Rina counter his punch and made her own kick in his face.
The orphan grunted in pain as she was hit again, before managing to deliver one final blow to her opponent and knock her out.
Valerian still didn't fully understand what happened to him. The pang of disappointment at losing his pay to some strange phenomenon hurt, but he knew better than to ask for more. More importantly, considering the change in his appearance and the new strange ability that had awakened inside of him. He knew the best thing to do was to finish the job quietly and find out more before making any decisions on what to do next. It could be some curse or affliction. Anything is possible. He was fortunate that most of the other escorts didn't care who they worked with. They asked, he deflected and both went on their way. However, as the leader of the caravan, Slate may have more to say. He could only hope that he passed under her radar.@merkros
The living forest. The trees themselves were living, sentient beings that were said to house honoured souls. They made noises and sometimes talked. A calm and peaceful place.
The caravan was slowly making it's way through the forest. Several wagons, with escorts walking on either side of the caravan. A caravan that counted around sixty people. Already, there were two attacks of bandits.
Valerian walked along the group he was hired with – their leader, Slate.
The title was entirely earned, as Valerian saw how the woman decimated some of the bandits. No of their little group was in any place to change her.
It's been a few nights since he discovered his... affinity to silver. He lost his entire reward for the escort duty, but at least he had food – there were things to be hunted and eaten in the forest, and he always received his share in blood.
“Soon we will leave the Living Forest and enter the Corrupted Forest.” Slate spoke as she addressed the guards. “Remember to be aware the entire time when we are there. The trees there are vile, and a moment of inattention might end up with you being food to one of the trees.”
Juno walked up to the officer, who was speaking with a group of Edenian fighters.
"Our mission is to scout the nearby area - we are not to engage. That is for the main force to do, once the battle starts. She finished the explanation,
before turning to Juno. "You eager to join?" She asked.
Valerian remained close to the group and eyes the haunting forest warily. It would seem that being separated from the group would end poorly based on the bones and scraps of material. He tensed up and kept his head on a swivel as he looked out for any possible threat, whether it be some bandit or other kind of creature.As the caravan made it's way into the forest, the atmosphere started changing. It became darker, more sinister - the trees still had faces, but now they looked cruel and hungry. At some places Valerian could see bones between the roots or scraps of material hanging of tree's mouth.
Here and there there was a green fire burning, without any source. Other parts of the forest were dark. He could hear moans and groans... sometimes sounds sounded like pleadings.
“Yes, Mistress.” Icena bowed and watched the older woman leave, before turning her attention to Kina. “Alright, let's get you to your bed.” She spoke to herself before picking up the unconscious woman and carrying her to Kina's room. Once there she put Kina down on the bed and let her sleep, briefly watching her large breasts rise and fall with every breath. “Come to think of it, I still owe you a spanking... but that can wait for later.” Icena smirked, before leaving the room and going back to training.
Even she had the sense not to pick fights when they would be overhermbinglg outnumbered, but the green haired woman still felt the urge to witness their mortal enemy’s actual ability.
Icena waited patiently for her Mistress to finish what she was doing. While waiting she had a look around the study, silently checking out the books and the other things there.
"Something's not right..." Valerian muttered to himself. Although he wanted to stay close to the back, he also didn't want to be picked off first by an ambusher. He carefully moved his way closer to the middle of the caravan, so that anyone targeting stragglers doesn't target him.