“Quite the unexpected turn of events,” Lidia whispered.

She stood in the hallway staring through the windows on the second floor at the commotion on the grounds. Lidia held onto a long staff with intricate designs made of a shiny metal. “Your thoughts?”

“He is a churlish hathel of your region, this should be expected. Those walking corpses is what is not,” Natravi replied. She was standing a few feet away behind Lidia with her hands crossed respectfully. “Fortunately he did not kill any of the guards.”

“Yes, fortunately…perhaps it’s time to make our move,” Lidia turned around and looked at Natravi.

“A long time overdue since we join this fight,” Natravi nodded.

“Bertrand,” Lidia called. Suddenly the old butler appeared from behind the corner and briskly walked up, leading to a bow.

“Yes, my lady.”

“Like mother I too feel rather exhausted from tonight’s ordeal,” Lidia said, emphasizing with a yawn. “Please have the staff prepare my room.”

“Of course,” Bertrand nodded and nodded to Natravi standing behind her. “And your guest?”

“She shall keep me company, please see to it that she also finds a place within my chambers.”

“My lady-”

“Father insisted she accompanies me, she shall act as my guard until father returns so please,” Lidia placed a hand over his chest and leaned forward. “See to it she find a place within my chambers.”

“…Very well,” Bertrand nodded quickly walked away.

When he left, Lidia motioned for Natravi to follow. Natravi’s lip slowly began to curl, mirroring Lidia’s expression, before she caught herself and reverted to her default stone expression. She led them around the other corner, the one with the staircase leading to the attic, stopping infront of a room at side. The fiery shadows gloomed the atmosphere of the waiting room as they stepped in closing the door quietly behind them. It was similar to the other waiting rooms with three chairs neatly placed at one wall and another door to the left with ‘W. von Solus’ intricately carved into it. The walls were painted with rivers and hills stretching from one to the other, one such hill had men carrying heavy boxes over to it.

“Over here,” Lidia said as she pulled out a chair in the middle to reveal a small button underneath. As the button erected out of the ground she quickly pushed back down until a small ‘click’ was heard. The wall behind the chair began to open up, revealing a small spiraling staircase.

“My presence here does not worry you?” Natravi frowned.

“Worry? The mechanism changes regularly, luckily I remember the method from last time. You will not be able to use to the same technique twice. Otherwise you will fall victim to the traps father has set up.” Lidia frowned. “Hopefully these will not become a bother.”

She patted her hips which were covered with plate armor, emphasizing her already wide waist. Natravi’s eyes slightly twitched as she looked at her superior before making her way towards the stairs, climbing down first.

Lidia sucked in her breath and pushed in her butt with her hands as she tried walking sideways. With some effort she was able to fit through the narrow gap. Turning around she re-positioned the chair to its original position over the button and made her way down the stairwell. It was completely dark and they could see nothing, even what was directly in front of them.

Relying on touch and smell Natravi led them down the low, uncomfortable steps. She would’ve fallen on multiple occasions is not for the support of the railing. The staircase seemed to continue on for a long time and she was almost tempted to use illuminating magic when her feet suddenly touched the uneven surface. She was at the bottom.

Feeling her way around, it seemed to resemble a cavern or at least a large tunnel and it was just underneath the manor. A change in the stale air and the sound of something slashing through it caused Natravi to side step away from the wall. A ‘clink’ sound and sparks illuminated the dagger and the wall where she just had been. Suddenly she felt someone pull her back as the wall before her, where she was planning to run to, was reverberated with ‘clinks’ and ‘clanks’.

“Careful,” Lidia said. “There are traps here as well.”

“Did you step on a trigger?” Natravi hissed.

“I thought you had…?”

*Sigh*“Thank you,” Natravi began moving again. “The sounds suggest multiple areas from where the daggers were released.”

“Indeed they were,” Lidia took the lead. She took Natravi’s hand and guided her down the large cavern. She tried squirming out of her grip and almost succeeded, but as she was letting go she realized that the girl was trembling to let go, without something to hold onto.

‘She’s afraid of darkness?’ Natravi smiled slightly, thankful for the isolating darkness. So untill they reached the end Natravi held her hand, squeezing every once in a while for reassurance. If Lidia realized that she knew she didn’t give any indication of it. So they continued until they came to a…wooden barrier? From the feeling it seemed like a wooden door, which Lidia set to observing after giving her her staff. Lidia started at one end and began searching for something while keeping a vice grip on Natravi’s hand, leading her like a child.

………….

*Click*

The sound of something coming into place reverberated in the empty cavern and a grey-like light illuminated the grounds in front of the wall, which wasn’t a big improvement. Lidia had opened an even smaller door on the large wooden wall and leading Natravi outside, gazed upon the buildings in front of them. Natravi let go of her hand and retreated it within her robes as she looked at the large watchtower in front of her. Making their way towards the street left of the tower, they found it littered with bodies extending down till the street turned.

Natravi’s fear came true as Lidia hunched over and painted the ground with her disgust. Once the initial shock passed Natravi took lead, realizing how unnerved the girl was. However avoiding the bodies was impossible for whereever there was no dead mercenary or citizen, a decayed corpse or skeleton had taken its place, all broken, amputated or decapitated. Lidia made motions to throw up again but fortunately managed to keep her bile down while she steeled herself to follow Natravi.

“Please take care,” Natravi said, catching Lidia in another motion to vomit. “They may still be around.”

“I…I will be fine,” Lidia said, placing a hand on her chest.

“Do you regret this?”

“What?” Lidia said, eyes widening.

“You planned to come out and help. Do you regret doing so?” Natravi said as she stepped over another body.

“No, No. I needed this…to strengthen my resolve, before I join my father.”

“…” Natravi nodded, annoyed.

‘Couldn’t you resolve yourself in the manor? It’s like you haven’t seen a dead body before, you live in Yikensworth.’

“So Natravi,” Lidia said. “Which kingdom are you from?”

“…The one in the north,” Natravi sighed and after some thought continued. “I left home at a young age so I do not remember much but my uncle does.”

“Is he here with you?” Lidia asked.

“…Yes”

“Oh, I am so sorry. You must be worried about him.” Lidia covered her mouth in worry.

“Thank you but I know he will be alright,” Natravi said. “He is a strong man; he will not fall to such enemies.”

“Can he also read the flow?” Lidia asked leaning closer.

“He claims to not have such ability, but sometimes I wonder if that is true,” Natravi said.

“Did he teach you how to fight as well?” Lidia said guestering towards the sword buckled around her waist. By now she was walking beside Natravi and was better at ignoring the piles of bodies they were waling over.

“…Yes he did,” Natrav allowed herself to smile at the pleasant memories. “You seem worried.”

“Ah…I am. This is so heartaching, waiting to see father during this makes me worried for his safety and it pains my heart,” Lidia clasped her hands over her heart.

“It may be that the armor is too tight,” Natravi smirked. “But careful not to loosen it too much, your subjects will think low of you.”

“Hey,” Lidia said in mocking offense. “At least I am not the one hiding like mold in a dark corner.”

“Hmph, At least I am not a corset; silencing my mother’s voice.”

“Hey, she had that coming. No matter, ‘hmph’ at least I know I don’t stand out like a darkspot on someone’s fac-AH.” She yelped as she rubbed her bruised side.

“A reminder of what is taboo to talk between us,” Natravi quipped. “Now focus on thine walk, instead of thine talk. It may serve to save us.”

They continued on in silence after that.

“T’is good to worry about thine father,” Lidia said, breaking the silence.

Natravi’s accent changed as a slight smile began forming on her lips. “I didst not knoweth mineth, seeing thee expresseth loveth for thy owneth maketh me very joyous…Sorry I mean-”

“It is fine,” Lidia said beaming proudly at Natravi. “I may not understand your accented noble tongue completely, but I can understand its meaning to some extent. They share the same origin after all.”

“Thank you?” Natravi nodded, frowning.

“I think I we will be very good friends, Natravi.”

“I am pleased you say that, my lady.”

“Please, call me Lidia.”

“…I am grateful for your trust, Lidia.”

“OOOH,” Lidia squealed in delight.

“Please calm yourself Lidia,” Natravi said pulling herself out of the hug. “We still need our concentration for the task at hand.”

“Right…do you hear that?”

As she focused; sounds of heavy footsteps being dragged across the rubble could be heard from around the corner and soon was accompanied by quite wails and hisses from the undead.

Natravi motioned for Lidia to stay her ground, while she slowly moved to check around the corner with a piece of crude glass she found lying on the ground. It was too dark to see how many were approaching but if the slow movement and the foot steps were anything to go by, it was large group.

Carefully, Natravi backed away and observed her surroundings. Inside her mind a whirlwind of ideas were flying, she grasped each as quickly as she let it go. None were suited for the situation; running? Another group of footsteps and wails behind her meant they were trapped. Fighting? Out of the question. Roof tops?...maybe. Natravi looked at the broken shop at the end of the street, the rubble creating a stepping stone leading up to the tiled roofs.

“There are nezhit'yus coming our way,” She said, motioning Lidia closer. “We are surrounded and need to find a way up to those rooftops.”

“What?”

Natravi grasped her hand and led her to the end of the street. As she picked up the pace Lidia shook off her hand and overtook her only to freeze at the corner and face the undead. Though Natravi was annoyed at the noble’s incompetency she couldn’t show it as it required her to waste her already strained breath. She shook Lidia out of her shock and pulled her away from the incoming corpses, shoving her into the rubble.

“Climb!” With that Natravi turned towards the incoming enemies.

She took out her sword dove into the horde; gracefully sidestepping the first attacker she used her momentum to spin and cut off the head cleanly. Another came from her right and tried going for her legs but she jumped and swung down to stab the undead at the base of its neck.

*Rumble*

She suddenly jumped back and saw that the rubble which had created a way to the tiled rooftop had fallen down. Though Lidia had made it Natravi could not do so by the same method. Before she could think of a plan her attention was suddenly captured by a wailing corpse that had gotten too close. Narrowly missing a fatal bite, Natravi distanced herself from them and began muttering under breath.

‘I don’t want to do this now,’ Natravi thought. ‘But I’m cornered.’

Her mind instantly went to the incident that bore her her trump card.

‘This isn’t the time,’ Natravi shook her head, as she finished her chant.

“[Parva fulgur]”

The sword glowed blue and small tendrils of lightening began emanating from it’s base, arching up to the tip. It began to glow a hue of orange before she swung, pointing the tip at her enemies. Thin blue lines arched across the air and struck the frontline of corpses. They trembled in their spot, convulsing as the lightning disappeared into their bodies, conducting through them and to the others they contacted. Though it only went as far as three waves, it still halted their movements long enough for her to do a run up at rubble and jump off of it to the shoulders of an unsuspecting undead before jumping to the roof. She quickly scrambled up the tiles moist tiles and only when she regained solid footing did she stand up to look at the crowd forming below.

“Here,” Lidia said as she offered her her sword. “It was about to slide off the roof.”

“Would you, hah-hah, like to lead?” Natravi asked, catching her breath.

“Sure,” Lidia smiled. Lidia took the lead but, as she suspected, quickly asked; “I have to know; how did you learn to fight like that?”

‘Better keep it short,’ Natravi thought.

“Hah..hah,….hrrmph, I do not possess a strong body. Because it is very weak, I was unable to swing like a proper swordsman, parry and counter too,” Natravi explained. “So my uncle taught me a way by which I could use a sword.”

“Interesting,” Lidia nodded as they ran.

The two ran over the roofs, jumping from one to another, careful not to lose their footing for the slippery tiles. They made their way to the townsquare, moving around the large square yard littered with dead bodies and broken makeshift shops.

“Oh my,” Lidia commented.

“Uncle must have been here,” Natravi murmured to herself.

“How can you tell?”

“Hmm, excuse me?”

“You said your uncle must have come here”

“Did I?” Natravi tried, but when met with Lidia’s determined eyes she caved in.

“See the smeared blood? And those bloody footsteps?”

“Yeah?”

“Now do you remember when all those survivors came to the manor? A fight recently ensued here and I think those survivors came from here,” Natravi said. “They spoke of a man fitting him description helping them out here.”

“Huh,” Lidia frowned as they left the scene. “Your uncle sound very interesting, is he really a noble?”

“…Yes, but what do you mean, ‘is he really’?”

“I mean my uncle is a noble, but he is just a lazy man who likes to eat a lot. Your uncle though, despite his title, acts like a commoner from what I am hearing.”

“He told me that once upon a time, he too indulged in the lavishness of nobility,” Natravi said. “But after a…an incident in which he lost someone close to him, he left that life for travels and taking care of me. And as we both know, there is not much earned from travelling around.”

“I, uh, yes…umm, who did he lose?” Lidia said, concerned.

“My mother,” she said.

The two followed in silence after that, whenever Lidia tried to stop, Natravi would push past her and take the lead reverting back to her introverted nature.

“Hey, listen I’m sorry, Oka-Ahhh.”

While Lidia tried to apologize a flash of darkness suddenly jumped infront of her. She took a few steps back as she tried to understand what she was looking at, but the creature was having none of it. It attacked with such speed and ferocity that Lidia barely had enough time to lean away, narrowly missing a nail to the neck. The creature was low bearing and had its arms and legs stretched out like a spider. It had hair hanging low to cover its face half it’s face and wore a bloody and dirty night gown. Natravi turned around to see the creature approach Lidia with caution.

“Ss-Stop,” Lidia tried commanding it. Failing to see it work she tried striking it with her staff; “I said stop!”

Whatever she wanted to do did not work as intended. The creature caught the pole with its hand and pulled Lidia off her feet along with it. She screamed as the creature threw her to another roof not too far away, jumping straight after her.

“[Caelum ignis]” Natravi yelled, pointing her sword to the creature mid-jump. Blue tendrils of lightening made their way like flames and in a flash consumed the entire figure of the creature in blue. The lightening set the creature to fire, quickly turned it to ashes and felling it mid air. Once the spell was over Natravi inspected the tip of her sword and saw that it was slightly orange and had begun melting from the power it was conducting.

“Glad I didn’t use my hands,” Natravi whispered to herself. But as she began to make her way towards Lidia three more shadows of similar structure suddenly blocked her path. Natravi jumped back and put up her guard as two of them attacked her with such speed that she didn’t even have time to cast a spell.

“[Lux]” Natravi yelled out of instinct. However it did little to deter them from tackling her off the building. The force with which they attacked carried her to the other building. She kept rolling on the roof even after her landing. Finally she stopped, only two steps away from the edge.

Natravi coughed up blood and felt it trail at the sides of her mouth as she forcibly craned her head to look before her. The two who had attacked were stalking her like a prey as they fanned out and slowly advanced, one on each slant of the roof. Natravi set to murmuring a spell and checking out her chest for any blood, grimacing at the spiking pain of broken ribs. She felt her hood fall, revealing her long black hair as she slowly pushed herself up with her sword.

By the time she was on her feet, Natravi was alredy sweating profusely, a small patch of her robes on the stomach area was soaked with blood and her hair was getting in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away when they yelled in their raspy voices and jumped her together.

“[Maxima, Caelum Ignis]” Natravi yelled as she brought up her sword. A shrill cry rang out as the familiar lightening spread out like fire, consuming the two figures mid-air. However the lightening didn’t stop there, it spread further and soon covered the entire half of the roof in blue. Tiles cracked under the heat and parts of the roof fell onto the floors beneath. The monsters burned up into dust so finely that when the lightening dissipated they were carried by the wind that blew her way. When the last of the light disappeared and the darkness returned to comsume it all, Natravi dropped her sword and clutched her side in pain as she looked at the half ruined building, burning away under her flames.

Natravi tried looking around for Lidia under all the smoke but couldn’t see any sign of the blonde or the wraith, human or whatever had attacked her. She took her slightly melted sword in her trembling hands and sheathed it before running away. She landed on the next building when her legs suddenly gave out causing her to fall on her face.

Her hands slipped and despite her clamoring she fell off into the alley, the dead bodies beneath cushioning her fall. The pain felt as if tiny individual wooden spikes were being driven into her legs as she tried to gain some feeling into them. She felt pathetic…but she had to get away from here incase more of the monsters came. Mustering her strength she punched her legs till some of the pain gave response and they began moving again. She scurried away from the bodies and pushed herself against a corner facing the alleyway entrance.

“Hopefully that idiot receives my message,” Natravi heaved as she stumbled into unconciousness.

.........(12 years ago).........

“It’s alright Navi,” the brown haired boy said. He knelt beside her and offered the sword she’d ruined. To her, however, it looked like he was offering a hug so she sunk into his embrace and wiped her tears into his many shirts. The boy traced a hand over her hair and whispered sweet things into her ears lightly kissing that ticklish spot at the side of her forehead. “You are alright, you are unhurt and that is all that matter to me, rybka.”

“Hmmm ah-hahah,” Natravi smiled. She wiggled against his kisses and eventually pulled back, trying to control her giggling. But when her eyes landed on the sword the humor suddenly evaporated. “But-but I ruined your sword.”

“Blah, this little thing?” he raised it over her head. “I can get as many short swords as I want,” he sunk the sword into the soft earth, “but I can only have one geniy. Alright?”

She nodded as she hugged and rested in the curve between his neck and shoulders. She cherished days like this. Even when he was home, she could hardly see him so when they could spend time like this she wanted to be as close to him as much as she could for as long as she could. He said it was wrong but even after thinking for half the day she couldn't believe that something that felt so good would be wrong. She liked Anna and the other children but she liked the moments with him even more. She was brought out of her thoughts when he grumbled and as if he knew what she was thinking Drac pulled her closer before ending it.

“C’mon,” he said pulling her to her feet. She knew she weighed less than those three years her junior but it still annoyed her to know that he could still pick her up like she was three. “Enough crying alright. Now tell me what you did to make this happen?”

“Umm,” she nodded, but then she noticed the stains on his shirts. Embarassed, she pointed at them; “Sorry for getting them dirty.”

“The gambesons always going to get dirty,” he said, patting the brown coloured shirts. “Now, tell me.”

“I don’t know. I was pla-practicing the sword moves you taught me yesterday when suddenly these, uh, these strings, these blue strings came out of the handle and the blade began to heat up. It really hurt.”

“Hmm,” he said, kneeling once more. “But I see no burns.”

“It did hurt!”

“Alright, alright,” he retreated. He picked up the melted sword again and began muttering to himself. Natravi couldn’t hear any of it so she decided to stretch out on the grassy fields, feeling tired from the training and the horrific experience. Once her duties in the kitchen were over she was allowed a few hours until dusk to herself, during which she either played with Dima, Dimitri and Natsya or practiced with the sword or flow reading in secret. He wouldn’t let her tell anyone what she could do and always made sure to give her a test for the next time he comes.

Drac…uncle Drac was a guard for the baron’s son so he was kept away from the kitchens and the house for most of the day. The only times he was able to come over was to eat or when the baron’s son had his lessons which was how he was here, currently inspecting her failure.

“It’s alright,” he murmured.

“How is it alright?!” she exclaimed. “I-I”

Whatever she was about to say stopped in her throat as he motioned for her silence.

“Natravi, what were you thinking when you practiced with the sword?” he said, tapping his hand over his chin.

“Ummm, I was thinking about that thing I read in the book,” she said nervously.

“What thing?”

“Uh, it was a flow reading book. It talked about things like making those threads in the sky, the one’s that make those ‘hrmm’ ‘hrmm’ sounds after. It talked about making those come from your hands. So I was thinking about that when the sword heated up and the threads ruined it.”

“Lightening…Navi, did the book have those threads moving throuht the front cover? Was the book brown and had metal bolts on its sides?” He leaned in with a frown.

Uh-oh, that always meant she was in trouble.

“Y-yes,” she trembled.

“You!…well it doesn’t matter, you would’ve gotten it anyway. Now you just get it a little earlier.”

“Oh, then I’m not in trouble?”

“No your not,” he looked displeased. “But it means you’ve already done the hardest part.”

“Huh?”

“Ah, Navi, what will I do with you, those who can’t read the flow rely on their weapons, right?” he continued after she nodded. “Flow readers can either use a weapon or read the flow if they are good at it, right?”

“Yes?”

“Well? Haven’t you ever heard of a flow reader who could use a weapon and read the flow at the same time?”

“Sikkons!”

“…Good enough. That not her real name, but alright. Those who can use the flow are already rare, but those who are able to use a weapon and apply the flow into their swords or bows or sickles or otherwise are even rarer.”

“So…?”

“You just did it!” he exclaimed. “You just let your mind wander around and let the flow take your energy without you knowing. Next time you just have to focus on it and you can have something even the baron’s son will envy.”

“Really?”

“Of cours-”

“Drac! Where are you?”

"Dang it, alright Navi, clean yourself up and come find me later."

"Drac! I am waiting!"

.......(Present time).......

“Hm!” Natravi’s eyes fluttered open. She looked around and found herself in the same dark corner she'd fallen against. She gave a few test stretches and found that although the bleeding had stopped her clots threatened to tear with any overexerted pressure, shocker!

With a slight huff she pushed herself up using her sword and began to make her way out of the alley. Although she was injured she needed to find Dra-Uncle Drac. She felt the safest aroud him…even after she got them chased out the baron’s town.

“Hmph, stupid daddy's boy. I’m not a witch.”