A Desperate Plea

It was only mildly chilly outside but the heat of the inferno that blazed from the buildings did nothing to nullify the goosebumps all over Voah's body. She stood in the street that passed directly in front of the hovel wearing little more than a chemise-like undergarment and a thin leather bandolier that hugged her tightly. It fastened a pouch to her that contained her Mizaran Box and two small daggers. The once-champagne-colored undergarment was sliced in a few places and painted in streaks of bronze oil and vascular red.

Blood leaked from open wounds. Her chest heaved as she took in heavy breaths of clean air. In sputtering coughs, her lungs quietly rejected the smoke she had regrettably inhaled. Adrenaline had her heart pounding in her ears as she tried to settle it and take in the scene around her. The dust had mostly washed away by involuntary tears and she could see a group of three people 10 meters in front of her and more down the street about 50 meters to her left. It was both too far and too dark to tell if any of the figures was Gonyaul. She wanted to shout for him but there were too many enemies nearby to chance drawing attention to herself. Several of the dark robes that were moving not too far off didn't seem to notice her just yet and at least one of them was an archer.

Suddenly she heard some movement and turned around to see quite unexpectedly, the witch emerge with her favorite weapon out of the same window from which the holy woman had escaped. The witch's skin was slick with a sheen of melting ice that seemed to have acted as a barrier through the flames. The witch was unscathed.

Voah closed her eyes and sighed an audible plea to Hoi.

"Please..." To the witch it may have seemed like a desperate plea for mercy but the evocation meant something very different to Voah.

~Please just let Gonyaul be safe… please let me get to him… let me see him... I just need the reassuring warmth of his whisper... and for his sake... please don’t make me kill this witch…~

The last part she held little hope for, especially seeing the woman’s wrath as well as the wealth of the other enemies still around.

Without a visibly defensive guard up, Voah waited poised to react as she allowed the witch to approach but as she did, there came a splintering smash from a door nearby and the sounds of rushing boots behind her. She lowered her posture into a more defensive position so that she could easily evade incoming danger.

A quick glance around gave her hope that her prayers seemed to have been immediately answered. She could see a large dark robe pummeling someone who she could only guess was her beau. This was soon confirmed by the sight of Gonyaul's bared torso as agonizing strained sounds came from him followed up by an amazing fighting prowess; both of which she had never before witnessed from the man. She could see blood but not the extent of his injuries, so she decided he would have to handle himself for the moment until she could reach him.

The analysis lasted only a few seconds before she looked back to the witch and started to back toward Gonyaul, and from her side now she could make out the visage of Alcuin who had surprisingly come running to her aid.