Love Can Save {An Aphmau Fanfiction}

Dante

Several minutes later, we were putting our plan into action. It took us twice as long to find the Tu'la soldiers once more, but now we were finally ready to show this group just what Phoenix Drop would do to them. Lucinda crouched next to me, both of us hidden by the underbrush surrounding the clearing the advance guard was currently camping in. On the other side, Garroth and Laurance also lay in wait, hidden from view by a few of the enormous trees. Now they only had to wait for the signal.

I nodded at Lucinda, who returned the gesture with a grim smile. Her hat sat atop her head once more, and she clutched her staff tightly as she stood, moving to the cover of a nearby tree. We listened to the Tulian soldiers, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

"By Menphia, how big is this forest?" I peered through the brush, watching the soldiers. Seven of the ten were Meif'wa, and I couldn't help but be reminded of the refugees that had come to the Island almost three years ago.

"The locals were saying that this place is cursed," another responded, glancing around worriedly. The first man laughed, rolling his eyes at the Meif'wa woman who had just spoken.

"Come now, Clari. A forest can't be cursed. There's just no clear path through this place, so it's really easy to get lost."

"But it's possible for this place to be cursed," a different Meif'wa added. "There's so much magick in this region, even more than back in Tu'la. If there was a cursed forest anywhere, it would definitely be here in Ru'aun."

"Do you really think the magick users here are stronger than ours?" This was one of the humans now, looking almost frightened. I glanced at Lucinda, and she nodded back at me, squaring her shoulders as she prepared herself for action. However, the next words brought us all to a halt.

"Well, they took out Alicia, didn't they? She was the King's strongest weapon, and yet she completely disappeared a few months after we took over. I wouldn't want to meet the person who had to deal with her."

The entire world seemed to slow down. I could no longer hear the words of the soldiers before us, and instead I tried to focus on where I knew the others were hidden. I prayed to every god or deity imaginable that Garroth was keeping himself under control, but I was worried about how he would react to hearing these Tulian soldiers talking about his lover in such a casual, disrespectful way. Knowing the pair of them, Laurance was probably holding Garroth back, whispering at him to keep his cool. I gave Lucinda a frantic look, one she returned. We have to act now, before Garroth freaks out.

While the Tulian guards were sitting in worried silence, Lucinda stepped out into the clearing, staff raised before her and looking every part the White Witch. It took the soldiers a few moments to notice her, but once they did, they leapt to their feet.

"Who are you?!" The first man called out, drawing his sword and leveling it at Lucinda. Although I couldn't see her expression from my position, I knew her face remained cold and unmoving. Fog started roiling out from the bottom of her staff, a phantom wind blowing her hair around her face.

"I am the White Witch Lucinda," her words led to worried glances between the soldiers. "My mother controls this forest, and I protect the villages to the east. I warn you once, and once only. If you continue across this forest and across this region, there will be consequences. These villages are protected." As if agreeing with her words, the trees above leaned towards her, stretching outwards towards the intruders.

The leader of the Tulian group swallowed hard before working hard to keep his sword hand steady. "Leave us, witch." The tremble in his voice was evident, and I realized how much Tu'la seemed to fear magick users. "No matter your powers, you are no match for the ten of us."

"She does not stand alone," I called out, slipping out through the underbrush to stand by Lucinda, my entrance hidden by the fog she had summoned. Laurance and Garroth joined me on Lucinda's other side, our swords drawn and pointed at the enemy soldiers. There were louder murmurs amongst the soldiers now, and I risked a glance at my friends. I think it's working. Maybe we'll be able to scare them away without shedding any blood.

However, the soldiers seemed to have a different idea in mind. Their leader raised his chin, glaring us down. "Go. Or we will be forced to take means that you may find... unpleasant."

Lucinda glared right back, seeming to stand taller than the rest of us. "You do not command me, intruder. You will find that the eastern cities will not be as easy to conquer as O'kasis was. We will not stand down without a fight. You will not beat us." She raised her staff, a blast of icy cold wind hitting the Tulian soldiers and pushing them backwards. My eyes darted sideways, and from the corner of my eye I could see Garroth barely controlling himself. He caught my eye, showing me just how much these soldiers' words had affected him.

They were currently fighting against Lucinda's wind, struggling to cover ground. The lead soldier was yelling at his men to get their swords out and shields up, desperately trying to regain control. Lucinda was beginning to shake, the strain of maintaining first the fog and now the wind catching up to her.

"I can only hold them off a little longer," she called to us. I readied my twin swords, trying to keep my nerves under control as I readied myself for the skirmish to come. Lucinda would likely back away and let us handle the hand-to-hand combat as she replenished her energy, but I knew she would remain a strong force during this battle. Irene, am I glad she's on our side.

Almost all at once, the wind died, causing a few of our opponents to fall to the ground. A cry of pain told me that one of them had managed to fall on their sword, but the hope of the other two doing the same was dashed when they leapt up to their feet once more. Their leader shouted orders at his group, frantically trying to get them in formation before we could hit them. Too late.

The three of us charged straight into their ranks, attacking with a fury I hadn't felt in ages. It became a violent dance, slashing and feinting and dodging on both sides. Aided by occasional wind or explosions from Lucinda, it seemed like we were going to win. I truly thought that we would come out triumphant against this group of nine soldiers.

However, even though we had incapcitated half of the group, it became apparent that these last few soldiers wouldn't give up as easily as we needed them too. The three of us were weary from these long weeks of traveling, and Garroth was already sporting a deep gash on his sword arm. I risked a quick glance at Laurance, finding him on the edge of losing his temper. His breath was coming quickly and in short bursts, and the little that I could see of his eyes were flickering between their natural baby blue and a violent red. Horrified, I grabbed the back of his chestplate and attempted to drag him away from the Meif'wa woman he was currently engaged with. He snarled, trying to struggle away, but I held on desperately, doing my best to pull him away while continuing to fight my opponent away. Garroth noticed our backwards movement and joined me in getting Laurance away, knowing just as much as I did that Laurance couldn't let that Shadow Knight out. The wind Lucinda was conjuring seemed to increase, pushing against the remaining Tulians to give us the opportunity we needed to retreat.

As the four of us ran through the forest, branches and underbrush weaving together behind us, I berated myself for losing. Yet I knew that Laurance didn't need to transform; besides most likely killing everyone in that clearing, we had no idea what else he would do in that form. Leaving those few survivors was worth more than the loss of our brother's sanity.