"What a beautiful place! It feels as though the whole town is bobbing up and down on the waves!"
"Oh, I know what you mean, Serena! I've been wanting to visit since I read about it as a child, but, boy, does the books not do this town justice,"
Freya and Serena shared beaming smiles as they surveyed the stunning port town. It had taken a few days to get through the marshland, and the journey took even longer with the amount of monsters they had to fight along the way. However, the exhaustion that filled the party's bodies disappeared and the sight of the town rejuvenated their forms with an abundance of energy.
And what a sight the town was. People from all walks of life filled the light-colored cobblestone paths. There were vendors, similar to the ones back in Gallopolis, selling a wide variety of goods that was even more vast compared to ones in the desert city. The bright buildings matched the gorgeous and vibrant aura of the people that came through and the town even had waterways that allowed tourists to ride gondolas throughout Gondolia—something Freya knew that the party had to ride at least once before they left.
Plus, that was all without mentioning the gorgeous backdrop of the ocean. The sun hit the surface at the perfect angle, making the foamy waves sparkle and shine like the rarest jewels. It glittered so brilliantly and appeared so clear that Freya wished she could dip her feet in and splash about in the cool liquid.
"So this is Gondolia, huh? I heard there were some big scores to be had here," Erik mused, a grin lighting up his face. His words came out breathy as he eyed some of the more expensive looking goods that were on display at a nearby stall. "Rich merchants from all over the world, ships full of treasure, you name it..."
"Trust you to have a nose for treasure," Freya teased as she leaned over to bump her partner with her hip, effectively snapping the thief out of his honed in stare. Erik's delighted hues met Freya's mirth filled ones as a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and a cheeky grin on hers.
"And this is where you're keeping your ship, Sylvando?" Veronica asked, tilting her head curiously as she glanced at the man from the corner of her peripherals. "The ship that you own? Don't tell me you're some kind of millionaire?"
"Oh, come now, Ronnie darling! You know it's not polite to pry!" The jester cooed, spinning around to look at the tiny mage. A second later, he raised an arm in the air, striking a pose while he continued on. "Alright, the docks are in the south-west of the town—last one there's a rotten egg!"
Chuckling, the party began to follow the tall man. Just as Freya was about to step forward, something stirred from her peripherals, causing her eyes to follow the movement. She let out a confused hum as her gaze immediately locked eyes onto a small boy. His small form was hiding from behind a pole, carefully watching her and her friends with a scrutinized stare. Once he saw the brunette peek in his direction, the boy let out a loud gasp before awkwardly scrambling away with flailing limbs. Needless to say, it was an odd sight.
"Are you alright, Freya?" Freya jolted as she heard her friend's voice call out to her. She turned her head back to see Erik standing a few feet away from her as the rest of the group carried on without them. The thief shifted his weight onto one leg and his thin eyebrow arched up in questioning.
"Sorry! I just thought I saw something," Freya explained, shaking her head to brush off the strange sight. Smiling brightly, the girl jogged her way towards the boy before quickly patting him on the shoulder with a mischievous gleam. "Nevermind that. You're going to be a rotten egg at this rate, Erik!"
Erik barely had a chance to react as Freya suddenly bolted after the group. The thief let out a chuckle before chasing after his partner. It didn't take long for the thief to catch up with the Luminary, seeing as he was the quickest member of the group. Still Freya held up a good fight as they raced down the stairs, their light-hearted laughter filling the air.
Rounding the corner, they skidded to a stop upon noticing the others in the middle of a conversation with a sailor. Their faces were scrunched up with displeasure, making the couple's glee slowly ebb away as they exchanged glances. The duo made their way closer, and, once they got within earshot, they could hear Sylvando try to persuade the man. Into what, Freya didn't quite understand.
"What's going on? Is everything okay?" Freya asked as she and Erik approached the group. Serena and Veronica sadly shook their heads while Sylvando let out a lengthy sigh. He turned towards the Luminary with a frown curling at his lips.
"Can you believe it? This mean, mean man won't let us into the docks!" Sylvando huffed, placing his hands on his hips. Upon hearing that, the sailor furiously shook his head, desperate to explain his reasoning.
"Is nothing personal!" He exclaimed, a sheepish expression flitting across his face. Raising a hand, the man gestured at the hanging decorations and bustling crowd. "The docks are off limits for everybody now. Is because of la competizione!"
"Great. So I guess we just have to sit tight till this contest thing is over, huh?" Erik grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. There was a clear irritated flash in his eyes and Freya could only shoot the boy a small smile when his gaze drifted her way.
"Sì...Is the only choice," The sailor said, bowing his head in apology. "I am sorry, but Signor Universo is molto, molto importante event for people of Gondolia!"
"Signor Universo, you say?" Sylvando immediately perked up, leaning extremely close to the man. He let out a gasp as the jester smiled widely, his hues shining with complete interest in the event. "Now that sounds like fun! Tell me more, honey! I'm all ears!"
"Naturalmente! Signor Universo is for men of all ages. The winner, he must be powerful like the waves, graceful like the breeze and deep like the sea!" The man babbled animatedly. His eyes shimmered as he spoke with excitement, obviously enthusiastic that Sylvando asked. "La competizione is reason why Gondolia is so filled with the strong and admirable men in this moment,"
"Oh, I love a little pageantry! Come on, darlings, let's go see what it's all about! We can sample some local delicacies to get ourselves in the mood! I hear they're to die for!" Sylvando lilted, spinning on his heels to peer at his friends. His voice was so full of giddy that Freya couldn't help but giggle as he bounced in his spot. "Well, who's with me? Come ooon, you know you want to..."
"I'm not that bothered about whatever silly contest they're having, but..." Veronica trailed off just in time for her stomach to grumble out loud. The girl chuckled softly and moved to stand beside Sylvando. "I am quite peckish. I'd love to try a few local treats!"
"Seriously!? We're not here on holiday, you know! We're supposed to be looking for the Rainbough!" Erik groused, narrowing his eyes at the two in front of him. He let out a scoff before snapping his head to stare at the silent blonde healer. "Right, Serena?"
"Well, erm..." Serena froze, stumbling over her words as she wasn't anticipating being put on the spot. Her eyes flickered towards her sister and friend before darting back to Erik. Briskly, she awkwardly sidestepped towards the duo and bowed at her hip in apology. Sneaking a glance in Erik's way, Freya bit her lip to refrain from laughing at his gaping mouth. "I'm so sorry, but I'm really rather hungry myself, and, well...we can't leave until the contest's over anyway, so..."
"I don't believe this! Freya, back me up here!" Erik shouted, finally turning towards his last hope in convincing the others. Freya took the chance to glance at her friends. They all held begging eyes, silently pleading with their leader to let them explore the town. Letting out a small exhale through her nose, the teen whirled back towards Erik and rested her hand on his shoulder. The thief's face lit up once she met his eyes with a smile before looking at the trio.
"You guys can go on ahead. We'll catch up in a bit," Freya said and sent a nod her friends' way. Their eyes brightened considerably, and, without hesitation, the three of them started skipping away, humming loudly. At the same time, Erik bristled under her hand as he sent the girl an incredulous frown.
"What?! Freya, you can't be serious!" Erik whined. Taking a glance at the man, who was watching the display with an amused smile, the thief turned back to Freya and dropped his voice into a harsh whisper. "We're on the run and can't exactly stick around for too long,"
"I know, I know, but you'd have to admit they're right. With the competition going on, we're sitting ducks," The Luminary answered, her voice soft as she tried to calm her friend down. "It wouldn't hurt to enjoy Gondolia while we're waiting things out. This place is beautiful. Plus, you didn't exactly enjoy the festival back in Gallopolis,"
At her words, the spiky haired boy sighed. Even though he was obviously against the idea, he understood where she was coming from. Still that didn't mean he was the most pleased about the idea. Freya pursed her lips as she watched her partner's once cheerful disposition morphed into mild annoyance mixed with disappointment, and she did not like that look one bit.
"Excuse me!" Freya called out, walking towards the sailor nearby. She waved her hand in greeting as the man blinked at her curiously. "Sorry to bother you again, but we're in a bit of a hurry and we really need to get to the dock. Do you, by chance, know who's in charge of this contest? Someone we can talk to about our situation?"
"Naturalmente! The person in the charge is Doge Rotondo. He is in the charge of everything in our town!" The man nodded. He raised a hand and pointed in the distance of where the Doge lived. "His villa is in the north-east part of Gondolia. You must speak with him. He is so much a kind man. Molto gentile!"
"Thank you so much!" Freya bowed her head and spun on her heel. She jogged back to Erik and grabbed hold of his hand. She yanked him along with a beaming smile, ignoring his confused countenance. "Come on! You heard the man. Let's go ask this Doge guy to let us into the docks,"
"Wait a minute, Freya!" The thief dug his heels into the ground, effectively stopping the girl in her tracks. Her eyebrows knitted together in wonder as Erik stared back in matching bewilderment. "Earlier you said you wanted to come here since you were a kid. Didn't you want to go around the town with the others?"
"Well, yeah, but this clearly means a lot to you. We can always come back and visit Gondolia once we're finished with whatever we're doing," Freya grinned widely, making the boy's heart beat faster at her words. His cheeks tinted the slightest shade of pink as the girl took a step closer, peering up at him with the clearest blue hues. "Just promise me that you'll take me back here and actually go sightseeing with me once we become thieves,"
"Ah, so there's that conversation again. And here I thought you'd forgotten all about that," The thief chortled, unable to hold back the broad smile curling at the corners of his lips. Freya giggled, squeezing her friend's hand.
"Well, we've been together for a little while now and we fought some pretty scary monsters. I think I'm entitled to help you go treasure hunting," She joked, bumping her hip against his with a cute wink. "Sorry, but you're stuck with me,"
Erik didn't say anything, a little too flustered to respond properly. Instead, his grip on her hand tightened and an endearing grin graced his handsome features. And with that, the two walked in the direction the sailor sent them. The walk was quick but pleasant as they weaved in between the horde of people. After stopping a few locals and asking for directions, the two found themselves in front of a charming house with beautiful flowers in lovely ceramic pots at their feet.
"This must be the place. Let's see if he's home," Erik said as his partner nodded in agreement. He raised a hand and swiftly rapped his knuckles against the mahogany wood in three quick successions. Beyond the door, there were some sounds of shuffling and dishes shifted about.
"Un minuto! I am coming!" A voice called out in a thick accent. It wasn't for another minute or two before the door swung open. There stood a bald, stout man with a thick mustache below his nose. His dark eyes immediately landed on Erik, turning his full attention on him.
"Uh, hey. We're looking for the...Doge?" Erik spoke with a confused tinge at the end of his sentence. The man parted his lips in understanding as the boy continued on. "We need to ask him a favour,"
"Bene. I am Doge Rotondo. Always, I am happy to help a—!" The man, Doge, chimed as his eyes drifted from Erik to Freya. As soon as his cheerful gaze landed on the brunette, his eyes hardened into a glare and a nasty frown adorned his once hospitable face. "I have nothing to say to you. Niente! Now, you must go! Andate via!"
"What the—!? Hey, wait!" The thief stammered as the man retreated back into his home. Doge slammed the door behind him so hard it rattled the flower pots on the ground, making the duo jump in surprise. It took a second to recover, and, once they did, Erik clicked his tongue as he sent Freya an unimpressed glare. "So much for 'molto gentile'! I've met kinder judges!"
"I don't have a good feeling about this, Erik," Freya murmured, her hand drifting to the fabric at her stomach. The purple cloth bunched up in her hands and the Luminary gulped quietly. "He took one look at me and freaked out. You think he knows that I'm a wanted criminal?"
"How would he know you were on the run? And why just you?" Erik asked, resting his hand on his hip. Despite trying to cheer up his friend, the anxiety rising in her eyes didn't die off. Seeing this, Erik reached over and placed a light hand on her shoulder. "Let's not worry about it. I guess we can go ahead and do some sightseeing now,"
"You sure...?" Freya mumbled, uncertainty lacing her words. Her blue hues flitted to the door before dropping them in favor of staring at her mud covered boots. "You don't think that we should get moving anymore?"
"Nah. With that Doge guy being a weirdo, we won't be sailing out of here any time soon," Erik articulated, retracting his hand. With two fingers, he tilted the teen's chin up, forcing her to meet his kind eyes. "Cheer up! We'll go do whatever you want to do and get some of those 'local delicacies' Sylvando mentioned before. My treat, okay?"
It took a second, but Freya nodded slowly, the slightest smile adorning her feminine features. Pleased with what he saw, Erik gave his own beaming grin, gearing his head in the direction of the vendors. Just as they were about to take a few steps, the sound of rushing footfalls towards them had their heads craning to see who it was.
"Oh! There you are!" Serena wheezed out, sliding to an abrupt stop. The blonde bent over with her hands on her knees while she desperately tried to suck air back into her lungs. Freya gasped in worry and immediately moved to stand besides the healer.
"Serena, are you okay? Why are you out of breath?" Freya fretted loudly, resting her hand on her friend's back to rub soothing circles. It took some time, but eventually Serena gained back enough oxygen to give her companions the answer they were waiting for.
"Well, Veronica's managed to get herself into a bit of a scrape..." Serena trailed off, her lips tilting into a frown. "Please, you have to come and help!"
"Man, you can't take that kid anywhere!" Erik cried out, crossing his arms over his chest. Freya shot Erik a withering look to which he gave his own deadpanned one. The two stared at each other, communicating without saying anything while Serena watched in mild amusement. It was only a few seconds before the thief rolled his eyes and Freya grinned wildly. "Fine, you win. Might as well go see what's up..."
Serena clapped her hands, both pleased and a little confused about how the winner was decided. However, she chose not to push it and just guided the couple back to where her sister was at. Getting away from the crowd of people, Serena took the two down a side street and they soon heard Veronica far quicker than they saw her.
"Give it back, you dirty, rotten thief! It's not like you can use it anyway! A kid like you wouldn't have the first idea what to do with a wand!"
"Why no? You are the kid, just like me! Anyway, I only borrow, no steal!"
When they rounded a corner, there stood three kids. One of them was Veronica, but the other two appeared to be local children. Freya blinked in surprise as she recognized the one that held Veronica's wand was the same little boy that she saw back at the entrance not too long ago. Though she didn't recognize the other one and judging by the way he was standing between the two with a terrified expression, Freya knew that he didn't want any trouble.
"What's going on here, Serena?" Erik asked, peering past Freya to shoot the blonde an arched brow. Freya followed his stare to watch Serena worriedly gaze at her twin.
"We were just walking along when he came out of nowhere and snatched her wand!" Serena revealed, nibbling down on her bottom lip. She turned her head to glimpse at her two friends with pleading hues. "We caught up with him here, but he won't give it back!"
Freya swiveled her head to look at her partner. Their matching blue hues met and the Luminary sent the thief a nod. Upon seeing his friend's expecting stare, the boy let out a deep sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. After a beat, Erik raised his head and made his way towards the little boy with silent steps. By the time the child noticed the thief's shadow cascading over him, Erik had snatched the wand back in one fluid motion. The child released a shout of protest as Erik rested the staff against his shoulder. Any remarks quickly died on the child's tongue while the spiky haired boy narrowed his eyes at the troublemakers.
"Here. Don't let it get swiped so easily next time," Erik grunted, twisting to reprimand his friend. He walked towards Veronica and dropped the wand right into Veronica's awaiting hands. She grinned widely as she held her beloved staff, but her expression morphed into curiosity while she peered at the dejected child across from her.
"But why did you even want my wand in the first place?" Veronica asked, gaining the little boy's attention. "It's not worth much money, you know,"
"I, uh..." The boy sputtered for a second. There was a dark shadow that crossed over his face, but Freya didn't get a chance to examine it for too long as the boy dropped his head in sadness. Suddenly, the other child ran in front of his friend with his arms spread to the side. His mouth moved animatedly, yet not a single proper word escaped from his lips.
"What is it, kid? Spit it out!" Erik snipped, his eyes drooping half-way in an irritated fashion. The boy bit his lip and a furious flush colored his cheeks. Frustration filled his hues and his tiny form shook tremendously. Freya, feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy, kneeled down to his height.
"Whatever the reason is, you can tell us. I promise we won't tell anyone or get you in trouble," The Luminary said, smiling warmly at the child. The boy's eyes shined with hope and he opened his mouth again to speak. However, the same broken syllables kept filling the air, only succeeding to confuse the party further.
"Is okay, Placido. I explain the situazione..." The other boy sighed, coming over to place a soothing hand on his friend's shoulder. The boy nodded and took a step back while the first boy placed a hand on his chest. "My name is Benigno. He is my friend, Placido. He is the only son of the Doge Rotondo,"
Freya stiffened at the familiar name and shot her partner a weary glance. Judging by the way his lips pressed into a thin line, Erik felt the same wariness that Freya held. But he subtly shook his head, silently telling the girl to not say anything to their friends. Not yet anyways.
"Every day we are playing together, molto felice—happy, happy! But then Placido, he lose his voice! I no understand what happen. I ask, but he cannot answer!" Benigno explained, gesturing to Placido, who kept his hopeful smile geared to Freya, and then Veronica's wand. "So I think, if I have the magic, maybe I can fix Placido's voice...Capisce?"
"...Fine, you're forgiven. Now, tell me more about your friend's lost voice," Veronica commanded, letting her wand rest on the ground next to her. Benigno did his best to explain the situation—which wasn't much, admittedly. Something had happened to the poor boy without Benigno's presence, so there wasn't much to go off on.
Nevertheless, Serena dropped down to her knees, looking over her shoulder to gesture Freya closer to her with a familiar glint in her eyes. The Luminary eagerly crept closer to the healer, instantly recognizing this as another lesson in healing magic that Serena had been showing her over the course of her journey. Following Serena's movement, Freya pressed her fingers against Placido's throat. Slowly, their fingers glowed with the faintest green light and they dragged it against his column.
Placido squirmed a little as the two used a little of their magic to search into his body, trying to find something—some sort of trauma or illness that may have caused the boy's voice to suddenly lock away. It took some time, but there was something there. The slightest brush of energy against Freya's own magic.
"S-Serena, I think I found something," Freya stuttered with a shocked tinge to her words. Swiftly, Serena followed Freya's trace of magic, delving further than the Luminary had. The blonde mage furrowed her brows and did her best to diagnose the problem.
"It's his throat...There's some sort of awful..." Serena trailed off. After a beat, the girl let out a gasp and retracted her hand to cover her mouth in shock. "Aww, he's been cursed, poor thing!"
"Is there anything we can do to help Placido get back his voice?" Freya questioned, pulling her hand back to rest it in her lap. Serena hummed for a moment, raking her mind for a solution to cure the curse.
"I might be able to help him if I had some birdsong nectar..." The blonde answered, clasping her hands together. Her eyes dimmed and a frown curled at the corners of her lips. "But I'd need some water from a sacred fountain to make it and, well..."
"You need the special, very, very holy water to help Placido, sì? I hear people talking about something like this...The river west of Gondolia, if you follow it up, there is a cave—the Grotta della Fonte. Everybody say its water is molto speciale," Benigno revealed, sidling up next to his dear friend. The words he spoke spewed out in a hasty rush as he pressed his hands together, begging the Luminary. "I know I steal the wand, and I know this is very bad, but...per favore, you must help Placido! We are friends since we are the small children! Bambini piccoli! And now you are his only hope! You will help him, sì? Sì?"
"Now, how could I possibly say no?" Freya laughed lightly, causing the two boys to visibly brighten at her words. They both bowed their heads in thanks and the warmest smiles graced their childish features.
"Grazie mille, signora! You bring the water from the Grotta and make the special nectar, and I will stay to take care of Placido!" Benigno beamed with a puff of his chest. Nodding, Freya stood up, helping Serena as she stood to her full height.
"Perfect, we'll try to be back as soon as we can. Until then, hang in there, okay?" The brunette said, reaching over to ruffle the two's hairs. With the way Placido looked at her as if she was his only saviour, Freya was all the more determined to help the boy regain his missing voice and break that awful curse.
~*~
After searching through Gondolia, the party found Sylvando talking to a local about the competition. Hastily, the team pulled him aside and filled the performer in on the situation, and he was 100% set on helping the poor boy.
Not wanting to waste precious time, nor miss Signor Universo, the party set out for the Grotta della Fonte. The whole trip itself only took a few hours, with just a 30 minute walk to make it to the cave. From there, it was just a matter of defeating monsters—including two very strong coralossuses—that got in the way, navigate through the labyrinth of a cave, and transform the glistening water into birdsong nectar.
By the time they got back to Gondolia, the sun had dipped a little further into the sky and the streets got even more crowded than it was prior. Everywhere you'd turn, there were some strong looking men of all types. From big, burly men to the smaller, lean men to the charmingly, pretty men, there was bound to be someone that fit in one of those categories, and it was clear that every single of those men were aiming for the first place spot in the competition.
"Gosh, look! The contest really got going while we were away!" Serena gushed, the excitement danced vividly in her violet hues as she surveyed some nearby men flexing their bulging muscles, comparing them to one another.
"Oh, this is just too, too exciting! I can't wait to see the first contestant take the stage!" Sylvando squealed in buzzing anticipation. He twirled, facing Freya and Erik as he spoke, clapping his hands together with each word for emphasis. "Listen, you two—I want front row seats for this, so let's get organised!"
Erik quirked a brow in mirth as Freya giggled at her friend's silliness. Upon not sensing any disagreements, Sylvando's grin grew wide, threatening to split his face in half.
"You two go and muscle your way to the front of the crowd and save us a space. Meanwhile, me and the girls will go put a song back into little Placido's throat! Ooh, I can't wait to see his happy little face!" The performer cheered with delighted hues. He then paused and there was a playful sparkle in his eyes that caused the blue haired thief to freeze at the sight of it. "Try not to have too much fun, Erik, darling! Ciao for now!"
"I can't believe him..." Erik groaned, heat flaring up at the tips of his ears as he watched Sylvando, Serena, and Veronica skip away with teasing laughter that he knew was directed at him.
"What does he mean by 'having too much fun'?" Freya mused, pursing her lips together into a pout. She seemed a little perturbed as if she was the only one missing out on the joke, which wasn't too far off.
"Don't worry about it, Freya," Erik speedily said, wanting to kill the conversation before the girl got too curious. Instead, he rubbed the back of his head, sighing in faux vexation. "So we get lumbered with the grunt work again, huh? Ah, whatever. Let's just head over to the contest and see what's what,"
"Oh! Come on, this will be fun!" The brunette chuckled, elated to spend some alone time with the thief. With the exhausting events of Gallopolis, Erik never had a chance to fully enjoy the celebration so Freya was more than happy to finally let her close friend indulge in some fun festivities. She shifted closer to her companion and glanced down at his free hand. Gingerly, she took Erik's hand in her own, entangling their fingers while heat blossoming on her cheeks. Pretending that her cheeks weren't a rosy shade, the Luminary beamed at the taller boy. "Let's hurry! I wanna get a close view of the stage!"
Freya began tugging Erik along with her, eager to witness the competition in a decent spot. The thief easily matched her springy steps, his own smile starting to grow across his handsome face. The couple made their way to the center of town, where Signor Universo was being held. It was a short walk, but both parties enjoyed every second of it, as evident by the sneaking adoring glances they shot each other when they were sure the other wasn't looking. When they reached the massive stage, it was luckily not packed whatsoever.
"Looks like we were lucky to arrive early enough to get some decent seats!" The brunette lilted, a gleeful twinge in her tone. Erik nodded in agreement and his lips parted to speak, but the words got caught in his throat when the duo noticed a man run up to the two of them. The two blinked owlishly as the short man skidded to a halt just a foot away, his eyes twinkling despite his laboured breathing.
"Santo cielo! What an beautiful pair! I think I have never seen such luscious hairs! Molto splendente!" The random man crooned, awe filling his thick accent. Freya snickered while Erik looked plain astonished by what was happening. The man's eyes slid to Erik, hope shining in his hues. "Surely, you are entering la competizione, sì? Is such a waste if you no take part!"
"Listen gramps, I know we're easy on the eye, but we don't have time to be—" Erik started, glancing away with a blank expression. However, he abruptly stopped speaking, making his friend tilt her head in confusion upon seeing the shadow of unease on his face. "Hey—does that guy look familiar to you?"
Following his line of sight, the Luminary felt her heart drop to her stomach. Immediately, her body started to shake with anxiety and she couldn't hold back the bitter whisper of the man's name.
Almost as if he heard her, Jasper's footsteps rang clear in the air, despite the still lively crowd behind them. Each clank of his armor made the teen's heart beat faster and faster. The knight's eyes were thin, gleaming with a sickening delight that matched his smug smirk.
"Hm. I had thought to search the town for you while the citizenry were occupied with this idiotic spectacle..." Jasper sneered, brushing a lock of hair away from his face. "But no! Instead, you choose to saunter up and greet me in broad daylight. Brazen fools!"
"Dammit, it is! It's him!" Erik cursed under his breath. From his side, Freya felt the creeping dread rise up in her throat and she desperately tried to swallow the large lump. It certainly didn't help with the way Jasper's sinister stare bored into Freya's horrified ones.
"People of Gondolia! Listen, and listen well! I, Jasper, knight of Heliodor and trusted retainer of His Majesty, King Carnelian..." Jasper bellowed, stretching his arms to point at the brunette with a hiss. "Come before you to tell you that the very Darkspawn herself is among us! The bedevilled child who brought about the destruction of Dundrasil!"
"This is not good... Let's get out of here!" Erik growled, taking the girl's arm into his hand while the people nearby began to watch them with scrutinizing eyes. Terror seeped into the mob's eyes and their whispers grew to a reverberating hum, echoing from all around the couple. Freya nodded, taking a backing away from the Helidorian to follow her partner. However, their plan for escape was cut off very quickly as they twisted to run.
"Dammit!" Erik snarled, his eyes hardened into a fierce glare at the sudden appearance of other Helidorian knights. The men inched closer and closer, forcing the couple to step up the steps and onto the stage with Jasper. Before long, there were several armed knights surrounding them, wielding sharp swords that glinted dangerously in the setting sun.
"Come quietly, accursed one, and I may not be inclined to make you suffer!" Jasper taunted with a smarmy flash of his teeth. He released a cackle, the sound akin to the feeling of chalk scratching against a whiteboard.
"Oh man, we've done it now..." The blue haired thief took out his knife from its sheath while Freya slung her sword from her back. They brandished their weapons and maneuvered to press their backs against each other, covering each other's blind spots as they surveyed the knights.
For a little bit, nobody moved. It felt as if everyone was waiting for a signal, a sign to move. It was deathly silent, making the pounding rush of blood in Freya's ears all the more louder.
It was only the flicker of movement from Freya's peripheral that everyone attacked.
Clashes of blades clanked in the air, mixing with the sounds of grunts and pained gasps for oxygen. Magic sparked from the Luminary's hand, shooting out Sizz and Bang while the thief slashed and stabbed anybody that dared get too close to the girl.
Between Erik and Freya, everything was going well. Every single slash directed towards the couple's way was blocked by the Luminary's own sturdy blade while her fighting partner went in for the fatal blow, rendering the enemy down. They fought fluidly and seamlessly around each other, seeing as they were far used to battling as a team that they knew the other's patterns and quirks in battle. Yet even so, it was quickly known that it wasn't enough to edge out a win in their favor.
"They just keep coming!" Freya cried out, swiftly dodging a Helidorian's swing in time to miss her shoulder. She pivoted on the ball of her foot, lifting her leg to drive her foot into the armored knight. Despite the metal plate covering his torso, the man released a groan and Freya forced the knight down with a heavy kick. The knight fell with a hefty thud, but the brunette wasn't able to relax as another person instantly filled the space he left. Onslaught after onslaught, there was no end to the Heliodor knights. It was only when Jasper lifted a fist into the air did the knights pause in their attacks.
"Your pathetic resistance will get you nowhere," The blonde knight slurred, his eyes filling with utter delight at weariness creeping in the duo's forms. His stared honed in on the way the two took the chance to gasp for breath after minutes of constant fighting. "Yield, and spare us the—"
"Yield? I don't think so, honey!" The thundering yell had made everyone in the vicinity jump. All eyes trailed to the owner of the voice, and Freya's heart soared at the sight of her two close friends. Veronica and Sylvando stood tall with their hands on their hips, a fighting fire danced in their eyes. The tall jester jabbed a finger in Jasper's way, an unusual serious atmosphere radiating off of him. "You leave my friends alone, or I'm going to have to teach you a lesson!"
"Yeah! Honey!" Veronica echoed, mimicking Sylvando's pointing. Freya and Erik would've laughed at the mage's antics, if the situation wasn't so dire. However, the nefarious knight seemed to think differently based on the way his features scrunched in irritation.
"Who are these imbeciles? And how did they get past the guards!?" Jasper howled, glaring at his knights with a ferocious flare. At his words, Veronica had taken the time to strike a spell. Magic apparated in between her two palms in the form of a fireball, growing bigger and bigger the more she infused her energy into it.
"'Imbeciles', you say? We'll soon see who's the stupid one!" She gibed, sending a wide smirk the taller man's way. Shooting her palms into the air, Veronica activated a wave of absolute chaos. Fireballs rained from her hands, spiraling down on the Helidorian men with intimidating force. Shrilling shrieks erupted from every single one of the knights as they scattered all over the stage like mice. They tumbled and rolled awkwardly as they dodged the little girl's assault.
"So you have friends, Darkspawn? Not for long. Fan out, men!" Jasper commanded, trying to regain control of both the battlefield and his men. When they didn't abide by his words right off the bat, the man growled lowly before stepping in with a storming stomp.
Freya's eyes widened as the man had abandoned the pair, too focused on gathering his men. She quickly snapped her head to Erik, who was already staring back with the same realization forming in his head: Escape now.
Before they could move, something shifted in the corner of their eyes. They directed their attention to the movement, and their sights landed on the blonde healer of their party. Serena pressed a finger up to her lips, motioning for her friends to stay quiet. With her other free hand, she waved the duo forward. Freya glanced over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of Jasper too preoccupied with Veronica's attacks. Upon seeing that, there was no hesitation in their steps while they sprinted towards Serena's position.
Once they got within reach, Serena reached for Freya's hand and tugged her along as Erik pressed his hand against the brunette's lower back to push her farther along. Their getaway was forced to an abrupt end when a burly local man stepped in front of Serena and Freya, cutting off their escape route. The two girls shouted at the man to step aside, in which the man furiously shook his head with a spread of his arms. Erik cursed the man out, but didn't stall when he spun on heels to deal with any pursuing chasers. There was a flash of confusion that crossed his face when he saw nobody trailing after them. But the reasons were revealed when his eyes landed on Jasper.
In the middle of the stage, there Jasper stood. There was an ominous crackle of magic flaring in his palm. It wasn't the same kind that the twins nor Freya used. It was much, much sinister. Even from his spot several feet away, Erik could feel the forbidding energy waft their way. Steadily, the magic condensed and stirred as if it was alive, shapeshifting into hazy wisps of deep violet. Before he knew it, Jasper sent the ball of dark magic.
It was very clear to the thief and healer that the Luminary was their primary focus and it was their duty to get her out of harm's way.
No matter what.
So, based on the trajectory and how it rapidly whizzed through the air, Erik didn't need to think as he screamed at the top of lungs.
"Look out!"
Freya barely had a chance to register what was happening as she turned around. The scent of burning flesh and Erik's ghastly wail overloaded the girl's senses and she looked on in unadulterated horror. The thief writhed on the ground, pressing his hands against his chest where Jasper's magic attack had landed. It was an awful sight to see and Erik's pained hisses made the brunette want to put an end to his agony.
"E-Erik!" Freya weeped, instantly dropping to her knees despite seeing the Helidorian knights rush to where the three of them were. The Luminary's fingers glowed a bright shade of green, putting her remaining magic into casting 'Heal'. Her hands drew closer, but Erik swatted them away with a nasty glare.
"What are you doing? I bought you some time—use it!" He bellowed, making Freya wince at his harsh tone. His hues darted past Freya, boring holes into Serena's set of eyes. He narrowed his eyes with a hardened glint, leaving no room for arguments. "Get out of here, now!"
Serena took a deep breath and nodded her head in understanding. Without delay, the healer held Freya's hand in a vice grip and yanked her along, nearly bruising the flesh under her hands. She caught the burly man off guard and dashed past him without looking back.
"W-Wait, Serena!" Freya blubbered, the stinging sensation of tears started to prickle at the corner of her eyes. "We can't just leave him behind!"
Freya's words fell upon deaf ears and Serena's grip only grew stronger at the brunette's sniffles. Realizing she wasn't going to get through her friend, Freya turned her head to look back at Erik. Instantly, the girl couldn't stop the whimper that fell past her lips. The knights had marched their way up to Erik and knelt down besides his injured body. Their hands roughly pushed his face into the ground, stray pebbles cutting into his face as they restrained him. Yet the look in Erik's eyes never wavered, even as pain flooded in his gaze on Freya.
And soon, Erik's relieved hues was the last thing she saw before Serena turned round the corner and he disappeared out of sight.