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I'll be posting my story here as well!  If you're interested in it, please feel free to follow my other account: ManuWrites
Thank you if you take the time to read it!

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Next Chapter:

All Chapters HERE.

CHAPTER 21: DEFEAT

                “Look, Talos!” the blonde woman cheered, “I found the princess!”
                “Guys!” Malia shouted, “Run!”
                Before their hasty escape could gain momentum, a large man in heavy armor stood in their way. Malia’s already pounding heart clobbered her rib cage when she recognized the golden emblem of her clan on his chest. Two generals here? How? Why?
                “General Dorina,” the tall man’s voice was as deep as it was composed, “Please refrain from addressing me with such familiarity. And you found more than the princess. These humans appear to be her allies.”
                “Who cares?” Dorina’s pouty expression was a poor mask, too thin to hide her thirst for violence.
                Talos shook his head disapprovingly, “I dislike the way you regard humans. All lives are valuable.”
                “Yes, yes.” Dorina ran a slim hand through her golden curls, “I’ve heard that enough times.”
                Malia prayed for the generals’ idle talk to last forever, or enough for her to appease her tumultuous thoughts. Her mind was torn between coming up with a feasible plan to run away, and figuring out a strategy to stand their ground against two generals. Neither endeavor was succeeding. Whether they aimed to flee or to clash, she decided their best chance was to split up the two immortal warriors; if they were partners their magical techniques would complement each other. She couldn’t allow them to fight on their own terms.
                “General Talos.” Malia stepped toward the armored man. She hoped with every fiber of her being that her friends would know what to do with the diversion she expected to provide, “This is our first meeting, but I’ve heard plenty of tales of your combat prowess. May I inquire about the purpose of your presence?”
                “Princess Malia Daimonlance,” Talos bowed his head slightly, “I am pleased to see you haven’t forgotten your manners. I’m not as pleased to discover you’ve lost some of your wit. I would think the purpose of my presence is exceedingly apparent.”
                The moment Talos started replying to Malia, her intentions clicked with her companions. Her human friends could taste the danger before them. Talos was the more imposing opponent; armor was always a hefty advantage, and his size was striking on its own. It was their duty to make use of the precious instants Malia had gifted them by distracting the large soldier.
                Aldous and Bayard were closest to the twins, and thus it fell upon them to protect them. The silent plan constructed itself in scant seconds: Dorina was wearing light combat attire, unlike her towering partner. It made sense then, that she was more suited for contests of speed. Bayard and Aldous would seize the twins and dash into the forest, prompting Dorina to follow them and leaving Talos to face Gorken and Malia. The young humans too had come to the conclusion that retreating was the best option if possible; and if not, at least splitting up the two generals had to count for something.
                Aldous and Bayard swiftly kicked their scheme into motion. It would have worked… if only Talos had actually been distracted. The immortal general had not lowered his guard as he conversed with Malia, and as soon as he perceived movement his body responded in kind. In a motion that was unfairly nimble given his size, he buried the butt of his battle axe in Bayard’s torso, sending him flying into the thicket.
                “BAYARD!” Aldous kept rushing into the forest; he couldn’t allow the gears of his mind to hinder his body. No matter how big he may be, no one can send a man flying like that. His magic must be behind it. Think. Find Bayard, keep running, don’t let go of the girls, don’t stop thinking. Keep moving. Keep moving.
                The woods swallowed Aldous’ figure. A dismayed gasp was still caught in Malia’s throat. Gorken’s eyes were bitterly fixed on Talos.
Then the tall general kept talking, “As I was saying, princess, my evident purpose is to bring you back home. However, honor dictates that I finish my duel with your human allies. Never strike the first blow if you don’t intend to strike the last. General Dorina,” he shifted his eyes briefly, “I’ll entrust you the task you so adamantly requested. Apprehend the princess.”
                A broad smile crept up Dorina’s semblance, “See? We can have fun when you try, Talos.”
                “Wait!” Malia yelled as Talos walked away, but he paid her no mind. Her logical conjectures had all crumbled at the sight of Bayard being wounded. She just wanted to keep the generals as far away from her friends as she could. What do I do? There must be something I can-
                “Malia.” Gorken said, “I need you here. Trust Aldous and Bayard.”
                Malia nodded, finally focusing on the enemy in front of them.
                Dorina’s grin was envenomed honey, “Don’t you look away.” The blonde woman pointed at them, drawing attention to her overly dramatic pose, and then she vanished. Instinctively, Gorken and Malia stood back to back.
                Then Malia heard a faint little sound. A twig, maybe? It was a tiny thing, but in the searing tension of combat, it was enough to make her duck away from it. The frosty bite of a blade stung her arm, opening a deep gash in it, and on its path the attack cut Gorken’s shoulder too. Hadn’t she dodged, the dagger wouldn’t have touched Gorken… but it would have pierced her arm. Of all the places she could have aimed for… They want me alive.
                “I’m sorry Gorken.” Malia said; she wouldn’t let Dorina touch him again. Before she was done pronouncing it, Dorina reappeared in the same spot she had been before vanishing. Ah, so that’s it. “I know what to do.” Malia added, “Follow my lead.”
                “Got it.” Gorken nodded.
                Malia felt a curious tingle on her skin. Dorina was certainly a better magician than she was. But be it due to fate, someone’s machination or a fortuitous coincidence, Malia’s master had given her an unjust advantage against the female general. Dorina’s hard work, attention-drawing tactics and deadly magic would lose to Malia, because she already knew. She had sparred against a much more daunting light bender countless times before.
                Even Dorina’s efforts to trick them into thinking she was teleporting, when she was simply becoming invisible, made Malia feel like she didn’t deserve the leverage she had been given. But then she saw Gorken’s blood staining his tunic, and her knowledge didn’t seem so improper after all.
                “We’ll run that way.” Malia whispered, “She will follow us, even if we can’t see her. I’ll take care of the rest.”
                Light bending magic was a meticulous, difficult process. Even Malia’s master couldn’t stay invisible indefinitely, and Dorina was much younger, much more inexperienced. Stealthily racing through the uneven footing of the forest, while keeping up her light bending magic was sure to be a strain on Dorina. Something was bound to fall to the wayside; her movements would be less precise, or her magic less effective, or her furtiveness less present. Any of those would work for Malia. And she was right.
                She heard Dorina’s unseeable steps approaching, and then she felt the blade on her leg. The princess had been expecting the attack: if she could feel where the blade of the dagger was, she could infer the location of Dorina’s hand. Malia grabbed Dorina’s wrist firmly, pulling her closer, and punched her in the stomach with implacable force. The blow dissipated the general’s magic and revealed her form, frantically gasping for the breath that had been violently ejected from her lungs.
                Malia confirmed Dorina wasn’t likely to stand up, “My master would kill me if she knew it took me this long to beat her.”
                “Be that as it may.” Gorken stood over the general, his sword drawn. “I’ll put an end to this.”
                “You’re not going to kill her, are you?” Malia argued, “She can’t fight anymore.”
                “She’s the enemy, and becoming invisible is a fearsome power.”
                “Go ahead, human.” Dorina’s prompting was a pained whistle, “I have already won this battle anyway.”
                “Wait-” Malia protested, but it was too late. Gorken cut off Dorina’s head in a single motion. The princess watched in horror as her golden curls became wet with blood. She had to look away from the severed head to suppress the nausea. “Why would you do such a thing?!” she moaned.
                There was no reply, so she forced herself to turn around to confront Gorken. But when she did, he was lying on the floor, near the pool of blood that had formed around Dorina’s corpse.

                “Gorken!” Malia’s voice broke. She kneeled beside him. Before she could check if he was breathing, the world became an unstable blur, or her eyes a cloudy window, or her body a feeble husk. Then, she too collapsed on the ground, and everything went dark.

Description
I'll be posting my story here as well!  If you're interested in it, please feel free to follow my other account: ManuWrites
Thank you if you take the time to read it!

Previous Chapter:
Next Chapter:

All Chapters HERE.

CHAPTER 21: DEFEAT

                “Look, Talos!” the blonde woman cheered, “I found the princess!”
                “Guys!” Malia shouted, “Run!”
                Before their hasty escape could gain momentum, a large man in heavy armor stood in their way. Malia’s already pounding heart clobbered her rib cage when she recognized the golden emblem of her clan on his chest. Two generals here? How? Why?
                “General Dorina,” the tall man’s voice was as deep as it was composed, “Please refrain from addressing me with such familiarity. And you found more than the princess. These humans appear to be her allies.”
                “Who cares?” Dorina’s pouty expression was a poor mask, too thin to hide her thirst for violence.
                Talos shook his head disapprovingly, “I dislike the way you regard humans. All lives are valuable.”
                “Yes, yes.” Dorina ran a slim hand through her golden curls, “I’ve heard that enough times.”
                Malia prayed for the generals’ idle talk to last forever, or enough for her to appease her tumultuous thoughts. Her mind was torn between coming up with a feasible plan to run away, and figuring out a strategy to stand their ground against two generals. Neither endeavor was succeeding. Whether they aimed to flee or to clash, she decided their best chance was to split up the two immortal warriors; if they were partners their magical techniques would complement each other. She couldn’t allow them to fight on their own terms.
                “General Talos.” Malia stepped toward the armored man. She hoped with every fiber of her being that her friends would know what to do with the diversion she expected to provide, “This is our first meeting, but I’ve heard plenty of tales of your combat prowess. May I inquire about the purpose of your presence?”
                “Princess Malia Daimonlance,” Talos bowed his head slightly, “I am pleased to see you haven’t forgotten your manners. I’m not as pleased to discover you’ve lost some of your wit. I would think the purpose of my presence is exceedingly apparent.”
                The moment Talos started replying to Malia, her intentions clicked with her companions. Her human friends could taste the danger before them. Talos was the more imposing opponent; armor was always a hefty advantage, and his size was striking on its own. It was their duty to make use of the precious instants Malia had gifted them by distracting the large soldier.
                Aldous and Bayard were closest to the twins, and thus it fell upon them to protect them. The silent plan constructed itself in scant seconds: Dorina was wearing light combat attire, unlike her towering partner. It made sense then, that she was more suited for contests of speed. Bayard and Aldous would seize the twins and dash into the forest, prompting Dorina to follow them and leaving Talos to face Gorken and Malia. The young humans too had come to the conclusion that retreating was the best option if possible; and if not, at least splitting up the two generals had to count for something.
                Aldous and Bayard swiftly kicked their scheme into motion. It would have worked… if only Talos had actually been distracted. The immortal general had not lowered his guard as he conversed with Malia, and as soon as he perceived movement his body responded in kind. In a motion that was unfairly nimble given his size, he buried the butt of his battle axe in Bayard’s torso, sending him flying into the thicket.
                “BAYARD!” Aldous kept rushing into the forest; he couldn’t allow the gears of his mind to hinder his body. No matter how big he may be, no one can send a man flying like that. His magic must be behind it. Think. Find Bayard, keep running, don’t let go of the girls, don’t stop thinking. Keep moving. Keep moving.
                The woods swallowed Aldous’ figure. A dismayed gasp was still caught in Malia’s throat. Gorken’s eyes were bitterly fixed on Talos.
Then the tall general kept talking, “As I was saying, princess, my evident purpose is to bring you back home. However, honor dictates that I finish my duel with your human allies. Never strike the first blow if you don’t intend to strike the last. General Dorina,” he shifted his eyes briefly, “I’ll entrust you the task you so adamantly requested. Apprehend the princess.”
                A broad smile crept up Dorina’s semblance, “See? We can have fun when you try, Talos.”
                “Wait!” Malia yelled as Talos walked away, but he paid her no mind. Her logical conjectures had all crumbled at the sight of Bayard being wounded. She just wanted to keep the generals as far away from her friends as she could. What do I do? There must be something I can-
                “Malia.” Gorken said, “I need you here. Trust Aldous and Bayard.”
                Malia nodded, finally focusing on the enemy in front of them.
                Dorina’s grin was envenomed honey, “Don’t you look away.” The blonde woman pointed at them, drawing attention to her overly dramatic pose, and then she vanished. Instinctively, Gorken and Malia stood back to back.
                Then Malia heard a faint little sound. A twig, maybe? It was a tiny thing, but in the searing tension of combat, it was enough to make her duck away from it. The frosty bite of a blade stung her arm, opening a deep gash in it, and on its path the attack cut Gorken’s shoulder too. Hadn’t she dodged, the dagger wouldn’t have touched Gorken… but it would have pierced her arm. Of all the places she could have aimed for… They want me alive.
                “I’m sorry Gorken.” Malia said; she wouldn’t let Dorina touch him again. Before she was done pronouncing it, Dorina reappeared in the same spot she had been before vanishing. Ah, so that’s it. “I know what to do.” Malia added, “Follow my lead.”
                “Got it.” Gorken nodded.
                Malia felt a curious tingle on her skin. Dorina was certainly a better magician than she was. But be it due to fate, someone’s machination or a fortuitous coincidence, Malia’s master had given her an unjust advantage against the female general. Dorina’s hard work, attention-drawing tactics and deadly magic would lose to Malia, because she already knew. She had sparred against a much more daunting light bender countless times before.
                Even Dorina’s efforts to trick them into thinking she was teleporting, when she was simply becoming invisible, made Malia feel like she didn’t deserve the leverage she had been given. But then she saw Gorken’s blood staining his tunic, and her knowledge didn’t seem so improper after all.
                “We’ll run that way.” Malia whispered, “She will follow us, even if we can’t see her. I’ll take care of the rest.”
                Light bending magic was a meticulous, difficult process. Even Malia’s master couldn’t stay invisible indefinitely, and Dorina was much younger, much more inexperienced. Stealthily racing through the uneven footing of the forest, while keeping up her light bending magic was sure to be a strain on Dorina. Something was bound to fall to the wayside; her movements would be less precise, or her magic less effective, or her furtiveness less present. Any of those would work for Malia. And she was right.
                She heard Dorina’s unseeable steps approaching, and then she felt the blade on her leg. The princess had been expecting the attack: if she could feel where the blade of the dagger was, she could infer the location of Dorina’s hand. Malia grabbed Dorina’s wrist firmly, pulling her closer, and punched her in the stomach with implacable force. The blow dissipated the general’s magic and revealed her form, frantically gasping for the breath that had been violently ejected from her lungs.
                Malia confirmed Dorina wasn’t likely to stand up, “My master would kill me if she knew it took me this long to beat her.”
                “Be that as it may.” Gorken stood over the general, his sword drawn. “I’ll put an end to this.”
                “You’re not going to kill her, are you?” Malia argued, “She can’t fight anymore.”
                “She’s the enemy, and becoming invisible is a fearsome power.”
                “Go ahead, human.” Dorina’s prompting was a pained whistle, “I have already won this battle anyway.”
                “Wait-” Malia protested, but it was too late. Gorken cut off Dorina’s head in a single motion. The princess watched in horror as her golden curls became wet with blood. She had to look away from the severed head to suppress the nausea. “Why would you do such a thing?!” she moaned.
                There was no reply, so she forced herself to turn around to confront Gorken. But when she did, he was lying on the floor, near the pool of blood that had formed around Dorina’s corpse.

                “Gorken!” Malia’s voice broke. She kneeled beside him. Before she could check if he was breathing, the world became an unstable blur, or her eyes a cloudy window, or her body a feeble husk. Then, she too collapsed on the ground, and everything went dark.