Callan and the others caught up with Soleil and her family by the front door of the house. Soleil's aunt, Oma, seemed shockingly calm despite all that was happening. Sol, on the other hand, was fervently arguing with Reighn while Ismerina looked desperate, caught up in between the two. Oma was the first to notice the appearance of Sachi and Soleil's fellow Runeholders. "I'm sorry that we have to met under such unfortunate circumstances. You must be the friends that Soleil spoke of. I hope this trouble won't delay you long..."
The way she said the word made it very clear that she knew who they were and why they were there, but the admiration and respect with which she addressed the group of them— a group of children who without a few inky black marks on their kin would have been treated as just that: children— gave Callan hope for their mission. There were so many people counting on them to stop Elieveta... People like Oma. People like Reighn and Rina. And countless others who not one of the six Runehlders might ever learn the names of. It was a welcome reminder of what their responsibility to Gwyrholm was in this time of uncertainty.
"Who are they, and what do they want?" Phoena asked without missing a beat. They didn't have time to dally, after all. They needed to be focused and get straight to the heart of the issue.
Oma pressed her lips together into a thin line, a soft puff of air escaping as a sigh. "Some of the townsfolk saw you all as you came into two. I overheard rumors in the market—" Her gaze shifted to Sachi, still cradled securely in Cal's arms."—rumors of a beast, disguising itself as an innocent boy."
"They came from Mystaire, didn't they?" Sachi said weakly, turning his head to peer at the older woman.
She nodded. "Years ago, yes. Some thought it safer to leave than to stay."
"Three years ago..." Sachi whimpered, his arms shaking as he clung tighter to Callan.
"Hey, it's going to be okay," the shifter assured him, a smile pulling at his lips despite his worry. He wasn't going to let Sachi see how ruffled he was by this. It would only frighten the young boy more.
Oma ushered them closer, speaking in hushed tones. "Fear makes people dangerous, especially when faced with something the don't understand..." Her eyes glazed over for a moment, but she never shed a tear over her wistful remembrances. "They won't hurt me. I'll distract them, and you get as far from here as you can." She then looked to Soleil and gave her niece's hand a firm squeeze. "Take the twins with you. I won't risk them staying with a mob ready to ransack their home."
"I'm not letting you stay here by yourself!" Reighn protested, but Oma shut him down immediately with a piercing gaze.
"Reighn Alaric Klaussen, you will leave this house. This is not up for discussion."
Whatever retort Reighn might have had, he swallowed his words and lowered his head submissively to his mother. "Okay, fine."
Those logistics settled, Oma gave the group one final glance, wearing a confident smile on her lips. "Be safe. All of you." Then, she marched outside to confront the townspeople.
"She plans to feign ignorance and let them search the house for us once we've left. Should give us a bit of a head start on the collective of pitchforks and flaming torches." Brady's mental talents, for once it seemed, were being put to good use. "Give her some time to lead them away from the front, then we should make a run for it."
Sol peered over at the closed door, her lips twisted in an uncomfortable frown. "It's not like we have any better options."
"It's settled then," Brady announced decisively. "I'll give you the go ahead once it's clear."
While Brady's focus was on what was happening outside— particularly what was happening in the minds of their unexpected visitors— Callan's attention was on those inside. "Will she be okay?" Cal asked, tipping his head in Rina's direction. She looked to be doing better than when he last saw her, but with how sick she'd been, it was a matter of concern to the shapeshifter. This wasn't going to be an easy escape by any means, he could say that with certainty, and it would be especially hard on Ismerina.
"We'll take care of her. Don't worry." Sol insisted, looking over at Reighn.
Her cousin stared back at her, nodding firmly. "No one's going to lay a hand on her, or they'll have me to deal with."
Rina's cheeks flushed as she looked between her brother and her cousin before she abashedly turned her gaze down, sweeping her foot along the floor. Callan, noticing her reaction, offered his thoughts. "You have some really amazing family, Rina," he told her, "It's good to have people that will watch your back." The girl peeked up at his words, her eyes lighting up along with her smile. She mouthed the words thank you to the shifter.
"It's time."
The group peered at Brady as he started toward the door. "They won't be able to see us until we hit the forest's edge."
"We run— and we keep on running. Got it?" Phoena instructed, a chorus of affirmation following.
Callan and Sachi were the first to leave with Ismerina not far behind, Reighn tagging one side of her and Soleil the other. Brady and Phoena took up the back of the group as the only two without someone else as a charge. They bolted from the house, feet flying frantically over the ground as they headed for the forest. No one looked back until they reached the cover of the trees. Even as threatening shouts ran out through the otherwise silent night, none of them dared to turn an eye to their pursuers. Not until Phoena reached the woods.
As quickly as she had stopped to take a peek, the blonde was running again. She looked to Braedyn beside her and pushed down every emotion she felt that wasn't propelling her to run faster. "They're gaining on us."
Brady didn't have to look back to confirm. The snide boisterous musings that pervaded his mind were enough, and all the he could say in reply was: "I know."
The two bringing up the rear jerked to a stop as Rina stumbled, Reighn barely managing to catch her before she fell. His eyes were wide and panicked, and Soleil looked no less composed than he did. Reighn knelt down beside her and gestured to his back. "Piggyback," he explained to his twin, "Come on, Rina. Like we used to when we were little."
Rina didn't hesitate, and they were quickly back on the move. Unfortunately, their hasty problem-solving didn't make much of a difference; the mob was gaining even more ground. The voices were close enough to set Phoe's brain on overdrive. How were they going to get out of this? She reached over and latched on to Brady's arm as they ran. "Maybe call has an idea?" she offered. A move of desperation from someone out of ideas, really, but only Brady would know as much. He nodded, following the blonde as they sprinted to catch up to Cal in the front.
"Keep an eye on the back," Brady called to Sol as they passed her, and the sorceress nodded.
"Callan!" Phoena called, making the shifter peek back over his shoulder.
It only took him a moment to gauge her expression and realize that they were in trouble. "How far?" he asked simply.
"Not far enough. What do we do? We can't keep running like this."
"Then we stop running."
Phoena's jaw tightened, and she wondered if this mad dash of theirs had somehow invoked madness in Callan as well.
"Well, they do call it mob mentality..." Brady mused, but his attempt at humor seemed only to make the blonde that much more distressed.
"This is no time for jokes, you two!"
Cal just shook his head, ruffling the hair atop Sachi's head as he slowed his pace, eventually coming to a complete halt. "We have to face them. They won't stop, and at this rate, they'll catch us anyway," he reasoned as he carefully let Sachi down.
The boy clamped his hands together and blinked up at Callan. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Cal let out a heavy breath and readied himself for the townspeople to appear from beyond the trees. "If they want to get to you," he gave his solemn promise, "they're going to have to go through me."
"If that a challenge or a request, kid?" a voice snarled from across the way. "Because that boy is a monster, and if you're smart, you'll hand him over right here, right now, before this mess gets more complicated."
"Not a request. Not a challenge." Cal shook his head and took a bold step forward, placing himself directly in between Sachi and the all too familiar man from the marketplace. "Just a simple fact."
The man snorted, looking Callan up and down as if the idea that the shapeshifter could protect anyone was a joke. He looked over at Phoena and Brady— Soleil, Reighn, and Rina too— as more members from his hunting party gathered with him. A bit more than half a dozen... (though not one was armed with a torch or a pitchfork, which utterly disappointed Brady). The man pointed over at Phoe, a smirk curling his lips. "The girl looks like more of a threat than you," he sneered, making Callan's posture go rigid with anger. Even Phoena looked ready to pounce on the man in that moment, but Cal made the first move.
"Try me," the shifter hissed, but a tugging on his arm kept Callan from charging recklessly at the man as he'd intended.
"Wait!" Sachi protested, shaking his head sharply from side to side. "Callan, please don't..."
"What?"
"I don't want you to get hurt..."
The man's twisted smile grew at that. "Too late for that. I wouldn't back down from a challenge."
"Leave my friends alone." Sachi's eyes were glowing brightly, that same bold amber from before, and that could only mean one thing.
Cal stared in shock as the boy took Manabe form, and it sent at least half of the mob running for the hills. The man from the market remained, flanked by a tall vicious-looking woman and a stout thickly-built man. Others from Mystaire, Callan imagined, since the shaggy black beast standing in front of the shapeshifter like a shield of flesh and fur hadn't sent them packing. But this time felt different from before, much different. Sachi had acted out against anyone until Cal managed to calm him, but not now. He was defensive, protecting Callan from those threatening them. The boy felt he had something to fight for, and this time, Sachi— not the beast— was in control.
"Why did you save this monster?" the man demanded, but he was keeping his distance with Sachi prowling in Manabe form. "It's a murderer!"
"It—" Callan looked over at Sachi with a look of awe that the man from Mystaire would never be able to understand. "No. That is a person, and the only monster I see here is you." Sachi let out a loud roar, as if in agreement with Callan's barb. "I think you should leave, you know, before this mess gets more complicated."
"You little—" The man was shaking with fury as the Grand Commander's son spoke so contemptuously to him (luckily for the man, he was unaware of just whose child he was bickering with) when an arrow whizzed past him, burying itself into the tree behind him.
"That was a warning shot," a voice called from above, somewhere up in the trees, shrouded by the branches and leaves. "Do as you were told, or I take another."
But the man stubbornly refused to budge, instead trying to locate the shooter. "How about you come out from hiding, bitch?"
Apparently this woman didn't take kindly to name calling, as another arrow flew, this one hitting him square on the back of his knee. He let out a loud curse as she spoke again, "The next one goes right between your eyes. I'll say it once more... Leave, now."
This time, it seemed that the man and his friends had finally wizened up. Still, before leaving, the man glowered at Sachi, giving a final threat. "If you don't leave these woods tonight, you'll be dead by tomorrow, you beast," he warned, "and you'll deserve it too." With that, he and the other two shuffled away, having been bested by Sachi and the mysterious archer.
Brady, though, seemed particularly jumpy as Callan searched the treetops. "What's with you, Shrinkwrap?" he murmured.
"I can't read her thoughts."
That had Cal turning to the telepath with an arched brow. "Huh?" He would have inquired further about what that meant had it not been for the appearance of the woman in question— or perhaps girl was the more accurate title as she couldn't have been older than the lot of them.
Having swung gracefully down from the branch she'd been poised on, the girl dropped to the ground then picked herself up from a crouched stance. She surveyed the group thoughtfully, especially Sachi. His eyes were still faintly golden, but he was a boy once more, not the Manabe. The archer tilted her head at him and hummed, which had Cal strecthing an arm out in front of the kid protectively.
"What do you want?" Callan demanded, not certain that she was on their side just because she'd helped them with their attackers.
The girl laughed dryly and twirled her hand in a dismissive wave, storing her bow over her shoulder. "You're the group that's searching for the rest of Gwyrholm's Runeholders, right? I thought I'd help you out." She lifted the edge of her shirt to reveal swirling black designs covering her hip— undeniably one of the six Seorehen runes.
"And you're a telepath too, aren't you?" Brady cut in, eyeing the girl warily.
"You too, I assume?" she mused, taking a few steps closer to Brady as she tapped a finger against her lip. "Not a fan of the mental barrier I use, I see... I don't like others like me crawling around in there. Sorry." She shrugged, though she hardly seemed legitmately sympathetic.
"Your name?" Phoena interrupted, "You'll have plenty of time to discuss telepathic practices later."
The girl's gaze flickered to Phoena, and she gave a heavy sigh. "Of course. Business first, I'd have it no other way." She paused for a moment before continuing. "You can call me Erzia. Like your friend figured, I'm a telepath— ahh, and the Runeholder of Skill."
***
A/N: AHHH! ERZIA!!! ... Let me just tell you, back when this was originally supposed to be an O.C. book (which didn't really end up planning out, but oh well) Erzia was my own personal O.C. of the six Runeholders. So hey, of course my baby is still around and I'm PUMPED that y'all get to meet her (even if ya don't like her much, haha). Super long chapter this time though, guys. Be proud of me! I feel like things are finally moving for this story again! Until next time... <3 ~ Rissa