Hymn of Elys

Chapter Eight

They edged closer towards the cave, trying to be as silent as possible. Alice's breathing was shallow as she gazed upon the malicious wolves that she was about to engage.

Max unsheathed his longsword, the darkened blade glinting in the dimming light. They didn't have much longer until sunset, so they had to do this quick. They couldn't afford to waste any time.

Alice hesitated a bit too long, or so Lysbeth must have though so. "Come on, you can handle this." She whispered, but it was still too loud for Alice's comfort. She raised a finger to her lips, trying to tell Lysbeth to hush. Unfortunately, her companion didn't get the memo.

Max held a bush out of the way, wincing as the branches creaked. He was trying to silently make his way closer to the coming fray. Lysbeth, seeing the opening, decided it was time for Alice to fight the good fight. Apparently, without giving Alice any kind of warning. "Upsy, daisy!" She shoved a palm forward, catching Alice square in the back of her fragile shoulder blades.

The force of the push caught her by surprise, sending her tumbling down and past the side-swept bush that had been blocking the small trench in front of them. Alice fell down the slight slope, and into plain view of the wolves. She didn't have to have heightened hearing to hear Lysbeth's "oopsie" from behind her.

Jesus, these people might actually get her killed.

"Damn it!" she cursed, forgetting about the deadly beasts in front of her for a moment. "I wasn't mentally prepared yet, Lys!" She frantically wiped at her knees as she tried to stand, mud caking the front of her dress now and on her skin. A scab appeared on her kneecaps, pixels pulsing around it. She didn't even have to check to know that she had suffered some fall damage. However, another though came to mind.

Did she have to worry about laundry in the game world too? How do you get red mud out of a white dress??

A low rumbling growl broke her out of her thoughts, instilling dread in the young maiden. Fright filled her as she felt her spine stiffen and she stopped wiping at the fabric of her gown. Trembling, she started to raise her head to see the threat looming before her.

Three wolves stood before her, all of their hackles raised. Their fur bristled in matted knots along the back of their necks. Saliva dribbled past their lips that were pulled back into threatening snarls.

"Erm, nice doggies?" Alice started to back away, her voice shaking with her anxiety and fear. She raised her palms in front of her, trying to show them she was coming in peace.

Even if she wasn't. Hadn't she been told once that animals could read intent? If so, she was so screwed.

"Sing them to death!" Was yelled from behind her. Lysbeth, for all of her confidence, was still concealed behind the safety of the bushes. Only Max burst forth from the protection of the thick branches.

Each step he took was filled with menace as he glared at the wolves in front of the shaking woman. His leather armor was covered in mud, the dark green of his breeches appearing black. While wielding his blade, the muscles of his upper arms were on display, popping against the shortcut of his sleeves. With his greying hair, he looked like a warrior on the brink of madness. "Just sing, Alice. I'll protect you long enough for you to focus."

Alice gulped, still not taking her gaze away from the threat in front of her. "Easier said than done," she replied, but she started to cup her palms in front of her. "A-Are you sure?"

"Just focus on the song!" He held his blade aloft, only one hand wrapped around the hilt as he pointed it at the wolves.

"I'll try!" She closed her eyes, hoping that not seeing the enemies would help with her nervousness. Letting out a deep breath, she tried to clear her mind. Before, the song magic had come to her naturally, without having to think about it. Hopefully, the same would happen now.

Or it had just been beginner's luck.

Max grunted in pain, but with her eyes closed Alice had no way of knowing what was going on. Gritting her teeth, she tried to concentrate on that warm feeling she had had before. Come on, come on!

Once more, she started to feel the warmth of her magic. She tried to grasp it, but it was so elusive. As she tried to wrench it out, it continuously escaped her grasp. The words in her mind refused to form.

She was too stressed. Too overwhelmed to craft a song. Was this another weakness of song maidens?

"Alice!" She heard the feminine scream just before a solid mass collided with her, sending her flying towards the ground. Her breaths were coming in shallow pants as she felt herself start to panic.

Pain lanced up her spine as she opened her eyes just to see a wolf on top of her chest. The solid mass was crushing her rib cage. "No!" She held her arms in front of her face, trying to stop a wounding bite to her face. Before the beast could do any damage, it was yanked away and it's hind leg sliced through with Max's blade.

Alice took the opportunity to scramble away. Dirt filled the beds of her nails as she pulled herself back up to a standing position. The blood had drained from her face, leaving her already pale skin a stark white. Still near the bushes, Lysbeth had finally stood up in full view.

Her dress was dirty, and some leaves were sticking out at odd angles in her hair. Even though she appeared odd, Lysbeth was still as fierce as ever. "Alice! You have to believe in yourself!" Her brown eyes were burning intensely as she tried to convey strength to her guildmate. "If you don't think you can do it, how can Max have enough confidence to protect you?" How was she always so inspirational?

She was right. Alice couldn't continue to depend on Max, not when she wasn't giving her all. Frustration was boiling inside of her, but she tried to let it go. "I-I know. I'm trying!" She found herself wishing that she could be more like the older woman. If only she was a little bit stronger.

A grunt behind her caught her attention, and she spun back around on her heels.

Max was on the ground, the body of a formidable wolf crouching over him. While she had been trying to escape, he had been doing his best to not only protect her; but also keep from damaging the wolves.

He had still tried to give her a learning experience, even though she was failing at it horribly. "Max!" She cried, panicking once more. She had to calm down, but it was becoming improbably at this point.

His hands were wrapped around the wolf's neck, trying to it's gaping mowl away from his throat. The blade he had held was lying on the ground out of his reach. It painted a bleak picture of their odds. Though she knew Lysbeth would step in if they needed it, reasoning was fleeing Alice's grasp.

Alice stumbled forward a few steps, only to notice the other two wolves losing focus on the fallen Max. Instead, they turned their attention towards a now unprotected Alice.

Their growls seemed to resonate inside of her head, causing her fear to increase exponentially. She placed her palms over her ears, trying to get in touch with her music and block out everything else. Still, knowing she was in immediate damage did nothing to help her find her inner magic. No lyrics or melodies came to mind.

The snarls continued to come closer as the wolves advanced and surrounded her. One wolf howled, signaling the impending attack. Turning her face, she braced herself for the imminent agony. She tried one last ditch effort to hum a tune, hoping that would bring out her magic.

It failed. Resolved with her defeat, she sank to her knees.

Behind her, she could hear a soft voice start to sing. Alice couldn't make out the lyrics, but she knew that Lysbeth had started a song. She had known her guild mate wouldn't let her die; still it didn't take away the feeling of disappointment. Once more, Alice felt a crushing wave of defeat. Was she destined to fail in the game just as she had in real life?

"Your friend told you to focus, so focus!" The voice was new, the tone deep and commanding. She heard the wailing of an injured wolf just as one growling tone quieted.