For a moment, Senn and Ria stared at each other. After the short silence, Senn stammered,
"I thought you were dead…" He approached Ria and felt her face.
"I tried looking everywhere for you." Ria said, placing her hand on his. "When I heard Thalleous was killed I thought-"
"I take it you two know each other?" Hubris interjected. Senn quickly pulled away from Ria, their antlers returned to a peaceful glow.
"Yes, but that isn't important right now. We have to focus on the mission." Ria instantly returned to her captain composure. "The guards at the Vault wouldn't reveal whether or not they're holding a Prime Song. I was however able to warn them about the impending attack."
"How mu' time do we hav'?" Growled Onyx, feeling his thick wrists.
"They are here." Masani called from outside.
"You four," Ria pointed to Hubris, Onyx, Grek, and Grim, "circle around from the right side and hit them from behind. I'll run ahead and halt their advance. Masani," she called to the archer as she walked out the entrance. "provide cover and keep an eye out for enemy reinforcements. And Senn," she turned to look him in his white eyes. "Wait here, don't move, and keep quiet. Everybody, let's move!" Ria rushed off towards the Vault.
Senn plunked down beside Masani. "I don't understand. She knows I can fight just fine."
"Maybe she's just trying to protect you." Masani replied. Senn looked at her, but she said no more.
Together, they watched the fight down below. They saw Hubris settle down next to the road in the bushes. As the Voltaris approached, he waved his hand and all four jumped on them at once. Hubris took down their leader with one sweep of his legs, and the Voltaris landed with his back on the hard stone. He raised his sword to sink it into the Ardoni below him, when someone kicked him in the knee. Cursing, he stepped back and the Voltaris flopped up like a fish and they met blade on blade. They engaged in a duel so fast that Senn could only see flashes of silver as they maneuvered their blades. A moment later, Hubris had disarmed his opponent and held his sword against the Voltaris' throat. The Voltaris looked at him for a second and pushed himself onto the sword.
Hubris pulled out his weapon and looked down at the crimson light leaking out of the body. No Ardoni should die like this, not even a Voltaris. However, he was quickly interrupted by Onyx, who was fighting hands-on with another Voltaris. He had snapped the other's staff in two and was gaining ground. The Voltaris mage backed further and further to avoid the vicious swings and uppercuts of the Magnorite. In an instant, he was teetering on the side of the cliff hanging over the small lake below. Onyx gave one last flying kick which hit the Voltaris in the chest, and he flew downward, landing with a giant "wham" in the water. When Hubris looked down, he could not see a shred of red.
Grek emerged from the bushes further down the road, cutting off the Voltaris' retreat route. He galloped on all fours like a cheetah and when he was a couple body lengths away, he leapt into the air and drew out Soulseeker. Swinging it in mid-air, he lopped off one Voltaris' head and the other blade forced another to retreat. They engaged in rapid combat, Grek swinging Soulseeker back and forth, never locking swords. The Voltaris grew tired of the repeating left-and-right blocking and stabbed straight at Grek's chest, but he miscalculated and Grek stabbed him clean through the chest. His markings dimmed and his body flopped onto the ground. Grek lifted it in victory and threw it into a nearby bush.
The last Voltaris in the group, seeing his companions taken out one by one, fled into the surrounding forest. Grim jumped out from behind a tree and tried to hook onto the escaping Ardoni's back. He missed as the other ducked to the side and dived for the cover of the woods. Seeing a clear shot, Grip somersaulted and spun his scythe just like back at Etherea when he and Jalkar stole the egg. He lanced the scythe, with its enchantment blazing, at the Ardoni. The point landed on his back, sending a shockwave of electricity through his body and he dropped to the ground, smoke rising from his body.
"Wait," muttered Senn, "this group was just a distraction…" He bolted up.
"They're already at the Vault!" Masani shouted, "Senn, we need…" She turned around, but found nobody in sight. "Senn?!"
"Baam!" The Vault exploded and the Deathsinger stood atop the debris with a green cube in his hand. It was pulsating with the vigorous strength of a Prime Song. Down below, Hubris, Grim, Grek, and Onyx all looked towards the sound. They all darted towards the bridge, hoping to form a blockade.
A light blue figure beat them to it. Ria launched herself from a tall tree and with her Song, she formed a golden platform and slid into the middle of the bridge. Tygren and Ingressus, who were leaving the ruined Vault, stopped at the entrance.
"Step aside, girl." Tygren shouted over the distance, brandishing a blue diamond broad sword at her, "Or your fate will be the same as the rest of your village!"
"Too long have I hunted you to stand aside now!" Ria drew her spear and stood her ground. "You think you can just come to our village, slaughter our people, and leave unscathed?"
Ingressus motioned for the other to stand down and studied the Senndaris opposite him.
"Do you know who I am?" He asked. The voice boomed across the valley, amplified, no doubt, by one of the Supporium Songs. His eyes shone with a fiery glow fiercer than his subordinates, as if he himself is doom to all.
"Every Ardoni knows those cursed markings." Ria held her spear in front of her arm, with the small blade aimed at the Voltaris.
"Then you know what I have done to those who interfere with my plans." Ingressus spoke, drawing the Voltar on his back. "I commend your bravery, but there is no need to waste your life here. Let us go in peace, and we will allow the same."
"Peace was never an option, Deathsinger!" Ria drew back her spear and held it high in ready position. "You murdered the great masters, ignited a war, and slaughtered my clan. For them, the Knights of Ardonia will fight." She stood, waiting for the assault.
"I am sorry that is the way you see things." Ingressus drew his sword, and ignited it. Tygren aimed his sword, and fired his Aggresium fireball at Ria. The flames barreled down the bridge and Ria readied herself for the impact.
A split moment before the Song would hit Ria square in the chest, a giant blue ball landed on the bridge. Senn rolled forward to break the fall and blocked the Song. Together, he and Ria faced the Voltaris, Senn with his sword, and Ria brandishing her spear.
"You," Tygren's mouth curved into a playful smile, like a cat toying with a mouse before supper. "I remember you! Yes, you cowered and fled as I killed Thalleous Sendaris." His smile grew more crooked. "Are you here to meet the same fate?"
"Tygren!" Senn yelled, "That sword doesn't belong to you!"
Tygren twirled Thalleous's sword and activated the enchants. It pulsed and glowed, like it wanted to be in different hands.
"Oh, you want it?" Tygen taunted, beckoning with his hand, "Then come and claim it, weakling!"
Senn charged. Golden circles began to enclose Tygren and he teleported in front of and above Senn, who skidded to a halt. Raising the diamond blade high above his head, Tygren came crushing down on the white Ardoni beneath him. Senn raised his sword to block. His knees buckled so he leaned back to bounce Tygren off him. Ria raised her spear for Tygren to land on but he teleported again and landed on the far side of the bridge.
Senn whirled around. He charged again, but Tygren flashed into him and forced Senn on the defensive with a long stab. Senn turned to one side and the blue sword missed him by a finger. He pulled back, and returned with a cut to Tygren's right leg, which was just beside Senn's sword. Tygren blocked him and they engaged in a rapid exchange of cuts and stabs. Tygren quickly overpowered Senn with Thalleous's formidable weapon. He left a bleeding gash on Senn's left shin and kicked him backwards into the center of the bridge.
At the same time, Ingressus charged towards Ria. He might only have the Supporium Prime, but his sword is still there. Ria stood her ground and readied her position. Arching back her legs, Ria launched forward like a rocket, summoning her golden platform. Ingressus pulled off a chunk of the bridge's fence and threw it at Ria. She lodged her spear on it and spun the heavy rock around so that it flew at Ingressus instead. This time, the Voltaris leader dodged and let the stone shatter behind him. With the tip of his sword, he hooked up Ria's spear, spun her around like a doll, and tossed her back into the middle of the bridge.
Senn and Ria backed into each other. Their hands met. The warmth that surged through his fingers startled Senn for a bit. He hadn't felt this for such a long time.
"…Like catching a turtle in a pot." Tygren's voice brought Senn back to reality. He turned around, Ingressus was approaching Ria with both his staff and sword in hand.
"You fight well for ones so young," Ingressus spoke. He had the air of an old master teaching his naïve apprentice. "but you were foolish to challenge us. Perhaps your names will be written in the Chronicles after you are gone." Ria turned to look at Senn. The white eyes met the blue, and they knew they had only one way to go. Together, they jumped off the bridge and fell into the abyss below.
Tygren and Ingressus put away their weapon and continued out of the Vault.
"Such a shame." Ingressus said. "The Ardoni are few in numbers, and it is so rare to see ones talented as them." He pondered, "The white one, who is he? I can sense something about him, something I cannot quite put my finger on… Could it be?"
Ria pulled Senn out of the water. Even though they are drenched from head to foot, Ria instantly launched herself on top of Senn. He buckled because of the gash on his leg and they fell on the rocks. Her head motioned forward, their antlers brushed each other. Senn winced as her weight tore open her leg gash. She pulled pack at the last second and instead put Senn's left arm over her shoulder.
"Can you walk?" She asked.
"Yeah," Senn was still a bit dizzy after the fight. "Yeah, I think so."
"Then come on, we need to get back up top." Ria said with a captain's air. They stumbled up a small path back towards the mouth of the Vault.
"Ria, I can't move quite that fast." Senn panted as they came to a small creek. "I have so many questions. how did you survive the attack on Sendaria?"
"I figured out how to use the Song Thalleous gave me." She said with her eyes on the road. "the Voltaris attacked so suddenly. I wanted to fight, I've been training with the spear you gave me, but I wasn't ready. Father gave his life to help me escape."
A tear slid down her chin into the rushing water below. She finally turned towards Senn. They had come out of a small patch of trees and the moonlight glanced off her face. Her natural blue light melted with the starry sky.
"I haven't told anyone of this, and I don't intend to." Ria's antlers blinked slightly. "It's in the past. I knew we couldn't fight them alone, so I began recruiting. Outcasts, misfits, anyone willing to fight for a greater cause. "The Knights of Ardonia", we call ourselves."
She heaved Senn up a steep slope. "They thought of the name, not me." She put Senn's left arm back on her shoulder, but he felt Ria was tugging him closer this time. "It feels like it's been forever, Senn."
"A lot has changed for us both." Senn said. His leg wound was starting to close now and he felt he could put more weight on it. "This wasn't quite what I imagined when I said I wanted to explore the world."
Ria smiled. She too remembered the fantasies they had together as children, how they played games and took turns being the hero, how they sparred together even when…
Her smile faded at the memory of her father. "We are nearly there." She said, "I'll get your wound a proper dressing." A moment of silence. "I've missed you, Senn. I'm glad you're with me again." She confessed.
"So that Voltaris with Thalleous's sword," Ria asked, "his name is Tygren?" Senn felt her fist clench tighter. "Now I have a name to the face of the one who killed my family. Come on."
When they came back to the hideout, they found Hubris waiting outside.
"We need to regroup with the other Knights, find out what happened." Ria instructed Hubris. "And Senn needs a wrap-up on his leg." Senn slipped onto the ground, but Hubris looked so stern he didn't dare enter the cave.
"I thought we had agreed not to engage the Deathsinger." There was a faint trace of scolding in his voice. "However, I am glad to see you both survived."
"Is everyone alright?" Ria asked urgently.
"We're all alive, thankfully," Hubris reported, "but the Deathsinger made it away with the Supporium Prime Song. However, well," a smile broke across his face.
"I don't see what's amusing about this." Ria snapped.
"Oh, no, I'm relieved, for we have gained a new ally." Hubris said. His smile widened, and Senn could detect a hint of playfulness in his expression, like he knew something Ria didn't.
"After the Deathsinger escaped, we were met by another Ardoni, someone who can help us." Hubris continued.
"Okay, so who's the new kid?"
A bright yellow Ardoni stepped out of the cave. He had only four notches on his antlers, but his markings were vigorous, not piercing, but warm, full of strength, it spoke of, unity.
"Welcome back, Ria Sendaris." His voice was soft, but nonetheless forceful and steady. "My name is Achillean Nestoris. I am the Tidesinger."