Fantasy Farewell to Kings: Elide’s Tale

[Jodyguru]

Bart's eyes opened wide. The creature was horrifying, but blind rage was coursing through the warrior. Eli could see out of the creature's eyes at Bart, who was bloodied and pieces of his armor that were torn off. He was hulked up, stronger looking than he ever did to her. He swung his sword at the creature and cleaved it in half with a thunderous roar. The mental connection snapped like a piece of sinew.

Elide passed out again. Darkness enveloped her.

 

[A Play On Words]

The creature had taken full control, tearing at whatever moved closest to her. She tried to lunge at Bart but was stopped, each time it lunged, it was pulled back. It let out a howl of anger before it crawled back towards Elide, standing guard over her body.

 

[Jodyguru]

Seeing it crawl through the tunnel and return to Elide made Bart realize what it was. The last goblin had been vanquished, but Bart was more concerned about Eli.

"Darkness... absolute darkness... lies in death." a voice spoke to Elise. Was she dreaming, or was the spirit of the sword invading her mind?

"You dance on the lines between life and unlife. The abyss waits for you, and wants you to be strong."

Bart was digging with his hands to get through the tunnel. He was still raging, thus ignoring the tools.

 

[A Play On Words]

"It knows nothing of me. It knows nothing" The creature hissed in response to the voice, Elide's body twitching at the words.
Elide felt the connection between her and it slowly deepens, she was in more control, but it had a final say.

 

[Jodyguru]

"Are you still here? Dear, you need some control over this power. You must find focus."

Bart emerged and saw the monster still in tact. He growled, and pulled a knife out of his belt. His rage was over, and fatigue was going to set in any second.
"Let me help her, beast! I know your type. Creatures of darkness who pretend to be servants, but slaver the chance to feast on souls that are fleeting. You don't care, not like me." He stepped closer, until he would lunge at it with his knife, roaring again. "Hyehhh!"

 

[A Play On Words]

The monster hissed and allowed him to hit it, black blood dripping from the cut. Blood began to trickle from Elide's arm, near the spot the monster had been hit. The monster gazed towards the open air.
"I'm trying! You don't understand!" The monster hissed towards the open air, searching for the voice

 

[Jodyguru]

"Empty words! Be gone, fiend!" Bart went in with another swing of his knife, cutting it in the chest.

"Trying isn't enough... you need to search."

An image appeared of the veins in the azure sword. It was like a view finder into the world. She saw Bart fighting her summon with fervor.

"Do you realize where you are? My blade swallows souls, and with them I become stronger. I will let you return to your body if you will listen to me. Search for a crystal orb, and contain your eye of atunement."

Elide woke up violently, feeling a stabbing pain in her chest. It almost felt like a heart attack, but it was her heart returning to a strong beat. Some of the pain subsided, but she had wounds on her body.

 

[A Play On Words]

Elide sat up quickly, grabbing her chest. Her heart pounded in her hears as she quickly glanced around the cave before remembering where she was. She spotted Bart and threw her arms around him, her body shaking violently.

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart caught her. He was a little disoriented and didn’t know what happened to Elide. He just knew she needed him. He’d hang on as long as she needed him to.

 

[A Play On Words]

She felt sick, her head spinning as she held him tightly. Elide tried to calm herself, but her heart crashed against her rib cage.
"I-I....I-I need to get out of here," Her voice was hoarse and weak

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart nodded and took her through the bigger hole he made to get in here. He carried her out of the cave and set her down on a mossy stone, waiting for Ladybug to return.

“Here, this might help.” He opened a clear bottle full of brown liquid and wetted a rag. He pressed it against her wounds, mixing blood into the rag with the liquid. It burned a little but it helped the bleeding stop. It allowed him to dress her wounds as well.

 

[A Play On Words]

She yelped but allowed him to help her. Elide sighed, resting her head against the stone. Pain pulsated through her body, a feeling of weakness traveling over her.

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart was quiet and had a stern look on his face.
“This is my fault. It’s all my fault. You got hurt because of me.”
Ladybug sputtered. He just wanted to get back to the guild lounge and be done with everything

 

[A Play On Words]

"I-It wasn't you...Something in there..." She spoke softly, wrapping her arms around her small frame

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart noticed something unusual, a new weapon hitched to Eli’s belt.
“Is that what you found?” He pointed to the azure blade sitting in the sheath. She had no memory of belting it on her person.

 

[A Play On Words]

"Oh god no." She yelped trying to kick the blade away from her body, clearly fearing it.

 

[Jodyguru]

What was to fear from a simple weapon? Bart gripped the handle and drew the sword. The brilliant purple vein in the blade made him think it was worth a lot.
“Nice... why are you scared? Is it something to do with the aether? I could get a lot for this thing in Emerald...”

 

[A Play On Words]

"Th-There's something in it...I-It spoke to me...It attacked me" Her voice quivered

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart looked at her, then back to the sword.
“I’ve heard things about magic weapons. They may demand services or test someone’s mind with puzzles. You must have done something to gain its trust. I’ll hang onto it for you if you’d rather be rid of it.”

 

[A Play On Words]

"it wanted me to find some form of orb or something like that..." She said quietly, hugging her knees to her chest.

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart knelt down in the grass in front of her. She was clearly traumatized by the whole affair. “We can go back to the guild lounge and forget about everything for now. Would that make you feel better?”

 

[A Play On Words]

She shook her head slowly. "C-Can we just find somewhere to stay for the night? I need to take my mind off of all this." She murmured.

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart slowly nodded and rose. He got the farm tools and everything cleaned up before heading back to the farmhouse with Elide and everything.

Evening turned as they arrived back at the farm. Bart and Elide entered the house together this time.
“Oh, are they back already?” The wife asked in the kitchen. The farm owner exited the kitchen and met the mercenaries in the front entrance.

“Job’s done. Goblins have been defeated, tools are in the saddlebags on your porch.”
“Well shit. I wasn’t ready for you to be done so soon. I won’t have your money for a couple days.”
“What?” Bart exclaimed.
“The guilds usually hear my complaints and get back to me in three months. How was I supposed to know you’d be back by sundown?”
“I don’t believe this. Open my coffin already!”
The farmer looked like he was about to
defend his home against this enraged mercenary in his living room. Elide had to break the tension in the air.

 

[A Play On Words]

"Please! Just shut it!" Her voice was harsher than she had intended. "We've all had a hard day, let's not leap at each other's throats. Do you have anywhere we can stay for the night? I desperately need some rest."
Elide said softly in a more soothing demeanor as she looked towards the farmer's wife, hoping they had the human decency to sympathize with her.

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart jumped at Eli’s sudden outburst and looked at her. She was in no mood for this conversation at all. He felt tiredness overcoming him as well.
The farmer family had big hearts, and they were grateful for the two of them taking care of business so effectively.
“Fine. We’ll settle the bill in the morning. For tonight, you can use the barn if it fits you.”
Bart nodded appreciatively and yawned, leaving the house with Eli.

“You gave me a fright back there, and I don’t scare easily. Heh, maybe you should do the talking on these trips.”

The two of them retired in the barn. Bart scooped the old dung with a pitchfork and slung it into the field. Then, he filled a basin with water for them to clean with. Free of goblin scat, the barn was quite nice, and with fresh hay to lay on it was almost as good as a real bed.