Chapter 91: Ninety-one.

My eyes snapped open at the dream, and I let out a sigh of relief as the cool night wind blew my hair back, but it was only short-lived. I shot up at the sight of orange flames licking at the trees in front of me.

"Aeryn!" Ayla's voice rang out, and I turned to see her coming to my side, pulling me up with a harsh tug. I looked to her sweaty form, her blonde hair dampened down to her forehead.

"What's happening?!" I shouted over the noise of falling branches before letting out a yelp as a large chunk of leaves fell beside us, the flames now licking at the grass. Ayla merely pulled me along with her, running through the fire.

"We've been ambushed!" she shouted over the noise, and I looked back. The sight of Chigaru soldiers with torches made me run faster and not ask further questions. But they were undoubtedly faster, and I let out a scream as I felt the vicious grip of a hand against my hair, making me fall backward roughly onto the ground.

"We've caught a real beauty here!" a voice jeered loudly as I writhed in pain on the floor, the wind knocked out of me. I heard the sound of cheers as I was hauled off the ground with ease, feeling much too dizzy to put up a fight. It took a good minute for the pain to slightly cease, and I began struggling as I saw that I was being held over the shoulder of a large soldier. I kicked a leg against his nether regions, to which he doubled over with a loud groan, and I took the opportunity to stumble back, making a way to run. Yet, I only got a few steps before I felt hands clasp around my waist.

"You're gonna pay for that, bitch!" his voice growled into my ear, and I struggled against his hold even more so when his hand wrapped around my throat, effectively cutting off my breathing. I choked slightly, feeling my vision blurring, and he laughed in response, dragging me back to where the other soldiers were probably congregated.

"Hey!"

I turned quickly at the familiar voice, looking to Ayla with wide eyes as she stood in front of him, her bow and arrow in her petite hands. The man only laughed at this, hauling me up until I was covering him from her view.

"Go ahead! Shoot your friend!" he urged, mocking her, but she didn't take the bait as she stood stoically, her bow drawn. He continued laughing at this, and I stuttered slightly as his hand tightened around my throat, making my face redden.

Whoosh.

The sound of Ayla's arrow flailing through the air was the only sound, and my eyes widened slightly as I saw it come toward my form. The sound of a squelch arose in the air as it landed its target, and I looked down when I felt no pain, seeing how it had landed between my left arm and torso where the soldier's side was showing. His grip loosened at this, and I stumbled out of his hold, coughing violently. As I moved away, Ayla shot another arrow toward the gaping soldier, a look of focus on her face. It was a vast difference from her usual smiling face, and I looked to the soldier as he dropped to the ground with a soft thud.

"We need to keep moving," Ayla muttered, her hand hauling me up by my arm, and I nodded, finally having caught my breath. She passed me something then, and I looked down to see my double sword before smiling at her gratefully. Taking it, we moved through the dark trees in a cautious silence, listening for any sounds of intrusion. It wasn't long until we heard just that, and I turned abruptly as six soldiers ran from the left, lifting my weapon with familiar ease.

"Ayla, now!" I called out as they neared, and she nodded, understanding me. When they were within arm's distance, she held onto my arm and then we warped, landing right behind them. I wasted no time, raising my double sword and slashing right through the back of an unsuspecting soldier, to which he let out a cry of pain. I slashed a second time for good measure before looking to the other soldiers who were now alert. Two converged toward me simultaneously, and I ducked under their arms as they swung their weapons before turning and kicking my shoe harshly into one soldier's back. He stumbled to the ground at this, and I took the opportunity to jump before landing against his nape, to which he let out a blood-curdling scream. This made me falter, but I pushed on; it was us or them.

I turned my focus to the other soldier, who pulled out a blade at lightning speed before slashing against my arm. I staggered back with a wince, looking to the deep gash that was oozing blood. He had thought that would keep me occupied as he stalked toward me, but he didn't know that the doors had been opened and the red liquid had revitalized me with little difficulty; to heal was a second skin of mine. He raised his sword as I acted as though my focus was on the wound, and just when he was about to strike, I turned and drove my blade right into his chest. He looked to my arm in alarm, specifically at the lack of a wound, and I merely scowled before pulling out the weapon just as his eyes dropped and he fell to the ground.

"Aeryn!" Ayla exclaimed, and I turned to see that two men were holding her, one by the neck and the other by the legs, while another raised his sword. Her bow and arrow were scattered on the ground away from her, and I knew then that she was too weak to warp and hurried in, sliding against the grass as I slashed at his legs, making him let out a loud scream as he fell backward and onto me. My head hit against the ground with his weight, but I gritted my teeth and pushed him off, knowing Ayla needed me. At my attack, the man holding Ayla's legs had released her and converged in on me. I dodged him, reaching to my belt and grabbing my dagger.

"Ayla!" I called out before throwing the double sword toward her, to which she stepped on her captor's foot and moved forward, catching it. I knew the double sword would be easier as it let her have distance between her and her opponent, something that would prove useful to Ayla, who wasn't very skilled in combat.

I moved toward her then until we were side by side, and she took a hold of my hand with her own.

"Do it," she whispered, and I smiled, letting the door open yet again and the red liquid seep out to her form as fast as I could. She let out a gasp as it touched her, until I felt it healing the heaviness in her mind as well as in her legs and neck.

The men moved in simultaneously, and we moved away from each other then, ready to fight. The man swung his sword at me, and I ducked quickly before dropping and sticking the dagger into his shoe. He kneeled over at this, and I got up fast before bringing my knee up to hit his nose. It let out a loud crunch at this, and he snarled before raising his own leg and hitting me against the stomach, sending me flying to the other side.

I rolled over quickly as he stomped his foot down to the ground, narrowly missing my face, before grabbing at his legs, causing him to fall back. I crawled up his form hurriedly, raising my fist and slamming it into his cheek. I had lost my dagger amidst my fall and now had to rely on my hand-to-hand combat: something I had rarely but diligently trained for.

"Aeryn! Ayla!" I heard Abrax call as I gave another slam to the man below me, who was struggling to get up.

The sound of footsteps neared, and I looked to see Abrax and Maya as they looked to us, a look of shock on their faces before Abrax moved in toward me, hoisting me up with one hand and stomping down with his shoe at the male below me. The soldier let out a scream at this, and I turned my head into Abrax's chest at the gory sight, letting out a sigh as he placed me back on the ground before turning to where Ayla was standing, in concern.

Ayla was standing to the side, and Maya had just finished twisting the final soldier's head, his body dropping lifelessly to the floor, and then she turned to me. Without another word, she rushed forward, and then I was in her hold, making me smile at her familiar warmth.

"I saw your blanket on the ground, submerged in fire. I thought the fire had..." she muttered, not finishing her words, but she didn't have to, and I tightened my hold on her in response before pulling back and pointing to Ayla.

"Ayla came just in time," I explained, grimacing at the ache in my stomach from where I had been kicked. I contemplated using an inch of my power to heal myself, but knew that, given the circumstances, I should give it time to recuperate and use it when absolutely needed.

Maya nodded at this as Ayla neared, her hand gripping mine as Abrax let out a sigh.

"Ayla, you could have told me to go; it's far too dangerous," he scolded, and Ayla's hand notably tensed in mine, yet she said nothing, choosing to ignore him. I watched as he looked at her for a moment before sighing yet again.

The sound of footsteps arose, and we all turned our heads as Kael and Rhydian stepped into the clearing, their forms spotless but their weapons bloodied. Kael eyed us all, brushing his dark hair back as they neared.

"It was a planned ambush. They must have heard word of our arrival," he said stonily, gripping the hilt of his sword, and Maya let out a growl, her eyes alight with fire.

"How many?" she seethed, and Kael looked back to where they had come from, his jaw clenched.

"More than two hundred. They're approaching from the north," he answered, his eyes locked in thought for a potential strategy. I sighed at this, looking around.

"Well, can't we exit from the other end and go around the forest?" I suggested, to which Kael shook his head, turning to look at Rhydian, who spoke.

"They've started fires around any other potential exits. The only way out is north," Rhydian said simply, and I looked up at the clouds of smoke wafting through the forest, which were closing in fast. They had, indeed, trapped us in, and now they knew from which way we would emerge. Kael let out a sigh, placing his sword back into its scabbard as he looked to us.

"I wish to stay and fight, but I cannot control what you all decide. If you wish to leave, then you can warp back now and regroup. It is your choice," Kael finalized, looking to us as the impending silence loomed, save for the sound of crackling fire and the thundering footsteps.

Of course, it was Rhydian who first broke the silence, letting out a scoff.

"Must you jest? I've been asking to fight for so long and, when the time comes, you offer to send me home?" he mused, his silver eyes the only remaining semblance of the moon that was now dark in the sky. Kael laughed slightly at his words, and Rhydian moved closer, placing his hand against Kael's shoulder in a show of uncharacteristic affection.

"I'm with you," he said simply, and the laughter died down, a more serious atmosphere settling in. Kael looked to him at his words before nodding in understanding, a small smile on his face. Maya moved in, and I looked to her as she nodded.

"As much as I hate to agree with Rhydian, I'm with you too," she said gruffly, making Rhydian raise an eyebrow, but he said nothing else. I smiled at her words, glad she was sounding more like herself, before stepping forward, my eyes locking with Kael's sun-lit gaze.

"I'm always with you," I muttered simply, making him smile, and Maya touched her arm against mine as Abrax moved in.

"Me too," he added, throwing his arm around Rhydian's shoulder, and Ayla let out a small giggle, coming to Kael's side and placing a hand against his arm.

"It won't be fun without me," she said in her usual cheery tone, making Kael smile as he looked to us all.

"We'll fight like we did against the Ammit: together as a team," he instructed as the thundering footsteps drew closer. Despite the impending chaos, Kael's words had incited the warm memory of our triumph in the Jungle of Allayl. It reminded me of a happier and more victorious time wherein we had incurred no losses. His words brought about the same strengthened unity, and I smiled as Ayla placed her other hand against me while we shared a silent moment amidst the disarray.

And just like that, it was over, and I flinched at the pounding sound of uproar that echoed across the clearing we were standing in. Turning, we all stood back-to-back, looking to the Chigaru that converged in, their weapons up and at the ready. The ground trembled underneath them, and I watched as Rhydian moved in, twirling his glaive in odd motions before slashing it through three men at one time, the blood pouring out against him. He paid no heed to this, his eyes glowing as the ground trembled yet again, causing the soldiers to fall toward us, and Kael took the opportunity to attack, moving in at a speed I couldn't even comprehend. He lifted those who stumbled with ease, swinging them back, and I cringed at the crack that emanated across the clearing before moving forward as the soldiers neared. Abrax and Maya followed, with Ayla warping across to settle on a tree branch, shooting arrows down like rain.

I slashed against the back of a soldier who was much too focused on trying to attack Maya. He stumbled down at this, and Maya jumped up before landing on him with heavy boots, nodding to me. I let out a startled noise when I heard the battle-cry behind me, turning to see a soldier raising a sword up to my back. He brought it down before I could even comprehend it, and I flinched, awaiting the pain, but luckily Abrax had moved in, the sword hitting weakly against his hardened skin and bouncing off as though it were a styrofoam weapon.

The man growled angrily at the failed attempt, but stilled slightly when Abrax growled back, lifting the man up by his neck and making him choke feebly. I made a move to turn then, knowing Abrax could handle it, but the sight of a soldier raising a blade to Abrax's back made me run in quickly, and I jumped onto the man's back, making him yelp. He tried to reach for me, but I reached forward, digging my fingers into his eyes, and he screamed loudly in response. He stumbled forward, and we fell to the ground in a clutter. He clutched at his eyes in agony then, and I took the opportunity to grab my weapon before plunging it into his back.

I rolled away from his lifeless form then, still on the floor as I raised my weapon and slashed against the shins of a man who was standing, fighting with Kael. He dropped down, and Kael plunged his sword into the soldier's chest in one swift move before pulling me up by my arm. He only spared me a brief, warm look before he pulled me behind him, kicking his shoe into a soldier's chest who was about to attack me. This sent the man hurtling back a great distance until he slammed into the tree that Ayla was standing in. She wasn't there anymore, and I looked to the other trees to see if she had moved.

Kael became preoccupied with another attack, and I ran forward, groaning when something slammed into my rib, causing me to fall to the floor. I looked up to see a burly Chigaru, holding what looked to be a large stick with nails on the end.

"A beautiful bitch like you should exist only to warm a man's bed!" he sneered before spitting on the ground next to me, and I snarled at his words, moving to get up, yet he had other plans. I flinched back when he raised the nail-stick before slamming it against my thigh, and I let out a scream at the burning pain that ran up my leg, pounding wildly. The burly man only laughed at this, twisting the stick slightly, and I cried out again as the new sensation of pain overwhelmed me yet again.

"Don't worry, I'll leave that pretty face intact!" he cheesed viciously before pulling out the stick, making blood trickle out, feeling warm against my hand as I held to it. He brought the stick down again in the same place, but this time my hand was in the way too, and I let out another deafening scream, falling back as the nails plunged deep into my palm and thigh, the pain making me feel almost nauseous. He drew it out then, a smirk on his muddy face, and despite the pain, I still scowled. He frowned playfully at this, ducking so he was close to me, and I tried to move back, but failed because of my wounded leg. He only smiled at my weakness, placing a hand against my hair.

"Don't make such angry faces; it doesn't suit you," he teased, eyeing my body with dark eyes, making me feel dirty. Nevertheless, I allowed him to do so, knowing I needed the time. Amidst the pain, I let a smile grace my face, my chest heaving for breaths and my hair dampened to my forehead.

"Like what you see?" I coyly asked, but it came out breathier than I intended due to the pain. The soldier's eyes flitted back to my face at this, and he nodded before eyeing my body again with a grin. I took the time to open the familiar doors, letting the liquid run through me. It could sense the heaviness in many parts: my head, knuckles, neck, hand, and thigh, but I knew that my hand and thigh had to be the main focus, letting the red liquid graze against the heaviness. He looked up at my eyes again, licking his lips like a man starved of water, and I held back the itch to retch at his action. Instead, I let out an internal sigh of relief as the pain lifted from my leg and only a buzzing feeling was left in its place.

"Well, if you like it so much, why not have a touch?" I asked meekly in a voice I knew Ayla would use to lure men, and that it did. I almost jumped both in joy and disgust as his grin widened and he placed the stick down before moving forward to touch at my body with his grubby hands. I knew he had only placed the stick down as he thought I was too weak from his attack. But I wouldn't allow him the satisfaction, and I lurched forward, grabbing hold of the stick before he could comprehend. Without thought, I brought it down to his skull, closing my eyes at the sound of a squelch before twisting it slightly to finish the job. When I finally had the courage to open my eyes, he was staring back at me with bleeding, vacant eyes, and I hurriedly stood, grabbing my dropped double sword before moving away. I had half contemplated grabbing his nail weapon, but I knew that I wouldn't have the heart to use something so gory.

It was times like this where I truly wished I could tap into the shielding powers, but try as I might, I couldn't seem to access them anymore. The door had been locked shut ever since, and the eerie voice had disappeared.

I shook my head in a bid to forget before moving to the right side of the clearing where Rhydian was handling around thirty men on his own. On the other side of the clearing was Kael, handling around the same amount, as well as Abrax and Maya, teaming together to fight around forty-five.

I plunged my sword into a man who was focused on trying to harm Rhydian, and that took some of the attention off Rhydian, some of them turning to me. I tensed at this, but didn't let it show as I scowled, eyeing them as they moved in. My back was toward Rhydian at this point, so I knew I just had to watch my front. I raised my sword, ready to plunge it into the enemy, but the feeling of heaviness took over my chest and I let out a struggled breath, clutching at my throat.

The Chigaru stopped at this, seemingly freezing in place, and I felt a hot flash pass through my body, my heart pattering against my chest as though it were about to jump out. I looked to Rhydian then beside me, who had also notably tensed, showing that he felt it too. I was about to voice my worry about the baken being here, but the sound of a chilly voice ripped through the trees, making me still in place, my heart coming to an abrupt stop.

"Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. After all, we wouldn't want your dear friend to get hurt."

The voice spoke in a tantalizing sing-song voice that made me want to scream into a pillow or rip my ears off. I only processed the words fully when I heard the whimper of a familiar voice, peeking out from the foliage to see Ayla sprawled across the floor, her eye swollen and blood seeping from her mouth. I couldn't bear to move my eyes upward from the foot that was against Ayla's chest, but I plucked up the courage, and my mouth ran dry at the sight.

It was her.

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A/N: Let me know all your thoughts in the comments! Like, subscribe and add to your library so you never miss an update!

See you in the next one!