Magic

16: Battles and Back

Niomi's POV: 

When I crack my eyes open in the morning, I'm surprised to find everyone still asleep. I rise silently and slip on some comfortable clothes. This includes brown leather pants, white button up, and black calve boots. I pull my hair into a ponytail and slip quietly out of the house. 

I decide to just take a walk, to clear my sleepy head. I walk into the forest, not entirely sure where I"m going. I walk past fallen trees, streams, big rock piles, memorizing them so I can get back. After walking for a few miles, I find a small clearing with a big rock in the middle. 

If I wasn't as tired as I was, I would have caught my mistake. 

As I walked towards the boulder, I noticed nothing out of the ordinary. I reached the rock and took a seat on top of it. I enjoy the breeze for a minute before I hear it. The snap of a branch under a heavy boot. 

My head whips towards the sound, following the treeline with my eyes. I don't see anything standing out, but just to be sure, I slide my chakram out of it's holder on my back, holding it behind my back with one hand, the other held out for balance as I leaped off the rock. 

I scanned the area the snap came from once more, backing slowly towards the opposite treeline. As I neared the forest, the maker of the sound came into view. The man, well, I assume it is a man, stepped out form behind a tree from the opposite side. I almost smiled, knowing that I could get away before he reached me. 

But then the unthinkable happened. The masked stranger was suddenly right in front of me. He had teleported. But I couldn't shake the look of surprise that overtook his eyes, which were the only visible feature of him. 

But his moment of uncertainty was all it took. 

I lashed out with my chakram, separating the halves and wielding one in each hand. I thrust the blade deep into the man's right arm, but he barely flinched. He held up a short sword in his left hand. Dang. I hit the wrong arm. 

He sliced at me, but I was quick. I used my right chakram blade to parry his attack, using my left to come up and hit his left arm. But he moved away too fast. 

I gasped as he used his sword, knocking both chakram pieces out of my hands. One quick movement was all it took for him to disarm me. But I wasn't about to give up. 

I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards me, bringing my legs up and around his neck, driving him to the ground. 

 The man stays down. A good choice, if you ask me. I roll him onto his front, glimpsing a gash on his cheek. I pull the hood off, barely holding in a gasp. 

It's Henson. I gasp, lightly, pulling the small water flask off my belt. I pour a small amount onto the cut. It washes off easily enough, but it's still an angry red. I lay my hand over the cut, hoping that maybe, since I supposedly have some type of rapid healing, it would transfer to him. 

I lift my hand after a few seconds, and when I open my eyes, the cut is gone. I smile incredulously to myself. That's when I hear it. The sound of horse hooves of the hard packed dirt on the forest floor. 

I stand, running over to the tree Henson was hiding behind. And I find exactly what I need. 

Henson hid a bow and arrows behind the tree, just in case. I take out the lighter I have from home, lighting the end of the arrow. I notch it and pull the string back. I give it a five second wait, then I release the blazing arrow. 

I hear the satisfying prong!  as it hits a tree, further into the forest. I hear a horses shrill whiny, then the hooves start towards me. 

I pick up the bow and arrows, racing back to Henson. I position myself over his unconscious body, protecting him from anything the happens to come out of the forest. Then the culprit of the sounds bursts through the trees. 

It seems to be some noble troop. They stop, the leader smirking at me. I make sure my hooded cloak is pulled over my face, not wanting them to see me or associate me with the rest of the team. 

They approach, only having about ten members. I can take them easy. 

The leader jumps off his horse, coming closer to me. He smirks as he swaggers towards me. 

"So, a young girl trying to protect her lover,"  he spits, before continuing, "With a man's weapon. Charming. And against the law. Take her." He motions to his men. He turns, heading back towards his horse. And there lies his first mistake. 

I shoot one arrow, hitting the leader in the hand, but at such an angle that he is pulled to the ground from the force. He screams in agony and rage, yelling for his men to capture me. I shoot the nearest one, pulling and notching two more arrows. 

I shoot arrow after arrow, hitting the men. I just feel like I've seen this before..... 

I intercept one man trying to hit me with his nailed club. But I slip on Henson's cloak. I fall backwards, my bow falling a few feet away. I scramble to get it, but I can't reach it. The man comes at me, pulling his club back, then bringing it down. 

I brace for the impact, but it never comes. I open my eyes, seeing a very awake Henson there, his sword holding back the club. I take the chance, scrambling over to the bow. I pick up a loose arrow, stretching and turning, eventually stabbing it into Henson's opponent. 

He goes down, but when I pull the arrow out and brace for more, I'm greeted with nothing. Anyone we took down is still down, but the leader and his remainder of men have taken off. But the good thing is that there are still three horses from the men we did take out. 

Henson holds out a hand to help me up. I take it, and we walk towards the nice looking horses. Henson is smiling, so I decide to confront him about it. 

"What are you smiling at?" i ask, packing the bow and arrows on the horse. 

He laughs. 

"See, I was awake the while time he talked to you. And what he said was funny." he laughs, mounting his horse. 

I gasp silently, my mouth hanging open. 

"No, I'm not interested in anyone right now, and definitely not you." I state, mounting my own horse. 

This makes him laugh. 

"I figured as much. By that stance, it was more of a brotherly protector than a lover protector. And don't worry, I'm not interested in you. Someone else has caught my eye...." He leads off as we set out. 

"Really? Who?" You have to tell me! And believe me when I say that I have no one to tell." I say. 

He seems to be considering it, then he finally speaks. 

"Well, it may or may not be your friend Hazel." He says quietly. 

I squeal. 

"I knew it! You know, she likes you too....." I say, only because Haze has told me many times. 

He gives a dreamy smile. 

"Really? She said that? Oh my gosh! I'm so happy!" He says, kicking his horse into a gallop. I laugh and follow him, happy to be heading back home. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello! I just typed most of this up in school, so I have a short A/N! 

I hope you enjoyed and I will see you all very soon! 

Don't forget to comment, vote and favorite! Love you guys!!~Embior2 

P.S. The pic on the side is Henson. Michelle, I bet your happy.......