“Get that derriere back here, Ayleth, or- Argh!” the braided young woman of early 20s landed on her rear end when her broad forehead smacked against a thick branch she may have been blinded with rage not to see while she was jumping from tree to tree in search of a familiar salmon-like armour. “Oh fudge blasted!”
The woman with sun-kissed complexion, bearing the insignia of the holy circle on her forearm, and a charcoal-like breastplate, couter, and pauldron over her beige dress that insinuates her sex more than the threatening words or the scowl on her face, dusted her prat with a slap and vaulted to yet another hardwood.
But now, she took her time. Channeling her senses to ignore the prickling heat of the sun on her arms, the annoying humming of the birds that constantly makes her pointed ears twitch and the way the leaves seem to be in tune with them, her chocolate eyes turned to an azure jewel that has a pale stripe running down its middle.
She reached for the short scabbard dangling on the side of her waist and gripped it tightly, enveloping the runes meticulously engraved in it. From miles away, her eyes spotted the culprit, gracefully trudging the cursed forest. Mouth opened in a low growl, revealing sharp canine teeth.
Like an elegant feline, she leapt from one branch to another, her eyes never straying from the target. Their distance had significantly decreased as the wind brushed against her cheeks.
Once more, she reached for the scabbard and pulled out a dagger, prepared to hurt the woman on level ground as they are merely a meter away from each other.
As opposed to her dark, rough features, Ayleth has a silver, flowing hair, aubergine eyes, translucent, smooth skin beneath intimidating scale armour that hugged her body just right so her reflex would not betray her. But a tribal tattoo adores the side of her face like it had always belonged there.
"I see you didn't quite enjoy the everclear I gave, Emeline," she expressed among the rush of the wind and leaves that they pass.
"Fortunately, lest I still be asleep by now."
Ayleth smirked at the familiar tact and rogue. She planted a heel before her to stop her momentum and just as rapidly, turned; a huge, shining Arbalest materializing in her hands out of nowhere.
Emeline did not see it coming. It would have hit her straight in the chest had she not dodged. But she wasn't fast enough. The shining arrow pierced right through the espalier and her shoulder. Electricity jolted through her entire body and almost forced her on her knee as the weapon disappeared.
"You don't waste time, do you?" It only roused her resolve. Her velocity was on its peak as she lunged at the enemy. Ayleth dropped to the ground on her stomach and Emeline straddling her back. The former let out a low chuckle even with the knife pressed against her neck. "Return what you've stolen and the monks might pardon you."
"How about you? Have I earned your forgiveness?" Emeline sighed.
She studied the enemy who has brought nothing aside from her pompous ego, nowhere for her to place whatever it was that she took.
"You want to know what was so important those fools asked you to catch me?" Ayleth started, piquing her interest even if she doesn't admit it.
"You're not fooling anyone. All you do is lie, cheat, just so you'd get what you want."
"You still think this is about our stupid rivalry? I'm concerned you're letting it all get into your head."
"Shut up, will y-" All she saw was mangled black fur before her side hit the rough surface of the soil. The stinging sensation on her shoulder brought her back to reality. Before her stood a huge wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes and large teeth gnawing to dig into her skin.
"Leave her be, Gael." Ayleth was on her feet, looking down on her and she couldn't feel any smaller. "I'm quite fond of animals, you see," she remarks with a smirk before holding out a hand, surprising the cat-like girl. "Come with me, Emeline."
Emeline slapped her hand away and though it hurts like a bitch, as she would say if not for the circumstances, she struggled on her own to rise.
"I don't have time for your games," Emeline snapped while her eyes search for the dagger lying lifeless meters away from her. How strong that dog is.
"What I stole, dear girl, is a parchment containing how the land that temple was built in, this whole forest, was acquired," Ayleth explained, expression blank for the first time. "They cheated a poor man honourably working for what?"
Emeline noticed how close their bodies had become. She could feel the other girl's breathing, sense the rhythmic beating of her heart. She swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat. "For us, for you," Ayleth whispered breathlessly.
Emeline stumbled as she stepped backward. She was quick to jump to the direction of her sole weapon. "Enough of this. You're coming with me!"
Once more, she lunged at her greatest nemesis. Slash after slash but Ayleth kept on dodging. She was getting more and more frustrated by the second. Her head was starting to throb though her shoulder had gone numb.
She was getting images, supposed direction where Ayleth could go, until she pieced those images with reality. She had no idea what was going on but what's important is the stab she had inflicted on Ayleth's stomach.
But the latter wouldn't surrender. She grabbed Emeline's collar, her fist glowing as if threatening to explode. The cat-like girl was wide-eyed as she tried to loosen that vice-like grip to no avail.
Materialized from her hand was a red tulip. Its scent invaded the other's nostrils like a serenade. "I haven't finished yet," she murmured, losing her color, and smiled like it was nothing.
"What's going on, Ayleth?" Emeline led her to the nearest tree to rest on.
"While you were busy chasing me, the parchment was already being brought to the kingdom by an associate. But that's not what I've come to steal." Gael lied beside her like a good pet. Emeline cringed.
"They'll treat you back at the temple."
"What I came for... was you. The monks will fight back. The kingdom doesn't stand a chance. But with your eye, our forces will be undefeatable."
"My eye? What are you talking about?" She rubbed her temples.
"Why don't you come with me and find out?" Emeline thought no further.
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