Converging Destinies: Part 1

Chapter 50

       Two arrows flew towards Ella, and one flew towards Cedric. Ella once again expertly parried one with her greatsword while glancing the other off her armor.

       "If you work on your aim until you're my age, maybe you just might hit something!" Ella taunted. Cedric was also able to duck out of the way of the arrow that flew his way.

       Eris grabbed their dagger off the floor and hurled it at the archer that Ella was facing. The dagger lodged itself into the archer's neck, and blood poured across the floor. Ara' Sei walked over to Zerai's unconscious body before placing her hands upon him. His whole body glowed with pale light and his wounds began to heal. Zerai sat upwards with a smile.

       "Thanks Ara' Sei." He said. Cedric ran towards the archers, bringing his hands apart as his muttering became a rolling wave of pure emerald thunder. Two of the archers were hurled backwards by the force, the third was too far away to be affected.

       Zerai got up, picking up his sword. He began to whisper, and his blade glowed. Then, he slashed the glowing blade, and there was a flash as two bolts of light rushed at the two injured archers. The first found its mark, and the archer was flung back even further before falling to the ground unmoving. The second also found its mark, but this archer held on by just a thread.

       The injured archer ran as fast as they could. The two remaining archers stood their ground and fired both of their arrows at Cedric. The first hit him in the upper leg, while the second hit him in the stomach. Cedric's eyes rolled back and he fell to the floor. Just as the archer smiled, they saw Ella charging full speed towards them. She brought her blade down upon the injured archer. The momentum of her blade cutting through them like soft butter.

       Eris rushed to Cedric's side.

       "Oh no Cedric are you alright please wake up." They whispered frantically.

       Ara' Sei raised her hand towards the final archer, and let a beacon build within her hands. The light shined off the sleek crimson that covered the floor with dazzling glare, and her arm began shaking from the light's power. The beacon slammed into the final archer. The archer stood there for a moment, before the body fell to the side and clanged against the floor.

       With that, the fight was over for the moment. Zerai ran over to Cedric's body and placed his hand on Cedric. Cedric groaned as he woke from unconsciousness, his body covered in blood. He was able to tear out the arrows and quickly reheal the wounds they had caused.

       "We may have to fight the town guards. So we have to use this chance to heal ourselves up." Zerai said.

       "I'm almost out of powerful magic, I won't be able to do much healing." Cedric said.

       "I can make up for that, I didn't expend too much in that fight, I can still heal plenty." Ara' Sei said. Despite his lack of remaining magic, Cedric embraced Eris, and gladly used a portion of his remaining power to heal them. None of the group were in good shape, but with some help from Zerai, Ara' Sei, and Cedric, they were all doing a little better.

       Eris was finally able to lockpick the cells. The people within were chained, beaten, and seemed to be starving. Cedric was able to take out his want and provide some of them with food using his magic.

       "Alright, I've only got one powerful spell left, from there I'll only have my weaker magic." Cedric explained.

       "Same here." Zerai said. Everyone attempted to gather themselves from their exhaustion from the battle, and the former slaves tried to recollect themselves after weeks, or even months of torturous treatment.

       "Alright, we have to get out of Duskholme." Zerai concluded with dread.

       "We need a ship, how are we going to get one?!" Eris asked.

       "We've already broken countless laws, what's one more? We'll steal a ship." Zerai said.

       "If we're caught surely they'll beat us more." One of the former slaves said weakly, Zerai stepped over to them.

       "Look, even if you obey every horrible rule they force you to follow, they will still find excuses to shame, torture, and dehumanize you. Whether or not you follow the rules, they will hate you. I remember being you, I remember being branded and I remember every crack of the whip. If we escape, it will be difficult for you, it will be hard to live out in the world. But here, surviving under the thumb of others, life isn't something you can have." Zerai said, his eyes beginning to water as he relived every agonizing detail of his past life. The poor man Zerai spoke to was covered in scabs and his ribs were clearly visible. He simply nodded in response to Zerai.

       "Okay, we'll follow you all to get out of here." The man replied to Zerai. Zerai nodded with a smile, he would finally have a chance to be the person that his past life needed so long ago.