《The Healer's Shadow》 Chapter One Nyara pulled her cloak tightly around herself, doggedly pushing her way through the Frosting month wind nipping at her pointed ears. She sighed in relief when the Explorers Guild building came into view and when she stepped inside she allowed a small hint of a smile to flicker on her face. She walked up to the guild''s reception desk. The receptionist looked up at her, her bored expression quickly turning to excitement. "Oh- Explorer Nyara! How can I help you?" "Lydia." The elf noded to the receptionist, dropping a bag full of severed orc and goblin ears onto the counter. Lydia quickly collected them, counting out a gold coin for each orc ear and 3 silvers for each goblin ear. By the time she gets done, a pile of 6 gold coins and 21 silvers lies on the counter. Nyara offers a small smile and sweeps the coins into her pouch with a soft clinking sound. "Any interesting quests for me?" Nyara asked, her pointed ears twitching slightly. "Preferably something other than a simple extermination," she added. Lydia shook her head ruefully. "Sorry, there''s not much going on beyond the usual clean up or extermination quests." Nyara''s face remained blank but inwardly she sighed. "Looks like it''ll be a pretty boring week." She thanked Lydia once more before making her way to the quest board, scanning the posted options. "Collect two pounds of willow bark," "Exterminate goblin warren," "Exterminate roving band of orcs," and "Apprehend bandit group, Fireclaw Marauders." The last quest caught her interest and Nyara snagged it off the board heading back to Lydia. "Is this a new one?" She questioned, knowing that the receptionist is usually quick to point her in the direction of the more unusual quests. Lydia looked up. When she saw the quest her face blanched. "I-I wouldn''t take that quest, Explorer Nyara. That bandit group is both deadly and cunning. Their leader is a half-dragonkin half-elf with strong fire powers and totally ruthless." Nyara grimaces. "Sounds like just the sort of trash I enjoy taking off the streets," she responded. "I assume the guild has a cell capable of holding him when I drag him back?" The guild receptionist nodded affirmatively and Nyara sighed a muscle in her jaw flickering briefly. "Go ahead and mark me down for the quest. Do you have any additional information on his favorite hideouts or place of operations?" Lydia shook her head. "No, not really. All anyone knows is that he likes to ambush young woman of all races, usually in the Crimson Forest." Nyara''s eyes narrowed. "Likes to prey on unsuspecting females does he?" She smirked. "Sounds like I''ll have a chance to practice my acting skills." Lydia''s face went pale again at Nyara''s casual statement. "Please, I know you are strong but I implore you to take this seriously Explorer Nyara." Her voice trembled a bit and she fidgeted with her fingers, clearly worried for the bold elf. Nyara smiled at the human receptionist and turned away briefly. When she turned back around it was like she had become another person entirely. Her usually confident posture, with squared shoulders and her head held high had been replaced with slouched shoulders and a low head. Nyara wrung her hands together, eyes filled with fear. "P-Please don''t hurt me!" She whimpered. She remained like that for a few moments before straightening and laughing at Lydia''s expression. The guild receptionist''s jaw hung comically low and her eyes were wide as saucers. The human sputtered for a moment then grinned wryly. "I suppose I deserved that." Lydia admitted. "Now quit teasing me and go catch that son of a bitch!" Nyara grinned and tucked the quest into her storage ring, stepping back out into the chill air. She walked to the closest tavern The Staggering Stallion, and winced as the chill air from outside was replaced with a cacophony of voices and the reek of liquor and unwashed bodies. She began to make her way through the crowd, pushing towards the bar. A large hand suddenly descended on her ass and grabbed it roughly. Nyara didn''t turn around, speaking in a deceptively calm voice. "You have five seconds to remove your hand from my body before I do it for you." A loud guffaw sounded from behind her and the hand on her ass tightened its grip. "One......Two..." Nyara started to count, her voice steady. "...Three......Four.....Five." She reached back in a flash and twisted the offending hand''s fingers expertly, snapping then with sickening popping noises. The entire tavern grew quiet for a moment as Nyara got her first look at her groper. The man was clearly human and, just as clearly, drunk out of his mind. He was currently clutching his broken fingers, curled in on himself to protect the digits from further damage. "Next time don''t touch a woman without their express consent." Nyara told him, her voice low and dangerous. Her eyes were steely and the man nodded, clearly realizing he had bitten off a bit more than he could chew. Nyara straightened and made her way to the bar. The barkeeper, a male dragon-kin with grey scales splattered in patches on is skin grinned at her. His stark white horns were about five inches long, marking him as a full blooded dragon-kin, as did his face, which was almost completely covered in more dark grey scales. "First drink is on the house!" He declared, his slitted eyes shining with mirth as he, set a foaming mug of ale in front of her. Nyara inclined her head in thanks, sipping at the frothy beverage and observing the room. The tavern''s patrons were mostly male, the majority human with a few half- or full blooded dragon-kin sprinkled throughout the mix. Her eyes landed on a hooded figure in the back, their form obscured completely with a heavy cloak. She nodded to the mysterious figure. "Who''s that?" Nyara questioned the barkeeper. He glanced to the area she had indicated. "That''s one of my regulars." He grunted. Nyara set a silver coin on the counter. "Give me whatever they like and keep the change." The barkeep eyed her for a few moments then swept the coin into his register and began mixing a drink. A few moments later he handed it to her. "Dragons Breath, our most potent beverage!" He exclaimed proudly. Nyara thanked him and made her way to the back, her mostly full ale in one hand and the mug of so-called Dragons Breath in the other. She reached the hooded stranger''s table. "Mind if I join you? I''d like to have a chat." Nyara asked, her voice friendly. The figure gestured for her to sit and she did so, sliding the mug across the table to them. Even sitting across from them, she could not make out the stranger''s features. The stranger took a sip nodding in appreciation. Then they placed a small stone tablet on the table and muttered a few words in Old Elven. Nyara recognized. the engravings on the tablet as ones for silence and hiding. She sat patiently waiting for the stranger to finish. Once the tablet lit up, glowing blue with mana the figure lowered their hood, revealing a female human with dark brown hair and green eyes. The woman had a nasty scar running across her left cheek stretching from her ear and snaking under her jaw. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "Nice ward. Not a lot of humans know enough Old Elven to use them properly. I''m Nyara, full blooded elf and Explorer of 7 years." She greeted the human. The woman scrutinized her for a few long moments, sipping at her drink. "Thanks. Not a lot of elves in these parts. I''m Riona, human and long time merc." The woman replied. Nyara nodded. "Any bounties on your head?" She asked her voice still casual and friendly. Riona smirked. " Oh you''re good." She chuckled. "No elf, there are no bounties on my head. I''m a rather picky mercenary. Now tell me what caused you to approach me?" Nyara lifted on shoulder in an elegant shrug. "Experience and a bit of elven intuition. The barkeep mentioned you were a regular and I had a feeling you might be suited for a task I have recently taken on. I''m hunting a group of bandits, the Fireclaw Marauders. The Explorers Guild has issued a request for the capture of their leader, a half elf half dragon-kin with fire powers and a penchant for preying on females." The human raised a curious brow, her forehead wrinkling. " What do you need me for?" "Backup of course! I''m fairly confident in being able to handle this group on my own but I''m not cocky enough to go in alone. I have a contact who can get us set up in a fancy carriage, perfect for luring in the scumbags. I''ll let them "kidnap" me and take me to their base and then we''ll be able to completely obliterate their little criminal ring." "Not a bad plan." Riona admitted with a grudging smile."How do you know you can trust me not to leave you? After all you just met me." Nyara smiled, pulling a glowing sheet of paper from her ring. Riona seemed to realize what it was immediately. "A contract?" She queried. "Yes." Nyara nodded in conformation. " It''s simple. It only states that we won''t purposely screw the other one over. But if you can''t do your part without certain or near certain death you won''t be penalized. It''s pretty mild." Riona nodded her head in agreement. "Alright elf," she replied gulping down the last of her drink, "lets get this show on the road." They both signed the contract, Nyara also draining the rest of her ale and the two headed off to the local transportation shop. The weather seemed to have taken a turn for the better, with the sun shining through the clouds and warming the air. As they walked they fleshed out their plan. By the time they had got to the transportation shop it was mostly done. Nyara would give her sword to Riona, not wanting the blade to end up in the bandits hands. With the blade marking her as a warrior out of the way, she wold assume the role of a naive and helpless elf girl, on her first long trip. When the bandits "captured" her, RIona would follow them as close as she was able and wait for a 24 hours before beginning to execute phase two of their plan, which was allowing Nyara to escape and wreaking havoc on the bandits home base. "I just have one bit of hesitation." Riona says after Nyara outline the plan with more detail. "Don''t take this the wrong way but......you don''t seem like the helpless sort to me." Nyara grinned and spoke softly. "A human man has been following us for a while now. Act like I just said something rude or disgusting and storm off but stay close. I''ll show you just how good of an actress I am." Understanding that the elf was giving Riona a chance to see her abilities Riona nodded almost imperceptibly and then struck Nyara hard across the cheek. "You disgusting knife ear! Your kind is only fit for working in the bedroom yet you refuse me!?" She shouted her voice carrying anger. Nyara cringed away as Riona raised a hand again but lowered it and stormed off. The "furious" human quickly moved out of sight leaving Nyara alone. She cradled her cheek and began slowly walking, her head hung downward in a dejected and hopeless manner. It didn''t take long for a rough hand to yank her into an ally, the other quickly covering her mouth. Fetid breath washed over her as the large human man pulled her further back into the ally. Nyara wiggled and squirmed, her attempts to "escape" not causing her "captor" any trouble. He drug her to an abandoned building gagging her. Tears rolled from Nyara''s eyes and she looked at the man a pleading expression on her face. "Ha! Not a chance little knife ears! That lady was right. All you pointy eared freaks are good for is a good pounding. If you please me I might let you go." Nyara whimpered around the gag, her face flushed. The man was so confidant of his victory he didn''t bother to tie any of her limbs. He stroked her cheek and Nyara jerked away cringing. When the man went to grope at her chest, Nyara promptly placed him in a elbow arm-bar hold, eliciting a series of slow claps from the rafters where Riona had been watching. Nyara tied the man''s arms behind his back and they dropped him off at the town jail before making their way back to the transportation shop. An elderly half-elf half-dragon-kin man greeted them. His horns were only an inch or two tall and his ears were not pointed nearly as sharply as Nyara''s. His few scales were black and he smiled at them, his blue eyes lighting up when they landed on Nyara. The male exclaimed "Nyara!" and pulled her in for a hug. Nyara greeted the old man affectionately. "David, it''s good to see you." Nyara replied. The two took a few minutes to catch up then Nyara broached the subject of why she and RIona were here, after introducing the human woman as her temporary work partner. "We need a fancy carriage David. I''m going after the Fireclaw Marauders and a fancy carriage with a lone driver and female elf is the perfect bait for them. I have the gold to cover the cost of repairing or replacing it. All I need from you is a driver who can run away really really fast and the carriage of course." David nodded looking thoughtful for a moment before he spoke. "I have a young man, Fredrick Fleetfoot, folks call him, on account of him being so light on his feet. He can drive a carriage with the best of em." Nyara and Riona agreed and got ready. Nyara gave her Explorers identification to Riona to hold onto along with her sword and hopped into the carriage, assuming a sweet and naive demeanor. The carriage was indeed fancy, easily worth the 5 gold she had insisted David accept for it''s use and potential destruction. The insides were red velvet comfortably padded and its polished ebony exterior screamed wealth. The carriage made it''s way into the Crimson Forest. "I hope this works......it would be a shame if they don''t bite. I''m looking forward taking these bastards down. Their leader especially. He sounds like a real piece of work." Nyara mused as the carriage continued into the Crimson Forest. She intentionally stuck her head out of the window, her unbraided hair falling in loose ebony waves over her collarbone. "Oh my," she gasped breathlessly, "Driver, are these woods always so pretty?" To his credit the young man played his role well. "Yes miss, this is called the Crimson Forest on account of all the trees having such nice red leaves." Nyara blinked innocently, a soft smile on her lips. "Well I think it''s just-AHHHHH!" Her continued compliments of the forest were cut off as a ring of men sounded the carriage. Fredrick quickly ran off. "N-No come back! Please don''t leave me here!" Nyara wailed, her face full of disbelief as the bandits closed in on her. She did her best to block the doors but the bandits managed to force their way into the carriage. She shrieked, flailing ineffectively as two bandits hoisted her out of the carriage. One of them shook her. "Shut up you elven whore!" Nyara''s face flickered to show a hint of anger before she was shaken again and fear relit her eyes. She gulped in air, trying to stifle her whimpers. "These fools. Do they really think all females are so damn helpless?" Nyara sneered inwardly not letting her disgust show on her face. The bandits threw her up on a horse, the highest ranked bandit swinging up behind her and constantly fondling her chest as they rode back to their boss. "Don''t break his dirty fingers, not yet. That would ruin the plan." Nyara told herself, gritting her teeth at the rough groping of her breasts. "Boss''ll be happy with this lucky find, Captain! One of the men jeered. The Captain grunted and continued fondling Nyara''s breasts as she squirmed. He had already hit her once when she tried to "protest" and a bruise was swelling on her left cheek to prove it. The band of 15 or so riders arrived at the base, the leader groping at her ass as he pulled her off of his horse. She whimpered in pain as his rough grip bruised her arm and hung her head, allowing the man to drag her into the stone building where the leader waited. The Captain shoved her to the floor as he kneeled. Nyara''s knees barked in pain as they hit the cold rough stone floor. "Keir, I brought you an unexpected treat." The fire using elf dragon-kin man smiled and dismissed the Captain. Nyara shrank away from him, her gaze fixed on the floor. Keir pinched one of her ear tips, causing her to let out a yelp of pain. The bandit leader smirked at her. "You damn pure bloods always think your so good. I''ll show you." He sneered. Nyara cringed, a few tears slipping out of her eyes and falling onto her cheeks. She raised her hands defensively. "P-please......please don''t hurt me!" She whimpered. Keir laughed, twisting the point of her other ear. "He really know what to go after to make it hurt with barely any effort. Damn my sensitive ears! It''ll make it all the more sweet to take them down, but I''m gonna end up with some good bruises from this fucker and his little cronies." She mused, keeping up her meek and fearful demeanor. "That''s right little pure blood, beg. It won''t help you but I do so enjoy seeing you on your knees." Eventually he got bored of teasing Nyara and kicked her to the side of his "throne", ordering her to stay there. She did so, and spent the next several hours crouched awkwardly on the cold stone floor. Her left cheek was throbbing in pain and her lip had a small trickle of blood making it''s way down her chin courtesy of Keir. Chapter Two "Blight take him! He''s even worse than the quest made him out to be. Just a few hours more, and Riona will start harrying the guards, giving me the chance to escape and bring Keir with me." I told myself, huddled near Keir''s throne, keeping up the act. Bandits came and went, each one throwing a leering glance my way. After a while, a frantic bandit burst in, his face flushed, spittle gleaming on his lips and chin. "Boss! There''s a crazy sword-wielding human trying to break in! She''s already incapacitated a ton of us!" I smirked inwardly. Looks like Riona is making good use of my weapon. Keir¡¯s eyes darkened, and the bandit cowered. "GO TAKE CARE OF HER, YOU FOOL! ONE HUMAN WOMAN IS NOT ENOUGH TO BEST YOU ALL!" Keir roared. The bandit scrambled away in a panic, and Keir turned to me. "Get over here, pureblood," he spat. I rose shakily and walked over, keeping my left hand hidden under my dress. As soon as I was close enough, I slapped a mana-locking device onto his wrist. High-end, keyed only to me¡ªnearly impossible for him to remove. Keir¡¯s eyes went wide as saucers, shock freezing him as I let my beaten, timid demeanor fade away like dewdrops in the sun. But he wasn¡¯t going down without a fight. The moment he understood what I¡¯d done, he lunged. I sidestepped, hissing as my bruised ribs protested, and ducked behind him, ramming an elbow into his left kidney. He grimaced, but my blow was dulled by his half-draconic constitution. I swore, leaping back just as he lashed out and raked his claws across my forearm. Growling, I eyed him warily. "Come on Riona, I could really use a hand or at least a weapon right abo-" My wishful thinking was cut short as Keir suddenly blurred forward, far faster than he had any right to. I twisted just in time, his claws leaving deep red gashes along my stomach instead of spilling my guts all over the stone floor. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "Shit!" I hissed, gritting my teeth. What the hell was that!? Some kind of speed-burst artifact? I staggered away, pain lancing through my stomach, just as Riona burst into the room, blood dripping from her thigh. "Hey, elf!" she called. "Catch!" Riona hurled my blade to me, hilt first. I caught it with my right hand, pressing my left against my stomach to stem the flow of blood trickling through my red-stained fingers. Keir snarled, lunging again. I raised my blade, only managing to slash the sleeve of his shirt, revealing a patch of blood-red scales beneath. "Damn! With those claws, tough scales, and longer horns, he¡¯s more like three-quarters dragon-kin," I muttered, stepping back as pain wracked my abdomen. Blood continued spilling from my stomach wounds, and a wave of wooziness hit me. "Riona!" I called out. She looked up from where she was trussing up the last bandit, then quickly jumped up and drew her sword from beneath her cloak. She engaged Keir, giving me a reprieve. With the bandit leader''s attention fully on her, I gathered my remaining strength, darted forward, and hamstrung him. Keir collapsed to the floor with a howl, and Riona was quick to slap a pair of regular manacles onto the mana-locking device I¡¯d clipped onto his left wrist. She glanced over at me with concern once the Keir was restrained. "Hot damn, elf! You look like shit." I smirked weakly. "I¡¯ve looked¡­ worse." Now that the fight was over, I closed my eyes, picturing the deep well of glowing purple mana within me. When I found it, I "pulled" bucketfuls up and directed it to start healing me, focusing on my stomach first. As the healing mana flowed through me, I sighed in relief, the burning sensation from my worst wounds gradually fading. I managed to close the wounds on my stomach and forearm, though I winced as I bent to pick up my sword. Ribs were always the last to heal. Turning to Riona, I noticed her staring at me in shock. "You''re a healer?" I shrug. "I am. Now sit down. I¡¯ve still got some mana left, so let me take care of that nasty gash on your leg." Riona hesitated but then sat, and I guided my mana to the gash on her left leg. The wound writhed, new skin regrowing and knitting itself together. I fell back, panting, her wound reduced to a thin red line instead of the deep gash it had been. "S-sorry," I panted. "Out... of... mana." "Are you kidding me? That was incredible! With how hurt you were, I¡¯m surprised you had anything left for me." I stand back up, slowly sheathing my sword to my back. "Let''s get this scum back to the guild. You''re more than welcome to half of the reward money." Rina grinned. "I won''t pass up a paycheck!" I nod and start tying the bandits together with lengths of rope. "Let''s go you cowards." I growl. Chapter Three Riona and Nyara hauled the 12 bandits (thirteen if you included Keir) back to the guild. Lydia''s eyes went wide at the sight of the group. Nyara grinned at her. "I told you I''d get your trouble making bandits rounded up, didn''t I?" The receptionist flushed. "I really should know not to underestimate you by now, Explorer Nyara," Lydia muttered. The elf woman smirked in reply. "I don''t suppose there''s a bounty out on any of the rest of these losers, is there?" Lydia shook her head and Nyara sighed. "Too bad. In that case, please split the reward for Keir 50-50 between Riona and myself," Nyara requested. Lydia''s eyebrows flicked up, making slight creases in her brow, but she counted out twelve gold coins and twenty silvers, handing 6 gold and 10 silvers to each woman. "Thank you, Lydia," Nyara replied, Riona echoing her own thanks. The receptionist nodded. "Of course! Oh, and before you leave, you may want to check the quest board, Explorer Nyara. It seems your ah... other talents might be of some use to you." Nyara silently applauded Lydia for not blurting out she had healing magic, even if Riona, the only person in earshot, already knew. "I see. I will take a look. Oh, and Riona knows everything, so you can speak freely around her," Nyara added as she walked toward the board. Riona was quick to catch up with her, the merc''s leather boots making little sound on the polished marble floor. Nyara glanced at Riona as she stopped before the quest board. "Ahhh, I see why Lydia wanted me to take a look. Seems like Frost fever is hitting Orchard Village pretty hard this season." Nyara sighed. "It''s only a day''s trip from here. Hopefully, I can get there in time to make a difference." Then she glanced at Riona again. "What are you planning to do now? We worked pretty well together to take down that ring of bandits, and I wouldn''t mind teaming up for a while, but... well, I know most Explorers and mercs don''t really like to wander around on healing quests." The merc shrugged. "As long as I''m with you, I can get rewards for completing guild quests without having to actually sign up. That''s worth waiting around while you do a few healing quests. It''ll give me some time off fighting when you take them."This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Nyara grinned. "I was hoping you would say that. Are you good to head out now? The quest should take about three days." Riona nodded, flashing her storage ring. "I''ve got a week''s worth of supplies in here." Nyara tore the quest off the board and handed it to Lydia. "Mark me down for it. We are heading out now, so we should make it by early morning tomorrow if the weather isn''t too awful." Lydia glared at her. "Fine, but I''m not letting you take another quest after you heal those people until you have a full day''s rest." "Yes, mom," Nyara smirked. Lydia just shook her head at the elf and marked Nyara down for the quest. Riona and Nyara thanked Lydia once again and headed out of the Guild''s hall briskly. After they had been walking for an hour or so, Nyara pulled up her hood to conceal her sharply pointed ears. Riona looked at her strangely, but when a group of humans hauling a wagon containing two elf slaves came into view a few moments later, Riona''s puzzled expression vanished, her mouth tightening as her eyes narrowed on the wagon. As the wagon grew closer, the merc and the Explorer were able to see that there were four human slavers¡ªthree men and one woman. Nyara''s expression twisted in disgust as her sensitive nose twitched, picking up the reek of unwashed bodies and fear coming from the wagon. Riona made a point to subtly move slightly ahead of Nyara, positioning herself between the slavers and the elf. The slavers'' wagon groaned to a halt, the silence hanging heavy in the air as they dismounted with practiced ease, their eyes glancing over Riona before locking on Nyara''s hooded figure. Both Riona and Nyara tensed, the former resting her hands on her daggers while the latter prepared to shed her cloak and draw her exquisitely deadly sword. One of the male slavers, a brute with brown hair and cruel eyes spoke first. "It''s rather rude to conceal your face," he said, his voice edged with malice. "Whoever you are, you can''t be any uglier than your friend." He gestured toward the long scar running down Riona''s left cheek. Riona¡¯s hands tightened on her daggers, her glare promising pain for the man if he continued. Nyara stepped up from behind her, pushing her hood back in one smooth motion, revealing her tapered ears. She fixed the slavers with a steady gaze, the hilt of her sword now visible above her right shoulder. ¡°That was uncalled for,¡± Nyara said coolly. ¡°I could challenge you for such an insult, but I¡¯ve no time for fools today. Let us pass, and we¡¯ll be on our way." The slaver with the cruel eyes stepped forward, looking eager for a fight, but his companions held him back. The female slaver inclined her head to Nyara. "My associate is.......slightly over zealous." She said, as the other two men took the brute back to the wagon. "May the skies guide you." "And the stars light your way." Nyara responded. The woman rejoined her companions, and the slavers headed down the road. Nyara stared after the wagon for a long moment before turning back to Riona. The mercenary¡¯s expression softened. "It must be hard, seeing your own kind chained like that," Riona offered, her voice gentle. Nyara''s lips thinned, and she was silent for a a few moments. "She could never begin to understand," Nyara thought bitterly. "She''ll never know how helpless I feel each time I must stand by while my kin are chained, broken, and used¡ªtreated like nothing more than livestock." Finally, she spoke, her voice tight and curt, "It is a sight I have seen far too often." The elf started walking, her posture discouraging further questions. Chapter Four Feeling flustered and more than a bit frustrated, Nyara marched briskly down the road. It was never easy seeing her brothers and sisters enslaved, but she had to admit that taking that anger out on Riona wasn''t fair to the human woman. Nyara sighed, her swift steps gradually slowing as her emotional turmoil slowly subsided, replaced by a bone deep weariness. She allowed Riona to catch back up with her, and the pair walked in silence for a long while. Eventually, the sky began to darken and Nyara began searching for a place to spend the night. A small clearing just off the path caught her eye, it was sheltered by a cluster of tall pines, their branches rustling softly in the evening breeze. A small thud sounded as she summoned her small one person tent from her storage ring, the sound muted by the damp earth. Nyara quickly unfurled the sturdy canvas, laying it out flat on the ground. Her hands moved with practiced ease, threading the slim wooden poles into their slots. The occasional creak of tensioned fabric filled the air as the structure took shape. To finish the little shelter''s construction, Nyara knelt and used the pommel of her sword to drive the stakes into the ground, each tap firm and precise. Once finished, she stood, brushing the dirt from her hands and knees. A small pang of guilt tugged at her as she turned to Riona and gestured toward the tent. "I''ll take first watch Riona, you can sleep in my tent." The elf paused, running a hand through hair, the dark locks, wavy after being confined in a braid for so long. "I......I know I have not exactly been pleasant to be around the past few hours. I''m not entirely sure myself why seeing that slave wagon this afternoon has affected me so much." Nyara admitted. Riona met her gaze, the merc''s blue eyes free of judgment. "Don''t sweat it elf, we all have our sore spots." Riona''s playful expression then turned serious. "For real though, it''s fine. Sometimes we all need some quiet time with our thoughts. I know we really don''t know each other that well yet, but if you need to talk my ma always said- " Riona cut herself off mid sentence with a chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, she always told me I''d make a terrible diplomat. Something about my tendency to solve problems with sarcasm and sharp objects. So maybe take my advice with a grain of salt. Or you know, a whole sack." Nyara blinked, then barked out a laugh. Riona grinned and spread her arms. "There! If I can make you laugh after a day like today, I¡¯ll call that a win." Nyara shook her head, a hint of amusement still lingering at the corners of her lips. "You''d better get some sleep. We''ll want to be up early tomorrow." As Riona nodded and made to duck into Nyara''s tent for the first half of the night Nyara called out. "Oh and thank you Riona, I really needed a laugh." The brown haired merc popped her head out from the tent''s flaps, a mischievous grin on her face. "Any time elf." Riona winked at Nyara, her eyes sparkling before she vanished back into the tent. Nyara rolled her eyes at the human woman''s antics, her mouth twitching as she fought to suppress a smile. Walking a few laps around the little clearing, Nyara then settled herself on a fallen tree, her sword laying across her knees. She was alert, her elven ears picking up only the distant chirping of insects and the occasional hoot of an owl somewhere far in the distance. Every ten minutes or so, she would get up walk any number of laps between 1 and 7 then sit back down. About halfway through her watch, something snapped sharply to her left, and Nyara was on her feet in an instant, her sword held at the ready. The steel caught the faint moonlight filtering through the pines, gleaming cold and deadly. She advanced cautiously toward the sound, her muscles tense, ready to spring into action on a moments notice. Her sharp eyes scanned the shadows between the trees, searching for any hint of movement, anything to suggest the presence of another.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Show yourself." Nyara called out softly. A quiet whimper sounded and Nyara''s brows furrowed. She pushed aside a dense bush and found a young wolf, her paw oozing fresh blood from the sharp jawed steel trap that had closed around it. She crouched a safe distance away, the wolf letting out a short snarl and snapping its jaws weakly. Nyara''s eyes narrowed in distaste as she noted the trap''s cruel design¡ªa heavy iron contraption with serrated edges biting deep into the wolf''s flesh. "Easy now girl, I''m not going to hurt you." Nyara murmured, edging closer to the unfortunate wolf. The wolf growled, the sound low and weak as Nyara continued to inch forward. When she was close to the creature, Nyara allowed her purple mana to pool in her hand. The sight or maybe scent of her healing mana seemed to settle the wolf down and it allowed her to pry the trap off of it''s leg. Holding it''s injured paw the wolf hopped back a few steps then stopped, its golden eyes locked on her. Nyara remained kneeling and cooed softly. "It''s alright girl. Come here, I can heal that sore foot for you." The wolf crept closer, her ears flattened to the back of her skull and tail tucked under her belly. Nyara continued to coax the wounded animal closer. When it was close enough, she gently reached out to the wolf''s side and pushed her magic into the animal, directing it to focus on the injured paw. In just a few moments the wolf''s paw was fully healed and Nyara smiled at the her. "Go on now, you''d best get back to your pack." The wolf huffed a small sigh through its nose, continuing to look at her. Nyara shrugged and walked back to the clearing. When she turned to sit down the wolf was a few paces behind her, its tail wagging tentatively. She sat, and the young wolf laid down, belly crawling up to her until it was just a foot away from her feet. Cautiously, Nyara reached down and scratched her ears. The wolf rubbed its head back against her hand, clearly enjoying the attention. Nyara laughed softly. "You don''t plan on leaving do you?" Of course the wolf didn''t reply, but Nyara sensed its intention to remain by her side all the same. Glancing at the hourglass she had set for her portion of the watch, Nyara realized that her time was just about up. She opened the tent flaps, the canvas rustling and called, "Hey Riona, you''re up for watch!" The mercenary woke, tossing aside her blankets in a swift motion. Nyara''s eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of Riona''s sleepwear¡ªor lack thereof. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and Nyara quickly shut the tent''s flaps. Riona poked her head out moments later, amused. ¡°Everything okay?¡± she asked, her grin utterly shameless. ¡°Fine,¡± Nyara mumbled, her face still flaming. ¡°Just... put some clothes on before you come out.¡± Riona laughed, vanishing back into the tent, and Nyara groaned quietly, burying her face in her hands. The wolf nudged her, its wet nose cold against her hands. When Riona emerged from the tent¡ªclothed, much to Nyara''s relief , she cocked a brow at the creature. Face still tinged red, Nyara answered the brazen merc''s unspoken question. "She was caught in a trap. I freed her and healed her paw. Looks like she''s here to stay." Riona grinned. "So, I guess what they say about traveling with elves is true. Don''t be surprised if they pick up a stray or two." the human chuckled. Nyara just shook her head and entered the tent, laying her blankets out. The wolf whimpered pitifully, and Nyara gave a resigned sigh, pulling the flaps aside so that her "stray" could enter the tent. The elf stripped off her light leather armor and unwrapped her chest bindings, leaving her in a tightly fitted shirt and underwear. She pulled a pair of loose pants from her ring and put them on, then laid on her bedroll, pulling her blanket over her. The wolf chuffed in contentment and curled up at her feet. Within moments, Nyara drifted into a deep, much-needed sleep. Chapter Five Nyara awoke as the first rays of dawn penetrated the canvas of her tent. She stretched, reaching her arms above her head and grinning fondly at the young female wolf who was still curled in a tight ball at her feet. Reaching out and gently placing her hand on the wolf''s head, Nyara sent a quick pulse of healing mana through its entire body. The wolf jerked slightly at the contact but relaxed when it realized Nyara was the only one in the tent. Once her magic had finished its double check, the wolf having earned a clean bill of health, Nyara hummed in satisfaction and began undressing, retrieving a fresh undershirt out of her storage ring and placing the dirty one inside of it. Suddenly, the tent flaps burst open and Nyara yelped in surprise, spinning around and clutching her arms across her chest. ¡°Riona!¡± she squawked, her voice pitching higher than she''d like. The mercenary stood in the entrance of the tent, arms crossed and a lopsided smirk plastered across her face, her sharp blue eyes unapologetically taking in Nyara''s near naked form. ¡°Well, well,¡± Riona drawled, leaning lazily against the tent pole. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for one to sleep topless, elf.¡± Nyara''s ear-tips burned hotter. ¡°I¡ªI wasn¡¯t¡ªThat¡¯s not¡ª!¡± she spluttered. ¡°I was changing, you shameless pervert!¡± Riona raised a brow, her smirk widening. ¡°Well don¡¯t let me stop you. I''m rather enjoying the show.¡± The wolf at Nyara''s feet stirred, cracking open one golden eye to peer balefully at Riona. Nyara, recovering somewhat from her initial embarrassment, glared daggers at the human woman. ¡°OUT!¡± she bellowed, one hand shooting forward to shove Riona back through the tent flap. "Alright, alright, don''t get your panties in a twist, elf!" Riona called as she retreated from the tent, stumbling back amid gales of laughter. Nyara groaned, dragging her hands over her flushed face. "D-Damnit! What is it about her? How can she be so......bold! Ack- why am I even thinking about this!? She''s a work partner....with no notion of privacy or shame, but a work partner all the same." Once she was dressed, Nyara took a deep breath, gently nudging the wolf off of her blanket. She stored the pillow and fur-covered blanket in her ring then stepped out of the tent, the wolf on her heels. To her surprise, Riona was sitting on a stump, frying bacon in a pan over the fire. The wolf immediately trotted over to the Riona and sat. Saliva glistened as the wolf stared at the meat with longing eyes.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "Traitor." Nyara muttered, shaking her head. She began to take her tent down, rolling the whole thing up into a neat bundle once she was done and placing it inside her ring. Having run out of things to do, Nyara reluctantly made her way over to the crackling fire. She sat as far away from Riona as possible only to get up a moment later coughing, her eyes watering from the acrid smoke the wind had blown into her face. Nyara quickly sidestepped the worst of the cloud, rubbing her stinging eyes. With a resigned sigh, the elf seated herself beside Riona, the mercenary giving her a wide grin. Realizing that the woman had no plans to apologize for the earlier incident, Nyara decided it was time to set some boundaries. After all, she and Riona were going to be working with each other for at least a few weeks, and Nyara had no intention of allowing the mercenary''s intrusion to become a part of her morning routine. Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, Nyara spoke. ¡°Riona, we need to talk.¡± Riona raised an eyebrow, looking up from the sizzling bacon. ¡°About what? How wonderful my cooking skills are?¡± Nyara¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°About personal space and privacy.¡± She paused, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate being barged in on, especially when I¡¯m in......a vulnerable situation.¡± Riona¡¯s expression shifted slightly, her smirk faltering, but she didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. You need more time to adjust to my charming company." Nyara shook her head firmly. "No. I''m serious. If you can''t respect my boundaries, we won¡¯t be able to work together." She paused, her voice hardening. "I can¡¯t work with someone I can''t trust to respect my space." There was a short silence, only broken by the pop and sizzle of the frying bacon. Then Riona looked away scratching at the back of her neck with her free hand. "Ah hells. I told you I''m no good with this talking stuff." The mercenary took the strips of bacon from the pan, placing them on two simple wooden plates that appeared from her storage ring. She handed one to Nyara, a serious expression on her face. ¡°But... I guess you''re right. I shouldn¡¯t have barged in on you like that.¡± Just as Nyara was about to accept the apology, a mischievous grin broke through Riona''s attempt at seriousness. ¡°But just because you don¡¯t want me looking at you doesn¡¯t mean I share your reservations, elf.¡± Riona leaned back, grinning cockily. ¡°You already know where and how I sleep. And you¡¯re more than welcome to take a peek if you¡¯d like.¡± Choosing to quit while she was still ahead, Nyara just rolled her eyes and ate her bacon, tossing one to her wolf once the meat was sufficiently cooled. Riona did the same and the wolf eagerly snapped up their offerings. A few squares of hard tack rounded out the simple breakfast and the pair doused their fire throughly before continuing on their way to Orchard Village. After walking for almost half of the morning, they could see the village. Nyara crouched down, cradling the wolf''s head gently. "Sorry girl, you need to stay here. We can''t take you into the village with us." The wolf whimpered as they walked away but then slowly trotted off into the woods. Chapter Six Nyara felt a momentary pang of guilt as she watched the wolf trot away but quickly shook the feeling off. She and Riona made their way to the village''s entrance. A wall about three meters high surrounded Orchard Village, protecting it from the bandits and monsters that occupied the area. "Halt!" A voice rang out, gruff and commanding.An older man, his hair graying at the temples, stepped in front of them. He was dressed in a brown tunic, pants and a simple steel breastplate. Nyara noted the utilitarian sword strapped to his waist, her eyes narrowing warily as she assessed him. "No one may enter Orchard Village at this time. We have had an outbreak of Frost Fever and it must be contained." Nyara let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried that the human guard was prejudiced against elves. That would have made it a lot harder to convince him to allow her and Riona into the village. "I am aware of the fever. That is why we are here. I am a healer." Nyara explained. The guard eyed the sword strapped to her back skeptically. "I''ve never seen a healer who carried a sword before." He replied suspiciously. Nyara turned to Riona. Without her even having to ask the merc pulled a dagger out and cut her palm in a flash, the dagger disappearing as quickly as it had been brought out. Gesturing at the fresh wound Nyara said coolly. "Allow me to give you a demonstration than." She placed her hand on Riona''s and called upon her well of mana. Riona''s hand was bathed in a purple glow for a brief moment before Nyara pulled away, leaving smooth unblemished skin where the red gash had been moments before. The elf turned back to the guard who was gaping in awe at her display of power. To his credit, the man managed to pull himself together relatively quickly. "Very well. I will allow you to enter the village as you are a healer. However unless your.....companion shares your talents I am afraid I cannot allow her in. All travel in and out of the village is restricted to essential personal only." Nyara''s eyes narrowed. ¡°Either we both go, or neither of us will set foot in your village. Do you think I¡¯m foolish enough to enter a human village without allies? As female elf and a healer, no less? Surely you don¡¯t think me that na?ve.¡± "Not that it''s likely anyone in Orchard Village would be able to keep me down for long....but it would be wrong for me to leave Riona out here. Besides that, her presence might stave off at least a few of the idiots who are likely to try something with me which will leave me more time to actually heal people rather than ward off any advances." The guard considered her words quietly for a moment. Then he called up to the two men waiting on the top of the wall. "We''ve got a healer and her-" he looked at Nyara for a moment unsure of how to introduce Riona. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Bodyguard will suffice." Nyara replied, shooting Riona a glare as the merc opened her mouth, likely to say something lewd or at the very least ridiculous. The merc sent a smirk her way before apparently deciding to take her role as "bodyguard" seriously and putting on a stern face. "A healer and her bodyguard!" The guard hollered up to the other men. Even from the ground, Nyara could tell that the men guarding the wall were excited. They hurriedly disappeared from sight and moments later the gate was pushed open. A man of about 5 feet and 7 inches or so with a shock of unruly white hair and an energetic bounce in his step greeted them alongside the three guards. "Greetings! I am elder Rionran. I understand you are a healer?" Nyara allowed herself a small smile. An elder among humans this man might have been, but even though Nyara was barely an adult by elven standards, she was sure that her 87 years of life were at least a few higher than the human standing before her. "Indeed. How many have been afflicted with the Frost Fever? Have you quarantined the infected?" The so-called elder looked a bit put off by her brusque questions, but Nyara didn¡¯t really care. She was here to help those who could still be saved, not to make friends. "We had around 5 or 6 men, 6 or 7 women, and a few of the children were also beginning to show signs last night. Anyone showing symptoms is in the blacksmith''s forge. He and his wife were the first to be infected." Nyara took in the information, nodding slowly. "Very well. Take me to the forge. I will do what I can for them." The elder quickly lead Nyara to the forge, Riona following behind her like a silent shadow. When they arrived at the forge a few minutes later Nyara turned to Riona. "You may want to wait here. Frost Fever is not a pretty thing to witness." Riona just shrugged. "That''s fine with me. Just....be careful, don''t overdo it." The elf nodded in acknowledgement, then entered the forge. The moment Nyara entered, the sounds of coughing and low moans filled her ears. Taking a brief moment to count the number of heads in the room, she realized the elder''s estimate had been fairly accurate. All in all, Nyara counted 7 men and 9 women, along with three children, perhaps 6 or 7 years old. A large man with black hair sat slumped against the wall along with a woman Nyara assumed to be his wife. Inspecting them a bit closer, Nyara noted in horror that the tell tale blue tinge of the Frost Fever had spread all the way to the mans elbows and just past that on his wife. "Shit! This is bad. I could heal these two, they must be the blacksmith and his wife considering how much more advanced the fever is in them than anyone else if I do......I won''t have enough mana left to heal more than one or two others. On the other hand, if I heal most of the others I won''t have the mana to help these two until tomorrow. No. I know what I have to do. I must save as many lives as possible, starting with the children." Nyara grit her teeth and forced herself to move away from the couple, turning her attention on the three infected kids. Their finger tips had just begun to turn blue and Nyara hurried hover to them placing a cool hand on each of their foreheads in turn as she splashed a bucket of healing mana into each of them. Then she moved onto the women, healing 3 of them and 3 of the men before she stopped, panting. Rallying, she managed to heal the last of the men - excluding the blacksmith¡ªand staggered out of the forge on the heels of the newly healed villagers. Riona was quick to give Nyara her shoulder to lean on. "I thought I told you not to wear yourself out, elf?" Nyara attempted a grin but failed, her face morphing into a grimace of pain as her legs gave out completely. Riona moved from acting as a crutch to sweeping Nyara into a princess carry. Nyara''s face flushed, but she was far too drained to protest. "Alright!" Riona shouted. "Where can I find a bed? Miss. Healer here needs some rest before she can work her magic on the rest of ya!" The guard who they had met stepped forward, hand in hand with a woman who looked to be his wife. "You are welcome to stay with us. We have a spare room that you and the healer are free to use until she has recovered enough to heal the rest of those infected." Chapter Seven Nyara''s face burned as Riona carried her to the guard''s house, her embarrassment lending some color back to her cheeks, which were white with exhaustion. A woman, looking to be in her late forties, opened the door, tsking as she took in Nyara''s admittedly pitiful-looking state. "What kind of stray have you brought back now, Gerald?" the stern-looking woman asked, her hand on her hips. With a small spark of amusement, Nyara realized her pointed ears were covered by her hair. "This woman must think I am just some foolish human girl that her husband has taken pity on," the elf realized, her lips quirking up into a small smile. The guard¡ªGerald, she supposed she ought to start calling him¡ªopened his mouth, then closed it just as fast, looking to Riona for help. "Hi! My name is Riona. I''m this lovely healer''s bodyguard. Your husband told us that we could rest here while Nyara recovers her strength." Now Gerald jumped in. "It was incredible, Maurice! She healed 13 people fully of the Frost Fever!" The woman''s brows raised, and she finally stepped aside, allowing them to enter. "Guest bedroom is the second door down on the left," she said curtly. Riona quickly made her way down the hall and deposited Nyara gently on the bed before she shut the door and came back to sit by Nyara''s side.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "So, how ya feel, elf?" Riona asked, her irreverent tone a poor mask for her concern. Nyara grinned weakly. "I''m fine. Well, not really fine. My body is protesting from lack of mana. It is similar to how our bodies rebel when we are exhausted or starving," she explained. A wave of relief washed over Riona''s face, turning just as quickly into mild anger. "I thought I told you not to overdo it! What happened to being careful?" Nyara sighed, exhaustion etched into her face as though she had not slept for days. The merc, realizing that Nyara needed rest, dropped the subject, instead tucking the elven healer under the covers. Riona sat by the elf''s bed until she fell asleep, her breath coming in even, rhythmic bursts. The next morning, Nyara woke up and immediately jumped out of her borrowed bed. She ran to the forge and choked back a sob as she realized that one of the women¡ªthe older lady she had noticed the day before¡ªwas dead. Nyara moved to the next patient, then the next, her hands trembling with each effort. Her vision blurred, and her breaths came in shallow pants, but she didn¡¯t stop. When she reached the blacksmith couple, her magic sputtered and faltered, the reserves in her mana core scraping dangerously close to empty. ¡°Just one more,¡± Nyara whispered to herself, her voice hoarse. She poured what remained of her strength into the blacksmith, watching as the man¡¯s labored breathing evened out and the tension in his body eased. As the last of her magic faded, Nyara collapsed to the ground, her body wracked with pain as her empty mana core ached like an open wound. The world tilted, and darkness crept in at the edges of her vision. That was how Riona found her¡ªa crumpled heap on the forge floor, "Damnit elf. Using that much mana can''t be good for you." the human muttered as she carried Nyara back to the guard''s house. When Nyara awoke a full day later, she frowned, rattling the chain connected to her wrist and the bed. A few moments later RIona came into the room. "What the hell is this?" Nyara asked shaking the chain more vigorously. Chapter Eight The human just smirked, much to Nyara''s frustration. "Well... I couldn''t have you running off the second you woke up and getting into trouble again, now could I?" Riona purred. Nyara glared at the merc, who raised her hands, laughing, before deftly unlocking the shackle from Nyara''s wrist. She rubbed the red mark that the cool shackle had left. Then, a thought struck the elf, and she paused, half out of bed. "H-how long was I unconscious?" "A solid twenty-four hours." Riona grinned. "Speaking of which... how do you feel?" Nyara took a moment to peer inside herself, searching for her well of mana. It flickered weakly, purple light dancing faintly. "I''ll be fine. I must have drained my mana down to the last drop¡­ It¡ªwell, it needs a bit longer to fully recover, but I''ll be fine." Riona shot her a look of concern, but Nyara shrugged it off, standing and stretching. Her lithe muscles rippled with the movement, though there was an underlying fatigue in the way she carried herself. "No one else needs healing, right?" "Nope! Everyone''s right as rain, thanks to you." Riona beamed. "If you feel up to it, I think we should head back to the Explorers Guild, collect your reward for completing the quest, and get some rest." Nyara nodded slowly. Suddenly, her stomach let out a loud grumble, making her flush with embarrassment. Heat crept up he neck, turning the tips of her ears turned red. Riona laughed, smirking at her, before handing Nyara an apple. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go find something more substantial for you." One week later.... Nyara and Riona were back at the Explorers Guild, having taken a week for Nyara to recuperate after her ordeal at Orchard Village. The merc sauntered behind Nyara as the pair examined the quest board. "Large rat infestation, suspected goblin den, mushroom collection¡ªah, hells, these are lame!" Riona groaned, reading through the requests. Nyara shot her an amused smile, her lips quirking as she raised a brow. "Did you think there were bandit rings to break up every day?" the elf asked teasingly. Riona sighed, running a hand through her short dark brown hair. A stray lock fell over her forehead, and the merc pushed it back with a huff. Her green eyes sparkled with impatience for action, as she fidgeted excitedly. Nyara plucked the goblin den and mushroom collection notices off of the board, ignoring Riona¡¯s loud groan of despair. She headed over to Lydia. "Hi, Lydia," Nyara greeted the receptionist, setting the notices down for the other woman to mark as taken. Lydia glanced at the quests and then back up to Riona. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Hello Explorer Nayara. Does your friend want to sign up for the guild? This''ll be the third quest she''s taken with you." Nyara glanced questioningly at Riona. The dark-haired merc¡¯s jaw set in a determined line, and she shook her head firmly. "No. Sorry, no offense to you," Riona said, directing her words to Lydia. "I just don¡¯t like to be tied down." Lydia gave Riona an understanding smile and nodded, signing both quests off to Nyara before clapping her hands together. "There you go! Safe travels!" The pair nodded their thanks and left. As they walked towards the forest containing the suspected den of goblins, Nyara pondered the events at Orchard Village. "Using so much mana at once was so damn reckless! Mother would kill me if she found out I drained myself like that once....let alone twice like I ended up doing. Well, there''s nothing to be done about the past I suppose. I''ll just...have to be more careful in the future." She was so lost in her thoughts that she jumped when Riona gripped her wrist tightly. The warmth of the mercenary¡¯s calloused hand burned against her skin, firm and unyielding. Nyara jerked to a halt, sensing that something was wrong. Her ears twitched slightly, pointed tips straining to catch any suspicious noises. "We''ve got company." Riona hissed. Nyara nodded, ears twitching at the telltale shuffle of boots around them. Her hands moved slightly towards her sword as she mentally berated herself for being so lost in thoughts but she shook it off. Now was not the time to be distracted by self reproach. She tapped Riona''s hand 7 times. The merc nodded immediately understanding that Nyara had made out 7 potential attackers. After a few minutes of tense silence Nyara¡¯s hand gripped the hilt of her sword, her pulse quickening as she readied herself. Then she called out, "Show yourselves! I can hear you creeping closer, cowards." Her voice rang with distain, a palpable challenge to those lurking in the shadows. A large human man stepped out from the cover of a large tree. His muscles rippled underneath scarred skin as he pointed a longsword in their direction. At the reveal of the man whom Nyara assumed to be the leader of the group, the other 6 bandits stepped out, leaving the duo with no doubt that they were well and truly surrounded. On unspoken instinct, Nyara and Riona turned so they were back to back, eyeing the circle of men warily. The leader stepped forward slightly a glint of predatory intent gleaming in his eyes. "Looks like we''ve got a mighty fine catch today boys! That little lassie''s an elf!" The men crowded in closer, whooping and leering at the two women. Nyara raised her sword with a steady hand as Riona lifted a few daggers threateningly. "Stay back." Nyara''s voice was cool, unamused as she stared down the leader. He responded with a laugh, advancing closer and jumping back with a curse as Nayara darted forward, sword slashing for his throat. He backed away sightly, eyes narrowed. "Stupid knife-eared cunt." He snarled. Nyara smirked taunting the man, daring him to come within range again. The leader hesitated then roared for two of his men to subdue the pointy eared bitch. The men approached, the stale oder of sweat washing over Nyara''s sensitive nose. She could feel Riona at her back, ready to act if the bandits decided to jump in with a 7 vs 2 free for all. Nyara observed the men appraising them swiftly as they charged her. One man clumsily brandished a shoddy looking sword while the other simply swung a studded wooden club. Nyara sidestepped sharply, breaking away from Riona¡¯s back as the first attacker lunged, his sword swinging in a reckless arc. She deflected his blade with her own, steel shrieking against steel as she parried with ease. The second bandit, wielding a studded wooden club, rushed in from her left. Without missing a beat, Nyara twisted her grip, letting her blade continue it''s slide off the first man¡¯s sword before driving the pommel into his jaw. He staggered back with a pained grunt, giving her just enough time to pivot and duck beneath the club as it whistled over her head. With fluid precision, Nyara surged forward, slashing deep across the club-wielding man''s thigh. He let out a strangled yell, dropping to one knee as blood darkened his trousers. Nyara turned back to the first man just as he recovered, his teeth bared in fury. He charged again, but this time, she didn¡¯t meet him with steel. Instead, she darted inside his guard, twisting at the last second. With a brutal efficiency, she drove her elbow into his ribs, then slammed her knee into his gut. He crumpled, gasping for breath. Meanwhile, Riona had already dispatched another attacker, a dagger buried in his shoulder as he howled in pain. Two more bandits rushed her, but she met them with a wicked grin, sidestepping the first and kicking him into the second. The pair stumbled, giving her just enough time to whip out another blade and drive it into the thigh of the man closest to her. The leader snarled at the sight of his men falling so quickly. His grip tightened on his longsword as he stepped forward, locking eyes with Nyara. "Enough of this," he growled, muscles tensing. "I¡¯ll carve that smirk right off your pretty little face." With five of the men down - at least temporarily- Nyara focused her attention almost solely on the leader of the ragtag group, trusting Riona to cover her blind spots from their remaining enemies. Chapter Nine Nayara stared at the bandit leader, not reacting to his threat, her muscles primed and ready for action.Seeing that he had yet to make a move, she shot him a taunting smirk. The bandit leader reacted immediately, bellowing in rage and charging forward. He held his sword held above his head, then swung it downward executing a wild blow aimed to cleave Nayara in half. Nayara swiftly sidestepped the blow cursing with vigor as she nearly lost her balance after tripping on one of the unconscious men. She regained her composure as the bandit leader roared in frustration wheeling around to face her again, this time slashing wide cuts side to side with his blade. Nyara ducked under the reach of the sword, quickly placing the tip of her own against the bandit leader''s throat. He glared at her eyes filled with fury. "Drop the sword." Nyara ordered him calmly. The man clenched his jaw, the scent of his unwashed body wafting over Nayara as she watched the veins in his neck bulge in frustration before he finally dropped the sword, the metal ringing against a stone in the path. Still keeping her sword to his throat Nyara order the man to kneel and quickly bound his hands and feet in expertly tied knots. Once the leader was secure, Nayara focused her attention on Riona. The human woman had been successful at subduing the final two bandits and seemed unfazed by the wound, her hands slick with her own blood as she continued tying the men upNyara walked over, shaking her head in mild exasperation. She waited until Riona had finished tying the last bandit before pulling her to the side. "That cut needs to be treated, Riona." Nyara said firmly. Riona groaned theatrically, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Ya know," she began, her eyes sparkling with humor, "I bet a kiss would heal it right up." Nyara''s lips tightened at the flirtatious comment and she replied acidly. "Oh, and here I was thinking you wanted me to use my healing magic on your wound." She shrugged, moving to stand as though she was not planning to help Riona after all. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Riona''s uninjured hand gently grabbed Nyara''s wrist halting her. Surprised, Nyara turned to meet Riona¡¯s gaze. The elf saw a flicker of something softer in the mercenary¡¯s eyes¡ªsomething more genuine than the humans usual carefree banter. Nyara''s surprise grew stronger when Riona continued to hold her gaze and said, "I''m sorry, Nyara," Riona said, her voice quieter than usual. "I know you don¡¯t like it when I say stuff like that... It¡¯s just automatic." She hesitated, before adding, "And for what it¡¯s worth, I really do like you. I don¡¯t flirt with just anyone, you know." Nyara blinked, taken aback by the vulnerability in Riona¡¯s words. A slight rosy tinge appeared on her face and she opened her mouth as if to reply. Then she let out a heavy sigh and sank back down to her knees. She closed her eyes for a moment as she called upon her well of mana, purple light flashing across the long wound on Riona''s arm before vanishing leaving smooth skin where there had been an gaping cut moments before. Riona grinned at her healed arm then looked up at Nyara. "Thanks. I still can''t get used to how fast you can heal people." The mercenary remarked with a chuckle. Nyara nodded and walked back over to the 7 prisoners sighing as she noticed the various bruises, lacerations, and even a broken arm one of the most unfortunate bandits was sporting. She pressed her lips together, the expression noticed by Riona who had come to stand beside her. "So....what are we gonna do with them? I mean we still have that goblin den to clear out and didn''t you pick up some sort of like herb or flower quest or something?" Nyara gave Riona an amused grin. "Its mushroom gathering, Stonecaps to be precise. But don''t worry. We just have to get this sorry lot to the nearest village and they''ll probably wind up doing some sort of labour for a while. Better to put them to work then let them feed them while they just sit in a cell all day." Riona shrugged. "Clearly she does not particularly care what happens to the bandits one way or another. Not that I blame her." Nyara mused. "Anyways," Nyara continued, "I''ve been to this area before and if I remember properly there''s a village that produces a lot of wheat just a half days travel or so away. We can drop them off there without straying too far off course, and we might even find some of the Stonecaps while we travel if we''re lucky." "Works for me!" Riona replied, her usual bravado firmly back in place after her moment of venerability with Nyara. The elf pushed that memory firmly from her mind. She had a job to do. Dwelling on how her work partner may or may not feel about her was unseemly, and furthermore, a waste of time when they had a job to be doing.