Chapter Forty-Six – A Desperate Struggle

Ailith was the first one to notice movement coming from outside. She gazed out of the window and spotted a small armoured-clad group marching down the road, a few hundred yards from the inn.

Their armour glinted under the warm flames of the street lamps. Before she could count exactly how many of them there were, she recognised the Knight's symbol bestowed upon all of them. Happiness clutched for only a fraction of a second before doubt and confusion took hold. Taking a step back so that she was masked in shadow, she quietly out of the room and down the stairs to find Emlyn.

She found the swordswoman standing beside one of the wooden support beams close to the main door. Emlyn's cold stare saw through the walls.

A faint creak behind Ailith almost made her jump. She turned to find Nassandra approaching, giving the warrior a questioning look. ''What's-,''

Emlyn silenced them with a sharp hush. ''Stay quiet. Stay inside.''

Those were her only words to the warrior and princess before she strode forward, past the doors of the inn and outside to confront the newcomers. As instructed, Ailith and Nassandra kept their lips sealed and remained standing at the top of the stairs. Though, that didn't stop them from leaning over the bannister to get a better view of the outside from one of the windows.

They watched Emlyn advance towards the Knights. Ailith could now see that it was a group of five.

Leading them was a tall middle-aged woman with jet-black hair, conflicting with Emlyn's pure white strands. The plates of her armour were lighter and more streamlined compared to the bulkier designs of her comrades, and the polished silver dazzled, giving it the allusion of breathing. Behind her were a man and woman, both vastly younger than their leader, with sandy blonde hair and claymores strapped to their backs. Another young man, the shortest of the bunch, stood close by. Finally, a Knight who couldn't be identified as his face was masked by a tightly wrapped headscarf, only revealing a pair of piercing emerald green eyes.

''Commander Slater.'' Emlyn greeted once she was a few feet away, bowing and pressing her clenched fist against her chest.

''Commander.'' The tall woman acknowledged Emlyn with a slight tilt of her head. She looked over Emlyn in the direction of the inn. ''The Princess is inside there?''

''I instructed Fethawi to inform the King we would be returning at dawn.''

''There's been a change in plans,'' Slater replied, her hand hovering over the handle of a scimitar strapped to her waist. ''We shall escort you and the Princess back to the castle immediately.''

''So many numbers would attract attention.''

''Delaying will attract more attention. Bring the Princess outside.'' Slater ordered.

Emlyn didn't say anything as gaze hardened.

A hint of a smirk formed across Slater's lips. ''We're not in your little corner of the world, Baldur. In this Kingdom, you're a soldier like the rest, no matter what rank you hold.''

Emlyn noticed how the other Knights moved. Their strides were slight and cautious. Before long, they had taken a semi-circle formation facing the swordswoman, their hands uncomfortably close to grasping their weapons.

She wasn't the only one to notice this. Inside of the inn, Ailith and Nassandra watched the Knights enclose Emlyn. The warrior's stomach dropped lower as the silence dragged. Chills flowed down their skin like a steady stream. Another creak on the wooden floorboard caught their attention. Turning, they found Ailith's parents anxiously approaching.

''What's happening outside?'' Sinley inquired.

Ailith opened her mouth to speak when she saw her mother wearing a horrified look.

''Watch out!'' she screamed, pointing to a window on their left.

Ailith snapped her head back to see out of the window and find an archer kneeled on the roof of a building across the street. She coated her arm in diamond at the same moment an arrow tore through the glass. Her hardened limb blocked the arrow, breaking it and preventing the tip from impaling Nassandra's forehead.

Glancing back down at the street, Ailith saw Emlyn spin around to inspect the noise. The moment the swordswoman's back was turned, Slater pulled out her scimitar and, without hesitation, aimed for the back of Emlyn's neck.

''No!''

A heavy clang carried across their surroundings as Emlyn's rapier turned aside Slater's strike. The black-haired Commander seemed momentarily dazed by the sudden parry, but she quickly regained her footing and engaged with Emlyn in a furious flurry of strikes. Their blades clashed at speeds too quick for anyone other than Ailith and the other Knights to see, though, Ailith still found it difficult to keep up with Emlyn's movements.

In between the blurred actions, Slater found reprieve as she blocked a counter strike from Emlyn and turned to her subordinates. ''Emlyn is mine. Find the Princess!''

Three members of the group bolted towards the inn, with only the scarfed Knight remaining behind, watching the brawl between the two Commanders.

Emlyn swerved to her right, hoping to intercept their path, only for Slater to dash after her. She raised her curved blade with both hands and brought it down onto Emlyn. The attack was blocked at the last second. The force caused Emlyn's feet to become embedded in the ground. Splintered cracks circled them as they pushed back in an attempt to overpower each other.

Ailith's watchful stare shifted from the swordfight to the Knights charging towards the front door of the inn. They disappeared from her sight underneath the window.

''Mama! Papa!'' Ailith said between quick breaths. ''Take Nassandra and hide in one of the rooms.''

Her mother's eyes widened with terror. ''No, Ailith. There are three Knights, you can't face them alone.''

Revulsion coursed through Ailith as she shook her head. ''They're not Knights. They can't be.''

She suddenly felt her father grab her arm and attempt to tug her back with them down the corridor. ''Either way, you're outnumbered. You can't fight them.''

''I'm going to fight them.'' Ailith balled her fists. ''And I'm going to win.''

''I know you will,'' Nassandra said gently. The Natia family stared at her, surprised to see a calm, if distant, look in her eyes. ''Leave Slater with Commander Emlyn, I know you can defeat the others.''

The vote of confidence from her friend lifted Ailith's hopes. However, a small sense of doubt was still sprinkled over her. Speculation about her attacks grasped her inner thoughts. Was she really about to fight Knights? She shook away those thoughts, recollecting how easily Slater was ready to cleave Emlyn in two. No Knight would cause such a fate for their comrade. That's what the young warrior chose to believe.

If she didn't, she wasn't sure if she could face them.

Ailith suddenly found herself swallowed by a panicked, though still loving, embrace from her parents. They held her tightly for as long as they could.

Hearing the front doors being smashed open, Ailith forced her parents out of her arms, practically shoving them away so that they could run with Nassandra for safety. Taking a long, deep breath, Ailith faced her opponents.

The first one to make it to the top of the stairs, long before the others could arrive to assist, was the shortest Knight. He smiled amusedly. ''I don't suppose you'll step aside and let me pass?''

Ignoring his snarky words and the symbol of her heroes marked on his armour, Ailith pumped her arms in anticipation. Diamond glazed over her skin.

His eerie smile grew. ''My turn.''

The first thing Ailith heard was the creaking of the wooden floorboards growing louder, so much so, that she feared they would crash through them. Then, she heard the Knight release a pained gasp as his whole body quaked violently. The metallic plates on his armour extended, reaching as far as they could before another layer revealed itself underneath and continued the process. Metal sheets and pieces reached outwards, shielding every part of his body. Another howl of pain erupted from the Knight.

Ailith wondered for a second how his armour seemed to fit despite it growing. That's when she realised he was growing with it.

She took a step back and cranked her neck back to lock eyes with the Knight. The ceiling spat dust and splinters once his head and shoulders brushed against it. There was no hope of escape as his whole body blocked the path to the stairs.

''Tell me,'' he said, his tone of voice far deeper than it was earlier. ''Were you one of those little girls who was scared an ancient giant would come out from under your bed to gobble you up?''

Lifting his oversized hand up in the air, he brought it down upon her. As the hand was about to crush her, Ailith bent her knees and vaulted up, barely squeezing between the gaps of his fingers. The fake giant's eyes bulged open, shocked to see Ailith leap up to his face, pull her arm back and unleash an explosive punch across his cheek. He was hurled onto his back with the top half of his body sprawled over the bannister.

After landing on her feet, Ailith looked up with a satisfied grin. ''Actually, I was a little girl who waited at the end of my bed every night so I could defeat a giant.''

By now, the two sandy-haired Knights had arrived on the scene and were closing the distance quickly. They reached the top of the stairs, glancing over to see their unconscious, but still giant, comrade. Wasting no time, they withdrew their claymores and attacked.

Ailith lifted her arms to shield her face from their joint effort. This left her stomach exposed for one of them to kick. With a heavy grunt, Ailith recoiled a few steps. Further down the corridor, she retreated, blocking their swift strikes. Her muscles began to ache as she tried to go on the offensive. But, if she focused for too long on one, the other would try their luck. The throbbing in her body returned, remembering the impact she took from Jerimoth earlier that day.

The male Knight thrust his claymore at her. Sidestepping it, Ailith gripped the blade with her reinforced palm and held him in place so that she could kick him hard enough to knock him off his feet and send him crashing into the wall. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other Knight's downward sweep. Running on pure instinct, Ailith covered as much of her face as she could in diamond. The tip of the weapon carved over her brow, bouncing off the protection. However, the metal sliced through a small inch of skin just below the cheek, dangerously close to her eye.

Ignoring the pain and throbbing in her knees, Ailith released a barrage of quick punches. She wasn't aiming for a specific target. All that mattered to her was knocking her attacker back so that she could find some breathing room. Accomplishing her goal, Ailith noticed the male Knight trying to get back hoping. Before she could allow them the chance to flank her, Ailith rushed forward and dealt a crushing blow to her opponent, striking him in the stomach with her diamond-covered knee. His armour dented and cracked as he was sent flying out of the inn and onto the streets, landing on the ground below in a heap.

Seeing her crony crashing out of the inn turned Slater a boiling red.

Emlyn jabbed and parried with her rapier with the grace and speed of a lightning bolt. Slater dived in, but Emlyn deflected her attack and pushed her back easily. ''I don't have time for you,'' Emlyn commented, about to turn heel towards the inn.

Slater grunted. ''I couldn't agree more.''

Quickly moving aside, Emlyn was left facing the scarfed Knight. Slowly, they lifted their arm and hooked a single finger into the hem of their scarf and pulled it down. The concealed Knight, a rough-looking man older than Emlyn, appeared ordinary enough. Then, he took a deep breath and kept inhaling for longer than any regular person could.

As he sucked in more air, his throat began to inflate like a frog. It continued to expand, swelling ludicrously. Emlyn felt her hair being drawn towards the Knight. Her body lurched forward as the winds pulling her strengthen. She fought against the haul by pressing her feet down. Skidding along, she couldn't prevent herself from being sucked in. Retrieving a broadsword from her strap, she stabbed it into the ground and rooted herself.

She was no longer being pulled in, but she was also held back from stopping Slater, who confidently walked towards the inn.

The first thing that caught Slater's attention when she stepped inside was the giant body slumped over the bannister. Sending him a scowl, she continued up the stairs, hoping that this was only a minor setback. As soon as she reached the top of the stairs, the female claymore-wielder slid across the floor and stopped by her feet, also unconscious with her back to the floor.

Slater huffed through her nose and looked up to see Ailith down the corridor. The warrior was bent forward with one hand on her knee and panting heavily. Still, a fire burned in the young woman's eyes that Slater couldn't help but admire.

''I won't ask this again. Leave now, unless you wish to be buried with your King and Princess.''

After a few more raspy pants and rubbing a sore spot on her arm, Ailith straightened. ''You don't scare me. I can tell from what I saw outside that you're not on Emlyn's level.'' Covering one of her arms in diamond, Ailith charged at blistering speed. She flung her arm back and then forward at the unflinching Slater.

Before Ailith's fist could connect, Slater's breastplate glimmered and moved of its own accord, dissolving and splashing. Appendages sprouted forward, catching Ailith's fist and encompassing it with some kind of gooey metal. The warrior's momentum was halted instantly as the hard armour liquefied and shot out more tentacles, ensnaring her like bewildered prey.

As Ailith gasped and struggled to break free, Slater smirked at her efforts. ''Perhaps...but you're not on my level.''

Lifted off her feet and covered from toe to shoulder in the thick, metallic substance, Ailith felt herself being flung over Slater and slammed into the floorboards headfirst. Pain and nausea overwhelmed Ailith. Shudders thundered down her body until she was completely numb. She tried to move her limps, but they felt paralysed within the thick liquid metal. The element crept up and covered her mouth, forcing her to taste copper and making it near impossible to breathe.

Slater scoffed. ''When I heard of a young woman who knew Diasorman, I was excited at the prospect of a challenge. However, you've turned into quite the disappointment. You haven't even scratched the surface of your power...''

Slater's head jolted forward as something clattered against the back of her head. More surprised than hurt; she slowly turned to see Demeka confronting her with a frying pan held tightly in her hands.

Staring at the unremarkable woman, Slater pursed her lips. ''One of my favourite things is making my enemies regret their actions-,''

She didn't get far with her threat, as Sinley snuck up behind and struck her across the back of the head with a rolling pin.

Once again, Slater was unharmed, though her pride said otherwise. She faced Sinley with a menacing glare. ''You are all beginning to try my pa-,''

Nassandra appeared from behind and slammed a large wooden spoon over Slater's head. The utensil snapped in two.

Heat flared in Slater's cheeks as she snapped in Nassandra's direction. ''You, I hold no qualms over killing. Kardas wants a body. It doesn't matter what state it's in!'' Her watery armour kept Ailith pinned to the ground, even as she pulled out her scimitar and advanced dangerously towards the Princess.

Ailith tossed and turned, trying desperately to break free, but it was too no avail. Suddenly, Ailith felt the floorboards beneath her crack. Adjusting her head slightly, she could see the false giant's body was causing the upper floor great stress. As the floor creaked loudly, a spark ignited in Ailith's mind. Mustering up what was left of her strength, she hardened the back of her head and drove it down onto the floor. She broke through, causing most of the upper floor to cave, sending her and Slater crashing down to the ground.

Luckily, Nassandra and Ailith's parents avoided the damage, their legs dangling over the edge. Dust and debris fogged the lower level, obscuring their vision.

''Ailith?'' they cried out.

It wasn't long before someone emerged from the rubble. They breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Ailith crawl out onto her hands and knees. She let out harsh coughs and used whatever she could get her hands on as leverage to pull herself up. The taste of iron and cooper still lingered in her mouth. Things were quiet for a short while until Ailith heard a muffled yell coming from under what was left of the stairs and bannister.

Slater erupted out of the debris with blood in her eyes. ''There will be no mercy for any of you!''

Ailith positioned herself into a battle stance, ignoring the aching in her arms. ''Give me everything you've got!''

They were ready to charge at one another when something flew in through the front door. Slater glanced down and saw the unmoving and heavily battered body of the Knight with the bulbous neck rest by her feet. Another body was flung in through the door and crashed on the other side of the bewildered Commander. She looked to see the unconscious body of the archer who fired on Nassandra earlier.

Her face slowly morphed into one of glum realisation. ''Oh...''

Emlyn burst inside before Slater could even turn around. A gust of wind cast aside any leftover dust in the air. Emlyn stood strong a few feet from her opponent and set her broadsword back into its sheath. One second later, Slater crashed to the floor, revealing a large scar slashed through her armour and across her back.

Ailith's ears drummed greater when greeted by silence. Finally, with a moment of respite, she spat out the remaining bit of metal stuck between her teeth.

''We can't stay here!'' Emlyn stated, marching towards the improvised balcony and looking up at Nassandra. ''When they realise what has happened, they'll return with greater numbers.''

Nassandra nodded. ''Commander Slater said that Kardas was after me. He is most likely after my father too. We have to return to the castle to save him.''

Ailith stepped forward. ''I'm coming too.''

The swordswoman shook her head. ''You are to stay here and out of th-,''

Ailith took another step forward, stamping her foot hard. ''You don't know how many enemies are out there. It doesn't matter how strong you are, you'll need help if you get outnumbered. I've proven I can handle myself in a fight. Also, I'm not leaving Mama and Papa here defenceless.''

''You really think they'll be safer with you?''

Ailith's heart dropped at the bluntness of the Commander's words. The ache in her arms seemed more noticeable and she had a moment to finally access the damage to her family's inn. Broken planks of wood jutted out in all directions. There was a voice in the back of her mind that seemed convinced that Emlyn had a point in this argument. If it weren't for her, Ailith wasn't certain if she could beat Slater. What would happen if she were forced to fight someone as stronger, if not stronger?

''Ailith's coming with us!'' Nassandra called out, forcing everyone to look at her. ''She's right. Numbers are against us. We need everyone we can to fight. I don't wish to argue with you, Commander. But, I must protest and plead that Ailith joins.''

''And her parents?'' Emlyn questioned.

Demeka folded her arms over her chest and glared at the swordswoman. ''You don't have to worry about us. We know when to stay out of the way.''

''Although,'' Sinley interjected, pointing over the wrecked edge of the upper floor. ''We need someone to help get us down. After that, you won't even notice us tagging along.''

Emlyn stared at them, breathing only through her nose. After what felt like forever, she shot a steely gaze Ailith's way. ''The fate of the Kingdom could be at stake. If you slow us down, I will not hesitate to leave you behind.''

The smallest hint of a smile tugged at Ailith's lips. Without saying a word, she hurried over to where the body of the archer lay. She quickly retrieved the bow and quiver stacked with half a dozen metal-tipped arrows, and tossed them high in the air, over to where Nassandra stood. The Princess caught the items and glanced back down at Ailith, sending the warrior a thankful smile and nod.

The warrior turned to the door, ready to face whatever the Kingdom had to throw at them.

A/N: There was actually meant to be a bit more to this chapter, but I felt it was already getting pretty long. Don't fret though, there'll be more action and danger in the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this one. I'm amazed by how much attention my story seems to be getting, I can't being to thank everyone enough. You're all awesome. Thank you all and take care.