Let It End

JP with Omni and White_Caribou

Voah’s sword fell against the witch’s spear and pauldron; the skull of some dead beast that hugged her shoulder, protecting it. She just barely dodged the witch’s sly attempt to feint and eviscerate her. She pushed the witch back and tried to process the response as Alcuin took a successful swing, cutting into her arm.

~Maleficium? Had Islana been a witch too? A treacherous evil demon in the form of a pretty young girl and not some innocent bystander that this witch corrupted to become the Prophetess thing? This whole time? Did Gonyaul know? Would he have hidden it from her if he had known? Why would a witch willingly help look for an Arbiter? If Arcadia had taught her anything, it was that life isn’t so black and white, people weren’t inherently evil, and that even an Arbiter could fall in love with a heathen or a heretic. But… was this witch just trying to confuse Voah with lies?~

If the dark haired witch wasn’t actively being attacked by the vengeful “prospector”, she would have noticed the hesitance and concerned contemplation on the holy woman’s face.

Now the witch was repositioning herself away from Alcuin and between Voah and Gonyaul and she could see that he was injured and being attacked again by another dark robe.

Then the witch dropped a concerning exclamation, that she had actually saved Islana’s life, contrary to what Voah was led to believe from a man she had trusted far too quickly.

It was glaringly obvious how very passionate the woman was in her claim which left little doubt to Voah of its sincerity. But… if that was true… then Alcuin had been lying to her. Was his lie just a play to convince her for help? Who was Alcuin really? Certainly not some random “prospector”. She had promised him that the witch would die.

Something wasn’t right about all of this. She was just scratching the surface of something that was starting to unfold, but she needed the witch alive. But how? What could she do? Did she expect it all to stop if she demanded it?

The witch and her dark robed friends were out for revenge for her theft and the attack in the desert. The map was likely reduced to ash so there was no bargaining chip besides… herself maybe? If they would let the others go, but how could she make that deal and could it be honored?

Maybe she could convince the witch that Gonyaul wasn’t a part of this and to take him to his friend Islana who considered him family.

“Lam’isid!” she cursed the impossible decisions.

Seeing more clearly how injured Gonyaul was hurt her heart, for he resembled something terrible akin to the revenant that the blood witch had enthralled. Now he was being attacked again by some other dark robed bitch.

“Teré!” Voah yelled instinctively in Mizaran which the witch would have understood as ‘Stop!’.

“Teré! Call them off!”

Shalia did not have to worry much about Alcuin as he was occupied with the robes nearest to him. Perfect. It was just her and the holy woman...and whoever else was flooding into battle on this street.

She stopped moving and took in the sounds of blades clashing, shouting, and the crackling fires around that swelled from their buildings. The rise and fall of her own breaths she fought to keep steady. Her tongue swept away some of the bitter blood from her gashed lip and she spit a mix of blood and saliva onto the ground from her aching gum socket. Crimson painted her snow-white arm from the cut. Her eyes burned with wanting to end this finally, but the intense yearning to defend herself further--to explain that Islana had not suffered under her hand. Though there was little time for talk between flying arrows and slashing swords, the holy woman had taken on a different air since exiting the building. Shalia could see that now.
The sudden pleading in the language of her childhood struck a chord, as did the way Voah looked worriedly between the witch and the man nearby. A deeply tender concern. It was palpable to Shalia. Had she really not wanted to fight anymore?

With parted lips she said nothing, but her expression wavered momentarily as if to convey, 'Even if I tried, no telling they would listen.' She had no idea where Amalu was to have him officially end it if she had decided to. Or that he would even listen. Maybe the hunt could never truly be finished until the targets were all cold.

The archer let loose an arrow that scraped the side of Voah's neck, having moved to block another long, desperate stab from the witch. Shalia followed up with two more strikes but Voah had her blade to hold back the spear. The bloody, moonlit sword gleamed as she twisted the weapon away and then sent a heavy swing up from below, sending the spear flying out of Shalia's grip. The witch took a few steps back upon being disarmed, silently cursing, but the other woman still did not attempt to strike.