Where Fate Leads

The night was black, moonless, and a faint white veil had appeared in the lush canopy, giving a menacing appearance to the sleepy forest.

Yet, through this ghostly stillness, a humming sound awakened the sleeping fauna who escaped in panic at the approach of this infernal noise.

Through the trees, Nyfeirg slowly advanced with Myra on board. Myra had not said anything since their departure from Aiyirne as they walked through the dark forest and the heavy silence seemed endless. It wasn't as if Nyfeirg didn't know what it was all about after all, but she had no desire to delve deeper into the subject.

At this point, the motorcycle was heading on its own, albeit at a slow pace, while Myra, who was still being transported elsewhere, was barely holding the handlebars.

Then, when they passed a certain point, Myra braked and Nyfeirg stopped shortly afterward. The Elven then got off the mount and moved away before letting herself fall softly on top of a rock a little further away. Her glazed eyes and listless gait made her look so ghastly that she could have been mistaken for an undead creature.

Nyfeirg turned off her engine and stood silently nearby. Although she did not like the Elven, she could not help but sympathize with her distress. Being rejected from her own "family" was unbearable and she did not want to be in her situation.

Myra had her head down and stared intensely at the ground, but her eyes seemed to be looking for something beyond, something unreachable at present.

Suddenly, her vision blurred and tears began to flow again. And, as if she could no longer contain the emotion that was overwhelming her, she began to sob silently.

As her sadness gradually invaded her, a feeling of deep loneliness annihilated what little pride she still possessed. She, who thought she was part of an elite and looked down on Humans for their miserable existence, now found herself abandoned, without landmarks, without family and friends. Ostracized by her peers as a cancerous tumor that had to be amputated at all costs, she was now a simple Elven without a homeland.

Her body contorted into a ball and while hiding her face in shame between her legs, her sobs grew louder and louder until she could no longer contain herself.

The forest was now glowing with a sad light as if it was sympathizing with the fate of the Elven.

Time passed slowly and as a moonbeam crept through the clouds, it came to light the fallen Elven on the rock where she had taken refuge. Had the situation been otherwise, Nyfeirg might have found the scene beautiful, but it was not a fairy tale or a portrait by a painter. It was only the depiction of a person isolated from the world and doomed to survive in exile for the rest of her life.

When Myra was calmed down, Nyfeirg slowly approached and stopped a few steps away from her. The latter raised her head and looked at her partner, her eyes red with tears.

"Do you feel better now ?" Nyfeirg asked.

Myra nodded weakly. Crying so much had exhausted her. Then she raised her head and looked at the moon that appeared and disappeared at times between the clouds.

"What will become of me?" she murmured in a distraught voice.

Nyfeirg had no answer for her. And even if she did, she would refrain from answering her because she didn't want to get more involved in the Elven's misfortune. However, the way she looked at her had somehow softened.

Myra sniffed a few times and then wiped her still watery eyes before taking a deep breath. She didn't know where she was going, but she had to move on. She looked at Nyfeirg again with a resolute expression.

"I'm sorry I showed you this disgraceful side. I got carried away with my emotions."

"I don't hold it against you. After all, I partly sympathize with your sad fate..." the mount replied nonchalantly. "However, that doesn't excuse your behavior towards my partner," she added coldly.

"I... I understand," Myra said slightly distraught.

Then she sighed slightly and asked again.

"Are you going to save John then?"

"The sooner the better, yes. You promised to help me, I'm counting on you to keep your promise."

"Yes... Yes," Myra answered in a despondent tone. "I promised you something and we Elves keep our promises."

"Very well, then, let's not delay... But perhaps it would be more effective if you would sleep before then. I don't want you to die prematurely - In other words, you can't die before you've rescued John..."

Myra smiles sadly as she heard Nyfeirg's words. She sighed again then got up and went to a tree where she could take shelter for the night. Nyfeirg moved closer to her and the Elven examined the machine in front of her.

"What's wrong," Nyfeirg asked.

" Nothing," Myra replied.

"We'll leave early tomorrow, you'd better get some sleep," Nyfeirg added, turning off her headlights.

"..."

Myra had been staring at the sky for a long time now. She was looking for sleep, but it wasn't coming. After an hour, she sighed.

"Say, Naifagu..."

Nyfeirg turned on his headlights dimly and asked, "What?"

"Once we find John... Would you mind if I came along for a while?" Myra asked, staring absently at the sky.

Nyfeirg remained speechless. She didn't expect the Elven to offer her this, knowing her past.

"I thought you didn't like Humans..." she finally replied after a few seconds of hesitation.

"It's true, I don't like them. And I don't think I'll be able to do it one day," Myra answered calmly.

"So ..."

"But... I want to believe that not everyone is like that. I want to try at least once..."

Nyfeirg immersed herself in her thoughts and after a few moments asked the Elven.

"Why don't you go to the other members of your species? I imagine there must be other villages around here."

Myra shook her head slightly.

"That's not possible. First of all, Elves don't like strangers. Even if they would allow me to enter their village, living there is something different. Second, because I was exiled from my home village, other villages will be reluctant to welcome me among them. For my race, I am an outcast. And then there is the fact that I helped a Human. I am a traitor. Even if I hid it, the truth would come out one day or another and I would end up being chased out of the village. In the end, I have no choice but to live alone," she confessed coldly.

"This way of doing things is..."

"Inhuman?" suggested Myra without batting an eyelid. "But we are not Human. You can't judge my race by the same criteria like yours. We don't have the same way of living or thinking and we don't have the same history. You could almost say that we are the opposite of them."

"And what makes you say that John is the same - to other Humans?" Nyfeirg asked before continuing. "Not all are bad and not all are good, just like all Elves. "

"I..."

Myra was unable to admit it. It wasn't as if she disagreed with Nyfeirg. She could see exactly what Nyfeirg was getting at, but something inside her prevented her from agreeing with her words. In the end, the Elven remained silent and the night continued in complete silence.

The next morning, both of them left after Myra had eaten a few berries she found here and there. When they arrived at the clearing a few hours later, Myra said goodbye to the forest, not without some emotion. The forest, although saddened to see one of her children leaving, wished her good luck and reminded her that she would always be welcome.

Then the two adventurers set off again, crossed the second forest, and returned to the huge plain that stretched before their eyes to the horizon. They continued on their way and finally came back to where the dragon was... At least, that was the plan, because when they arrived on the spot, the dragon had been dismembered, its head had been taken away and various parts of its body were missing. When Myra saw this gruesome sight, she couldn't help but have a gag reflex.

"By the gods..." she cried, hiding her mouth with one hand.

It was a spectacle worthy of a horror movie. Blood was flowing abundantly on the rocks and flooding the ground as the bits of flesh hung in the open air and had attracted a cloud of insects who were reveling in the open-air feast. In addition, the smell emanating from the carcass was so strong and unbearable that Myra felt her body instinctively contract and she rushed down from Nyfeirg to vomit a little further.

She then rinsed her mouth by drinking the water from the gourd hanging from her hip that she had brought from home. Nyfeirg watched in the distance as the Elven recovered from her emotions. As she had no nose, she was unable to smell the different smells, but seeing Myra's reaction, she suspected that the air must be saturated with an unspeakable stench.

"Is everything all right?" she asked as she approached Myra.

"Yes ... It's better," nodded the latter, her face slightly pale.

"We'd better get moving, this dragon won't give us any information," she said.

Myra stood still and closed her eyes for a few seconds before reopening them, her face dark.

"What's the matter?"

"The forest told me that the Humans who took John also took the dragon's remains. Knowing that they were not prepared for this, they must not have gone far."

Nyfeirg nodded without resistance, much to Myra's surprise, expecting some reluctance on her part. So they continued on their way and went into the forest in front of them.

It was then noon and Myra was hungry, but she also wanted to refresh herself. After a long time of convincing Nyfeirg, she finally complied and Myra went to a nearby lake.

It was a large lake a few kilometers from the entrance to the forest. Not only was it hidden from view, but it was also far away from Human constructions that had not been able to extend to this point. There was therefore little chance of crossing individuals here. Also, Myra argued that the forest had shown her which direction to take and how long it would take them to reach their destination.

When they arrived near the lake, Myra got off the mount and took a few seconds to question the forest about the potential presence of Humans nearby. When it was certain that there was no danger in the area, it was only then that Myra truly relaxed. She was able to relax in the time that Nyfeirg had given her.

She began by setting up her things near a tree where she placed her bow and her bundle and then carefully undressed, removing layer by layer until she was completely naked.

At that point, Nyfeirg next door could not help but observe the Elven and her slender body. After a few seconds, she had to admit it: the woman was incredibly beautiful. She had already noticed that the few Elves who had approached her were all very attractive and Myra was certainly one of the most beautiful among them. However, Myra did not seem to mind being watched by Nyfeirg as she ran her fingers through her hair and looked slightly more relaxed than she did this morning. Although Myra was not in an extraordinary mood as she was still in shock from the events of the previous day, she had managed to put aside for a moment her worries for the time of her trip with her new partner.

When the Elven realized that Nyfeirg had been silent, she turned her head in her direction and, with a curious look on her face, asked her: "What's the matter?".

But Nyfeirg did not answer. She simply looked away while the Elven stared curiously at her. Then, seeing that Nyfeirg would not answer, Myra went to the lake and took a few seconds to examine her surroundings before diving into the fresh water.

The sun rays were few and the overcast sky shaded the lake, but the Elven was not paying attention.

As she was relaxing, she thought about what she was going to do.

Was this Human, John, going to accept her after the way she had behaved with him? She knew the Humans were resentful and feared that he would take revenge on her. After all, it was natural to think that with what she had gone through. But thinking back on Nyfeirg's words, she began to doubt. Were there really good Humans? For the Elven, it was hard to admit. But she had to at least try if only to confirm what she originally thought.

If this Human, John, turned out to be a piece of garbage, then she would be able to confirm that all Humans in this world were like that. But if in the hypothetical case he wasn't... she wouldn't know how to react.

After a long period of immersion in her thoughts, she decided to wash. Water was running down her body and the few drops that were beading on her skin made her look even more idyllic. Myra was aware that she had an advantage over her peers: she had beautiful hair, beautiful blue eyes, pulpy lips, satiny skin, a perfectly proportioned body, a generous but not too large chest, and plump buttocks.

As a result, Myra was proud of her body... But this beauty had never brought her anything in the end. Worse, she attracted the greed of her fellow men and even those of those despicable slavers. The conclusion she came to was implacable: beauty was not enough.

Until now, she had always considered Humans hideous, both inside and outside. They were unsightly and an ineffable perversion emanated from them. The problem was that she had met very few of them until now.

The only Human, until now, to make an exception to this had been Nyfeirg's partner. But this one was not exceptionally beautiful either. And to tell the truth, she found it hard to understand Nyfeirg's attachment to her Human partner. What could she see in him?

Nevertheless, unlike the other Humans, John exuded an innocence that perplexed her. Was it because he came from a world where Elves did not exist? Or was it in his nature to be so? She would not have been able to tell. But one thing was certain: that was what had made her decide to accept his offer at that moment.

And looking back, she had to admit, not without some difficulty, that she had perhaps reacted incorrectly the night before their journey. After all, given the fact that he might have been attracted to her, it was natural that the Human's gaze was lost on her.

"Besides, it's not as if he made a pass at me," she thought. "Strangely, I feel offended..."

The mine slightly scowled, she shook her head immediately and plunged into the water.

Once she had finished washing, Myra looked for food. Fortunately for her, there were fish in the lake and with her bow, it was easy to fish. Unfortunately, she did not have many arrows with her, so she had to be sparing and efficient. She killed a silvery fish that was swimming nonchalantly nearby, then scaled it and finally ate it after praying for the forest.

Nyfeirg was surprised to see the Elven devour the fish without cooking it, but apparently, she was used to it. When Myra felt her partner's insistent gaze on her, she looked up and asked curiously.

"What's the matter?"

"No, it's nothing. Let's not delay any longer," she said slightly perplexed.

When Myra had finished, she rinsed her mouth and hands and then they left quickly.

***

Alban was a lively and curious young boy. At the age of seven, he was fascinated by what nature had to offer and often went to the woods near his home to live a lot of adventures.

As the son of a peasant, he was living in the region with his father and mother who had been living in these remote lands for three years now. When he wasn't helping his father in the fields, he would go hiking around the little house where he was living, observing the incredible fauna and flora that was hiding nearby. And like any farmer's son, Alban did not go to school, let alone read and write. But that didn't matter to him in the end. He was happy in his surroundings and every day brought something new.

That day, Alban had just finished eating the soup his mother had made and was about to go out when his father warned him.

"Alban, don't go too far away this afternoon. I will need your help."

"Yes, Father," replied the little boy with a smile. "Can I go outside to play?"

"You have permission, yes. But before you do, don't forget to take out the vashes."

"Yes, Father!"

Once his father's advice was heard, Alban went outside and went to the barn where the animals were to go to pasture. They were large and cow-like but had two tails and no horns. In addition, their legs ended in two large toes that felt the ground with every movement instead of hooves.

When the boy arrived, the animals turned their heads toward him and bellowed one after the other. This was a sign that they knew they would soon be able to get out. The child who was humming a song he had invented opened the cages in turn and, with a large stick, directed the herbivores to their pasture.

As if they had been well trained, each of the animals obeyed the boy's instructions to the letter and followed him like a cohort of believers behind their god to the meadow where they would eat the rest of the day.

As he was about to leave the prairie, his attention was drawn to a strange noise that gradually drew his position closer. At first, the boy thought it must be an insect, but as the noise got closer, his curiosity overtook his reason and he could not help but move towards it.

He crossed the field and went into the forest without hesitation as if he had been hypnotized by what he heard. A little later, Alban came to a long clearing and listened. The sound was coming closer very quickly and in a panic, the little boy hid behind a bush. Shortly afterward, he saw a strange machine with a beautiful woman sitting on it.

The first thing that shocked him was the incredible beauty of this mysterious woman who seemed to come straight out of a fairy tale. In fact, this woman looked strangely like them as he noticed her long ears protruding from her beautiful blond hair.

The second thing that shocked him was the machine in question. It had two wheels and was rolling very fast on the ground. Alban had never seen anything like it before, the only carts they knew had nothing in common with this machine. Besides, it made a deafening noise around it, scaring birds away. But, unlike the birds, little Alban was not afraid of it. Better still, he gradually felt a strange excitement that made his heart beat faster and faster.

"I, too, would like to be able to ride this machine like this beautiful lady," he thought secretly.

Yet, even though time seemed to have stopped at that moment, the encounter with these strangers lasted only a moment. As soon as it passed in front of him, the machine disappeared in a short time in the forest and the peculiar humming gradually faded away until all that could be heard were the songs of the birds again.

Alban remained still for a long time, lost in his daydreams when he was called back to reality by the cries of his father who was desperately searching for him. He opened his eyes and ran as fast as he could to reach the farm.

"Alban! Alban! Where are you?" cried the worried father.

"I'm here, Father," replied the little boy as he came out of the thickets.

The father widened his eyes before frowning fiercely. He approached Alban and tugged at his ear.

"Little devil! Where have you been?!" he cried. "Do you know how worried your mother and I were?"

"Ouch, Father... Excuse me... I won't do it again..." the boy begged with tears in his eyes.

"Don't you know there was a beast around here?"

"A beast? Where?" asked the ignorant boy.

"Didn't you hear that monstrous noise that roamed the forest?"

"Father, I saw a beautiful lady in the forest! She had long ears and beautiful hair! She was riding a two-wheeled cart that was going very fast!"

"What are you talking about, you little fool! Have you gone mad?"

"No, I assure you, Father! She was going through the forest at full speed, it was incredible!"

The father who didn't understand what his son was telling him frowned more. According to his son's description, the woman in question could be an Elven, but he knew that none of these strange beings would dare to venture out into the area. And the story of the 'two-wheeled cart' was even more unbelievable to him. He thought that his son was telling him nonsense and slapped him in the face before sending him to the barn to look after the fodder as punishment.

As Alban left for the barn with tears in his eyes, he couldn't help but think back to that lady and that famous two-wheeled machine rolling freely in the canopy. He had decided that later he too would want to ride such a machine with this woman.

***

As they continued on their way, Myra and Nyfeirg moved quickly through the forest, searching for traces of the soldiers who had taken John.

"What was this Human child doing in the woods," she wondered, thinking back to earlier.

As they drove through the forest, Myra had spotted a human child who had hidden behind a bush as they passed and watched them with total wonder in their eyes. This had unsettled her a little but also flattered her.

"Myra, where are we going now?"

Myra came back to her immediately and concentrated on the road.

She continued to question the forest at regular intervals and the forest was pointing to a place several kilometers away. She also learned that the soldiers had repatriated the said dragon to the same place.

A few hours later, the suns were about to set when they reached the top of a hill. From this spot, they could see below a large military camp that had been established after a large portion of the forest was cut down. Myra frowned slightly at this gloomy sight.

Nyfeirg, having turned off her engine, was also watching the camp with curiosity. From the heights, the two women were draped in darkness, making them practically invisible. Only the chirping of birds was disturbing the peacefulness of the forest.

"Is John really here?" asked Nyfeirg suspiciously.

"Yes," Myra assured him.

Then Nyfeirg spotted a banner floating in the air. At its center was an emblem of a lion holding a sword and spitting flames.

"Who...?" she asked half-heartedly.

Myra guessed what her teammate was asking. She took a deep breath before resuming in a serious tone. "Lespada..."

"Lespada?"

"When I said you didn't know what you were getting into..." the Elven muttered icily.

"Those are..." suggested Nyfeirg, turning her gaze in the direction of the Elven.

"They're the ones who killed my parents!" the latter whispered, clenching her fists until they bled.

She was mad with rage. All the hatred she had stored up was being unleashed right now. Nyfeirg noticed the emotional state the Elven was in and wondered if she would be able to stick to the mission they had both set for themselves.

"Myra, don't forget why we're here," she told him calmly.

"... I know ... But ..." Myra answered in a trembling voice.

"I understand your anger, but if you get carried away, we may not be able to save John. Honestly, I don't care about these Humans you're talking about, you can have your fun once John is out of danger... But first, we have to get him back."

Myra took a few deep breaths and nodded her head once she was calmed down.

"You're right, excuse me..."

Then she thought for a few moments before adding.

"It will be difficult for both of us to get inside. Wait for me here, I'm heading out to scout. If things get out of hand, I'll come right back."

Nyfeirg nodded. Myra laid her bow beside her, keeping only her knife on her, and then set off in the direction of the camp. Without making a sound, the Elven dashed through the forest, dodging trees and stepping over bushes quickly.

Gradually, glimmers appeared and Myra knew that she had achieved her goal.

The camp was built with logs and these encircled the various buildings. A large clearing surrounded the camp to eliminate the threat of a potential surprise attack. Therefore, it was impossible for the Elven to go inside without being spotted. In addition, she could see soldiers patrolling around the camp and its grounds in the distance.

The situation had suddenly become very complicated and Myra didn't know how she was going to handle it. As she got closer, she noticed the flag fluttering slightly in the wind and her heart sank once more.

She had heard many stories about this barbaric nation and all of them mentioned this flag that was accompanied by death and blood.

"Calm down," Myra whispered. "Concentrate on your mission..."

She took a deep breath and managed to calm down. The problem being: how would she manage to infiltrate the camp ?

By chance, at that moment, a cart was approaching in the distance, with a dozen barrels on board. The cart was pulled by two horses and was coming from the west. The night was beginning to fall and the ambient light was gradually diminishing, making visibility difficult. However, Myra realized that her luck had just arrived.

Without making a sound, she went around the camp and headed towards the approaching cart. After quickly observing the surroundings and not seeing any guards nearby, she quietly boarded the cart and checked the barrels. The barrels were empty and closed with large lids. After opening one of them, she snuck in and gently closed the lid without arousing the driver's suspicions.

Her heart was beating fast. If she had been told that one day she would have to do this, to save a Human, she would not have believed it. What's more, it was a very risky gamble. She had no certainty that her plan would succeed, but she had no other choice. She didn't want to be alone again, so she agreed to do what she would never have done before. It showed how desperate she was.

The cart continued on its way until it slowed down in front of the camp entrance. Myra couldn't see anything, but she could clearly hear the voices of three people gathered in the same place. Footsteps approached the cart.

"Stop!" announced a man.

"Good evening, Sir," replied the coachman with great politeness.

"What is the reason for your coming, and who sent you?"

"I come by order of Lieutenant-General Elisabeth to bring the Hero. I have a signed attestation that proves it."

"Lieutenant-General Elisabeth...?" Myra wondered before interrupting herself momentarily. "Hero...? Which one?"

She couldn't decide whether they were talking about Nyfeirg's partner or someone else. Shortly afterward she shook her head in denial. She couldn't imagine John being a hero after all.

"Let me see that," commanded the soldier as he approached the coachman.

After a few seconds, the soldier nodded and ordered the cart to be let through.

"Pull over to the side of the barn."

"Thank you, Sir."

The cart slowly started moving again until it stopped a few minutes later. The driver of the cart got off and, after checking that his horses were all right, walked away. The sound of his footsteps gradually diminished until the silence of the night returned.

Myra waited a few more seconds to make sure no one was around, then she took her head out of her hiding place with caution and looked around. She was now standing next to a two-story-high barn. The horses harnessed to it were drinking from the water trough, while footsteps were repeatedly heard coming and going.

Around the barn were other buildings. A large road meandered through the camp that seemed to be divided into several parts. The alleys were dark and only the torches of the patrolling soldiers lit them as they passed.

When she set foot on the ground, the horses began to neigh slightly. Myra's heartbeat suddenly quickened. Thinking she had been spotted, she hurried to hide when she saw the coachman returning at the same time.

Seeing her horses agitated for some strange reason, he approached them and gently stroked them.

"Hey, what's going on? Are you unhappy with what you are being given?" he asked affectionately while stroking his horses.

He looked around him, but seeing nothing, he looked at them again and left shortly afterward. Myra observed the scene with a certain anticipation. But in the end, her worries disappeared as soon as the man left.

The Elven decided to get moving without further ado, she had to find Nyfeirg's partner as she had promised.

The first thing she did was to go to the first building next to the stable. It was as high as the barn and was built entirely of wood. There were windows on each façade. From these, Myra could see some light coming out, and she glanced through one of them.

Inside, one could see a kind of large dormitory with many beds that were placed in an orderly position. Some Humans were also inside and some were resting quietly on their beds while others were coming and going from the dormitory at the same time.

Myra frowned and gnashed her teeth at the sight of how idle these Humans were living while her fellow men were subject to all kinds of evils. But she refrained from committing the irreparable and compromising her mission.

"I don't think I'll find him here," she murmured, tilting her gaze to another building.

She moved along the walls in silence while avoiding being spotted by the patrols that were moving over the top of the enclosures.

The second building was further away and was located after a large square. It was built of stone and wood and seemed more maintained than the others. To access it, Myra had to move to the middle of the square, but since it was dark at the time and no one was there, she had nothing to fear.

She walked to the building and began to scan the windows one by one. When she reached the back façade, she stopped immediately.

"He's here," she cried out inside.

John was lying in a bed in a room with four other people. Myra also noticed that his helmet was resting at the head of the bed on a small chest of drawers. However, she immediately frowned as she analyzed the appearance of the people in the room.

Sitting in front of the bed was an older man with gray hair and brown eyes who seemed to be examining John. As his hands carefully were moving his arms one by one, the man was observing John's reflexes at the same time, but the latter did not seem to react.

At the foot of the bed was standing an officer wearing armor with a large cape hanging down to his ankles. He had a sharp gaze and had a large stature. His black hair matched his black eyes and Myra did not doubt the man's position in the hierarchy. He must have been a high-ranking officer, but she couldn't tell which one.

Behind the old man was standing a calmly ravishing woman. Myra was surprised to see such a beautiful Human and even wondered if she was not an Elven, but unfortunately for her, her ears were rounded.

The said woman had long cherry-brown hair tied in a ponytail that reached to her hips while a few strands were hanging in front of her light green eyes that contrasted with them.

Unlike her male counterpart, she was clothed in a lighter armor, but this one was more refined and was completely black. Thus, the only parts that were not protected were her upper thighs and her waist, which accentuated her shapes and her sensual aura. She was wearing thigh-boots while her crotch was protected by a band of colored fabric that hid the back as well as the front. Finally, the cape that hung down covered her whole body.

For a moment, Myra was as if hypnotized by this woman, but she was abruptly brought back to reality when she saw her piercing gaze. It was the look of a veteran, a person used to killing. Myra felt goosebumps running through her spine.

"This woman is dangerous," she thought.

Her instincts told her to stay away from this woman at all costs. She knew that feeling, it was the same feeling she had felt when facing the dragon: the fear of prey facing its natural predator.

Myra was not a soldier, so she had never faced one before, but she knew she would never win against this woman.

The third soldier, on the far left, has brown eyes and a small mustache. He was wearing even lighter armor than the previous two Humans and was probably a subordinate.

He was standing at a respectable distance from the first two and was watching the scene with an amused look.

When the old man had finished, he seemed to be caught up in an intense reflection and nodded slightly. It was at this point that the Human Officer at the foot of the bed spoke. Myra slightly perked her ears up to listen to their conversation.

"What is his state, Doctor? Is there anything new," he asked with folded arms.

The man sitting next to John turned his head slightly toward the officer and shook his head.

"My lord, I can say with assert that this man's life is not in danger. He is at the present unconscious, but I believe that in a few days he will regain consciousness," he said before looking at John again, "He was very fortunate, he only got away with a few bruises and no bones seem to be broken".

He examined John's eyes and sighed seriously.

The officer nodded in response to the doctor's reassuring words and looked at the woman beside him.

"What do you think, Elizabeth?"

"Thank you, Doctor. Leave us now," ordered the said Elizabeth.

The latter greeted the occupants and left the room quietly. When the door was closed, she continued.

"Is this the man you told me about, Daeven?" the woman asked without leaving John's face for a moment.

"I thought I would bring this man and the dragon back to Her Majesty to tell her the news. Unfortunately, I can't leave this camp, so how would you like to go in my place?"

The officer approached the bed and grasped the helmet delicately. While inspecting it, she said, "That's fine with me, I was just starting to put down roots here. The wind in this godforsaken hole is bad for my skin... But does it suit you, Daeven? Aren't you afraid I'll take your merits?"

She put the helmet down gently and stared her counterpart straight in the eyes. Her eyes were shining with a slight, ominous glow. At the same moment, Myra shuddered slightly.

For a few seconds, the principal did not answer, then he laughed warmly and answered immediately.

"You know I'm not interested in that kind of thing. I'm more interested in the fate of this man than in these banalities."

The woman smiled slightly and then turned and knelt beside John to observe him more closely.

"Still..." she said mysteriously. "This man is really strange," she added as she ran her fingers through the leather coat. "He doesn't seem to come from here, yet he looks strangely like us... What nation is he from?"

Daeven seemed immersed in her thoughts as he shook his head in disappointment.

"I have no idea," he sighed. "I've never seen clothes like this before."

The officer continued to examine John and ventured to caress his face as if she wanted to examine him in detail, but Myra found that the softness of the latter's gestures was betraying her true intention.

"Anyway... I must admit that he has... style," the officer confessed with an envious smile. "When do you want me to leave?"

"The sooner the better. How about tomorrow?"

"That's fine."

She then straightened up, as if nothing had happened, and left the room immediately. Officer Daeven nodded his head and addressed the soldier next to the door.

"Prepare it for tomorrow," he ordered in a calm voice.

The soldier seemed slightly confused and the officer smiled amicably. He tapped his subordinate's shoulder and added, "By the way, Maelius. How long has it been since you've seen your wife and son?"

"Uh... for... three months, sir!" replied the soldier in a perplexed voice.

"How would you like to go and visit them tomorrow?"

The soldier's face immediately lit up and he hastened to solemnly greet his superior as best he could.

"Thank you, sir!"

Daeven smiled and left the room in his turn. Myra was standing still while watching Nyfeirg's sleeping partner.

"What am I going to do now?" Myra wondered desperately. "They're planning to take him away soon, I have to do something, but how do I do it?"

"But who do we have here?" asked a grimy voice behind her.

Myra widened her eyes and wanted to turn around, but her body had been grabbed by two thick, greasy hands and a hideous face appeared in her field of vision. The soldier who had surprised her looked perverse and could not help but glance at the neckline of the trapped Elven.

Myra felt her heart stop beating at that moment. While she was still in shock, the soldier licked his lips and began to caress her crotch with one hand while the other was grabbing her arm.

"An Elven lost among the Humans, how unfortunate," he said in a vicious tone. "But tell me, kitten, what are you doing here all alone?"

Myra was green with rage. A Human was trying to defile her with his dirty hands. She absolutely had to escape before he could give the alert. Fortunately for her, the man in question seemed to have no desire to be disturbed. On the contrary, he even seemed to want to spend a very intimate moment with her.

Myra could feel his fingers wandering over her body and was dying to make him swallow them. But the man's strength was extraordinary. She couldn't get out of his grip. The man, on the other hand, began to smell the sweet fragrance of the Elven, who grimaced in disgust. She turned around and kicked his unprotected intimate parts as hard as she could. The man convulsed and collapsed to the ground trembling with pain, allowing Myra to escape immediately.

"Aaaah..." the dying man gasped. "Bitch... you're gonna... pay for this!"

He managed to draw his weapon and got up, not without difficulty, to attack. Myra watched him in fear. Even though she wanted to dive into a lake to get rid of the man's disgusting smell, she had to escape before anything else. John's help would have to wait momentarily.

"You swine! Don't think that scum like you can defile my body with impunity..."

She grabbed a dagger from her thigh and prepared to attack it when another voice was heard.

"What's going on here ?" exclaimed Officer Daeven in an inquisitive tone.

This unexpected intervention had the effect of turning the soldier's gaze away for a moment, allowing Myra to escape at the same time.

She went around the house and ran as fast as she could through the camp. Luckily for her, it was dark at the time and there was no one outside.

The soldier, seeing his superior arriving, paled but managed to keep himself upright in spite of the pain.

"Sir... Uh... There's... an Elven in the camp... "

Officer Daeven arrived on the scene and stared at his dying subordinate. He saw that his subordinate was suffering strangely between his legs. But beyond his suspicious behavior, he realized that something was wrong. He hurried back to the front of the building to spot a shadow rushing across the camp in the distance.

"Sound the alarm," he cried. "Intruder detected in the camp!"

A bell rang at once, and very quickly the soldiers came out of their barracks one after the other and began to search frantically around them. Myra, who had managed to hide in time near the barn, saw that she would be quickly intercepted if she did not escape immediately.

"Damn," she swore. "I knew this mission was risky after all... All this for a Human... I still don't believe it!"

Her mind didn't want to accept reality. Yet the footsteps were closing in quickly, she had to act.

She couldn't use the main entrance, it was suicidal. Nor could she go back to where she came from. That's when she saw that it was possible to escape if she climbed up the stable and jumped over the fence.

Without waiting, she did so and climbed to the top of the building. Then, without taking the time to check if it was safe, she climbed the fence and jumped. She landed a few meters lower but managed to break her fall by rolling to the ground.

Slightly disoriented, she regained her balance and ran at full speed to take refuge in the woodland. Behind her, the bell was ringing repeatedly as the soldiers were leaving the camp, torches in hands, and scattered through the clearing and surrounding woods in search of the intruder.

Myra continued to move deeper and deeper into the forest and after ten minutes, she finally reached the heights where Nyfeirg was located.

When Myra saw her, her headlights dimmed very dimly.

"What happened," she asked without further ado. "Where is John?" she asked.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." she said gasping. "I couldn't... Aaah... save John..."

Nyfeirg said nothing and looked off into the distance. She could see lights scattering through the forest and hear voices sounding furious. She immediately understood that their plan was doomed to failure and decided to retreat immediately.

"Let's get out of here," she replied as she set off without further delay. "We'll get John later."

Myra was confused. She expected Nyfeirg to get angry and to flood her with all kinds of insults, but contrary to her expectations, she was very calm, even indifferent.

"You... don't blame me ?" she asked confused as she was following Nyfeirg.

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"I... didn't keep my promise, I couldn't get your partner back..."

"Your promise still holds, doesn't it?" Nyfeirg asked firmly.

"Um... Yes, of course, but..."

"Then, in this case, there is nothing to worry about. Is John even okay?"

"He was unconscious when I saw him, but he seems to be unharmed."

"Well, in that case, that's fine with me for now. Any more information?"

The Elven didn't know whether to tell her or not. The situation had escalated and the problem now went beyond a simple rescue. After a moment's hesitation, she finally answered.

"I... learned that they wanted to take her to the capital," Myra confessed with a complex look. "It's going to be complicated..."

Nyfeirg was doing little more than to go deeper and deeper into the woods until the silence of the night enveloped them both. After a few minutes of patience, no danger had approached and they knew that they were now safe.

"We'll find a way," Nyfeirg nonchalantly replied after a while.

Myra was both impressed and frightened by such confidence. It was as if the mount did not doubt the success of their operation. She swallowed and took a deep breath to calm herself. She still had the unpleasant smell of that Human on her but had to make do with it for the time being.

Then in the middle of thinking, Myra ventured to propose an idea that had just appeared in her mind.

"What if... we simply abandon John? We could..."

"Never! Can you hear me?" Nyfeirg interrupted him coldly.

Myra widened her eyes and missed breathing.

"Don't you ever suggest that kind of thing again, do you hear me?"

Nyfeirg's headlights were glowing so menacingly that the Elven thought her last hour had come. Her gaze wavered, and as her body shuddered with fear, she instinctively stepped back and stumbled. As she sat on the floor and was unable to make the slightest movement, she swallowed deeply while staring at the thing in front of her in terror.

Nyfeirg, who shot her with his eyes, seemed ready to run her over at the slightest misstep. Time passed, but nothing came. Shortly after, Nyfeirg calmed down and took a more neutral tone.

"You say they're planning to take her away? When?"

Myra looked up, still slightly shocked, and answered weakly.

"By tomorrow..."

"Very well," Nyfeirg answered resolutely.

Myra nodded slightly, she thought that maybe following Nyfeirg wasn't such a good idea after all.

The next morning, they made their way to the Human camp at dawn and waited calmly. As expected, a small group consisting of an officer, a few soldiers, and two carts, one with John on board and the other with the dragon's carcass, had just left the camp and was taking the only road available. Their pace was steady and their speed was sustained. The two observers were watching the group slowly but surely moving away from the camp as Nyfeirg set off immediately. However, she was held back by Myra at the last minute.

"Wait, Naifagu..."

"What?" Nyfeirg asked with a certain impatience in her voice.

Myra stared at Nyfeirg with an irrepressible desire to escape from here, but she couldn't find the courage to tell her how she felt. In the end, she remained silent and could not do anything to avoid their fate.

"No, nothing..." she said with disappointment.

"Let's go then."

Myra nodded sadly and joined her partner immediately. Their shadowing began the moment they reached the forest and caught up with the military.

Nyfeirg noticed a woman at the head of the pack, and she was particularly imposing.

"Who is she ?" she asked as she was staring at the woman.

"She's the woman I told you about last night. It is better to be wary of her," whispered Myra while squinting.

They continued to follow the enemy platoon as they made their way through the forest. They stopped when the suns were at their zenith and then parked near the trees for shade, and while some of the soldiers stood guard, the Officer got into the cart where John was standing.

Nyfeirg became slightly agitated at the same time as Myra stood beside him and observed the scene.

"Is everything all right," she asked.

"... Yes, everything's fine," she finally answered after a moment's reflection.

Myra frowned slightly and looked again at the cart. The problem was that at this distance, none of them could see what was going on inside, but Nyfeirg was not at all comfortable with this situation.

The day continued without a hitch. The group of Humans was strangely on guard, however, as if they expected to be attacked, but as they saw nothing coming, they continued on their way without stopping. The only times they did so was either to rest or to eat.

Several days went by like this. The landscape changed little by little: the forest became thinner and be replaced by the plains. Thus, it was more and more difficult for the duo to follow the Humans without being spotted. They had to hide several times and they were almost discovered when Nyfeirg decided to start its engines because she could not wait any longer, which had the effect of alerting the Humans ahead of them. Fortunately for them, the soldiers sent to scout did not discover them.

As the plain regained its rights to the forest —Myra said goodbye to the forest— the topography changed and the flat ground became more and more hilly until one could no longer see more than one kilometer ahead.

After five days of spinning, after many dodges and concealments, they finally arrived at the outskirts of a huge city overhung by thick and high walls while the houses of the peasants became more and more numerous. It had now become impossible to advance without being discovered. However, Nyfeirg was reassured because she now knew where to look. For her part, Myra was uncomfortable seeing this dizzying group of Humans in one place.

The duo went to a place that was away from all activity and offered a strategic point of view to plan the next steps.

When they were at the top of their promontory, Myra widened her eyes, stunned by what she saw.

In front of her lay a city so large and majestic that she could not help but gulp deeply. A sea of houses was spreading inside the walls and it was disappearing on the horizon. One building, in particular, caught his attention: it was a strange white castle and it was located in the middle of the city. Around it were other large buildings whose usefulness she could not determine.

"That's it... A Human City?" she murmured.

"Hmm, this one appears to be pretty big," Nyfeirg remarked.

"I don't know if that's an adequate term for what I see," replied the listless Elven. "How are we going to do it?"

Nyfeirg's headlights shone gloomily, but she was sure of one thing: John wasn't far away anymore.