Knights of Lore

chapter 17 - How you came to be(edited)

Kariah-Belle Nadire fought back tears. She and her comeades stood outside the tavern.

Her friend, Mae Lu was in the clutches vympiri.

Letting out a scream of anguish, the young woman's Mana exoskeleton flared to life as she punched a nearby lamppost so hard it bent to an odd angle.

"Riah," Aya began moving closer. "Calm down."

"Calm down?" She said whirling to facing Aya. "You expect me to be calm when those fuckers kidnap my friend?"

She peered through teary eyes and Aya took a step back. "How do you expect me to accomplish that when those bastards could be doing who knows what to her as we speak!?"

There was mix of pain, rage and hate in her eyes. This was a side of her that her new team hadn't seen over the months they'd been together.

In truth they were surprised. Sure they had seen her angry but the wrathul young knight in front of them now seemed foreign.

"Those bastards." She whispered softly.

Thoughts of Mae Lu began floating around in her head. Her shy smile, the way she adjusted her trademark goggles before she went into battle, the missions they went on as university students.

Those images shifted as her imagination began to run wild with things from her nightmares. Vympiri torturing Mae Lu, draining her Lifeforce but leaving just enough for her not to die and treating her like an animal fit only for consumption.

Nausea briefly washed over her before dread filled her, then rage. She screamed once more before punching the lamppost. This time it snapped landing with a clanck on the dirt road.

Iris stepped forward. She stared at Kariah-Belle and stared back through the tears.

With a quick movement Iris whacked Kariah-Belle on top of her head.

"Ow!" Kariah-Belle said holding her hands to the spot that was hit. "What the hell?!" She asked glaring.

"I understand your anger, your frustration." Iris told her as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "But we both know nothing will change just because you throw a tantrum, don't we?"

"Then what!" Kariah-Belle snapped. She then looked to her feet, closing her eyes as the river of tears continued to flow. Her voice became a whisper again as she asked, "What am I supposed to do, Master?"

Culdan needed to be transported back to Laviria's capital. Kariah-Belle knew it was her duty to see the mission through to the end. Besides that, the vympiri seemed determined to get their hands on her and she didn't know why. She didn't want to abandon her comrades but she couldn't forsake her friend either.

The young woman bite her bottom lip. Her heart aching and her stomach churned.

"Isn't it obvious?" Iris said lifting the young woman's head to meet her eyes. "You go rescue your friend."

Kariah-Belle's eyes grew wide. "R-really?" She asked in disbelief. She didn't know if it was the alcohol talking or what?

"R-really?" Iris mocked earning her a look from Kariah-Belle. "Of course really. Your friend is in danger. If I refuse to let you go, you'd more than likely sneak off sooner or later."

Kariah-Belle's face lit up. "Thank you, Master! Thank you so much!"

"All of you get some rest." Iris said looking at everyone including Lax-Rim. "Tomorrow will be a loooong day."

When the sun arose the next morning​ Kariah-Belle, Aya and Kaden were packing. Iris had decided that Aya and Kaden would accompany Kariah-Belle​ and she was glad for it. It would be reassuring to have her old friend and her new ones by her side.