ELISON POV
Mistress of the whip, Gwenn is called, I am called something more practical, something which might not be related to torture techniques or brilliant fighting skills just like Gwenn and Orel dubbed titles but it was still important, it was still enough to be seen as special. The master huntsman is my title. Nothing can out run me, nothing can escape my clutches once I start my hunt.
And now, this hunt has started, to save my sister life, a race against time… I pray to the gods, please don’t let anything happen to her, I am on my way…I am coming to take the death that is rightfully mine.
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DYANE POV
He left, even with knowledge that he would die, all to save those he considered as family, all to save his honorary sister. I might have just seen Elison alive for the last time. I quickly send a prayer to the gods, please protect him, and mangle him up as badly as possible if you want but let him return with life within him, that way I can fix him up. The only thing I cannot do for him is to bring him back to life so please gods, spare his life enough to bring him back to me and for me to take over.
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OREL POV
Everything has a time, I realized today when Gwenn went missing and I sent for my wife only for her to tell me that she cannot see Gwenn, she knew what this means, just like she did.
Everything as I also know, happens for a reason. You cannot cheat fate, even when you do, it demands a retribution and take something just as dear and painful to lose as the original one. We kept Elison out of its clutches, it chose Gwenn instead.
You cannot cheat fate. That was what Themis tried to explain to me but I didn’t hear on time but this time it is even worse. Themis must have seen that the future cannot be escaped, was that why she told us? So that I could not blame her when one of us dies tonight because that much is clear, one out of the four of us will die.
And it seems like it has chosen Gwenn to take Elison place.
Themis woke up with a scream beside me, she went to sleep less than two hours ago with my fingers running through her hair and with warriors surrounding us.
“What’s wrong” I asked her, shaking her out of the last remnants of her sleep.
“Elison, he has gone to find Gwenn. I know where they are.” Themis said as tears ran down her face.
Oh gods don’t tell me that we are too late.
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THEMIS POV
Even with our special abilities, we still cannot cheat fate. Those were the words of my mother when I was small as she taught me my heritage. Words I came to discover were true even when I tried all within my power to change what fate had decreed. Time and time again, I have hated the fact that even with me seeing what will happen, I still cannot change it. This time is the worst of them all.
Tears would not stop rolling down my chin, Elison clock has been ticking in my head but this time, it had started to tick faster as it was aware that it will soon stop. This was not supposed to happen. Yes in a war, there is casualties but not like this. This isn’t supposed to be.
The ticking is now frantic. “This way” I pointed to the next bend as we all gallop past there, with our horses jumping over bodies littered on the floor. “Hurry, we are running out of time.” I cried.
The warriors with us knew Gwenn was in trouble and I know that my speech and mannerisms would have confused them but I was not in the mood or concerned to worry about what others thought of me. I was racing against time, against fate. Then I felt it, the stuttering of the clock, the ticking stopped then continued but this time less frantic. “No.” I whispered crying in earnest.
From ahead us, we heard Gwenn scream. “Nooooooo!”
I was no longer needed to point the direction but we all race towards her scream with Orel way ahead of any of us.
I knew no matter what…it was already too late.
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GWENN POV
Fate is a cruel bitch. I knew this because she made me get married to my perfect match only for him to cheat on me, something that I will never forgive because that was how she wired me when Baxter cheated on me, although when I discovered it was a lie, it was too late. The ruse had, had its expected results, too many lives were now involved and we could not shake things just to end up together. The second was just as annoying with Arius but this time, I was struck with him, I would not be able to do anything about it for now so I put it outside my mind, I will deal with that when it was time for me to move into my husband kingdom fully, then he will pay.
Third’s time is a charm right…not. This time the butch wants to take Elison and when we fought, it decided I would be a better replacement. And I am ready for it to happen.
Injured, weakened, barely seeing straight and nighttime. I never knew this was how my end would come, it seems fitting though. I was too much of a warrior to die when the sun is shining down on me and giving me strength.
What I never expected was to see the face of my killer peering at me, a face which I have known for the better part of a decade. “Alson, you betrayer.” I whispered, too weak to do more.
“You all betrayed me first, taking the side of a filth. You don’t deserve to die once, you deserve to be tortured.”
“You would not get away with this. Orel will kill you.” I said to him but he scoffed.
“I know I would not, my death was already set in stone since I attacked the filth he loves so much. I know I will die but the challenge now is to see how many of you I can take along with me, and you seemed to be the first.” Alson said.
“Dream on bastard.” I cursed him as I swiped my dagger at him, he knew better than to take me lying down weak as true, I got into the third highest ranking through wits and trickery not honor, he should have known better
He let out a growl as he jerked back but I still managed to catch him with my dagger and sliced at his chest. While he was getting himself sorted, I sat up with as much will power I could and threw the dagger that embed itself in his side.
“You will die choking on your blood.” Alson informed me.
“At least it would not be on your pathetic small cock.” I crowed, laughing and trying to blink the Dark circles swimming in front of my eyes. Defenseless and unable to move, all I could do was sit there and watch him advance to me with my dagger which he coated with something.
As he was about to throw the dagger at me, I heard a shout and when I turned, it was to see Elison diving at him, he covered his body with mine just as I head the small thump of a dagger hitting its mark, other than that the only sign Elison gave to show something happened was the small breathe that left his mouth in a gasp before he stood up and swung his arm -which I noticed had a sword in it- in an arc, letting go of the sword at the last minute so that it can reach it mark, that mark was found when it met with Alson and it succeeded in separating Alson head from his body.
I don’t know what happened, all I knew was that something broke within me, that something gave me extra strength to stand and scream just as Elison yank the dagger from his back and collapse. I screamed and the scream was filled with anguish and power. I screamed with all my might, I screamed my rage, I screamed for my dear friend, who just gave his life for mine.
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ELISON POV
This is it. I thought the end. I never expected it to be like this. That dagger was poisoned, I will never make it, and I am dying. Gwenn was screaming in front of me but I was too weak to turn on my back so I can see her face. My last burst of strength was what I used to take care of the enemy that was a threat to her.
“No no no no no no.” Gwenn repeated over and over again as she fluttered by me with tears evident in her tone. “You will be better Elison, I will take you to camp and Dyane will patch you up, you will be good as new Elison.”
“Turn me.” I said to her, she hesitated but she eventually did. “Gwendolyn.” I said with a fond smile, her full name, the name of a noble women, the name she turned her back on when she met us. “We both know that I would not make it.”
“Stop it, stop calling death for yourself, you will be fine, just hold on for a little longer, Orel and Themis will soon be here I know they will.”
“Take care of them for me, Arius deserve to get his ass kicked for what he did, do that for me too Orel.” I said after two pairs of boots ran to me. I knew without a doubt that it was Orel and Themis.
“I will brother.” Orel said, his eyes seemed blurry, then again that could be me. After all I am a little lightheaded too. It would not be long now, I have to finish saying my goodbye, with that I ventured on.
“Themis, my new sister, I didn’t get to send enough time with you but please keep these two hot heads out of trouble, you can do that for me right?” I asked breathing heavily now.
Themis let out a sob as she sank on her knees before me, holding my other hand just like Gwenn was, I think but I could not feel anything, I was numb from my neck downwards. “I promise.”
“Seems fitting that I die at the hands of the man whom I failed to kill for you, new sister.” I joked but Themis just cried harder and some noise seem to disrupt her answer.
Cries sounded behind us. “No, this should not be.” Orel said.
“Protect them Orel, take Themis and go.” I said to Orel, Themis started to protest but Orel dragged Themis up and put her on her horse before slapping Tyra flank. “Go Tyra, don’t stop until you reach camp.” He ordered and like a true daughter of her father, the horse of the war lord. She ran off not stopping no matter Themis cries or commands.
Orel turned to fight after hold on to me briefly while Gwenn cries increased, there was nothing more I could say or do. “Shh” I tried to shush her but she just hugged my body more and continued to cry. I sighed as my mind wandered. I was waiting for it to happen. I never knew this is how it would end though, but it seems fitting. Gwenn crying over me after releasing a maelstrom, nighttime bathing its dim light on me, the sound of the waterfall in a distance and sounds of battle slowly being dimmed provided the music to end my life. I would not have preferred it either way, sure a battle was going on but Gwenn was safe, Orel was safe. Themis and my nephew who I will never get a chance to meet were safe. I would be going with the assurance that my family would be safe and would continue living without me…this is not a bad way to go. So when I closed my eyes finally, too tired and weak to stop the lullaby… I welcomed death with open arms, I left my mark on the world