Tidal Florette - A Painted Soul I

Yumi - 47

Yumi sees Saito yelling at her, eyes filled with rage and fear, but the pain of Sapha using her power makes it overwhelmingly difficult to hear what he's screaming. He's too far to make a move to kill him. Zealots from the crowd would cut her off before she'd make it even with her speed. She can't see if he has the sword from that night. As much as she wants to just risk everything and try to kill him now, she knows the first priority has to be saving Favian and if she dies now Sapha will not survive her power on her own.

Instead, she takes a deep breath and focuses on listening through the pain. She's fairly certain he's called her a witch a couple times. The crowd seems to be recovering from their panic, those left much angrier than fearful.

Saito turns to them. "See how the treacherous night lurks through the shadows, waiting to strike with brutal cruelty? See now, the dangers of the dark seduction?!?!"

The citizens are not armed, but they begin shouting threats at Yumi. Anxiety sends a weakening chill through her that fill her with dread. They're so ready to listen to him, I didn't do anything wrong... He's a murderer...

Her lapse in focus gives Lykke an opening and he rolls aside to grab his sword and stand back up. He doesn't seem to be attacking, aware of Sapha's crossbow trained on him. There are four wardens left behind him awaiting orders with their weapons drawn.

"Kill the witches!!!" Someone shouts from the crowd.

Yumi pleads to the man who yelled. "I... I'm not a witch! We're just trying to help our friend! We don't want to hurt anyone!"

"Liar!!"

"Turn to the light and burn!"

"Blasphemous bitch!"

The berating continues and Yumi tries to protest, but clearly no one in the crowd is listening to anything she tries to say in response to them.

Lykke scoffs, "The true and faithful would never fall so easily to your spells. Don't disgrace yourselves any further and put down your weapons."

Yumi looks over for where Saito was standing, realizing his preaching had stopped. He's gone.

What the hell? He ran?!? Disappointment fills Yumi, but she reminds herself she can find a better chance if they make it out of here alive. He's not stupid enough to think I'm not coming for him... he can't run forever.

Looking back at Sapha, her eyes understand and offer a bit of comfort. The angry mob behind them hasn't moved any closer, but they still need a way to escape without slaughtering citizens. Sapha keeps Favian close and steps up next to Yumi. "You're going to let us go now, or pay with your life."

She pulls a second trigger, and fires a dart with a long needle from the side of the crossbow into Lykke's left shoulder where there's an opening in the armor. He grunts in pain and reaches to pull it out, but Sapha demands, "I only need to will it and you'll lose your arm in the blink of an eye. You can pull it out when we leave."

Warden Lykke's fist around his sword trembles with anger. "We would never be so cowardly as to–"

Sapha sighs as she fires another dart into one of the warden's necks and an arrow into the stomach of another. "How many lives are worth giving up your fucking pride? Your priest abandoned you."

"He trusts us to deal with you witches while–"

The darted warden's head erupts with dark flame and he falls to the ground screaming. "He trusts you to die in his stead."

The two untouched wardens start backing away. Lykke glares at them and they freeze. Yumi puts her sword away and steps forward. "Please... no one else has to die. Just let us go back to the palace. Keep your lives and put this behind us."

I don't care if we have to kill the rest of you... It's the crowd we have to get through... If you let us go they'll leave us alone...

The guard with an arrow in his stomach begs from the ground. "Please, high warden, we have families... the gods will make... them pay..."

Lykke grits his teeth. "If the empress does not return you to us immediately after what you have done, then the Dawnthrone has declared war on the council of light on this day." He hesitates before returning his sword to its sheath and calling out to the crowd. "Let the witches return to their empress! We must await the high priest's final judgment!"

Yumi doesn't hesitate to leave, taking Favian's hand to lead him toward the courtyard's exit toward the palace. Sapha follows close behind, keeping an eye on the wardens until it's clear they've given up. The crowd ferociously rebukes them as they pass. Favian whispers to Yumi, "They aren't worth thinking about, they're lost in their lies."

She squeezes his hand to acknowledge the comfort, but it doesn't make her feel any better. There's no turning back from this. Despite the empress warning them and insisting they stay in the palace to mourn Favian's execution, they couldn't help themselves and had to take action.

Now they have to face the consequences. She can't imagine the empress will offer their protection and allow Yumi's choices to start a war. She can't imagine she'll be made a reaper at this point. But Favian's alive, they can leave the capital on the run from the temple and keep him that way. I'm not about to let someone die in my stead... never again...