Andia: The Revolution

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Ashriel tried desperately to swat the snakes off. "OK, I'll bite." Ashriel said. "What do you want from me?"

[Eltee]

"I... Uh, Ok." Aarys said nervously. She was silent for a moment. When she started singing, her voice was barely audible. The words were unfamiliar to Valentin. Aarys sang a bit louder, her voice clear and lilting. Somehow, although the words were unknown to Valentin, they seemed sad, somehow, mournful. After a few verses, Aarys fell silent, huddling closer to Valentin beneath her jacket.

[King Acunasti]

Aarys' singing actually lulled Valentin into sleeping for a short second or two. He opened his eyes when she stopped. "You stopped." he whispered. "Are you okay?"

[Eltee]

"I think there was more, but I don't remember it." Aarys said sadly.

[King Acunasti]

Valentin grinned. "You have a beautiful voice." he said. "It lulled me to sleep."

[Eltee]

"Or, it could have been that boring..." Aarys smiled wryly. "No, I am joking. Thanks, Valentin"

[King Acunasti]

"Where did you learn the song?"

[Eltee]

"My mom... Before we were taken in by the ICA. She had the most beautiful voice... I wish I could remember the rest..."

[Duh]

"If you wish." Logan said to Peter.

- - -

"Vega?" said the voice of a Woodland Elf from the distance. In an instant, the hooded figure and the snakes vanished as if they hadn;t even been there before.

On a small bank of snow many yards away from Ashriel was a broad Woodland Elf man mounted on a horse. He was easily recognizable by his thick sideburns and long brown hair. This was Admiril Kanden, one of the primal rebel officers who had followed Sanchez.

Kanden was accompanied by 3 other rebel soldiers. The Admiril riased his eyebrow. "What the hell are you doing? Rolling around in the snow?"

[Arch-Mage Matt]

Spoiler:

...I hate you, you know.

"No more tricks, demon!" Ashriel shouted and tossed a fireball at the incoming soldiers.

[King Acunasti]

Spoiler:

Ha ha! Shouldn't have been a sissy and ran!

"I thought I was going to die back there." Valentin said. "And all that I cared about was you."

He kissed her on the cheek. "You stayed for me. You should know that I'll be treating you like a queen from now on."

[Eltee]

Aarys rolled her eyes mock-dramatically. "That sounds tiring..."

[King Acunasti]

"Not for you."

Valentin winked again. "I'm going to sleep. I can't keep my eyes open anymore. Come closer to me. It's freezing."

[Eltee]

Aarys moved a little bit, so that her back was leaning against the back of the cart, and Valentin was laying on her lap. She covered him with the jacket. "You sleep. I'll watch for any shards... Or any other evil creatures who want to steal you away from me..." She laughed quietly.

[King Acunasti]

Valentin continued holding Aarys hand. He fell asleep in seconds with a small grin on his face.

[Eltee]

Aarys absentmindedly ran her fingers through Valentin's hair, lazily scanning the tree line for any threats.

[Duh]

"Logan?" said the voice of a Human woman. "Lyra? Drago?"

A Human woman, dressed in the garb of a rebel soldier, emerged from the woods. She was Sergeant Rain, one of the eights' combat trainers. She smiled. "And the eight of the prochecy!?"

Logan expressed excitement. "You're alive!"

Rain nodded. "And so are 100,000 of the rebels! We thought you dead! We have a camp set up deep within the central wilderness! Admiril Kanden sent out different scouts to find other scattered allies! Thank the Old God you all made it!"

"This camp," Drago started. "Where is it?"

Rain mounted here horse. "No more than a half hour away. I will take you there!"

- - -

Kanden frowned, raised his hand, and absorbed the fireball in his palm. His horse reared. "What the hell is wrong with you!?" he shouted.

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"You mean... y-you're not the demon?" Ashriel stuttered.

[Duh]

"What demon?" the Admiral asked, confused. He turned to one of his soldiers. "He's acting odd. Get him on one of your horses. We'll bring him back to camp right away."

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"No! There was a dark hooded... thing that made snakes crawl all over my body, and turned into the ghost of my father!" Ashriel shouted.

[Duh]

One of the soldiers pulled Ashriel onto his horse.

"I think you might be going mad, son." the Admiral said. "We set up a big camp deep in the central wilderness last night after the attack on the estate. We've got 100,000 soldiers there. Let's go."

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"No..." Ashriel started, and saw the un-moving face of the Admiral. "No... I'm just kidding, you guys. Just some fun. You should have seen the looks on your faces! I... got drunk and passed out here. I'm a joker, it comes naturally. So... I'm travelling with a Rebel named Logan, and the "Seven other chosen ones". Heard of them?"

Secretly, Ashriel was worried. The Demon didn't finish it's business with him, therefore it could very likely come back. And as of now he didn't know how to defeat a demon.

[King Acunasti]

Rain's voice awoke Valentin. He sat up quickly, thinking she was a Shard. But he was surprised to see that she was a rebel. "What's going on?" he asked out loud.

[Eltee]

"There's a big rebel camp nearby." Aarys quietly informed Valentin.

[King Acunasti]

Valentin sat close beside Aarys. "Good." he murmured. His leg was in pain, but he could still move it. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked.