Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Dividing Destiny

As Hael and Ordaite engage one another, Yuler darts out of the way and towards Marne, who continues to turn about on the ground. Pulling a vial from the stock he carries, she pops the cork and stuffs it in his mouth. As it begins to take hold, his tossing stops and he sips from the vial peacefully. Ensuring he is alright with just the one, she grabs another from his coat and sprints across the field, narrowly missing having her head taken off by the chomping of Ordaite's fanged mouth. Once she has made it over, she looks about for Lee, where she discovers him now standing upright, but still bleeding and leaning against the wall.

"Lee, take this!" Passing off the vial, she looks back to the fight, now knowing that there are only two vials remaining, and Hael is taking a beating. Pulling her sword free once more, she sprints in battle and slashes at the heels of Ordaite. With each swing she brings about more blood, painting the blackened flowers red once more. As Ordaite turns away from Hael to see what has caused his injury, a swift bite is planted against his neck. High Priest shrieks out in pain and claws at the face of Hael, which begins to bleed profusely as well, though the efforts are in vain. As Ordaite attempts to gouge the already blinded eyes of the beast. Hael screeches along with him but ultimately manages to break free of his talons. With a quick whip of her neck, Ordaite is sent spiraling into the fortifications at the door. As he attempts to stand once more the ground begins to shake violently. Hael charges at him as he picks himself back up and slams her front paws into his torso, pinning him to the large boulders as she gnashes about, taking chunk after chunk out of his face and neck.

Yuler looks back to Marne, who limps back into battle in a still recovering state. Then to Lee, whose recovery seems nearly completed. As all three of them find themselves standing among one another, a loud cracking sound is heard. Turning back to Hael and Ordaite, they find that High Priest has managed to break one of Hael's front legs. She squawks with pain before separating herself from him and limping a few yards away. As she does this, Ordaite sees his opportunity and charges, pounding on Hael in her weakened state. Taking note of this, the others wrap around to the rear of Ordaite, and each takes their blade by the hilt, pointing them at the back of the beast.

"One!" Shouts Yuler.

"Two!" Winces Marne.

"Three!" Heaves Lee.

With this, the three of them disarm themselves and send their swords hurling toward the beast. As each blade sticks in Ordaite's back, he roars and turns on them. In doing this, Hael manages to bite at his ankle and knock him off balance. As Ordaite slams into the ground, Hael whips him around, using her body as leverage to do so. Within moments, Ordaite is sent flying through the air, where Hael beats him against the ground and columns that surround them. After four repetitions of this, she releases him. Ordaite crumbles to the ground and grumbles where he rests, too weak to move, but far from dead. Hael limps over to him, grabbing him by the neck once more with an intensifying growl. As she lifts him up once more, another loud cracking sound is heard, but it does not stop. The cracking becomes more and more intense as Ordaite struggles to free himself from her jaws, before stopping all together. A loud pop is heard and his body falls completely limp. A pool of blood spills out from the open wound as Hael releases him. Once she has done so, she begins to shrink in size, leaving behind large clumps of fur as she does so. The crowd surrounding them falls silent.

"Hael? Hael!" Lee calls out, climbing over the beast to reach her faster and extracting his sword in the process. Once he is at her side, he once again offers her his coat and the vial within it. As Hael sips at the contents, her injuries become less and less severe and the wounds across her face begin to heal over, allowing the cataract eyes to show through once more.

"Thank you."

Seeing that Hael lived, the crowd begins to cheer once more. So loud, in fact, that Farrow struggles to silence them.