The Guardians of Deities

24

Their big return was just around the corner and Arline spent that entire day with Zeydar, avoiding the growing fear in her body every time she thought about what was to come.

"Good handing" Aidan's voice resonated behind her "Where were you?"

"Up" she simply said. Arline knew Aidan didn't entirely trust her, which was valid considering she got romantically involved with the one person that wanted his best friend dead.

"He needs you"

"No, he doesn't" she laughed at the idea of Merrick Dortamus needing her help with anything.

"Look, I don't enjoy Merrick trusting you over Lara or me, but he needs your help more than you think" he spat on her face.

"You sound jealous"

"I'm not jealous, I'm annoyed" he confessed "At him and at you"

"What do you want me to do?"Arline asked him, she felt sincerely afraid.

"Act like you trust him"

"I do trust him" this words came out without a second thought on her mind.

Aidan just nodded at her and was about to leave when she took him by surprise "I'm sorry" she said with a shaking tone on her voice "I just don't know how I'm supposed to act when in less than a day I could probably die"

With that said, Aidan realized this girl have never seen war in her life, which should have been obvious for most people. The feisty woman who had killed one of his men, she who had been selected by Pelagius for his lust of blood but ended up becoming a fair heir of his powers. Arline Cole was just a scared girl, waiting for her death.

"Arline, don't think I'm comfortable with the idea of war" he sat next to her "It's an awful experience but you'll get through it, you won't be easy to kill"

"You two really grew up together, didn't you?"

"He spent more time with my family than with his, with very good reason" Aidan lowered his head "On the battlefield, don't have mercy for anyone and fight as if you were immortal" with that said, he left to get ready for the challenge to come. Those weren't warm or calming words to ease her thoughts but it did encourage her.

Lara came up with a uniform the allowed her to move at her will but also protected her from weapons and powers. It was black leather, shaped to form a bodice and imitate the uniform worn by the Huntresses during battles.

"Choose your weapons" her Commander said on the armory, displaying an immense set of gadgets. She hesitated at first but picked three sharp daggers, a bow and arrows and her sword.

The soldiers of Pozarite transported themselves through the dunes of the desert while the people from Reiska rode their dragons, the people from sand weren't really fond of those gigantic beasts with wings.

They arrived hours before sunrise. It was colder than expected and snow had fallen recently. It was a beautiful spectacle of whiteness spread throughout the incline of the mountain. But what was unsettling was the calmness and lack of sound surrounding them.

The troops and their leaders were hiding on the edge of the woods, waiting for the battalion to come through the trees. Light rain started to fall and the owls were singing in between the leaves, but the light break of the fallen branches made them turn.

From within the bushes, Michaela and the Huntresses were coming at them, with ease while the rest of those who followed them were trying their best not to roll down the cliff. Michaela's eyes widened at the sight of Arline standing next to Lara.

"You are alive!" She sounded more excited than expected and rushed to Arline's encounter to hug her tightly.

"Of course I'm alive" Arline answered with a smile "He won't get rid of me so easily"