Chapter 15 - A gust of wind

Intimidation hindered my thinking.

Layla and I laid on the ground. Lard was knocked out and Gideon's brother and sister warriors sat back, leaning against their dragon.

“Get that loser Audrey! Avenge us!” Ira cheered.

Ari said nothing as she was still knocked out from Lard’s earlier kick.

I helped Layla up as Audrey stared us down, giving us a moment of mercy. I could spot the golden glow on a bag on her waist.

“I will give you the opportunity to surrender. I do not wish to dishonor Gideon's name by attacking the weak.” Audrey stated proud. “Give up.”

“I would like to.” I stated as we stood. “But I have an itch that needs to be scratched.”

“Huh?” Audrey was confused. Before she could ask more, magic concentration blobs encased her.

I let out a breath of relief. “Good job, Layla.”

Layla smirked as we gave one another a thumbs up. Audrey stood motionless now that Layla put her at ease, her head swiveled, staring down at the sword in her hand.

I made my way over casually, just glad to be done here. “I’m thankful for your help in our endeavors.” I smiled.

In my moment of smugness, Audrey picked her sword up, magic swarmed her blade.

“Eh?” Me and Layla stuttered.

WOOOOSH!!!

Me and Layla dropped to the ground fast.

“Huh?” Ira’s face went white. “AAHH!!!”

Audrey's blast hit her fellow warriors. Ari was launched like a rag doll and Ira smashed into a tree getting knocked out. Their dragon perked their head up, furious at her attack.

Audrey free from Layla’s grasp pointed her sword at the dragon. “Sit.”

The dragon stared. Being commanded the Dragon used its body as a wall, shielding the two now knocked out brother and sister.

“Layla!”

“On it!”

With my command, Audrey was once again put at ease.

“What the hell was that!?” I was dumbfounded.

“I- I don’t get it! I kept my concentration on her the whole time! Why did she attack?”

As we tried to figure this out, Audrey was readying her next attack, surging magic into the sword.

“RUN!”

Layla and I ran in opposite directions. Audrey swung her powerful sword. The gust of wind was aimed poorly, nearly hitting Layla.

The wind itself had magic concentrated as a ball, but I noticed there was no actual flow of a breeze, Layla didn’t register the attack until a tree to her side was smashed through, the surprise broke her concentration once more.

“What the hell are you doing to me?” Audrey shook. “Why do I feel so relaxed?”

Me and Layla stared blankly at her as she asked these questioned, confusing us.

“I- I’m sorry!” Layla apologized in her customer service voice with a bow. “But I have to keep you at ease!”

She encased Audrey again in the blob, Audrey took no time to ready her next swing.

The sword was swung at random. Audrey had no targets this time and unleashed magic in all sorts of directions.

“ACK!” One of her attacks nearly hit me, Layla kept her concentration up as she cautiously tried to run to a hiding spot.

What’s going on? She’s supposed to be at ease yet she’s still attacking?

I threw myself to the ground, a gust flew over my head. The dragon powered through some of the attacks, thankfully it appears unharmed, but it is frustrated.

I stare at Audrey as I pick myself up to continue my run, doing what I can to read her.

I can’t see her eyes!

With her whole body covered in armor and her helmet had no open gaps to see inside. Imani’s face appeared in my mind.

I got clipped by one of the gusts of wind, sending me into a spin onto the ground. “Fuck!” It hurt as I slammed into the dirt.

I had a roll of blood run down my cheek. A fresh wound cut into the side of my head.

I need to rethink.

I rolled as another attack nearly struck me as I laid, Layla broke concentration once more as she also got clipped.

“Y- Y- You people better stop this!” She stuttered, the tone in her voice was not of her usual anger, but excitement.

Layla apologized once more before ensnaring her, Audrey swung at random again.

I tried to find a spot to hide as Layla has in the tree line, but that didn’t feel right. I needed to be here, in the open.

My gut overrode my instincts. I turned, seeing Audrey let out her strength as the forest took the blunt of it. Lard was rag dolled into the forest, disappearing into a bush. Layla was hidden but was not safe.

I let my mind wander. I dodged her attacks as they came for me, Layla could only react to them as they struck the environment around her.

The gust of winds are invisible?

Maybe I have them wrong. The sounds they make are that of strong wind, but there’s no visual cue of flow in the grass or trees, only the destruction of their path. Her attacks are pure balls of magic, concentrated and unleased with enough force to send people flying. What does that say about her?

I dodged another flying ball, a second one was blocked from behind visually, hitting my leg sending me upwards in pain. I smashed into the ground, landing on my back and feeling a similar wound as the one Lard gave me in our fight.

I stood. Blood soaked into my head and an imprint left on the dirt. I staggered, inching my way forward. I could hear small giggling.

“T- Toshiro?” Layla watched in utter confusion as I kept moving forward.

There hasn’t been much from Audrey to analyze. From our interactions I know she is prideful, loyal to Gideon, and has a gruff exterior.

Gruff exterior?

As I grew closer to Audrey, I noticed something. The giggling from a woman were from her.

She's giggling like a little girl! This strong and intimidating warrior was having fun, not by winning or in the fight, but letting out her strength as she wished not holding back.

I realized my mistake in Layla’s ability one I didn’t realize. She puts people at ease, not disarm them.

I didn’t think of the fact she used this power in the boar hunt, that boar had signs they had an occurring hunt that spanned days from how the town’s people reacted and Conrad’s own words of thanks to her. It wasn’t that the boar stood still as they killed it, it merely didn’t aim to harm them the way it did with me and the Goddess.

Audrey is like the boar!

Her intentions are wiped, only her insistent need to attack remained. This here is the Audrey under that exterior, a girl who wants to have fun.

“Layla!” I yelled, dodging another attack and my head wound slowed me down.

“W- What!?” She responded.

“Take your concentration off her! Unease her!!!”

“W- WHAT!?!?” Layla screamed. “That’s suicide!”

“Just do it!” I yelled.

Layla gritted her teeth, and with her eyes drifting down, Audrey was free.

Too late.

One last ball of magic was sent my way, I couldn’t dodge.

Ah shit, I’m dead.

The ball was a mere inch to my face. I couldn’t jump out of the way due to my wound.

I felt a weak grip on my shoulders, one that I was glad to feel.

With a sudden shift of scenery, I was now facing Audrey as she calmed.

“T- There.” Lard was exhausted and hurt, his nose bled from her attack. “Don’t keep us waiting.” He gave a quick pat on the back before letting himself rest on the ground.

“T... Thank you, priest Lard.” I gave my first ever genuine gratitude to Lard, I felt shaken up from this experience.

“W... Why have you stopped.” Audrey’s tone was disappointment, glaring down at her sword. She aimed it away from us, letting out a powerful stake to the forest, stronger than all the ones she let out at random.

“You feel relaxed?” I asked, staggering my way over as blood dripped from my head.

“Hm...” She looked onto me. Layla trembled in her hiding spot. “What sort of trickery is this, always doing something underhand to get ahead.”

“No tricks, no underhanded means. You were feeling truly at ease.” I stated confidently, Audrey stood and listened. “How did it feel.”

Audrey glared, I couldn’t see her eyes. My mind feared if I was on the right track or not.

“It is... Nice for a change.” She admitted, not exposing herself.

“We can bless you with the gift of relaxation.”

Audrey perked in posture, my only clue.

“We do not wish to fight head on. Our goal was to win this game whether diplomatically or with our minds. We wished to show we are not those who lie or use others. But we are on a mission. To save the Goddess and take down the Demon King.” I spoke in earnest, Layla and Lard were amazed by my words.

“Hm..." Audrey was conflicted, my next clue.

“Audrey, warrior for the mighty Gideon, wielder of powerful magic and heart. Will you help in our mission to save this realm?”

Her arms lowered, her posture shifted. She wasn’t at ease but no longer had tension. She was intrigued.

“Can...”

“Hm?” I questioned.

“Can you really bless me with relaxation? Will you truly and sincerely make it your duty to save the Goddess and this realm?”

I stood, stunned from her question. She asked with genuine curiosity. I could tell from the other warriors they were honor bound in respects to Gideon, but they themselves were not chivalry. She acted as a genuine medieval knight.

“I swear with my life. I will save this realm, and offer you, our services.”

With a bow, Audrey was still. Her masked nature was not as scary anymore. I didn’t need to see those eye to know she was content.

I was in bow, offering my full respects as I heard her armored footsteps.

“Here.”

Her hand made its way into my vision, a blue substance contained in glass was on her palm.

“You... You are giving up?” I asked, peering up to her tall stature.

She shook her head. “You do not give up to your allys. Only share in victory.”

With her other hand, she took my own, our hands joining together as we held the vial.

“We... We won?” Layla made her way from the hiding hole, unsure of the situation.

Lard stared in amazement, smitten by the scene.

I gave my crafted smile.

“We won.” I stared up at the sun, passing the mark of noon.

“And now, we will save the Goddess.”