Chapter III: Rescue

"Nana! Nana!" Miya called her friend but there was no response. Blood stained the ground where the cat elf laid. Miya tapped Nana's cheek lightly, and pressed her fingers to her pulse. Too faint but it was there. Miya felt it, Nana was breathing very weakly. "Somebody help!"

A golden light grew brighter. The whole night turned into daylight as Miya saw Rafaela hovering beside them. "I'll save her," Rafaela said ash she knelt with Miya and cast a spell. It didn't took long before Nana's stirred. A deep breath, and finally the cat-elf opened her eyes. Miya cried in relief as Nana's lips curved into a gentle smile. "Meow," Nana purred weakly.

"Thank you, thank you so much," Miya said to Rafaela, grasping her hands.

Rafaela slightly bowed her head, "it's my duty and joy." Her expression was neutral and she was looking at a point behind Miya, "I saved her life from danger, but recovery would take a while. I'll go and check the other survivors."

Miya nodded. So many questions about Rafaela – was those wings? Can she fly? What was her magic? But none mattered for the moment. "Survived..." Miya whispered. How many didn't? Rage pooled inside Miya, the heat inside her made her feel sick. How much more should they take? What did they do to deserve this? Not far from her, Irithel and the other elves tied up Karina. The assassin offered no resistance. Miya's heart quickened and she picked up her bow.

"Why is she still alive?" Miya growled, drawing her bow at the prisoner sitting on the ground.

"Nothing personal… Miya was it? Just business." Karina replied. "You fight better than what our spies told me."

She pulled the bowstring hard, ready to let go any moment. A familiar touch on her shoulder eased her muscles. Irithel whispered, "Miya, I know how you feel, but don't give her an easy death. Karina would need to earn it."

"Tsk," Miya let it fly. Her blade, and all her hatred struck the muddy ground. The arrow was buried halfway in the soil. It would be much deeper if it pierced through flesh, Miya thought. Perhaps Karina thought the same, the shock on her face was from someone who nearly died – eyes wide and pale. Not so fearless after all? "Talk," she commanded.

Karina's fear faded quickly, her lips curved into a smile. "Oh I can tell you about you precious king."

Miya's heart skipped a beat. "W-What did you say? Tell me about Es-" Miya clenched her jaw tight. She breathed deeply and gathered her composure. Calm down. "Where is our king?"

"Oh?" Karina raised an eyebrow, her expression amused. "So it was true? That the king has a woman after all-"

Karina closed her mouth shut as Miya's arrow grazed her neck. The wound bled against her smooth skin, a hair's breadth away from certain death.

"Tell us and you may win his favor." Irithel offered as she stroke Leo's forehead.

Karina eyed the growling smilodon behind Irithel. "Indeed. I'd rather face the wrath of your king than my employer… which I just failed." The assassin sighed. "I'll tell you everything."

There was so little she could do. If only she could soothe the pain of broken hearts, she would do everything in her power, Rafaela thought. The assassins left little room for survival, and the night was filled with the cries of families and friends in grief. As the elves huddled close to their healing fountain, comforting each other, Rafaela wanted to be away in peace. The angel felt her cheeks hot, wet with tears as she looked at the full moon.

"Rafaela?"

She turned around to face the voice. Not alone anymore "Yes, Zilong? Are you okay?" No visible wounds and he didn't seem to be in pain.

"Don't worry about me." Zilong looked around, hesitating before gazing back at her, "The powers you have…and those things at your back." Rafaela looked behind her- wings were regenerating and almost back to their original size. "I have a lot of questions about you, but now is not the time." He sighed. "Though, I wanted to know if you're alright."

She shook her head. So many things has happened; war, Argus' betrayal and this. She had never experienced so much pain in so little time. Her fingers traced the magical staff she was provided with. If she only had her original power… "I just wish I could do more."

"I feel the same." Zilong replied. "

A bush nearby rustled with the sound of heavy footsteps. Zilong quickly brandished his spear and placed himself between Rafaela and the incoming assailant. "Stay behind me!"

Blurred mass of orange tumbled from the bushes and collapsed with a thud - a large hammer rolling down the ground as well. Rafaela's knees shook with the small shockwave.

"H-Help!" Lolita was catching her breath. "Miya is… She…"

"Breath Lolita," Rafaela said.

Lolita gulped air like someone who nearly drowned. "Miya went alone! When that assassin told us where Estes is, Miya turned crazy! I caught her sneaking out and she said she will take down the enemy or die trying. I tried to chase her but I was too slow…"

Rafaela looked at Zilong- same feeling in his eyes. "Tell us where she went."

"Don't worry about me… keep on running! Ha!" Lolita fell behind even as she struggled. She wouldn't be able to fight without her hammer, but the weight also took a significant toll on her speed. "Just save Miya!" Rafaela looked back and Lolita was fading from sight.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll keep up. Eventually." Zilong said as he ran. Unlike Lolita, he seemed to move effortlessly and has never slowed down even with his heavy wrmor. Rafaela was fortunate she can glide; running was too much of a chore for her.

Rafaela cast her spell and the two of them dashed forward. "Finding Miya now is the priority." She cast her spell again, keeping the regular intervals. "Zilong? How come you are such a good runner?"

"I tend to do a lot of chasing."

"Hmm?" Rafaela looked further, Miya was still nowhere in sight but there were signs of her – broken branches, disturbed mud and an aura that Rafaela felt.

"An experienced hunter like Miya leaving tracks like these… she must be really desperate." Zilong remarked.

"Seems like it." Rafaela continued her question. "So Zilong, are you like an assassin?"

"Not exactly."

"Or a law enforcer who catches criminals?"

"Not exactly either."

"You're a hunter!"

"Nah." Zilong replied nonchalantly.

"Hmm maybe you're a lady chaser?" She teased. After all, he did have a handsome face.

Zilong laughed. "Really? Not the other way around?"

Rafaela enjoyed the banter, "oh, I am quite sure you're the guy that runs away from them."

"That depends." He answered with his lips curving into a thin smile. "How about you Rafaela, what are you?"

The question caught her off-guard. "I… well, you see…" Rafaela stopped herself just before Zilong pointed near a clearing.

"Miya, is there, hiding behind that bush," he said. They could see an enemy watchtower nearby. Miya was almost invisible but the shape of her bow and her silver hair appeared like crescent moons in the dark. The elf drew her bow. "We need to hurry!" Zilong rushed forward and before Miya can run away, he had tackled her to the ground. Miya struggled to break free, "Dammit, get off me-"

"You're committing suicide," Zilong replied in a low voice. Rafeala looked at a group of demons near the tower. One, two, twelve, twenty. Or more? None noticed them.

"This is my only chance." Miya said, her gleaming. "Look there," Miya pointed to some metal cages under the tower. Rafaela could see the pale figures chained and huddled together. "Those are my people. With the night elves are defeated the watchtowers are vulnerable. If I can at least do something now.

Zilong let go of Miya. "I cannot stop you if that is your reason, but don't think you'll do this alone."

"I'll help as well." Rafaela said.

Miya looked at them, eyes wide with disbelief. "Why? You could die you know? This isn't your homeland. You're not even elves. You have no reason to help us."

"We do!" Rafaela said, taking hold of Miya's shoulders and looking at her straight in the eyes. "What's happening in your kingdom is happening all over the world. I cannot stand by and let your people fall, when our only hope is to unite against this darkness." Rafaela remembered Argus' slaughter. He was consumed by power and corruption - her counterpart, he responsibility. Why should helping the world be different? "Besides, we might not know each other for so long, but I don't want to lose you Miya. You are a wonderful person and I'd like us to be… friends." Rafaela stopped her words, surprised at what came out of her mouth. This was the first time she had asked someone to be her friend.

"T-Thank you," Miya said as she wiped a tear from her eyes. "Yes, I'd like that. I'm sure we're destined to be friends. Maybe." She turned to Zilong. "How about you?"

Zilong pointed to Rafaela. "What she said... But not all of it."

"Phew! That's a relief to hear then," Miya said. Her ears twitched and her eyes widened, "someone is coming… oh!"

It was the same thing earlier; Lolita stumbled forward with her hammer. She ended sprawled on the ground with a loud thud. "Miya you idiot! A marksman should never leave her shield!" Lolita jumped and wrapped her arms around Miya who groaned.

"I'm so sorry… Ouch! Lolita you're crushing me."

"I'm just glad you're okay." Lolita said as she trapped the struggling Miya between her arms.

"You're going to break my bones…"

Rafaela wrapped touched her bare arm, remembering Miya's embrace around her earlier that day. This was friendship, intimate and close. How come she missed something like this in all of her existence?

After catching her breath, Lolita beckoned the whole group together. "So now, what's the plan?"

Miya leapt up to the highest branch- the perfect vantage point. She can see the entire road and the watchtowers positioned leading to the demon fortress. The end goal was in sight and there was no room for mistakes. If her arrows fail, then all her companions would die. Miya peered from the leaves, waiting for confirmation.

Zilong twisted his blade, flashing to her the signal. The warrior snuck beside the bushes, near a lone demon sentry that seemed to be the leader. He dashed with his blade and flipped the demon away from the tower's range. It didn't take long for Zilong to eliminate his target, but the other demon minions quickly chased him. The demons had the numbers, but they were also incredibly dumb. All they knew was to chase and charge forward in a straight line, making them predictable.

Once the group of minions chased Zilong away from the tower it was time to wipe them all. Lolita slammed her shield, the area glowed with her energy and all the demons were unable to move from the pressure. Rafaela rained down her magic and her light brightened the dark road. Miya drew her bow and called upon her magic. Her arrows split and one by one the demons lay dead on the ground. Zilong swiftly moved, evading the rain of arrows and finishing what remained.

Miya quickly moved to the cages. She didn't know their names but these were her brothers and sisters, "I'm here to help." Their eyes lit up as they saw their rescuer. One by one, Zilong cut down their chains.

"Go home, everyone is waiting for you." Miya said to the other elves.

"No, we fight back!" One of the prisoners said, as the others picked up the weapons left by the demons. "We need to rescue the others. As long as you lead the way, we can do this."

Miya looked up the tower. The watchtower was filled with magic that was too powerful for a single person, but together they might be able to take it down.

"Don't worry I'll protect you," said Lolita. She charged headfirst, blocking magic blasts with her shield. Zilong moved in quickly and struck down the foundations of the watchtower. Amazing. Others helped and did what they can to weaken the structure, using magic or their weapons. She watched Zilong's precise movements, shaking the foundations to their core. Sooner than expacted, the watchtower fell down and crumbled.

"One down, two more," Zilong said. "Let's go!"

Miya shuddered. Beside her was Rafaela, Lolita, and her tribe. Now was the time to fight back.

Miya remembered one winter a very long time ago; where she and Estes played near a steep hill. She challenged him to race with her to the top but he was too slow and grew tired of running halfway. As soon as she reached the top, Miya scooped snow and made it into a large ball and released it to the boy below. The ball grew bigger, picking up more snow on the way, until it went faster and faster. By the time the snowball hit Estes it had grown so big. So much that it knocked her friend down to the bottom of the hill.

He hated her for an entire day.

She learned more than one lesson from the memory. First was; Estes was really slow and fragile, the gentlest among all elves. The second lesson was that a snowball was the best way to describe how victory would go. It started with a first tower, and each succeeding one gave them more weapons, freed more prisoners and strengthened their hope. It was fast and unstoppable - until it hit a wall.

"There," Miya lead Zilong and Rafaela to water tunnels. "Lolita and the others will be a distraction at the gates, but we enter here."

"What if this is a trap?" Zilong looked around, apprehensive. "Karina mentioned that she has an employer, right? What if this leads us to him?"

"Karina gains nothing by betraying us. I am just an ordinary archer elf. Nobody would make an elaborate plan to murder me."

With Rafaela's light they descended into the dungeons. Miya was sure that Zilong was a spearman, but she was beginning to wonder if he had an invisible hammer all along. However, he was not like Lolita who hit as loud as she snored. Lolita crushed rocks so loudly that birds fly out to the sky in fear. In contrast, Zilong knew how to destroy iron bars in silence, find loose bricks and carefully pull them out like books in a shelf. His skills were particularly useful in sneaking in - at this rate he could probably tear the foundations of the castle and bring it down while their enemies were asleep.

Their light source flickered and faded. "Silencing runes," Rafaela whispered. Miya looked around to see the rocks glowing in the dark, covered in languages she cannot read. "I cannot use any magic here."

"It could only mean one thing," Miya replied. Her heart was pounding. "Who else do they need this prison for?" Miya adjusted her eyes to the dark. The torches were too few, but enough for the shapes around to have a warm glow.

"Is anyone there?" A voice called behind the walls.

No mistaking it. Miya tapped Zilong's shoulder. "Tear this wall down! Hurry!" With a few hits, a wall crumbled revealing an empty room full of magical symbols. The impact echoed through the chamber; after a brief silence the chains rattled. A lone figure in the middle, bathed in the moonlight from an opening above.

"Miya?" He called her.

There was no words as she listened to his voice. So long yet it was the sound in her mind she desperately needed to hear. Miya legs moved forward, faster than her own breath. She fell into his arms, so warm and gentle, as she clung to him tightly like it would be their last embrace. It felt like an eternity. "Estes."

His arms wrapped around her tighter, "I thought I was dreaming 're real this time, Miya." He brushed the hair from her face and cupped her cheek. She shuddered as he gazed into her eyes and wiped a tear with his thumb. Miya closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead.

They were so close again. Miya felt how dry his hands were, nails cracked and how much he lost weight since they were last together. How much suffering did Estes endure here? And why was he taken at the first place? So much to ask but she just wanted this moment to last a little longer.

"Oh, so this is why-" Rafaela said loudly before she squeaked. She quickly covered her mouth as Zilong looked at her with disapproval- like how adult looked when scolding a child. "I'm so sorry." she added quickly.

Miya shook her head and gave Rafaela a reassuring smile. "Don't worry too much." She bowed to her and Zilong, "you have my thanks." Now, to introduce her new friends to Estes...

It was frustrating but nothing could be done, Zilong thought. His run with Rafaela earlier was enjoyable, but now they needed to be careful as Estes limped with them. The king couldn't move very fast at his weakened state and Miya had to support whenever he stumbled. Rafaela used her healing magic on Estes, but he needed more time to gain his full power.

Still, the king's magic was incredible. Estes raised his arms and slowed down the guards, his magic like water, splashing all over its targets, beautiful but deadly.

"We should join Lolita in the gates," Miya suggested.

"No, we have to get the others," Estes said. The king led them further into the dungeons. With the inner fortress emptied because of Lolita's assault front assault, there was little resistance as they broke into the other parts of the stronghold. Zilong broke down a sealed door to reach their destination; the castle forge.

Their entrance caught the attention of the workers - no, the enslaved elves. Estes moved forward and his voice boomed. "Rise up! This is the night of our freedom!" He rallied the elves from the forge out to the hall. Most were weaponless, wearing nothing but rags, but still they followed their king. Zilong felt a shiver on his skin. Such was the display of loyalty.

Dozens, no, hundreds of demons stormed down the hall to greet them. Still, the elves stood their ground. The other doors broke down revealing Lolita and the others. The hammer wielder moved close to Estes and protected him from magic blasts. Lolita glowed as she absorbed all the power, redirecting it back to their enemies. "Eat this!"

Zilong fought his way to the demon horde. He must take down as many as possible; the other elves wore no armor and used almost nothing. Rafaela's spells cannot heal so many at the same time. A bright light engulfed everyone and in the center, Zilong could see Estes glowing like the moon. The elves who were wounded and fallen rose up, their wounds healed and their strength restored. This was the king's power?

Victory was close, Zilong enjoyed battle after so long; to save the people and to aid the king was his duty and joy. The light of Estes' magic had faded - no, this was something else. Zilong lost sight of everything, from the nearby fighters and even the stone floors. No torches, no mosaic glass, no sparkling blades. Everything was clouded in gray mist.

A loud, chilling scream, a woman, pierced through his ears. He wasn't sure if it was Miya, Rafaela, Lolita or any other elf. Zilong's heart quickened and he concentrated his senses to follow the distressing sound, knocking the invisible bodies on his way.

There was a sudden change, a different noise, like a beast running. Zilong quickly turned around, and he cursed as sharp claws nearly made contact with his face. He knocked the assassin away with his spear but it wasn't enough. Then he saw it - the assassin crawled on the floor like a spider, and wore a look of a cat on its face. As swiftly as it appeared, it faded back into the shadows.

Zilong ran, following the unique sounds of the creature, climbing up a stairwell. The fog-like invisibility slowly faded and Zilong realized he was all alone. The assassin was gone. Dammit. He shouldn't have left the others.

"I'm impressed you managed to follow Helcurt," a man's voice answered. Zilong thought his eyes were deceiving him as the person emerged from the shadows. Was it really a man? The stranger had gray skin and a large open wound on his body. He looked like a corpse.

"Who are you?" Zilong asked as he assumed his fighting position.

"It would be rude not to answer. You may call me Moskov." The man stared at Zilong with empty eyes and summoned his own spear.