Elona Bound: Part 13
----- Unleashed -----
While Elona, as a whole, needed this cleansing, the people of Vabbi were particularly in need. For generations did the scourge of the desert loom, ensuring dominance over the freedom of Vabbi's people. Joko had crippled the sunspears, devastated the land by diverting the Elon river, captured and enslaved those that would speak out against him. As time passed, her people's perspective was warped: Vabbians truly looked at becoming one of Joko's minions, the awakened, as a rite of passage; even considering it an honor to serve the tyrant. Demitra had studied the history recorded, and despite the biases written therein, one thing remained an unrelenting and absolute truth: Joko had crushed the Elonian spirit.
It was within Vabbi's Garden of Seborhin that Demitra saw the first flicker of resistance in a kindred soul, and the path to her life's purpose was paved. The secret band of freedom fighters invited her into their guild, their hearts, and Demitra learned that while the majority of Vabbians had resolved to Joko's propaganda and brainwash, the true spirit of the Elona was not dead, simply hidden and nestled at the border of the enemy's domain. It was from this sanctuary that launched attacks on Joko's forces, coordinated efforts and served as a haven for those fighting the tyranny that had befallen under Joko's reign. It was to this safe haven she intended to bring the able-bodied fighters she'd discovered in Tyria; it was from this safe haven that Joko would be destroyed and her people freed.
A warm nose nuzzled Demitra, startling her. She yelped and quickly grew embarrassed for her loss of composure.
Ember giggled. "Lost in thought, I see."
Demitra smiled bashfully. "Indeed," she said, looking up to the woman, already on Cinder's back. Their time together in the Crystal Oasis had been a wondrously magical time. It was yet another reason that made this departure melancholy. The adventure with a kindred soul which had changed them both forever, not just emotionally, but physically as well. While she hadn't understood all that transpired in their previous journey, Demitra felt a power beyond herself; was scared of what it could potentially mean.
As if in her thoughts, Ember probed. "How do you feel?" A worried smile from her almost melted the Elonian's heart.
"I still feel different, but today it's almost…" she paused, struggled to find the words, "natural feeling? It is all very bizarre. One moment I feel as though I am no longer part of this world, then instantly and holistically a part of it. I... have no words to describe it, except that I almost feel like I am still dreaming and attempting to lucidly wake myself." She shook her head, the train of thought derailing their conversation. "What of you? I see your hair is still a lovely ebony."
Ember looked up at the hair hanging in front of her face; a white streak clearly predominate against the black. She shrugged. "I guess it's alright. I mean, I don't know exactly what happened in that dungeon, but I guess I feel fine," she said a bit confusedly.
The Elonian simply smiled, continued walking to their rendezvous with the group. "Well, I, for one, think the hair suits you well."
"Th… Thanks," Ember struggled, as Demitra predicted, with the compliment.
The two walked slowly through the city's promenade, both recalling various locations they'd laughed, shopped, kissed and slept within Amnoon. There was a bittersweet sadness that was a cloud drifting with the couple. Once or twice, either woman would attempt to bring their mood to a happier one, but both were awkward in their delivery, and both eventually resolved to the quiet walk to the entrance plaza.
In complete contrast, the group from Tyria were already excitedly wrapped in conversation. Demitra grinned at the intrepid group. "Ahai, everyone!" she said, striving for positivity.
Orabella, Ryo, Prymi and her sister all greeted the Elonian and Ember with smiles and pleasentries. Prymi wrapped her arms around Demitra's legs, while she patted her Asuran friend gently and thoughtfully.
"Ready for the next part of the trip, love?" Bella asked Ryo.
"I am," he nodded to his wife. "We heading out soon, Demitra?"
Demitra was busily petting Buttercup, Prymi's giant hare. The animal loved the attention, began thumping her leg. "Aye; we're leaving shortly. I trust your stays in Amnoon were accommodating?" she asked broadly to everyone.
Ryo glance around. "Quite a city," he said in a tone that made Demitra wonder if it was meant as sarcasm. She simply didn't know the gentleman well enough to judge, so decidedly she chose to believe it was genuine.
"It is not quite as lovely as Vabbi, but aye… It does, indeed, have a certain charm!" she said, still playing with the hopper's ears.
"Yeah, it was great… Except for the part where everyone was wondering if I was a deformed child," Prymi shrugged with a little laugh.
Everyone looked at each other, then erupted in laughter.
"Well, at least they didn't think you were a 'he!'" Demitra offered the condolence.
Orabella rubbed her pregnant stomach. "Hope this new armor's protective enough," she said aloud, not necessarily meaning to.
Ember approached the couple. "What of your old armor?"
"It got a bit too… snug," she said sheepishly.
"If there's any fighting, I'll do my best to keep the focus on me." Ember was uncharacteristically soft-spoken, her words filled with reverence for the unborn child; even though she couldn't help but think eggs, like those laid by drakes, were so much more practical.
Bella smiled uneasily. "Thanks, Ember. I'll be using my bow mostly to keep them away from me and my baby." She carefully mounted her griffon with Ryo's help, who did the same thereafter.
"Can Buttercup keep up, Prymi? And Khirra's moa as well?" Demitra was careful not to insult.
Prymi nodded, mounting Buttercup as Khirra came to stand beside them. "She's faster than she looks."
"And Featherless here is pretty agile too," Khirra asserted.
Demitra gushed at the two Asura. She genuinely missed seeing the race around, and had gotten used to their presence in Tyria. While Elona saw many travelers, Asura within Amnoon, at least, seemed to be a rare sight.
The ground swirled with sands, which coalesced into Demitra's raptor. She did this without clicking her bracers together. Ember noted this; planned to inquire later about it. Riders in position, Demitra explained, "We shall travel along the southern road. Many dangers await, as I'm sure you all have no doubt experienced here in the oasis, already. We shall stop ahead to address any concerns before we increase pace. My hope is we will avoid said dangers."
Ember frowned and shifted in her seat. Cinder seemed to echo the woman's anxiousness and hunger for battle. Demitra beamed a smile at them both, then turned to lead the group down the corridor that was the entrance-way to Amnoon. Ember caught up to ride beside her friend.
"You don't anticipate any fights?" she asked.
"Well, earlier there were reports of Forged on some of the roads; I would not be surprised if we ran across them. I certainly don't envy them, with this group of fighters, though. And," she glanced down at Ember's recently acquired flamesword, "I don't envy those that meet your blade."
"Yeah. Careful… I just stab ya!" she joked.
Demitra smiled flirtatiously. "And who's to say I wouldn't want you to?"
Ember flushed. Demitra giggled. The group remained in conversation until meeting the south road. They lined up, looked down the path before them, each knowing the journey was leading to something personal. A moment of silence hung amongst the group, but was quickly interrupted by Prymi.
"Hot leather on naked thighs is not fun," she said, struggling with her outfit. It was one which she'd been told was proper Elonian travel attired; obviously she was conned.
"Well… it certainly can be fun," Demitra laughed, winked to Ember, who turned red.
Ember clicked her tongue. "I'll… uh... I'll scout out ahead," she said, trying to evade the awareness.
"Let's go!" Demitra announced, beginning the sprint. The rest followed on her lead. Their pace was fast and purposeful, dust being thrown as they made their way down the path. The quick travel came to a sudden halt, however, as they caught up to Ember. Between the mesas, in the valley ahead, was an contingent of Balthazar's Forged.
Ember looked at Demitra, her eyes ablaze, memories from their previous battle with the monstrosities prominent in her mind. Sharing the woman's thoughts, Demitra nodded. Without hesitation, Ember rushed into the encampment, leaping from her raptor, plunging her crackling fire blade into one of the armors.
"Vanquish these beings of the fallen god!" Demitra yelled, charging forward; behind her Prymi, Bella and Ryo.
Bella's arrows found their way to several of the unsuspecting enemies, while Ryo flew in with sword and shield bashing another. He quickly pulled his bow, along with his wife, began a barrage of arrows to clear the area for those running ahead.
Prymi ran between them, channeling lightning, which found its way to electrify the sentient armor. The Forged stood shocked in the grips of the little Asura's arch until finally exploding into pieces.
Demitra twirled into a line of Forged, replicating herself in the process. Four Demitras encircled the group, each unleashing a flurry of attacks, eventually exploding into a fuchsia cloud of smoke throwing shards of shattered glass into them.
The group fought tirelessly, flawlessly through the Forged until breaching the other side.
"Everyone alright?" Ryo asked, rubbing his shoulder.
"I'm alright, love." Bella held her stomach as the baby kicked.
Prymi removed a torn piece of fabric from her outfit. "I'm fine, but I'm going to have to get some better gear on. This outfit isn't good for riding or for battling, it seems."
Ember looked around. "Where's Demitra?"
"Oh no… I thought she was here," Prymi said, panicking. "She was right beside me!"
"She didn't make it through?" Bella asked.
"Demitra!" Ember rushed back toward the encampment.
Suddenly a guttural scream echoed within the canyon walls. A blinding fuchsia wave of energy exploded, slammed into the group knocking them down. Ember immediately recognized her voice. "Demitra!" she screamed, scrambling to get up. "No..."
Where the encampment had been, lay a pile broken armor and rubble. The dust settled, then silence and stillness. Nothing had survived. The group stood speechless, the defeat of one of their own, still unfathomable.
Just in front of the rubble, the silent scene slowly gained movement. Sand seemed to rise, swirled around on its own accord, and casually came to stop in front of the the group. All quickly stood, armaments ready. The vortex paused, turned a brilliant azure and indigo, then magnetically drew inward, coalesced into Demitra's form. She shared the same shocked expression as her companions.
Without thinking, Ember through her arms around the woman. "I thought you were a goner! What… What happened to you?"
Demitra looked dumbfounded. "I… I have no idea. I saw you all at the camp's exit, and was making my way there, when an Elite Forged blocked my path. I… I fought the monster, but… he bested me."
"But you're here; you're alright!"
"I… I don't know what happened. I felt something… powerful; something… ancient. He held aloft his bladed arm, about to strike a final blow. I… I screamed, and felt myself… shatter, like one of my illusions." She stared at her hands. "Am… I even here?"
Ember kissed Demitra's cheek. "You're here; you're you. Come, we should get to the next town and regroup." She helped the shocked Elonian onto Cinder, mounted behind her and took the reins, her arms tightly around her waist.
"Yeah, let's head out." Ryo agreed. He rubbed his shoulder again, having received a blow from the battle.
Bella looked concerned. "I'll take a look at it when we get to the next town," she said lovingly.
Featherless and Khirra hopped through the rubble of the decommissioned camp, joined the group, then all began their journey to Destiny's Gorge, at a much slower pace than previous. Upon arrival, each went about their anticipated business, all planning to reconvene later in the evening.
Demitra looked around wearily. Children played and merchants sold goods in the windy valley of peaceful shade created by the overhanging cliffs. "The wanton destruction these Forged cause… I shall never understand."
Ember tied Cinder to a nearby post, habitually scratched behind the animal's horns. "It's how you conquer a place. You block the roads… You destroy resources… You starve a place."
The Elonian looked around, noted the dilapidated structures. "Looks like it is working." She watched several kids run by laughing and sighed. "Look at how close to the monsters these people are; the proximity to Balthazar's blight on the world. I won't let villages continue to burn like mine was, Ember. This has got to stop…"
Ember squeezed the woman's hand. "Then let's continue. We can do this."
Demitra grinned slightly. "Aye. We can do this. First, let us rest though… Whatever that was from before… Whatever happened to me has exhausted me. I should feel better after a bit of rest, if it would be alright."
"Of course," Ember said with a quiet smile. Ember put her arm around Demitra as the made their way to a tavern.
The Elonian had a thick, full-lipped, heartwarming smile painted upon her.
To Be Continued...
