Chapter 20

Astria stared up at the night sky, her entire form bound to a large oak tree, her legs numb and tingly from being unable to move. She sighed, they all slept so peacefully whilst she stayed awake, night after night; wondering if they would ever make it to their destination. They had been traveling for three moons, during the day they would ride, and at night they would tie her to the closest tree, ensuring her ears were covered in case of visitors. Though the girl did not know who they expected to show up in the middle of the night when all creatures slept.

She looked around the small camp, feeling utterly alone as she fought back tears; praying that dane wasn't far behind. That he would come rescue her. Yet, she knew that it would be a hard task; he would not know where to begin, or where to look for her. After all, he wouldn’t wake when she called to him for aid, his motionless form skill etched in her mind. Why? Why wouldn’t he wake?

The half-breed jumped when someone sat beside her on the muddied ground, unable to make out his features as th fire dimmed. She struggled against the rope that held her, beginning to panic as the silence stretched out, her heart racing.

"calm down, i won't hurt you." said the stranger as he placed a hand onto her shoulder.

"who are you?" she whispered, looking towards tarian who still slept; along with his men.

"i am the law. I have come to help you and arrest these men."

"alone? But how will you arrest them all?"

"i have men hiding in the trees, now let's see your face." he whispered, removing the girls hood before she could object.

Horror set in the girl's stomach as she realised her hair was tucked behind her ears, terrified that he would notice, even in the dim light. Which of course he did. "an elf? What are you doing all the way up here?" he murmured, a confused expression littering his features.

Astria looked around in panic, he would surely realise she was a half-breed, it was obvious to all those she had met. Then what would happen to her? Would she become a slave of man? Would they hand her over to the deus? She just didn’t know. But what was worse, life with Tarian, or as a human's slave?

"no, you aren't elven, are you? You are an abomination!" he growled barbarically, rising back to his feet.

"no … i am elven." she argued, knowing that she was in serious trouble.

"you will die with the rest of them, an abomination such as yourself shouldn't be allowed to live!" hereplied harshly, removing his sword from its sheaf.

The girl struggled against her binds, would he really kill her just because she was different? That wasn’t fair!

"tarian! Help!" she screamed at the top of her voice, attempting to break the rope as it dug int her flesh.

Tarian jumped to his feet, sword drawn as his eyes snapped towards her; his voice stern and vicious. "get away from the girl."

The man shook his head, "harbouring a half-breed is punishable by death!"

"you have it all wrong." he began, "she is my slave."

"she will die all the same."

Tarian's men slowly surrounded the girl and the stranger who wanted nothing more than to kill her; their sword also drawn. Each one ready to strike. She watched as they systematically struck at the man, attempting to disarm him, though it was all in vein, he was too fast. He deflected everyone who came close to piercing his skin, barely having to look at them as he waved his sword. He smiled as he stabbed one of the oncoming men in the lower abdominal muscle, laughing insanely as they collapsed into the ground; a look of sheer horror coating their features.

Astria was in utter panic as tarian split the ropes that bound her to the tree, quickly shoving her out of the way as he blocked a swing from the man's sword; their skill evenly matched. She dived into the mud, rolling to the side when the stranger lashed out with his leg, attempting to disable her. But she had moved too quickly, managing to get out of the way before his foot connected with her lower leg; a blow that would have rendered her motionless, giving him time to kill her. Luckily, she found the strength to climb to her feet, able to see the next blow before it came and quickly dodging out of the way.

Tarian moved to stand in front of the girl, blocking her from the man's view. Now that she was out of his reach, the stranger growled in fury, turning to stab another man in the thigh, blood pouring from the wound as it seemed to have hit an artery. The white-haired man collapsed into the floor, his bulky form convulsing as all the blood was released from his body, his heart slowing as he began to die.

Astria didn’t know what to do as Tarian and his other men backed the stranger into a tree, surrounding him onall sides. Should she run? Or help those who were wounded in the attempt to beat this man?

"girl, don’t just stand there! Help the wounded." tarian shouted as he parried, almost knocking the sword from the man's hand; though not quite managing to do so.

The half-breed nodded, rushing to the side of the man who was closest to death, the wound in his leg continuing to ooze. Unsure how she would be able to stop the bleeding, she took the man's hand, softly humming in an attempt to calm his convulsions. She had never seen anything so gruesome in her life, the images that now played out before her promising to forever haunt her deepest nightmares. Having had no medical training, the girl began to panic, how would one stop such vast amounts of blood from leaving the open wound?

An idea struck at her mind, chaos still looming around her as she closed her eyes, calling upon the gift she knew lurked within her. The fire of hell that could melt the world. It came to her With ease, promising that it would aid her the best it could, as though the power had its own voice; its own conscious mind. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, the young half-breed placed both her hands over the wound, pressing down so that no more blood would escape through the gaping hole.

"this is going to hurt, but please bear with it." she whispered, forcing a small smile.

The man nodded, his eyes clenched shut as he braced himself, heeding her warning. Astria took another breath, though this one was shallow and rushed as she pressed down on the wound, pushing her everlasting fire through her palms and into his flesh. Though, she ensured that it was not so scorching that it melted his skin, nor sent his body into shock. She smiled, the wound was beginning to close and it seemed to be causing the man little pain, his blue eyes locked onto her as she healed him. It only took a few moments more before the wound was completely healed, the girl feeling as though she was about to faint. Though she couldn’t allow herself to do so, there was another man that needed her help; yet she could do nothing for the man who was stabbed in the lower part of his abdominal, his life already draining from his body. Leaving him as nothing but a lifeless vessel.

"thank you." the white-haired man whispered, slowly moving into a seated position.