✔️Retribution |Book 1

VIII

Vus shifted only slightly and the next thing I knew, they were fighting. Their swords weaved back in forth sending sparks into the air when they clashed. Even though she's smaller, the elf didn't seem to have a disadvantage. She reacted quicker than Vus did and it became almost obvious who had better skill. Any attempts Vus made to strike her were expertly parried. I wanted to team up with Vus and help but my sword skills are beyond terrible. I would only cause more problems.

The elf yelled out a spell which caused Vus's sword to splinter into tiny pieces. While I didn't understand the words she shouted out, her voice still rang in my ears. In one fluid motion, she knocked what was left of his sword out of Vus' hands and hit him over the head with the pommel of her sword. He fell unconscious and she stood over him placing the tip of her sword to his chest.

One part of me, the unconfident part, told me to run. There's no way you can save Vus. You're just a measly and useless prince. Just run to live another day. That's all you're good for. Living and watching the people who believe in you die. I shook as I watched her raise the sword slightly as she posed to strike Vus in the heart. I pushed away from the other side of me.

"NO!"I screamed and rushed at her sword in hand. I will not let Vus die nor will I run away. I could see red in the corner of my vision as I rushed at her. Adrenaline surged through my veins. I slammed my double-edged sword onto hers with all my might. She blinked with momentary surprise and quickly figured out that what I had just done was a fluke. She pushed forward and walked towards me forcing me and my blade backward. I stumbled on my own feet and that's all it took for her to start backing me into a corner. She nicked my arms, and face as I barely protected myself with weak blocks. She advanced as my strength began to fade. As a last stand, I decided to try to land a blow on her before she killed me. She blocked my sword easily, grabbed onto my hilt, and twisted my arm forcing me to drop my sword.

She held her sword to my neck, "And here I thought you would be a challenge," she said and pressed the sword hard enough to draw blood. I gasped as she twisted my arm again. "You're so disappointing. I wonder why my kind think your kind is a threat."She smiled."You will do ask I ask or you and your friend will die."

I slowly inched my right hand downwards to grab what was left of Vus' sword. I kept my eyes trained on her as she talked. Once my hand closed around the hilt, I brought up my arm and almost managed to strike. She let go of my left arm as she grabbed my right and twisted it. I dropped the remains of the blade as she hit me over the head with the pommel of her sword.

~

I woke up to the pain of someone pressing a blade to my throat. I flinched and the sword cut deeper than it was meant to. I hissed and tried to bring my hands to my throat but they were tied. I forced my dreary eyes to open wider and my vision began to focus. Vus stood a few feet away leaning against a tree, holding his arm. I shook angrily at my helplessness. I could read the situation with just one look. The elf took advantage of me being the weaker one and threatened to kill me in order to make sure Vus didn't do anything rash. Despite the situation, he seemed to be pretty calm. I wish I could steal his clear-headedness for myself.

He proved me wrong after he spoke," Let go of him and treat him with respect! He is a king." A feeling of gratitude blossomed in my chest but seeing the cold look in his blue eyes froze it. What is he planning to do? His hands curled into fists.

The elf appeared unfazed. "Stand down Vurussian or I'll slit his throat. I never believed the reports of Vurussians acting like animals until I met you."

Vus flinched as if she had slapped him."Aren is a king. I demand you treat him respect lowly elf."He snapped.

She laughed, "King of what? Burnt ruins and a pile of corpses?" Burnt ruins? corpses? How dare she laugh at my kingdom and address it so lowly. However, she is right. There's nothing there back where Alas used to be.

I considered elbowing her in the stomach but the recoil she'll make might drive the sword into my throat and decapitate me. Instead, I decided to join the conversation. I can't let Vus do everything for me, but before I spoke, Vus said something else.

"Aren will be the king of a great kingdom which will allow all magical races to live together peacefully." I could hear the confidence in his voice. The amount he believes in me is too much for me to handle. I felt my eyes tearing up so I pinched myself to stop the flood of tears before they came. Vus gestured towards the blade at my throat, "Is this how you so-called 'peacekeepers' keep the peace?"

"This," she said sliding her fingers across the flat part of her blade, "is self-defense." She paused for a moment, "If I recall correctly, you are the one who came at me first. Attack first, ask questions later. Always something an unstable knight would do." My shaking increased and I curled my hands into fists. I didn't want to sit there at the mercy of my captor as she insulted the bravest and the most loyal man I ever met. She noticed my shaking and misinterpreted it. "Oh my. Your king is shaking with fear. You should let me discuss what I want to discuss before he pisses his pants." Vus opened his mouth to speak but she interrupted him. "The elven council would like to meet you in the forest of Yggdrasil. They were going to discuss terms of war with your father, but he appears to be dead. I recommend you respond to their request and arrive at the arch of veils before their patience runs dry ."

"Why should we accept this request after you threatened to kill my king?"Vus asked stepping forward threateningly.

She moved forward, dragging me with her. "It will be in your best interest to visit my people." She circled around him. "Your questions about your own race will be answered." She flicked his forehead with a finger.

Vus slapped it away out of the habit of slapping my own sister's flicking fingers. The look in his eyes softened from anger to sadness as he remembered his inability to save Elowyen. An overwhelming sense of sadness clutched my heart. If only I expressed my concerns to my father earlier, both of them might have been saved. When we looked up, the elf had disappeared and along with her, our injuries including the burns I had along my arms and legs.

Vus ran a hand through his hair and sighed. The look of sadness he wore on his face earlier had disappeared. I appreciate the strong front he is keeping up. If Vus broke down, there would be no one for me to lean on and we would fall into the pits of despair together.

"Let's make camp," Vus suggested and I nodded in response. We did our best to find the remains of Vus's sword and gathered them into a small pile. Then he left to find dry sticks suitable for making a fire. I sat there on the ground for a while and when I started to worry about him getting eaten by a monster, he came back carrying a large pile. Vus got the fire going by striking two rocks against each other. We argued over who would take the first watch and Vus of course stubbornly won even though I could see the dark circles under his eyes. Everything that recently happened took a toll on both of us. Before I could tell him to wake me up in an hour, I fell asleep looking at the moons that were winking in and out of the clouds.