Hedge Knight

Chapter 64

Jori could only stare as Erik ripped his dagger from the Mage's chest, letting her fall to the ground with a sickening thud. Shock spread across the woman's face as she stared up at the sky, her one unbroken hand reaching out to Aria.

To say shock was on her sister's face would not be enough to describe the expression Jori saw. Aria's eyes were wide, the light behind them smothered by a steadily encroaching despair as they glistened with tears. Her lips parted, but she was unable to say a single word as she reached out to the fallen woman, her body trembling.

Erik pulled her away and marched towards the woods, and all Jori could do was watch. Fear filled her body with lead, and she could not even call out to her sister as they met the edge of the forest, a breath away from being swallowed by the shadows of the trees that waited beyond. The air grew thick and Jori could feel her breaths quicken, but still she could not move, still did her panic keep her and Jon in place.

A streak of red flashed by her vision, the trail of an arrow that collided with the invisible barrier orbiting Erik and Cora. She heard the shattering of stone followed by a curse spat from Erik's lips as the arrow still managed to slice into his free shoulder. The air around her grew thin then, drawn towards the direction that the arrow came from and drawing everyone's eyes. There she saw them.

The rest of the adventurers.

As soon as Jori lay eyes on them she saw the other Mage - Elly, from what she overheard before - slam her hands into the back of a large, muscled man. She recognized him as Helbram, though he was absent of his usual armor and instead only had his helmet, a sword that was still in its sheath, and shield. His shield was the focus of her attention, for he held it in front of him as a burst of air surged from Elly's palms, sending him soaring through the air. Helbram tucked himself as much as he could behind his shield as he barrelled forward, right towards Cora. He struck the barrier in front of her first, but the momentum behind his large frame was enough for him to crash through the shield and into her.

Cora had her hands up by the time Helbram struck her, bracing herself so that the impact of the blow only slid her back instead of knocking her off of her feet. It created enough of an opening to allow Helbram to lunge at Erik, or rather at Aria, who was still in too much shock to do anything on her own. As Erik tried to slip away from Helbram, Elly intercepted him. She collided with the man by riding another burst of wind, this time focused at the center of her back. Instead of using a shield to absorb the impact of their collision, her arms were covered in bits of stone and she held her arms crossed in front of her face while she charged forward.

Helbram and Elly moved in sync, with the warrior grabbing hold of Aria right as the mage speared Erik right in his stomach. While he was shielded by unseen stone, the shock of the blow sent him staggering back and weakened his grip over Aria. Helbram pulled the girl from Erik's shoulders and cradled her in his arms as he turned back around, keeping most of her covered by his body and he retreated.

Cora already had her hands held up, flicking her hand back in what Jori could only assume would be a type of spell. Before the veiled attack could be unleashed, however, three arrows flew at her, each enshrouded by red light. Cora waved her hand at them, and beyond the arrows deflecting on nothing, nothing else could be seen.

So entranced was Jori by this brief exchange that she did not hear the half-elven man, Leaf, approach her.

"Run!" he shouted as he stood in front of her and her brother.

Words rose to Jori's lips, but still she could say nothing. Even so, the man's ears twitched and he looked back at them with a glare.

"That wasn't a suggestion."