Elvina Hellcat

[Jain Zar]

Coming home : viewtopic.php?f=18&t=12774

[Jain Zar]

210.

*** Living ***

Elvina leaned backwards on the couch she had placed on the small porch high up in her cosy tree house and which gave sight to the evergreen forest but which was now plunged in darkness. She inhaled the fresh air produced by the leafs, so clean and so pristine… and so far away from the city.

Granted, she had loved living in Cear but the forest was just closer to her. A few days ago she had returned there probably for the last time. She had checked her mailbox for the last time and found it empty. It was in a way weird… but then again she hadn’t been around that much. People simply moved on just like she did. Well, not really since she was hiding. Not from them but from Him. She knew it was a fantasy as she probably would have to face Him again. He would be even bold enough to come here to claim her.

She sipped from her glass of wine. What she did wonder about was if she had missed somehow a reply from the Vanguard. She had resigned but it never got confirmed, and she would hate it to find herself seen as a deserter. If she ever returned to the Province that is;
After all, she had just sold her house in Cear.

The white-haired woman shifted on the couch and pulled up her smooth, bare legs. She also wondered if she would ever see him again, if the lone wolf would ever show up here. In a way she noticed she missed him but more for the talks they had had rather than the physical things.


“El… Elvina?”

Startled she almost fell off the couch and peeked over the backrest of the couch to see who was responsible for her almost tumble. "Wooopp!!"

“I’m … I’m truly sorry, the door was open… I did knock but you didn’t answer, and I saw the light...”

Elvina got up and flattened out her silky night gown, then blushed a little,” I’m sorry, I was just caught up in some thoughts…”

“Nothing all too bad I may hope?”

She waved with her hand,” Nah, nothing to worry about… Euhm…. would you like to join me for a glass of wine and perhaps a little chatting?”

Faridor smiled and nodded as he lifted up a bottle from behind his back.

Elvina chuckled.

[Jain Zar]

212.

*** Never stop dreaming... ***

Tempest,... frightening, raging, dangerous,… and when the next lightning bolt came down it was like the violet sky was split in two. The sonic boom instantly succeeding the blinding light made the earth under her feet tremble.

Close one…

A soul-sucking wind blowing from the north and carrying a heavy curtain of rain washed over her face, resulting in a pair of red, burning cheeks. She glanced up. For a moment the speed at which these swirling clouds crackling with even more electric potential had reappeared... astonished her.

As if miles above the surface gods and devils were fighting a remorseless battle while angels and demons cried in pain and agony over their masters’ injuries and discontent... just before resuming and increasing their efforts with an emphasized anger, determined to finish one another off.

A bitter smile appeared as she watched back at the scene unfolding in front of her. She ignored her saddening heart and suppressed her tears. Feelings were simply something she couldn’t afford at this point. What was happening was necessary, it was her job -and- it was something she had chosen to do... to be.
And people seem to believe in her… more or less.


Another gash of radiant light broke through the cauldron-black sky. For a moment this lightning seemed able to illuminate even the deepest darkness. Here, revealing relentless Kor pounding and pummeling the Vanguard’s defences in an attempt to cleave themselves over the rain-soaked terrain towards what seemed to be the reason for their frenzied attack.

Then, everything turn black again. Except to those who had dared to glance at the phenomenon, its light burning their brains like wildfire and leaving them in a temporary blindness with frozen green and purple shapes imprinted on their retina. Those who felt grandiose and superior for one moment, could be choking on their blood and feeling their lives slip away during the next.

It was a game of light and shadow... and of life and death.


She blinked her eyes once and witnessed how to several the battlefield below the small hill from where she overlooked the fight turned into a greasy, slippery deathbed filled with cold iron and warm blood.

The alarm had been raised only a few minutes ago, and the sky had been filled with buzzing and fizzing sounds produced by the arrow storm unleashed at the incoming enemy. But that didn’t stop their advance, it merely had slown them down for a moment.

The Kor simply ignored the blubbering and choking sounds of their dying brothers and had stepped over their bodies to take their place. Moments later Kor axes were clattering and clanking into raised Vanguard shields, and in return the orcs found gelid blades gripped by cold hands lunged at their various unprotected body parts.

She was proud. Her men fought well and managed to fend off wave after wave. She overheard how bones were fractured and ruptured and already could pick up the nauseating scent of guts and entrails.





“Elvina, I mean… Commander… the men won’t be able to hold them off much longer and…” the female voice next to her paused for a brief moment before continuing with a confidence probably meant to persuade the white-haired Vanguard,” … if we don’t concentrate our units again, as in -right now-, you will probably gonna lose those wagons.”

A geyser of dark blood showered into the air as the head of a Kor came off after a very accurate strike of a Vanguard she knew as Skurge. Yes, ‘El’s Ninth’ was doing well, but it was time indeed.

“Alright, get back to your cavalry unit and lead them behind the Kor. I want a small distraction that’ll help our footsoldiers to retreat up the hill with as less casualties as possible.”

“Up the hill? But… are you giving up the wagons then??”

Elvina’s eyes flicked from the battlescene to the wagons with supplies for Dasar and then nodded,” Aye, and after they take them I want you to chase them down…. for a while.”

“Chase them down, got it. Wait… what!? What do you mean for a while? What about the supplies??”

Elvina turned her head to her former lover. ”Let them go,” she calmly said.

“Let them go?!!” Jezel reacted a bit imperiously, her eyes dilated and her nosetrils quivering with anger. “And what about Dasar?! What are we going to…?!?”

“Jezel! I take full responsibility. You pursue them long enough to make it look real, then, after an hour or so fall back. Now go and carry out my orders!”

Jezel Kelandon blinked a moment but then a bit furious saluted, jumped on her horse and rode off in the direction of her waiting men on the other side of the hill.


Elvina shook her head and turned her attention back on the scene where weapons and shields flickered cold with each lightning strike. She knew Jezel was just committed and determined to get the maximum out of this operation, not willing to give in when it didn’t seem necessary. But there came a time one didn’t had to raise questions and just do as was told.

The sounds from below were so loud and chaotic that she couldn’t pick out the officers’ voices shouting their orders. So she waited a moment longer while the enemy kept banging at her Vanguard lines.


“Going well…?” a soft voice whispered behind her.

Elvina glanced over her shoulder and offered the one who got her by surprise a weak smile. There weren’t many who could, but this one always did.

“Hello, Amora. I see you succeeded in drawing their attention. And yes,...” Elvina looked back at the fight,” So far all is going according to plan. Part two is about to start.”

She sensed how the tiefling took position close to her, her appearance shady and wispy.

A droning sound on the earth beautiful to Elvina’s ears preceded Jezel’s riders, their armours chiming as the horses galloped in a circle around the Kor. Before the swarm of opponents attacking her footsoldiers was able to react, the riders surged forward. A tempest of spears and lances keened through the air only a few seconds before they without discriminating pierced unprotected as well as protected dark bodies. Only few Kor managed to wail in pain since they simply got overrun and crushed by the hooves that followed. It was a carnage, … but it wouldn’t be enough and Elvina hoped Jezel would stick to the plan.





She exhaled slowly and relaxed the moment she witnessed how her footsoldiers slowly started to retreat up the hill and away from the wagons which they first had to protect against the fierce enemy forces.

Despite their losses the Kor cheered as they saw their objective was still within reach. And as suspected... Jezel’s unit came to a halt in the middle of the swarming mass. Just in time they turned their horses and retreated to the hill flank. The Kor were now however preparing for another incoming charge as one of their units turned around and lowered their spears glittering and glowing dangerously under the lightning sky.They literally teased and taunted the Vanguard riders to try again.

Crossing her arms Elvina arched a brow when she perceived how the Kor were standing on their brothers who had just fallen prey to the riders, pushing their bodies further in the mud.
She whispered in front of her,” If death becomes this cheap, it’s the watcher and not the dying who’s poisoned...”

Amora’s arm slipped around Elvina’s waist,” Canites, Kor… no respect for life at all. So… you want me to do anything else?”

Elvina turned her head to the tiefling,” No, you did enough. Stay alert for another hour and then go get some rest.” She glanced back at battlefield,” This will be over in no time.”

Amora pressed her lips on Elvina’s shoulder,” Alright,... shall I wait for you later or... “ Amora glanced in the direction of the tent where Adele was working on the wounded,” … or have I been replaced?”

Elvina gasped,” Amora… not now…”

But the tiefling smiled up at her,” I know and… you know what we have agreed upon.”

Before Elvina could answer to that the tiefling was gone. She quickly banished all kinds of personal thoughts out of her mind and focussed back on the fight. As expected and probably also due their considerable greed for gold and other rewards, the Kor didn’t pursue her footsoldiers. She saw several Vanguard faces glancing in her direction, some of them familiar. Skurge, Gormok, Calken and his misfits, Maliker, Gisela, some of her executive and even her own XO Harovan. But there wasn’t any time to explain. At least not now. She simply nodded to confirm the orders that had been given earlier.

They all looked at the Kor swarming around the wagons and stealing the ones that had been added to the convoy the day before their departure from the Bastion. Now Elvina knew for sure there had been spies in her company,... and perhaps still were. But it didn’t matter now.
On the moment the wagons disappeared around the corner of the next hill within this small valley, Elvina raised her arm and lowered it. Jezel now had permission to pursue the Kor and harass them from behind. The remainder of her company would turn back to the camp and have their wounds checked.



By the time Rel had reached it’s Zenith, Elvina knew they lost twenty four Vanguards, almost a fourth of her company. The names had already been added to the Book of the Fallen which she carried everywhere,... one of Sam’s orders, no… requests.
It was a dark day for the Vanguards, and it should be a more darker one for the Canites as they had lost more than hundred of their kin during their assault. And even more casualties were about to come.
But again, and as she had seen earlier she highly doubted Kor mourned over the death of their brothers. More likely they looked forward once they got back they could lay hold on the widows, and steal the properties of their fallen ‘comrades’. That was at least one reason for their warmongering behavior.


“Commander?”

Elvina turned around and greeted her scout leader Erenil. “And… report?”

The beautiful half-elf corporal nodded,” It is done. The trap worked quite well. I have to say, miss Amora did a hell of a job.”

“So did you, and I think we and her came together with a hell of a plan. Now… numbers.”

“Aside from the casualties here and during their flight, about two hundred more Canites and Kor died up there in the hills. Among them were two highly ranked officers and one of them was known to us as the ‘Black Butcher’.”

“Aha, so we finally got that one then. Anything else?”

Erenil shook her head,” Not much, all I know is that one poison wagon has been carried further up in the hills and may cause a few more casualties there. We didn’t go there to check however…”

“And you shouldn’t. You did well, Corporal. Thank you.”

The scout leader saluted and was about to walk away but then turned back over to her commander who was already leaning over the map again. “Commander…?”

“Mmm… yes?” Elvina glanced up.

Erenil’s hand gripped around a pole, stroking it a bit,” If you like to have drink or something later, … I’ll be in my tent.”

Elvina blushed…

(( Vanguards for Dasar... viewtopic.php?f=18&t=11891&hilit=vangua ... r&start=60 ))

...

Suddenly she shot up in bed only to look around confused. She was home, home as in her little place in the elven forest. Dreams,... reality mixed with fantasy.

She pulled up her knees, holding a blanket over her. A feeling of loneliness descended upon her, only brief yet it was there. The Vanguard had been her family, and a lil more. Among them she had met a lot of people she liked, friends and… oh well, people who even liked more.

The white-haired woman leaned her chin on her knees and closed her eyes. Seen from a small distance she appeared to be fretting over things, and actually she was. She was missing someone. Someone who had the ability to cause a big change in her life, a change she craved. And it was not killing the Master, as that actually now seemed a ridiculous idea. All she needed to say to him, IF she ever saw him again,... was no.

But no… that wasn’t it. Although, this was something she couldn’t do alone and she didn’t want anyone else for it. Not that elf Vanguard, not one of her other friends… or former friends…, not Faridor even though he seemed nice. No...


She sighed and buried her face into her knees before she softly and perhaps for the first time uttered his name.
”... Oh Morgen …”


THE END


((ooc : Thank you all to those who have contributed in the 'Elvina-Zinna-Angela' tale. This was my last post in these. It's been amazing, wonderful and... educational since it's with her story I finally started to write in english. Kudos Das ))

[Jain Zar]

213.

*** Epilogue ***

Years later…

“Mo’oom…!!”, a little girl ran to the woman near the tree house. White, flyaway hair streamed out behind her tender form. She stopped in front of a bench and looked up at the woman who was knitting little travel clothes. Then, she shook her head rather vigorously after which the long, silky hair cascaded along her shoulders again.

She sulked,” Mo’oom, please say something. Saryia is doing it again. She asked me to play hide and seek, but she uses her magic tricks and it’s not fun! I can’t find her and now this game is so stupid!”

The woman looked up from her work and placed it next to her on the bench as an overwhelming sense of familiarity hit her. Perhaps due a reconnection with one of her own infant memories?

(( story 2. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10430 ))

She looked down at the little girl with the pouting lips and who had crossed her arms. The child’s entire demeanour clearly demanded action. An amused smile appeared on the woman’s face and without breaking eye contact with the little but ladylike wonder she rose up from the bench.

“Saryia? Saryia?! I know you can hear me. This has taken long enough,... now show yourself to your little stepsister. Can’t you see how much she loves to play with you?”

The woman smirked a bit as she witnessed how meanwhile the child’s eyes slitted and a little chin was lifted.


“But… I was right here… -all- the time…”

The sudden voice behind the woman had her startled. Elvina turned around and saw the elder elf girl who appraised them both with twinkling eyes. The former Vanguard shook her head and sighed,” Didn’t you promise me and your parents not to use your powers except when in class, or in times of need?”

As she said that, Elvina detected a hint of superiority in the expressions of the elf girl… which was quickly replaced with some form of obedience when she offered Saryia a stern look.

Saryia nodded,” Of course, aunt ‘Vina.” She peeked at the girl behind Elvina and reached out her hand,” Shall we play another game then?”

The white-haired child still somewhat mocking nodded in return and moved from behind her mother to accept the hand.

Elvina smiled softly at them,” Now go and have some fun… and remember…”

“Yeye... ‘Don’t go too far. Don’t talk with strangers, and don’t make any agreements with people you don’t know well.’... We got it!” Saryia giggled and dashed to the treeline with the child on her heels.


And suddenly everything turned quiet again. Elvina stared a moment in the direction in which they had taken off. Just the leafs gently rustling in the wind... and...


“Doing alright I see…”

For the second time within a few minutes someone had her startled. What was it with these sneaky people today?? But she smiled as she recognised the voice immediately and swirled around like a young girl to face him. Elvina brushed some tresses away from her forehead, her alabaster hair glinting in the sun.
A set of dazzling, angel-white teeth gleamed as she laughed softly and with her arms wide she stepped over and hugged him. “Hello Morgen!”

Morgen offered her a smile and hugged her back.

“It’s been a while again… but you look good...," Elvina held him at arms length as she turned her head a little,” Hey you, girls! Come and see who is here!”

It only took less than a minute for a white-haired little hurricane to leap out of the green and to jump on Morgen’s back.

“Uncle Morgen!!! And… gotcha!”

A pair of gleaming gold-like irises looked at him triumphantly as he turned his head to face the grinning ‘fearsome’ forest devil hanging around his neck.

“Kitty…,” He looked a bit awkward over the fondness the child showed. “Playing with the old wolf now again?” He peeked back at her with his remaining yellow wolfish eye.

Elvina watched them both and smiled softly...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLF5zDBehPE


(( with thanks to Hvrankel ))





Zinna : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10549
Angela : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11122