The Fated Three

Hero's

    It was so quiet as the group made their way outside. Not a sound could be heard. All that was to be seen was the leftover bodies that Delgan had taken out before entering the catacombs. "Somethings not right" Rose stated while surveying the area, but no soldiers or villagers could be seen. "Well damn, I was hoping for another fight" Delgan jested as his hand laid on his sword's holster ready for an attack. "Says the guy who literally had a bone sticking out of him" Rose chuckled punching Delgan's shoulder. "Aye, I'm alive aren't I? Nothing can take me out!" Delgan cockily smirked while rubbing his shoulder. "Only because I saved your ass" Freya joked as she commanded her vines to pull Sylvie along.

     While the group continued walking towards the inner city, they could see villagers in the distance. As they got closer, they could see that the villagers were huddled around something. "My goddess" Freya gasped. The faces of the people were a pale sickly color and their bodies were so skinny you could see their rib cages. They were breathing heavily and coughing up black mucus while trying to move lifeless corpses. "I did this.." Freya admitted shamefully. "What do you mean? You couldn't have, you were with us the whole time. You didn't have time to" Delgan questioned confusedly watching the villagers struggle with the dead. "He's right Freya you shouldn't beat yourself up over this, it was most likely The Lich" Rose said trying to be comforting. "No, this is my curse...There's always a consequence for my life magic" Freya said emotionless. "Always a give to my taking" She added as a glimpse of a man running towards the group caught her eye. "We should help them" Rose ordered as she moved towards the sickly villagers bringing Freya's attention back to the group. Suddenly the unknown man shoves through the group roughly making his way to Sylvie. He grabbed and tugged on the vines holding her in place. "It's okay...You're okay... I'm here Vie" the man soothed while taking out a dagger and moving it towards Sylvie's body, but before it could touch her, vines burst through the dirt and wrapped around the man's wrist, dragging him away from her body. "You dare try to hurt my sister" Freya roared as the vine wrapped around his legs turning him over and forcing him on his stomach. Rose and Delgan stood in front of Sylvie's body blocking her from the man's view as Freya stalked towards the man snatching him up by his hair forcing him on his knees facing the others. "I will cut your throat for even trying to lay your hands on her" Freya hissed grabbing her dagger and placing it on the man's throat applying pressure. Blood trickled down her fingers. "If I knew you had a blood kink I would've pissed you off sooner" the man chuckled, his voice sending shivers down Freya's spine. "Do you not realize the situation you are in?" Rose said stunned at the man's humor.

    "Ehh she's done worse before. You should've seen the first time we met" the man replied with a smirk. "ahh it was love at first sight" he added with a chuckle. Freya turned him around to face her. His piercing green eyes looked her up and down and his grin became wider. Her eyes landed on where her dagger was. His once closed scar was now opened from where she had cut him. "I could've killed you!" Freya shouted as she shoved the man's chest causing him to laugh. "Kill me? Nahh I could've gotten out anytime I wanted" the man said while breaking free from the vines that bound him. Rose and Delgan took a fighting stance as the man took a step toward Sylvie. "Look, I've could've killed her when I had the chance I am not a threat," the man said gesturing to Freya. "I'm pretty sure I was the one that had the upper hand" Freya snapped at the man. "Only because I was enjoying the view" the man smirked looking Freya up and down once again causing her to slightly blush.

    "What do you want with my sister?" Freya demanded. "I cared for her while she was here... I tried to get her out, but then that undead monster caught us and forced her to do his bidding" the man sighed clearly frustrated at the thought. He glanced at the others while taking another step forward. Rose and Delgan looked at Freya for approval. "Let him through" Freya answered nodding her head.

    "What happened to her?" The man said worriedly getting to his knees and caressing Sylvie's cheek looking back at Freya for a response. "I had to take part of Lilith out and she collapsed afterward" Freya answered moving next to her sister placing her hands on Sylvie's giving it a squeeze. "Lilith, that fucking parasite" the man cursed causing Freya to smile. "She needs a doctor" Delgan stated watching the man closely unsure of his motives. "I can take you" the man offered, looking at the group while reaching for Sylvie. Freya hesitates for a moment locking eyes with the man before her, remembering the vision she was given in the catacombs. "You can trust me," the man said reassuringly. Freya releases her vines back into the earth. As Sylvie lays on the ground the man picks her up effortlessly and begins to walk forward before turning to the group. "It's this way," the man said as the group follows behind him.

     The room was quiet as the doctor looked over Sylvie. "So doc, is she going to be ok?" Rose asked impatiently. The doctor looked over Sylvie for a brief moment before responding. "Well, I'm gonna need a little more time to really examine her. Although she is extremely malnourished, there don't seem to be any severe injuries. A full diagnosis should help me determine what's going on" he reassured while glancing at Freya with a smile. "We will come back in a little while. See what you can do doctor" Freya announced as she turned to step outside. Before exiting, Freya gazed at her unconscious sister. "Oh, Syl" Freya muttered somberly as she walked out of the room. Delgan looked at the man who helped them. "So who are you anyway," he asked. Scratching his head he chuckled. "Ah yes, the names Malikai. You must be Delgan and Rose right" he answered. Rose lifted a brow. "How do you know are names" she questioned. Malikai smiles a little bit. "If I told ya, I'd have to kill ya" he snickers. "You can tell us..." Rose leans in, eyes flashing an orange tinge, and her body giving off a growing heat. "Or I can dispose of you... you know, no loose ends and whatnot" she wickedly teased. Malikai laughed before continuing.

    "Damn, so that's what he meant when he said you were hot... got my hopes up" Malikai chuckled as he dodged an expected smack on the head from Rose. "Relax... I still think you're hot" he smirked. The glares he received from both Delgan and Rose cut his joking short. "Alright alright. Some dude with this wicked tattoo on his neck told me about you both. Said I should help you out. Hence why I was able to assist with the archives, and with getting the enslaved villagers out of this town" he finished. Though for different reasons, Rose and Delgan tense at the familiar description. Delgan's face sours. "Fucking Grimm" he cursed. Rose elbows Delgan in his side. "Hey, he can't be that bad. His intel was very useful, plus he even told Malikai here to help us" Rose cleared her throat a little shooked by her own defensiveness towards the creepy cloaked man she only just met. Delgan rolls his eyes. "He knows more than he leads on and I don't trust him" he grunted. Rose relaxed with a sigh. "Are you in one of your moods again grandpa" she teased. Delgan sighs in defeat. "We should probably go with Freya. Shouldn't leave her alone, this must be so hard for her" Rose adds endearingly. Delgan nods. "Haha hard" Malikai joked suggestively. Delgan chuckled, Rose put her palm on her face disapprovingly. "let's get going".

    Delgan, Rose, and Malikai went outside to catch up to Freya. As they exited the doctor's house, they saw Freya surrounded by villagers. As soon as they were spotted, some congregated around them too. Rose stiffened as they all surrounded them. "Are you the heroes who freed us from this curse?" one woman said. "Where are you from? Is it true you fought the Lich" one man said eagerly. "Are you guys knights from the military" a little boy added. "Are you from Draven or someplace else" an elderly woman questioned. They were all excited yet sluggish like they were tired. The dark shadowed circles under their eyes told the same story.

    A regal-looking man entered the crowd of onlookers. "Alright alright people that's enough, give them some space. They did free us after all. So let's not pester our heroes too much, come on get going" he instructed. The crowd groans at the regal man's request but starts to disperse. He walks up to Delgan and Rose. "Sorry about that. They mean well, but it's not every day a group of heroes shows up" he announced loudly with pride. Delgan was annoyed by the whole event. " First off, we're not heroes were hunters, second off who are you" he scoffed. The man gasped and slightly tipped his head in honor. "Oh forgive my manners. I'm Faust, the leader of this town. You said you were hunters?" he questioned, an amused look on his face. Delgan held his chin high as he replied. "Yes, we are actually from Lynxfell. We were sent to Draven to kill the Lich" he stated with honor. Malikai's eyes jumped to Delgan. "Whoa, you guys are hunters? That's pretty badass" he acknowledged. Turning towards Malikai Freya added. "Well I'm actually a bandit chief" she interjected proudly. "Wait what? You must be joking" Faust said nervously. "No, she's not" Rose said with a serious face. Malikai leaned in closer to Freya. "Man, that's pretty sexy," he said with a wink and mischievous smile. Freya's eyes widened and instantly looked away hiding her face to not reveal the growing redness of her cheeks. Faust adjusted his collar. "Well, dear hunters and... bandit chief... I think a celebration is in order. A feast at the tavern in your honor! You can drink your fill" he loudly announced.