A red glow enveloped Oreon, the sudden change making everyone in the tavern look up in shocked silence. The golden gleam in his eyes, sharp as daggers, met Vexes' sneering gaze. Celestia and Sylvanie stood there, mouths agape, speechless at the breathtaking scene before them. Heart pounding, Mira scrambled down the stairs, her ancient bow held ready, as she reached the Elven girls.
"No, Oreon…You were only supposed to use that as a last resort." Mira breathed.
Oreon, his gaze still locked on Vexes, answered Mira. "This is a last resort." His voice, grave, filled the room as he spoke.
A surge of power coursed through Oreon as he stood before Vexes, who gritted his teeth in response. His crimson eyes narrowed at the sight. "The Purifier's ability…" Vexes growled, a low rumble vibrating in his chest, his teeth bared. "That aura, that magic," He sneered in a low voice. "Who did you learn this from, boy?"
"Wrong, it's my mother's ability." Oreon returned, his energy still swaying around him. "The ability you speak of that my father uses is nothing but a mere copy. Nothing like the real thing." Oreon breathed as the intense stare down continued between the two.
"Your mother?" Vexes sneered. "The Half-breed witch." He spat. With that comment alone, Oreon shot forward with blinding speed, his dagger flashing in the air as he appeared before Vexes, whose eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Oreon's golden irises. Oreon's sudden appearance before Vexes was immediately followed by a resounding clash of metal throughout the tavern. Oreon's dagger meets Vexes' curved blade.
"His Strength," Vexes mind raced as he struggled against Oreon's dagger. "That…That Power…The Purifier's Power!" He thought as he gritted his teeth.
"Watch your mouth when you speak about my mother." With a furious red glow surrounding him, Oreon smashed through Vexes' defenses. The impact of his 360-degree roundhouse kick sent Vexes sprawling through the tavern's open doorway in a shower of splintering wood and shattered glass. The impact was jarring, but Vexes swiftly recovered his balance, his feet skidding across the rough cobblestones.
"You damn brat!" Vexes growled, quickly tightening his grip around the hilt of his sword.
"You're just like her." His eyes glaring hatefully at Oreon. "A monster wearing human skin. Your father should have drowned you at birth when he realized what you were!"
Oreon appeared in the doorway, both daggers in his grip as he slowly walked down the Tavern steps. "Grr, don't get cocky!" Vexes quickly began charging towards Oreon, his blade coated in dark energy. "I'll make you pay for using the power that mocks the Purifier!" Vexes shouted as Oreon prepared himself.
A flurry of sparks erupted as the blades clashed, a fierce ballet of steel against steel. "How!" Vexes swung his curved blade at Oreon's neck, who stepped back and turned, dodging his attack with ease. "How are you doing this? How are you using the Purifier's ability?" As Oreon dodged another blow aimed at his head, he retaliated, his dagger slicing upward into Vexes' chest, tearing through his Black Order vest.
Vexes yelped, leaping back from Oreon, his empty left hand crackling with dark energy. "Shadow Bolt!" Vexes roared, launching a massive dark energy sphere spiraling with lightning at Oreon, who remained unmoved.
The energy ball rocketed toward Oreon, who narrowed his eyes and charged to meet it. The red aura surrounding him crept slowly onto his blades. "This won't work on me!" With a yell, Oreon sliced the energy ball in two, triggering a small explosion that made Vexes grit his teeth in frustration.
Meanwhile, Mira stood by the two Elven sisters as they watched the battle in front of them. "What…What is that power that he's using?" Celestia's eyes widened in amazement as she asked about Oreon's newfound ability.
"That's definitely not Elven magic," Sylvanie spoke up, her eyes mimicking her sister's as she watched alongside her.
Mira's fingers tightened around her bow as she watched the battle unfold, her expression a mixture of worry and resignation. Almost as if she had known this day would come, but it didn't make it any easier to witness. "It's Dragonborn magic." She answered quietly. "The original magic that existed before the Holy Order corrupted it. Oreon's mother was…special. Half-human, half-dragon in blood. She passed that gift to him.
Celestia's eyes widened further, her lips parting in astonishment as she processed this revelation.
"Dragon blood." Sylvanie whispered, her crimson eyes fixed on Oreon's glowing form." But the dragonborn were hunted to extinction centuries ago by the Holy Order."
While the battle continued, Vexes launched another attack, this time summoning multiple shadow bolts that circled and converged on Oreon from different angles. Despite this, the young man moved like a trained assassin, a flash of motion as he leaped between the projectiles. His red aura blazed as he sliced through the attacks he couldn't evade.
"Not all of them died," Mira replied grimly. "Some hid. Some bred with humans to dilute their blood enough to pass unnoticed, to keep their race alive. Oreon's mother was one of the last pure descendants of her kind, Leona of the Crimson Scale, the descendants of the Crimson Scale Dragon." Mira finished as she watched as Oreon pushed Vexes back again, causing the Dark elf to growl irritably.
"So, the order just doesn't want him because he stole the dragon shard from his father, but they want him because of what he is," Sylvanie stated, her grip tightening on her scythe as she watched the fight unfold in front of her.
Mira hesitated to answer, her eyes never leaving the battle as Oreon moved with inhuman speed, leaving crimson afterimages in his wake before plowing Vexes into the ground again. "The Order doesn't fully understand what he is," she finally answered. "Not yet. They only know he's the Purifier's son, but they don't understand why Alaric is so desperate to get him back. If they did…" Mira let the sentence hang, the implication clear. "If the Order knew about Oreon's dragon blood, they would burn the world to ash to capture him."
Sylvanie's eyes narrowed as she continued to watch the battle, eager to join in the fight herself. "Vexes just realized what he's dealing with." She observed. "Look at his face."
During the fight, Vexes expression had transformed from arrogant confidence to something much darker, a mixture of hatred, fear, and horrified recognition. His attacks grew more frenzied, more desperate. "ABOMINATION!" Vexes screamed, his voice cracking with fury as he slashed wildly at Oreon. "You're a corruption of everything sacred! You should never have existed! You should have purified along with your witch of a mother and that damn female offspring!"
Oreon didn't answer with words. Instead, he met Vexes's wild assault with calculated precision, his daggers weaving a deadly pattern that left shallow cuts across Vexes's arms and torso, not killing blows, before driving him back, crashing into another building with a kick to his chest.
"Damn you." Vexes breathed heavily as he slowly lifted his body to face Oreon once again. "The Purifier will hear of this! Your father will…"
"My father knows exactly what I am," Oreon cut him off, his voice eerily calm despite the battle rage in his eyes." He just hasn't told you about it." Vexes eyes widened at the realization as Oreon charged towards him again.
Vexes's face contorted in a mixture of disbelief and rage as he stumbled backward, processing Oreon's words. The implications hit him like a physical blow—if the Purifier knew of his son's dragon blood yet kept it secret even from the Order...
"Impossible!" Vexes snarls, black energy surging wildly around him as his control slips. "The Purifier is the Holy Order's champion! He would never—"
"Never what?" *Oreon advances, the red aura intensifying around him. "Never keep secrets? Never pursue his own agenda? Never use anyone he deemed expendable!" Oreon's dagger tore into Vexes's chest, eliciting a pained cry. "Never cause anyone pain! Never turn on the ones he swore he cared about!" Oreon followed with a series of slashes, causing his opponent to stagger back as he continued to cut Vexes in various parts of his body. "Trust me, dark elf!" Oreon bellowed as he tightened his fist around the small hilts of his dagger. "You don't know him as well as you think you do!" Oreon screamed as he delivered a massive punch into the side of Vexes' face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
A grimace tightened Vexes's face as he scrambled up and lunged toward Oreon. A massive explosion erupts in the village square as onlookers watch as Oreon's dagger, now fully coated in crimson energy, collides with Vexes's shadow-wreathed blade. The shockwave shattered nearby windows and sent debris flying in all directions, causing the townsfolk to run and hide.
Celestia, noticing this, quickly raised her hands instinctively, a shimmering barrier of light magic forming around her, Sylvanie, and Mira as debris rained down around them. The protective dome glowed with a soft golden radiance, catching fragments of wood and stone before they could strike.
"Sylvanie!" Celestia called out as the debris finished falling around them. "We have to get these people to safety," Celestia spoke as she turned her head towards Mira, who nodded her head, understanding quickly.
"I can help!" Lena's voice cut through, drawing the three's surprised gazes upward. "You guys focus on helping Oreon. I'll get the people away from here!" She screamed as she turned around, not waiting for a response, and she began to guide the small village of people from the area.
As Lena hurried away to evacuate the villagers, another deafening crash echoed through the square. Vexes had unleashed a wave of shadow energy that knocked Oreon through the wall of a nearby building. The structure groaned ominously, its supporting beams cracking under the strain.
The building's timbers splintered with a sickening crack as dust billowed outward. Celestia's heart lurched in her chest, her barrier dissolving as she instinctively stepped forward. "Oreon!" She called out, her voice tight with concern.
Sylvanie grabbed her sister's arm, crimson eyes narrowed at the settling debris. "Sister, wait," she hissed, her grip firm as she nodded her head towards the debris. "Look."
Through the swirling dust, a red glow pulsed, still glowing steadily as Oreon emerged from the wreckage, his clothing torn but his body only carrying light scratches. The crimson aura around him was still as intense as before. His golden eyes blazed brightly as he glared at Vexes.
"Is that all?" Oreon's voice carried across the square, unnervingly calm despite the surrounding destruction.
Vexes snarled, his left-hand drawing energy to it once again as he shot a barrage of Shadow Bolts towards Oreon's direction. "Die Abomination!"
Oreon's hand moved in a blur, slicing through each shadow ball that was launched at him. As the last one dissipated, he launched forward, covering the distance between them in an instant. Vexes barely had time to raise his blade before Oreon was upon him, their weapons meeting with a thunderous clash that shook the ground beneath them, but this time, as their weapons met, Oreon's golden eyes started to slowly flicker between their golden hue back to his normal color.
Vexes taking notice, quickly smirked and pushed Oreon's attack aside before kneeing him hard in the stomach, causing Oreon to double over; before driving an elbow to the back of his neck, dropping Oreon hard to the ground. A quick grunt escaped Oreon as Vexes tried to drive his blade into him, but Oreon quickly rolled out of the way, breathing heavily as he readied himself again.
Vexes continued his attack, a smirk on his face. "What's wrong, abomination?" Vexes taunted as he pressed his advantage. His blade colliding with Oreon's daggers, forcing him backward, each strike more vicious than the last. "Your mother's blood is failing you, just as it failed her!" With that, Vexes's boot connected with his chest, sending him sprawling across the cobblestones.
Sylvanie narrowed her eyes at the scene in front of her. The sudden shift in momentum alarmed her as she gripped her scythe tightly, ready to spring forward.
"His power is fading," Mira whispered, her voice tense with concern. "He's not used to it yet; he can only maintain that state for so long."
Celestia's hand went to her chest, blue eyes filled with worry as she watched Oreon's movements become less fluid and more desperate. She quickly turned her towards her sister. "Sylvanie!"
"Finally!" Sylvanie hissed, darting straight towards the two, her scythe twirling in her hand, "Hey, Order Dog! Fight me instead!" She screamed.
"Gladly!" A voice caught her off guard as Desirae's monstrous form came out of nowhere and slapped Sylvanie straight through a few village buildings, causing her to crash through another wall and into some villager's living room. The impact sent timber and stone exploding outward as Sylvanie's body carved a destructive path through the village. Dust and debris billowed up from the trail of destruction, briefly obscuring the dark elf from view.
"SYLVANIE!" Celestia's scream tore through the chaos, watching in horror as her sister disappeared beneath the rubble.
Behind her, Desirae laughed, the sound echoing unnaturally across the battlefield as her monstrous form towered over the village square.
"I hope you two haven't forgotten about me," Desirae smirked as she watched as Celestia came to a skidded stop between Desirae and where her sister had fallen. "Do not forget, queen of the fallen kingdom, you both are still slaves, and chains are awaiting your wrists." Desirae breathed.
"Those chains are already broken." Without hesitation, Celestia's hands erupted with brilliant light, golden magic surging around her slender form as her eyes hardened. "And allow me to make myself clear to you, Desirae." She settled into a regal fighting stance of her own. "You will not touch my sister again." She declared, her voice carrying an authority that belied her gentle appearance.
The two glared at each other as Desirae took a step closer, slightly licking her lips. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this." A cruel smirk crossed her lips as she began to take another step, but then a scream was heard from where Sylvanie had fallen, and the debris that was on top of her burst away as Sylvanie stood up, glaring daggers at Desirae, wiping a streak of blood from her mouth.
"Okay, that's it! This bitch dies...Today!" Sylvanie growled, twirling her scythe, before letting the back of the blade rest against her shoulder. Next to her, Celestia appeared, standing shoulder to shoulder with her sister. Their light and dark auras's in perfect sync.
"Sylvanie..." Celestia spoke, her eyes remaining cold and unforgiving as she glared up at Desirae, who still wore a cruel smirk on her face.
"You don't even have to say it," Sylvanie responded. "We're about to go over there and kick that bitches' ass and put her head on a spike!" She finished, pointing her scythe towards her.
"I'll never agree to your barbaric ways of dealing with our opponents, Sylvanie. "Celestia slightly glanced over at her sister, a small smirk appearing on her face as she redirected her attention back towards Desirae." But perhaps getting a bit rough would do this one well in terms of manners." She stated as they both glanced at each other one more time. "Together then."
As the two sisters prepared for their battle with Desirae, Oreon continued his fight with Vexes, this time with him trying to survive. "The Purifier's son..." Vexes taunted as he slowly walked towards Oreon. "Fighting against the Order, with power that his human body can't control."
"Oh, shut up...." Oreon breathed, on one knee, gripping his daggers as his eyes returned to their normal brown color." The last thing I need to hear is something about my father. Please talk about something else." Oreon remarked. "Or is my father the only thing you can talk about?" He questioned him with a slight hint of arrogance.
"Oh, still cocky, I see," Vexes responded. "Well then, let's see if you can keep it up after this." Vexes laughed darkly as he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, Oreon's eyes shot up as Dark Order Soldiers started to appear on the building's rooftops and the outskirts of the village.
"What?" Oreon stammered as he struggled to stand up and regain his fighting stance. "You have to be kidding me." Oreon gritted his teeth as he viewed the soldiers standing around the village perimeter, surrounding not only him, but the Elven sisters as well.
"Well, this sucks." Oreon retorted as he turned his head back towards Vexes. "And just like my father, you can't fight by yourself." His words left his lips as Mira appeared beside him, nocking her bow and aiming it, ready to fire at will.
"Reinforcements for an Old woman and three children," Mira added. "And you call yourself an assassin of the Holy Order."
Vexes looked at the two for a moment, his eyes blinking at the comment made by his opponent before he roared in laughter. His laugh cutting through the air, edged with cruel satisfaction. "Do you two think this is some kind of game?" He questioned.
"This isn't some silly exhibition; a sparring match between comrades." He pointed out. "We are the Holy Order. We don't adhere to the rules of beings so...Inadequate." He gestured toward the Elven sisters with contempt. "We eradicate threats against the Order's ambitions...By any...means necessary."
Oreon rolls his eyes at Vexes comments. "Hey Mira, did you hear that? Threats against the Order's ambitions." Oreon gave a short laugh. "That sounds like a true slave to me."
"Aye," Mira responded, her bow still aimed as she stood behind Oreon, facing the Order soldiers surrounding them. "Never thought I would see the day when an elf accepts being treated like a lowly mongrel."
Vexes's face contorted in anger at Mira's taunt. "I was handpicked by the Purifier himself to lead the Assassin group of the Order; you will show me respect, Keeper." He bared his teeth.
"He's a greedy one," Oreon responded. "Now he wants hostages and respect. Geez, that's asking a bit much, don't you think?" Oreon replied.
Vexes continue to glare at the two standing together in the face of their demise. "Kill the keeper. The Purifier wants his son alive."
The soldiers drew their weapons in unison, the metallic sound echoing across the village square as they began to close in. Oreon and Mira stood back-to-back; his daggers held in a defensive stance despite his exhaustion.
"Guess the jokes are over," Oreon stated.
"And you seem to have pissed him off," Mira replied. "Now he wants me dead, thanks for that." She remarked with a smirk on her face, her arrow ready.
Meanwhile, Desirae, a grotesque figure, loomed over the Elven sisters, her cruel laughter ringing out. "Doesn't this bring back memories of when the kingdom fell?" Desirae spoke. "And now the fallen sisters can stand together one last time before returning to their cells."
Sylvanie eyed Desirae dangerously as Shadowy tendrils began to sprout and curl from underneath her and her sister. "Last time you had an army and the element of surprise." She retaliated. "This time, you just have a few soldiers and that ugly face!"
Desirae gasped a bit at Sylvanie's comment. "Ugly?" She gritted her teeth. "You ignorant elf, I am not ugly! I'm the most beautiful elf that ever graced that pitiful excuse of a kingdom you called home!" She yelled back, waving her hand and drawing some Dark Order Soldiers toward them. "It doesn't matter, your rebellion ends here, and you're going back to your chains and becoming playthings for the Order! Now be good little Elves and fall just like your kingdom did!"
Sylvanie scoffed, twirling her scythe with practiced ease. "You hear that, sister? She thinks we're going to lose."
"How disappointing for her," Celestia replied softly, golden light pulsing between her fingertips.
"The only thing disappointing is that the hope you two held in keeping your freedom is about to be drowned out in tears," Desirae claimed. "This is the last time you two ever oppose the Order!" she roared as she pointed towards them. "Take them! Beat them until they're unable to move! Break every bone!" She instructed.
"Well, sister." Sylvanie muttered." Seems like we're about to have quite the dance on our hands."
Celestia's light magic illuminated with determination as it began to coat her sister's dark energy tendrils that circled them. "Then let us show them how the daughters of Vel-Andria dance."
In that moment, a high-pitched whistle pierced the air, followed by a blinding flash atop the Village's eastern hill. Catching everyone's attention as the light subsided to reveal a figure standing there. As the light dimmed, they could make out the form of a woman in a hooded cloak, her face obscured but her stance confident and unwavering.
"Reinforcements?" Vexes hissed, his eyes narrowing as he tried to identify the newcomer. The hooded figure raised her hand, and suddenly the ground beneath the Holy Order soldiers began to tremble. Roots erupted from the earth, wrapping around their ankles and pulling several of them down into the dirt.
"Woodland Magic," Celestia whispered in awe, recognizing the ancient power that few could wield. The mysterious woman leapt from the hill with inhuman grace, landing in the village square. As she straightened, her hood fell back to reveal pointed ears and eyes that glowed with an emerald light.
"Another Elf?" Desirae barked, as everyone viewed the woman. Her long, Green wild hair flowed down her back as her green eyes scanned the surrounding area, as if she was surveying the situation. Her traditional resistance garb consisted of worn, earth-toned fabrics, practical and concealing.
"It…It can't be." Oreon looked at her wide-eyed, familiarity coming from the sight of the Elven woman since childhood days. "Aura?"
The elven woman's emerald eyes softened momentarily as they fell on Oreon, a flicker of recognition passing between them. "It's been some time, little dragon," she purred, the smooth sound of her voice laced with an undercurrent of steely resolve. "You've grown since I last saw you." She sent a quick wink before her expression quickly switched to that of a cold-blooded killer as her eyes fell on Vexes and the rest of the Holy Order in front of her.
Vexes's face contorted with fury as he took a step back, his hand tightly holding on to his weapon. "The Ghost of the Eastern Woods," He hissed through clenched teeth, "I should have known you'd crawl out of whatever hole you've been hiding in."
"Still using the same old tiring insults, Vexes?" She replied, her melodic voice carrying across the battlefield. "I'd say it's good to see you again, but I try not to lie." Her eyes narrowed at him.
Celestia and Sylvanie exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them. The arrival of the Legendary woodland guardian changed everything. "Oreon," Aura called without taking her eyes off the enemy.
"Your mother would be very disappointed if I let these dogs drag you back to your father. And I'm sure I would get an earful from Mira, and I for one don't feel like hearing that tired old voice of hers nagging me all day."
"Aye, and I'd give you a thrashing too," Mira smirked, her body relaxing a bit seeing Aura in front of her.
"I know you would," Aura stated, still not taking her eyes off Vexes. "Thanks for keeping him safe. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."
Mira nodded her head. "No need for that, I'm just happy you got here in time, I don't think this old body mine could have held up for much longer." Mira kept her bow aimed as she fired a few arrows at a few soldiers who were fighting against the wood that tried to drag them down into the soil, their marks being hit, allowing the vines to claim a few more Order soldiers as their victims.
Meanwhile, Sylvanie whispered to her sister. "Who is she?" Celestia shook her head.
"I don't know Sylvanie, I'm just as lost as you are." She replied.
Vines continued to spread across the battlefield, trapping more Holy Order soldiers, while Aura stood tall and unyielding in the center of it all. Her presence seemed to alter the very atmosphere of the confrontation.
"Enough of this!" Desirae roared, her hideous form launching toward Aura, claws extended and ready to tear the newcomer apart.
Without even turning to look, Aura flicked her wrist. Massive roots erupted from the ground, wrapping around Desirae's limbs and halting her charge mid-air. The transformed Elven woman howled in rage, struggling against her wooden restraints.
"Your master's forces grow weaker every day," Aura stated calmly, finally turning to face the suspended Desirae. "The dragon is beginning to stir, the elven resistance strengthens, and the Order's grip slips further with each passing moon."
Desirae thrashed violently against her wooden prison, her body contorting as she tried to break free. Black Ichor dripped from her mouth as she snarled at Aura.
"Screw your resistance, you damn witch!" She spat; her voice distorted by rage. "The Order controls every kingdom from the Northern wastes to the Southern seas! Your pathetic rebellion is nothing but a dying ember!" Her violent struggle continued as she glared hatefully at Aura. "The Purifier will burn your precious forests to ash! He will find every last elf hiding in the shadows and hang them from the trees you love so much!"
Aura's expression remained impassive as she stared up at the struggling creature, a hint of pity flashing across her emerald eyes. "Look at what they've done to you, Desirae," She spoke softly. "Once a proud elf of the Round Table, now a twisted puppet dancing on human strings."
Her fingers tightened, causing the roots to constrict further around Desirae's form. "There is still time to remember who you truly are."
"Shut up!" Desirae screamed. "Don't you patronize me with your pretty words and petty sermons! You know just as well as I do that the round table meant nothing! The kingdom was built on Elven lives by that tyrant of a king we had! It deserves to burn! It deserves to fall! To be crushed under the heel of the Order!" Desirae's struggles continued.
Aura continued to keep her impassive expression as she gently closed her eyes to Desirae's rants. "It seems your mind is slipping more and more with each passing day," Aura spoke back. "However, you aren't wrong. The Elven ways are in desperate need of change." She simply said. "We can build again, Desirae, make things right. Better than what they were before."
"Keep your pathetic ideals to yourself!" Desirae hollered back. "The Elven ways will never change! Only false promises and gestures that will only last for a fallen moon!"
Vexes suddenly launched forward, his blade aimed directly at Aura's exposed back. Before anyone could shout a warning, the elven woman sidestepped without even looking, causing Vexes to stumble past her. With a casual gesture, roots wrapped around his ankles, bringing him crashing to the ground, then wrapping around his body.
"Predictable as always," Aura sighed, glancing down at the fallen assassin before returning her gaze back up to the suspended monster.
The struggle came to an abrupt halt as the air suddenly grew heavy with power. Aura's emerald eyes began to glow as Desirae's eyes widened in genuine fear for the first time since the battle began.
"I was hoping we could avoid this," Aura whispered, raising her palm toward Desirae as Emerald light began to coalesce around her fingertips. "But you've chosen your path." Aura extended her hand towards Desirae, who now panicked in her restraints.
"No! Stay back! Stay away from me, you witch!" Desirae screamed like a frightened child. "Don't come any closer! Leave me alone!" Her voice cracked. "Leave me alone!" She thrashed as Aura's palm ignited in emerald light as she stepped closer towards Desirae.
"I'm sorry, Desirae," Aura's eyes remained unnerved. "This is the only way to save you." She spoke gently as she closed the distance between herself and the monstrous form of Desirae.
Unknown to them, Vexes turned to watch the scene with gritting teeth. "Oh no you don't, I won't let you!" Vexes shouted as he managed to break one of his arms free from his restrictions, flicking his wrist in a controlled manner, creating a dark portal that appeared around Desirae, quickly snapping the roots that restrained her, and pulling her into the portal.
The portal collapsed with a thunderous clap, leaving only wisps of dark energy where Desiraee had been moments before. The emerald light around Aura's palm flickered then faded as she lowered her arm, her expression unreadable.
"You don't get two victories in one day, witch." Vexes breathed.
"Coward," Aura murmured, her voice carrying a weight of genuine disappointment rather than anger. She turned her attention to Vexes, who struggled against his remaining restraints with renewed vigor. "Always running when the tide turns against you."
Vexes struggled against his remaining bonds, his face twisted with hatred. The forest magic continued to crawl up his legs, trying to repair the slight tear that he made when he freed his arm.
"The order doesn't lose, witch." He grinned, dark energy beginning to pulse around his body. "We merely…. Reposition." A twisted smile spread across his face as the same dark energy that had created Desiraee's escape portal now began to envelope his form. "The Purifier will hear of this, as well as your reemergence, witch…"
Aura remained, giving him a cold stare as she watched him, not attempting to stop him from escaping. "Tell your Purifier that his borrowed time is running short, the balance in power is about to shift." She regarded him as Vexes body vanishes into the portal, the roots that restrained him dissolving as he disappeared as well.
As Vexes disappeared into the swirling void, an eerie silence fell over the village. The remaining Order soldiers, witnessing their leaders retreat, scrambled away in disarray. Some fled into the surrounding forests while others were dragged underneath the earth by Aura's vine, the ground sealing behind them.
Aura turned to face the group, her emerald eyes dimming back to their natural state as she released a deep breath. The immense power that had radiated from her just moments ago seemed to settle back beneath her skin like a sleeping beast.
"Well," she said with a slight smirk. "That was certainly a reunion I wasn't expecting today."
Mira lowered her bow, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "Always one for dramatic entrances, aren't you, Aura?"
Aura's lips curved into a playful smile as the tension in the air gradually dissipated. "What can I say?" She shrugged, brushing a stray lock of green hair from her face. "Some habits are hard to break. Besides, I wouldn't want to disappoint my audience." She gestured toward the stunned villagers who were cautiously emerging from their hiding places, eyes wide with awe and uncertainty.
"Regardless, I'm just happy my warning got to you in time," Mira stated.
Aura nodded her head. "Although it did take time for your message to get to me. I'm just happy I made it in time.
"Aura…" Oreon walked up slowly, interrupting the conversation between the two. However, upon seeing Oreon, Aura's eyes shot up, a comical expression on her face as she lunged forward, her arms wrapping around him in a possessive hug.
As Aura enveloped Oreon in her embrace, the half-breed's face flushed with embarrassment, eyes widening in surprise. The Eastern Guardian held him tightly, her lips curving into a warm smile that softened her previously lethal demeanor.
"Look at you," she cooed, pulling back just enough to examine his face while keeping him firmly in her grasp. "Last time I saw you, you were barely up to my waist, running around with twigs for weapons." She pinched his cheeks playfully, ignoring his mortified expression. "Now you're wielding your mother's daggers and fighting the Order."
Oreon squirmed in her grip, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. "It's good to see you too, Aura, but…"
"But nothing," She interrupted, ruffling his hair affectionately before finally releasing him. "Your mother would be so proud…and terrified. Mostly terrified, actually."
Her attention shifted to the elven sisters who stood watching the exchange with undisguised curiosity. Sylvanie's grip remained tight on her scythe while Celestia's eyes narrowed slightly, evaluating the powerful newcomer.
"Well, well," she said, pulling Oreon back into a possessive hug, his face pressed against her chest. "The daughters of Vel'Andria. I never thought I'd see the royal sisters so far from their fallen kingdom." She spoke respectfully while Oreon comically fought for his life and breath against her grip. "Celestia and Sylvanie Velyrian, if I'm not mistaken."
Celestia stepped forward first, maintaining the regal composure that had been drilled into her since birth despite their current circumstances. "You have us at a disadvantage." She said carefully, her voice measured and diplomatic. Her sapphire eyes studied Aura with cautious interest, noting the casual strength with which she held Oreon. "You know our names, but we know little of you beyond what we've just witnessed."
Sylvanie remained half a step behind her sister, also taking note of how affectionate Aura was with Oreon. Her crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion. Unlike Celestia's diplomatic approach, her body language screamed of readiness to attack at the slightest provocation.
Aura finally released Oreon from her smothering embrace, the half-breed gasping dramatically for air as he fell to the ground. She regarded the royal sisters with a calculating gaze that seemed to peel away layers of pretense.
"The names Aura, The Eastern Guardian, or former protector of the Eastern Grove; whichever name suits me best." She introduced herself. "And an occasional thorn in the Order's side." A mischievous smirk played across her lips as she straightened. "Though these days, they prefer to call me the Ghost of the Eastern Woods. It has a more ominous ring to it, don't you think?"
Mira snorted from where she stood. "They call her that because she's supposedly been killed at least three times. The order even celebrated the last one."
'Which was quite lovely to watch from the shadows," Aura added with a wink. "The wine they broke out for the occasion was exquisite." She commented. 'Though, I suspect my reputation may have reached even the sheltered courts of Vel'Andria before its fall."
Sylvanie's scythe lowered slightly, recognition flickering across her features. "The rogue elf who abandoned the courts to live among the wilds," She muttered. "Mother spoke of you."
"Rogue elf?" Aura's eyebrow rose. "Is that what your mother called me? Geez, you know, I wonder what other names she gave me when she told stories about me."
Celestia placed a gentle hand on her sister's arm, a silent warning against discourtesy, before addressing Aura directly. "Any ally against the Order is welcome, Guardian. Your intervention saved many lives today."
Aura's lips curled into an amused smile. "Ever the diplomat, Princess. But let's save the pleasantries for somewhere less exposed." Her gaze swept the village, people still standing around, looking over the mess that had been made of their village. "The order will return in greater numbers once Vexes reports back, and we need to prepare our next move," Aura stated as her smile faded as the two sisters looked at each other for a moment.
"Sisters of Vel'Andria," Aura stated suddenly. "There is much we must discuss." She finished as everyone's eyes fell on Aura, her expression stern, her voice serious.