Righteous Fury

Under Vanessa's stare, the three elves gulped audibly with Hakos instinctively reaching for his sword before stopping himself. Nadiya recovered the quickest and began explaining the situation to Vanessa. As she heard more and more, she glared harder at the elves.

"So you're telling me that he got like this because he was defending you? And what of this one? He clearly seems capable of fighting, why was he not out there and instead content to let a nine-year-old child fight instead?"

She pointed at Hakos accusingly and he put his hands up in surrender.

"Look, I may not have liked the kid much but he told me to stay back and volunteered to go out by himself! Don't blame me totally for this!"

"And how old are you huh? You let a child boss you around and yet you call yourself a knight? Ridiculous."

Hakos hung his head in shame but Nadiya wasn't content to let Vanessa's words go uncontested.

"Hakos might not have stood up to Kye but even you must recognise that it is very hard talking Kye out of anything once he sets his mind to it. I have only known him for a week but even I can see that."

"And who are you to be making claims about his character besides some stray he decided to shelter?"

"I am his friend. He said it himself."

At this, Vanessa faltered. Internally, her mind was a mess. How could such a young child possibly know Kye more than her, who had been born out of heavy feelings of love from a goddess towards him? She shook her head to dispel her negative thoughts and her eyes softened.

"Whatever, where are these Unbound now? Did master tell you anything?"

Thelos stepped between Nadiya and Vanessa as he was the only one who hadn't conversed with her and wanted to defuse the hostile air in the cabin.

"Kye said that it was likely the rest were camping on the outskirts of the forest down the main path. I have no idea what traps he had set up but from what he said, he managed to drop a boulder down onto the main path as a way to trap some of the Unbound in. You should follow the main path and then look for the boulder, that's all we really know."

Vanessa nodded at the older knight. Of all the elves here, she had the most respect for him since she trusted that if he was in a healthy condition, he would have gone with Kye and was simply following the orders of the young lady he was with.

"Then, stay here until the Runewalker knights arrive. They will likely take the rougher path to get here quicker, stay alert for the sound of a magic carriage."

"Wait!" Nadiya spoke up. "What about us? Didn't Kye ask you to stay here?"

"My master asked me to protect you. If I kill the Unbound, does that not accomplish the same goal?"

Vanessa's eyes had lost all their light. For the first time since her conception, she was angry beyond comprehension. Her very blood boiled at the sight of her master in such pain and she certainly did not like that he suffered those wounds protecting people he didn't even know very well. Nadiya swallowed hard when she looked into Vanessa's eyes but didn't back down.

"You and I both know that is not what Kye meant by those words."

"I am aware, girl. But this matter is more important to me than you could ever know."

Vanessa had no time to argue with this brat and walked out of the cabin, summoning her wings again and taking flight high above the treetops. Her fists clenched with rage as she recalled the state Kye was in. These Unbound, even though Vanessa had no idea who they were, she would make sure they tasted the wrath of a greater angel. Their ends would not be quick nor merciful, she would ensure it.

As Vanessa left, Nadiya felt weak at the knees. She pulled a chair over to Kye's bedside and sat down, beginning to sob gently. She truly hated that Kye was so injured because he decided to help them, it was a pain she felt deep in her heart as she looked at the bloodied body of such a young child. To her and the others, when Kye was out there, they felt so safe and secure with his unshakable confidence in his skill. It was only when he came back bloodied and bruised had she comprehended what they had done. They had sent a young child to fight their battle for them. He wasn't some infallible warrior going out to protect the innocent, he was just some kid in over his head trying to do the right thing.

Nadiya gently brushed her hand through Kye's hair and sniffled, attempting to stop her crying. She brought her face close to Kye's and whispered softly in his ear.

"I'm sorry Kye... I'm so, so sorry... I will make it up to you once I become the elven queen. I promise I will be there in your times of need like you have been for me. I promise."

Hakos was depressed. He sat down on the couch and held his head in his hands. The lady was right, what right did he have to call himself a knight when he let someone like Kye fight his battle for him? He hated himself for letting such a thing come to pass. While he still didn't much care for Kye, he had to admit that he was inferior to him, for when he was strung up on the fact he was human, Kye pushed aside the racial differences to fight for them. His head was now a mess of conflicting ideas that he would have to try to make sense of.

Thelos looked at both of them and inwardly sighed. Thelos was much like Kye in terms of personality and knew that once he woke up, he would absolve them of wrongdoing and assure them that he regretted nothing. Selfless people like that were rare but Thelos knew Kye would be like that as he knew of his father. Kye Runewalker was almost like a younger version of his father whom Thelos had been acquainted with for many years as they fought together against the orc tribes when they were younger.

'I just hope Frey gets here before that lady comes back. She has some really biting words.'