Following Oreon's advice, the three ventured deep into the forest, heading east. With the moonlight almost entirely obscured by the dense canopy, Oreon had to navigate by the few silver beams that pierced the leaves. He could still hear the search party shouting behind him, though their voices were fading.
As the sounds of pursuit die away, the night sounds of the forest take over. Owl's hooting, leaves rustling, and the distant howl of an animal.
Despite being tired, Celestia walked with regal dignity next to Oreon. Her steps were nearly silent on the forest floor. Occasionally, she would glance back at the fortress with a tight face.
"They've released tracking hounds." She whispers, her superior Elven hearing detecting sounds Oreon couldn't. "We should find water if possible. A stream that would mask our scent."
"Tracking hounds?" Oreon's eyebrow rose slightly as he turned to look over at Celestia. "You can hear them from down here?" Oreon became somewhat curious.
With a nod, Celestia's ears twitched, focusing on sounds far away. "Elven hearing is far more acute than human senses," She explains as her eyes remained on the fortress for a few more moments before returning to Oreon. "The hounds are still at the fortress, but they'll have our scent soon enough."
Sylvanie scoffs as she continues walking a short distance ahead, slashing irritably at hanging vines with her stolen sword.
"As if jumping off a cliff wasn't enough." She huffed as she slashed another vine that was annoyingly in her way. "Thanks a lot for that, human." She glanced back at him, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Our fall may help them find us, look at us covered in scratches and blood. Blood that a blind zealot could follow." She turned her head back, facing forward, kicking a small log out of the way.
Oreon winced at Sylvanie's words, glancing down at the torn fabric of his sleeve where blood had seeped through from a particularly nasty scrape.
"She's right—we're leaving a trail any tracker worth their salt could find." He thought to himself.
"Here, let me see that." Softly, Celestia's fingers begin to glow with the same golden light. "You too, Sylvanie, come here."
The cuts on Oreon's arms and face began healing as her light pulsed. However, Sylvanie turns away from her sister.
"Save your strength," She mutters. "It's just a scratch. You'll need your magic if those holy zealots catch up to us."
Despite her protests, Celestia firmly takes hold of her sister's arm.
"Don't be stubborn," Celestia chides gently. "You're not helping if you're leaving behind a trail, sister," She answers with the patience that comes from repeated arguments. "Now hold still."
The same warm glow that healed Oreon seconds before began to emanate from her palm as she passed it over Sylvanie's wound, sealing it within seconds.
Oreon watched the interaction with interest as Sylvanie reluctantly allowed her sister's light to heal her, but her eyes never strayed from the dark forest ahead. The warm golden light sealed the last of her wounds, leaving only faint traces of dried blood on her skin and clothing.
"There, that should be enough." Celestia recoiled slightly, showing strain.
"That's a useful trick," Oreon comments as they continue to move. "Light magic. Right? I can see why the Paladin said it would be needed."
Celestia's eyes flickered to Oreon, a shadow passing across her features at the mention of the paladin's words. "Light magic, yes. Though what they seek to do with it..." Her voice trailed off, disgust evident in her tone. "The Order corrupts everything they touch, even divine gifts meant for healing and protection are nothing but tools they used to enhance their own divine blessings, but as you heard. Our magic provides different results." Her eyes lowered a bit. "That's why they kept us alive rather than simply killing us. We're more valuable as living vessels of magic than corpses."
"And that's the least of their crimes against us," Sylvanie growls lowly, slicing another vine out of the way. "
Oreon's eyes narrowed slightly as he gently ducked under a low-hanging branch. "You mean how they destroyed your kingdom. Vel'Andria, right?"
"More than destroyed," Sylvanie gritted her teeth. "They came in like the damn plague." She sliced another vine, but this time, a branch fell along with it as Sylvanie used a bit more strength.
Celestia sighed as she walked. "Three days. That's all it took for them to reduce centuries of Elven civilization to ash and chains.
Sylvanie's sword slashed through a stubborn vine with more force than necessary, a sharp crack echoing through the forest, causing Oreon to wince again.
"They didn't just destroy our kingdom, human." She snarls again, not bothering to look back. "They made examples of our people. Outright murder of anyone who challenged them and their precious 'divine order.' Children torn from their parents, just to be slain in front of them." Her red eyes became slits, filled with hate. "And the lucky ones? The lucky ones got to watch it all happen before having a holy collar clasped around their necks."
Oreon lowered his gaze a bit before bringing it back up on Sylvanie's angered form.
"Look, I get that you're angry, but—"
"But what! Human!" Sylvanie whirled around, sword gripped tightly in her hand.
Oreon inhales deeply. "You're literally leaving a trail for them to follow us." He gestures toward the vines Sylvanie had previously cleared as they progressed.
Sylvanie's eyes followed Oreon's gesture to the freshly cut vines and branches scattered behind them like breadcrumbs. The realization hit her immediately—her anger had made her careless, creating an obvious path through the dense undergrowth that even a child could depict.
"Damn it," She hisses through gritted teeth, her knuckles gripping the hilt even tighter. "Damn it all to hell."
Celestia stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her sister's shoulder. "Your anger is justified, Sylvanie, but try to calm down. A clear head is better than a clouded one." She gave her a weak smile. "Save that anger for when we face them again—and we will face them again."
Sylvanie glanced at her sister for a moment before she shrugged off her sister's touch, but the violent edge that she once had softened marginally.
"Fine," She grumbled, re-sheathing her stolen blade with force before she glanced over at Oreon. "Though I still don't see why we have to travel with this human."
Oreon advanced, taking one step, and then another as he moved past Sylvanie.
"Because the alternative is going back to those chains." He says quietly, meeting Sylvanie's burning gaze. "And I'm guessing that's not something either of you wants to experience again."
Continuing his pace, Sylvanie's lips curled into a snarl as she watched him walk ahead of them. "Then keep leading the way, human. But if you get us captured or worse..."
"I know, I know, you'll kill me in my sleep. I got it." He waved his hand dismissively while continuing to walk ahead of them.
As Oreon strode onward, Sylvanie's frustration grew, her gaze becoming fixed and her jaw clenching so hard that Celestia could hear her teeth scraping together. The dark elf's hands flexed at her sides, clearly restraining herself from drawing her stolen blade again.
"Arrogant bastard." She mumbles to herself, yet she trails after him.
As they ventured further into the woods, the surrounding trees appeared to close in, and the dense canopy overhead allowed only a few moonbeams to filter through.
Celestia moved at a controlled pace between her sister and the unexpected rescuer, her eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. Despite her composed exterior, tension radiated from her slender frame—every snapped twig or rustling leaf could herald the approach of their enemies.
The distant baying of hounds echoes through the trees, still far behind but growing steadily closer. Oreon paused at a fallen log, listening intently before gesturing for them to continue eastward.
Sylvanie's violet hair caught what little moonlight filtered down as she leaned closer to her sister's ear.
"I still don't trust him." She whispers, her voice low as only Celestia could hear her. "What if he's leading us into another trap? The Order called him a thief. What if he has a team of bandits or something?"
Celestia kept her eyes focused on Oreon's silhouette ahead of them, her expression thoughtful as she considered her sister's words.
"Perhaps," Despite the severity of their predicament, she whispers a reply in a controlled, diplomatic manner. "But consider this, Sylvanie—if he wanted to harm us, why bother rescuing us in the first place? He even said it himself; he didn't even know we were trapped there."
"That doesn't mean anything." She growls lowly. "All of that could have been a lie, a sneaky ruse just to get us to let our guard down.
Celestia kept her gaze fixed on Oreon, her mind juggling her sister's concerns.
"You may be right to be cautious." She murmurs back. "But we have little choice now. Better the unknown than the certainty of what awaits us back there."
Sylvanie's eyes lowered to the ground, watching her feet as they walked, her arms crossed as she processed her sister's words.
"I hate this," She hisses under her breath. "I hate depending on anyone, especially—"
"TWACK! OW! SON OF A!" The sisters immediately turned their attention to Oreon, who had walked into a hanging branch, causing him to bump his head and shout out in frustration. "Why the hell would a branch grow here!" He stumbled backward, touching the little bump on his forehead while glaring at the offending tree branch.
For a moment, the sisters stared as Oreon comically berated the branch that had wronged him before Celestia slightly shifted her eyes towards Sylvanie.
"Do you still think it's a trap?" She questioned, trying to hold her smile in.
Sylvanie stared at Oreon as he continued his one-sided argument with the branch, her eyes blinking slowly in disbelief. The human was now pointing accusingly at the offending piece of wood and then straight at his bruised forehead.
"If this is a trap, it's the most pathetic one I've ever seen." Despite her best efforts, Sylvanie's lips moved slightly, as if she were trying not to smile. The woman's face immediately reverted to its typical frown, while Celestia struggled to hide the faint smirk playing on her lips by covering her mouth.
Oreon's berates finally subsided as he rubbed his forehead with an exaggerated wince, muttering curses at the innocent branch.
"Stupid forest...who the hell made trees grow like this anyway?" He grumbled, ducking under the stretched out limb with caution.
"Great," Sylvanie sighed. "Out of the chains, and now with an idiot." She continued to walk as she and her sister also maneuvered under the hanging branch that struck Oreon.
Celestia glanced over at her sister as Oreon continued to lead the way. "I assume that means you feel a bit at ease now. I saw that small smile on your face. You haven't wanted to laugh at something innocent in months." She kept her voice low.
Sylvanie quickly glanced over at the fair-skinned elf, not losing a stride in her step.
"I wasn't smiling," she uttered. "I was just.... Surprised by his stupidity."
Celestia's knowing look spoke volumes as they continued to walk. "You know, it's alright to feel something other than anger, sister," Celestia spoke gently. "Even in these circumstances."
Sylvanie glanced over at her sister once more. "Keep your pretty words to yourself. I'll still kill him if he makes even the slightest move towards us." She returned to her usual demeanor.
Minutes of silence passed before Sylvanie spoke up again.
"Done nursing that head wound, human?" She walked with her arms crossed. "Or is the forest something else we'll have to worry about while the Order is trying to hunt us down?"
Oreon looked back over his shoulder, still rubbing the tender spot on his head where the branch had struck him.
"Hilarious." He muttered, pushing aside another low-hanging branch. "At least I'm not the one who was slashing a trail for our enemies to follow."
Her jaw went rigid from the unexpected retort, and she glared at Oreon's retreating figure.
"Watch your tongue, human." She hissed through her gritting teeth. "Or I might forget why we need you alive."
Celestia took a deep breath and began to walk ahead of her sister, but slow enough to stay behind Oreon as she walked in between them. "Both of you, please. Hold your comments for when we're in a safe area." She glanced over her left shoulder for a moment. "Even though the sounds have faded, we're still in danger. Let's stay focused and keep moving.
"Which reminds me, human, you still haven't told us about this town of yours yet," Sylvanie questioned. "Tell me, will they welcome two elves? Or should we expect more humans eager to clap us back in chains?"
This time, Oreon didn't look back. "You have nothing to worry about," He responded as he caught himself from walking into another branch. "It's a small town that is full of people who stand against the order. So, you don't have to worry about someone ratting you out." He lowered his eyes slightly as he continued to move forward. "They have their own problems anyway. Bringing the Order there won't do anything but mess up what little peace they have there.
The dark elf let out a subtle sigh. "How naïve." She started, causing Oreon to turn his attention to her. "You think a town of humans will welcome us with open arms? The Order has spent decades painting our kind as demons, magic-wielders who threaten their precious divinity. Even those who oppose the Order often share its prejudices." She gestures broadly at her distinctive features—her violet hair, red eyes, and pointed ears. "So, forgive me if I don't trust that there's a town of humans that doesn't hate us elves"
Sylvanie stopped walking as she watched as Oreon turned around to face her. "We can't exactly hide what we are. The moment we set foot into your 'friendly' little town, someone will recognize us as elves. And then it's just a matter of time before greed outweighs whatever principles they claim to have."
Celestia glances at her sister, feeling the tension rise again as she clears her throat to intervene.
"My sister's concerns aren't unfounded," She says, albeit less intensely than her sister. "We've seen rebellious towns turn Elves over to the Order for the right price. A single elf can fetch enough gold to feed a family for months. Two Royal Elves...." She trails off, letting the implication hang in the air.
A beat of silence passed as Oreon folded his arms, looking down.
With a deep sigh, he began to speak. "Look, I get it." Oreon frowns, considering their words, bringing his gaze back up to meet theirs. "But this town is different. It's called Millbrook. A simple name for people trying to gather what they can to make a simple life." He maintained his stance. "Half the town comprises of refugees who fled when the Order burned their villages for harboring 'heretics.' The other half are people who lost their families and loved ones to the Order's crusades, purifications, you name it." He turned away from the pair and continued his walk. "Millbrook has sheltered non-humans before, besides," He paused, glancing over his shoulder. "We won't be announcing your presence to the entire town. So, you don't have to worry about people knowing who you are. Hell, I still barely do."
Sylvanie watched him leave, then trailed after him, with her sister in tow. "I say the moment they see our ears, they'll either run screaming or try to claim the bounty the Order will put on our heads, probably even yours." She continued with a look of mild arrogance on her face. "Besides, you forget who you walk with, human." Sylvanie points out. "My sister is the former queen of Vel'Andria, and I'm the dark elf princess, second in line, should my sister fall. This isn't exactly inconspicuous."
"You didn't get out much, did you?" Oreon commented, pushing aside another branch as he continued forward. "Look, I understand you're royalty and all, but outside of elven lands, most humans can barely tell one elf from another. To them, you're just ... elves." He paused as he pushed aside a curtain of hanging moss. "The average person in Millbrook has probably never seen an elf in their entire life, let alone know what royal Elven features look like."
Sylvanie's eyes flashed with indignation. "The audacity of this human." She thought to herself.
"Are you suggesting we're somehow ordinary?" Her voice dripped with offense as she quickened her pace to match his. "That centuries of noble bloodline mean nothing?"
"What I'm suggesting," Oreon replied without breaking stride. "Is that your royal status only matters if people know to look for it. And trust me, the folks in Millbrook are more concerned with keeping food on their tables than studying Elven genealogy."
Celestia used the moment of Oreon's explanation to sneak a peek at her sister.
"Besides," Oreon added, glancing back with a slight smirk. "If you're that worried about standing out, maybe try not introducing yourselves as 'the former queen and dark elf princess' when we get there."
"You're so damn infuriating!" Sylvanie's blood was now boiling as her face turned slightly red at Oreon's smug smirk and explanation. Celestia, however, couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as she spoke to gain her sister's attention.
"Sylvanie, he may have a point." Celestia stepped in. "The common people of human settlements rarely had contact with our court. Most of their knowledge comes from Order propaganda and tavern tales. The only humans that ever entered the castle walls were those of high rank."
Sylvanie gave her sister a hard look, then, as if accepting the situation, she mumbled something in Elvish that slightly reddened Celestia's cheeks.
"What did she say?" Oreon asked, glancing back curiously.
"Nothing." She laughed nervously. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Celestia replied quickly, trying to wave off her sister's foul language.
Celestia's fluster made Oreon raise an eyebrow, but he shrugged and kept walking through the bushes.
Celestia exhaled deeply, her eyes moving back and forth between the two. "Sylvanie has her reasons to be cautious. Our experience with most humans has given us little reason for optimism." She brushes a strand of pale blond hair from her face. "But with knowing who we are now, you're still risking your life, walking with two elves of royalty that the Order knows highly of; so, sister, maybe we can relax a bit. Not all humans appear to be like those bloodthirsty vermin." Celestia slightly taunted.
"No," Sylvanie retorted, giving Oreon a pointed look. "Some are just mysterious rescuers with secrets about magical shards who throw people out of windows."
Oreon spun around to face Sylvanie childishly, somehow affected by her words.
"I didn't throw you out of a window!" Oreon yells at her defensively. "You jumped out of the same window I did!" He exclaimed.
"After you crashed through it like a drunken Ogre! What kind of escape plan involves hurling yourself off a cliff?" She responds, mentally happy she got a rise out of him. "But fine, excuse my technical error." She added sarcastically." You just led us to a window and gave us the wonderful choice between certain death by paladins or death by falling!" She continued to press.
"Well, excuse me for not laying it out for you!" Oreon shouted back, somehow pulled into a war of words with Sylvanie. "I'm sorry if our options were so limited, but hey if you didn't enjoy trying to fly away from the holy assholes that were trying to kill us, then you could have stayed!" He lightly growled in annoyance.
"I'm just saying!" Sylvanie responded. "Maybe next time, warn a girl before you decide to take her on a scenic tour of a castle's exterior wall!"
"Next time?" Oreon sputtered. "I'm hoping there won't be a next time! One royal elf rescue mission is quite enough for my lifespan, thank you very much!"
Sylvanie's lips curled into a cocky smirk. "Oh, so now we're too much trouble for you? Should we have stayed chained up to make your life easier?"
Oreon let out another low, irritated growl. "Grr...What the hell is wrong with you!? That's not what I said!"
Celestia couldn't help but watch the two and slightly shake her head before she herself joined in.
"To be fair, sister, it did work." She speaks. "And I don't recall you offering any alternatives."
"Celestia!" Sylvanie whipped around to face her sister, eyes widening in betrayal. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
"See! Even the queen agrees with me!" Oreon smiled triumphantly.
"Former queen." Celestia corrected gently, though a hint of amusement appeared across her face. "And I'm not taking sides. I'm simply acknowledging that desperate times called for desperate measures."
Sylvanie threw her hands up wildly, "Unbelievable! My own sister, siding with this—this woman-hurling maniac!"
"I didn't hurl anyone!" Oreon protested, his voice cracking slightly.
Moments of silence passed as the trio continued their steady pace, as the dim moonlight filtered through the trees above them. Suddenly, a soft gurgling sound reaches their ears, the sound of water flowing nearby.
"I hear water." Celestia quickly turned towards the sound of the stream.
The forest surrounding the trio has become overgrown, with ancient trees and dense undergrowth making the path difficult to navigate. Between the trees, strange, luminous fungi cast an eerie blue glow, their light punctuated by the distant calls of animals throughout the night.
"There." Celestia points out, as the three walked out into a small clearing with trees surrounding them from all sides, but a small stream ran gently through.
"We can rest here," Oreon said as he walked towards the stream. "If we're lucky, we can reach Millbrook by morning."
"Assuming we last that long," Sylvanie says while approaching the stream, her bare feet touching the dirt softly before she kneels, using her hands to gather some water.
"Forever the optimist, I see." Oreon sighed and sat down, leaning against the base of a tree that seemed to have a cushion of soft moss around it. "You know, sometimes you have to look at the positive things in life."
Sylvanie let the cool water drip from her fingers as she glanced over at Oreon. "Positive, huh?" She stood slowly, water droplets falling from her hands and back into the water. "Let's see…I'm pretty sure we're considered fugitives about now, our kingdom is basically ash, we're wearing rags, and we're following a stranger through a forest that my sister and I know nothing about." She gestured towards the forest around her. "Oh, and here's the best part, human, there's also a magical town that we're being lead to and we don't know what's going to happen when we get there." She placed a hand on her hip as she looked down at the seated Oreon. "So, tell me when the positivity kicks in."
Behind her, Celestia remained kneeling by the stream, her reflection wavering in the dark water as she cupped her hands to scoop some water out for herself.
"Sylvanie, he did free us. Perhaps we should be thankful that, as of right now, we're not bound to the depressing stones of a dungeon." She cupped more water, letting it flow through her fingers as she finally looked up at Oreon. "Though I admit, I'm curious about what our moves would be once we make it to this town of refugees."
Sylvanie briefly looked back at Celestia, then turned her attention to Oreon, walked a short distance toward him, and paused before the mossy bed where he was resting.
"So enlighten us, human. What exactly do you have planned for us in this town of yours?"
He looked at both sisters, then rubbed his neck and leaned against the tree, staring at the night sky. "Alright, fair enough,"
He brought his eyes back down towards the elves. "I have a friend in Millbrook who runs a tavern." Oreon shifted a bit, leaning forward. "Her name's Mira. She's...let's just say she has experience helping people who need to disappear for a while."
Sylvanie's eyes quickly narrowed as she threw out her next question instantly. "And how can you be certain that this 'Mira' of yours won't stab us in the back and deliver us right to the Order?"
"Not every human is as volatile as you may think," Oreon quickly responded. "I get that you may have had your run-in with some shady people, but not every human acts on impulse or has an ulterior motive.
"And you're saying, this 'Mira' is someone to be trusted?" Celestia kept her eyes locked on Oreon, almost like she was searching for some uncertainty or deception. "Again, forgive our caution, but as you saw, Elves and humans are not necessarily on the best of terms."
"More like never on good terms." Sylvanie spat, crossing her arms as Oreon let out a small sigh in return.
"You don't have anything to worry about when it comes to Mira." Oreon leaned back again. "And besides, she's not one for selling someone out just for some coin."
"Maybe not their first thought," Sylvanie said skeptically. "But what about their second or third? Gold has a way of changing priorities, human."
With a lazy roll of his eyes, Oreon got to his feet, walked past the elves, and then knelt at the stream, forming his hands into a cup before dipping them into the water.
"Mira isn't like that." He says calmly before lifting his hands to his mouth, taking in some water himself. "She lost her husband to one of the—" Oreon paused mid-sentence, the water still dripping from his hands as his expression darkened a bit, catching his reflection in the water. "She lost her husband to one of the Order's 'purifications' raids three years ago." He dipped his hands into the water again, slowly bringing them up to splash his face.
"They accused him of using dark magic, labeling him a heretic because his healing methods went against what they believed to be pure." He dipped his hands in the water again. "All because he knew how to use herbs to provide some healing for the people in their village. However, it didn't matter in the end; despite how many people spoke up for him, they burned him alive in their village square while she watched.
Oreon splashed his face a second time, listening to the water drip from his cheek back into the small stream in front of him. "No matter how much she begged or pleaded, screamed, nobody helped. They all just stood there while the Order burned him like they did anyone else who crossed their beliefs." Oreon just stared at his reflection in the water. "But then again, what could any of them do? And if it wasn't enough, they decided to throw salt on the wound and burn anyone else who had an inkling of something that was deemed impure." He looked up at the sky, taking another deep breath. "People died that night, no non-human in sight—just a straight-up massacre of a simple town that just wanted to make it to the next day." He finished as he glanced over his shoulder, catching the two elven sisters in his sights.
"Mira's beliefs are simple and straight to the point. She believes that we need everyone to fight against the Order. Humans and non-humans alike, but to her own benefit, she just doesn't want anyone to suffer the same way she did."
The two sisters, after hearing Oreon's tale, gave two slightly different reactions. Celestia's eyes widened at the story before lowering with sadness, her hands clasped together in front of her. Sylvanie couldn't lock eyes with Oreon; she could only turn her gaze away from him, anger once again slowly rising at the thought of the Order's antics.
"The Order's definition of heresy grows broader with each passing day, so does their thirst for taking lives in the name of purification." Celestia's words were gentle as her eyes remained on the ground before slowly rising to meet Oreon's back as she could see that he returned his gaze to his reflection in the water. "Sadly, your friend's story isn't an uncommon one. Another poor soul suffering at the hands of false divinity, I am truly sorry for her loss."
"Damn bastards." Sylvanie's hand clenched into fists at her sides, gritting her teeth as Oreon's story played in her mind. "Damn them and their divinity, just damn them all."
Oreon's shoulders tensed a bit at Sylvanie's vehement words, the muscles in his back visibly tightening as he remained crouched by the stream.
'Yeah, well…" His voice came out rougher than he intended, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "That's why you don't have to worry about Mira turning you over to the Order. As you now know, she's seen what the Order does to anyone they deem 'impure.' Elves, Beastkin, humans who practice the wrong kind of magic, hell, even humans who just ask too many questions. It all ends the same."
"And what's to stop them from razing this tavern to the ground like they did her village?" Sylvanie asked. "What's makes this town so special that the Order hasn't already burned it down?"
Oreon lowered his gaze for a moment. "I wish I could tell you, even I don't have the answers to that. I just know from the few times I've visited; there's always a few soldiers that would enter and leave, nothing more than a handful of Order members, and none of them knight level." Oreon answered.
Celestia lifted her finger to her chin. "A handful of soldiers," She repeated softly, "That suggests either they don't see Millbrook as a threat, or…"
"Or they're using it as bait. Let the 'impurities' gather in one place, then strike when the numbers are worth their while." The dark elf's voice carried a bitter edge as she looked over at her sister. "That's what I would do if I were hunting vermin."
"Probably," Oreon gritted his teeth. "Either way, using the time we have before another purge happens is all we can do." He finally sighed before going back to his spot by the tree trunk. "Look, either way, we only have one place to go and rest up before figuring out what the next move is." He says, pulling a small leather pouch from his belt. "At this pace, we should reach Millbrook by morning," He pulls out some dried strips of meat, offering them to the sisters. "It's not much, but it'll keep your strength up."
"Thank you," With a graceful nod, Celestia accepts as she walks over and retrieves the portion that Oreon gave her, sitting near a tree bark of her own as she looks up at her sister.
Sylvanie eyed the offered meat with suspicion before her stomach betrayed her with a low rumble.
"It's not poisonous and you're hungry, just take it," Oreon told her. "Unless you want to walk the next day on an empty stomach."
"You need to eat, sister," Celestia insisted as well. "You've already pushed yourself enough back there. Settle down and rest, it's more than well deserved." She added as Sylvanie's stomach groaned again, as she gritted her teeth in irritation and snatched the offering with more force than necessary, muttering under her breath.
"This doesn't make us friends or anything, so don't get any bright ideas, human." She breathed as she sat on the ground between Oreon and her sister.
Oreon couldn't help but let out a short laugh, shaking his head as he tore off a piece of his own dried meat. "Trust me, princess, I'm not looking to make friends with someone who questions every breath I take."
The comment earned him a sharp glare from the dark elf, but she said nothing as she bit into the tough jerky as if she was imagining tearing into something else entirely.
Celestia observed the exchange between the two as the tension settled down and exhaustion began to take effect. Unlike her sister, she took portioned bites of her meat as Oreon got comfortable and leaned back against the tree bark.
"If I may be so bold as to ask, what exactly were you doing in that fortress?" Celestia looked over at Oreon. "Before our escape, the Paladins mentioned a shard that you stole."
"I've been wondering about that too, human.' Sylvanie spoke, taking another bite of the meat that was given to her. "That Paladin made sure to ask about that shard first before talking about us." She spoke with her mouth full, her words coming out with every chew. "So, what gives?"
Oreon looks up, slightly surprised by the direct question. He hesitates for a moment, clearly weighing how much he wanted to say. He let out a long, weary sigh. He shifted his gaze to the ground before finally deciding to speak.
"From what I know," Oreon said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a carefully wrapped red, glowing jagged shard. "This is a Dragon Shard." Oreon started to explain. "A piece of a shattered orb that was created from the Dragonborn."
"As the story goes, when the Holy Order first assembled. They sought the dragonborn's greatest weapon. An orb full of chaos energy strong enough to turn off the stars in the night sky," Oreon examined the shard, turning it slowly in his fingers. "At least that's how my mother's story always started."
The red glow from the Dragon Shard cast dancing shadows across the clearing, its crimson light mingling with the ethereal colors from the surrounding area. The two sisters gazed at the rough crystal Oreon held, their faces changing to show they understood and were frightened.
"A Dragon shard…From the Draconis Orb…" Celestia's voice remains low, her eyes reflecting the shard. "I thought those were myths. Legends of the ancient text." She leans forward, her face illuminated by the shard's subtle glow, careful not to touch it.
"That's no myth, sister," Sylvanie spoke, the meat forgotten in her hand. "The stories that grandmother used to tell us…about the great dragons who could reshape reality itself before they…"
"The Order's first purge," Celestia whispered. "The genocide of the dragonborns. The Grand Purification," Celestia hesitated, reaching towards the object, but didn't touch it. "The stories tell of the Dragonborn creating a weapon to rival the gods. Harnessing power beyond mortal comprehension. Power to shape realms and erase anything in a blanket of destruction." She murmurs. "In the battle with the Order, it was said that the Orb was destroyed so that the Order wouldn't be able to use its power." She looked up at Oreon. "But…This is…Impossible. How did the Order find this? If the legends were to be true, then the Orb should have been destroyed.
Oreon hesitated to answer; instead, Sylvanie leaned in closer, getting a good look at the shard herself. "I don't have all the answers, I just know the Order is trying to collect the shards to put the Orb back together, and I can't let that happen." Oreon slowly wrapped the shard back into the cloth he had and put it back in his pocket.
"I can't let my old man collect the shards—" Before Oreon could finish, he found Sylvanie's hand around his throat and his back pressed hard against the tree trunk.
The sudden violence erupted like lightning striking dry wood. Sylvanie's fingers pressed against Oreon's windpipe as he struggled to breathe, as she glared down hatefully at him, her other hand quickly reaching for the hilt of the sword she had stolen before.
"Your old man?" The words dripped from her lips like venom. "You're Order Spawn?" Her grip tightened incrementally, not enough to crush his throat but sufficient to make breathing a conscious effort.
"Sylvanie!" Celestia shot to her feet, quickly placing her hands on her sister's arm. "Release him this instant!" She exclaimed.
"No!" Sylvanie quickly brushed her sister away, causing her to stagger a bit. "Sister! Don't you see? This bastard has been playing us from the beginning!" She gritted her teeth.
"Wait...Ok…Hold on…Relax…I can explain." Oreon managed to get out as his hands wrapped around Sylvanie's wrist, but he realized how much of a disadvantage he was in when he felt her strength.
"Just…Give me…." Sylvanie's grip tightened. "Ok…I can't breathe…" He tried to force her arm away, but she wouldn't budge. "Dammit…Why are elves…. So damn strong?" He choked. "Hey…Listen…Calm down…I know Alaric's an asshole…but."
Upon discovering Oreon's father's identity, Sylvanie's eyes widened, and she lifted Oreon off the ground by his throat, his feet dangling.
"You're…You're the purifier's son." She lowered her gaze hatefully at the human she held in the air, his life in the palm of her hand.
Oreon's face darkened as his air supply dwindled. His hands were clawing desperately at Sylvanie's iron grip. The veins in his neck bulged as he fought for each breath, his vision beginning to blur at the edges.
"Sylvanie, you're going to kill him!" Celestia lunged forward again, this time with more force, her hands wrapping around her sister's forearm. "We need him alive, not as a corpse!"
"He's one of them!" Sylvanie's grip tightened with a hiss as she glared at her sister. "A wolf in sheep's clothing! He's probably trying to take us to back to his father personally and…"
"Sylvanie, think!" Celestia yelled. "Use your head! If he really wanted us dead, why go through all the trouble? He could have just left us there! His father had already captured us!"
"Grr.." Sylvanie growled as she forced her eyes to look at her sister. "Dammit, Celestia, would you just—" Both she and Oreon saw a small flicker of a knife, and her eyes grew wider. Oreon, using his last bit of strength, swung his legs to kick Sylvanie, pushing her into her sister and causing him to fall. As a result, the knife missed them and stuck in the tree behind Oreon's head.
Gasping for air, Oreon gritted his teeth as he glanced behind him to see the tree decaying almost instantly.
"Well…Well, well." A dark, smooth voice came from the north shadows of the trees. "I'm actually surprised you dodged that. Maybe it's more to being a human after all, right? Purifier's brat." A gray-skinned dark elf, clad in tattered black and gold holy robes, emerged, followed by several soldiers of the holy order. A smirk revealed his uneven teeth, while his red eyes flickered between the three figures before settling on Oreon, who immediately drew his daggers, ready to battle.
"Oh, and where are my manners?" He took a subtle bow before bringing his jagged scarred face back up to meet with the three. "I believe this is the first time I've actually got to meet royalty from a fallen kingdom. So, allow me to introduce myself. The name is Rot. It's nice to finally meet you, Sisters of Vel'Andria." He gestured to himself as he gave the sisters an unsettling, crooked smile.