"Skywings."
"Night Vision."
They took wing and soared north, just a few meters above the treeline, scouting the road for signs of the carriage. One hour later the night sky was waving goodbye, pushed away by the earliest rays of the sun when they found the vehicle, overturned, broken and burnt. Bloodstains could be seen everywhere as well as scraps of clothes and rummaged luggage. There was no embers or heat, signaling that the attack happened yesterday. From the distance, they flew, probably a little after noon.
Sora went to check the surroundings and Aidan was investigating the objects around.
"Orc tracks. A small group. There are signs of fighting, and they dragged the bodies away. They went west, we should follow them." Sora pointed.
"Let's go. They should've been captured alive, there is not enough blood on the ground."
"GRAAAWK!" Skippy points to the other side. He had a broken bottle of perfume on his hand.
"What is there, buddy?"
He showed a second set of tracks. Feminine shoes, some heavy greaves, and a few orcs clawed feet. Sora finishes examining
"The woman escaped this way. Hurry."
They ran into the woods and soon found three corpses, a knight and two orcs. Sora checked the stomped ground.
"There were four orcs fighting here. I can see two of them crawling away in this direction, with heavy wounds by the amount of blood on the ground. Skippy, where did he women go?"
"Why haven't scavengers attacked the bodies yet?" Dawn asked.
"They could've been driven away or there were easier morsels elsewhere. We found one knight but there should be more guards with the Count's family. Probably the others held back the orcs while this man took them away."
Skippy pointed in one direction after getting away from the combat area and searching for their scent.
Aidan sent his mana over the dead orc bodies.
"Animate Dead."
The two orc corpses shambled on their feet, dark green light shining in their now empty eye sockets. Their rusted axes clutched in hand. Aidan only gave them enough mana to last for a day.
Sora sighed. "What will you do with them?"
"I'm going to send them after the wounded orcs. Orc zombies, go that way, follow these tracks and kill any orcs or goblins you find. You are forbidden from fighting back against any other creature."
"Sylph's hands."
Dawn staightened the knight corpse into a proper burial position and used Earth magic to put him under the ground.
The zombies moved in the direction of the other orcs and the group resumed their search for the women.
It took them an hour to follow their perfume trail to a shallow cave.
Something flew out of the darkness and went straight toward Sora. She could only raise a hand to take the dagger aimed at her head.
"Sora! Hold on." Dawn ran to look at her wound and Aidan lifted a stone wall.
Cleansing Waters to remove whatever poison the dagger may or may not have and a Healing Light restored Sora's hand. She would have to rest the hand for a few days though.
"Hey! We are here to rescue you!" Aidan shouted.
"Go away!" A girl's crying voice came from the cave.
"We are with the Royal Academy, we were sent here by your father. We are coming out, you better not attack the princess."
"Undying Resilience."
Better safe than sorry. After Aidan buffed their shared soul, Dawn boldly walked out of the stone wall.
"Liar. There is no way the princess would be..."
"But I am here. Is there anyone wounded? We must act fast. The orcs could be here at any moment." Dawn waked confidently, hands in the open.
"Mom. Please save mom!"
"Light Orb"
Dawn entered the cave with the light behind her head. The youngest girl was in the back, clutching a noblewoman. During the week they trained, she was able to learn one very useful spell from Astromelicus.
"Lifesight."
> Abnormal status: Severe anemia, internal bleeding, poison, hypothermia.
"She is still alive."
"Warmth Aura"
"Cleansing Waters."
"Healing Light."
By this time Sora and Aidan were already inside the cave. Sora took the two girls away from the woman. Dawn raised a hand and Aidan put a healing potion on her hand. Skippy was by the cave entrance keeping watch.
"She needs blood," Dawn announced while she kept applying the Healing Light spell.
Aidan knelt in front of the two scared girls.
"Hey, you two. You were very brave for protecting your mother. But she needs your help. Your mom lost a lot of blood and the princess' healing magic cannot replace it." Aidan showed the dagger the eldest sister threw. "If you want to save your mother, would you be willing to give some of your blood to her?"
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
As long as the blood was compatible and inside the body, the healing magic could force it back in the blood vessels.
The olde sister took the dagger. "I'll do it. Margareth is too young." She walked next to Dawn. "What should I do, your Highness?"
"Nick the vein in the middle of your wrist and let the blood fall in your mother's mouth. Don't make a big cut. I'll heal you later."
"Ugh."
The blood splashed everywhere at first, but Dawn forced the woman's mouth open and brought the cut to the lips.
She kept applying the Healing light every minute. An unconscious person can't swallow but the magic made the blood seep inside the blood vessels in the mouth. She also kept watching the girl. Once she became too pale and cold Dawn closed the wounded wrist.
"Lifesight."
> Abnormal Status: mild anemia.
"This should be enough. Your mother won't die. Brave girl. What is your name?"
"It is Abigail, miss."
"Abby, go stay with your sister. The Countess needs space and air to breathe."
They settled in the cave. They had no provisions but Sora carried a ration potion. They gave it to the Countess, to help replace some nutrients she lost. Margareth was seven years old and Abigail, eleven.
"Are you really Princess Lumina?" Margareth asked.
Dawn smiled. The strain from all the magic she used with low affinity was wearing her down. "I wonder about that. Sometimes I might be Lumina, but right now I am Dawn, an adventurer." She spoke in a hushed voice as if telling a secret.
"Ah! I got it." Margareth exclaimed, triumphant. "Of course, miss Dawn. I've seen no princess. No, sir. I won't tell anyone that you escaped the castle."
She totally will. In fact, it was obvious that her enthusiasm was forced, to avoid facing the grim reality.
"Come here, Maggie." Dawn picked the small girl and sat her on the lap.
"Your Highness, I'm dirty! It is going to soil your clothes!"
Dawn patted the girl's head. "Maggie. Remember this. Clothes can be fixed and cleaned easier than a broken heart can be mended." She hugged Margareth, burying the girl's face on her chest and whispered, "It is over. We are going home now and your daddy is crazy to see you and give you a hug. You can cry if you want. I know there is a strong girl that needs a place to hide and cry."
Little Margareth let her emotions out and cried on Dawn's lap.
"Sir Timberlight, he helped us escape," Abigail asked Aidan. "Did you find him?"
"A brave and loyal knight to the end. He is now in Mars' exalted halls, honing his skills and receiving his laurels. We buried him."
After a few more minutes, Margareth fell asleep and Dawn handed her to Abigail.
"Aidan, we need a way to carry the Countess. Dawn is exhausted and I can't use my hand. Go outside and get something to carry them."
"I'm going to get the carriage bench. I'll be right back." The little dragon perked up. "Skippy, you stay here and guard the cave."
The dragon grunted and tapped his feet.
"What are you complaining about? It is a dragon's job to guard the cave and the precious treasure whithin!"
Skippy turned his neck around and looked at the cave only to have his eyes shine in realization later. He looked at aidan and puffed smoke, feigning ferocity.
Aidan ran to the carriage wreck. It was just like they left it. He dislodged a bench seat from its mount and gathered some belts and straps from the horses' harness and the luggage.
----------------------------------------
They placed some cut branches underneath to work as handles. Once the makeshift stretcher was ready the Countess was safely tied.
"Won't the orcs find us if we walk through the woods?"
"Yes. They probably will." Aidan answered.
"But that is why we won't walk." Dawn completed. "Abby, Maggie. Let me tie this ribbon to your hands. Then I'll tie Abby's other hand to Sora's."
The girls complied. And Aidan used the spell on all of them. He and Dawn would carry the Countess. Sora was tasked with towing the girls.
"Skywings."
Fear and excitement stamped on their faces, the girls flew for the first time in their lives.
----------------------------------------
Count Marlimar walked back and forth in the north ramparts of his town. His face still burned, a lesson in humbleness and practicality given by the princess herself. There was a time for pleasantries and a time for action, and he mixed them. If it were not for his concern about the safety of his family, he would be praising the princess' wisdom. He didn't know why she chose to sleep in the inn instead of coming to his villa, but he dared not pry. She should have her reasons.
And she praised him! He knew he was a loyal subject and he worked hard to make his fief prosper in the worst region of the realm. To earn such recognition was a great honor.
"Up north, in the sky! They are back!" A sentry shouted.
They saw the majestic figures of the princess and her escorts soaring in shining wings to the rescue of the Countess and his daughters. A ray of hope in the gloom of the night. Something Marlimar would never forget. Sky magic. Something unattainable by most, a rarity even among the royal family where every member could wield Light magic.
He squinted his eyes. There they were, five sets of wings carrying some wooden object. As they approached, he could see what seemed like a dragon with them and the arm of a person hanging from the wooden frame.
His heart hurt that moment. He could see his daughters flying hand in hand with the squirrel-kin, but that arm belonged to his wife. Despair took over the man's thoughts. His wife. His beloved Elisabeth. He got on his knees and prayed to Ceres.
"Oh, goddess of Life, please let my wife live! Liz... How will I live without you? How will I raise our children to be proper ladies?"
Some guards saw their Lord in prayer and removed their helmets.
"All is well!" He heard a shout from above. He raised his head, wiped his tears.
Princess Lumina, her escorts, and his daughters landed on the gatehouse roof. Marlimar ran to get near them.
"Get a healer and fetch a hematopoietic potion. On the double!" The princess shouted. "Someone restrain the Count. Abby, Maggie, see to your father and soothe his heart. He suffered too much."
----------------------------------------
'I need to add blood magic to my arsenal if I am to become a proper evil mage', thought Aidan. Dawn chuckled at his intentions. What he wanted was a way to restore the blood of wounded people, like with the Countess. He could play like that and vent his emotions as if he had two sock puppets.
No, not puppets. Two personalities. Over time he was getting better at handling his dual existence. He could send thoughts or feelings for one brain or the other to process. He could use both fields of view without a problem. He was working on adding Skippy's sight to theirs, but the dragon saw things too differently and they had no motor control over what he was looking at. However, splitting the effort between both bodies made it possible.
He focused a little. His orc zombies were still active.
The Countess was officially out of risk and being nursed to full health. She should wake up in one or two days. They wanted to depart but healing the countess and flying six people back placed a strain on their magic and wasted most of the day. To top all that, the girls were all over Dawn and Marlimar would kill himself if he allowed his guests to leave without showing his appreciation.
Nevertheless, they were getting ready for a little incursion north. Aidan needed to do it.
Sora restocked their potions, including two very rare hematopoietic ones. She couldn't use her right hand but an extra pair of trained eyes never hurt.
All they needed to do was get the Count out of their shoes.
"Your Highness, please reconsider. I can send my soldiers and knights to hunt down those fiends, they are eager to avenge their friends. You need not stain your delicate hands with these lowly matters."
Delicate. Dawn was proud she was getting some hardening in her right hand from training with her rapier.
"Marlimar, I will personally see the end of that tribe. They dared spill noble blood."
The Count threw his last card. "It is too dangerous. I cannot allow the princess to expose herself to such dire perils. If something happens to you in my realm, I won't allow myself to live on."
"Skippy," Dawn called. The little dragon came and wrapped himself around her neck and shoulder. "Marlimar. I have a dragon and these two fine champions with me. Those orcs will regret the day they soiled our beautiful land.
Defeated, Count Marlimar took a step back and kneeled. "I shall pray for your safety, your Highness. Godspeed."
"We will be back for dinner, Marlimar."
They took wing going north. Aidan found what he wanted. A group of volunteers for testing the prototype spells he crafted to separate his soul from Lumina's.
'It's time for some dark magic', he thought.