The Vagabond

7. Binding

How many times is this going to happen to me! What am I a homing beacon for trouble and monsters and things that want to eat me!? Hey look at me! I'm young, single and ready to be your lunch! The staff wielding reptile screeched out a command and pointed in her direction. Instantly the groups of warriors began hopping down the steep hill, whooping and shouting as they sprinted towards her.

This really can't be happening. Completely flabbergasted by the display, Kass just stood there with her mouth slightly open. She watched as roughly one hundred of the reptiles leapt off the rock shelf and scrambled towards her. Each one carrying a spear and waving it above their heads as they ran.

By the time Kass snapped out of it the quickest warriors had closed the distance considerably. Unsure what to do she did the first thing that came to her head, the thing she was best at. She ran. The tunnel leading to the deep crevice where she fought the Balmorhea wasn't an option since she would have to run slightly towards the reptiles. She figured she would be cut off before she reached it.

Glancing around she spotted a few other openings away from the charging enemy and made her way towards one of those. As soon as she started running the battle cries behind her increased in volume, the creatures seeing weakness in their target. Kass heard some of these high pitched yells coming from the other side of the lake and glanced over. She spotted more of the small reptilian forms running to cut her off, some even jumping into the lake and swimming rapidly towards her. She gripped the sword tight and prayed for its help again.

"You have to fight human..." a voice rang out in her head, startling her.

"What!?" she yelled back, raising her voice, confused. "Who are you!?"

"If you run, you die... so it's simple, you must fight to survive..." the voice spoke the words so matter of factly, like it should be obvious to Kass.

"I can't fight them! I die either way, I'd rather take my chances running." she huffed and puffed the words out, feeling ridiculous talking to herself and still running as fast as she could towards an exit.

"No." The single word was spoken as a command. "Bind with me and you might live, trust me." Bind? Might live? What the? I've somehow summoned a demon now?

"Bind? What do you mea...." the sword in her right hand suddenly flashed and words appeared in Kass' vision, making her stumble slightly as she slowed down. She knew she didn't have much time, the creatures coming up fast from almost every direction. Unable to do anything else she quickly read the words.

Bind yourself with 'Whisper, The Silent Blade'?

[Yes]

[No]

With no other options available to her and with her time running out Kass yelled her answer "Yes!"

Caution. You can only bind yourself with one entity at a time. Are you sure you wish to do this?

"Yes! Yes I'm sure!" she quickly replied, panicking inside.

As soon as she spoke the words the sword flashed again, and Kass was lifted from the ground with the energy that coursed through her. Information flooded into her mind and overwhelmed her senses. Images began appearing and disappearing rapidly behind her closed eyelids.

Vast landscapes and great battles filled her vision. She watched the rise of a great empire and the destruction that was left behind as it fell. Then the images zoomed in and focused on a single person. A male elf, she determined. Certain scenes flashed by, as if telling a story. His family. His people. Their rejection. His banishment. His trials. His love. His hatred. All of it she experienced in a split second. Tears of sorrow came to her eyes and then she laughed with joy, emotions ripping through her just as fast as what she was seeing.