She drove in ferociously, thrusting her sword out of pure survival instincts. Fight or die. That’s what her mother had told her. Planning to end the therian’s life while he reeled back from her cross bolt, April’s intentions were utterly squashed. Regarding the bolt in his shoulder, Val snapped of stem, discarding the end like some minor inconvenience before lunging at her.
Impossible. Most men would be screaming in agony, forget about swinging a sword. Yet Val defended her strikes impeccably, meeting her head on without pause. Her soul trembled as it dawned on her just how outmatched she was in terms of skill. April had always trained of course. Pride in one’s own abilities was vital to success, but that was only a portion of her fighting skill. The error was glaringly obvious, she had underestimated Val, and now she was about to pay for it. On the third swing her blade was deflected. The recoil of their weapons sent her arm flying, leaving her core dreadfully exposed to his sweeping strike.
“You monster,” she snarled.
For the second time that day Touya intervened, saving her life. April reared back in astonishment and self-loathing. How pathetic of her. Fortunately both Damea and Touya picked up on her slack and brought their assault to bear. Sensing their numbers would work against him, Val span away on deft feet, dodging the incoming blades with precise maneuvers. Shielded behind both men now, April released a deep sigh, welcoming the chance to compose her nerves. Expecting another attack, she withdrew her mace, dual wielding. Val apparently had other ideas. Securing his distance between them, his gaze swept over their team.
"You're interesting, Touya. I wonder why you're so insistent to help those humans. She looks familiar. Wasn't she the one who was taking you to her leaders a while ago? Wasn't she taking you to your death? Why do you protect someone who wishes for you to die?" Val said, somehow possessing the audacity to chat mid-battle. April only knew of a few select individuals in all of the empire who could afford such nonchalant attitudes, and even they rarely did so in battle.
"It doesn't matter. I only wish to stop you." "Useless. I doubt she really cares all that much for you. Maybe she just wants to keep you alive long enough so that she can enact revenge on me for destroying her unit of soldiers. She'll dispose of you right after, I'll have you know."Grounding her teeth over, April bristled with barely contained fury. Did he simply not consider them a viable threat? The insult to April and her company left a sore spot in her heart. Worst of all was the realization that she was in no state to stand up to Val. Glancing over at her crossbow in the dirt, she counted the distance between them. Ten? Maybe fifteen feet? In that time Val could order his men to turn her into a pin cushion. The only thing which had kept them alive so far was Val’s over confidence, did she dare threaten it?
"The only one whose going to be disposed of is you," Damea returned rather petulantly. For such a colorful mercenary, his vocabulary was woefully deplorable. It did the job though and Touya and Damea both leapt charged with renewed vigor.
Their combined strengths, though admirable, were not enough to break the rebel’s defenses. Damea was the first to go as the air was pumped full of magic. The blast dislodged the mercenary completely before propelling the man several feet over the barren earth. Seeing this inspired Touya to fight evermore fervently. Closing in, his claws shot out, extracting tendrils of red liquid from Val. Stumbling back from the blow, the rebel snarled and then circled around, heading in her direction.
“Just like a predator,” April sneered, sniffing as her legs spread out to adopt a defensive posture.
Val assailed her with a horizontal cleave aimed at her midriff. The blow would have disemboweled her entirely but April had the advantage of preparation. She swung out, countering the stroke with all of her might. Reverberations ran along the entire length of her arm, jarring her bones as she strained to hold Val’s twin swords in place. It felt like an immense pressure had been applied to her hands, one that could crush her in an instants notice.
Touya materialized behind Val, attempting to deliver a fatal blow. April gasped as the weight was lifted from her. The therians grappled for dominance until one yelped out in defeat. Crumbling to floor, Touya‘s body flattened the grass beneath him as blood gushed out from his side. April paused mid-swing as the grass caught on fire, the heat reaching her first before the smell did. It grew into a raging inferno instantly, feeding on the dried pasture beneath it.
“Oh balls,” she cussed, fretting over their latest predicament, “We need to leave! Now!”
April hesitated when hurrying over to where Damea supported Touya, her legs freezing mid-way. They needed to retreat and recuperate someplace where they could hide from the rebels, the problem was, where? Nothing was preventing Val from sending another hunting party, and if tracking for them was as easy as it was for Touya tracking the therian tribe, what then would they do? As long as Touya was around, they would be able to sense him.
The flames roared closer, encroaching on dangerous territory now. She felt her reservations growing, fueled by the boiling temperature. Abandon the others to pursue her revenge? Or stay and help?
April did something then she never expected herself to do. Starting with a backpedal, her reroute quickly evolved into a run. April ran with her back turned, not daring to look at their expressions of betrayal.
She ran, directionless, until her feet gave away and collapsed from under her. Panting, she stared down at the earth whilst her heart pounded against the extremities of her rib-cage. Touya was right, she was untrustworthy. No, she was worse than that. Who repays someone that saved their lives with a back-stab? In a moment of panic she had abandoned them both to Val, all for petty revenge.
April rolled on to her back, raising a hand to shield her tears from the sun. What had she done?
"Miss Rosevolt. Fancy finding you out here."
In the ensuing panic there was little time to consider the implications of everything. Before Damea and Touya were two options, yet fate chose to intervene then. Emerging out of nowhere, a business man with red hair and formal attire waltzed by. Nonsensically, he held an umbrella, despite the fires and complete lack of rain. Pausing upon seeing Damea and Touya, his eyes widened ever so slightly, as if he had just bumped into a friend on a street.
"Oh my, good day chaps!" he exclaimed, though the voice was muffled by the green gas mask securing his mouth, "Where you about to head in that direction perhaps?"
With his free hand he pointed in the direction April was last seen fleeing towards. "Well, if you were, I regret to inform you that a terrible storm is heading here from that direction," the man said before jerking his thumb in the opposite way to Creeid forest. His gestures compelled them to look at the vicinity he designated. "I'd avoid the forest especially, forest storms are particularly volatile this time of the year. My humble advice is, run while you can."
By the time they looked back, the man had disappeared without leaving a trace. On the other hand they could now hear the faint marching of hundreds of footsteps approaching the plains. They came to a resounding halt and were swiftly followed by the roar of gunpowder discharge.
The human army had commenced their bombardment of Creeid forest.
The former lieutenant had barely spoken a word since they found her. William resided over her in his command tent, alone. Out of courtesy he offered her a hot mug of black weed, the chosen poison among the men of the 42nd Legion. Hot, bitter and rotten in taste, it served as a surprisingly invigorating energy drink, particularly on cold days.
“So?” she muttered at last, drawing circles around the rim of her mug. Watching her fidget, William frowned at her lack of composure. The last time they met was several weeks ago, during the terrorist incident as his men carried the Lieutenant to a hospital ward.
“So what?” he said, leaning against work desk. Upon it was topographical map arrayed with numerous tiny blue and red flags. The flags highlighted likely enemy positions, as well the movement of the human troops.
“I expected questions,” April responded, blunt as ever.
“Why yes. I suppose something of an interrogation is in order. We did wonder where you went after you fell off the grid,” William mused, stroking his imaginary beard, “But I imagine I can already guess the reason why you’re here.”
April looked up from her mug, appearing thinner than normal. Admittedly, it was his first time seeing the Lieutenant outside of her armored uniform. Dressed in a near skin-tight leather suit, he wondered what happened to induce such drastic changes in her. Her lips pursed, mocking a frown of her own as she refused to answer.
“You’re here for the same reason we are, yes? Vengeance?” William announced, “HQ has mobilized over ten of our Legions to bring justice to the rebels. Currently we’re laying siege to their forest. Level the terrain and then charge in, you know how it rolls.”
It was a standard approach to high density forests, one which they had even used in prior engagements against beastmen, so William saw no reason to hide it from April. Any former officer would have been smart enough to figure out what was occurring themselves. More honestly, he was beginning to grow concerned about her mental health. The medics informed him that she was free of serious injuries, aside from a few cuts and bruises. Despite her good health, she wore defeat like a retired wrestler. But the most telling fact was her drinking of the black weed without even a flinch.
"That bush fire have something to do with you?" he mentioned at last.
“How did you know to come here?” April murmured, shaking her head despondently, “As far as I was last aware, HQ had no idea where the therian rebels were.”
“Heh, you’re asking the wrong person on that account mam,” William grinned, “You know how things go, the higher ups find the information, we follow their orders.”
