NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 26: You’re Not The Only Ones With Plot Armor To Turn The Tides
Soril’s just able to deal the finishing blow when a shadow darkens over them. She does not even react in time before she’s abruptly tugged away by the collar. Retreating them three paces back as whatever encroaches them lands with an impact, so thunderous, it sounds and feels like a tiny grenade has gone off with the razor-sharp whip of the wind lash. Stirring a huge sandstorm in the process. It instantly attracts everyone’s attention in the surroundings. The clashing of metals abruptly dims. Until all that lingers, is a questioning silence. What the fuck just happened?
The dust slowly clears to reveal scarlet hair, whipping into place like waves of the blood sea from the unceremonious halt in momentum. A crouched silhouette of a woman emerges. Yanking her giant battle axe from the rubble single handedly with a tribal rose inked arm. She’s slowly straightening herself, opening her eyes to fiery iris, red as the sunrise behind her. Her armor is light and leather yet striking gold and metal in places where all her vital organs reside. A brown mare is only now catching up. Stopping beside her with a rearing neigh.
She glances over her shoulder, says, placid as a still lake,
“You’re pathetic as ever, my adorable little half-brother.” did this woman seriously leap at them from a horse’s back? Who the fuck is this? She's still trying to connect the dots when the red woman aggressively kicks herself forward. Soril pushes her aside, receiving her attack with a dagger. But her sheer force immediately smacks him onto a knee. Blocking her overhead with both hands. His arms are shaking from exertion. The look on his face conveys that he completely didn’t expect her to be this obscenely strong. Red woman merely drops him a condescending gaze too,
“Good.” her coquettish giggle, sinister with amuse,
“You learnt your place.” She slams a leg onto the handle. Pressing her golden weapon down. It’s cracking the dagger. Chipping through the metal. He instantly tumbles away as it completely snaps. Trying to wrap his wires around her as he does. She shreds it before it touches her skin. Twirling, she swings at him in the same motion. It signals him to fall back instead. But she relentlessly chases after, pressurizing him into heavy strike after strike after strike.
This cheetah like build, coupled with strength and haughtiness capable of rivalling mortal men. She’s a Godorian! An exceptionally powerful one at that. And the woman isn’t alone. A throttling begins sounding in the distant horizon. Horse steps, in the thousands like a stampede along the ear piercing shrills and witch-like cackles of war cries. It suddenly strikes her with a gasp.
The missing link. The second raven Rakgar sent. This is how Godor and Estelis are connected! A cavalry is coming! And they can't even consider continuing fighting this after their troops are already all worn out from battle against the Estelians.
Soril immediately fires a red flare into the sky,
“Retreat!” he commands. But the Estelians are now finding new invigoration knowing victory is within reach. Charging back into battle and attempting to stop everyone from scurrying for the blow-up stone walls at the back. Soril too, is currently being occupied by Red Woman, refusing to let up. It’s a swift and exasperating turn of the tides. If this continues, they might not even get out before the Godorians arrive and mauls everyone down! She needs to do something. And right now, there’s only one option she sees readily available.
Picking a sword up from the ground, she sprints towards the gravely injured Rakgar buried beneath the rubble. He’s lapsing from consciousness from the blood loss. Good. He won’t be able to fight back. She rises it over his chest, and with the loudest voice she’s able to muster, she screams,
“If you value his life then let us go!” It instantly draws attention towards her. Red Woman is the first to lunge at her. Lumeria digs the tip of the weapon between his ribs,
“Don’t move! One more step, you can say goodbye to your brother!” puddling more blood out. It stalls Red Woman dead in her tracks,
“I see Astia does live up to their reputation as honorless snakes.” Lumeria yells at the Estelian soldiers next,
“All of you too! If you don’t want your commander to die then drop your weapons!” freezing the entire battlefield into complete standstill.
Soril immediately follows up with her, tugging Red Woman’s horse towards them and picks Rakgar up. Dumping him onto the animal’s back. Binding a few layers of wires around his wrist for good measures. She climbs onto the animal, sitting behind Rakgar. Soril leashes the creature forward. Backing with their troops.
She can feel the searing stares of the enemies as they pass. Slowly bubbling away from them. A few of them attempt to jerk forward to attack but they’re instantly stopped by their comrades. She spots one of the four morning motherfuckers, grinding his teeth at her and taunting,
“I should’ve killed and raped you, vicious witch!”
The Godorian cavalry has now arrived too, frantically charging out of the tree lines before Feror’s gates like a swarm of frenzied, shrilling hyenas with their golden spiked maces and banners of a burning rose. But she reminds again, firmly grasping her sword around Rakgar’s neck,
“Don’t give chase!” to have the Red Woman completely halt them with a wave of her hand. Leaving the overwhelming enemy forces furiously helpless and watching them leave with indignation.
It’s only when they reach the safety of the forest and Feror completely disappears behind the forage that she finally dares lets out a sigh of relief. Slowing the crazy pounding of her heart down. Following the river with the incredible tense and exhausted soldiers. Soril says,
“You really exceed my expectations sometimes. Didn’t think you had it in you to pull such a villainous move.”
“I don’t feel proud doing it.” Then she changes the topic to ask the more important question that’s been burning in her mind now that they’re finally reunited,
“By the way, Soril, did your father assassinate the Duke of Estelis?” he flicks her an unreadable gaze,
“Where’s that coming from?”
“Rakgar told me.”
“Who?”
“Judas. That’s his real name.” there’s no hesitation in how quickly he denies,
“He’s lying to you then.”
“What? Why would he lie about that?” he merely shrugs,
“To garner your sympathy, to drop your guard. There’re many reasons why an enemy would lie. Are you seriously going to take his words? Don’t be naïve Lumeria.”
“Are you bullshitting me?”
“Why would I?” he playfully jabs into her side,
“Stop doubting me. Thought you said you really wanted to see me again.” But all that incurs is an unsettling chill creeping into her heart.
Is... Soril deceiving her right now? He isn’t conversing anymore. Instead, he focuses forward after her lack of a reaction. An unchanging expression on his face that she’s grown so familiar with. Though, all it accomplishes is to make her realize just how much she really doesn’t know him. She swallows the dread.
One of them is dishonest, and she can only hope she’s right to assume it’s Rakgar. No... She can’t assume. She needs to know. And if Soril won’t tell her anything. She must clarify again with Rakgar. Now that he’s her hostage, she’ll get plenty of chances.