Chapter Two Hundred and Sixty Eight – 268Felix looked at Vess. What did she call me?
A Pactlord, Vess confirmed but looked just as confused as he was. I have never heard the term.
It is one that has formed a Companion Pact with a creature of a higher Realm, the Henaari explained, though her voice was a bit muffled from the dirt.
Felix looked at Pit, who had started cleaning mud from between his toes. With his beak. Then back to the heiress. Okay. Vess, please check if everyone is healing. The guards got hit hard and Im not sure on the mages.
Right away.
Felix glared down at the Henaari, who still hadnt lifted her head. Whyd you try to kill us?
This one apologizes profusely, Pactlord. She pressed further into the ground, somehow. If you wish, this one shall end ones life now.
What? No, dont be stupid, Felix said quickly. He was really getting annoyed. Explain. Now. And lift your head up.
The womanWyvoratentatively lifted her head but wouldnt meet his eyes. This one is an apprentice. This ones people have been hunted, chased by the demons in ice for many nights now. This one was protecting.
Protecting what? Your people? Were not after your people. Felix rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to cover up the nose bleed that had started again. His Aspects were shaky as all hell, but he shored himself up with Willpower. Why attack us?
Wyvora nodded at something behind Felix. The demons in ice are sometimes accompanied by things all in metal. Made of metal. Things that looked like him.
Felix turned to look, still keeping a portion of his senses on the warrior. Behind him, Evie and Atar were pulling Harn up onto a broken stump. His helmet had been knocked off and his face was sliced open in three places.
You mean the Arcids, Felix said.
This one knows not their names. They have slaughter dozens of us and their information eludes even our greatest Minds. She seemed more disturbed by the latter than the former, and Felix could feel her surprisingly powerful Spirit tremble in fear. This one feared the worst, andand when
And when I didnt answer how you liked, you went on the offensive. Felix sighed. He could sympathize with her position, as long as she was telling the truth. Still, he gestured angrily at the smoking corpses of monsters around them. Pretty stupid. Had you been right, youd have been killed. You pulled every damn monster in the area.
Better to die in service than in fear, she said with a hint of her former steel.
Fifteen feet away, Harn grunted in reluctant approval.
Vess, whats our situation? Felix asked.
No one died, praise Siva, but four are in poor or worse condition. Vess pointed to three other prone forms on the dry gully bed. Felixs Eye picked out Vyne, Kylar, and Davum, each with Health below one hundred. Nevia and Kikri stood over them, worry and fear etched into their faces. Kylar was Bleeding and Davum had several Status Conditions, none of which were great. Vyne had broken his arm, several ribs, his femur, and his tower shield looked scrapped beyond repair.
Evie glanced up from fussing over Harnhimself with a Concussion (Mild) in addition to his wounds. I got a few potions left for them, but its cutting hard into our emergency supplies. What they need is a healer.
Ill be fine, Harn growled and tried to sit up, but Evie dropped her chain on his chest. It knocked him back to the ground.
Dont be stubborn. Youll take a potion and youll like it, Evie insisted.
Save em for the kids.
But Atar and Alister were already administering vials as they spoke. It wouldnt heal broken bones but it would elevate their Health until their regeneration could catch up. Felix didnt feel great himself. His regenerations were kicking in and would soon top off, but his Aspects were strained in a way that had nothing to do with his Health and Mana.
If you require healing, this one humbly offers it.
Felix snapped his attention back on the warrior. She was no longer kowtowing but still knelt. Youre a healer?
No. This ones only gifts lie in the hunt. But the Matriarch is a healer of renown.
The Matriarch. Youre saying youll take us to your camp? Felix asked.
Yes. It is the least this one may offer to redress the damage this one has caused, she kowtowed again.
Felix looked to Harn, who shrugged with a pained expression that said up to you. Evie said just about the same with less. Vess, however, tightened her mouth and fixed the Henaari with a narrow eye.
she signed.
Felix signed back.
How can I trust you, Wyvora? He asked out loud and noticed the Henaari twitch.
This one does not know.
Felix made a show of rolling his options over in head head, but hed already decided. His first responsibility was to keep his people safe.
You lead then. But if I notice any tricksand I willI wont warn you. I will end you. Felix felt anger heat up his skin and prickle the back of his neck. Anger for lives that could have been lost, and for those that were hurt in a fight they had no business in. Understand.
Wyvora swallowed and her Spirit shook, but she nodded. This one understands.
Wyvora found herself at odds. As a Henaari she had an unshakable pride in her Spear Mastery and in the unrivaled gifts her god granted her, but this one called Felix had countered her so quickly, so easily that her pride had all but shattered. The others she could have bested, even the heavily armored one if she had enough time, but the longer she stared at this mans features the more sure she was of her defeat.
Even with the Blessing, she thought. Fear curdled her stomach. This man would tear me apart.
And hes a Pactlord! I assaulted a Pactlord! Shame rolled through her, tensing the skin of her scalp and arms, and she wanted nothing more than to hide away for all time. But that was not an option. Wyvora would take them to the clan, secure them healing, and her honor would benot restored, but certainly mended.
Oh wait, we dont want to announce what we did. The leader stopped their procession almost as soon as it had begun. Gotta get rid of the evidence.
He wasnt wrong. The smoke of all of the monsters would draw scavengers, as well as the eye of the Others. Those from beneath the mountain.
What
Her words died in her throat as Felix thrust an arm into the air and every single corpse burst into dark, greasy smoke streaked with brilliant flares of multi-hued light. The smoke rose up before defying its nature and twisting horizontallydirectly toward Felixs open mouth. All that they were, devoured in seconds.
Alright. Ready? He asked.
Wyvora could only nod.
The quickly travelled from the blood soaked clearing. Though there were no more corpses to draw other Reforged to them, Felix wasnt taking any chances. Those that could, walked. Those that couldnt were ferried on Vess conjured spears.
Vess didnt complain once, no matter that Vyne and Davum likely weighed three hundred poundsat leastwith all their armor. She did, however, shoot the Henaari a number of sharp, angry looks. Her spear did not stray from Wyvoras back.
Kylar was supported by both Nevia and Kikri and they managed to make good time despite his injuries. Harn, meanwhile, trudged along, refusing help in any form. Despite Evies less than gentle cajoling.
It began to rain not long after theyd left the gully, and no calm spring drizzle. This was a summer storm, complete with black clouds laced with lightning loud enough to shake the trees around them.