Wednesday, December 18, 2024

The Wayward Paladin


Vulpine stepped before the smaller male, her dark amber eyes turning dull as she caught the undead's sword. Her other hand jammed her greatsword through the torso. Then, easily piercing through the mushy flesh, she pulled the blade up through it and threw the body into another undead.
"Use me as your shield. I will protect you. Aim for the castor," she spoke firmly, an arrow scratching across her arm brace as she deflected it to the side. The boy swallowed and took aim. "Good boy." He flushed, muttering unavoidable words to himself.
The other two party members threw themselves into the fray. The larger of the two men with a giant axe rushed in, screaming in rage. The other, the more petite man, used divine magic, catching a group of them on fire with heavenly light. The large man swung his axe to and fro, cutting them down. However, his reckless abandon left him open for attacks. The barbarian took a blow to the head, stumbled back, and fell to a knee. Vulpine barely moved, stabbing her weapon into the clay earth. She grabbed an undead by the neck with one hand and snapped it. With the other hand, she raised it to the air in the same instance and spoke a spell.
"Rex temendae majestatis."
The words ran off her tongue as she moved her hand toward the wounded warrior. The earth below the man glowed bright green, stretching and engulfing the barbarian. His wounds immediately healed, and he yelled out in triumph. Exhaling deeply, she removed her sword from the earth.
"Fools!" The necromancer laughed, fog rolling in over the battlefield. "Subcome to unrest and insanity!"
The archer released his arrow as the fog engulfed them and hid whether he had hit his mark. Visions hit each party member, the archer screaming out in agony. Eyes softening, Vulpine pressed down on the man's pressure point near his neck and knocked him out. Turning, her eyes flickered with some life as a brown-haired salfar woman stood before her. The elf was covered in both dirt and blood. She smiled as tears rolled down her face. The female paladin took an unconscious step back from the crying woman and looked to the side.
"What a wicked thing to do," Vulpine whispered. She moved her hand to her breastplate across her heart as the pain sunk into her chest.
"You were all that mattered to me, Vulpine. After that night, I was ready to start my life with you. I was sure we both would make it home. I had no idea that it would turn your life into a nightmare. I caused you so much pain. " The salwar woman covered her face, choking back her tears but failing to do so.
"The moment you died, all my life was stripped away from me. I was consumed by hatred and rage, but now I am empty. I know you wanted to do the right things and follow the proper procedures. However, I had failed to protect you and took you for granted. That fact will haunt me forever. I always dream about that night, you dying in my arms and Salarius forsaking our love. She took away my divinity, but that is just an excuse for my weakness and powerlessness as a human. However, I am still here, and our fight is still here that I must win."
Tears ran down Vulpine's face as her teeth dug into the inside of her mouth, lining her cheeks with blood. Her nails dug into her gloved hands. So many emotions ran through her; hate, sadness, loneliness, and bitterness. So much more; the woman wanted to scream it all out until nothing was left.
"I know you are only running on your anger and your sadness. I have failed you and forced you to be stuck in this fate. I have sacrificed your happiness but never meant to leave you!" The elf woman openly sobbed, and Vulpine felt her mind snapping.
"But now emptiness and bitterness have replaced you! I get why you did it and even get why it happened the way it did. Yet, it changes nothing of what happened. Nothing will let me forget you. Nothing will wash your blood from my hands. I fell in love with you, and I am to blame!" Vulpine made direct eye contact with the illusion, rage swirling in them.
"I love you, Vulpine." The elf managed to say it through shaking breaths.
"Enough!" Vulpine yelped, swiping her greatsword at the ghost, her body disappearing. The fog dispersed around her into a bloody mist that soaked her. Standing up, her eyes held murderous intent as they cast down onto the blood trail of the necromancer. The man had tried to flee but hadn't made much ground with the arrow embedded in his thigh. The woman grabbed a throwing knife from the unconscious archer's belt and threw it at his other leg. The man screamed out as the blade lodged itself into his other leg, and he fell to the ground. Still, he crawled as he attempted to escape her. Vulpine didn't take long to reach him as she gripped him by his hair. The paladin pulled the necromancer to his knees, and he felt his blood grow cold from the look in her eyes.
"Please. Don't." He breathed, begging her as he choked on his own fear.
Vulpine didn't allow him to speak again. She slammed her fist into his face and dropped him as her foot slammed down on his chest. He coughed up saliva. Again, she brought her fist to his face, and blood ran from his nose and mouth. Repeatedly, she collided her fist with his face until he was barely recognizable. The woman placed her hand on the necromancer's mouth. She could tell he was still breathing. Her hand glowed green as she healed his wounds, though the deformity remained. Yet again, she punched him in the face and stomped on his chest. A sickening crack of broken ribs rang through the air. Stomping down onto his arm, the same noise rang out.
"Vulpine! Stop it!" The male mage's voice snapped her out of it. The paladin looked down at the broken corpse of the necromancer. "Why would you do that!? That isn't okay, Vulpine!"
The human woman sighed, everything feeling hollow inside. She turned her body to his corpse, shutting her eyes as they stung.
"What do you want me to say? He deserved it for bringing her back to me."
The mage said nothing in return, unsure of how to respond. Vulpine scoped up the half-breed archer in her arms, straightening her back as she walked past the others. The two men looked at each other, both casting their eyes down. That look again that she had. It reminded them she wasn't looking at the present like they were but rather far off into the future.
"Let's go."
With those two words, they followed her command.