Crisis

She finally heard it, that familiar cry for help.

Vael turned away from Ethan, missing him land a shot to the chest of the dummy bandit. He also turned towards the call, with his reluctant teacher watching the distant bend in the road.

“Someone help!” A woman shouted, using whatever lung capacity she had, to call out to anyone once the town of Ralefort came into view.

Vael was the first to move, stepping into the woman’s path and halting her with a single hand. The woman was immediately startled, having not seen her on the side of the path, no doubt suffering from tunnel vision and exhaustion from her fleeing sprint. The woman was dressed in a fashionable blue bodice with long sleeves and black lining. Her heeled shoes, once shined and unblemished, now held a soft layer of dirt. And her face, layered with mascara and blue eye shadow, was now full of sweat, with her makeup partially running from her, as even she could barely stay composed.

“Easy there.” Vael held her at bay, preventing the woman from getting close to the town. “Why are you running in the middle of nowhere?”

“W-what?” The woman’s eyes darted around, checking behind her and turning back to the Elf. “No time! We were attacked. L-large beast of a m-m-monster!”She gestured wildly with her clinking jewelry to mimic something massive and large while attempting to catch his breath during a coughing fit.

Vael and Ethan exchanged glances after stepping back instinctively, so nothing from the wheezing cough would land on them. She couldn’t fathom what would have been out past the town or the ridge since first arriving a week ago. The town had been relatively peaceful since the bandit attack. Yet things haven’t been clean with the appearance of the alpha dire wolf and from the use of shadow magic.

“Take her inside Ralefort and keep an eye on him,” Vael ordered, not turning to Ethan as she shoved the rich human female towards him.

“There are other adventurers there trying to protect my gold!” The well-dress woman called out.

“Master, wait. I should join you.” Ethan protested, checking his arrows.

“Alright,” Vael agreed rather quickly. “Let me see your bow.”

Ethan passed her his weapon before she immediately flung it haphazardly into town. The shortbow clattered onto a rooftop, far from the boy’s reach. Both Ethan and the fine-dressed woman watched this happen in bewilderment.

“Now stay here!” Vael whipped around, stomping her foot to make herself clear. “I mean it! Protecting the town is my job, Ethan. I don’t need your help just because I'm teaching you how to use a shoot properly.”

Ethan’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t respond. Vael turned to leave him behind, not wanting him to get in the way like the last time. With an unknown monster roaming, she took to dealing with this on her own.

“Spirit of the Falcon, carry me swiftly.”

On command, Vael’s words took form in the speed she displayed. Bolting forward, she kicked up dust before Ethan and the finely dressed woman, her body accelerating with surprising speed, as she watched the Dark Elf dash down the road, both of them astonished at how quickly she moved.

It didn’t take long for Vael to find the source of the panic. At her speed, she took in the sight with systematic precision—five people, with four geared and armed with weapons, one finely-dressed man. A cart overturned and destroyed, containing a hefty chest within. A massive cyclops, possibly seven meters in length, armed with an iron-banded club.

Blades attempted to score marks upon its thick flesh, and magic burned along its body, but the creature was incredibly durable. The adventurers were throwing all they had at the cyclops, with little effect. The massive club came down, knocking a mage and a ranger off their feet from the terrible tremor that followed.

“Finally something big.” Vael smiled with predatory intent, feeling particularly hungry for battle.

Her speed slowing, Vael’s boots skidded along the dirt road before she bent down and launched herself high into the air. Meters extended between her and the ground before she drew her sword from the scabbard, the blade regaining its shape.

The sunlight gleamed off the metal as the one-eyed beast noticed her skyward approach. Reaching a peak of ten meters, Vael descended, her sword arcing down, connecting with the massive club the cyclops brought up to defend itself with. Iron dug into the wood only slightly, barely denting the iron band encircling the circumference of the weapon. The cyclops pushed his new Elven attacker away, yet she recovered in a landing that kept her balanced and upright.

Vael didn’t regard the adventurers, but knew where they were in her vicinity. The cyclops approached, moving quickly to bring his club bearing down upon her, finding the immediate. Raising her geartsword, Vael blocked the incoming strike with surprising strength and durability to endure the pressure.

The earth beneath her shifted and crumbled, but she held her ground. Muscles bulged and strained in both arms, back, and legs. The cyclops kept up the pressure, hoping to crush the Elven woman for challenging his strength. She wouldn’t budge beneath him, but reconsidered her approach. Releasing its attack, the beast kicked the Elf, knocking her body backward several yards.

The pain stung as her bones rattled from the impact on her ribs, knocking the wind out of her. Vael shook off what pain she could before rushing again as her vision cleared and she caught her breath. Her approach was met with swing after swing, her greatsword connecting with the greatclub, trading blows in the violent clash.

For a brute, the cyclops proved to be oddly proficient and coordinated. It attacked and defended like a competent fighter, rather than wildly swinging mindlessly. Its defenses were hard to get through, even as Vael scored hits on its legs. She needed a better opening.

Kicking away to dodge an overhead slam that shattered the ground where she stood, Vael reached out with her spirit in concentration. Her fingers tingled with a tempest surge of power swirling around her body and blade.

“Surging Falcon, grace my blade with the sky’s might to smite with primal fury!”

Vael gripped the hilt in a vice, infusing the blade with a primordial wind. Power charged the sword with an arc of wind that lashed out with a mighty swing. Surge of power lanced forward, taking the shape of a bird of prey, striking the cyclops in the chest. The resulting impact acted as a blade striking the beast’s chest, its thick hide cutting into it, deep enough to spill blood as if her own blade carved it. The beast convulsed and stumbled to the ground on one knee, dropping its weapon.

“The one-eye is down! Take it out!”

From the adventuring group, an armored Dwarf called for a full-on attack. To those who still stood, a Human fighter and a Foxian rogue charged forth to put an end to the massive creature. Its head snapped towards them in that moment, eye gleaming with magical and malicious intent.

“No, you fools, get back!” Vael warned them all too late.

Magic pulsed from the pupil of its eye in a red flash, landing before the two adventurers. The ground erupted in flames from the booming blast, knocking all three to their backs, their armor charred. The cyclops gave a gravelly chortle as it recovered to its feet, gripping its wounded chest while reaching for the contents within the broken cart.

Before she could attack, Vael once again watched as a pool of shadow slowly consumed the giant. It didn’t fight to struggle against the magic, allowing itself to be taken in, disappearing into the ground. The pool dissolved into nothing before the others could recover, only to find a Dark Elf standing before them.