1 Chapter 1: The Sword And The Stick
"Run Lisa... Run like your life depended on it.", she said to herself.
Her feet would have sunken into the snow if her steps were not so quick and light. Yet she made no sound while she moved like a blur through the white forest outside of the Kingdom of Almiana.
She wasn't nervous, nor afraid. She was focused and determined. She trained for this, excessively so, that within a few seconds she caught up to them.
There were just two of them left. Mercenaries from who knows where, with only one goal, kidnap the heir to the throne.
One of the two men had his arms around their captive, a sharp dagger pressed against her neck while she dragged her against her will. His companion had his bow readied, and nocked, clearly waiting for Lisa to show up.
Once she was close enough, Lisa slowed her pace and hid behind a tree. She controlled her breathing to catch her breath and lower her heart rate.
"I will not die today. Neither will she.", Lisa thought as she reached for her sword...
But it wasn't there.
"Shit...", she whispered to the wind.
Lisa looked around where she was for anything to use as a weapon, and she saw a piece of wood... straight, 6 feet long, a makeshift quarterstaff.
It would have to do. She looked at the two men holding Jennie hostage. They were almost out of the white forest, which was Almiana's border. Beyond it was a dangerous territory where ferocious beasts and magic run wild.
Lisa had to act now.
She picked up a tiny stone and lobbed it high to her left, as she ducked and ran to the right at the same time. Within a few seconds, the stone would land, hopefully drawing the attention of both men, allowing her to strike.
Lisa moved low and quick, just like she did in training, and within seconds, she was in position. She waited patiently about 20 to 30 feet behind the one holding Jennie. With her eyes closed, she waited...
...for the stone she tossed to hit the ground on the other side.
...
...
*thunk*
The stone hit the trunk of a tree, and the archer quickly spun, along with the one holding Jennie hostage.
An arrow was fired into the tree, hitting it directly where the stone had hit, just as Lisa rushed from where she was.
1 second...
"Don't look.", she thought
2 seconds...
"Almost there.", She prioritized speed over stealth but kept her frame low as she closed the gap between them.
3 seconds... and both men slowly turned their heads towards her as Lisa was finally within range.
It was the archer who saw her first but he was still drawing another arrow from the quiver on his back.
"HE'S BEHIND YOU!!", shouted the archer to the one holding Jennie hostage.
With an accurate forward thrust, Lisa managed to insert the wooden stick she had between Jennie and the dagger that was pressing against it. She flicked her left hand quickly, pushing the dagger away from Jennie's neck.
Using the momentum of the man who swiftly turned to face her, Lisa landed a solid hit on the man's arm that was holding the dagger and spun the quarterstaff to hit his other arm that was holding Jennie by the waist.
Once Jennie felt that the dagger was gone, and the arm trapping her became loose, she elbowed the man holding her, and lowered herself out of his grip, just in time for Lisa to grab her by the hip.
Lisa spun around while holding Jennie close in her arms, swiping the legs of the man who was previously holding Jennie hostage using her staff.
"Get the dagger, and stay down.", said Lisa to Jennie. She turned around just in time to see the archer pulling back on the bowstring and releasing.
"I could dodge this.", she thought but Jennie was behind her so she pushed on forward as a very sharp piercing pain on her left shoulder almost made her lose her balance. The archer was reloading again.
Lisa held her quarterstaff and ran towards him.
"Tsk... WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE!", shouted the archer as he decided to drop his bow, and pull out the sword from his belt.
The odds were not in Lisa's favor. A blade versus a long wooden stick, everyone knew who the winner would be. And it didn't help that there was an arrow sticking out of her left shoulder.
The archer took a stance, his sword was raised precisely, and Lisa immediately knew that he was not your ordinary mercenary.
She slowed down her steps and held the staff at the center with both hands. She had to squeeze with her left as her shoulder throbbed in pain.
Lisa tried a swift strike to his temple, but the archer blocked that with his sword. A sharp clack echoes between the trees... It was the sound of a wooden stick almost breaking.
"HE'S RUNNING AWAY!", shouted Jennie from behind Lisa. Things were getting worse. She needed to end this quick. She held her quarterstaff in the middle with both her hands. She needed a miracle.
*thwack*
A snowball hit the archer's shoulder. It dealt no damage whatsoever but it was enough. All it took was the half-second that the archer's eyes looked at Jennie for Lisa to advance.
Her first swing was blocked, as it was intended to be, and it gave her the momentum she needed for the next three strikes.
As another snowball hit the archer, on the face this time, Lisa's quarterstaff flickered past his sword, striking knee, rib, and temple in quick succession.
With a loud groan, the archer dropped to his knees, his consciousness fading. And as his upper body slowly fell forward, Lisa spun one last time, hitting the nape of the man with a sharp crack, breaking both wood and bone, sending the mercenary face-first into the snow.
She dropped the rest of the stick and picked up the bow. She pulled an arrow from the back of his defeated foe, aiming for the runner.
"100 feet... ... wind coming from the left..."
Lisa pulled with all her strength, one eye closed as she aimed. But her hand kept shaking from the pain.
"You can do this... 110 feet." She pulled and released.
...
Close but it didn't hit...
She grabbed another arrow and moved forward, kneeling down on one knee and balancing the bow on her leg.
"120 feet. If I miss this... they'll know.", thought Lisa as she pulled back on the string again
Lisa was about to shoot again when she felt Jennie embrace her from behind, stabilizing her hand by holding it. She took a deep breath, aimed, and released.
"Please... Hit."
It took all of Lisa's effort to stand back up but the pain was too much, and she fell forward unconscious.
"YOUR HIGHNESS!! WAKE UP!! PRINCE LEE!!"
Jennie's shout was the last thing she heard before collapsing on the snow-covered ground.
