried to hide for so long. Her spear sung its song and before the man could take a step back the sharp blade had slashed through his throat, cutting deep as the shock surged through him and knocked him flat to the floor. Yet her instinct hadn't ended yet, rather it had only just begun. While she was normally merciful, these men had no mercy left for them. She had been the judge, then the jury - and now she executed.
Before any could draw a weapon, her spear planted in the chest of another, a loud cry of anger leaving her as it did. On her arm was her shield, as it usually was, which she readied at her torso in case anyone stabbed for her. Three were left standing, two of which grabbing their weapons as the last one ran. A knife thrust quickly, in panic, for Rey'na - bouncing off her shield like it was nothing. Reactively, Rey slammed her shield into the man and knocked him aside a few steps, readying herself to finish off the last two.
Cautiously she turned, seeing the last man ready to run and charge at her. It was a tight window, the speed at which he was coming and her reflexes as her arm snapped into place and went straight forward, lunging as her back leg lifted a little off the ground to give some leeway for the thrust. With his own momentum betraying him, the man went full speed into the spear, pain surging through his stomach as it pierced his skin and dove deep inside him, almost halfway through his torso. As he dropped his blade with a loud clang his own eyes met hers, the hatred clear in them as she pulled the spear back and out of him, her foot planting back on the ground before she took the spear in one hand and swung to the side, pointing the blade at the neck of the man she'd pushed to the wall.
"Send Lisirra a message" she said with a cold tone. "Every man or woman she sends my way will die. My life with her is over. Forever."
Glancing backwards, Rey'na saw them. Four men, daggers, fairly small. It was a familiar tactic from her time as a mercenary when she was younger. All of the bigger men were used for fear or the bigger targets. But when a woman or a child was alone, armed or not, the smaller ones were sent in. None of it was new to her. It was always an assumption with her group that a single woman was weaker than a single man, that four men could overpower her easily. But none of these men had fought a woman like her.
"You don't want to do this" Rey'na sighed, glancing to the four as they formed a small circle around her. Odds weres he could run forward if she needed to, escape that way. But they could catch her, or more would be waiting up ahead. There was no way they were stupid enough to leave an open exit. As she pulled her spear off her back they waited, wanting to give her what chance she had to ready. Something, it seemed, satisfied them about taking down an opponent that could fight back yet wasn't good enough. Silence fell for a moment as Rey'na waited for the first attack.
"We don't wanna hurt you, girl" a surprisingly gruff voice spoke from one of the shorter men. As he spoke she looked at the dagger in his hand as it sheathed cautiously. Immediately, all followed the same, putting their weapons away now that they knew she wasn't about to attack without provocation. Yet her weapon stayed out. If they hadn't intended to hurt her, what did they want? More specifically, why the caution of drawing a weapon? Something in her didn't trust it, an instinct kicking in as she prepared herself mentally to attack.
Before she could react, however, there was a familiar feeling - a burning. In her pocket, she felt the artifact burn and glow red hot, meaning a Plaguebearer was nearby. But before it hadn't happened, none of them had made it burn. Sensing her panic, the men went for their first move, lunging forward to grab her arms. Two held her in place while another swung once, weakening her with a fist to the stomach as she coughed - then the laugh. A twisted, almost gleeful laugh from the escape she had considered as the burning continued.
"Hello, daughter of Lisirra" the glowing blue eyes spoke to her, the sharp voice piercing her like a blade as she glanced up, struggling in the arms of the men that held her. Yet those eyes left her filled with a mix of emotions, as did the words. Fear, more than others. Had Lisirra sent for her? It had been a long time since she'd heard of Lisirra, and even since she'd seen a Plaguebearer - a few seasons ago with a man she faked love for just to kill. Now she was held in place as a Plaguebearer stood before her, a man with a sinister smile on his face.
"No words to say to me? Lisirra herself sent me to you, after all" he taunted, waiting for her reaction, wanting to see her break. But her eyes burned strong, fierce as she looked on. Deep inhales kept her steady, her eyes refusing to look away from the man for more than half a trill at a time. Seeing her struggle a little, the man gestured to the men, causing them all to let go and quickly take a step back to avoid being in range of her spear. "Now that we're on civil terms, would you be more inclined to listen?"
Growling under her breath, Rey'na gave a small nod, wanting to hear what he had to say. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity, maybe she wanted more information about Lisirra and her plans - not even she knew. But whatever reason it was, she needed to hear it, to hear what he had to say to her, what Lisirra had to say to her. Chances were, after that punch to the gut, it wasn't an apology. Perhaps it wasn't anything but a death threat. If that was the case, so be it. Rey wasn't scared of Lisirra. She knew her better than that. Lisirra had loved her, and that meant something. Her life wasn't immediately at risk. But the same couldn't be said for Lisirra, not if she tried anything. If death was the only way to save Lisirra, so be it.
"Well, young one. Your kind mother has a proposal for you, an offer" he explained, as if he was talking to a small child. Admittedly, he was older than her, but by ten years at most. Keeping quiet though, Rey held her tongue. Lisirra had an offer, after all this time. Perhaps she had waited for Rey'na to come crawling back to her, only to realise it wasn't going to happen. "Come with me. To Rhakros, where your mother waits for you. Embrace her, tell her how sorry you are, let her show you that this life is not the one you want to live - but the life she gave you! Show her how grateful you are for a chance, for a-"
Killing hadn't ever been her first choice, not since she left Desnind and was clean of the curse Lisirra called her blessing. Yet it came over her, the instinct that she had tried to hide for so long. Her spear sung its song and before the man could take a step back the sharp blade had slashed through his throat, cutting deep as the shock surged through him and knocked him flat to the floor. Yet her instinct hadn't ended yet, rather it had only just begun. While she was normally merciful, these men had no mercy left for them. She had been the judge, then the jury - and now she executed.
Before any could draw a weapon, her spear planted in the chest of another, a loud cry of anger leaving her as it did. On her arm was her shield, as it usually was, which she readied at her torso in case anyone stabbed for her. Three were left standing, two of which grabbing their weapons as the last one ran. A knife thrust quickly, in panic, for Rey'na - bouncing off her shield like it was nothing. Reactively, Rey slammed her shield into the man and knocked him aside a few steps, readying herself to finish off the last two.
Cautiously she turned, seeing the last man ready to run and charge at her. It was a tight window, the speed at which he was coming and her reflexes as her arm snapped into place and went straight forward, lunging as her back leg lifted a little off the ground to give some leeway for the thrust. With his own momentum betraying him, the man went full speed into the spear, pain surging through his stomach as it pierced his skin and dove deep inside him, almost halfway through his torso. As he dropped his blade with a loud clang his own eyes met hers, the hatred clear in them as she pulled the spear back and out of him, her foot planting back on the ground before she took the spear in one hand and swung to the side, pointing the blade at the neck of the man she'd pushed to the wall.
"Send Lisirra a message" she said with a cold tone. "Every man or woman she sends my way will die. My life with her is over. Forever."
