The Medallion of Asgar

12.

Rui

Rui spared no step for uncertainty. There was no such thing as a safe or easy path to her destination at this point. Anyone in their right mind would understand that such a task was insane, doomed for failure. And, she did know that. However, she was bound and determined to serve her family faithfully, just as the knights did so for their selfish king. That, and she didn't foresee herself dying anytime soon.

As she heard the guard call, the woman thief's blood ran cold. Damnit... She should've had more time than that. No matter; fortune forgave her for once. Just as the rumble of hooves clattered out towards her, Rui was able to make it into the trees. At least there she stood a fair chance. However, with most of her concentration spent, the option of magic was limited. But, that was alright. It was in her own interest not to fight the knights head-on—or even injure them, for that matter. The best Rui could do now was use the cover and outwit her pursuers. No way in hell would capture come that easily, not unless she was ready to drop dead.

It didn't take long for the stamping to come up behind her, echoing in the dark she left behind. To her own surprise, they followed with haste despite the landscape. But when the trees began to thicken and weave to and fro, their speed was impeded. Rui took the chance to leap up and grab a nearby branch. She struggled to climb up safely, where the branch wasn't going to snap under her weight. Her breathing grasped all of her remaining strength, trying not to faint under the intense fatigue. As she practically gasped for air, a galloping steed rushed by her tree, off into the dark. Watching his movement until the figure faded away, Rui furrowed her brow. 'This isn't my night, is it? If the journey shall be this manner the whole stride, then Fate will doom us all.'

After waiting up in her perch for a long and seemingly endless time, she could no longer hear the pounding of the royal horses echoing anymore. Rui had only seen the one rider, and became certain he was the only one that followed her out into the forest. So, with stamina recollected, she hopped down to the brushed grass and prepared to move to the west, as planned. But, as the woman was gently brushing off her dress, a quiet patter neared her. Of the ones that pursued her, it seemed that Sir Rowe decided to try a direct approach instead of circling aimlessly with a horse in the dark. Sword resting at his side, he dismounted his steed paces back and went for the thief on foot. At first, the sound never reached her ears. It was only when a louder step of metal caught her attention did Rui notice the soldier mere yards away. He then called to her, "You, halt! Cease and surrender!"

Rui panicked, unsure if she could outrun a knight with such a short lead. Though he had yet to draw out his weapon, he more than likely had enough strength to overpower her regardless. So, couldn't fight head-on and couldn't run...

However, she could stall.

Glaring and focusing her energy into dainty, glove-covered fingers, she knew it would cost her later, but there was no other choice now. As Sir Rowe tried to approach her slowly, assuming his victory was won, Rui held up her fingers to him. He reacted by grabbing at his sword, to prepare for any attack she could try. What he didn't expect was an attack he couldn't possibly prepare for. With a snap of her fingers, Rui lifted the crust of topsoil up from underneath the knight's feet like a rug and toppled him off balance. The sight was slightly amusing, a knight falling flat on his bottom, but now wasn't the time to laugh. Instead, Rui hurried off into the trees again. Before the knight could get back up, she was long gone. However, the trampling of hooves came closer again. Sir Carson had heard his fellow knight's calling before and followed it to his general location.

Unluckily for Rui, her tracked path intersected right with Sir Carson and his chesnut steed. As she nearly ran straight into the beast, it reared back in surprise. Its rider remained firm and controlled, grabbing at its reigns and calling, "Hold it right there! You are under arrest!" The woman stumbled back slightly, one hand on the pouch that kept the medallion safe. In desperation, she tried to throw her magic at the other knight. Wind, earth, whatever would work... yet she merely swatted at the air with her arm like a mad fool. With a wince in her face, she had no free reign of her magic anymore; it was all spent. As a last act of defense, Rui pitifully posed herself in a fighter's stance, one hand up and ready, the other still hovering over her pouch. As Sir Carson loomed over her on his horse, she nervously told the knight, "You... are making a mistake, Sir Knight. I'm not your enemy." The knight thought otherwise. Drawing out his blade without a second thought, he held the tip straight towards her. "Only the guilty run, and as of now, you are suspected of theft from the King himself. And, an enemy of the King is my enemy as well!" She continued to stand firm as he went on to say, "But, if you come quietly, maybe then we'll hear your words, m'lady."

Rui couldn't see herself weaseling out of this one. There were no more backups left to fall on. Mentally, she cursed her lack of Lady Luck's fortune, wondering just what would befall her if captured. ...No, that couldn't happen. Her bloodline was counting on her confidence. What she held was a power none were meant to have, especially not someone like the king. Absentmindedly, Rui slipped her hand into the pouch and softly gripped the medallion, as if holding it and praying would give her faith and strength. It was right along this time that Sir Rowe caught up with his companion, and the woman thief was certainly surrounded. Sir Carson called to him, "Yer late! And where's your steed there?" The other male just shook his head. "I thought by foot would be easier to corner the lady. And I would've had her first if not for her trickery!" Aimed for her, he noted, "...I will not fall for that again. Now, come quietly." Rui's heart still raced, praying with all her heart to find the answer that would give her the strength to complete her mission.

...Call it Fate, but something answered her wish.

Just as she was about to desist her resistance, a white glow emitted from her pocket. The knights stood defensively at the sight, but she could only stare oddly at the sudden light. A strange sensation then came over her body. Her blood from the fingertips and back radiated warmly, and then the warmth pulsated throughout her body. Her mind became hazy, and her heart still raged on. Then, on the dot of a pulse, she felt a twinge of sharp pain hit her, and the light fazed from pure white to a medium rose madder color. As her body began to numb and her mind lost all sense of conscious thought, she withdrew her hand slowly. Almost in a hypnotic trance, her arm began to move on its own accord, raising up a open palm to her side. Both knights stared in bewilderment at the sight. They didn't dare approach the oddity... nor would Rui give them the chance. With one decisive sweep of her arm, the rose madder light concentrated at her pouch, then shot forth a shockwave of deep pink at the knights, knocking them and the lone steed flat onto the ground. The blast alone was enough to knock them out.

After the fact, Rui brought a hand to her head, a headache stirring her mind back into its right sense again. Looking around, dazed, she saw the knights had been handled. Yet, she wasn't completely sure how it happened. All that registered to her was how sluggish her body felt. Tiredly, she walked away from the sight and deeper into the trees again. Her feet refused to carry her with any sense of urgency, but at least they could carry her somewhere. Anywhere was better than there...

After a short little while, Rui found herself in a meadow clearing in the trees. 'Twas not that big, but the break was enough to catch a clear glimpse of the starry night above between the leaves. The night had reached the hour where the night glowed with its own light, not needing to borrow from the moon. Her weak hand barely grazed a nearby trunk as she looked up at the twinkling lights. As much as she had to keep moving, her legs refused to take her any further. Kneeling carefully, Rui had to sit herself down, leaning her side against the tree.