Book 1: Chapter 29 - The Rescue [Part 2]
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Seraphina began to spin her sling in a figure of eight, letting loose a swarm of stones into the melee. The stones were indiscriminate, punching through bandits and smacking against the heavy plate of the royal guard alike. Half a moment later, Frest let loose a bolt from his heavy crossbow, felling a bandit on foot.
You have slain a human 30 experience gained.
You have slain a human 30 experience gained.
You have slain a human 55 experience gained.
Let the harvest begin, she thought, a sly smile tugging at her lips as she reached into her saddlebag. Using the enlarged cup, she scooped out more stones, her fingers steady despite the chaos around her. Once again, she spun her sling in a practiced arc and unleashed another volley of death into the fray.
You have slain a human 20 experience gained.
You have slain a human 25 experience gained.
You have slain a human 30 experience gained.
You have slain a horse 20 experience gained.
This time a horse went down along with its rider, its death song high and keening. The bandits had taken notice now and eyed her as a true threat. What was meant to be a simple operation had turned into a complicated mess with the emergence of this new problem that Seraphina represented for them.
A small group of bandits on horseback, clad in an eclectic mix of armor and gear of various quality, wheeled around to face her. Breaking away from the main force, they charged toward Seraphina and Frest, intent on cutting them down.
Across the battlefield, the warrior atop the midnight-black steed turned his gaze toward the approaching bandits. Even from a distance, Seraphina could almost feel the icy, focused intensity in his aura—a passion so cold and unyielding it bordered on the mechanical.
Indeed, he was a machine honed for war.
With his monster of a mount, he pushed past the general melee and also headed in her direction. Seraphina hastily loaded another heavy handful of stones. She was still not used to Kicker’s gait; the bumpiness disrupted her aim. However, at this range, she only needed a rough guess to hit the bandit horsemen approaching her. Hedging her bets, she instead aimed for their mounts.
They fell amidst screams, rolling horseflesh and clashing limbs. The warrior continued onward, jumping over the scrum and decapitating a bandit who had the temerity to get up. Thinking he considered her a threat, Seraphina started to shout that she was a friend and ally... but the man's attention seemed elsewhere. As he drew close, their eyes met for the tiniest fraction of a moment, but it seemed to her that the moment stretched. She saw with almost perfect clarity that he had a face that could have been chiseled from marble—features both hard and soft, which could be called beautiful or handsome depending on the angle. Eyes the color of deep sapphire... Then time rushed back, bringing everything into stark focus.
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And then she saw it—the true object of the warrior’s attention: the other pincer of the bandits' attack, another group heading toward where Eloise and her escort were. The girl’s attention was entirely focused on her chanting, an entreaty to the very Earth and Seraphina could only hope that she had noticed this new threat.
Against all reason, it looked like the peerless warrior had chosen to come to Eloise’s rescue instead of defending the Crown Prince. The new group of bandits numbered a score or more, and it was doubtful that he, no matter how skilled, would be able to fend them off all at once.
However, it did not seem that such fickle things as the odds being against him would stop him from trying. Her breath stilled for a moment as she watched him charge the new group on his horse. Her heart went out to him, and she felt torn. The logical part of her mind demanded attention, and though she wanted to pay it no heed, she was forced to listen.
The dashingly handsome man had all but abandoned his post, and now the other Royal Guards were most definitely in hot water.
She needed to stop gawking and focus on her mission.
“Frest, it is time that we save the Prince. Stay back and engage with that crossbow of yours, and harry their flanks. Once they break, go back and help the others,” Seraphina commanded. “Kill as many as you can. Retreat if you feel that your life is endangered.”
“I would think just being here puts me pretty much puts me in danger milady. I feel very endangered, right now,” he responded acerbically.
“Well then, you had better fight well, Sergeant. I believe in your skills and courage. Show the Royal Guard that it is talent and experience that makes a true warrior. Try not to cross the Shallow River,” she smiled at him, digging gently into Kicker, urging him to full charging gallop as hooked her sling and drew her halberd from the lance cup.
Behind her Sergeant Frest almost preened in raw pride, before his eyes took on a dangerous glint. He would fight. Damned if he was going to let a slip of a girl show him up, titanic Strength or not, the cynical former bandit thought to himself.
As Kicker thundered forward, Seraphina's heart pounded in rhythm with the horse's hooves. The road was a whirlwind of chaos—clashing steel, anguished cries, and the thick scent of blood filled the air. Her eyes locked onto the royal carriage ahead, besieged by a swarm of bandits.
An arrow whizzed past her ear, but she didn't flinch. Raising her halberd high, she let out a fierce battle cry with the full power of her voice. So loud was her roar that it seemed to momentarily halt the fray. Bandits turned just in time to see her sweeping arc slice through their ranks, the sheer force of the blow sending them reeling.
You have learned Polearms (lvl.1)
You have slain a human 30 experience gained.
From behind her, Frest unleashed a succession of crossbow bolts. Most of the bolts found their mark, causing confusion among the enemy. "Keep them off balance!" Seraphina shouted, her voice cutting through the din.
She charged deeper into the throng, wielding her halberd onehanded in a blur of deadly motion. Despite her relative inexperience with the weapon, its weight and reach gave her an unexpected advantage. Her raw Strength more than made up for that. The speed and power it lent her blows crushed through any defense her enemies could offer. And where skill or experience failed her, the valiant Kicker protected her with savage bites and kicks at men on foot or other lesser horses. The raw Bandits fell back, unsure how to counter this whirlwind of steel and determination.
Reaching the royal carriage, she dismounted in one fluid motion. The door was barricaded from within. Without hesitation, she gripped the handle and tore the door clean off its hinges with a roar. Inside, Prince Vellens stared at her, eyes wide with a mix of shock and relief.
Seraphina's gaze locked onto Vellens, and for a heartbeat, the chaos around her faded into silence. The Crown Prince was exactly as he had been in the game—a figure pulled from the depths of her imagination. His shoulders were broad beneath his fine cloak, hinting at a strength honed from years of wielding sword and shield. Yet his frame remained lean and long-limbed, suggesting an effortless grace.
His short hair fell in waves the color of gold, a touch darker than her own. It framed a face so striking that it seemed almost unfair—a beauty wasted on a man. High cheekbones cut sharply above a strong, clean-shaven jaw. His nose was straight, and his full lips held a perpetual hint of a grin, as if he knew secrets the world had yet to uncover.
But it was his eyes that held her captive in that moment—eyes the deep grey of a coming storm, holding an angry depth. They were the eyes of a young man who had seen too much and yet not enough. Eyes she had seen so many times before, and her heart felt another tug. The treacherous thing! she though, biting down on her lower lip.
"Seraphina! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed, his voice trembling an octave higher than usual. Despite herself, Seraphina almost laughed.
"There's no time to explain. We have to get you to safety," she replied, extending a bloodied hand. “I guess you had best come with me if you want to live…”
When she saw his almost tangible reluctance, she decided to change tack. “Actually, stay there for a bit it might be a bit safer,” she amended slightly annoyed.