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The wind blew and the lightning’s thunder cracked and split the sky.  The battle field, even though small and crowded with trees was alive as magic and bodies swam through the trunks of trees like fireflies being chased lightning itself.

The lone combatants blazed from the trees as sparks of fire raced behind them.  The beast now rolling on the wet grass howled and whimpered as it extinguished the licks of flame from its back.  Gathering itself to its feet, hatred and malice growling and erupting from its throat it pawed forward, eyes deadlock on its opponent.

The sorceress now breathing as equally heavy as the maned creature, stepped back, holding her staff in front of her.  “I will kill you!” Her voice cracked as she yelled.

The beast seemed to grin as it approached further.  It’s stepping taking longer strides slowly closing the distance between them.  With little warning the beast heaved its great body forward throwing itself into the sorceress and sending her hard into a tree.

The rain began, never slow, only hard and sharp pricks bringing the woman to her senses.  Opening her eyes she found herself staring into the black eyes of the beast.  She shook as they sent chills through her body.  “Magic can’t save you now.” The beast said with its snarling throaty voice.  “See you in the next life Zelain-” The beast stopped and snatched a blur right out of the air with its teeth.

It growled biting through the wooden arrow.  “I’ll kill them next.”

The beast looked back to Zelain and found her expression from before was exchanged with one completely different.  Hesitating a second Zelain thrust a dagger into the neck of the beast, it glowed with dark magic and cut through fur and flesh with ease.  The beast reeled back in shock throwing its body every which way in attempts to breath through its wound.  With the last of its strength the beast irked forward spewing blood and gore from its mouth and wound before collapsing on the ruined grass.

“Good bye.” Zelain whispered standing over the creature.

“Cut off its head Barein, the quicker we get this beasts head the faster we get that gold promised for it.” A voice called as two figures stepped into the clearing.

Zelain looked at the woman in disgust, and then to her partner who knelt down and unsheathed his knife.  Waving her hand Zelain’s staff came to her with diligent speed and settled firmly in her grasp.  “You won’t touch him.” She growled causing the gems mounted on her staff to sparkle and radiate.

Zelain turned to see the bow of the woman stretch back.  Her green eyes pinned on the back of Zelain.  “Touch him in any shape or form sorceress, and you’ll join your unusual friend here.  Get cutting Barein, she won’t bother us… will you?”

“Have a look at your feet.” Zelain grinned as the woman glanced down.  Leaning to the right she pushed the bow towards her partner and arrow flew into his shoulder.

Barein screamed in pain as he fell on his back, twisting the arrow back out.  He grasped at the feather of the arrow and broke it with his good arm.  Zelain smiled at the woman very pleased with herself.  The woman lashed out with lightning speed, slashing at Zelain with a curved blade.  “Kill her Dawn!  And we can take both their heads to Lorn!”

“You aren’t very good with that knife are you?” Zelain laughed as Dawn thrust the blade forward.

The knife stopped dead in the air as blue energy rippled through the air.  The enraged woman pulled an arrow from her quiver and aimed her bow.  She launched the arrow only to find it slump to the ground after making fresh waves of energy bounce around the sorceress’s body.  ~Wrong arrow.~  She reached back and felt the feathers.  “You’ll like this one I think.”

The arrow was drawn back and with an ear-splitting whistle shattered the field and into Zelain’s staff sending it to the ground.  “Okay.” Zelain shrugged and shot forth a burst of dark magic, sending her attacker across the field.  Zelain walked over to the man as he got to his feet.  Reaching down she picked up his knife and settled herself beside the beast.  The knife began to emit pulses of energy as she removed a foot from the beast.  Standing she drew back her staff and sent forth a wave of fire, completely covering the doglike creature.  “I’m taking a foot, and you can take me to this Lorn so I can collect this gold.”

“I’ll take you nowhere.” Barein spat soon regretting his sharp movements as he dropped to a knee clutching his bleeding shoulder.

“You’ll bleed to death you know?  I can heal you if… you take me.” She looked at him credulously expecting another ‘no’.

“He’ll take you nowhere!  Nor will I, but… you will give us that foot-”

“Or what?  I’m the one who killed it, you did nothing but hide in trees and now you’re worse off then when you began.  I’ll heal him, you both can take me to Lorn, and I’ll give you some of my gold, does that sound fair?”

“Half..” Zelain rolled her eyes at the woman and agreed.  She walked over to the man and ripped the arrow from his back.

“Now use one of your little robe things to tie around his arm and keep pressure on it.” Zelain stated waving the bloody arrow at him.

“That’s it?!” Dawn yelled rapping her cloak around Barein’s wound.  “Aren’t you going to wave your wand and heal him?  That’s what you people do isn’t it?”

“First of all, it’s my staff, not wand.  And secondly, do I look like a monk?  Really girl you aren’t too bright for a rogue or bounty hunter.  I can never get you people straight.” She said accusingly leaning on her staff.  “Hurry up already, I have someone to see, get him fixed and lets go!” Zelain demanded as Dawn grumbled and secured a piece of her cloak around Barein’s shoulder.

“That should do until we get to Zerman town and get you to a real healer.” She muttered glaring over at Zelain who looked as bored as she was dirty.  The two got to their feet and began walking out of the clearing.  “I guess we better get to know each other then.  I’m Dawn, of the Valkery tribe in the west.  This is Barein.”

“I’m Zelain, good to know you, I’d say more if we were on friendlier terms, or met differently.” She smiled quickly at the two while she fitted the beast’s paw into small bag tied to her belt.

The three entered the forest, neither of them spoke, it would be a two day journey to Zerman… and the woods are never friendly at any distance from a town.  Keeping their senses calm and their mouths closed they strode through the forest and watched as the leaves danced under the red sun.  If there were anymore surprises lurking in the forest, they hoped it would not come this night.