The Summoner's Vendetta (First Draft) (Book Two)

A Venomous Encounter

To say that this encounter was going in the direction that Sin had originally thought, would be a blatant lie. For someone who had sought an audience with a member of Lord Khesta's forces, the female that was standing before him didn't contain an ounce of respect for anyone within the walls of the estate.

While Sin could have kept himself more reserved than he usually was, this was something that he wouldn't be able to do considering the harshly composed sentences that were spewing from the other being.

From being near the other being, Sin was able to examine her rather closely which allowed him to notice the pointed ears that adorned her body. Holding a hand up to try and slow the words that were falling from the elven female, Sin was starting to lose his patience as she ignored him and continued to spew her venomous words.

"How dare they send out a monster that would betray his own kind in an attempt to hide their crimes!" the elf cried out as her hands clenched into fists that seemed as if they were itching to slam themselves into Sin.

Like the fury that was quite evident within the elf that stood before him, Sin could no longer keep his own anger contained especially after being called a traitor to his own kind. While Sin had no wish to attack the other being, he wanted her to know that her accusations were getting out of hand and because of this; he was shifting a portion of Inari's element into his own body. Ice began to form within his hand and as his will began to forge the blade, the elf quickly forced her words to come to an end.

Holding his blade pointed directly at the stranger that seemed to make it her mission to insult him since his arrival before her, he allowed some of his anger to intermix with the words that came out of him. "If I, were you, I would highly recommend keeping that tongue in check before it is removed from you!" Sin snarled as his hand tightened around the handle of his blade. "Now, if you would be so kind to explain what the problem is that caused you to come to Lord Khesta's estate and accuse me of being a traitor to my own people which is highly insulting by the way considering that I am doing everything in my power to protect those that the Pure Regime have endangered."

This seemed to be the trick that caused the elf to take a more careful approach in speaking to him considering that the next words that came falling from her mouth were chosen in a manner that wouldn't cause Sin to lose his rationality and do something that he would later regret.

"My brother went searching for sanctuary from the Lord of this estate and ever since entering that place, he has dropped off the face of the planet..." the elf explained as she unclenched her hands and held them in the air to keep Sin's wrath at bay. "...I have contacted others who have sent their siblings and children in search of sanctuary and all of them have the same concerns considering that they are unable to contact those that have sent to Lord Khesta."

Even though the elf had been able to keep her words from antagonizing Sin more than they already have, when she mentioned Lord Khesta; it was clear that she had no good will intended for the Noble that oversaw this section of the city.

Learning the reasoning behind her visit to Lord Khesta's estate and even though Sin wasn't accepting of being called a traitor to his people, he could understand how it looks that he is working with the man that could be the cause of her brother vanishing. Lowering his weapon, Sin was just about to ask her if she had an image of her brother on the off chance that he had some dealing with the male in question though before he could do this; he saw fear flicker within her eyes.

Though Sin couldn't see what was causing the fear that burned within her eyes, he knew something had to be occurring behind him. Without a moment's hesitation, Sin was flinging himself forwards. Wrapping his arms around the stranger, he brought himself and the elf to the ground some distance away from where they were previously standing.

Taking a moment to look behind him to where he once was, Sin saw an arrow had pierced the ground. Flicking his eyes towards Lord Khesta's manor, Sin could see members of Khesta's forces with arrows knocked on their bows and from how they were pointed at him; Sin knew that there was no mistaking this for a lone act of betrayal.

"You need to leave!" Sin muttered out to the elf as he turned his body completely to face Khesta's estate. Before the elf could act on his command, another thought came upon him. "Outside the city, there is a farmhouse that will be a safe place for you to bunker down and if you decide to go there; inform my companions that I need their help."

Before Sin was able to learn if the elven woman was going to take his advice, he had to completely focus on the archers upon the walls. Not wishing to be pierced with an arrow, Sin knew that there was only one thing that he could do to keep this from happening.

Ice began forming around his free hand just as the thump of bowstrings echoed around the city streets. Knowing that any second now that his body could become a pincushion, Sin flung his free hand out before him which caused the ice that was pooling in his hand to begin the forging process of the item that he wished.

Just a moment before the first arrow would have torn through his body, Sin had completed the forging which caused the flying instrument of death to collide with a shield that had been forged from the elemental energy that he had borrowed from Inari. When the arrow pierced the shield, Sin could see cracks fissuring along the impact site and considering that he had used the entirety of the remaining energy to that he had borrowed to forge this shield; Sin knew that he had to remove himself from the openness of the city streets.

With the bonus of protection that the shield gave him, Sin sprinted forward to the safety of the gates that even at this moment were starting to shut. Due to the urgent need to reach his destination, Sin was able to remove himself from the direct line of sight of the archers above him though he was unsure if he would make it through the rapidly closing gates. No longer needing the shield to hamper his movements, Sin sent it spiraling towards the closing gates and though he had doubts that what he intended would work; he felt a sudden booming of joy rippling through him when the shield latched itself in between the gates.

Due to throwing the shield while he was still in motion, Sin's body had yet to stop and in hopes of finding himself on the other side of the gate before the shield was crushed under its weight; Sin sent himself sliding forward.

 *

Sin found himself sliding in between the gates moments before his shield gave way to the force that the gates had placed upon it and as he began pushing himself back to his feet, ice shattered around him.

Even though Sin knew that he had only trapped himself within Khesta's territory, he still felt relief wash over him since he wasn't separated any longer from his companions. Thinking of his companions caused Sin to begin his search for them and considering that sounds of battle could still be heard raging throughout Khesta's territory; he knew that currently they were still residing within the land of the living.

Knowing that he and his companions were battling a force much larger than theirs, Sin wanted to add a few extra members. Reaching towards his pendant, Sin sent a sliver of his mana into the piece of jewelry that has adorned his neck since first treading down the path of a Summoner. Figuring that it would be best if he called out everyone of his Familiars, Sin sent a message through his bonds with them for all to enter this world.

As the message rippled through the bonds he shared with his Familiars, Sin could feel that they received the message. The instinct that told him this was soon proven correct when one by one, his Familiars were revealed as they flung themselves through the portal that had opened in front of him.

While Sin had been preparing to command his Familiars to enter battle, they didn't wait for his command considering that they charged forward before he could utter a single word. Seeing his Familiars fling themselves into battle, Sin knew that he couldn't keep himself standing where he stood for much longer if he wished to see everyone he cared for to leave this battle alive.