Karma and Omar pushed their way through the crowd, following the source of the screams. "A demon!" someone yelled. "We're all going to die!" The throng of people gradually thinned out as they neared the commotion. A large circle had formed, villagers standing at its edges, their faces pale with horror.
In the center, the sprite lay trembling on the ground, her small body racked with fear. The brute in purple was sprawled on his back, shrieking in agony. And on top of him, claws dug deep into his chest, fangs stained red, was Shari.
Karma froze, her mind struggling to process the scene before her. Omar, however, acted on instinct. He lunged forward, grabbing the ferret and prying him off the wounded man. Shari thrashed in his grasp, snarling and clawing at the air, his small body still bristling with rage.
"Shh, easy now," Omar murmured, rubbing the ferret's head gently. Karma, shaking off her shock, rushed to the sprite's side. The tiny creature flinched as she reached out, her translucent wings quivering violently.
"I've got you," Karma whispered, carefully helping her up. The brute groaned, sitting up with the aid of nearby townsfolk. His tunic was soaked with blood, his breath ragged. His gaze darted between Omar, Karma, and the saber-toothed ferret in the elf's arms. Then his eyes widened in horror.
"Elf!" he bellowed, pointing at Omar. "They're elves! Just like the king warned us!"
A hushed silence fell over the marketplace. Then, all at once, the murmurs started.
"They're spies!"
"They'll bring war upon us!"
"They'll kill us all!"
Weapons were drawn—daggers, pitchforks, whatever the townspeople could find. The crowd's fear had turned to fury, and now, they were out for blood. Karma's grip tightened on the hilt of her sword.
"Omar," she called, her voice tense. "I think we've overstayed our welcome." Omar, still holding Shari, slowly reached for his own weapon.
The first attacker lunged. With swift precision, Karma sidestepped and knocked the man's blade aside, sending him sprawling to the ground. Another came at her, and she swung her sword upward, forcing him to stumble back.
Omar dodged a swing from a rusted axe, shifting his weight with ease as he maneuvered through the crowd. He couldn't draw his sword properly while holding Shari, so he settled for using the hilt as a blunt weapon, striking his attackers hard enough to disorient them.
"We need an exit," he called over to Karma. She scanned the area quickly. The marketplace was too crowded, and the main roads were already filling with more armed villagers. Her eyes landed on a stack of wooden crates leading up to the rooftops.
"There!" she shouted. "Follow me!"
Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the crates, dragging the sprite along. Omar was right behind her. Karma shoved the sprite upward first. "Climb!"
The little creature scrambled onto the nearest rooftop. Omar followed next, agile as ever, his elven reflexes making the ascent effortless. Karma was the last to climb, just as an angry villager swung at her legs. She barely pulled herself up in time.
Panting, she turned to see the mob gathering below. Some had already begun trying to climb after them. "We need to move," Omar said.
Karma nodded. "Let's go." Karma grabbed the sprite's wrist and pulled her along as they rushed toward the stables. She quickly untied Pepper while Omar took Jack. Without hesitation, she swung the lightweight sprite onto her mare before jumping on herself.
They galloped through the village at full speed, hooves pounding against the dirt roads. Omar's hood had fallen off during the fight, and now he was being hunted like a rabid dog. He gritted his teeth as Shari dug his claws into his shoulders, clinging on as they rode through the night.
~~~~
Karma could feel the sprite's tight grip around her waist, her small hands trembling. They rode until the moon was high in the sky and the stars twinkled brightly above them. By the time they finally slowed, both Pepper and Jack were breathing heavily, their tongues hanging out as they panted.
"Stop here," Omar said, bringing Jack to a halt. He patted the exhausted stallion's side. Karma met his gaze, and with a silent agreement, they both dismounted and began setting up camp.
Once the fire was lit and their bedrolls laid out, Karma pulled her dagger from her belt and walked over to the sprite. The moment Agla saw the blade, her violet eyes widened in fear.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Karma reassured her, stepping closer. Carefully, she reached out and cut the bindings around the sprite's delicate wings.
The moment they were freed, Agla let out a gasp. Her wings fluttered open, shimmering in the firelight. Tears welled in her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered. "Oh, thank you. May Heimdall bless you."
Karma offered a small smile. She studied the sprite more closely now—her wings resembled those of a fairy, while her body was similar to a human's. Pointed ears peeked through her long hair, and her striking violet eyes reflected both relief and sorrow.
"What's your name?" Omar asked.
"Agla," the sprite answered.
"Nice to meet you, Agla. I'm Omar, and this is Karma," he introduced. "Can you tell us what happened?"
Agla hesitated, as if reliving the memory was too painful. But after a moment, she nodded. "I usually don't venture far from my village in the Sprite Clan," she began. "I live in a small seaside village called Indigo. Yesterday, some friends and I went out to the flower fields. Sprites use flowers for healing brews, and... well, they're also quite beautiful." She smiled weakly, but it quickly faded.
"We were gathering and chatting when suddenly, we heard barking. Before we could react, an arrow shot through the air and struck my friend Riki in the shoulder." Karma's hands curled into fists.
"Pena, Tula, and I grabbed Riki and tried to run for the forest. We thought if we made it to the trees, they wouldn't be able to catch us. But... I tripped and fell." Agla's voice wavered. "The humans caught up to me and took me prisoner." She shut her eyes tightly, as if willing the memory away. "They put me in that awful slave auction with the other Clan members."
Karma's rage boiled over. Her nails dug into her palms. This had to stop. "Don't worry," she said firmly. "We'll get you home."
Agla's eyes widened with gratitude. "Oh, gracias! Salud, human, bless you both." She let out a heavy breath, her body sagging with relief.
Curled up near the fire, Shari was fast asleep, his small chest rising and falling with each breath. Agla glanced at him fondly. "And thank you, little creature. You saved me." She reached down, gently petting the ferret's back. He arched into her touch, purring in contentment.
Karma rolled her eyes. Omar chuckled. "I guess you can't get every creature to like you," he teased, grinning.
Karma shot him a playful glare before his expression suddenly turned serious. He poked at the fire, his gaze distant.
"Karma... there's something I need to tell you." She raised an eyebrow, studying his face. The flickering flames reflected in his hazel eyes. "In the letter I sent you," he continued, "I left out a small... detail." His jaw clenched slightly. "They didn't just take the other elves. They... they took Mika."
Karma flinched. Her breath caught in her throat. "No... not Mika," she whispered. "Omar, I'm so sorry."
She fought to remain calm, but her anger only grew. "Who's Mika, if I may ask?" Agla interjected softly.
Omar exhaled, his shoulders tensing. "Mika is my wife."Karma could see the pain in his eyes, but before she could respond, he spoke again.
"That's not all."
Karma stiffened. Not all?
"They took my three-year-old daughter, Hope."
Silence hung between them. Karma's eyes widened in shock. She had no idea Omar had a child. And now, not only had Termis allowed the people of Arula to enslave elves, but he had also torn Omar's family apart.
A storm of emotions crashed over her—rage, guilt, determination. Without thinking, she slammed her fist into the dirt. "I swear on my life," she vowed, her voice like steel, "I will get your wife and daughter back."It was a promise she intended to keep.