After their decisive victory over Orinovo, Lys-Akkaria's army crosses the border to take back territory that used to be theirs. With the combined forces of a lightweaver and shadowforger, Orinovo doesn't stand a chance.
In spite of their newfound a...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Fennrin sobbed into Daryan's shoulder as thorns once again ripped his skin open, ever deeper. It hurt so much, but he knew he deserved it. He kept failing Daryan.
"You need to do better, Fenn," Daryan told him, his voice just as gentle as ever as he carding his fingers through Fennrin's hair. "This won't stop until you bring him in. Or kill him."
"I'm t-trying," Fennrin whimpered out, shaking. "He's too strong."
"You are stronger," Daryan insisted, pulling away from him enough to look him in the eye. Fennrin did his best to blink away his tears enough to see. "You let him blind you this time."
"I didn't...." Fennrin hung his head as he nodded. He wasn't trying hard enough. That must have been it. What other explanation could there be. If he was so strong, he should be able to defeat Ainreth. The thought of killing him, though.... It made his stomach twist. But he would do it if he had to.
"You said you almost captured him," Daryan said, pulling him into a hug again.
"Yes. But a civilian threw a rock at me. It distracted me for long enough to lose control," Fennrin said, sniffling.
Daryan held him tighter as he scowled. "So even the civilian population has been riled up enough to risk attacking the Nightrazer, all to protect Ainreth."
Fennrin nodded.
"Did they hurt you badly?" Daryan asked, fussing a bit, which made Fennrin's heart flutter.
He knew times were hard and they didn't have time to be gentle about anything, but he yearned for Daryan to go back to his protective, caring self. He was so frustrated from the way things had been developing lately.
"I'm okay," Fennrin said, swallowing as he gently rubbed the spot on his head where the rock had struck. There was still dried blood there. He winced at the dull pain the action had brought with it.
"Let me see," Daryan said, letting go of him so he could inspect the injury, going over to his medicine cabinet then. He soon brought back a healing salve and started to rub it against the wound, forcing Fennrin to grit his teeth.
"What about the soldiers I sent with you?" Daryan asked as he treated him.
Fennrin sighed. "They are too easily defeated by Ainreth blinding them. He hasn't killed anyone, or blinded anyone permanently, but he easily could."
Daryan nodded. "Then we truly need eye protection. I already started working on something in that regard."
Fennrin nodded, a bit relieved. When Ainreth could so easily put everyone else out of commission, then it was really just Fennrin fighting him and all of his allies. And he couldn't manage that, no matter how hard he tried.
"That's enough for today," Daryan said as he finished applying the salve and the thorns retreated back into the bracelet, making Fennrin groan in pain. Blood was dripping from his wrist to the floor.
