The Bonds of Fate

Memories in the Dark

Laying on his back Zora wondered if he should leave, after all, she had told him to leave, and he had more important things to take care of.

He stood, trying to wipe off some of the mud from his front.

"What a brat." He grumbled. She really does have a death wish.

He had to admit, she impressed him, it had been a while since someone had roughed him up like she did.

The strange feeling he had had when she had him pinned started to return. He shook his head, what was he thinking? That woman could have killed him and here he is thinking about...well never mind that now.

Still, an ominous feeling filled his soul, the eerie mana he had felt before she left still lingered. It was unsettling almost sinister, the woman would have known this yet she recklessly ran straight toward the impending danger.

Sighing deeply, Zora stared around the glade. He couldn't just leave her alone to deal with whatever this was.

Concentrating his thoughts Zora searched for her mana but immediately came to the realization that he hadn't actually sensed any mana from her.

Thinking to himself, Zora laughed. She had the presence of mind to suppress her mana so I wouldn't be able to gauge her power or find her.

"What a clever little mage you are." He said into the shadows.

Moving deeper into the woods Zora sighed, he would have to find her the old-fashioned way.

A few moments later Zora found himself at the edge of another clearing. He needed to be cautious, the mana he had felt earlier was stronger here but there was no other sign of anyone else around.

Movement in the trees to the left caught his eye. He turned but he was too late, a large boulder careened towards him, knocking him into the clearing.

Zora cursed.

Another attack came from his right but this time he was prepared. Zora shot up his right hand creating a magic circle. Shards of ice shot toward him before being swallowed up by the circle. A moment later the ice shards flew out of the circle towards the forest with great speed.

Maniacal laughter was heard deep in the shadows as the figure of a beastly man emerged from the treeline. The man was at least a foot taller than Zora and three times his size. Two black eyes were hidden beneath unwashed, scraggly brown hair. Running down the middle of his face was a deep scar splitting a thin crooked smile in two.

Behind the first man stepped out a much smaller and skinnier figure. Zora gagged at the sight of the unruly man, whose bulbous yellow eyes rested haphazardly within his gaunt face.

"Look what we found Barret." The big brute said. "A little peasant mouse up from the gutter."

Barret cackled. "Ooo a little something to play with before heading to Tolsa."

"Want to play little mouse?" Barret jeered; a black tooth smile twisted his face.

Zora spat. "Shut the hell up, you ugly iguana-looking bastard."

Barret's eyes narrowed "This little peasant rat has some fight in him Slade."

Slade chuckled. "Well let's beat that fight out of him then." He cracked his knuckles menacingly.

Zora was breathing heavily from the assault of the first two attacks. He was in trouble, his strength wasn't in power but in his speed and his ability to think critically, but these bastards were as strong as they were ugly.