Chapter 8: Make Haste!

Hey all, thanks for checking out my fan fiction blog. If you have come to check out my Dekaron story, please scroll down all the way to the bottom where you will find the prologue, then begin your journey from there. Otherwise, enjoy my fan fiction rants and ravings down below. Take care!

This particular chapter I had written out, then lost the original paper copy of it. I know what happens, it just seems a bit hard to recreate what I had in that notebook. I'm afraid it won't be as good, but I will do my best to create all that I had in my written version of this chapter.

 "Stealth is no longer an option! We need to disrupt that ritual before it gets any further!" said Albert to his companions. Sarah saw there was no hesitation in his voice, nor was there a cheeriness that usually accompanied his dialogue. When things were this serious, Albert didn't make light of the situation.

  "Nina! I don't know which direction to take, lead the way!"
Nina without delay dashed forward and began leading them through the twists and turns in the cavern. Sarah noted how important this was; enough for Albert to put aside his usual antics with directional sense. It was no fooling around when innocent lives are at stake.

  It wasn't too longer before Sarah's lack of physical training began hampering her pace with Albert and Nina. She began to breath heavier and heavier. Nina was first to notice this, then Albert saw as Sarah fell more and more behind.

 "Sarah, it may be best if you follow us from behind a bit. Just in case we fall into a runic trap, you can free us. Slow down and catch your breath. We need you at full strength and spirit when the time comes!"

  Just as Albert finished yelling that back towards Sarah, Nina focused some blood magic into her right hand, and slashed the wall to her right. It glowed with a blood red essence and was very noticeable. 

  Albert understood what she was doing and said "Follow that Sarah!"

"O-Ok!" Yelled back Sarah, almost breathlessly. Although she knew she could have used her magic potential to dash in short bursts, it wouldn't be sustainable and would end up draining her energy, only causing her to be even more worn out.

  Albert and Nina nodded to each other, then ran even faster, making a turn at the end of the tunnel the three were running down, disappearing out of Sarah's sight. She heard a scratch against a wall, knowing that Nina was still guiding Sarah in their direction. Although Albert told her to slow down, Sarah still did her best to maintain her fastest pace, but by the time she reached the fork where Albert and Nina turned, she was almost out of breath and had to stop.

  "I wish I did more physical endurance training back in Braiken" Sarah thought. As she caught her breath, she looked in the direction where her two compatriots turned toward. They were moving so fast that they were already out of sight; turned in whichever direction the tunnel pathways led further down.

  As Sarah began to move in the direction that Albert and Nina ran towards, she heard something in the other direction in which the pathway forked.

  "...help!"

  It sounded like the voice of a girl.

  "Hellllpppp!" the voice called again, ending in what sounded like a whimper. Sarah knew she was suppose to keep following Albert and Nina in case they needed aid, but the cries of this girl didn't seem too far off. Perhaps she could ensure the girl was alright and learn more about what was going on before following the other two again. Sarah started moving in the direction in which she heard the girl's voice. As she got closer and closer, the cries for help were followed with heavy sobbing.

  Finally, Sarah reached a door where there was no lock. Not knowing if there was anyone else in the room besides what she heard was a little girl, Sarah cracked the door ever so slightly to peer into the room.

  As Sarah suspected, there was a little girl trapped in a locked cage, but the girl wasn't crying. In fact, she seemed quite content given her current situation, and even smiled when she saw Sarah peering through the cracked opening of the door.

  "Hi! Are you here to get here me out of here? To be honest, it isn't so bad. There's some hay that's soft and it's quite cool in here, but I wouldn't mind leaving. I'm Naomi, what's your name?"

  Sarah was quite taken aback by this young girl's demeanor and attitude despite being locked up in a cage of all places. Sarah opened the door and could see there was minimal lighting in the area given the lack of candles in the room. Just enough to keep the cage illuminated where Naomi was. Not seeing or sensing any danger in the room, Sarah proceeded forward, towards the girl.

  "Hi Naomi, I'm Sarah. Are you alright?"

  "Me? I could be better, but I'm in one piece, so I'm content." said Naomi, with a smile on her face.

  "Oh, well, it didn't sound like that before I got here. I heard you crying out for help all the way down the hall."

  "What?! I wasn't crying for help before! I'll let you know that I'm a strong and independent woman...well I'm still young, but I'm mature for my age!"

  Sarah smiled, thinking Naomi was just hiding her fear. She let her guard down and moved closer to the cage, bending down to meet Naomi eye to eye. "Really? Then who was yelling for help before then?" Asked Sarah, in a playful way towards the child.

  "That, was me" said a dark and ominous voice.

  Before Sarah could fully turn around to see who spoke, something knocked her full force into the rock wall of the room.
Sarah hit the wall hard, then fell to the ground. Sarah's body ached all over as she did her best to collect herself from the impact. Her ears rang as if she'd heard an explosion of some kind.

  "You meanie! That's no fair hitting a lady without her knowing it. When I get out of this cage, I'm gonna beat you silly!" Sarah foggily heard Naomi say. Sarah tried to lift her head up, but her vision was blurry and the was blood running down her face. She couldn't see clearly, but saw what flung her across the room.

  "HAHAHA, you played a fine bait young one. I've been waiting for an adventurer to come and find you here. And now, I have one"
said a tall muscular humanoid creature. It was grey, and held a glowing mace with a hook and cleaver-like blade attached to it.

  Sarah tried to get up, but her body ached so much that she couldn't even lift herself up one bit from the ground.

  "Oh, trying to get up? Here, let me HELP YOU"

  The creature grabbed Sara by the neck, and slammed her against the wall again, holding and pinning her against it.

  "Urgh!" grunted Sarah as she was held up on the wall. The creature's grip began to tighten around her neck as Sarah gagged for air.

  "An Incar mage huh? Funny I should kill one now of all places. Goodbye. Hahaha!"

  Sarah's body began going limp and her vision started to fade to darkness. She thought of Albert and Nina, how her journey with them just started. She didn't want it to end here.

  "Help" she thought, just as she heard the impersonated voice cry out before, so she also began crying for help.
   "...please...help...someone..."

  "I will help you, only because I am curious..." said a familiar voice.

  Sarah found herself once again in the place where she first saw the vicious summoner. There he was again. No black flames this time, just the man sitting with legs crossed on the floor of the place that was in between when she teleported from Braiken to Loa. As before, she could not utter a word. She knew she was in a dire strait, but had a strange peace that all would be well. She raised her hand to reach out to him, but couldn't touch him in this star-filled place.

  "Call me to your side" said the man.

  Without thinking how to do so, Sarah closed her eyes and wished with all her being for this man to appear at her side. She couldn't see it, but her body began to emanate a red aura that waved and flowed. It began to envelope the whole space that Sarah and the summoner were in, till the whole area was covered in a bright red.

  "AHHHHHH, MY HAND!" Yelled the creature that held Sarah against the wall before.

  Sarah was able to look up from the floor she fell to, and saw the back of the man that was in that star-filled space with her before. Nothing seemed special about him; no powerful visible aura surrounded him, but the man was able to sever the hand that grasped Sarah's without the use of a sword or sharp object. He used his bare hands to do so.

  "Ooooooh, you're in trouble now baddie! Sarah's boy friend is here to kick your butt!" Exclaimed Naomi from her cage.

  The man turned to look at her scornfully, but then averted his gaze back towards the creature. As he stepped forward, the creature backed against the wall, blood spewing from it's missing hand.

  "Th-th-this isn't over vicious summoner! I know your kind. I'll come for you AND that Incar mage, just you wait!"

  The creature then turned into a shadow, fusing with the wall, only to disappear entirely out of sight.

  The man sighed, then turned around and held out his hand to aid Sarah in standing up on her feet.

  "My name is Connor. You are Sarah I presume?"

Not too bad eh? I'll probably edit this chapter later on when I think of something more efficient. Until then, look forward to the next chapter, laterz!

Sorin and Nahiri Eldritch Moon fan-fic synopsis (Repost)

Hey all, thanks for checking out my fan fiction blog. If you have come to check out my Dekaron story, please scroll down all the way to the bottom where you will find the prologue, then begin your journey from there. Otherwise, enjoy my fan fiction rants and ravings down below. Thanks, and enjoy!-Albert Chyn

REPOST DUE TO OTHER POST HAVING BRIGHT BACKDROP (I don't like that XD)

Hey there, wanted to put in another fanfic entry, this time about Sorin and Nahiri; two planeswalkers from Magic the Gathering. The two, long way to a short point, had a falling out of sorts and the full story can be reviewed here:

http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/stone-and-blood-2016-06-15

Their battle is accounted for here:

http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/campaign-vengeance-2016-07-06

This fanfic story idea happens after the above mentioned battle. There are some inconsistencies, as to when exactly does the body split occur and the fact that there are no hints whatsoever to a romance between these two. Nevertheless, I still hope you can enjoy this little entry of a story idea that brewed within my mind. Thanks in advance!

Sorin and Nahiri
  After the battle between these two, Sorin is rescued by Nahiri from his stone entrapment. Nahiri explains that the woman who he fought earlier was the embodiment of all her hatred for Sorin. Since it left her body during her imprisonment in the helvault, all she has left is the love she had for Sorin. After allowing him to drink some of her blood for recovery, they set on a quest to confront the other Nahiri.

  The battle is hard fought, and Nahiri knows she must absorb her other half to end the fight. After doing so, all the hatred she had for Sorin returns, but there is also love. She tells Sorin she hates him so much and she remembers all of the thoughts and feelings of revenge her other half had for him, but the part of her that loves him is still there. She tells Sorin to leave her before she can do any harm to him, but instead Sorin embraces her and tearfully says he's sorry for what he did when he locked her in the helvault. The two reconcile and share a romantic kiss.

SHORT RWBY Fan fic. Pyrrha in the world of Young Justice and being reunited with Jaune

    Hey all, thanks for checking out my fan fiction blog. If you have come to check out my Dekaron story, please scroll down all the way to the bottom where you will find the prologue, then begin your journey from there. Otherwise, enjoy my fan fiction rants and ravings down below. Be well! -Albert Chyn

  Hey all, just wanted to get this story in my head out into the world. I have this whole story line planned out for what happens to Pyrrha after RWBY Volume 3 and how she's transported into the DC Young Justice universe. Below is a vision of what I want to have happen after an epic battle where Pyrrha and Jaune are finally reunited. I included a crossover element from My Hero Academia that can be replaced in the future, but it's been awesome imagining Pyrrha inheriting One for All to be used for one battle and seeing tons of different powerful characters from different worlds raising their hands (like a spirit bomb) to contribute power to Pyrrha. Enjoy!

Due to Pyrrha using the One for All to defeat the main villain, she needs to create distance between her friends from Young Justice because her left over power will destroy everything in the vicinity.
After she creates enough distance to be alone, she begins to cry and think of Jaune. She starts to pray to a God she doesn't know exists, saying she's made mistakes, but begs for a higher power to protect Jaune. She's died before, but this time feels all the more sorrowful.

"Pyrrha?"

It's Jaune's voice. The final chorus from "Stars" (The Shack version) by Skillet begins to play: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtzrLpxM298

(If you could hold the stars, in place, you can hold my heart, the same..."
Pyrrha turns around, and sees Jaune.

"Jaune?"

Their walk towards each other turns into running, each saying each other's name one after the other as they get closer (Whenever I fall, away, whenever I start, to break. So here I am, lifting up my heart-lifting up my heart...). Then, they say each other's name at the same time just as they embrace and the crescendo of the song hits (If you could calm the raging seas, you can calm the storm, in me...) 

Their embrace causes the internal explosion that comes out of Pyrrha to envelope the world in a white luminescent wave instead of unleashing a torrent of utter destruction. (You're never too far, away, You never show up, too late. So here I am, lifting up my heart, to the One who holds the stars).

After their embrace for some time...

Pyrrha and Jaune are seen still holding each other on the floor with Jaune kneeling

J: Um, my knees are getting a bit tired
P: Hahaha, oh Jaune

She smiles and then starts to break down crying again

P: Jaune, I'm so sorry. I threw away our lives together for a notion of destiny thinking that I was suppose to fight Cinder and-
J: Pyrrha, you did what you thought you had to do and though it broke my heart, it was your destiny, even if it may have been wrong.

That's all I got for now. Thanks for reading!

RWBY Volume 3.1

    Hey all, thanks for checking out my fan fiction blog. If you have come to check out my Dekaron story, please scroll down all the way to the bottom where you will find the prologue, then begin your journey from there. Otherwise, enjoy my fan fiction rants and ravings down below. Be well! -Albert Chyn

Hi all, this is a fanfiction synopsis I wrote two weeks after the season finale for RWBY volume 3. Kept thinking about Pyrrah and a sermon I heard about death. Hope you all enjoy it. Please feel free to respond with critique and offer your insights! Apologies in advanced for the terrible backdrop, I haven't used blogspot for a while and I'm not sure how to change the color for the background!

RWBY Volume 3.1

Ruby gets to go back in time and transfer her consciousness to when the team are eating at the stand after their first 4 person match in the vital festival. Team JNPR enters the scene and a tearful Ruby runs and embraces a Pyrrah that is alive. She sees a glance of Emerald and Mercury and charges toward them, spouting words of hate, anger, and "I know what you're up to! I won't let you destroy Beacon!" (Alternatively, Ruby sees Cinder and outright attacks her in a fit of rage, only to be subdued by the authorities)

As events play out, Ruby does her best to prevent the outcome of volume 3. Things do progress for the better, but a final encounter ensues with Cinder. Pyrrah steps in the way of an attack aimed at Jaune, and is severely wounded. Ruby witnesses this, and in a moment of shock and desperation to prevent her previous death, Ruby unlocks her Silver Eyed power. She defeats Cinder with the help of the Spirit of the Fall Maiden and causes her to flee ). As Pyrrah begins to slowly die, Ruby cries out to the previous fall maiden and asks what must she do to save Pyrrah. The Fall Maiden replies that only with her own life can she save Pyrrah. As she thinks upon this choice, she sees Jaune give a kiss to Pyrrah, and with that, Ruby knows why she came back; to prevent Pyrrah's death, even if it means her own. Ruby emerges from communing with the Fall Maiden's spirit and as she steps toward Pyrrah, team RWBY arrives and Yang (she still has her arm since the team listened to Ruby and took steps to preventing their injuries) cries out to her sister, asking her what she is doing. With tears in her eyes, she says "This is why I came back. I will rewrite the fate of Achilles with my own life. I love you Blake, Weiss, and Yang my dear sister. Do not go quietly into the night. Rage against the dying of the light and one day, I will see you on the other side." With that, she imbues the fall maiden and her own life power into Pyrrah, much to the dismay of her team and those surrounding the area.

Ruby is buried next to her mother. On her tombstone is written "Rage against the dying of the light."

After mourning and the passing of time, the rest of team RWBY, along with Pyrrah, who feels responsible for Ruby's passing, go on a journey to hunt down Cinder and her leader Salem.

Ruby awakens in the aether, back when she was given a choice to go back in time. The Wanderer (another name for time lord whatever) tells her that it was not the past; rather a simulation that he created to see how Ruby would fair in preventing the fall of Beacon and tells her that soon she will awake in her world where the events of volume 3 were not prevented. She awakens in camp with Jaune, Nora, and Ren. Crying incessantly, jabbering that she failed to save Pyrrah, Jaune is beside her and hears it all, comforting her by saying she did the best she could and that Jaune does not hold it against her. He does not know that Ruby went through a "simulation" and Ruby doesn't bother to tell him what happened in it (this is subject to change. If she does try to tell him what happened, it will be concluded by both of them as a dream).

Later, we will find out that the Wanderer was lying. It was not a simulation, but rather an alternate timeline that was created the moment Ruby's consciousness was transported back into the "past." 

We find this out because PWYB (Pyrrah, Weiss, Yang, and Blake) from the alternate timeline appear in Ruby's original timeline to save her from certain doom (this will hopefully happen in an epic battle). Their appearance will be different from before, ranging in different haircuts, clothing, and certain demeanor that will be determined (Perhaps Weiss would be less whiny and condescending etc). The four women from the other timeline embrace Ruby and tell her because of her sacrifice, Salem was defeated and a new form of balance and harmony was created between humans and Grimm. Each person from the alternate timeline would get to speak to their other selves from the original timeline and offer insight as to how to overcome their respective difficulties (Weiss and her dad, Blake and Adam, Yang and the loss of her limb), except for Pyrrah, who speaks to Jaune knowing that the Pyrrah he knew is dead. She speaks to him of moving on, for it is what she would want her Jaune to do should she perish one day before he does. She speaks over him a new prayer to further unlock his power. They do not share a kiss, for Jaune, out of maturity, knows that this Pyrrah is right and that he must let go of the Pyrrah he loved and find completion with it (they do share a tearful hug though :D ). The team RWBY from the alternate timeline are sad that this will be the first and only time they see Ruby after her passing in their world, but are comforted knowing that she is living on in this world. Yang wonders if she truly will see Ruby on the other side after their passing, and Ruby can only say they will see. After a tearful embrace before PWYB depart back to their own world, in unison they recite the last two lines from Dylan Thomas' poem: 

"Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Chapter 7 Beginning of Blood

  Hey all, thanks for reaching chapter 7. If you have just started reading my blog, please scroll down to the end where you will find the prologue as well as a brief history of the game this story if based on, then begin your journey from there.
I also recommend trying out the game, now called Dekaron, at this site:
https://www.papayaplay.com/dekaron.do
It's a free to play MMO (Mass Multiplayer Online) and is worth a shot playing! -Albert

 "After we enter the mouth of this cave, we'll need to track any source of magic being used. Sarah, that's where you come in. See if there are any alarm glyphs or runic traps that could trigger upon our further movement into the cave."

  Sarah nodded, relieved that Albert was so ready to grant her a big responsibility right after their conversation.

 "Nina, once we enter, sneak through the shadows and use your life magic to see if there are any guards in plain sight or hidden along our route. We'll need to deal with them silently. Sarah and I will move a few paces behind you."

 Nina responded with a nod, a faceless expression neither happy nor sad. Repressed may even be the word, as to a boiling kettle with a flurry of emotions being pressed down and slowly cooled.

 "Let us not tarry any longer. Forward!" exclaimed Albert, loud enough for the two ladies to hear, yet soft enough to let the neighbors sleep soundly through the night.

 He began to walk towards an opening in the rock wall when Sarah said "Albert, that's not going to lead us anywhere deep through the caverns. That leads to the outhouse for cave workers."

"Oh, how do you know?" asked Albert.

 "There's a sign right there" replied Sarah.

Nina confirmed this with a sniff of the air, then ever so cutely wrinkled her nose and frowned as if to say "smelly."

"Wow" Albert said, "there I go again, my, what would I do without you two?"

"I shudder at the thought" Sarah retorted, but then smiled, saying "good thing you've got us to watch your back."

Albert confidently raised his head, puffed out his chest, then said "Thank you, I am blessed. Ok, so where is the entrance?"

 "We may have went on the wrong side of the hills" said Sarah.

 Nina shook her head as if to say no, then pointed to a trail leading up to what looked like an opening to the side of the small mountain. The start of the trail was behind Sarah, but not easily noticed by the naked eye. Trees and other foliage blocked the pathway. Sarah was surprised.

 "Nina, have you had training in hunting and tracking?" asked Sarah.

Nina nodded yes.

 "Wow, that's great! I'd love to have training of that sort" said Sarah. Albert then chimed in, saying "Let's continue this conversation while we walk up."

 "Oh, right, my apologies" said Sarah.

 Along the way to the perceived opening, Sarah continued her girl talk with Nina.

"As I was saying before being rudely interrupted" Sarah said, sneering jokingly at Albert, with his response of raised hands as if to say, "what did I do?" Sarah continued "when I was in the cloister of the Incar, we didn't train ourselves in what seemed to be 'dirty' work, but to me it is appealing. Would you be willing to teach me some techniques?"

Nina smiled and nodded. Despite her silence, Sarah could tell that she started to find a friend in Nina.

Albert then came beside Nina and, as awkward as ever, wrapped his arm around her, giving her a squeeze like they were best of pals, saying "Hehe, maybe you could give me some lessons too, seeing how I'd be lost without your guidance, haha!"

Pleasantly bashful, Nina blushed a bit as she lowered her head in shyness.

"Albert, you're embarrassing her" said Sarah.

"Oh, I am? Er, Nina, am I embarrassing you?" asked Albert.

Nina turned her head away, while looking back at him ever so subtly.

"Hehe, sorry about that. Just saying thanks for your assistance!" said Albert as he patted Nina on the back.

"Albert!" exclaimed Sarah, although it was not harsh, due to Sarah noticing that Nina was enjoying it despite her apparent bashfulness.

Albert looked up, and his countenance became serious as he said "Get ready, we're almost there. Remember Nina, you go in first ok?"

Nina, with her usual somberness, nodded yes. When it came to business, Nina and Albert didn't mess around. Like a swift rogue, she hurried silently ahead, then abruptly stopped and crouched behind a small boulder outside the cave. Sarah and Albert crept slowly toward her, then Albert signaled for Sarah to stop and stay still.

Nina had her eyes closed, the engravings on her face glowing with a taint of red. She then opened her eyes and waved for the other two to come where she was. Sarah and Albert scurried silently to Nina.

Sarah wasn't used to sneaking around; her training didn't include stealth, however, the head enchantress did have her conduct physical enhancement training apart from her usual elemental practices. She remembered Alicia saying physical fitness could be considered a magical element that we must further fine tune and exercise.

"The body can be as difficult to master as the element of fire is" Sarah remembered her mentor say.

In fact, Sarah's skills like Energy Jab, relied on her physical fitness, as it drew from the life force of the mage itself, whereas molding and shaping elements like water or ice into a spell, used up a caster's magic potential, or MP for short.

It's not that Sarah couldn't sneak around, rather, it was not her preference, nor an activity she was trained for. After Sarah and Albert got closer, Albert asked "do you sense anyone Nina?"

Nina shook her head no.

"Okay, excellent, but that is strange. No one is guarding the place. Let's set up a point to to next and-"

"Wait!" interrupted Sarah. "I sense something...its not a magic trap...it seems like the beginning of an incantation, a ritual...its dark magic...a summoning ritual."

"A summoning ritual?" said Albert. "Is there a pact being engaged, perhaps by a vicious summoner?"

"No, it isn't magic I recognize" Sarah replied. "I sense something is being offered up as attrition, a sacrifice..."

"Blood" said Nina eerily.

Sarah and Albert turned to Nina in shock that she said something for the first time in their midst.

"Blood!" Nina said in a louder tone.

What followed Sarah and Albert's amazement, was a realization.

"Oh no! They might be using the villagers as sacrifice for some dreadful being! Their lives are in jeopardy!" exclaimed Albert. They all quickly rose to their feet. "Forget sneaking, we need to hurry!"

Next comes the fighting, and we know that warriors are always needed, whether in times of peace or war.

Chapter 6 Into the caves

   Hey all, thanks for reaching chapter 6. If you have just started reading my blog, please scroll down to the end where you will find the prologue with a history of the game this story is based of of, then begin your journey from there. 
I also recommend trying out the game, now called Dekaron, at this site:
https://www.papayaplay.com/dekaron.do
It's a free to play MMO (Mass Multiplayer Online) and is worth a shot playing! -Albert

  "...west of Denebe are the forgotten caves. We were instructed to bring the villagers their and detain them, till further notice.

 "Why were they taken to a cave?" asked Sarah

 "We are not sure..." as the lizard man looked to his compatriots, all shaking their heads no as to what the kidnapper's intentions were.

 "I think the next step is to go to the cave and discover more" said Albert.

 Nina agreed with a tug of Albert's arm as she started to walk west toward the caves.

 "Nina always seems to have the right idea" thought Sarah. 

 In a way, it was as if she was leading as she followed. Albert, as clueless as he sometimes was, still had selfless purpose as he said,

"We have to save those villagers!" He seemed like someone who put others before himself. Sarah was discovering more and more about her companions even without asking deep probing questions. Just give a task, see how others act, and that is what seems to give a person's true character.

 Personality more so, as the moral fiber of her allies was the least of her concern. As long as they watched her back, she saw them as "good".

 "We wish you the best of luck" said a lizard man as it and it's group got to their feet. "We must return to our village, as to insure no more lizard knights subjugate our villagers."

 "How do you resist their influence? I know of Sumatra Choi developing a technique for lizard men to resist the controlling influences of the pitborn."

 "We're not sure, but for some strange reason, the pull for violence and blood lust was so strong, any order the knights gave were impossible to defy. We will be ready next time. We know how to resist them and will honor our allegiance with the citizens of Haran. Hurry, you may be able to save the villagers from impending doom."

 "We will!" exclaimed Albert. "Come on Nina and Sarah, lets go!" Albert starts to trot.

 "Albert wait, you're going east. We need to go west remember?" said Sarah.

 Nina agreed as she got behind Albert and began to steer him like a rudder of a ship.

 "I-I-I got it I got it!" said Albert as if he was saying "MOM! I can do this myself!"

 Thank Trieste Nina and I are with him, thought Sarah. She wondered what would happen to him if they weren't present. Images of Albert falling off the edge of the world proclaiming with his last breath "I could have sworn I was going the right waaaaay-"
filled Sarah's mind, and she hushed that silly part of her brain...with a slight giggle.

 "Hey! Whats so funny?" asked Albert.

Nina looked at Sarah and smiled as if she could read her mind.

I am a firm believer that women have a 6th sense in which they can communicate telepathically to each other. Now back to the story.

 The three start to approach the vast hills that house the aforementioned caves. As they began their uphill adventure, Sarah started to think about the previous battle. She almost froze up, and during a battle, that kind of behavior can be fatal not just to herself, but to her allies as well. A wave of insecurities seemed to flood into Sarah's mind about herself and her performance. 

 Was she of any use to the group? This thought began to batter her sense of confidence.

 "Breathe in, breathe out" thought Sarah. "I am confronting my own humanity, this is what it looks like to be human...questioning my own worth at times. What I want, my allies-no, my friends, also want. I know we are all on the same page, but why do I feel so insecure all of a sudden? And how did I even get here? One minute I'm in the Incar cloister studying magic. Another minute I'm on a quest to save all of Haran! Can I really do this? Can I?"

 "Sarah, is everything alright?" asked Albert in his kind and methodical way.

"Wow," Sarah thought, "Albert is surprisingly perceptive."
"I...I just...I don't know, I feel kinda foolish talking about...my doubts" said Sarah.

 "Your doubts? About what?" Albert asked.

 "...about myself..."

 "Really?"

 "Really..."

 Nina looked on as Sarah and Albert talked. Puzzled, yet patient.

 Sarah continued. "I mean, here we are approaching this cave to save the villagers, and here I am being unsure of what I can do to protect this world. I'm letting this all get to me...I'm sorry."

 "No, its OK! Sarah, you're doing great!" Said Albert

 "Really?"

 "Really! I mean, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. I'd be doing my mundane Azure knight duties. And that battle before? You performed splendidly!"

 Sarah looked at Albert. She could see the genuine praise in his eyes and smiled with a sense of ease and encouragement. She then noticed Nina nodding in agreement with a smile on her face.

 "Thank you Albert and Nina for letting me bring this up. Please forgive me for doing this right before an important event."

 " Sarah, I want you to be as focused as possible for what is to come. I'm glad you're saying what you need to say before we go, so that it doesn't get in your way or distract you. We Azure knights call it emptying the space of one's mind in order to perform with the utmost efficiency. We always do this before heading into battle. Is there anything else you need to say to be ready?"

 "No, I feel surprisingly freed up! I think I am ready. What is the plan Albert?" asked Sarah with an eager spirit.

 "I'm not sure, I wanted to develop a strategy with Nina before entering the caves." Albert began to mark symbols and shapes on the floor as to prepare for the coming incursion.

 What plan will he develop? Find out next time on Dragon Ba-I mean uh, in the next chapter XD!

Chapter 5 A Battle Ensues

  Hey everyone, please be sure to read the previous chapter by scrolling down. If it is your first time reading my blog, please scroll down to my first post. It may be a long journey, but things will make much more sense. Enjoy!- Albert 

"...they've been...taken..." was the faint whisper of the Augur. 

The healing Nina used on him worked, however it was clear he hadn't gained all his strength back. The group listened intensively as the Augur spoke.

"Asray...the villagers..."

"Where have they been taken?" asked Sarah with a soft tone of voice. No response. "...is he..."

Nina shook her head no.

"He'll need to rest" said Albert. "We could start looking for tracks, maybe that will lead us to-"

HISSSS

The group looks up and turns to see a band of Lizard Men, accompanied by 3 Lizard Knights.

 "Warriorssss" exclaimed one of the knights "We cannot bring them back, we musssst disposssse of them!"

 The group of Lizards then roared and started charging towards our three warriors. Roll for initiative (just kidding :D ). 

Albert raises his shield and sword. Sarah readies a spell. She was very surprised by how combat ready she was. Sarah excelled at many things during her studies in the cloister, including combat training. Her own calmness in battle seemed strange; she didn't know how she refined such strong nerves for life threatening situations. Perhaps it was because she somehow knew that everything was under control, that her life truly was not in danger in any of those situations she came across within this recent time period. 

Whether that was due to her unwavering skill, or the faint presence of a higher power, Sarah could not tell. This tranquility however, would soon be disrupted as Nina dashed in front of her and Albert with a motionless blur (as if that makes sense, cause it might not). This somewhat shocked Sarah and Albert, as they were only preparing themselves, whereas Nina was already mobilized. With her whip in one hand, Nina quickly raised her off hand and opened her palm towards the rushing Lizards. A crimson red aura emanated from her hand, and in the distance, one could see what her blood spell wrought. 

A Lizard Knight suddenly swelled up disproportionately twice its size, then erupted in a shower of its own blood like a bubble bursting with its soapy insides after being popped out of the air. Sarah's once felt peace was no more, as she gasped and felt a sickening feeling grip her insides. One of the Lizard Men reached Nina and swung its claw blades above her head. Without a moments notice, Nina quickly dodged to her left effortlessly and unraveled her blood whip. It also glowed a blood red that only Segnales are accustomed to. With only a flick of the wrist, her weapon would have rent (past tense of rend) her attacker into bloody ribbons, were it not for Albert charging in and using his shield shove skill to knock the Lizard Man off its feet, flying into the other lizards.

"Attack the knights! They are subjugating these Lizards. If we kill the knights, the Lizard Men won't fight us!" Albert yelled as he turned to face the other lizards, taunting them away from our femme fatales, shouting "COME AT ME BRO!" 

 This jolted Sarah out of her queasy state and got her back into the fight. Albert's compassion inspired her and probably frustrated Nina, who did not think sparing the lives of these manipulated lizards was worth any effort. She wouldn't show it of course, as she was instructed to follow, and turned her blood red gaze toward the two remaining Lizard Knights. Sarah hastily began a long ranged spell. It had to be a lower level spell, for most of her magic had an area of effect that would harm the other lizards. Energy jab followed up with an ice bolt would procure the desired outcome; the death of the lizard knight! Toom as the energy jab went out and struck the Lizard Knight as it yelled it pain. There would be no recompense for the suffering lizard, as an icicle the size of a spear zipped out and impaled the Lizard Knight. There was no cry of pain or agony, just an exhale of utter despair as the knight fell to the ground, searching for some sort of meaning in its short lived life. 

Death by impalement must be a theme here, as Nina used her dread nail skill, summoning curse infused spikes that lashed out and skewered the remaining Lizard Knight like a bag of flesh and blood hanging on a shish kebob. Just as Albert said, the controlling effect of the Lizard Knights lifted off of the other Lizard Men, as if they awakened from a prolonged aggressive stupor. Albert walked to one that was sitting on the ground, and helped it up to its feet. 

"Thank you" the lizard said with much intelligence and sentience in its voice. "The villagers have been taken to a nearby cave..."

Tune in next time!