Mitchell looked at the carnage around him and didn't quite know what to think. On the one hand, these men had abused them, kept them in cages, and were taking them to their deaths. But, on the other hand, they'd just been brutally killed. Well, two of them anyway. The leader was still alive wearing the manacles and tied to the side of the wagon.
In his mind's eye, he could still see the fount of blood that had erupted from Dumb Fuck Two's mouth as Allora stabbed him under the chin. He had deserved it as far as Mitchell was concerned, but he'd never seen anyone killed before. Videos on the internet were one thing. Watching a man twitch and die a foot from you was different altogether.
Around him, things were settling down. Allora was digging in the compartment under the driver's seat, Revos was resting up against the wagon wheel, chewing on some of the dried meat having taken everything of value from the two dead bodies and placed it on the edge of the wagon. The new woman was squatting at the unconscious leader's feet staring at him, the stiletto she'd lent to Allora to aid in the escape held loosely in one hand.
Mitchell studied her as she eyed him. She wasn't as tall as Allora and she appeared human. Her red hair had the color of wet blood as it shimmered in the light of the planet's second moon. She had a lovely face that looked too young to wear the expression of cold murderous rage it now did as she stared almost unblinkingly at her prisoner.
She had a strong--though not masculine-- jaw. Her cheekbones weren't as high as Allora's but were still prominent. The woman's nose was thin and slightly upturned and her lips were thinner than Allora's. They were also turned down with a scowl and Mitchell wondered what this guy had done to her.
From the front of the wagon, Allora made a sound of triumph and lugged a long chest free. As Mitchell watched, she slid it from some bindings and, though it looked heavy, she set it down rather easily. She reached back into the space beneath the seat and brought out a small ax. Mitchell recognized it as belonging to Axe Man. She swung it down and Mitchell heard the distinct sound of snapping metal. Revos looked up from his silent contemplations as well. He said something to her as she raised the lid, but she didn't answer. She dove in, tossing a few things to the ground beside her, one of which looked suspiciously like his cell phone. Then she finally pulled the object she'd been searching for free from the bottom.
It was a sword. As she brought it out of the box Mitchell saw that it was nearly as long as the chest and it must have been taking up the full length on the bottom. She got to her feet a little shakily and held the sword, still in its scabbard, out in front of her. The damn thing was nearly four feet long. The scabbard was made of a dark black wood bound in leather and spaced along the sides were small purple gemstones that glittered in the moonlight.
Mitchell saw then that Allora was crying. Tears dripped from her eyes, but she paid them no notice. Almost reverently, she drew the sword and set the scabbard back into the chest. Mitchell didn't know much about swords besides what he'd seen on some YouTube videos but this one looked as deadly as it was beautiful.
The blade shone so brightly in the moon's light that it almost seemed to have an inner fire. He could see a broad fuller cut down nearly the full length of the double-edged weapon that ended in a ricasso that had a small black stone set into it. The guard was a simple yet elegant 'T' shape with another black stone set in the center. The grip was covered in black leather and a ball rested at the pommel. Even the new woman turned to watch and Mitchell saw her eyes go wide as she took in the blade. She muttered some sort of curse as she stood up suddenly and took a step or two back as if she wanted to run.
Allora only had eyes for her blade. She touched the steel to her forehead and Mitchell saw her speak but it was pitched too low for him to hear. After a moment she sniffed, then grabbed the scabbard and resheathed the sword in one fluid motion that spoke of thousands of repetitions. She set it on the ground and began to dig through the rest of the things in the chest. After a few moments, she came out with a headband that she slipped onto her head. He recognized it as the same one she'd worn when they'd first met. She pulled something else and tossed it to Revos. It was a glove, similar to the one that the leader had been wearing although this one had several more stones in it and looked to have gold and silver filigree connecting them as well.
Revos grunted in satisfaction and slid it over his large clawed hand. Once he had it on, he flexed his fingers and Allora said something to him, not taking her eyes off the chest. Revos turned to look at Mitchell and then held his newly gloved hand out. Before Mitchell thought to be concerned, a couple of the stones on the glove glowed and he felt a familiar sensation washing over him. It tingled slightly, almost like when someone gives you head or back scratches and finds just the right spot.
"That was a full comprehension spell so you should be able to talk to all of us now," Revos told him. "At least for the next hour or so."
Mitchell shivered a little, still not used to having magic cast on him, but nodded.
"Thanks," he said.
"Wait," the new woman said. "You can't speak Common? Where are you from?"
Mitchell looked to Allora who was examining the contents of a pouch she'd pulled from the chest and then to Revos, who only shrugged and went back to chewing on the dried meat.
"I'm..." Mitchell wasn't sure how to explain it so told her the simple truth. "I'm from a place called Earth."
He nodded his head towards Allora.
"She brought me here through a portal or something. I don't know how it works. We don't have magic where I live."
"Well, that would explain your strange clothes." She made a point of looking him up and down. "I'm Lethelin Ne Forlia."
The woman, Lethelin, held her hand up, touched the tip of her middle finger to the spot just between her emerald green eyes, and gestured out, almost like a salute but her hand was vertical, not horizontal.
"I'm Mitchell Allen." Mitchell mirrored the gesture somewhat awkwardly. "Nice to meet you."
Revos paused mid-chew, his dark lips forming a smile.
"Your name is Lethelin?"
An annoyed look passed over her features and she seemed about to speak but Allora came over then, holding her newly recovered blade and a few small bags. She was standing a little taller now that she had her sword back.
"I think introductions are in order for all of us," Allora said to this new woman. "And then we can see to your injuries."
Allora pointed to Lethelin's arm and, upon closer inspection, Mitchell noticed a decent amount of blood that had dried on the sleeve. It had been partially hidden by the cloak she wore, and he hadn't seen it before Allora mentioned it.
"I'll be okay. I hadn't moved far enough away when he fired that lance at me. It's just some cuts from a few shards of rock."
"Nevertheless, we have healing magic. It is the least we can do."
"Suit yourself," Lethelin said and shrugged.
"I am Allora De Annen and I am in your debt."
Mitchell sensed a shift in her tone when she said it. There was a formality to her speech that hadn't been there before. Her body was stiff and her eyes hard as she stared at the woman responsible for their rescue.
"If a day comes when you need my aid, I am honor-bound to give it. I make this pledge on my power and in Vish's holy light. Speak your need, and it will be done."
Lethelin looked stunned.
"That's really not necessary," she stammered. "A simple thanks is enough. I didn't come here to save you. I only let you out so you could help me get him."
Revos spoke up from the ground.
"You would turn aside a vow from an Onyx Knight?"
The woman looked like a cornered rabbit. "No! I... Well, first off, I thought the knights were all dead. And, secondly, I don't want to get involved in whatever it is you're all involved in."
Her attention shifted back to Allora. "If you really are a knight then you're a walking target."
Allora pushed on, ignoring Lethelin's protests.
