Stranded on The Southern Continent

Both siblings projected pure power, unrestrained by morals or mercy. Vormath (the elder brother) moved like an automaton, or a golem. While his sister, Vertka, wore the same pristine black armor from her speech. If Vormath was violence–and he was–then Vertka represented the supreme authority of her backer. The Usurper Wyrm.

Vertka flicked her eyes towards her brother, before she winked slyly at me. I didn’t know that winks could look so sinister.

“Don’t worry, we’d like to have a civilized discussion like–”

“Heeeeelp! Anyone! Help me!” I screamed, interrupting Vertka.

She looked around in faux alarm, a wicked toothy grin growing on her face. Her brother didn’t flinch, he was busy setting up a table and chair for his sister. Pulling furniture from his pack like a daytime TV magic trick.

I didn’t stop screaming until my throat was hoarse. My screams echoed through the forest. No response. Vertka rolled her eyes and sat down.

“I’d appreciate it if you could not scream anymore.” She gestured around us. “It’s simply annoying.”

“What’d you do to everyone? Help should be on the way.”

I hopped off the boulder, scooping up both Tanglewood and my guitar. Vertka stared at me–it didn’t matter to her if I had a weapon or not.

“A little fire, on the other side of the encampment.” She glanced backwards. “And a little spell to muffle some of the noise. Wouldn’t want anyone listening in!”

“Okay. What do you want?”

“What do I want?” Vertka kicked her brother's plate leggings, making a loud clang. “Did you hear that Vormath, she wants to know what we want?” She cackled.

“I don’t see what’s funny, I’m not the same girl from Tangle.”

For a moment, I closed my eyes and focused on the dirt beneath my talons. On the sound of insects calling to one another, tuning out the sound of Vertka’s shrill laughter.

I pulled my guitar in front of me and brushed my claws over the strings. Green sparks jumped from the strings, wrapping around me. The exhaustion of the day fell away–would such a small buff make a difference?

Vertka clapped her hands. Her pale scales sounded like clay pots smacking together. “Wow! Vylet, you have grown! But trust me, you don’t want to fight us.”

“You’re right, I don’t. So let me leave!”

“Come on! This is basically a vacation for me, can’t I have a little fun?” She sighed and rolled her eyes again. “I think it’s time you stop playing ‘forest hero’ or whatever this is– don’t you want to know what you are? Or why you’re different?”

“How would you know any of that?”

Vertka seemed ready to laugh again.

“Vylet. You’re related to the Usurper. Something like a wayward daughter.” Her glare looked through me–I wasn’t a person to her. “But it’s time to come home. For your own good.”

“And if I refuse?”

Her pearly claws twitched, scratching into the table.

Immediately, I activated my Action Surge, time slowed around me. My goal: The foliage on the eastern side of the clearing, far from the armored monster and with enough cover for my retreat. I dashed, kicking up a cloud of dirt with my talons. Tanglewood was at my side, pulling me towards my goal. My instincts, my ‘normal’ mind, and Tanglewood. We’re all aligned: Run. Escape. Survive!

Vormath had already turned his helm-covered head towards me. Good luck buddy. In a one on one I’d get my ass kicked, but not in a foot race!

Dust and dirt exploded from behind Vormath, his hulking form erupted into explosive movement! In his right hand was a colossal sword. Even with time slowed because of Action Surge…he moved towards me with alarming speed.

Power flowed into my legs as I activated Jump. I leapt into the air! Higher and faster than ever before, I was almost flying! Except for the landing part. I’d worry about that later.

Now, does this bastard have a good vertical jump too? Gods dammit he did! Vormath’s dull red eyes stared at me from the gap in his helm. That was the last thing I saw, before he gripped my ankle midair. Something crunched. I screamed in pain.

I’m thrown to the earth. Like I was at the apex of a rollercoaster, before it went completely off the rails and hurtled towards its doom.

The world blurred and air rushed past my ears.

Only a moment of enhanced perception from my Action Surge left! And I wasted it thinking of cats…specifically how they rotated their hips and spine midair to always land on their feet. I’m not a cat, but it's all I had to not end up pancaked from Vormath’s throw.

My hips shifted back and I pulled my hips forward. Claws and talons down, ass up! Then I loosened my body. Good and ready for Mr. Ground.

Overwhelming, mind-shatteringly terrible pain from my injured ankle. I skidded on the ground. All three claws on my left hand were shattered down to the quick. It felt like I’d left several pieces of myself still in the dirt. My plan worked though, I was alive!

“Ouch. I think you broke a few nails there, Vylet,” Vertka shouted.

The last thing I wanted was to speak with her.

“My brother has a kill count in the triple digits. I don’t think you have it in you, Vylet. Just come with us before you get more broken!”

Vormath landed, the ground rippled. He moved towards me. Horror movie style, where the slower they walk the faster they get you.

I lunged forward, aiming Tanglewood at the gap in his helm. He blocked with his forearm, metal scraped on metal. The next stab is aimed at his neck. He didn’t block, but his armor prevented any damage. My final attack was aimed right at his belly. It poked through the plate armor! The tip collided with something soft. For the first time I heard the bastard's voice. A deep grunt.

He already was retaliating–swinging his sword down on top of me. I dived backwards and it was like an explosion went off.

Then again and again! I was dodging based on pure instinct. When the dust cleared I saw that he’d obliterated the boulder and left several jagged cracks in the ground. Something glimmered among the rubble.

Telar! Luckily, he survived Vormath’s reckless attack, and more than that, he’s glowing! A subtle barely noticeable glow.

I heard a voice in my head. Telar’s calm voice–the voice of my first friend.

“Vylet, I’m going to count down from three. On, one…try and escape.”

Three.

“Vylet, let me remind you…we have no issues chopping off a limb or two to bring you home,” heckled Vertka.

Two.

Vormath walked besides Telar, he didn't even notice.

One.

I sprinted towards the trees–much slower than last time. Vertka finally deemed me worthy of her attention and stood up from her chair. A massive crossbow was in her hands.

That thing could kill me instantly. In a last ditch attempt at escape, I threw Tangledwood at her. A pathetically weak throw. But my trusty spear did most of the work, leaving my hands like a railgun shot!

Because of the light from Telar, I saw perfectly when Tanglewood collided with an invisible barrier in front of Vertka. And I saw her wicked smile as her crossbow tracked me. I’m dead. It was too late to stop my momentum!

Something shifted on my back–the scales that’d been bothering me for so long!

I’m pulled sharply backwards. On either side of my body were two ethereal wings. Transparent, sky blue, and shifting like galaxies. They billow in two massive flaps and I’m veered from the path of Vertka’s bolt. The projectiles passed through my wings, but I didn’t feel a thing.

The clearing looked so small below me, and I could see the encampment from here. A small red blaze in the distance–probably arson by the Draciers.

But even up here, I wasn’t safe yet. These new wings could disappear any moment. So I activated my arcane breath, pointed straight upwards! The bright purple energy arced across the sky. Hopefully, someone was looking…

Vertka wasn’t letting up–bolts continued to whiz past me. I was twisting, turning, and spinning in the air. An elegant aerial dance–except this one had pretty high stakes.

With every passing moment, it was becoming clearer that I was being forced lower. Towards Vormath, who waited below like a hungry crocodile. It was a long shot, but I cast a couple Frost Rays at them. Or tried to. Since the rays came from my horns, they were impossible to aim while flying–at least without practice they were.

And despite my amazing spectral wings (I had the wingspan of a small airplane!) the situation was still dire. If they didn’t force me down, I’d just run out of energy.

“Vylet!”

I’d recognize that lovely, deep, kind and attractive voice anywhere! It was Windthrow! He was already diving atop Vertka with his silver dagger. The table was flipped over, and the two tumbled together in the dirt.

He drove the dagger into her hip before she could grab his wrist. Vormath roared and tried to rip Windthrow off his sister.

As much as I wanted to watch my mate defeat Vertka…I’d run out of energy. My beautiful first flight turned into an uncontrolled fall. Story of my life.

Before I crashed, Vormath grabbed the back of Windthrow’s tunic and tossed him aside. Making the tall dark elf look light. But it was too late. More citizens of the Forest Federation were arriving.

The tides had turned. Before I’d completed my crash landing, it was over. My vision collapsed into a pitch black void.

Vylet - Level 4 Spellblade | Level 1 Bard

Species Ability: Arcane breath, Natural Weapons (Claws, Talons), Spectral Wings

Class Abilities: Action Surge, Bardic Inspiration

Spells: Jump, Frost Ray

Weapons: Tanglewood (Magic Spear)|Guided Throw, Bound Weapon|Cherry Guitar

End of Part 1.