Dark Crow Rising

"You're joking... I lost it in the chamber!? Could have made a fortune with it... You ain't no friend of mine, Undwote." Paps swears in our native tongue as he walks away patting himself down. Returning my attention to the out-of-control wind magic, I rush over to the growing crater. I cover my eyes as I bathe in the pure emerald light.

"NIN!" Vapooliar once again screams as shards of rock rain from above. Falling over, she whimpers and loses her breath as she bends forwards. Seeing the bloody excess, I grab a makeshift packet from my suit and open it up. Sliding down the crater, I slap it onto her wound and she rolls over, recoiling from the sting.

"Stap it." I tell her as I rub the capture-sack lubricant into the wound. As I do so, the vicious winds blowing at me start to calm down and only the uncomfortable, arcane pressure remains. But, feeling her wound, I detect an odd bump. Then another.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" she cries as her gut is suddenly thrust up. Backing away, I watch as a small stone spike pops out of her stomach wound. My eyes widen and I look back up out of the crater.

"PAPS! BAAAYANET, NAW!" I demand before I return to keeping an eye on the growing spell-tumour. The earth slides alongside Paps and he presents my musket to me. Shaking his paws at me, he backs away and leaves me to it. Groaning at him, I brace myself before Vapooliar's crotch and I drive the bayonet into the wound.

The blade doesn't even seem to bother her!

Feeling resistance, I flick the mutating stone out of her wound by dropping my weight onto the stock. The spell-tumour flies briefly before Vapooliar catches it. Hyperventilating, she stares at me with tearful eyes as her hand trembles. Crushing the lingering problem, she lets it burst out of her fallen hand.

"Good. Now she stop. 'Sibs stay down." Paps snorts before he climbs back out of the crater.

"W-Where aaare yau gaing?" I ask as I pull my bent bayonet out of the still-unbothered Valkinvar. Staring at the broken tool, I unscrew it and toss it away at the former mountain. I glance down at the Valkinvar one more time and nod some of my appreciation at her. Looking over at Paps, I listen out for what he clearly wants to say.

"We go now. Away from witch." Paps tells me before he leaves my sight. Sighing, I look back down at Vapooliar as the sedative works its way through her system. The bleeding has slowed, but not stopped. Glancing at her sword, I look at the glow it has.

"Sameane give me aaa haaand!" I call out as I drop what I can. Stepping over the wounded human, I take the lengthy sword handle into my paws and pull. Vadei rushes up to me and she helps out once her hands find enough space.

"What are we doing!?" she asks hastily as we hold the flat bladeface over Vapooliar.

"Seaaaring shut this." I answer as we carefully struggle against the weighty blade. Resting it on the wound, Vapooliar hisses as she takes over with holding it still. She nods at us slowly and I clap my pawpads together before picking my musket back up.

"Th... Thank you..." Vapooliar answers, huffing carefully as she cautiously watches the blade's edge. I nod and walk towards the crater's edge.

"Try nat ta let it apen aaagaaain." I remark mildly loudly as I crawl up to see what Paps is up to. Reaching the top, I spot the human soldiers he is conversing with. Moving closer, I hear them clearly and get the gist of it. They are looking for a way back to the Theocracy and in turn, back to their war.

"Yes. We guide." Paps nods as I approach. Recoiling from his sudden slap, I rub my head and grumble. Did he seriously just reprimand me for shutting that howling human up!? Right whilst we are still next to an osibindah hive!

"You lot can't be serious, the Seven-Peaks Union ran right over us. And you lot want to just go back!?" one of the human soldiers asks as a group of three splits off from the main body.

"We swore our oaths to Waionr and to our homeland!" another nearly shouts as he shakes his head, baffled by such words.

"We'd be running right into their army!" the split-offs argue quite rightly. It's all well and good to be true to your word, but, when the only option will be a fruitless endeavour...

"So what, it's our duty as Ironcoats of Thurn's Forge! As men of Waionr's Chosen Theocracy!" the loyalists spit back. The group he is with raise their guns and starts to chant an ancient tongue.

"We knaw aaa saaafe waaay in." I point out to the disillusioned trio.

"What a load of-" the oldest amongst them starts to swear.

"Oh, cut it out! We have the Valkinvar!" one of them reminds everyone and my head starts to wobble. I mean, technically, he's right, but... Looking over at the crater, I watch as Vadei helps Vapooliar out.

"You're heavy..." the oxfuine comments to the injured witch.

"Valkinvar! Come, let's bring glory Waionr on the field of honour!" one declares to the cheers of his fellows. But, slowing down from her already slow pace, Vapooliar stops and looks at them. Her body trembles and she starts to show her fury.

Backing away, Vadei covers her ears, "I AM NOT VALKINVAR!"

Moving my head back and blinking, I wait for the ringing in my ears to stop. That was one powerful scream. But, such vocal strength does not deter the larger group of soldiers and they start to argue amongst themselves. One steps forward with his weapon and his confusion covers his face.

"What does that even mean...? You wear the armour, hold the sword..."

Taking a step forward with her bladed cane, Vapooliar stares the man down, "It matters not!"

Watching as she turns around to leave, the arguing soldiers turn hateful, "YOU TRAITOR!"

"YOU'RE ALL LOYALTYLESS TRAITORS!"

"WAIONR WILL NEVER COME FOR YOU!"

"SO THIS IS JUST HOW YOU PAY BACK THOSE WHO DIED SO YOU CAN LIVE!"

"I came to terms with that not too long ago..." Vapooliar weakly answers back as Vadei rushes about to find the aelenvari seed. Picking it up, she follows the powerful witch as she hobbles into the distance. The three soldiers who split off trail behind them and me and Paps return our attention to the others.

"So, guide?" Paps says to get us back on track. Taking one final glance at our former campmates, I give them a small wave.

"Yes... If you can, guide us back to the Theocracy. Get us back into the fight." he urges us as his fellows try to poke the filth out of their mail coats.

"It cost." Paps comments plain and clearly. His paws open up in a display of empty pockets.

"Yes, we can sort that out in the future." the soldier assures us distastefully. Motioning for them to move, the soldiers start to walk away. Moving up to Paps, I bounce my gun's stock on the dirt as we walk.

"Plaaan?" I ask quietly as he smirks a little.

"Union pay well." he chuckles under his breath as he walks after the soldiers.

"Thaaat they do." I chirp, smiling at the future sum of ransom money we'll be getting.