Saving them

Valora dressed Sophia in a red vest and black trousers. She put leather armour over her, and put gloves and boots on her. She gave her a dagger, Della's dagger.

Valora had coloured her robe in the river. Its green colour now faded and ridden with dirt stains served as good camouflage. On her right hand, the staff was held.

They followed the river, Sophia only looking at Valora's feet as guidance. She didn't know what to do with the dagger, yet she still held on to it because she heard Valora crying while cleaning it.

The chirping of crickets and hoots of owls came from around. The moon paved their way. The river flowed, reflecting the stars and whispering to them the things that it had seen.

The moon was pouring its shine right above their head now. They started hearing laughs, cackles and shouts from far away. And then they came upon it.

Valora saw a hill, its edge jutting to the river. Sophia saw the place. She gasped and hurdled down trembling.

"Is that the place?" Valora asked softly.

Sophia nodded frantically.

"You don't have to come to any further Sophia," Valora said caressing her hair.

Valora started walking and she suddenly felt a tug on her robe, it was Sophia.

Valora looked at Sophia. The girl was trembling, yet she wanted to come. She was like a chick that was imprinted on its mother, desperately seeking care.

"Stay close to me Sophia, we will save them together."

They slowly climbed the hill. There were only goblins remaining. The orcs and ogres had gone to war.

"The air that flows through all things living, fill me, float me and choke me. I give you my body to be your vessel. Come and dwell inside me, SYLPHEAR." Valora chanted.

A goblin in front choked and fell, frothing and foaming to death.

Valora went up the hill choking and killing goblins with sophia following closely behind. At the top, they saw a group of goblins agitating upon a cage. A girl was screaming while kicking the goblins away.

Rage dwelled inside Valora. The goblins choked, and their eyes bulged and died. Valora ran to the cage to check on the girl.

Valora heard rustling behind, but it was too late. A goblin jumped upon Sophia.

"Raise your dagger, Sophia," Valora screamed.

Sophia didn't understand what was happening. But she did what was told, like a child following a command. The dagger pierced the goblin's neck, cut the carotid and went through. The goblin gurgled stupidly and died. Blood flowed through the blade into her hands, warming and wetting them.

Valora came and pushed the goblin away. Sophia sat there dazed.

"Nothing happened Sophia, it is dead," Valora hugged her.

Valora slowly stood up, took a deep breath and stared at the moon, she screamed.

"They can be killed if they are killed. They are not special, you are. You are all survivors."

Valora slowly looked down, her voice trembling.

"I had three friends. One was a loud oaf of a man, he wouldn't shut up about how he loved us. There was a cute girl like you guys, who smiled and hugged me. There was a stone-faced dude, who just won't smile. I lost them all and I couldn't do anything.

"I wished that I was taken instead of them. I thought of going to them. I walked endlessly and somehow stayed alive.

"I think I was kept alive for this. I had nothing and this girl gave me hope," Valora raised Sophia to her feet.

"Come with me, my children. I want to give you the hope she has given me," Valora said teary-eyed.

They freed the girls from the cages. There were thirteen of them, young to old. They only had raggedy clothes to cover themselves. They walked solemnly, looking downwards the hill. They walked towards hope.

Valora wanted to cover the girls properly. They were all so tired. So she decided to visit that place again.

The first town.

Valora suddenly felt a phantom behind her.

"I see you are doing what I told you," it said.

In the first town, they took whatever they could wear and whatever they could eat. They did not linger long and started walking to the border.

They walked through the battlefield. The heap of corpses were now charred and dissolving.

The tall black gate of the border loomed ahead of them. A soldier came to check on the visitors. He saw Valora's hair and eyes and bowed.

"I have taken these girls, let us through," Valora shouted.

They didn't have a single pemph with them for hiring carts and so Valora decided to meet an old acquaintance. In the corner of the loud and busy land of adventurers, they went to a blacksmith.

There was a bald man, whose beard was raggedy beating on red hot iron.

"Luther?" Valora asked in a sorrowful tone.

Luther looked up and his eyes met with Valora's. His eyes widened. He plunged the red hot iron into a nearby pot. The metal hissed and the water steamed. He wiped his hands on his apron and stood up. The girls cowered behind Valora.

"Valora!" Luther exclaimed.

"I heard what had happened and was grief-stricken. Where are the others?" Luther said looking outside.

"I am the only one left," Valora said looking down.

"Oh," Luther felt guilty for asking.

"Who are these girls?" Luther asked glancing back.

"I saved them. They were. . ." Valora's eyes said what she wanted to say.

"Monsters," Luther's eyes blazed.

"So, what is the plan now?" He asked.

"We will be going to Woodrow's place" Valora's voice was breaking.

Luther looked down, raised his head and asked.

"What will you say to his wife?"

"I don't know," Valora replied in solemn manner.

"Do you need anything, Valora," Luther started placing her hand on her shoulder but stopped it midway.

"Money," she didn't want to ask but she didn't know anyone else that might help.

Luther smiled and went to his counter.

"This is a loan. Come and show your face once in a while."

Valora gripped onto the pemphros and said thanks.

Outside, they hired two carts. They squeezed into them and the carts rolled on.

From the town of parting, they went left to Lakera, the land where people came to train. Their destination was the town of Tucal.

Dojos and training halls of various shapes and sizes lined the town. People in their training gear trotted the paths. Valora saw people sparing and grunting in centres.

They stopped in front of a dojo. Its mood was sombre. Valora helped the girls ge

t out of the carts and paid the drivers.

Valora stood in front of the door, glanced inside and called in.

"Alden."

Valora stood there waiting. She ordered her thoughts to speak to Alden, but she knew that all of them will fall over when she sees her. Shortly after a boy came to the door.

His hair was brown and he stood up to Valora's stomach.

He looked at Valora doubtfully. She knew who he was. He was Woodrow's son.

"Remember me, Walden?" Valora asked lovingly.

There was a puzzled look on Walden's face.

"Is mother inside?"

Walden nodded saying yes.

"Pardon us," Valora said and entered the dojo. She saw no students in sight. Inside the dojo, in a dim-lit room, Alden was sitting on a bed. Her hair was black and unkempt. She was wearing a black robe. Her green eyes were watery.

"Alden," Valora called softly.

Alden slowly raised her head. Tears welled in her eyes. Seeing Valora, the tears broke off and flooded.

"Valora?"

Alden climbed to her feet, came over and embraced her.

"I am so sorry," Valora wailed and hugged her tightly.

"I know. I know you would have done everything you can," Alden consoled her.

Two women stood embraced. One lost a husband another her friend, and both the same man. Their sorrow will not go away soon, but they can find comfort in each other.

Slowly they broke away from their embrace. Valora held onto Alden's hands.

"I failed them, Alden, I was their healer. I wanted to end my life."

"Your friends would have never wanted you to do that," Alden said wiping Valora's tears.

"And then I came on to a girl, who had escaped from them. I heard voices, voices from my friends asking to help her. I have seen what they do to girls Alden." Valora's voice was breaking.

"Are all these girls...?" Alden asked glancing.

"Yes Alden, please help them. Help them fight their demons. They have nowhere else to turn." Valora grabbed onto Alden's hands.

Alden looked down and spoke, "The dojo is not working. The students have already left. I don't know if I will be able to feed them."

Again, money was the problem.

Valora pursed her lips. She looked into her brain to find an answer.

"Go home," it said.

It had been a long time since Valora went home. She didn't know how to face them. Yet she resolved herself.

"Don't worry. I will go and get it."