At first Leona thought she was hearing things, but looking at the white glove on her lap she realized she didn’t just hear it wrong and the high elf in front of her really just issued a duel. Krieg suddenly sprung up while reaching for the handle of his weapon.
“Then I should just cut you down here and now!”
He unsheathed the sword and in one swift motion he brought the blade up into a diagonal downwards slash. Kaeli just barely managed to avoid the fatal cleave to her chest by side stepping to the left and then proceeding to jump backwards to create more distance.
“Wait!” Leona pleaded. “Krieg!”
“Leona! We can’t suffer to have her threaten you like this!”
Kaeli adjusted the collar of her clothing before speaking to the knight.
“Truly, you are the perfect protector, Sir Krieg. There was no hesitation in attacking me after I told her of my intentions.”
“You speak too much elf!”
He chased after her and when he got into range he swung a broad horizontal swing that, if connected, would cleave Kaeli in half.
“You’re not half bad for someone not using mana!” She used wind magic beneath her feet to jump over him and land a few meters behind him. “But listen to what your liege has to say for once, she understood what I meant.”
He looked at Leona. She had stood up and was now in front of Kaeli.
“Wait Krieg. Please.”
“Leona… why do you protect someone that wants to take your life?”
“Put your sword away and listen to me please.” After a good few seconds of hesitation the knight sheathed his sword. “Just as she vowed to eliminate me, she also vowed to not attack anyone on this ship until we reach land. Even if we were to fight her now, there is no telling what would happen.”
Kaeli smiled.
“See, your liege has a good head between her shoulders.” She reached for the tactician’s right shoulder for a friendly squeeze. “Besides. If we really fought to the death here, neither of us would have survived. While I am low on mana, her condition also barely allows her to cast spells.”
Leona then turned around which prompted Kaeli to take a half step back as she was addressed by the tactician.
“But I can’t comprehend why you would go to such lengths for Alexander even though you understand what he is doing is still ultimately wrong.”
“Wrong as he may be, you can’t deny the results, Leona. Not only did he bring every Arcadian together under his cause, but also accomplished one of the feats none of the previous rulers were able to, which was to create a strong kingdom.” She sourly laughed. “Besides, my vow is not something to be taken lightly, to break it is to defy a god.”
“Wait… that means you are a-”
“Paladin? Yes. I became one in order to obtain this power.”
Leona glanced at the floor with a troubled expression.
‘A devout paladin. That would explain how she was able to achieve such magic prowess while being so young.’
She then couldn’t help but look at the high elf again and ask.
“What compelled you to go to these lengths?”
Kaeli smirked as she shook her left hand in front of her body.
“I’ll tell you if you win our duel.” She then walked past Leona and Krieg while heading towards the ship’s deck. “After all, yielding is the same as accepting death isn’t it?”
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Leona tightened her right hand into a fist as she turned around—almost shouting.
“It doesn’t have to be this way, Kaeli!”
For the tactician, talent and hardwork were paramount for anyone to survive their harsh reality. Through all the pain and suffering, she was able to see a glimpse of who Kaeli truly was, but behind that mask there were truths yet to be unveiled. The high elf chuckled before continuing.
“Maybe not for you, Leona.” She spoke in high regards as if addressing a long time friend. “For you that kept your morals intact even as hell was unleashed into your life—you, who fought tooth and nail for the future you seek. I respect you from the bottom of my heart.”
Leona stared at the floor with a bitter expression on her face.
‘Why must we fight?’
At the time she didn’t realize, but the sword on her hip seemed to tremble.
Outside, Charlotte and Cecile were discussing the plan for the rest of the voyage when the captain noticed Kaeli come out from the staircase.
“Tsk.” She instinctively clicked her tongue in annoyance. “I know she saved Leona but could she be less of an eyesore?”
Cecile also had a frowned expression on her face.
“She is too dangerous to be on this ship. But it’s not like any of us can fight her right now.”
“Ugh… to think one day I would be carrying vermin on my ship.”
Kaeli made her way across the deck and rested both her elbows against the wooden railing at the very front of the ship. The gentle ocean breeze and warm sun helped ease her mind off the struggles she was to eventually face once the ship landed.
‘This is the right path…’ She slowly tightened her fists. ‘Even if I fail, even if I fall here and now, she will still be safe.’
Her long silky black hair fluttered against the wind, both deep blue eyes gazed at the endless orange horizon as the sun was settling.
Upon closing her eyes it felt like she could see it all once again, darkened skies, roaring thunder and the vivid crimson red of blood coming out of her mother’s body. Even the smell of the salty ocean was overwhelmed by the memory of the sickening taste of iron in the air as a young Phoebe’s screams tainted her mind.
‘I hate you!’
Her hands relaxed as her finger creeped up against the edge of the railings.
“That’s right… I’ve killed our mother…” She mumbled to herself while recalling her memories in Nara. “But I can’t give up just yet… not yet…”
Each one of her fingers tightened its grip around the wooden edge as her thumbs traced in circles. Her mind was not only plagued by her past sins, but also the last warning her master gave her many years ago.
“You are fortunate to be talented, Kaeli. Were you anything but exceptional, your shoulders would be missing a head by now.”
She could picture him clearly. A middle aged man of short black hair was staring through her by the empty docks of Nara, it was the dead of the night as the last ship was about to set sail to the Arcadian continent. His sharp brown eyes could hardly be seen under the moonless night as only a few torches scattered around the pier illuminated the docks.
“I’m sorry. But I had no other choice, it would be meaningless if-”
“Silence. I don’t wish to hear anything else from you.” He turned around as his long-sleeved dark blue robes swayed slightly in the night breeze. “Begone from my sight and never set foot in this continent ever again.”
She hung her head low as her shoulder length black hair brushed against both sides of her cheeks.
There were no other options left for the high elf as she boarded the ship without any farewells from the lonesome dark pier as her master’s wide back vanished into the darkness.
“In the end… it’s just me being selfish again…” She felt strangely at peace despite knowing what her actions would cost her, should she reach Nara. Death seemed more like a mercy than anything else her master could do to her, but even then she was full of conviction with a confident smile curling up her face. “ But I’ll win no matter the outcome of this duel.”
Deep in her heart all she wanted was Phoebe to be happy. However, she knew that in order to acquire enough power to defeat death angels, an equivalent sacrifice needed to be made.
Her mother was one of the few pure blood high elves left in the world with an exceptional potential for magic and was equally skilled with the bow and arrow. It was no wonder she received the title of the Queen’s ‘right hand woman’. She was by no means someone that would just accept being killed on the spot, but that day was different. It was as if she felt she would be killed by her own daughter and Kaeli remembered it all.
The salty smell of the ocean was overwhelmed by the sickening iron taste in the air. Her mother told her how much she loved her, before closing her eyes. Kaeli believed that was for the best, that her vow would bring the power she needed in order to finally put an end to the death angels. But she couldn’t be further from the truth, not only she incurred her master’s wrath but also the hatred from the person she swore to protect.
Upon opening her eyes the horizon orange tint gave place to a warm red color that embraced the ocean, signaling yet another day was at an end.
‘That being said… I’m not planning to die anytime soon.’ She thought while looking at both of her hands and slowly closing them into tight fists which then began to emit sparks of electricity. ‘Be prepared, Leona Crossford. My first nemesis, my first friend.’