Skelmar

"Cuyler," I shouted as I jumped out of bed, slipping into one of Alistair's tunics in the process.

"Who is attacking," Alistair shouted, a feeling of disgust ran through me at the possibilities.

Calder, probably. The man doesn't seem to give up.

Cuyler wheezed, holding his side before he brought up his hand, wiping grit and blood from his beard.

"Skelmar."

Alistair growled as he dressed.

A feeling of ire festered in my chest before I realized it wasn't my own. Looking at Alistair, anger seemed to pool around him before he whipped around to look at us.

"Cuyler, stay with Noir. And you," Alistair paused, turning his attention to me with full force, "Stay here."

Like that's going to happen.

Another hit of anger weighed down on me when Alistair's eyes flickered as he walked over to me and jerked me up by my chin.

"I mean it, Noir. Do not leave this room," he growled again but underneath his anger of our current situation, I felt something else. Worry. Fear. A bushel of emotions that mirrored my own.

When I didn't say anything, Alistair clicked his tongue in annoyance before jerking me into a tight embrace.

"I fight for you. I see your face; a mixture of fear and doubt. It has been my task to earn your trust and forever keep it. Should I fail, the failure is mine alone to bare. It is my eyes you will see when your time of peace has come, when it is your turn to cross the waters to Valhalla. I am yours, as I always have been. I'm the one to answer your questions and quiet your soul. When you are ready, when you are calm, I will simply take your hand and get you through this as well. It isn't over for you. I will warn you though, mo grá, that battles can be hard. Battles can break you and leave you for dead just to see if you can get up again. They can teach lessons that are cruel but if that is the only way to save you, then your path is set. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst and know that I have your back. Ultimately, your safety is won no matter how terrible the path. Be brave, I'm never far."

With this, Alistair kissed my forehead, spun on his heel and vanished.

"You should listen for once," Cuyler grunted as he used a chair to pull himself up.

"Shut up."

I threw Cuyler's arm around my shoulders and led him out the doors to my chambers. Once inside, I placed him in a chair and went to change.

Opening the wardrobe, I moved some things around before taking a knife that was in its corner and slammed the blade into the seam of the baseboard. After a few moments, the wood freed itself and I tossed it aside.

It was then I pulled out a dark leather jerkin, light breeches, calf high boots and leather bracers which I quickly put on, ignoring Cuyler's presence.

"What are you planning, Noir?"

I ignored him as I rummaged further into the hidden compartment retrieving a dagger belt, quiver filled with arrows and a personalized longbow my mother had given me.

This seemed to really pique Cuyler's curiosity as he stared at the belt I tighten around my thigh.

"Where did you get those? The designs aren't anything our smiths make here."

"I stole them from Calder's meeting room while he was bedding Xanthe."

When he didn't say anything, I rolled my eyes.

"His Luna."

I didn't feel like going into detail about my reasoning and why I kept them but Cuyler didn't bother to ask any further questions. I turned to face him as I put the quiver over my back and the bow on my shoulder.

Cuyler stroked his beard for a moment before standing.

"What are you doing?"

"I was told to stay by your side. That's exactly what I plan to do," he said, his eyes tumbling back into his skull.

"You're injured though."

"What's your point? Most of this blood isn't even mine."

I just stared at him blankly then struggled.

"Whatever, but don't slow me down."

Cuyler snorted, rolling his shoulders.

"No, my Luna, you don't slow me down."

With that, Cuyler drew his long sword and propped the massive weapon on his shoulder, a lopsided grin creeping across his face.

"We shall see," was all I said before running out the door.

***

I stood on the roof of a building on the verge of collapsing, alongside Cuyler, as we watched the chaos unfold. Monstrous growls filled the dawn sky followed by howls, blasts of magic and the clashing of steel.

I've learned that love demands that you defend what is yours. What are we without it, really? Who I loved was scattered throughout this pack right now— this village, fighting for their lives and the lives for their fellow brothers and sisters.

Triaa.

Father.

Gavrill.

Alistair.

Oh Alistair.

I could feel his confusion and anger; could feel when he got hurt or stunned from a blow. I could feel almost everything.

"Help me find Alistair and the others," I pleaded with River and Faelen.

Both looked at each other and pushed forward, giving me access to their senses and strength.

I cannot fathom how the enemy feels right at this moment, indifferent to the destruction and suffering they are leaving in their wake.

One must always be one with the Gods and the nature in which guides us, otherwise why would they take sides? Why would they help? To me, this is what determined the outcome of this invasion and it was looking grim for our guests.

So now in my hands the wood of the bow is as one of my own fingers, the string as one of my own muscles and as I nock it back, the arrows fly straight, hitting my targets with astonishing rigor.

Jumping from the building, Cuyler followed suit only to immediately turn to clash steel. He had parried and stalled the attacker's strike but the man didn't seem to be focused on Cuyler all that much when his eyes found mine.

"I have no desire to fight but I need the girl," he throatily cooed, a grin splitting his face.

"Me? Why would you want me? I've never seen you before a day in my life," I asked, taking a few steps back, bringing another arrow to my bowstring.

"Don't you remember," he questioned as he pushed a little more against Cuyler's blade before jumping to the side, putting some space between all of us.

"Skelmar," Cuyler's voice echoed into my head.

Why would Skelmar want anything to do with me?

Then it hit me. The day we fought Calder and I had Evenora kill the skelmar who were eating our warriors.

Gavrill.

His words echoed in my head.

"Not to mention, it makes you an even bigger target. Not just by Calder who is already adamant on getting you but now by skelmar who are going to seek some unrighteous revenge."

Pulling the bowstring back, the riser screamed under the pressure causing the skelmar to watch with feind interest.

"You will be killed before you see that arrow find it's mark,"  he said lazily, pointing to the sky.

Cuyler and I followed where the man's finger pointed and on the rooftops, archers sat ready to fire their weapons.

Growling, we both turned to the man again but when he was about to speak once more, a spear spun through the air and buried itself into the man's back.

When he dropped, Triaa was standing in his place, Snowball beside her and Evenora, who was already making a mockery of the skelmar's as she disposed of them in a similar manner as she did Calder's warriors in the forest.

Relief washed over me seeing my sister yet it was indeed an odd sight, this trio, Evenora being the sore thumb in this equation. The witch was always with Herlief so why wasn't she now?

"Herlief and I got separated," she said calmly, as if she read my mind.

A chill ran down my spine at her words but I chose to ignore it as I nodded, turning my attention to my sister who was now atop Snowball.

"Where are the others," I asked, feeling a twinge of anxiety bubbling in me.

"I'm... unsure."

Fear reared its ugly head, followed by anger as I turned on Cuyler.

"Stay and help them. I'm going to find Alistair and Gavrill."

"NOIR! Don't be stupid. You can't go out in the middle of this alone," Cuyler all but shouted, grabbing my shoulders

"Maybe you're right but right now, you don't have a choice. None of you do," I finished, looking past Cuyler to the others.

"GO and FIND the others, help who you can. DO NOT follow. I will link you to our location once I find Alistair."

With that, I turned and ran, not waiting around to listen to them protest.

I can do this.